![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seren_ccdTitle: Standing in the Doorway - Chapter Two
Series: Going to Georgia
Ship: Chapel/McCoy
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
seren_ccd
Beta: The amazingfringedweller
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: They are not mine. 'Tis a pity, really. The title is taken from Going to Georgia by the Mountain Goats.
Summary: The furthering tales of the Starship Enterprise and her CMO and Head Nurse. The away team visits planet SX-453.
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I hope you enjoy the latest installment. Please let me know what you think!
Chapter One
Chapter Two
The away team gathered in the transporter room. Spock gave each member of the team a quick glance and determined that everything was acceptable. Dr. Davies entered with the tricorders the other ensigns would be using, identifiable as specialized by a light blue strip along the side.
"It's the standard design," Davies said handing the instruments to ensigns Simmons and Roberts. "It should automatically scan for the types of samples you've requested."
"Thanks, doc," Roberts said strapping the tricorder to his belt, while Simmons simply nodded his thanks and did the same.
"Thank you, doctor," Spock said. "Gentlemen, this is a standard away mission. We will keep to the parameters of our brief. Anything unexpected should be brought to the attention of the entire team. Lieutenant Patterson, please stay alert for any threats."
Patterson nodded and adjusted his phaser. "Yes, sir. I read that there are no indigenous life forms?"
"That is correct," Spock said. "According to the initial scans there are no signs of life due to the air quality, but stay alert, all the same."
Spock placed his helmet and mask on his head. The rest of the away team followed suit. A technician came forward to check their equipment and gave them a thumbs up.
"Mr. Scott, we are ready when you are."
*****
Christine absently listened to the ship-wide announcement notifying the crew of that the science team was about to begin their mission. She was too focused on the duty roster and making sure she accounted for the absence of one of the doctors currently on leave.
"Do you think they'll be okay?"
Christine looked up to see Nurse Karen Medina biting her lower lip and pretending to reorganize the medikits.
"I'm sure they'll be fine," Christine said. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, you know, just curious, really," the petite nurse said. Then it occurred to Christine why Medina might be anxious over this particular mission.
"It's Kevin's first away mission, isn't it?" Christine asked remembering that Medina was currently dating one of the scientists going on the mission with Commander Spock.
Medina smiled ruefully. "I thought I'd be better at this whole supportive girlfriend thing. I mean, we all face tough situations, and this is a simple 'snatch and grab'."
"'Snatch and grab'?" Christine said with raised eyebrows. "I haven't heard that one before."
"Blame movie nights," Medina said with a roll of her eyes. "I swear, someone needs to get the captain to stop showing those old Ocean's films. I can't believe they made twenty of them!"
Christine chuckled. "Tell me about it." Then with deceptive casualness, she asked, "I take it things are going well then?"
"Yes, they are, thank you," Medina said pinning the other nurse with an amused look. "I mean, it's fun. Neither of us are looking to walk down an aisle."
"Fair enough," Christine said. She took in the other woman's attempt to look busy and said, “Go. I think they've got a live feed in the lab next door. We're fine here.”
“Are you sure?” Medina asked. “Oh Christine, thanks!”
Christine chuckled as the younger nurse scurried out of the sickbay.
*****
McCoy entered the bridge behind Kirk and as always, felt a feeling somewhat akin to awe when he looked at the screen to see the orange planet below. He shook his head and not for the first time, wondered how a good ol' boy like him got here.
A spaceship, he thought. That's what got me here. A goddamn spaceship and a bottle of bourbon the night before.
However, as he scanned the crew busy at their posts and the knowledge that his sickbay was running smoothly, his thoughts were tinged with amusement and pride.
McCoy took his customary place on the bridge slightly behind Jim's chair in his usual stance that involved one arm crossed over his chest and the other hand tapping his chin. Chekov was busy doing something at his station and Uhura was talking in a low voice to someone.
"The away team is ready for a go, captain," Scotty's voice announced over the comm.
"On your command, Mr. Spock," Kirk said.
