A Bitter Pill

by

Marketa J Zvelebil

The obvious characters are the property of Paramount. The others are mine. Thanks yet again to Astrid Ferszt for ideas, criticisms, and discussions not to mention finding most of the spelling mistakes!

Chapter 1

His desk was littered with medical vids, computer chips and a number of discarded hypos. He looked with slight disdain at the mess. His desk screen was on, slowly scrolling through the names of the ship's crew and highlighting those who were due for the bi-annual check-up. McCoy let the names slide by, not really paying much attention to which name lit up and was loaded onto a solid, along with the date of their last medical and species. When all the names were collected the computer would sort out the crew's names according to species and put same or similar species on the same day. This decreased the amount of re-calibration of the medical equipment. 'One of Spock's little improvements' Leonard McCoy grumbled with a hint of affection.

"Kennat -Centaurus , Khtri@kt - Harran, Kirk, J.T. Earth**- - Kzrazzk - ..." The names scrolled by. McCoy raised one eyebrow at the two asterisks next to Jim's name. That meant that Jim had managed to avoid, somehow - yet again - the last physical. 'Well, he won't get away this time!' McCoy drummed his fingers on the desk. Even the discovery that the Captain had avoided two medicals did not arouse more than a mild annoyance from McCoy. Normally he would have, at least, summoned up some righteous anger at Jim's childish evasions, but he felt very little. 'I am turning into a cold, green-blooded, Vulcan', he concluded. But even this thought wrought no alarm in him. Maybe a light concern at the lack of any emotions. He did not understand. He tried to conjure feelings of happiness, sadness, sympathy but failed utterly. The only feeling he had was one of total emptiness. Just then the door to his office slid open and Spock walked in.

"Doctor, your report on Planet 892/IV is unacceptable in this form. It cannot be send to Starfleet HQ. Please, re-phrase it," Spock held out a solid.

"Fine, Spock," McCoy took the proffered item and threw it on the already overloaded desk.

"I need it by 0.45 hours, Doctor," Spock stated as he observed the little rectangle slipping into a free space between two large piles of VidInfs. McCoy quietly agreed to the time limit. Spock's attention turn ed to the doctor when the expected outburst did not take place.

"Are you quite well, Doctor?"

McCoy nodded slowly and leaned over to switch off the computer display. It had ended scrolling through the 429 names, appropriately ending with 'Zzrzz' - from planet Konec. Spock raised another eyebrow and left, concerned. Dr. McCoy was behaving quite irrationally.

McCoy sent Nurse Chapel the selected names for her to organise the appointments, then leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the desk. A tower of tapes was pushed aside and dropped, like a stack of dominoes, to the floor. He didn't care. There was a buzz at his office doors as they slid open.

"I haven't finished the report yet, Spock," McCoy said not bothering to turn. Suddenly his chair swivelled, forcing him to sit up and turn round. Captain James Kirk faced him.

"Okay, Bones. What's up? You've been moping around for days now, " Kirk asked, his voice heavy with irritation born out of concern.

"Why, nothing, Jim."

"Nothing! Look at the state of your office. Chapel tells me you hardly see to your patients and now even Spock has expressed concern about you!" Jim gestured, exasperated, with his hands. First pointing at the doctor, then the desk and the sickbay. McCoy managed to look slightly abashed.

"Well, Jim, it's kinda funny, but I just don't feel anything anymore. Spock would damn well envy me my total lack of emotion. If he would admit to envy, of course."

A frown spread across Kirk's face. "Sounds much like depression to me...," he suggested tentatively

"Nah, depression has other symptoms as well. Anyhow I tried drugs against depression. They had no effect, " McCoy said pointing to the discarded hypos.

"So what is it?"

"Well, it could be due to the head injury I got in the fight with Merrick's lot⁽¹⁾," McCoy half suggested.

"I didn't know you received a head injury," accusingly.

"You're not the doctor, so why should you know? Anyway it's in my report..."

"Which is totally incoherent! Have you had your head examined?"

"It ain't serious," McCoy hedged.

"Just changes your whole personality and it ain't serious he says," Kirk said with some pique. "You are going to have it checked. Right now, while I'm still here," he continued and made for the intercom to call one of McCoy's assistant doctors.

"Jim...," but the protest was in vain. Kirk was already speaking to Dr. Kelley. "Jim, you...:

"Come on, Bones. Captain's orders," James Kirk took his friend and led him mercilessly toward one of the diagnostic tables and the waiting medic, enjoying the reversal of roles for once.

---

"Nothing, Sirs - the brain scan shows an all-clear. Depression can also be ruled out. The blood analysis, however, has shown an unusually high concentration of antibodies and white blood cells. Further tests revealed an unknown ... well ... uhm ... micro-organism would describe it best, in Dr. McCoy's blood."

"An infection?" Kirk's anxiety increased. It was bad enough that his friend was ill. Imposing a ship wide quarantine...

"Yes, but not viral or bacterial. The good news is that it does not appear to be contagious, at least in the present stage of infection," Kelley replied, silently adding I hope.

"Can you find a cure ?"

"Aah, we have to first figure out what it is, before we try to eliminate it without killing Leonard as well."

"Dr. Kelley, if you give me all the details I will instruct my science department to examine this at the same time," Spock suggested.

"Gladly, Mr. Spock."

"What about McCoy? What do you suggest we do now?" Kirk asked, "Should he be relieved of duty?"

"No, Sir. I don't think so. We will just keep an eye on him. It's best he be treated as normally as possible." He knew not much short of a direct order from the Captain would stop McCoy, if even that.

