Forwarded by the ASC-VSO Posted: Sun, 08 Feb 2004 11:29:11 GMT In: alt.startrek.creative From: "Heather Smyth" picard5@bigpond.com Title: Vengance From The Past Author: Heather Smyth Series: TNG Part: 4/? Rating: R Code: P/C Disclaimer: Paramount owns all Startrek and I derive no financial gain from this story...just a little fun. Summary: See part one. On the planet's surface, Data received the message and went to his Captain. "Sir I have just had a message from the Enterprise. They are trying to alter a shuttle to be able to come and get us." Jean-Luc closed his eyes and nodded. He was growing rapidly weaker, his hold on consciousness tenuous. Data had changed the drip and again increased the flow. Despite the antibiotics, his temperature continued to climb, infection setting in. Beverly too was experiencing a rise in temperature. She was becoming slightly disoriented and took longer and longer to regain her perspective. She began to sleep for longer periods and was confused when she woke. Data didn't know what to do. He was no longer able to ask the doctor for advice and was not programmed with enough medical knowledge to counteract any emergencies in their deteriorating conditions. He sent a message to the ship. * Please make haste. Patient's condition failing rapidly. * Data called James and Parkes over. "I want you to collect more wood for the fire. Be very careful where you go.and do not use your tricorders. I believe the energy output may trigger other explosive devices." The two crewmen left and moved into the darker recesses of the building. They picked up numerous bits of wood and were returning when Parkes' boot tripped a wire strung low between two posts. There was a sharp explosion and the two men were blown across the space. Parkes was beheaded, his head landing not three metres from Data's crouching form. James fared little better, his chest torn open, his torso eviscerated. He was dead before he hit the ground. Data shouted to be heard through ringing ears. "Everybody out! Now!" The one remaining crewman, Orrop, helped Data carry Jean-Luc and Beverly out into the pouring rain. He found a tree and left everyone under it while he made several trips back into the deadly building to retrieve equipment. "We will have to set up the tents here. Quickly.we must get the Captain and Doctor under cover." "Sir what about landmines?" Data paused but a moment. "We can not scan for them. Hopefully, this far from the buildings, there will not be any." Nothing more was said as the men erected the tents. In the largest, Data put his two patients and risked a short scan with a medical tricorder. Both of the injured were soaking wet and shivering. He procured some thermal blankets and covered them and increased the flow of both intravenous feeds. Jean-Luc weakly grabbed his arm. Data leaned down to hear him whisper, "What happened?" There was another explosion Sir. Parkes and James are dead. We are out in the open, in a field between the outer buildings and the inner circles." He nodded and closed his eyes before suddenly stiffening. He let out a groan and clutched at his chest. "Captain what is it?!" His back arched as his jaw creaked with the strain of clenching his teeth. A dark pool of blood spread across his groin within the cuff. Data forced his hand down inside the cuff and pressed on the injury, feeling the warm blood seeping between his fingers. "Orrop!" The tent flap slapped wetly open as Ensign Orrop poked his head in. "Hand me the medical tricorder, quickly!" With the instrument in his free hand, Data scanned Jean-Luc's lower body. "The shard has pierced the femoral artery. Help me get the cuff off." The two men gently deflated the cuff and pulled it down far enough to access the terrible wound. As the bandages were removed, blood fountained up in spurts. Data pressed his hands around the metal trying to stop the flow. Orrop too added his hands, but they couldn't stop it. Geordie's cheerful voice rang through the Bridge. "We're ready down here. This baby's rigged to fly through anything." Will stood and strode to the turbolift. "I'm on my way down. Deanna, you have the Bridge." He arrived in the Shuttle bay within minutes. "Right Geordie, what do I have to know?" "Well she'll get you there and back, but the sensors are still very limited. Put down as close to their last known coordinates as you can, but you'll have to rely mostly on your own eyes for the final approach." "Right" Looking to the ceiling, he paged the Bridge. "Ops send new message. On way with shuttle. Standby. Sickbay have a team waiting in the Shuttle bay for our return." He was in the shuttle preparing to exit the Enterprise when the Bridge contacted him. "Commander we've had no response from the last message." "Understood." Frowning, he guided the shuttle from the bay and out into the inky darkness of space. The theta generator functioned well and, as he powered through the ionisation around him, he spared a thought for his friends on the planet below. Using