"Yes, captain," Spock said. "Mr. Scott."
"Beaming down now, sir."
"Chekov," Kirk said. "Let's get those feeds on screen as soon as you can."
"Aye, captain." The young man smoothly tapped his console and a grid of four black boxes appeared on the view screen.
"We have landed on the planet, captain," Spock said over his comm.
"Proceed, Mr. Spock," Kirk said leaning back in his chair. "Just keep us informed."
“Aye, sir. Gentlemen, turn your cameras on.”
The video feeds began to appear on the large screen. The images jostled slightly as the away team moved around and scanned the area. Roberts waved a few times at Simmons, who gave a small wave back. The planet itself was an odd mix of red and blue. A deep red sky and a rocky blue ground. The team landed in something of a valley and as Spock looked around, the erosion of the cliff faces on either side was obvious. There were at least five distinguishable layers of different soils.
“Begin your scans, gentlemen,” Spock said. “Lieutenant Patterson, remain alert.”
The ensigns began to scan the ground, occasionally calling out readings.
McCoy heard someone enter the bridge and was surprised to see Dr. Havers enter and take a position at the back of the bridge to watch the screen. McCoy arched a brow at the man's presence, but turned away to study the screen.
“Gentlemen, let's make our way to the end of this canyon and attempt to reach the first rise,” Spock said.
The view screens showed as each member of the team began to walk down the canyon. A sound made Patterson turn sharply to the left, but it was only a gust of wind sending pebbles down the cliff face.
Spock continued to scan the air for readings.
“Commander,” Simmons said. “It looks as if the initial readings were correct; there is a definite disturbance of this soil. But it appears to have come from the bottom upwards. It hasn't been acted upon by external forces or weather.”
“Noted, ensign,” Spock said.
Simmons's view screen showed his gloved hands holding the tricorder as he kneeled to the ground to get a closer reading. His head gave a little shake and the image shivered.
“Simmons, is there a problem with your camera?” Chekov asked.
“No, no,” he said. “It's fine. Sorry. Just had an itch or something.”
McCoy frowned.
“Ensign Simmons, please begin your scan of the lower layers,” Spock said. “Remember to be precise in your collection of the data.”
“Yes, sir,” Simmons said. He held out the tricorder once more, this time directly vertical over the canyon floor.
“Commander,” Roberts said. “I think I've found evidence of a possible alluvial deposit.”
Spock walked over to stand next to the ensign and held out his tricorder. “You may be correct. We should--”
“Make sure there are traces of connate fluids,” Simmons interrupted his superior officer, his voice tight and tense. “Only during diagenesis would they be present. Only then would you be able to claim that they were alluvial in nature.”
“That is correct,” Spock said slowly as he turned to face the ensign whose posture had become completely curled over as he scanned the ground.
Patterson's feed reflected Spock's face. Only those closest to him could see the faint arch of his eyebrow which expressed his surprise at the interruption from the normally reticent ensign. Kirk shifted in his seat and Sulu and Chekov exchanged glances.
Roberts cleared his throat. “Ah, okay. I'll just scan this then.”
“Don't forget to observe for any lithification,” Simmons said as his feed gave a small shiver. “Make sure the conglomerates have been cemented.”
The entire away team was watching Simmons by this point. Ensign Roberts in particular appeared to be taken aback by the tone of the other man.
“Ensign, again, you are correct,” Spock said. The image from Spock's feed tilted to the left as the Vulcan regarded the still crouched ensign.
“Well, it's obvious,” Simmons said. Then he became completely still. Then, in a harsh whisper he said, “It's all so obvious.”
“Uh, what's obvious, Mark?” Roberts asked.
“Everything. Everything!” Simmons said excitedly. “Of course, there are alluvial traces, the initial scans showed that this particular area had suffered from a great deal of plate shifts, it makes sense that a fluid of some sort would have been involved. Don't you see?"
Simmons' image started to shake and waver as he rose quickly and stalked towards a cliff face. “Don't you all see?”
