The Sky's the Limit - Marco Palmieri [20]
“I thought your drugs were working,” said Daret from where he stood next to Commander Spires, who remained unconscious and who, despite the loss of both legs as well as his right arm, was currently the most stable of the three patients.
“The cortical regenerator isn’t stabilizing her like I’d hoped,” Crusher said as she grabbed a hypospray and pressed it to T’Lan’s neck. Within moments, the Vulcan’s spasms subsided, but Crusher knew it was a temporary respite. Until she could arrest the swelling of T’Lan’s brain tissue, she did not dare risk merely tossing the woman into a stasis unit. “As much as I hate the idea, Ialona, we’re going to have to drain the excess fluid physically. I’ll have to bore into her skull.” The very idea turned her stomach. Such procedures had long ago fallen out of everyday use, thanks to modern technological advances, but when those seemingly miraculous methods failed, even obsolete practices still proved useful.
Crossing the infirmary floor, Daret said, “I’m more accustomed to such a procedure than you are. Let me help.”
Crusher nodded. “Absolutely. I’ll need your help pinpointing where to drill.” Handing him a medical tricorder, she added, “You can guide me through the subarachnoid space with this.”
Sudden movement at the infirmary door caught Crusher’s eye, and she turned to see Gul Edal enter at a brisk pace. “How are things progressing, Doctor?” he asked, maintaining a respectful distance from the operating table. Crusher could not help but notice the tinge of anxiety in his voice.
“This isn’t a good time,” she snapped, returning her attention to T’Lan. “We may lose her if we don’t act quickly.”
“My concern, Doctor,” Edal said, “is that each of you may be at greater risk than you realize. I suggest you do what you can to get everyone aboard your shuttle and out of here as quickly as possible.”
Crusher sensed the warning underlying the Cardassian’s words, but there was nothing to be done about that now. “I can’t move her until she’s stabilized.”
Edal shook his head. “Doctor, I don’t think you appreciate the gravity of the situation. If you choose to remain here, I don’t know that I can guarantee your safety.”
“It’s not a wager I’d make.”
The new voice came from behind Edal, and Crusher recognized it as belonging to Malir. Looking past the gul, she saw his second-in-command flanked by a pair of guards—each of them holding weapons to Edal’s back.
Edal turned to face Malir. “And what is this?”
“Consider it my refusal to stand by and watch you subvert Central Command’s authority,” Malir replied. “I’m taking command of the Kovmar and placing you and everyone in this room under arrest.”
“On what grounds?” Edal asked.
“Dereliction of duty with respect to the treatment of spies and prisoners of war,” the glinn answered. “You’ve had ample opportunity to take the correct course of action, but instead you’ve chosen to follow this other path. That cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.”
“The crew will never support this,” Edal warned.
Malir smiled. “I think you’ll find that a sufficient number of the crew are behind me. After all, they have no desire to be executed as traitors, as their commander will be.”
Crusher exchanged looks with Yar, and she noted the way the lieutenant’s body seemed to tense in anticipation. She mouthed a silent no to her, hoping to keep Yar out of the deteriorating situation. Beneath Crusher’s hands, Lieutenant T’Lan still demanded her attention.
We don’t have time for this idiocy!
Then everything went to hell as Edal made the choice for everyone in the room.
With no warning, he lunged for Malir’s disruptor. Malir was faster, swinging his sidearm toward the gul and firing. The weapon’s discharge howled in the infirmary’s confines as the violet energy bolt struck Edal in the midsection, and he fell backward to the deck with a heavy thud.
“No!” Crusher shouted as Daret rushed to the fallen Cardassian’s side. “Not in here!” By then it was too late, as Yar took advantage of one guard’s distraction. Lashing