Chapter Text
The Right Decision
JM Lane
"Oh, my God. Please, God, no." Nurse Christine Chapel's face was a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"What's wrong, Chris?" Chief Surgeon Leonard McCoy asked conversationally. He switched off his tricorder, where he had been recording his Medical Log, and went to join her.
"Look for yourself." McCoy was surprised to see tears in his chief nurse's eyes before he looked into the holo-microscope but dismissed it for the moment.
"Oh, my God." The Doctor's voice was barely audible as he echoed Christine's earlier statement. "Xenopolycethemia. Incurable and termi- nal. Whose test is this?"
"Yours." Christine's eyes brimmed with tears. "I ran an analysis of your blood and tissue a few minutes ago."
McCoy turned pale. He had been feeling weak and dizzy lately and his blood pressure had been up, but he had attributed it to too much work and too little food or rest. Now this...
"Leonard, I don't want you to die."
"Don't worry, Chris. I don't intend to go without a fight." He gave her a reassuring hug; the nurse gave her superior a wan smile.
"But how can we beat an incurable disease?"
"I don't know, but if there's a way, I'll find it."
Christine looked thoughtful. "Shouldn't the Captain be told about this? After all, he would need to know in order to...obtain a replace- ment CMO. You know, just in case we *can't* find a cure."
McCoy wasn't fond of the idea, but knew she was right. Jim would have to know--but not right this second. After the crew physicals would be soon enough.
Christine went into the next room; moments later McCoy heard the following: "...to Captain Kirk. Please come to Sickbay. There's an emergency. I can't discuss it over the intercom."
McCoy caught the gist of what had been said and was furious, inten-ding to give Christine hell for taking it upon herself to contact the Captain.
Dammit, he wasn't ready yet! Of course, McCoy doubted he ever would be ready, no matter when Kirk was told.
How did you tell your friends you were going to die? And even worse, that there was nothing you could do to change matters? Even so, Jim would expect him to do all he could to effect a cure. After all, one could replace a starship CMO, but not a friend of all one's adult life.
He entered the adjoining room, eyes flashing blue fire. "Christine, what the hell do you think you're doing? The Captain doesn't need to know right away!"
"Yes, he does," she threw back. "You know how long it takes for Starfleet to replace starship personnel."
"Even so, you're overstepping your authority," he sternly informed her.
"I think you'd better go to your quarters. Your shift's over any- way."
"I'm sorry, Doctor. I'm a nurse first and a member of the crew of the *Enterprise* second," she declared. "I've called the Captain and I'll wait until he comes!"
Just then the Sickbay doors swished open and Kirk stepped in, eyes widening upon seeing his Chief Surgeon and Head Nurse arguing, unaware of his presence.
"I *said*, you're excused, Nurse! You may return to your quarters."
Christine's jaw stiffened, her lips followed suit.
McCoy's tone softened. "Please, Christine. I promise you I'll give the Captain a full report."
Christine turned on her heel and marched out, looking straight ahead.
McCoy watched her go, then turned to face a surprised but expectant Kirk.
"That was quite a scene," the latter observed.
"I've completed the standard physicals for the entire crew." McCoy's voice had an edge that the Captain didn't miss.
"Fine. What's the emergency?" Kirk's voice was laced with impatience, on the edge of anger.
"The crew is fit; I found nothing unusual--with one exception." The Doctor's voice lowered on the last three words, as though he didn't want Kirk to hear them.
"Serious?"
"Terminal."
"What is it?"
"Xenopolycethemia. It has no cure."
"Who?"
McCoy went on as though the Captain hadn't spoken. "He has one year to live at the most."
"*Who*?" Kirk repeated, angry now.
"The ship's Chief Medical Officer."
The Captain's face went white. "You?"
"I'll be most effective in the time left if you'll keep this to yourself."
Kirk closed his eyes in pain, tears stinging his eyelids. It couldn't be true. There must be a mistake. His oldest friend, dying? Never! He couldn't lose Bones like this. There *must* be a way to save him! Outwardly, however, the Captain only nodded. "Thank you for your report, Doctor. I must return to the Bridge now."
He turned and left Sickbay as Christine had, finding it difficult to breathe--or even keep moving. The thought of losing Bones was too painful to contemplate, making Kirk feel as though a giant hand was squeezing the breath out of him.
How would he ever hide this from Spock? And Starfleet had to know, so a replacement could be sent. Even so, how could he live without Bones? However close he and Spock were, neither were complete without the Doctor and his peculiar but irreplaceable brand of friendship. Despite their almost constant bickering--good-natured and otherwise-- Kirk was sure that Spock cared McCoy in his own way as much as he him- self did.
Fortunately the more immediate problem of the origin of the missile they had destroyed occupied Kirk for the rest of his shift. They had found that what seemed to be an asteroid was the point of origin for the missile--an asteroid that was in reality a spaceship on a collision course with Daran V.
Daran V was a populated world of three billion, seven hundred twenty-four million, according to Spock, and impact was in 394 days...13 months.
NEXT: The three friends beam over to the asteroid ship.