“Ensign!” Spock said sharply. "You are deviating from your specified task."
“Simmons!” Roberts said. “What are you doing? Hang on!”
“Mr Spock,” Kirk said warningly.
Simmons' feed became erratic as he began to run.
McCoy could hear some kind of muttering coming over the boy's frequency.
“Must find, must collect, data, data, must find, must find, collect, collect, data. Understand, understand, understand!”
“Jim! The kid's having a seizure,” McCoy said gesturing at the screen. “Get him back up here!”
Spock's feed was now shaking and jumping as he ran after the ensign. Lieutenant Patterson was the first to reach Simmons and grab his upper arm to try to stop him. Simmons' face was pale under his mask.
“No! I understand how it all happened!” he shouted. In a burst of strength, he pulled his arm away from Patterson and started to run towards the cliff face again.
“Ensign Simmons, this is your captain! Stop now! That's an order!” Kirk said standing up.
Simmons ran straight into the side of the mountain, the bridge gasped collectively as the sharp sound of the impact filled the room. A crack appeared in the ensign's face mask and his oxygen level began to flash a warning. Simmons was still muttering and his hands came up to claw at the dirt. He was finally pulled away from the mountain by Spock and Patterson.
“Simmons! Stop and desist!” Spock said. “You are unwell.”
“But, I understand!” he said with his eyes wide and his arms flailing as he tried to fight off the other two men. Then he went still and started to gasp as his mask filled with the toxic air from the planet.
“He's suffocating! Spock, hold him down,” McCoy shouted. “Beam them to sickbay, now!”
"Scotty! Beam everyone directly to sickbay!" Kirk said.
"Aye, sir! I've got a lock on them now."
McCoy hit the comm. "Chapel! M'Benga! We’ve got incoming! Get some oxygen and ready and prep table seven."
"Yes, doctor," Chapel's calm voice reassured McCoy as he fought to understand just what exactly had gone wrong on that planet.
*****
"Get him in here," Christine said as she directed the away team as they beamed into the main sickbay area. "Lay him on the table. Nurse Farrow, help hold him down."
The older male nurse joined Commander Spock and Lieutenant Patterson as they tried to hold the young ensign down. Chapel quickly grabbed some hypospray solutions and the oxygen mask, as she moved to stand next to the biobed, she noticed Nurse Medina come in from the other lab and went to stand next to Ensign Roberts.
Christine took a good look at the ensign currently thrashing on the table. His eyes were wide open but unseeing, pupils heavily dilated and his hands were curled into fists so tightly, she feared they'd never unclench.
“Get his mask off, please, Mr. Spock,” she ordered. She readied the oxygen mask and as soon as Simmons' mask was removed she replaced it with the clean oxygen. Simmons' muscles remained clenched, but his gasping stopped as his breathing evened out. Christine noticed he still held his tricorder in his hand and, with some difficulty, pried his fingers off the instrument and set it on the small tray table nearby.
"We may need more muscle relaxant solutions, Nurse Medina," Christine said over her shoulder.
"Yes, ma'am. I'll get more ready," Medina said before heading into the supply room.
She heard the sound of the turbolifts open and suddenly McCoy was right by her side. "Oxygen, on? Good.”
"What happened?" she asked.
"Damned if I know. One minute he's fine, spouting technobabble like he was born to it. The next, he's running as if demons from hell are after him,” McCoy said. “Some kind of seizure. Let's get him stabilized."
Christine went over to the stabilizer fields on the sides of the biobed and swiftly set the settings to cushion his head softly. McCoy ran his tricorder over the ensign.
“Heart rate increased, oxygen levels returning to normal. Spock, what happened down there?” McCoy asked the Vulcan who stood to the side quietly, his own mask off and held in his hands. Patterson and Roberts stood off to the far side looking worried and frazzled. The captain was standing not too far behind Spock and watching the ensign with narrowed eyes.
“I honestly cannot say, doctor,” Spock said his eyes not leaving the face of ensign on the bed. "I have never known Ensign Simmons to behave so erratically."