"Very well, doctor. Thank you," Kirk dismissed the younger man. "Well, Spock, an un-emotional McCoy. That must make you feel relieved," Jim's attempt at some light-heartiness didn't work.

"No, Captain. It is as disconcerting as it is illogical for humans, and especially Dr. McCoy, to be without emotions," Spock said soberly. Then seeing the worry in Jim's eyes, relented and continued, "After all, on whom else can I sharpen my intellectual claws."

Kirk smiled slightly. "Let's go and mind the bridge. At least McCoy is safely tucked away in his sickbay."

---

Nurse Chapel had tidied up his desk. It did look better and was more practical, he had to admit. He decided to go through some of the medical publications he had no time to read yet, and turned on his computer screen. Zigzag lines appeared followed by a blurred picture. Distorted sounds emanated from his desk computer. Ever since Uhura had modified the communications computer to enable the screening of old fashioned type of radio-wave messages, so that they could eaves-drop on the 20th Century, Roman-like society of Planet IV, the computer would, with irritating constancy, pick up long ago transmitted Earth and other planetary broadcasts. Most were too distorted. Some, however, were in a surprisingly good condition. He had managed to see a whole episode of a TV-broadcast featuring the legendary Doris Day. He tried to remember both the amusement and awe at seeing something recorded so long ago.

Now he watched other pictures take form on his screen. Emaciated children. One particular boy caught his attention. B'ket, he was called. McCoy began to listen attentively. This was a broadcast calling for funds so that the boy could go to the then USA from an African country, for a life saving heart operation. Without the operation the child would not survive for long, his kidneys were giving-out: Cardiac nephritis. The large black eyes, wise beyond his eleven years, stared at McCoy over the centuries separating them. Time ceased to exist. Then the boy smiled. He had been given an old-fashioned stethoscope by the American doctor who was making the appeal on his behalf.

Tears were streaming down McCoy's face. An overwhelming pity for these children washed over him. He knew how slim the chances were that the boy would survive. He listened to the child's story. B'ket had made a long and an arduous journey, all on his own, to find this doctor so that he would help him. B'ket did not want to die. But McCoy knew that he probably would. 'Had,' McCoy corrected himself and tried to put the message in perspective of time. After all it was over 300 hundred years old!

But he couldn't. Now feelings of such intensity invaded him, that he could not even remember the non-emotional state he had suffered from previously. His head ached. His vision blurred. Only one thing mattered to him now. He had to get to Africa and save that boy. 'Prime Directive, the integrity of the past to the future, Starfleet be dammed!' Grabbing one of the multi-purpose med-care cases he left his office and rushed to the hangar deck. No other thoughts but the boy's image and the overwhelming need to get to him filled him. He felt he himself would die, if he were stopped now.

On arrival at the hangar deck, he quickly, efficiently and neatly disposed of the sole guard with one tiny hypo-spray. He ran to the shuttle Galileo. Not bothering with any pre-flight checks he started it up and made his way towards the shuttle doors. He did not care that they may not open. The Galileo approached at a dangerous speed and as the computer had not received a command to counteract the safety procedures from the bridge, it hastily opened the large fan shaped doors to prevent collision and a possible explosion.

---

Kirk sat in his command chair dictating his own report to Starfleet.

"Captain, somebody is trying to leave in a shuttle," Sulu said at the same time as the piercing whistle demanded his attention from engineering.

"Close the doors, Sulu," Kirk ordered and depressed the intercom switch.

"Too late, sir," Sulu stated.

"Captain, " Scotty's voice sounded harassed, "our warp drive has gone off-line, it's like some weird beastie infected the matter-antimatter converter. We cannot intermix. It was a good thing we were na using warp speeds!"

'It never rains but pours,' Kirk thought dejectedly, "Scotty, do you best, I'll be down as soon as I can," he said and cut off the communications. "Uhura, hail the shuttle craft. Visual, please," he turned from his communications officer to the helm. "Sulu, engage tractor beam."

"Aye, sir. Yes, Sir."

"Sir, the tractor beam... it's not responding," Sulu sounded puzzled as his fingers danced over the helm control-board.

"Captain, communications established."

The main view screen changed from the black of space to the interior of the Galileo. The harried, red-eyed face of Dr. McCoy looked back at them.

"Bones!" exclaimed Kirk in total astonishment. McCoy was the last person he had expected to see inside a stolen shuttle craft.

"Not now, Jim!" Irritation and impatience were evident.

James Kirk paled at the tone of voice with which the doctor addressed his Captain. "Dr. McCoy, I order you to return to the Enterprise," Kirk did not need to pretend to be angry.

"Can't. Have to save a life. B'ket needs me." He looked down, concentrating on the shuttle's helm.

Spock stepped down to stand next to the Captain's chair, "Dr. McCoy, whose life and where, please?"

"B'ket.Egharia." McCoy said distractedly as he continued to lay in coordinates for the shuttle computer.

"Egharia does not exist anymore, Doctor," Spock continued calmly but inexorably while the Captain made sure that Sulu was monitoring the coordinates that McCoy was feeding the shuttle's helm.

"It did then...that recording. I must go...sorry..." The screen went dead as the shuttle glided away and then disappeared with a small flash of golden light, leaving the crippled Starship behind.

Jim looked at Spock. "What recording? " he asked bemused.

"Sir, I think I can help you there, " Uhura's voice interrupted. She had been working on eliminating the interfering radio-wave bursts and had also recorded all such occurrences. She had seen the same recording as Dr. McCoy. Now she replayed the message for the Captain and Mr. Spock. "Funny, " she murmured to herself as she watched it again, "that name sounds familiar."

"It seems that Dr. McCoy is behaving in his own...logical way, Captain," Spock said.

