A Kestrel for a Star (Star Trek fanfiction)

Chapter 14

“Jim, slow down please!” Kez yelled then shot a look at Bones, “Yup this is really keeping a low profile isn’t it?”

Bones was loading a new capsule into the injector pen he was holding, clicking it into place he looked up, “Don’t look at me.”

Kez groaned then stopped when Kirk halted by a computer interface. He tried tapping the screen but his fingers were so inflated that they pressed more than just the required button. Finally he hit the voice command.

“Computer, locate crew member and communications specialist Uhura.” He barked.

“Why?” Kez asked in response as the screen lit up with a small map and a blob that represented Uhura.

“Lieutenant Uhura is presently at communications monitoring station twelve, deck four.” The computer responded in a monotone.

“I need her!” Jim shouted to Kez as he sprinted off again but not before McCoy had jabbed the injector into Kirks neck.

“I haven’t seen a reaction this bad since med school.” He complained as Kirk cried, “Ow – Dammit Bones!”

Kez’s head was spinning. In one ear she had a doctor mumbling about reactions and counteractive viruses and in the other ear she had Jim who was muttering about how the whole ship was in danger and running into a trap. She didn’t know whether to grab Jim and pin him down for McCoy to do his work or pin McCoy down so Jim could get on with whatever he was doing. Instead she just sprinted after Kirk followed by the mumbling doctor.

When they hit the communications deck, Kez sprinted past Kirk to get to Uhura first.

She grabbed her friends shoulder and spun her around to face her.

“Wh -  Kez? What the hell are you doing her . . . ?”

Kez shut her up by quickly saying, “You are not going to believe me and now I’m freaking out but promise, promise me you won’t freak out or shout or make a big issue -,”

Uhura frowned, “What are you on about Kez? Slow down would you?”

Too late. Kez couldn’t finish her plea about Uhura not overreacting to Jim’s presence since Jim was already here, turning Uhura to face him.

“Jim? What the hell?!” Uhura screeched.

Jim looked half frantic, “Uhura I need you to – Ow! Stop it!” He broke off to curse as Bones rammed another injection into his neck.

Kez winced at the thought of how many jabs he’d been getting in his neck.

Uhura’s face was an amusing mask of shock and at any other time Jim would have found it amusing.

“The transmission from the Klingon prison planet – what exactly . . .”

“Oh my God!” Uhura cried, “What happened to your hands?!”

“Later!” Kez said quickly, “You need to listen to Kirk!”

“Your hands . . .” Bones said rummaging around in the bag of vials he’d brought.

They must have looked a right sight: one shocked communications officer, one mechanic, one exasperated and bloated looking rouge cadet and a doctor, all fighting it out for a chance to be heard.

“Who?” Kirk managed to say trying to get Uhura to listen to him.

“Who who?” Uhura asked back not understanding, her face turning from shock to confusion.

“Was the ship . . . was it woluam?”

Kez looked at Jim when he spoke the last word whereas Uhura shook her head not understanding at all.

“Was the ship what?” She asked him slowly finally realising how deadly serious Jim was.

Jim tried again, “Wolumn . . . Wones, what’s happening to mwy mwouth?”

Bones frowned then surged into action, “You got numb tongue?”

“Numb tongue?!” Kirk and Kez screeched at the same time. Kez wanted to help get Kirk’s message out but she was having as much trouble as Uhura in understanding him.

“I can fix that!” Bones murmured to himself but Kirk wasn’t listening.

“Wolumn?”

Uhura shook her head still not getting it and Kez was getting stressed that she also didn’t understand her friend.

“What?”

“Wolmun?”

Kez looked at Uhura who was focusing closely on Kirks mouth and the way he formed the words he spoke as she decided on what he was trying to tell her.

“Wolmun!?” Kirk tried desperately for the last time.

“Romulan?” Uhura guessed and Kirk’s eyes lit up.

“Yea!” He nodded urgently.

“Yes.”

“Yes!”