Fic: Observations, Ch 213
“He broke his spine. Sulu went and got himself an incomplete spinal cord injury. I’ve reset it, stitched together the lesion, but he’s going to be in heavy PT for a while. That aint gonna make him happy.”
Sulu lies on the biobed, still heavily sedated. If he is to heal, he may not move for a period of at least 200 hours. Pavel looks on, his expression carefully blank. Jim stood next to me, his fingers threaded through mine.
“Back snapped in right at the C7, with most of the damage to the anterior cord. Sulu’s one lucky bastard we’ve got a procedure to reset that. He won’t be able to move his legs for at least two weeks-minimum-and I’m not too sure about motor control in his hands. I’ll have to do a few follow up procedures. If everything goes well, it’ll all come back. Goes without saying he’s off duty.”
“How many follow up procedures are you doing, doctor?”
“As many as he needs.”
“That is not wery specific.”
“We’ve got to see how this one goes first. I can’t give you any definite answers.”
“Bridge to Commander Spock, come in please.”
“Nyota.”
“Sorry, Spock, but Number One needs to talk to you.”
“It can’t wait?” Jim asked.
We already knew the answer to that question.
“No.”
“I will take the transmission in my quarters. Leonard, Pavel, Jim,” I nodded.
Jim squeezed my hand and did not let go.
“Let me come with you. I think I know what this one’s going to be about.”
Leonard said nothing, only turned his attention back to Sulu. Jim is almost fully healed from his injuries. His abdominal muscles are still weak and there is still nerve damage, but he will be cleared for duty soon. We left Sickbay and walked back to my quarters.
“Captain Kirk, Commander Spock.”
“Admiral.”
“I have just received your report concerning the mission on Ialla’akhlla. Have you identified all the sites where the parts of the shuttle landed?”
“We have, to the best of our ability. It is inevitable that the particulate debris could not be tracked. The data is being compiled into a report as we speak. It will be ready for you within the hour.”
“How severe do you estimate the damage to be?”
“The storm scattered debris over a 468 kilometer radius. Most of the debris has been located in unopened sites.”
“And the chemical materials?”
“Some shuttle engine parts are still leaking. Otherwise, the environment has been totally contaminated.”
“Your report clearly indicates that this could have been prevented.”
“Admiral, the situation wasn’t exactly ideal. We’re lucky that we got all our personnel out of there alive.”
“The warning signs were all present that this storm would hit the area, yet Lt. Sulu disregarded the warnings and stayed an extra 46.2 minutes, thereby placing himself and all the shuttle crew in danger and leading to this untenable situation.”
“While it is true that the warning signs were present, they were not conclusive. We could not predict the strength of the storm-”
“Storms of magnitude 14 on the Hobarth scale are common on this planet, or did you fail to read the preliminary reports I sent?”
“Spock read all the reports, Admiral. Hindsight is twenty-twenty.”
“Your subordinate, Commander, showed an irresponsible lapse in judgment when he chose to not to evacuate immediately.”
“I respectfully disagree. Lt. Sulu did not remain in the area on a whim. They had lost communication with two of the scientists and he would not leave until they had been found.”
“I am aware of the circumstances surrounding the lieutenant’s decision, Commander. There is no need to repeat them to me.”
“Then I don’t see what the problem is. You have to take into account the fact that-”
“The correct command decision, Captain Kirk, was that Lt. Sulu should have removed his ship and left the scientists on the planet. An unfortunate loss, but it would have minimized the extent of the contamination of the planet.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“Once again, I respectfully disagree. Introducing new biological matter to the planet would be just as dangerous, if not more so, than the loss of the shuttle, which had been thoroughly decontaminated-”
“Negative. With the disintegration of the shuttle, the storm widened the radius of contamination. The two scientists were within the confines of the exploratory area. After the storm had passed, it would have been possible to send down a team and remove the bodies of the scientists.”
“You can’t seriously be saying-”
“I am. It is an unenviable choice, but the better one. Now the biochemical evolution of the planet has been irrevocably altered and tainted with alien matter due to the destruction of the shuttle, and a decision will have to be made whether to remove the objects or allow them to remain.”
Silence.
