Ambivalent

Captain James Tiberius Kirk paced the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise while it was in warp drive to reach the federation ship whose life support systems were severely damaged to the point their oxygen levels were close to nonexistent. He had engineering working on overdrive to do anything and everything to get the Enterprise to the crew that was in need of saving. All he could do was continue to believe that they would get there in time to save them. With everyone in a cryogenic state they should be able to survive until they got there, an idea Captain Kirk thought was clever and he made note to commend Captain Czarian for it. Lieutenant Nyoto Uhura busied herself keeping an eye on the transmissions in case something had come up. To her surprise one came in and it was not the standard she kept receiving from the ship Halimar Five. This can’t be right, a video stream? They said were all going into a cryogenic state. She squinted at the screen, unsure if what she was receiving was correct.

“Captain we received a new message and it is not a repeat transmission.”

“What do you mean? The transmissions have been saying everyone has been put into a cryogenic state.”

“I know sir. But this one is a video feed.”

“Bring it up,” Kirk ordered. Lieutenant Uhura nodded and hit the proper keys to send the video feed to be displayed on the screen. A young woman with dark wavy hair came on the screen, her hand raised as if to say hello but she didn’t speak. She gave a meek smile then held the plant she had been studying up to the camera.

“By the time you receive this message hopefully I will have successfully put myself into a chemically induced coma, this plant is newly discovered; it should induce the coma since we haven’t the medication to do this in a safer manner. It’s a gamble but it is the only chance I have. If I should perish, I’d like to direct this next bit to Lieutenant Sulu, Hikaro get on with it or I’ll come back from the dead and haunt you if you don’t. Well it’s been real Enterprise, Gerik out.”

Captain Kirk turned his attention to his helmsman and friend Lieutenant Hikaro Sulu who looked drained of any color. It had been the first time he’d seen the helmsman’s poker face break.

“We will get there in time Sulu,” he reassured with a pat on Sulu’s shoulder. He turned to Spock who had been reexamining the details of the plant. “Spock have you been able to identify the plant she had?”

“I have no way of properly identifying all the characteristics of the object; it is likely a newly discovered by Captain Czarian’s crew. Regardless it would be wise to inform Doctor McCoy of the possibility that Cadet Gerik could be poisoned or in a chemically induced coma,” Spock stated with his hands remaining behind his back.

“Do that right away. Chekov how long until we arrive?”

“Roughly two minutes Keptin,” Chekov answered with a sense of hope in his tone. Jim pursed his lips before sitting in the captain’s chair. Holding down a couple buttons he planned to speak with Doctor Leonard McCoy.

“McCoy I am going to need you and your team at the transport room to await the arrival of the others, we should be arriving soon.”

“Already there Captain,” McCoy replied with apprehension.

“Arrival in less than one minute Keptin.”

“Dropping out of warp in thirty seconds Captain,” Sulu added. There was an edge to Sulu’s voice but he continued to do his duties being sure to get the Enterprise to their destination. He got them as close as possible to the immobile federation ship. “We are as close as possible to the ship Captain.”

“We’re beaming them in now Captain.”

“Sulu park it; we’re heading to the transporter room.”

Sulu didn’t have to be told twice and he got up from his spot to leave the bridge with the captain. When they finally reached the area Doctor McCoy had Cadet Gerik being taken to the medical bay on a stretcher. Hikaro Sulu’s heart sank to the pit of his stomach when he saw his friend’s seemingly lifeless body, her skin a twinge of blue something he knew was not a good sign.

“Activated charcoal administered Doctor,” a nurse stated as they rushed down the corridor.

“We need to get this woman on a ventilator.”

Sulu knew that Doctor Leonard McCoy was the best in the federation and so that gave him a bit of hope but the hope gave way when he saw how lifeless she seemed to be. All he could think was what she told him to do in the video. She had been referring to his hesitation to propose to his girlfriend Marie. It had been Ren who had introduced them and it was something Hikaro was eternally grateful for. The thought of having to not only lose Ren as a friend but also the reaction Marie would be of anguish. He knew they were close, hell they both enlisted in Starfleet together. Knowing Ren on his own terms and he knew she was a fighter. He just prayed she would fight enough to get through it.

Her eyes flickered open with the lights above her and a bad taste in her mouth. It had tasted like wheat grass and what she assumed wild flowers would taste like. The comparison she only had was in regards to what wild flowers smelt like when they were trampled under boots. She raised her hand to her face as she attempted to focus her vision. Once her vision focused, she saw what seemed to be her doctor looking at the screen. I guess I made it out alive after all.

“Are the others okay?” she inquired in a raspy voice. Her voice startled Doctor McCoy and he turned to look at her in surprise.

“They’re fine. It was a close call for you though.”

“It happens.”

“Most people would have just died not ingest poison to slow down their heart rate,” Doctor McCoy said.

“I figured it could be a calcium-channel blocker or a beta blocker. Either way it was worth a shot,” she countered as she sat up to get a better look of the surrounding area. Her hand rested on her chest rubbing the spot since it hurt her to breathe. Ren gave the doctor a small smile. “I’m Ren by the way.”

“McCoy, Dr. Leonard McCoy.”

“Thanks for bringing me back.”

“Just doing my job.”

“So am I alright or do I have to worry about a building habit where I harass a man who dresses like a bat.”

“No, you seem to be alright, you aren’t going to become a Batman villain any time soon,” he smiled as he began to scan her with a device.

“I’m glad that didn’t go over your head Doctor,” Ren said returning a smile. She shifted slightly in her spot with a feeling of dread welling up within her. Damn it, I just woke up no need to be so negative. God give me rest enough to relax just one moment. “Doctor how long have I been out for?”

“Roughly four days. Lieutenant Sulu is in my office resting; I’ll head over there and get him. He’s been worried about your health.”

“You can just tell him okay, I’m sure he was just freaking out over the possibility that he’d have to tell Marie I was dead or something. Seeing her cry is like watching your childhood dog being ran over by the mailman.”

“You really know how to paint a picture,” he commented with a hint of sarcasm. Ren chuckled lightly and looked up at him with a smile. While a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, Hikaro Sulu had come into the medical bay area to check on Ren once again. She shifted her gaze to Sulu and she raised her hand to wave at her friend. McCoy stared at her for a few more moments before he turned his attention back to looking at Ren’s medical charts on the screen. Ren smiled at Sulu in a friendly manner waiting for him to reach the medical table.

“Hey kid, how’s it going?”

“You’re insane do you know that Ren?” Sulu stated.

“Never claimed to be anything else.”

“You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, just a little poison, I’m fine.”

“I sure hope so,” he said looking at her. Ren stretched her legs out pointing her toes then moving her feet back and forth. She hoped the stretch would relieve any tension in her body but the dread remained. Please be the effects of consuming poison.