Kirk gave Spock a side-look. "Not even McCoy gets this irrational over a 300 year old message, " Kirk said dryly, "No, it's that weird infection." He concluded, "The question is, where has he gone?"

"Mr. Sulu, did you manage to get all the coordinates from the Galileo's helm?" Kirk asked after a pause.

"Not all, sir, " Sulu shook his head apologetically.

"The Guardian of Forever^(2)," Spock stated calmly. Jim looked at him questioningly. "It would be the only logical place to go, " Spock elaborated.

James Kirk looked at his first officer in exasperation. First the Vulcan accused his CMO of irrational, un-emotional behaviour and then, when the CMO takes off on an unauthorised medical mission to the past, the Vulcan tells him that the doctor was thinking logically. He shook his head in amused wonderment.

"Captain," Sulu's voice held a hint of excitement, "the partial coordinates that I have managed to get off the Galileo do fit those for sector 90.4 where the Guardian's planet is located."

"Lay in the course, Mr. Sulu. Engage on my command," Kirk then called Engineering. "Scotty, status report."

'Captain, I'm sorry, but it will take another 12 hours to re-calibrate the damaged converter."

With a deep sigh Jim turned to Sulu, "Impulse speed, only, Mr.Sulu. Engage."

If the Guardian could have given a sigh of relief at Dr. McCoy's departure, it would have done so. It had started a chain of events that should lead the time line back to where it should have been, before...

---

Chapter 2

The sun beat down on him. The sudden heat after the windy cold of the Gateway planet, where the Guardian of Forever resided, was stifling. McCoy was somewhat awed to find himself in the middle of a small village in this African wilderness. He was surprised that the Guardian had been so obliging in the first place. When he landed the shuttle on Gateway he had expected to be apprehended by the Starfleet security group who were there both to guard against any unauthorised use of the Guardian as well as to do some research. But when McCoy landed, not far from the small and well hidden settlement, he found all the members asleep. They had fallen wherever they had been ,whatever they had been doing at the moment. He had run a quick scan to find that they were all healthy but in a deep trance. Then, when he arrived at the Guardian of Forever he didn't even have to announce himself, let alone ask for a particular time. Instead he was drawn through nearly without his own volition.

Now he stood in the village, in an opening surrounded by huts. Children, clutching their mothers, were staring and pointing at him. The women, too, were staring, gesticulating and speaking rapidly in a language he did not understand. He tried his universal translator, not sure if it would work here, in the past and far away from the main computers of the Enterprise. It was built to work on its own, powered by its tiny solar batteries. He hoped that it could cope with this language without the ship's computers. He felt disorientated. He vaguely remembered a deep need to come and help someone, but he could not remember exactly who, nor why Jim or Spock were not with him. But the answers to that would have to wait. A rather tall man was approaching him. The man was very dark, the white of his eyes gleamed from the dark face. He was dressed in a one piece cloth wrapped round him, a beautifully carved stick in one hand. McCoy noticed that the man was very thin.

"Are you the American Doctor?" the man asked in a deep voice and smiled.

McCoy was immensely grateful that the translator worked. "I am a doctor," he said, wondering what next.

"Good. We were told the Doctor from Arit may come. We did not believe. Other promises have always been broken and we do not have money to go to Arit. Come," the man held his hand palm up towards a large hut. "I am Tere, the Chief."

McCoy wondered if he should tell Tere his name. Did Tere know the name of the doctor he thought was coming from Arit, wherever that may be? McCoy was spared the need to come to a decision. They had entered the hut, having made their way through the throng of women and children. Some of the children had hesitantly touched him and then ran back to their mothers or friends squealing and laughing. He was amazed at the joy on all those faces around him. He could see that all the people were undernourished, nearly starving. Many were also suffering from various diseases he had never dreamt of seeing apart in study-vids.

They entered the hut. Some sunlight penetrated the thatched roof. There was no laughter in this place. About seven people were spread out on straw mattresses around the hut. Most were young children. One boy caught McCoy's attention. He was sitting, leaning against the mud wall. Bright, intelligent eyes stared at him. The boy was having difficulty breathing. The size of the boy's chest was out of proportion to the rest of his small body.

The man who had brought McCoy into the hut was talking. McCoy tried to concentrate on the words and not on what he saw.

"This is where we put all our sick. We were told to do that by a health worker from the city. You have come to heal them ,yes?"

McCoy nodded and then suddenly realised what that meant. He was from the future. If he healed any of these people....well, it wouldn't hurt to look at least...would it?

The man tugged at his arm leading him to the boy leaning against the wall. "This is B'ket. He cannot breathe. Please help him first."

McCoy knelt by the boy. B'ket suddenly gave him a radiant smile. The white teeth making a remarkable contrast against the dark face.

"Doctor, I want to be a medical man too. I want to live, to learn and then to heal," B'ket said abruptly in a raspy voice.

McCoy looked up startled. B'ket had spoken in English.

The boy's face had a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Can I see your stethoscope, please?"

"Steto...what?" McCoy said confused before he remembered what that historical piece of equipment was. He would have to be careful here. The boy was regarding him suspiciously. "You can see my very special new stethoscope," he said, thinking that that was as good name as any for the medical tricorder. He would just have to make sure it only showed the heartbeat when he showed it to this remarkable child. He took it out of his bag. B'ket looked at the scanner in amazement and interest.

"I have never seen such a funny stethoscope!" he exclaimed.

"Hmmm....no, it's a new design. " McCoy said absentmindedly. He was very worried about the readings. This child would not live without his 23rd century knowledge or a 20th century major surgical intervention. That kind of intervention was also dangerous and needed the most up-to-date (at least as far as this century was concerned) medical equipment.