all of his exceptional skill, he piloted the small craft through the atmosphere and, guided by the navigational computer, approached the last known coordinates. The storm buffeted the craft, throwing him about in his seat. Lightning flashed and rain pelted the windscreen and he hovered above a field looking for a place to land. Data's keen hearing again came to the fore. As he and Orrop struggled to stop the haemorrhage, his head suddenly cocked to one side and his eyes grew distant. "There is a shuttle approaching. Get a torch and guide it to our location. At present, it is approximately two hundred and twenty three metres to out left and eighty metres above the ground. Hurry!" The sound of the receding footsteps was drowned out by the ever-present rain. Data thought furiously. "Unless I can stop this bleeding, the Captain will bleed to death. He has already lost a significant amount of blood. I can not replace the lost fluids quickly enough." He continued to press wads of super absorbent gauze into the wound, but still the blood pumped out of Jean-Luc. His skin took on a grey pallor and sweat covered his body. In a final bid to stay awake, he raised a hand and took a wet breath. His eyes rolled back and his body went limp as consciousness fled. Data's head again tilted as he heard the shuttle come closer. They heard the characteristic sound of the shuttle touching down and it wasn 't long before Will's bearded face was seen at the tent entrance. "How are they?" "In desperate need of help Commander. The Captain is bleeding uncontrollably and Doctor Crusher has been deteriorating rapidly these last few hours." "Well come on, let's get them into the shuttle. Is everyone else here?" As they worked at getting the patients into the shuttle, Data told Will about the recent deaths. They would return for the remains later. They were five minutes away from the Enterprise when Data shouted tersely, "The Captain is in cardiac arrest!" Data immediately started to apply CPR while Will coaxed extra speed out of the little craft. The glowing blue light of the Shuttle bay was never so welcome. He landed with haste and the medical team entered even as the door was opening. Selar connected neural inducers and cardio stimulators and began to administer a series of shocks to restart Jean-Luc's heart. "He's lost too much blood! Transporter room, four to transport from this location to Sickbay." Jean-Luc, Beverly, Selar and a nurse disappeared leaving Data, Orrop and Will to gaze at the bloodstains on the bunk. Doctor Ben Hassem was waiting with his assistants when the party rematerialised in Sickbay. Seeing Selar already working on the Captain, he went straight to Beverly and had her placed on a biobed. He assessed her injuries and took her into surgery. Selar also had Jean-Luc in the surgery suite. With his heart connected to a supplementing machine and more fluids pumped into his body, the wicked metal shard was removed and the artery sealed. When he had stabilised, further surgery commenced to slowly correct the massive multiple injuries he'd sustained. Of greatest concern were his legs and feet. Selar had to resort to using metal plates and rods to connect the shattered bones, in some instances, cloning new pieces such as the replacement kneecap. His first bout of surgery lasted eight and a half hours, Beverly five and a quarter hours. Both would need further operations and many regenerative treatments. The infections were identified and treated and eventually, both patients were placed side by side in the recovery room. Will met with Selar and Ben in Beverly's office. "What's the prognosis?" In her usual unruffled manner, Selar stood with her hands behind her back. "They will recover. Doctor Crusher sustained serious damage to her stomach and will be on a restrictive diet for the interim. The Captain will require walking aids for some time." "How long will they be in Sickbay?" "The Captain will be here for two weeks, the Doctor.possibly one week depending on how the newly implanted teeth settle." Ben reached behind him and produced a plastic container. He offered it to Will. "You might be interested in this. It contains all the metal we took out of their bodies. Three point five kilos worth." Will took the container and grimaced. "Data said it was a fragmentary landmine. Apparently, the blast was uneven and they got hit by the weaker side, thank God." Selar raised one eyebrow. "Do we know yet who planted the mines?" Will shook his head and frowned. "Nope. We're no closer to solving this little mystery than we were before. I 've been back down to retrieve the bodies of Parkes and James. I want an analysis done on the metal in their bodies. Maybe we can at least learn something from their deaths." Selar nodded and sensed the meeting was drawing to a close. "I will notify you when they awaken." Will nodded and left, but not before he quietly stood by his friend's beds and saw for himself they were all right. Beverly woke first. She slowly became aware of