"That's what I thought," McCoy said. Christine silently handed him a hypospray filled with a muscle relaxant solution. He pressed the hypo to the ensign's neck and the familiar sound of a solution being depressed filled the room.
"Heart rate is stabilizing," Christine said as she watched the numbers on the biobed shift and change. "His biorhythms are approaching normal. "
Simmons' hands slowly unclenched and he emitted a soft sigh as the muscles in his neck stopped their straining.
"Thank heavens for small favors," McCoy muttered. "I don't want to give him anything stronger until we know what we're dealing with. Let's see if he feels like talking. Chapel?"
"Here, doctor," Christine said as she handed McCoy another hypospray with a light dose of adrenalin.
"Here goes," McCoy said. He pressed the hypospray to Simmons' neck.
The ensign made a small noise of discomfort, but slowly his eyes blinked open.
"Pupils back to normal," McCoy said. "How you feelin', kid?"
"Uh, kind of sore," Simmons said. He squeezed his eyes shut. "And my head really hurts. What happened?"
"We were hoping you could illuminate us," Spock said.
"Oh," Simmons said opening his eyes again. "I was on the planet. I was taking readings. I…." His eyes widened, he sat up and looked excitedly at Spock. "Sir! I know how that canyon formed! It wasn't simply a product of erosion. The planet's own plate shifts worked with the water flow to make those canyons. If we look at the samples and also at the magnetic readings, I can find a connection—"
"Whoa, whoa, slow down," McCoy said. "Ensign, you just had what was tantamount to a seizure for no apparent reason. Let's figure that mystery out first before you dive back into experiments."
Simmons nodded and settled back on the bed. "Yes, sir."
"Okay, now, I'm going to ask you some simple questions just to gauge your memory, see if anything got knocked around up there," McCoy said. "Full name and rank?"
"Simmons, Mark J. Rank: ensign, science department."
"Do you know where you are?"
"The sickbay of the USS Enterprise, currently in orbit around SX-453."
"Place of birth?"
Simmons frowned. "I'm sorry?"
"Your place of birth?" McCoy asked as he leaned forward. "Your hometown?"
"I… I don't know," Simmons said crinkling his brow. "Should I?"
Christine threw a worried look at McCoy who frowned. "Do you know your parents' names?"
"My—parents?" Simmons asked. He looked thoughtful and then shrugged. "I don't know. Should I know?"
McCoy was beginning to look concerned, but he covered it up and smiled. "Just rest here for a little while, ensign. Let us know if you need anything."
"Okay," Simmons said. "But really, I feel fine. My headache's almost gone. I really want to get started on my research."
"All in good time," McCoy said. He met Christine's eyes and she nodded, knowing that all this was far from over.
*****
"Well, Bones?" Kirk asked simply as he, Spock and McCoy went into McCoy's office.
"Well, at first glance, I'll say seizure or even stroke with slight amnesia," McCoy said with a sigh as he crossed his arms over his chest. "That's actually a common side effect. What's got me concerned is the total extent that he's forgotten certain things. It's not that he's forgotten a name or a place, it's that he's forgotten it ever existed in the first place."
"Dr. McCoy is correct," Spock said ignoring the expression that crossed McCoy's face. "I find the ensign's preoccupation with his research admirable, but the conclusions he is jumping to are extremely advanced based on the data we currently possess."
The captain nodded. "Bones, what do you want to do?"
"Run some tests on the kid. Scan that planet again for any possible threats we missed the first time around," McCoy said.
Spock straightened. "No threats were missed, doctor. Our scans were complete and thorough."
McCoy rolled his eyes and before he could get going, Kirk held up a hand. "Just to be on the safe side, Spock. Let's just run them again."
"Yes, captain," Spock said.
"Bones, do what you need to," Kirk said. "And keep me informed."
"You got it," McCoy said as he looked out of his office window to the ensign lying and chatting comfortably with Chapel. "There are a lot of things you can forget in this world. But, no matter how hard you might try, you don't forget where you're from."