"Can I look at your heart now, please?" The boy's eyes shone like the moon's reflection on a dark lake. McCoy switched all but the heart-rate monitor off and gave B'ket the medical scanner. The child passed it first along the doctor then the older man standing next to him. When he passed the scanner over his own chest the smile disappeared. B'ket could see the difference between his heartbeat and that of the people around him.

McCoy had, in the meantime, looked over the other people in the hut. Most were suffering from various infections and forms of malaria. All were undernourished. He could help most of them with one or two hypos. Some were too near death for him to do anything about without the Enterprise.

The thought of the Enterprise made him pause. He tried to recall exactly how he had ended up here. Memories of his behaviour flooded back. Actions that seemed logical (he smiled slightly at that word) at the time now made no sense to him. He felt suddenly totally alone in this very strange place. He knew he had to help the boy. He did not know why. It was important that he do so, but he did not know how without breaking the Prime Directive. McCoy walked back to where B'ket was sitting, the tricorder limply held in his hands. The small exertion of scanning the few people round him had totally drained him of any energy.

---

Chapter 3

Captain Kirk reluctantly stepped onto the transporter pad to beam down to the unofficially named Gateway planet. Spock was already waiting on the transporter platform, watching his Captain with veiled compassion . He, too, remembered the last time they had beamed down to this planet, under similar circumstances in search of the doctor. Spock thought back on the anguish the last visit to the past brought Jim. Kirk understood the look in Spock's eyes. He offered Spock a small smile that said, "I'm fine." Then he turned towards Scotty waiting behind the transporter controls.

Scotty also remembered vividly the last visit to this planet. The shock of finding the Enterprise gone. His beloved bairns never built in the alternative time-line that was caused by Dr McCoy's actions . The desolation he, Uhura, and the rest of the landing party felt, as the sole survivors of the vanished Enterprise, left behind on the bleak planet. Their only hope of rescue had depended on Captain Kirk and Spock finding and preventing McCoy's interference in the past. He remembered the distraught face of the Captain as they returned through the Guardian of Forever. He never found out what exactly had happened 'back then' to the three of them. That was classified information, and the Captain avoided the subject whenever broached.

"Scotty...Mr Scott ?!" The Captain's voice sliced through his thoughts.

"Sorry, Captain," murmured Scotty returning from his reveries, embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Scotty. We won't lose the Enterprise this time." Jim turned to his chief engineer while mentally crossing his fingers for some of that illogical luck. "Energize!" he said finally , and the room and his corporal body dissolved into nothingness.

McCoy stepped out into the early morning sunlight. He stretched and walked towards the main hut to get a cup of the strong coffee that the local people drank. It had been three days since he first arrived in this village. A cup of the strong brew was handed to him by one of the young daughters of Tere. He smiled at her, she looked away in embarrassment. As he took a sip of the drink he longed for a shower and a clean uniform. He had managed to rinse out, to the amusement of the village women, his tunic. It had dried quickly in the hot sun. But there wasn't enough water left in the river for a swim, and tricorder readings also indicated that the little water that was left, was rife with life damaging to human health. The tricorder readings showed eight dangerous parasites ranging from malaria to bilharzia. The water from the single deep well within the village was strictly rationed and limited for consumption. McCoy was pleased to find that the well-water was remarkably clean, all things considered. Tere had explained to him that they were a rich community, because the well provided water during the periods of draught.

Despite the heat of the sun McCoy shivered. He wondered whether he would be left in this age and village forever. Whether something he might have done had already caused some disastrous change in his own time 'Maybe, Jim, Spock and the Enterprise don't exist any more', he thought, deeply worried. When he finished his breakfast of coffee and a piece of flat unleavened bread, his stomach rumbling in protest, he made his way to the "hospital" hut. There he was greeted by the death of another one of his patients. A woman, twenty-eight years old, who had looked at least seventy. A mother of two children, now orphans. McCoy's diagnosis showed that she had advanced tuberculosis. He had given her a broad-spectrum antibiotic similar to those used in the 20th century, but she had not responded. Her immune system seemed to be attacking itself on top of the bacterial infection. He tried to decide which disease it was, over two hundred years ago, that resulted in this effect. For the thousandth time he wished for his sickbay on the Enterprise.

Two young men carried the body out of the hut, and he was informed that she would be cremated later in the afternoon. McCoy felt a lump in his throat. In the past three days he had got to know all his patients. He admired the silent dignity with which adults and children accepted their diseases and bore their suffering and pain. Parents and children would stay with their family members most of the time. Now two young children watched silently as their mother was carried out, wrapped in a thin blanket. They then followed. All the patients in the hut but one had family: B'ket was alone.

McCoy tended, as much as he could, to the remaining patients, before he reached B'ket. The boy greeted him with one of his radiant smiles. McCoy had used drugs to stabilize the child's condition, but soon he would have to do more. He could, theoretically, continue to keep the boy alive for quite a long time with medicine that did not quite break the Prime Directive. But he could not continue to watch the suffering of his little friend any longer. Nor the suffering of his other patients. He had hoped that the real American doctor would arrive and that he could leave without having caused a change in the temporal continuum. The painful memories of his last trip to the past and the death of Edith Keeler were still fresh in his mind.

He played 'Noughts-and-Crosses' with B'ket , who had taught him the game. The doctor lost a number of times, and then, finally, persuaded the boy to rest. Outside the sun was high in the sky. He went in search of the village medicine-man. Tricorder readings indicated that many of the herbs used by the local healer contained a number of promising chemicals. Some of these could be relatively easily extracted and used as drugs to help with illnesses that were not considered currently treatable by the villagers. He reasoned out that he wouldn't be breaking the Prime Directive by using local herbs, even though he was using his advanced knowledge to identify, and teach the healer how to extract them. Any other nagging guilty feelings he pushed away each time he saw the great need of the people around him. He spent a pleasant afternoon with the young healer and his herbs.

