Chapter Text
Why is the sun so bright? Una thought as she reached up and tried swatting the orb away. ‘Can’t you turn down the sun?’ she struggled to ask but her throat was dry and scratchy, and it hurt. The words came out in a strangled whisper. She closed her eyes.
Matt, Enterprise’s head nurse, pulled back the penlight he was using to check his first officer’s pupils and said in a quiet and steady voice, “Captain keep her immobile; she may have a spinal injury or serious internal bleeding. Scotty, do you have my scanner working yet?”
Two security guards kept a firm grip on Una’s hips and legs while Pike cradled her neck and head. Using his elbows to keep Una’s shoulders flat on the ground, he clasped her wrists and gently laid her arms down.
Something pried her eyes open, one at a time, a light which was like a super nova momentarily flashed in front of each one before the blackness reasserted itself.
“OK,” Matt narrated for his fellow crewmates, “left pupil is fine, right pupil is dilated and unresponsive.” He placed a hand on Una’s chest. “Heartbeat is rapid, and breathing is shallow, she’s going into shock. Get me a warming blanket. We’ll have to chance elevating her legs.”
Pike stared at Una’s ashen face and inhaled sharply. “Damn it,” he muttered to himself as he stripped off his uniform jacket and laid it across the core of her body. The security officers followed their commander’s lead and covered Una’s lower pelvic area and thighs. Pike answered Matt in his commander’s tone of voice, “Yours is the only medical kit that wasn’t destroyed in the shuttle crash. There are no warming blankets.” He turned to the guards, “John, get a fire started; Mark, scrounge for anything that can be used to comfortably elevate her legs.”
Montgomery Scott added his uniform jacket to the improvised blanket, covering Una’s arms and shoulders; Matt’s now sheltered her lower legs.
“Is the med scanner salvageable?” Pike asked his junior engineer quietly.
Scotty’s brogue tended to thicken when he was worried, “Ah dinnae ken sir.”
“If its repair looks improbable in fifteen minutes, move on to reestablishing communications with Enterprise,” the Captain directed. He silently urged his second in command, hold on Una, please hold on until we can get you to the ship.
“Aye, sir.” Scotty’s brow creased as he studied the non-responsive medical tricorder and then rearranged chips and capacitors.
Matt’s narration of Una’s suspected injuries based on an inadequate examination limited to touch and his five senses continued, “possible skull fracture, serious cut near right temple, nosebleed cause unknown, probable bruised maybe crushed larynx, possible cheek fracture, compound fracture left leg, broken right foot …”
Time crawled for each member of the landing party. Twenty, then thirty, then sixty minutes passed.
Una tried to wiggle her fingers and toes, but something impeded that. She opened one eye cautiously, squinting to avoid the expected blinding light. Seeing only shadows, she slowly opened the other.
“Matt,” Pike called out, “she may be conscious again.”
Again? Una thought. She tried forming words and failed. How long was I out? Why does everything hurt? Someone was holding her hand and looking down at her with concern in his blue eyes. He gently smoothed the matted hair away from her forehead. His touch felt nice, it was comforting. She leaned into it, brushing her cheek against his hand. This time her mouth formed the word, but she was incapable of producing sound, ‘Chris?’
“I’m here. We’re going to get you back to Enterprise soon.”
“Captain,” Scotty approached with an open communicator, “I have Chief Louvier. He and Commander Bengsston are apprised of the situation.”
“Rene, any progress stabilizing the transporters for this environment?” Pike asked without preamble.
“None. Isak is talking with the nearest civilian government official requesting your evacuation and medical assistance. Is anyone else injured?”
“Just bumps and bruises; Una’s restraint failed. I want all the new shuttles grounded until we know the cause of the accident and have corrected it.”
“Already done Captain,” Louvier confirmed.
Isak Bengsston, Enterprise’s security chief and second officer shook his head at the chief engineer and spoke to his Captain. “(static) … the locals want to help … (static) … but conditions … (static) … river flooding … sending specialized military … doubtful they can get through to you (static) …”
Pike interrupted, “How long until we lose our ability to communicate with the ship?”
“Ten minutes. Reacquisition of signal is expected twelve hours after that. The indigenous technology cannot send to nor receive from our communicators,” Spock reported directly to his commander.
“Find Boyce,” Pike ordered in a clipped tone.
“He’s already standing by.”
Pike handed the communicator to Matt who immediately began updating his CMO in medical jargon mostly indecipherable to the others in the landing party. Pike motioned to John and Mark. “We’re on our own until at least tomorrow morning. The weather is deteriorating. Find shelter.” The Captain stood and approached Scotty. “Anything else we can salvage from the shuttle?”
Scotty shook his head.
“Very well. We’ll need a litter for moving Number One.”
“I saw several large branches on the riverbank. They look sturdy enough to form the base for a stretcher if we can find a way to bind them together.” Scotty slowly turned in a circle as he methodically surveyed the area. He pointed to a copse of tall trees half-mile away. “There, near the top, see the vine that has intwined the limbs and trunks? It’s also holding several detached branches in place. That vine has the tensile strength necessary for bearing the Commander’s weight.”
“I’m on it. You collect the branches,” Pike ordered.
“Are ye daft?” Scotty exclaimed. He glanced back at Una and continued in a sad tone, “I believe it falls to me to insist I climb the trees.”
“No.” Pike responded in that tone that warns no further argument will be tolerated. “Only you have the skills to construct a litter which can safely move Una without aggravating her injuries.” He softened his tone and added, emphasizing the only outcome he would accept, “Besides, when she recovers, she can have the privilege of scolding me.”
With time short Scotty relented. “Well then, since it’s yer ass, sorry, since it’s yer ass, sir, that will be chewed, I will meet ye back here.”
Pike nodded and smiled slightly. He then ran to the grove of trees at his top speed and then some.
Why am I so very, very, very cold? Una thought. She felt anxious and panic set in. Where did Chris go? So much pain. I need to close my eyes and rest, then the pain will go away. She could hear voices around her, but what they were saying was elusive; understanding was just beyond her reach.
“Una, stay with me, I need you to fight and stay conscious.” Matt squeezed her hand as he earnestly repeated the direction again and again trying to maintain a tone that was the calm encouragement of a medical professional rather than the frantic plea of a friend.
She formed the silent words, ‘No, I don’t want to. I can’t. Where’s Chris? I need Chris.’ Why won’t anybody answer me?
Seeking the dark and its numbing and peaceful oblivion, Una eyes fluttered shut. And she remembered.
Remembered the day Captain Lorca on the USS Buran called her to his ready room and delivered the news. “Enterprise will be ready to launch next month. Bob April wants you to join his crew …”