Chapter Three
Series: Going to Georgia
Ship: Chapel/McCoy
Author:
seren_ccdBeta: The amazing
fringedwellerRating: PG-13
Disclaimer: They are not mine. 'Tis a pity, really. The title is taken from Going to Georgia by the Mountain Goats.
Summary: The furthering tales of the Starship Enterprise and her CMO and Head Nurse. The away team visits planet SX-453.
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I hope you enjoy the latest installment. Please let me know what you think!
Chapter One
Chapter Two
The away team gathered in the transporter room. Spock gave each member of the team a quick glance and determined that everything was acceptable. Dr. Davies entered with the tricorders the other ensigns would be using, identifiable as specialized by a light blue strip along the side.
"It's the standard design," Davies said handing the instruments to ensigns Simmons and Roberts. "It should automatically scan for the types of samples you've requested."
"Thanks, doc," Roberts said strapping the tricorder to his belt, while Simmons simply nodded his thanks and did the same.
"Thank you, doctor," Spock said. "Gentlemen, this is a standard away mission. We will keep to the parameters of our brief. Anything unexpected should be brought to the attention of the entire team. Lieutenant Patterson, please stay alert for any threats."
Patterson nodded and adjusted his phaser. "Yes, sir. I read that there are no indigenous life forms?"
"That is correct," Spock said. "According to the initial scans there are no signs of life due to the air quality, but stay alert, all the same."
Spock placed his helmet and mask on his head. The rest of the away team followed suit. A technician came forward to check their equipment and gave them a thumbs up.
"Mr. Scott, we are ready when you are."
*****
Christine absently listened to the ship-wide announcement notifying the crew of that the science team was about to begin their mission. She was too focused on the duty roster and making sure she accounted for the absence of one of the doctors currently on leave.
"Do you think they'll be okay?"
Christine looked up to see Nurse Karen Medina biting her lower lip and pretending to reorganize the medikits.
"I'm sure they'll be fine," Christine said. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, you know, just curious, really," the petite nurse said. Then it occurred to Christine why Medina might be anxious over this particular mission.
"It's Kevin's first away mission, isn't it?" Christine asked remembering that Medina was currently dating one of the scientists going on the mission with Commander Spock.
Medina smiled ruefully. "I thought I'd be better at this whole supportive girlfriend thing. I mean, we all face tough situations, and this is a simple 'snatch and grab'."
"'Snatch and grab'?" Christine said with raised eyebrows. "I haven't heard that one before."
"Blame movie nights," Medina said with a roll of her eyes. "I swear, someone needs to get the captain to stop showing those old Ocean's films. I can't believe they made twenty of them!"
Christine chuckled. "Tell me about it." Then with deceptive casualness, she asked, "I take it things are going well then?"
"Yes, they are, thank you," Medina said pinning the other nurse with an amused look. "I mean, it's fun. Neither of us are looking to walk down an aisle."
"Fair enough," Christine said. She took in the other woman's attempt to look busy and said, “Go. I think they've got a live feed in the lab next door. We're fine here.”
“Are you sure?” Medina asked. “Oh Christine, thanks!”
Christine chuckled as the younger nurse scurried out of the sickbay.
*****
McCoy entered the bridge behind Kirk and as always, felt a feeling somewhat akin to awe when he looked at the screen to see the orange planet below. He shook his head and not for the first time, wondered how a good ol' boy like him got here.
A spaceship, he thought. That's what got me here. A goddamn spaceship and a bottle of bourbon the night before.
However, as he scanned the crew busy at their posts and the knowledge that his sickbay was running smoothly, his thoughts were tinged with amusement and pride.
McCoy took his customary place on the bridge slightly behind Jim's chair in his usual stance that involved one arm crossed over his chest and the other hand tapping his chin. Chekov was busy doing something at his station and Uhura was talking in a low voice to someone.
"The away team is ready for a go, captain," Scotty's voice announced over the comm.
"On your command, Mr. Spock," Kirk said.