During the evening he found out that the middle son of Tere had been bitten by a deadly type of snake. McCoy rushed for his medi-kit and tried to enter Tere's hut. He was annoyed at not having been told earlier. As he tried to get in, his route was barred.

"I am here to save the kid", he said in despair. The guards called for Tere when McCoy made no move to leave.

"Doctor," Tere's sombre voice stated, "you must understand, my son was bitten by a holy animal, it is his kismet. If he lives, he will be chosen chief over my eldest son, for then great is his power. If he dies, then be it so."

"But I can make him live", raged McCoy, although he was not sure about his ability with an unknown poison.

"No, doctor, this is not allowed. We appreciate your wish to heal, but it is not possible," Tere patiently explained, but inexorably blocked access to the enraged doctor. McCoy heard a grown of pain from inside the hut. He pleaded with Tere. But the chief would not budge, even though his eyes were filled with pain, at his son's suffering. Frustrated, McCoy left. In his anger and impotence he strayed out of the confining enclosure of the village. He sat down on a rock by the dried-out river, where only a rivulet of muddy water provided little relief to a single gnu. He put his head into his hands. 'I hate this place', he thought. Suddenly he felt a light touch on his shoulder. He jumped up in shock and then had to sit down again.

"..." For once he was speechless.

"Bones, you O.K.?" Jim was shocked at the dishevelled, haggard and distressed look of his friend.

"Jim," McCoy managed at last. He saw the unmistakable form of Spock behind the Captain. Spock was busy with monitoring tricorder readings. McCoy realized that he had really believed that he would never see his friends again. He grinned.

"Captain, " Spock interrupted. Both McCoy and Kirk looked at the Vulcan. McCoy saw that it was a medical tricorder Spock held, and had it pointed at McCoy.

"The doctor is free of the previous unidentified infection, but he is suffering from other local organisms, exhaustion, dehydration, and under nourishment." Spock continued.

"Bones?," Jim looked enquiringly at the doctor.

"I haven't had time to check my health," McCoy shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

While Jim sat next to McCoy demanding a full explanation of his actions and a thorough debriefing of events that had occurred during his time in this epoch, Spock opened a liquid food rations-pack and took out a hypo from his first-aid medi-belt. He now approached the two men deep in discussion.

"Doctor, please drink this, " he said giving McCoy the tubular package. McCoy took it, while Jim asked sternly, "Surely you had these with you? Why didn't you use them?"

"I mixed them with the communal food of the villagers, Jim. They need the nourishment far more than I," he said diffidently.

Kirk shook his head. "What else have you done and given these people?" he asked concerned. McCoy explained what he attempted to do and how he had tried to minimize inter-time contamination. While his attention was focused on Jim, trying to make the Captain understand his difficult position, Spock pressed the hypo against the doctor's shoulder. Before McCoy could voice any protest Spock had injected the medicine into him.

"What the devil are you doing?!" McCoy jumped up facing Spock angrily, "Who gave you the right to practice medicine?" His blue eyes were blazing. All the past fear and frustration being released with the angry explosion.

"Bones, calm down," Jim laid a conciliatory hand on McCoy's arm.

"What was in that, Spock?" McCoy demanded angrily, not quite ready to let Spock off.

"The hypodermic contained Mexotroxin-a which is a broad spectrum antimicrobial, hetarmin to prevent...," Spock started.

"I know what the damn medications are used for, just tell me the contents, for Galaxy's sake!" McCoy interrupted.

Spock raised an eyebrow, "...and a vitamin supplement, " he finished unperturbed.

"Humpf!" McCoy grumbled. After a small pause a huge grin spread across his tired face, "But it's sure good to see you both," he whispered.

"Captain, someone is coming, " Spock said with soft urgency.

"Bones, is there a place we can speak undisturbed?" Kirk asked getting up.

"Yes, my hut," said McCoy and quickly explained where it was located.

"We will meet there later, " Jim touched McCoy's shoulder lightly and disappeared into the night's shadows after Spock. McCoy found himself alone. He listened carefully but it was a while before he heard footsteps approaching from the direction of the village. He turned and found that it was Tere coming towards him.

"Healer, we were worried about you, " Tere greeted the doctor. "Come with me, " he continued before McCoy could say anything. They walked in silence. The village fires illuminated the round huts - dark silhouettes against the orange glow. Distant animal calls pervaded the otherwise silent night. A light breeze ruffled McCoy's hair and he was quite pleased to enter the relative warmth of the village ground.

They arrived at Tere's hut. Tere pushed aside the curtain covering the door and invited McCoy to enter. McCoy entered expecting to see another dead body. Ate'eret, Tere's son, sat up sipping a hot drink from a small delicately carved stone bowl. McCoy knelt beside the boy, and touched his forehead. There was no indication of a fever. He took the young man's pulse, it too seemed normal. The eyes were clear and alert.

"May I listen to his heart?" McCoy asked. It had became the standard excuse for him to be able to use his tricorder. Tere nodded. McCoy was surprised. There was no poison in the boy's blood. Only elevated white blood cells, and B and T cells told of the battle that had been fought and won by the young man. "Remarkable," he acknowledged.

"Yes," Tere agreed and led McCoy out. "Not many people survive the bite of the 'Dragon-head'. Death is usually swift. But so is the recovery when it does happen. It is the will of the All-powerful One that Ate'eret will be chief after me. I am pleased."

