The Earthfleet Saga [Volume One] by Dennis Young

Author:Dennis Young [Young, Dennis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781795457071
Published: 2019-03-11T06:00:00+00:00

* * *

EAS Armstrong…

On return to Armstrong, Trachenberg went immediately to Sickbay. Doctor Addams saw her enter from his office and motioned her inside.

“I’ve placed the captain in stasis,” he said, almost apologetically. “I have no idea what sort of malady she’s contracted, I can’t find any reference to the bugs in her system in ship’s medical library, and I can’t treat her with wide-spectrum antibiotics without doing damage to her organs. I really had no choice.”

Trachenberg nodded curtly. Addams was older, well into his third decade in Earthfleet, and she looked to him as a bit of a mentor figure. “You’ve done all you can, Doctor. It’s not in our hands now.”

Addams chuckled. “No, it’s going to be in the hands of Fleet Base, assuming we get her home soonest. Medical stasis isn’t forever, you know.”

“How long?”

“Protocols depend on the condition entering stasis. Basically, the healthier you are, the longer you can tolerate it.”

“Meaning we don’t have much time,” replied Trachenberg, looking away.

“Thirty days at most. I conferred with Base Medical three times during our trip here. Based on her R&R, we’ve tracked her locations and nothing unusual shows up.”

“Could she…” Trachenberg paused and blushed.

“Might she have contracted something sexually? I checked. Yes, she was sexually active during her time off the ship. We’re trying to locate her partner, but no luck yet.”

The commander nodded. “Keep me posted. Right now, I’ve got about a thousand other things to do. Have Sickbay and your staff ready in case we have casualties during whatever may be coming.”

Addams nodded gently. “You’ll do fine, Julia. And you know the crew supports you.”

Trachenberg rose. “I hope you’re right, Doctor. I’ll be in my quarters briefly, then on the Bridge. Let me know of any changes.”

Addams smiled as she took her exit.

Officers’ Deck was three levels above Sickbay. Trachenberg took the ’tween-the-decks stairways two steps at a time instead of the lift, seeking a brief respite from the stresses pressing in on her. Nearly running to her quarters, she closed and locked the door, laid back her head against the cool plastisteel, and breathed deeply. She could do this. She knew she could. She only had to keep telling herself that.

She glanced at her Earth-time chronometer. “Friday” at her ancestral home, and nearly “sundown”. She sat on the bed composing herself. Meditation. That’s what I need. And a glass of wine. She chuckled. No wine before Bridge duty. Maybe later.

She palmed the drawer open and drew her tichel scarf, decorated in family colors of red and gold, tied it slowly about her head, and closed her eyes again. She whispered a prayer, then looked to the Shabbat candles on the dresser, glanced at the chronometer once more, and raised her glow-stick, touching it to the candle wicks. The tiny flames danced as she focused her thoughts for a few moments. The room was quiet, the warmth of the candles playing on her cheeks. She held her hands to her face, covering her eyes, and sang the blessing she had sung each Friday eve often as she could remember.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.