Star Trek: A Choice of Catastrophes by Michael Schuster; Steve Mollmann

Author:Michael Schuster; Steve Mollmann
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781451607161
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 2011-09-07T10:00:00+00:00

On his way back from auxiliary control, McCoy found he was pleased with himself. It was his idea to push back at this other universe.

One problem solved—well, almost—one still left. His five patients were still in comas, and he hadn’t gotten any closer to finding a solution. Nothing he tried caused more than a blip on the monitor, before every reading resumed its descent. If what was happening to the ship was related to their comas, maybe the engineers’ solution would work.

Not likely. Between Padmanabhan’s theory about this other universe’s nonquantum nature and the paper by Harding-Cyzewski about telepathy as a form of quantum entanglement, perhaps he himself could find a solution.

“Deck Five,” McCoy told the turbolift. The turbolift doors swished open to reveal a dark corridor. The lights were dimmed in this section, either because of a malfunction or to conserve power. The corridors were a mess, with chunks of support material pushed to one side. The bulkheads were scorched.

The doctor made his way to Sulu’s quarters; the acting captain had been discharged there. Recalling what Chapel had said earlier about Specialist Ryerson, McCoy had come to visit. The mind was important to the healing process, after all. McCoy found him at his desk, collecting data slates in front of him. “Feeling better already, Mister Sulu?”

“I think so.” Of the multitude of injuries the lieutenant had suffered, the most serious was the trauma to his head. Sulu would have to stay off duty for a while and give his body time to heal.

“I need to get back on duty, Doctor,” the lieutenant said. “We’re still in danger.”

“The best thing you can do is rest.” McCoy gestured toward Sulu’s bed. “Or you’ll be in danger.” He was determined not to be talked into letting a barely healed man back on duty.

“I’m useless in here. All I do is think. Second-guess myself. Try to come up with solutions.” Sulu clutched the desk and stood.

“Your reaction is natural,” said McCoy. “But you need to give yourself time.”

“But there’s no—”

“Don’t make me order you. Do yourself a favor and rest.”

Sulu wasn’t happy, but he got the point.

The quarters closest to sickbay had been turned into recovery rooms for over twenty patients, whose injuries were no longer life-threatening but still grave enough to require attention. The doors of these quarters all sported adhesive labels with the names of the patients inside. McCoy stopped at the first door he passed: GOLASKI-LAWRENCE, ISBELL and HAINES, JANA. When it opened, the doctor stepped inside. The younger woman was sleeping, but Ensign Haines—a woman in her early forties—was awake.

“House call,” he said, holding up his medkit. “Everything okay?”

Haines nodded, then uttered a strained, “Yes.” She was the one who had suffered a collapsed lung and some fractured ribs. Her grimace belied her words.

“You shouldn’t be in pain,” McCoy said.

He checked her chart. “This says you’re maxed on painkillers.”

“I know,” she said, wincing.

McCoy scanned her. Nothing. “Where’s the pain?”

“Everywhere. It’s like a dull ache throughout my entire body, but it just keeps on building.

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.