the familiar sounds of her domain and slowly opened her eyes. There was an annoying buzzing in her head and she ached from head to toe, but she knew she'd survived. She risked movement and turned her head slightly, wincing at the pain it brought. When next she opened her eyes, Alyssa Ogawa was there. "Hello Doctor. Lie still and I'll get Doctor Selar." Beverly blinked her thanks and Alyssa disappeared. The next person she saw was Selar. "Doctor Crusher would you like a report of you injuries?" Beverly closed her eyes and gently shook her head. Opening her eyes, she looked to the side and frowned. Alyssa caught on quickly. "Would you like to know about Captain Picard?" Beverly managed a lopsided smile and a nod. Selar answered her. "The Captain is still sleeping. His injuries have been treated and his prognosis is good. He is still on intravenous fluids, mainly to replace blood loss and he will require more surgery on his legs, as will you. Both surgeries are scheduled for tomorrow morning." Beverly moved one hand to her face, only to feel the dermaplast patch on her jaw. Selar took her hand and gently placed it back on the bed. "We have successfully fused the bone and re-implanted some new teeth. As you know, it will be tender for some time." Her hand moved to her stomach. "You have had extensive surgery to your gastro-intestinal tract. That, and your new teeth, will put you on a restrictive diet for a while." Beverly sighed and smiled at her friends. Selar administered an analgesic and Beverly relaxed, lulled by the knowledge that Jean-Luc had survived. She soon slept. Jean-Luc woke in pain. Disoriented and with a terrible pressure in his lower abdomen, he groaned pitifully. "Captain, it's Alyssa Ogawa. What's wrong?" With his eyes screwed shut, he grimaced and managed to find his voice. Roughly, he said, "I need to." Understanding immediately, Alyssa got a bottle, raised the sheet and helped him position himself. She then lowered the sheet and stood to one side. Jean-Luc sighed with relief as he urinated, the sullen pressure slowly ebbing. When he finished, Alyssa again assisted him then called for Selar. While he waited, Jean-Luc opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He could easily see the glow of regen beams and, as he turned his head, he could just make out the sleeping form of his lover. He was contemplating more movement when Selar came to him. "Captain it is good to see you awake. How do you feel? Are you in any pain?" He frowned and thought about it. "Yes. My legs are throbbing, as is my groin and shoulder." He heard the telltale hiss of the hypospray and the pain faded away. He sighed and asked what was on his mind. "How is Doctor Crusher?" "She is progressing well. Her injuries have been treated and her prognosis is excellent." He nodded slowly and swallowed. "My legs?" "They were extensively damaged Captain. You have had reconstructive surgery on both legs and feet, with more surgery due in the morning. You have plates, rods and cloned pieces throughout your lower limbs.healing will take some time, even with regenerative therapies." "But I will walk again?" "Yes Sir." He pursed his lips and frowned. "I want to see Commander Riker." "Sir it would be better if you." "Now Doctor." Selar's impassive face showed no irritation. She stepped back from the bed and bowed her head slightly. "As you wish Sir." The Captain did not have to wait long. Will's large frame soon stood over his Commanding Officer. "Hello Sir, it's good to see you." "Thank you Number One. Report." "Well Sir, we still don't know all that much about what happened to the inhabitants. There was a war, that much is pretty obvious, but whether it was internal or external is anybody's guess. Data found that the tricorders were setting off the ordinance left behind.the landmine you and Beverly stood on was probably activated by your tricorder. The standing buildings are all booby-trapped; the whole place is a powder keg just waiting to go off. We lost Parkes and James to a trip wire.I would recommend no further away teams until we know more." "I see. And the storm? Is it still raging?" "Aye Sir." "Contact Starfleet Command and tell them everything we know so far. They might just decide to quarantine the planet and be done with it." "Yes Sir." Just then Selar appeared at his bedside. "That is enough for now Captain. You need to rest." Jean-Luc tried to muster a scowl and failed miserably. The fact was, he was tired. He nodded to his First Officer, dismissing him, then sighed as the hiss of a hypospray broke the silence. He recognised the effects of a sedative immediately. As he drifted off, he felt the sadness of losing two good men. When he next woke, it was morning. He lay quietly, assessing his body and smiled when he heard a tentative voice. "Jean-Luc.are you awake?" "Yes Beverly, I'm awake. How are you?" She snorted and sighed. "Truth? I've been better. How about you?" "Let's put it this way.we won't be dancing for a while." "Huh. I bet you're sorry