"Yes, captain," Spock said. "Mr. Scott."
"Beaming down now, sir."
"Chekov," Kirk said. "Let's get those feeds on screen as soon as you can."
"Aye, captain." The young man smoothly tapped his console and a grid of four black boxes appeared on the view screen.
"We have landed on the planet, captain," Spock said over his comm.
"Proceed, Mr. Spock," Kirk said leaning back in his chair. "Just keep us informed."
“Aye, sir. Gentlemen, turn your cameras on.”
The video feeds began to appear on the large screen. The images jostled slightly as the away team moved around and scanned the area. Roberts waved a few times at Simmons, who gave a small wave back. The planet itself was an odd mix of red and blue. A deep red sky and a rocky blue ground. The team landed in something of a valley and as Spock looked around, the erosion of the cliff faces on either side was obvious. There were at least five distinguishable layers of different soils.
“Begin your scans, gentlemen,” Spock said. “Lieutenant Patterson, remain alert.”
The ensigns began to scan the ground, occasionally calling out readings.
McCoy heard someone enter the bridge and was surprised to see Dr. Havers enter and take a position at the back of the bridge to watch the screen. McCoy arched a brow at the man's presence, but turned away to study the screen.
“Gentlemen, let's make our way to the end of this canyon and attempt to reach the first rise,” Spock said.
The view screens showed as each member of the team began to walk down the canyon. A sound made Patterson turn sharply to the left, but it was only a gust of wind sending pebbles down the cliff face.
Spock continued to scan the air for readings.
“Commander,” Simmons said. “It looks as if the initial readings were correct; there is a definite disturbance of this soil. But it appears to have come from the bottom upwards. It hasn't been acted upon by external forces or weather.”
“Noted, ensign,” Spock said.
Simmons's view screen showed his gloved hands holding the tricorder as he kneeled to the ground to get a closer reading. His head gave a little shake and the image shivered.
“Simmons, is there a problem with your camera?” Chekov asked.
“No, no,” he said. “It's fine. Sorry. Just had an itch or something.”
McCoy frowned.
“Ensign Simmons, please begin your scan of the lower layers,” Spock said. “Remember to be precise in your collection of the data.”
“Yes, sir,” Simmons said. He held out the tricorder once more, this time directly vertical over the canyon floor.
“Commander,” Roberts said. “I think I've found evidence of a possible alluvial deposit.”
Spock walked over to stand next to the ensign and held out his tricorder. “You may be correct. We should--”
“Make sure there are traces of connate fluids,” Simmons interrupted his superior officer, his voice tight and tense. “Only during diagenesis would they be present. Only then would you be able to claim that they were alluvial in nature.”
“That is correct,” Spock said slowly as he turned to face the ensign whose posture had become completely curled over as he scanned the ground.
Patterson's feed reflected Spock's face. Only those closest to him could see the faint arch of his eyebrow which expressed his surprise at the interruption from the normally reticent ensign. Kirk shifted in his seat and Sulu and Chekov exchanged glances.
Roberts cleared his throat. “Ah, okay. I'll just scan this then.”
“Don't forget to observe for any lithification,” Simmons said as his feed gave a small shiver. “Make sure the conglomerates have been cemented.”
The entire away team was watching Simmons by this point. Ensign Roberts in particular appeared to be taken aback by the tone of the other man.
“Ensign, again, you are correct,” Spock said. The image from Spock's feed tilted to the left as the Vulcan regarded the still crouched ensign.
“Well, it's obvious,” Simmons said. Then he became completely still. Then, in a harsh whisper he said, “It's all so obvious.”
“Uh, what's obvious, Mark?” Roberts asked.
“Everything. Everything!” Simmons said excitedly. “Of course, there are alluvial traces, the initial scans showed that this particular area had suffered from a great deal of plate shifts, it makes sense that a fluid of some sort would have been involved. Don't you see?"
Simmons' image started to shake and waver as he rose quickly and stalked towards a cliff face. “Don't you all see?”
“Ensign!” Spock said sharply. "You are deviating from your specified task."
