Star Trek_ A Choice of Catastrophes - Michael Schuster [103]
“No,” Chapel said. “It’s just that… with Doctor McCoy out for the moment, I thought I should keep myself up-to-date, as our patients are linked to whatever is out there.”
Uhura nodded. “So, we know what will happen to any duotronic system entering an area of high distortion. This entire ship is loaded with duotronics.” Chapel was struck by how exhausted she looked.
“Pow,” said Padmanabhan, miming a miniature explosion with his hands. “Like a nova.”
Uhura gave the overly enthusiastic young ensign a withering stare. “Thank you, Mister Padmanabhan. Why are we losing power so quickly?”
“The other universe is affecting all our systems,” said DeSalle. “Not always catastrophically, but it’s definitely draining them.”
“Once we get out of the distort-zone, they’ll be fine.” Uhura made it sound like a certainty, but Chapel knew her well enough to spot the doubt underneath.
“Exactly,” DeSalle said.
Uhura turned to Padmanabhan. “Ensign, any progress in pushing back the other universe?”
“The edges of the ship are getting worse and worse,” he said. “It provides for some fascinating scan results, though. How does matter from our universe cope with one without quantum physics? I can’t even conceive of it. The stuff I’m seeing just on ten-percent permeation—”
“You’re getting off topic, Ensign,” said Uhura.
“Oh, right, sorry. No progress.”
“I want a way out of this thing,” said Uhura. “We can’t just sit here pushing back if in the end it won’t do any good. We need to shut these distortions down, and get out of this zone.”
“We barely have power,” protested DeSalle. “And if we move—”
“Solutions, not complaints.” Uhura cut off the engineer. “We are not going to lose this ship.”
“Lieutenant—” began Padmanabhan.
Uhura cut him off. “I want the two of you to come up with options to get us out of here.”
Padmanabhan and DeSalle looked at each other.
“We’ll move the crew to the core,” she said. “We’ll shut down as many systems as we can, too. I’ll coordinate it from here.”
“I’ll be in the spatial physics lab,” Padmanabhan said. “Maybe Bellos has new information.”
“I’ll be in engineering,” DeSalle said curtly.
When the door hissed shut behind them, Uhura headed back to her chair, but she stumbled before she could reach it.
Chapel rushed over, grabbed her, and guided her to the chair. “Are you okay?”
Uhura was breathing heavily, clutching her chest. “It hurts,” she said. “All of a sudden.”
Chapel grabbed a medical tricorder and aimed it at Uhura. As the readings began to come in, she frowned. “All of a sudden?”
“All of a sudden… a couple hours ago.”
“There’s a sliver of metal in your chest, working its way further in,” said Chapel. “It’s been there for a while, probably since the explosions on the bridge.”
“I’ve been… trying to ignore it,” Uhura said. “I’ve got to keep on going.”
“Well, do something.” It was just like Roger to add a snide remark when this was the last thing Chapel needed. “Standing here ruing her actions isn’t helping. You’re not turning out to be much of a nurse.”
She ignored him and looked at the readings. “We’re going to need to operate to get that sliver out,” she said. “If Doctor McCoy doesn’t regain consciousness in the next half hour, I’ll do the operation myself.”
Uhura nodded, grimacing with pain as she spoke. “Very well.”
Chapel helped Uhura into the exam room. Carefully she helped Uhura onto a biobed.
Before the communications officer passed out, she said, “Christine… tell the captain I’m sorry.”
“I will, Nyota.” And then Uhura was unconscious.
Chapel checked to see who the senior yeoman on duty was. She got in touch with Lawton, telling her about Uhura’s plan to evacuate the crew to the core and shut down sections near the edge of the ship. Lawton said she could implement it.
“You’ve lost your boss, and now you’ve lost your commanding officer,” said Roger. “Just like you lost me. You’re not doing too well, dear.”
“Shut up!” Chapel snapped. She didn’t have time for this. Determined to do her job, she flipped the comm. “Engineering.”
“Ensign Harper