'I bet', McCoy thought remembering the pain in Tere's eyes when the boy was suffering, then asked "What about your eldest son?"

"So'tere will be given most of what I own. Traditionally he should start a new settlement. But with the current drought I think he will be happier to go to the city and get a job there," Tere looked at the sky. Bright stars were visible and the moon seemed particularly large that night. McCoy wondered, idly, what Tere would say if he would tell him that his home is amongst those stars. That the second star from Deneb, shining so brightly, had a luscious planet orbiting it which was one of the favourite shore-leave spots for for tired starship crew. He smiled inwardly.

"The air is too dry, there will be no rains," Tere's statement brought him back to earth.

They walked in companionable silence to the 'clinic'. Before McCoy could enter Tere asked. "Will you be able to help B'ket? Can you take him to the city?"

The questions hit McCoy in the heart like a punch from a Telarite chirith.

"Why is B'ket alone?" McCoy avoided the questions.

"The boy was walking from his own village to the city, to find medical help. His family have nothing to trade with and they think B'ket cannot be helped. So the boy left to get his own help. He had heard of the American doctor, but he collapsed near our village. We brought him back here, hoping he will recover to continue his journey. But we cannot give him the money he needs to take the bus. We too have nothing to trade," Tere explained in a matter of fact manner while McCoy tried to imagine what it must be like for a ten year old to be abandoned by his parents and despite that, and his illness, to walk miles alone so that he could get help.

"I have come to like him, " he caught Tere's last words.

"I will do all I can, Tere," McCoy promised and left the tall chief to check on his patients.

---

Chapter 4.

McCoy was just dropping off to sleep when Kirk and Spock silently entered the small but warm hut. There was a low fire burning in the middle of the round structure casting long shadows onto the smooth dirt floor.

"Bones," Kirk asked quietly.

McCoy, seated on an old mattress and leaning against the wall, looked up at his Captain. He gathered all his remaining energy and said with as much determination as he could muster, " I am not going back before I help B'Ket, Jim."

"Calm yourself, Doctor," Spock knelt in front of the fire and continued, "We have carried out research on this B'Ket. It seems that, indeed, he must not die in his childhood."

"Oh?" McCoy felt wide awake now.

"That's right. One of his important contributions is that he is to father to one of Uhura's ancestors," Jim said with some amusement. He was standing by the doorway, leaning against the wall, his arms resting across his chest. He was keeping watch against any unwelcome guests. They did not want to be seen by the local people. One person from the future was enough. One with pointed ears and a greenish skin...

"What?!?" McCoy spluttered surprised. The idea that the thin ill boy was Uhura's many times great great grandfather seemed incongruous.

"Yes, when she realized who this child was, Uhura pleaded to be allowed to come along with us. However, it seemed inadvisable to permit that much cross-temporal contamination," Kirk continued.

"So what has gone wrong? Why is B'Ket so ill?" McCoy demanded.

Spock looked up from the fire into which he had been gazing as if mesmerised. "B'Ket was ill in the established time-line, " he said, stood up and continued, "He managed to gather enough money to take something called a bus. A current form of transport I believe. The bus took him to Arit. There he was taken care of by a Dr. Chadish, who also managed to help him and obtained money to send B'Ket to the then USA for heart surgery. B'Ket stayed in the USA to get a degree in agricultural genetics. He came back to Africa where he developed triticale ketus, a grain which could grow in arid conditions. This enabled many African countries to reduce their monetary debt to the so-called Western powers. B'Ket married and had three children. He died at the age of 58, when his heart finally succumbed to his condition," Spock finished.

"So you see, Bones, B'Ket is not only Uhura's ancestor but he is a key figure in the development of the African countries," Kirk added.

"Right, " McCoy said trying to digest this piece of information, " so why and how has the past been changed? And why am I here?"

Spock stood up and relieved the Captain as the guard. Kirk approached the fire and warmed his hands against it.

'Even here they change roles or command, so smoothly,' McCoy thought amused as he watched the silent change-over take place. He waited for an answer but when one was not forthcoming he prompted with an enquiring, "Well?"

Kirk gave a sigh and said. "We, that is Starfleet, is directly responsible for this change. It seemed such an insignificant event at that time. But now we have to deal with the repercussions."

"What event ?" McCoy was getting impatient as Kirk fell silent again.

"One of the researchers on Gateway had come back to study the development of this part of the world. That is, by the way, why we have such complete information on it, " Kirk sidetracked, then continued, "The Guardian deposited him not far from here. He tried to take one of these buses, but did not have the correct monetary amount and the argument that ensued between the bus navigator and the researcher caused the bus to be late. All of ten minutes. Meantime B'Ket collapsed on the road where he had been waiting for that bus. Had he been able to get on this bus on time he would not have collapsed."

"So he collapsed and Tere's people found him, " McCoy finished.

Kirk nodded. A heavy silence fell. All three officers were considering the gravity of a situation, where a mere ten minutes can cause an important change in the past-future time-lines. Kirk was determined to force the Federation and Starfleet to further restrict access to the Guardian of Forever.

"How and why did I end up here?" McCoy repeated his earlier question.

"We are not certain of the 'how'. It seems some powerful...intelligence with the full cooperation of the Guardian has arranged it. As to the 'why'; to keep B'Ket alive," Kirk looked at his friend and again noticed how tired and ill the doctor appeared. 'He needs some sleep, medical attention and a shower.' He smiled at the last thought.

"What's so funny?" McCoy grumbled noticing Jim's smile.

"You smell, " Jim stated simply and was rewarded with an angry gaze.

