Have Tech, Will Travel (SCE Books 1-4) - Keith R. A. DeCandido_. [et al.] [73]
“Perhaps when they’re on Bynar, but not when they’re all the way out here,” snapped Elizabeth. It could take days to translate the information stored on 110’s omnipresent buffer. But only the Bynars could figure out that gibberish. “If he’d recorded what happened in a way we could understand, we’d be a lot closer to knowing how to help him.”
“The pilot,” said Em slowly.
Lense and Gomez turned as one to look at him. “What about the pilot?” demanded Gomez.
Em seemed a little uncomfortable at suddenly being the center of attention. “Well,” he began, “according to your tricorder, Commander, the incident occurred as the pilot’s body was being transported out. We’ve seen that it was attached in some fashion—you used the word ‘impaled’— directly to the ship. Perhaps there were sensors that were triggered when the body was removed from the chair. The ship has to be operating on automatic commands. Maybe the removal of the pilot activated it.”
“Very good, Emmett!” said Elizabeth. She was proud of the EMH’s deductive reasoning, but a little embarrassed that she hadn’t figured it out herself. A quick glance at Gomez confirmed that the other woman shared her discomfiture.
Lense turned back to the supine figure of the Bynar. “There are first-degree burns on his hands and face,” she said. Whatever had happened to him had been bad enough to burn right through his protective gear. “Em, can you take care of those for me, please?”
“Certainly, Doctor,” Em replied, and began to run the dermal regenerator over the injured flesh while Lense continued.
“There appears to be no permanent damage to the brain. If he’d been human, there might have been, but Bynar brains are set up to be able to handle bursts of computer-generated information. Their limbic system can take an awful lot, more than almost any other humanoid species could. Whatever the ship’s computer did to him seems to have caused no lasting damage. You may tell Captain Gold I expect a full recovery. One more piece of the puzzle.”
“Can you awaken him? The captain will have a lot of questions.”
Lense hesitated. “Let’s give him some time. I want him more stable before I force him into consciousness. While we’re waiting, I can begin the examination of the pilot.” She nodded her curly, dark head in the pilot’s direction. “She should have a great deal to tell me about her race, if not necessarily her ship.”
Gomez lingered, looking anxiously at the still Bynar. “Sonya,” said Lense gently, “I’ll let you know the minute we learn anything.”
Gomez nodded her head, knowing a cue when she heard one. “Thanks, Doctor.” She turned and exited, running smack into Duffy.
“Sorry!” Gomez said.
“No, it’s my fault. Wasn’t watching where I was going.”
Lense looked at the two of them. It wasn’t a secret they had once been involved. And, judging by their awkwardness around each other when they weren’t in the midst of a mission, they hadn’t figured out what to do about that past involvement.
Duffy was wincing and clutching his hand. “Oh, no, did I hurt you?” said Gomez.
“No, no,” Duffy protested through clenched teeth. “I was heading down here to get this fixed.”
“I’m sure I didn’t help it any,” said Gomez. “Sorry, Kieran.” She hastened out.
Lense smiled. “Let me take care of that for you.” The injury wasn’t serious, just a bad sprain. When she was done, Duffy flexed his hand and gave her a grateful look.
“Thanks, Doctor. See you, Emmett.”
“See you, Lieutenant Commander Duffy,” said Emmett with perfect correctness, if too much formality. Lense would have to work on that with him.
Lense turned back to the task at hand. Her gaze traveled up and down the small, slight frame on the bed. Space had not done its usual fine job of preserving the body in this case. According to what the away team had reported, the ship had continued to maintain atmosphere, and the body had decayed normally.