“Simmons!” Roberts said. “What are you doing? Hang on!”
“Mr Spock,” Kirk said warningly.
Simmons' feed became erratic as he began to run.
McCoy could hear some kind of muttering coming over the boy's frequency.
“Must find, must collect, data, data, must find, must find, collect, collect, data. Understand, understand, understand!”
“Jim! The kid's having a seizure,” McCoy said gesturing at the screen. “Get him back up here!”
Spock's feed was now shaking and jumping as he ran after the ensign. Lieutenant Patterson was the first to reach Simmons and grab his upper arm to try to stop him. Simmons' face was pale under his mask.
“No! I understand how it all happened!” he shouted. In a burst of strength, he pulled his arm away from Patterson and started to run towards the cliff face again.
“Ensign Simmons, this is your captain! Stop now! That's an order!” Kirk said standing up.
Simmons ran straight into the side of the mountain, the bridge gasped collectively as the sharp sound of the impact filled the room. A crack appeared in the ensign's face mask and his oxygen level began to flash a warning. Simmons was still muttering and his hands came up to claw at the dirt. He was finally pulled away from the mountain by Spock and Patterson.
“Simmons! Stop and desist!” Spock said. “You are unwell.”
“But, I understand!” he said with his eyes wide and his arms flailing as he tried to fight off the other two men. Then he went still and started to gasp as his mask filled with the toxic air from the planet.
“He's suffocating! Spock, hold him down,” McCoy shouted. “Beam them to sickbay, now!”
"Scotty! Beam everyone directly to sickbay!" Kirk said.
"Aye, sir! I've got a lock on them now."
McCoy hit the comm. "Chapel! M'Benga! We’ve got incoming! Get some oxygen and ready and prep table seven."
"Yes, doctor," Chapel's calm voice reassured McCoy as he fought to understand just what exactly had gone wrong on that planet.
*****
"Get him in here," Christine said as she directed the away team as they beamed into the main sickbay area. "Lay him on the table. Nurse Farrow, help hold him down."
The older male nurse joined Commander Spock and Lieutenant Patterson as they tried to hold the young ensign down. Chapel quickly grabbed some hypospray solutions and the oxygen mask, as she moved to stand next to the biobed, she noticed Nurse Medina come in from the other lab and went to stand next to Ensign Roberts.
Christine took a good look at the ensign currently thrashing on the table. His eyes were wide open but unseeing, pupils heavily dilated and his hands were curled into fists so tightly, she feared they'd never unclench.
“Get his mask off, please, Mr. Spock,” she ordered. She readied the oxygen mask and as soon as Simmons' mask was removed she replaced it with the clean oxygen. Simmons' muscles remained clenched, but his gasping stopped as his breathing evened out. Christine noticed he still held his tricorder in his hand and, with some difficulty, pried his fingers off the instrument and set it on the small tray table nearby.
"We may need more muscle relaxant solutions, Nurse Medina," Christine said over her shoulder.
"Yes, ma'am. I'll get more ready," Medina said before heading into the supply room.
She heard the sound of the turbolifts open and suddenly McCoy was right by her side. "Oxygen, on? Good.”
"What happened?" she asked.
"Damned if I know. One minute he's fine, spouting technobabble like he was born to it. The next, he's running as if demons from hell are after him,” McCoy said. “Some kind of seizure. Let's get him stabilized."
Christine went over to the stabilizer fields on the sides of the biobed and swiftly set the settings to cushion his head softly. McCoy ran his tricorder over the ensign.
“Heart rate increased, oxygen levels returning to normal. Spock, what happened down there?” McCoy asked the Vulcan who stood to the side quietly, his own mask off and held in his hands. Patterson and Roberts stood off to the far side looking worried and frazzled. The captain was standing not too far behind Spock and watching the ensign with narrowed eyes.
“I honestly cannot say, doctor,” Spock said his eyes not leaving the face of ensign on the bed. "I have never known Ensign Simmons to behave so erratically."