"Captain, we don't have much time left," Spock reminded them gently of the seriousness of the situation.

"You mean I don't offend your highly sensitive olfactory cells, Spock?" McCoy quizzed facetiously.

"Doctor, we are in no condition to currently alleviate your malodorous state. Therefore, it is illogical to dwell upon the matter," Spock answered, deadpan.

Jim chuckled, and it was McCoy now who tried to bring the conversation back to B'Ket with a plaintive, "What can I do?"

"Wash yourself, " Spock advised solemnly.

"I mean about B'Ket, you pointy-eared goblin."

"Ah, washing yourself would not solve B'Ket's problem, although it might help, " Spock's serious manner was too much and McCoy joined the Captain in the quiet laughter. "But there is a quite simple solution to B'Ket's health problem," Spock continued ignoring his two companions, although there was a humorous twinkle in his dark eyes.

"What solution?" McCoy asked and hastily clarified, "To B'Ket, I mean."

"Doctor, can you stabilize B'Ket enough to undertake the journey to Arit?" asked Spock.

"On foot?" McCoy demanded incredulously.

"On the bus, Bones, " Kirk added in haste.

"I suppose so. But he is in pain. If only I could take him back to the Enterprise for a few days I could cure him," suggested McCoy hopefully.

"You know that's not possible, Bones," Jim said gently, knowing how tough the last three days must have been on the doctor .

"I can stabilise him. I can even lessen his discomfort for a few days. What then?"

"We have replicated the currency used in this area. You, doctor, will give B'Ket enough to allow him to reach Arit. Tell him to go to the main hospital and ask for Dr. Chadis," Spock specified.

"And how do I explain to B'Ket why I can't take him to Arit myself? And why can't I actually do that?" McCoy did not like the idea of the sick child travelling on the ancient form of transport all by himself.

"Because that is not the way it happened," stated Kirk quite curtly.

"Would it be such an inconsistency if it happened a bit differently?"

"It may. Remember that this whole problem was caused by a mere ten minutes delay of the bus. Bones, it has to be, as far as possible, as it was before," Kirk stated with the authoritarian voice of the Starship Captain.

McCoy harrumphed, not convinced. "And what if this Dr. Chadish doesn't raise enough money in time? Then what? Because by my reckoning, B'Ket should have been in Arit for the past two days at least. So maybe we cannot do things as they were before," he argued.

Jim gave a long suffering sigh and looked to Spock to explain further.

"Doctor, during our journey, we have done an exhaustive examination of this problem. Suffice it to say that the only correct solution is for B'Ket to arrive at Arit alone." The stress on the last word was clear and deliberate. "Research has also shown that a large, anonymous, donation was received by B'Ket two weeks after his arrival. The donation was unusual in that it was given as money in an unmarked envelope. We have come to the conclusion,-" McCoy interrupted to ask, how any conclusions were reached. Spock clasped his hands behind his back, quirked an eyebrow at the doctor and said: "We do not currently have time for an explanation, but I will explain fully back on the Enterprise, if you so wish."

McCoy shook his head. However much he liked to tease the Vulcan he had full confidence in him, and suspected that the explanation would be long, mathematical and boring.

"We have come to the conclusion," continued Spock," that we were the ones who had provided this donation."

McCoy's head started to throb. 'Damned time travel anyway,' he thought angrily.

"We will use the Guardian of Forever to travel two weeks into the future from now, and leave the appropriate amount of currency at the designated place, " Spock finished.

However much McCoy wanted to find a flaw in the plan which would enable him to accompany the young ancestor of Uhura, he could not. He gave a very deep sigh. With his head hurting seriously he was aware that he was developing a fever.

"Spock, have you got more of the Met-a on you?"

Spock left the doorway and took out an already prepared hypo. "Allow me, Doctor," he said holding the hypo ready. Too tired to argue, McCoy nodded but nevertheless intrigued he asked, as Spock injected the medicine:

"How come you have Met-a with you? It's not standard first-aid issue."

"Pre-mission research, Doctor," was the simple answer.

"I should have known your computerised brain would think of everything."

"Why, thank you, Doctor."

Kirk stalked impatiently around the hut. "Bones, tomorrow you will stabilise B'Ket and give him these," he dropped a bag full of coins into McCoy's lap.

"So this is their money," McCoy looked at and handled each round peace of metal with interest.

"Yes," Kirk continued, "B'Ket must be on the bus at...damn, what was the local time, Spock?"

"Two hours and fifteen minutes past midday. Which corresponds to 0.16 s.t. on your wristcomp, Doctor."

"That does not leave me much time to give him all the necessary medicine. And tell him that I can't accompany him," complained McCoy.

"Nevertheless, that is the bus he must be on," Kirk stated sharply. "As to the explanation, why not tell him that the other patients here need you."

"I'll try but it won't be easy. " McCoy saw he was given no choice in the matter, but he came up with another counter argument. "What about the other patients?" he demanded.

Kirk closed his mind to any sympathy he felt for these people or McCoy, and said icily, "They 're not our concern, Doctor. You 've probably already done too much for them anyway. You are not to treat them any further." McCoy got up angrily, but the Captain continued: "After B'Ket leaves you will meet us by the river. We will go back through the Guardian there."

"And that's not supposed to look strange to Tere and the others?" McCoy exploded, forgetting to speak quietly.

"Quiet, Doctor," Jim Kirk hissed, matching McCoy's angry look. "Surely you can tell them that you must go to another village to help others," he continued, dismissing the matter.

McCoy saw that there was no point in arguing further with the Captain. It was nearly dawn and he had a lot to prepare if all was to be ready on time.

