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Table of Contents
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During the middle of 'B' shift, in some areas the ship's lighting was set at reduced levels to give the appearance of night time within an otherwise timeless vessel. The ship's medical facility was no exception. In fact, Doctor McCoy had ordered light levels set at only fifteen percent throughout sickbay, except for the duty office where Chapel now sat.
Chapel was going over various medical reports and the list of medications and methods which had been used in the treatment of all their patients. She was reviewing all of the records. Doctor Chapel had also lowered the light levels in the duty office so the patients would not be disturbed but also to reduce the glare on her eyes.
Right now it was time to check the readouts of Kirk, Rameriz, Sebor and Berkley. While all four were doing quite well, McCoy insisted on keeping them under supervision, just in case. Satisfied with the levels, she took a sip from her coffee cup and dove back into the records spread out before her. Sickbay's documentation was in three forms; computer, data tapes and medical tricorders. Most of it was duplication, but Chapel checked all three just to be sure. This was a necessary task, considering the transfer from their main sickbay in the primary hull. Known as a stickler for details, she didn't want anything overlooked.
After several hours of the tedious work, she rose to stretch and give her posterior a brief rest from the unusually uncomfortable chair at the duty desk. There was already a memo in her personal computer file addressed to Scotty to have that particular chair replaced upon return to Earth.
She decided this would be an excellent time to replenish her supply of coffee and checked the scanners once more before going to the food synthesizer in the adjacent room.
All checked out fine, but she noticed movement on the visual. McCoy had insisted on the visual monitors. After all, the scanners and sensors monitored the patients systems, but not the actual patient.
Chapel sat back down to study the motion. It wasn't any of the patients. Instead it came from the room beyond the I.C.U. ward. Because of the reduced lighting, it was initially difficult to determine the identity of the shadowy figure, but she soon realized who it was.
Finding a way through the maze of tables, equipment carts and scanners, the person paused momentarily at the diagnostic bed where Rameriz was resting, then proceeded on to the one occupied by James T. Kirk.
The lone figure stood and stared at the resting patient. Then, bending down, he lightly touched the left temple of the injured man with his right hand in a familiar manner. He spoke only one word softly, "Forget." Pausing for only a moment, he turned and walked away.
In the duty office Chapel had watched the entire scene with interest. She also knew why the person had come and what he would do. She refrained from greeting him as it would only cause embarrassment for the man.
Anyway, in her heart she knew that he really did care about his friend, even though he wouldn't admit to having such feelings.
Chapel knew that he would never feel anything like that for her or anyone else, with the possible exception of Doctor McCoy. The relationship with McCoy had been even more special, ever since Spock's death and subsequent rebirth. The friendship with McCoy and Kirk would be the only form of giving that he would ever be capable of. And even that was too much. It forced him to deal with emotions; emotions that weren't supposed to exist. The ones from his human half.
Doctor Christine Chapel knew much about the figure that had just left, but most of all she knew he would never be capable of seeing her as anything other than the ship's doctor and crewmate. She knew her Vulcans pretty well, but most of all, she knew, and finally understood, Spock.
Suddenly, she found herself crying softly as the ship's chrono sounded two bells. She realized that the tears were a combination of the understanding of Spock and the knowledge that James Kirk would now be able to sleep peacefully through the night, and every night, from now on.
And that made her very happy indeed.
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© 2024 Brad McDonald / U.S.S. Kitty Hawk
Star Trek and all related marks, logos, and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios, Inc. This fan organization
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