"That's what I thought," McCoy said. Christine silently handed him a hypospray filled with a muscle relaxant solution. He pressed the hypo to the ensign's neck and the familiar sound of a solution being depressed filled the room.
"Heart rate is stabilizing," Christine said as she watched the numbers on the biobed shift and change. "His biorhythms are approaching normal. "
Simmons' hands slowly unclenched and he emitted a soft sigh as the muscles in his neck stopped their straining.
"Thank heavens for small favors," McCoy muttered. "I don't want to give him anything stronger until we know what we're dealing with. Let's see if he feels like talking. Chapel?"
"Here, doctor," Christine said as she handed McCoy another hypospray with a light dose of adrenalin.
"Here goes," McCoy said. He pressed the hypospray to Simmons' neck.
The ensign made a small noise of discomfort, but slowly his eyes blinked open.
"Pupils back to normal," McCoy said. "How you feelin', kid?"
"Uh, kind of sore," Simmons said. He squeezed his eyes shut. "And my head really hurts. What happened?"
"We were hoping you could illuminate us," Spock said.
"Oh," Simmons said opening his eyes again. "I was on the planet. I was taking readings. I…." His eyes widened, he sat up and looked excitedly at Spock. "Sir! I know how that canyon formed! It wasn't simply a product of erosion. The planet's own plate shifts worked with the water flow to make those canyons. If we look at the samples and also at the magnetic readings, I can find a connection—"
"Whoa, whoa, slow down," McCoy said. "Ensign, you just had what was tantamount to a seizure for no apparent reason. Let's figure that mystery out first before you dive back into experiments."
Simmons nodded and settled back on the bed. "Yes, sir."
"Okay, now, I'm going to ask you some simple questions just to gauge your memory, see if anything got knocked around up there," McCoy said. "Full name and rank?"
"Simmons, Mark J. Rank: ensign, science department."
"Do you know where you are?"
"The sickbay of the USS Enterprise, currently in orbit around SX-453."
"Place of birth?"
Simmons frowned. "I'm sorry?"
"Your place of birth?" McCoy asked as he leaned forward. "Your hometown?"
"I… I don't know," Simmons said crinkling his brow. "Should I?"
Christine threw a worried look at McCoy who frowned. "Do you know your parents' names?"
"My—parents?" Simmons asked. He looked thoughtful and then shrugged. "I don't know. Should I know?"
McCoy was beginning to look concerned, but he covered it up and smiled. "Just rest here for a little while, ensign. Let us know if you need anything."
"Okay," Simmons said. "But really, I feel fine. My headache's almost gone. I really want to get started on my research."
"All in good time," McCoy said. He met Christine's eyes and she nodded, knowing that all this was far from over.
*****
"Well, Bones?" Kirk asked simply as he, Spock and McCoy went into McCoy's office.
"Well, at first glance, I'll say seizure or even stroke with slight amnesia," McCoy said with a sigh as he crossed his arms over his chest. "That's actually a common side effect. What's got me concerned is the total extent that he's forgotten certain things. It's not that he's forgotten a name or a place, it's that he's forgotten it ever existed in the first place."
"Dr. McCoy is correct," Spock said ignoring the expression that crossed McCoy's face. "I find the ensign's preoccupation with his research admirable, but the conclusions he is jumping to are extremely advanced based on the data we currently possess."
The captain nodded. "Bones, what do you want to do?"
"Run some tests on the kid. Scan that planet again for any possible threats we missed the first time around," McCoy said.
Spock straightened. "No threats were missed, doctor. Our scans were complete and thorough."
McCoy rolled his eyes and before he could get going, Kirk held up a hand. "Just to be on the safe side, Spock. Let's just run them again."
"Yes, captain," Spock said.
"Bones, do what you need to," Kirk said. "And keep me informed."
"You got it," McCoy said as he looked out of his office window to the ensign lying and chatting comfortably with Chapel. "There are a lot of things you can forget in this world. But, no matter how hard you might try, you don't forget where you're from."
Chapter Three
