The Battle of Betazed - Charlotte Douglas [73]
The doctor examined his wound first and verified that it wasn’t life-threatening, then reached for a hypo. “What happened?”
“I had to shoot him.”
“He didn’t try to hurt you?”
“He seemed more anxious than angry,” Deanna explained. “He didn’t seem well when I found him, but he was threatening Data with a phaser.”
With a puzzled frown, the doctor set aside the hypospray, picked up her medical tricorder, and ran a quick scan of the Betazoid. “I can’t sedate him. The drugs would kill him.”
“But if he wakes up—”
Beverly sat back on her heels and stared up at Deanna. “He’s dying. He needs a sickbay as much as Vaughn.”
“Dying?” Deanna said in disbelief. “But the wound—”
“It wasn’t the phaser,” Beverly explained. “All those years of having that psionic inhibitor in his brain have made him dependent upon it. The sudden renewed activity of his telepathic cortex, after years of inactivity, is killing him. I’m showing intense neural shock. His legs are already paralyzed. Even if he regains consciousness, he’ll be in no shape to cause anyone harm.”
“But he can’t die,” Deanna insisted.
Data hurried inside. “Counselor, I just received a pulse in answer to my latest signal. The Defiant is here.”
Within minutes, the away team was transported aboard the small ship. Crewmembers stepped forward to carry Commander Vaughn and Tevren to the medical bay, and Beverly followed. Deanna and Data went to the bridge to meet with Worf.
“I regret the delay,” Worf said. “I came as quickly as I could after assisting the Enterprise.”
“I’m glad you’re all right,” Deanna said. “I was worried that the Jem’Hadar might have—”
“The Dominion has taken too much from me already,” Worf said with his characteristic snarl. “Today I repaid a few debts.”
“And the Enterprise?” Data asked.
“Captain Picard had the situation well under control when I left him,” Worf said. “Commander Riker’s away team was still on Sentok Nor, and the Tulwar and Scimitar were harrying the enemy.”
Deanna noted Worf’s omission. “The Katana?”
“Lost with all hands. They died valiantly as warriors.”
Deanna quelled her grief. Forty lives had been lost on the Katana and Commander Vaughn was near death, but she realized the toll would rise geometrically before Betazed was liberated.
If Betazed was liberated. There were still fifty thousand Jem’Hadar on the planet, and if Beverly couldn’t save Tevren, there might be fifty million before long.
“But you will be pleased to know,” Worf went on, “that long-range sensors are showing that their mission was successful. Sentok Nor has been destroyed.”
“At least something’s gone right today,” Deanna muttered, then realized she’d spoken aloud. “Worf, I’m sorry. That’s wonderful news. How long before we reach Betazed?”
Worf turned to the young Ferengi at conn. “ETA, Ensign Nog?”
“Forty minutes, sir.”
“Steady as she goes.”
“Deanna,” Beverly’s voice sounded over Troi’s combadge “I need you in the medical bay.”
Fearful of what news awaited her, Deanna hurried from the bridge. When she entered the medical bay, however, her spirits lifted. Vaughn, his right shoulder bandaged and his arm in a sling, was sitting up on one of the beds. His face lit up in greeting when Deanna entered the room.
“Your color has improved, Commander,” Deanna said. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thanks to Dr. Crusher. I should be back to normal in a day or so. And, as I understand it, thanks to you and Mr. Data as well.”
Deanna ignored the offer of gratitude. “I’ll turn command of the mission back to you, then.”
He shook his head. “Not yet, I’m afraid. Doctor’s orders. Did I thank you for saving my life?”
She nodded. “But I should be thanking you. You were ready to die for Tevren.”
“Not for Tevren,” Vaughn corrected. “For Betazed. There’s a difference. And I only did what any Betazoid would have done. Let’s just hope it wasn’t in vain.”
On the other biobed nearby, Beverly completed her examination of Tevren and joined Deanna and Vaughn. “I’m afraid I have some bad news,” the doctor said softly. “The unique technology of Tevren’s psionic