Running Out Of Time

[DrDMatthews 0]

Debbie Matthews couldn't help but smile. She tried not to but every time she convinced herself to look serious, the grin would slowly creep back onto her face. It had gotten to the point where she was afraid to even look at the Captain. He probably wondered why she found this situation so amusing.

 

The CMO didn't know exactly what the situation was. But she did know Ambassadors only came aboard when something really important was happening. Debbie was eager to hear what he had to say. At the same time, she couldn't get over the fact they were having an intelligent conversation with a sentient rock.

 

Dr. Matthews had seen a Horta only once and that was from a distance. She was a young teenager when her grandfather pointed out a large boulder sitting motionless in one of Utopia's endless maze of corridors. She couldn't imagine why someone would leave a big rock in the middle of a busy hallway. She was even more surprised when a couple of engineers approached the rock and started talking to it. The biggest shock of all came a moment later when the two humans walked away and the boulder followed them.

 

Debbie recalled how she reacted all those years ago. She grinned from ear to ear. She had always heard about Hortas and was thrilled she'd finally seen a real one. Now, she was not only sitting a few feet from a live Horta, she was having a genuine conversation with him. This one even had a sense of humor. And much to her dismay, she was reacting the same way she did as a young teenager. She kept grinning from ear to ear.

 

As Ambassador Triscan spoke of his pending meeting on the Tholian vessel, Debbie finally managed to wipe the smile off her face. She had been right about one thing. This was a big deal. The Federation's relationship with the Tholian Holdfast had always been tenuous at best. It was usually downright difficult. Tholians were quite different anatomically. They were also quick tempered and very territorial. In order to maintain diplomatic relations, the Federation gave the Tholians a wide berth. So did almost everyone else, especially when you took into consideration the fluidity of their borders. What was open space one day could very well be considered Tholian space the next. If you happened to wander into their territory, you could expect a less than friendly greeting.

 

The fact a Federation ambassador was holding a high level meeting on a Tholian vessel was a big deal indeed. It also explained why the ambassador was a Horta. Among other things, Tholians required extreme heat to survive. Hortas were the only species in the Federation who could tolerate such conditions. The Reaent was to deliver Ambassador Triscan to the meeting which would take place on a Tholian cruiser somewhere near the border. Debbie wondered if the border would move between now and the time they arrived. She also hoped the Tholian's communications grid was up and running. She didn't want to think about what would happen if some patrol vessel didn't get the word it was okay for Reaent to enter and then leave.

 

They were at least fifteen minutes into the meeting before Debbie felt comfortable enough to look at the Captain. She had managed not to smile for a while so she quickly glanced in his direction. He looked extremely fatigued and his color was awful. What's more, additional blemishes were now visible on his neck. She didn't want the others to see her staring so she hurriedly returned her attention to the Ambassador.

 

Matthews forced herself to concentrate on what Triscan was saying but her thoughts kept wandering back to the Captain and Denton's Syndrome. Fred Michaels had faced many difficult challenges during his storied career. She wondered if he realized that battling this disease would be the greatest challenge of all. It would be a fight to the death. It might also result in serious consequences for everyone aboard the Reaent.

 

Again, Debbie tried to focus on the Ambassador. She found herself hoping the meeting would end soon. As much as she enjoyed their witty guest, she was eager to get back to Sickbay. She had to finish her research and develop a protocol for the Captain's treatment. And she had to do so as soon a possible. She glanced again at Michaels. Yes, she needed to act immediately. They were quickly running out of time.