about that." He was about to say more when Alyssa came into the room. "Good morning Captain, Doctor. You're both scheduled for surgery this morning. Captain would you like Adam to shave you?" Jean-Luc ran his hand over his days old beard and grimaced. "Yes, that would be good." "Right Sir. He'll just have time before you go in." It took just a few minutes for the nurse to use the isorazor to remove the bristles. In no time, they were entering the surgical suites. Several hours later they were back in the recovery room, their lower bodies bathed in the blue glow of the regen beams. Jean-Luc awoke first this time and was surprised when his stomach growled. He rubbed his hand over the offending organ, the movement bringing a nurse. "Are you all right Sir?" "Oh yes I think so.perhaps a little hungry?" "I'll get you something Sir, I just have to check with Doctor Selar." "Very good." The nurse soon returned with a tray and Jean-Luc was delighted when he raised the top end of the bed, allowing him to sit up somewhat. He dined on toast, scrambled eggs and Earl Grey tea, a simple meal that to Jean-Luc, tasted absolutely delicious. When Beverly woke she was not so satisfied. Her meal was vitamised and taken through a straw. Although filling and nutritious, she missed savouring her meal. She too was allowed to sit up and she took great comfort in seeing Jean-Luc looking so well, considering what he'd been through. He, on the other hand, was just happy to have her well and close by. After their breakfast, Selar came to see them. "Captain, Doctor. You will be moved to private rooms today and therapy will begin. Have you any questions for me?" The Captain spoke first. "Yes. When can I be released to my quarters?" "I would anticipate two weeks Sir." "Two weeks! Surely I don't need to stay here that long?" "Captain Picard, you cannot walk. You will be undergoing constant regenerative therapy and you face subsequent surgeries to you legs and feet. You will require ongoing pain management and assistance with personal matters. It is not feasible for you to return to your quarters at this time." "What about me Selar?" "You Doctor Crusher will be able to leave as soon as you can chew productively and ingest solid food. Your regen therapies can be undertaken in your quarters, as they are not as intensive as the Captain's." Beverly had the good grace not to look smug. She did, however have another question. "Selar, can we share a room?" One eyebrow rose. "If that is what you both want. Captain?" "What? Oh yes, that will be fine." "Jean-Luc? You don't sound very enthusiastic." "Hmm? Oh sorry.I just.Doctor Selar I want to see Commander Riker again." "As you wish Captain." "You wished to see me Sir." "Yes Number One. It would seem that I'm to be confined here for the next two weeks. I want you to assume command." Will straightened and frowned at his commanding officer. "But Sir surely you can." "My decision stands Commander. See to it that things run smoothly and I would appreciate it if you would report to me regularly." Casting a glance at the concerned Beverly, Will replied, "Of course Sir." "Dismissed." Once Will had left, Beverly allowed a moment's silence before broaching what was obviously a delicate subject. "Jean-Luc don't you think you're being a little.extreme? You know as well as I that you can command from the Sickbay. There was no need to." "Beverly I would rather not discuss it, thank you." "But." He cast her a glacial look that clearly said ' drop it'. Beverly however was not about to be intimidated. "Jean-Luc be reasonable.you can." He glowered and shook his head decisively. "I can't walk. I cannot.I will not command this ship whilst confined to a bed in Sickbay. To do so would compromise my authority." Beverly sniffed and brushed her hair back. "Your authority or your carefully cultivated image of yourself?" He glared at her defiantly, raising his chin. "Captain you are making a grave error if you think this crew.your crew, won' t accept your captaincy under the present circumstances. They will understand." He was silent a moment, before shaking his head. "No. My decision stands. Commander Riker will take command until such time as I'm able to walk onto the Bridge." She looked at him askance and shook her head. "Stubborn, foolish." "That is enough Doctor! This discussion is over." Pressing her lips into a thin line, Beverly assumed a submissive posture and bowed her head. Then she called for Selar. "There's been a change of plans. We'll have separate rooms after all." "Very well Doctor." Within minutes, orderlies came to take them to their separate rooms.Jean-Luc didn't even look at her when she left. -- Stephen Ratliff ASC Stories Only Forwarding In the Pattern Buffer at: http//trekiverse.crosswinds.net/feed/ Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCL/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:ASCL-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. From ???@??? 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