“If I may ask, Admiral, when you speak of the correct and incorrect choice, are you speaking from a command perspective or is this the choice you would have personally made?”
Number One’s eyes narrowed.
“My personal choice is irrelevant. It is the argument board of scientists will make. They will be understandably outraged. This should have been a standard mission, and the decision to open the planet to study was already extremely controversial.”
“We are aware of the debate surrounding this.”
“We don’t have to justify anything to them. If they prefer to kill people to preserve biological samples, we’ve got nothing to justify.”
“That is not an option. Lt. Sulu will be questioned.”
“Lt. Sulu sustained a severe injury. He suffered a spinal cord injury at the C7 vertebra and will be recovering from that for the duration of these hearings. As acting captain of the Enterprise, I will speak on his behalf and accept all responsibility.”
“He is paralyzed?” Number One stiffened.
Admiral Christopher Pike.
“Temporarily. Dr. McCoy was able to perform surgery that should allow the lieutenant to make a full recovery. However, the doctor has made clear that Lt. Sulu will go through intense physical therapy if he is to regain total mobility.”
Number One’s expression seemed to soften momentarily.
“Starbase Four has excellent recovery facilities.”
“No. I know this isn’t the SOP, but I’m not sending Sulu off this ship.”
“It will take several months for him to recover. He may rejoin the Enterprise when he is fully healed.”
“He’s my best pilot and he doesn’t need to be standing to do that.”
“C7 injuries include loss of mobility and sensation in one’s hands and fingers. The lieutenant most certainly requires those appendages at the helm.”
“Bones is the best doctor I know, he runs an efficient Sickbay, and I think Sulu will get better faster if he stays with us.”
“You cannot make this exception for Lt. Sulu simply because of your emotional attachment to him. Starships are not designed to accommodate those who are differently abled.”
“We’ll change that. I’ve got a genius engineer who can do anything, and I’m sure we can change things around, make adjustments.”
“Your intentions are admirable, captain, however Starfleet is a military institution. Those on board a starship must carry out certain duties and when they are unable or unfit to fulfill those requirements, they must leave and recover or find another occupation.”
“Look, I know that they forced Pike off his ship because he happened to be in a wheelchair. I think that was stupid. We’ve got enough technology now to make these things, even starships, handicap accessible.”
“The decisions made by the Admiralty are understandable and reasonable considering-”
“Admiral,” Jim said, eyes intense. “Look me in the eye and tell me that you and Pike would rather be at HQ, doing what you do, than out in space again.”
Number One was silent.
“You look me in the eye and tell me that Pike wouldn’t jump at the chance to captain a ship again. That you don’t want to be at his side again, exploring this galaxy.”
“My personal choice is irrelevant-”
Jim shook his head, then looked directly at Number One again.
“You’ve got a point. I can see where you’re coming from-leading a Constitution Class vessel like the Enterprise might be too much. But there are plenty of other ships out there, smaller ships with lighter crews for science missions, diplomatic envoys, that kind of thing.”
“Perhaps, while Starfleet is restructuring its bureaucracy and reconsidering its priorities, this issue might be deliberated as well,” I added. “With the assistance of technology and the implementation of some unorthodox solutions, Starfleet might be opened to a section of the population whose skills and viewpoints are wholly different from our usual standard.”
“Yeah. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be about? Difference as diversity, not difference as some kind of binary between can and can’t?”
“You are quite determined to keep Lt. Sulu on your ship.”
“Sometimes it takes a person you care about to fight for a cause.”
Number One raised an eyebrow.
“Christopher has told me he often wonders what kind of monster he has unleashed on the galaxy, giving the two of you command of the Enterprise. I had not understood those words until now.”
Jim laughed.
“If you ask any of my crew, they’ll say it’s the Kirk-force.”
“I may be inclined to believe them,” she quirked her lips. “Very well, captain, Lt. Sulu may remain on board. Commander, I suggest that you and Dr. McCoy refrain from making a full report of the lieutenant’s injuries. I will take this discussion under consideration.”
“Thank you, Admiral.”
“Thanks are unnecessary. If Christopher and I are able to realize that possibility, I can guarantee you that I will no longer be your commanding officer.”
“I look forward to that day, Admiral.”