"Very well, Captain, " he said stiffly, but was thinking of other ways he could still help. He hoped he would have time to explain to the local healer about the chemicals in the herbs. "Let me get on with my work then," he continued, wanting to be left alone.

"I am sorry, Bones," Jim allowed himself to be less of the Commander and more of the friend to the doctor. "We will be waiting for you at 2:30 tomorrow or 0.18 s.t.," he said as he left the hut. Spock handed McCoy another prepared hypo.

"Thanks, Spock," McCoy said. The Vulcan nodded and left to follow his Captain. He felt uncomfortable with the whole situation. It always seemed immoral to him to deny help, and prevent McCoy from giving that help. He knew that it had to be so and forced himself to accept it.

---

Chapter 5.

The chatter of the women, laughter and shouts of the children , the sound of metal pots rattling against each other, and a male voice singing loudly woke McCoy up from a restless sleep.

He sat up disorientated. He had dreamt he was on the Enterprise with Edith Keeler as his nurse looking after B'Ket. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looked at his wristcomp. It was already ten A.M. local time. He had planned to take a short nap, once he had prepared everything, but had forgotten to activate the wristcomp alarm. Now he had overslept. He tried to get up, but failed. His whole body hurt, every muscle ached. 'Those damned bugs' he thought in irritation. Turning he reached for the hypo Spock had left behind, checked it and injected himself. A few minutes later he started to feel better.

There was a knock on the doorpost to the hut. He got up, put on his tunic and switched the translator on. He stepped outside to be greeted by the sight of Tere with a bowl of hot steaming coffee.

"Are you well, Doc-Mac?" asked Tere.

"Yes, thank you, " McCoy lied as he took the offered coffee.

"B'Ket has been asking for you," Tere smiled.

"Is he not well?" immediate professional concern prompted the question.

"Oh, no, doctor. He is feeling much better, thanks to you, but - " Tere's smiled became a small chuckle, "- you usually see him quite early. He was worried you may have left."

McCoy sighed. He regarded the chief for a time before saying softly: "Tere, I will have to leave today."

"I see," Tere said, the smile leaving his face.

"I have to go to the other places that need me," the lie tasted bitter in McCoy's mouth.

"We were fortunate to have you here at all," Tere graciously acknowledged McCoy's help over the past days.

"Tere, I am going to give B'Ket enough medicine for him to be able to reach Arit. I will give him the money for the journey. There he can be seen by another doctor." McCoy tried to reassure himself more than the chief.

"That is good. There is a bus this afternoon that goes to Arit and passes near this village," Tere informed the doctor.

"Good."

"B'Ket will be unhappy to see you leave," Tere continued.

"I know," sighed McCoy, "I too will miss him."

"You will tell him yourself?"

"I 'll go now, Tere," McCoy gathered his bag and the money for B'ket, and led the way out of his hut across the busy village center to the hut reserved for the ill. B'ket was sitting on an old chair outside, writing in the dirt with a stick. 'He does look much better', McCoy thought as he approached. When B'ket noticed the doctor, he grinned and got up to meet him. Hand in hand they walked to the hospital, where McCoy examined him and filled him full of various drugs. B'ket chatted happily during all the prodding, injecting and swallowing of pills. After finishing with B'ket, McCoy treated the remaining patients, ignoring Jim's earlier admonition. Then he returned to B'ket. The boy was feeling much better, and full of energy thanks to the medication. McCoy invited him for a short walk. They went as far as the river, where McCoy and B'ket sat on a dried out tree trunk in the shade of a baobab tree. They sat in silence, watching a few birds bathing themselves in the mudy water.

"You are leaving today, aren't you?" B'Ket suddenly said.

"Yes," answered McCoy thinking how proud Uhura would have been of this perceptive child and how proud B'Ket would be of Uhura if McCoy could tell him about her. Instead he told B'Ket about the journey he must take to Arit, told him which doctor to ask for, and gave him the money.

"Will I ever see you again, DocMac?" asked B'ket, his eyes hopeful.

'Oh, Bird of the Galaxy, this is difficult', McCoy looked heaven-ward. "I don't think so, B'Ket," he said gently.

There was a tremor in the boy's voice as he said: "I knew it. You are different, you have come from a special place and you are going back. You are a magical spirit," B'Ket concluded, slow tears sliding down his cheeks.

McCoy took him in his arms. "I am not a spirit, B'Ket. But I do come from far away." He wiped the tears with his finger while thinking, 'In time if not in place'. Then he continued: "Let me tell you a fairy-tale."

He told B'Ket about a world where no people are poor, and all have enough to eat. Where much of the sickness is curable, and people live in peace.

"If all these people are so rich and well, what do they do?" asked B'Ket.

"Oh, they still have to work, but they also travel - and travel far."

"Do they travel to the stars?" the boy asked dreamily.

"Would you like them to?"

"Yes, I would like to!"

"Then they do," he said .'Uhura does it for you' , he thought.

"It is a world we have to work for," B'Ket said suddenly and sombrely.

"Yes, B'Ket. We all do," agreed McCoy.

B'Ket got up and looked at the doctor. "I will not forget you. I thank you." A slight tremor shook his voice and he cleared his throat. "It is time for me to catch a bus, I think," he said standing straight.

McCoy looked surreptitiously at his wristcomp, and saw indeed that it was nearly time. He nodded not trusting himself to speak.

At the village B'Ket said his own good-byes. He was given small presents and a large gourd of water, then he and McCoy left to meet the bus. They walked and waited in silence. All that needed to be said had been said. A cloud of dust approached with a roaring noise.

"The bus is coming," B'Ket announced dispassionately.

"That!?!" McCoy exclaimed when he saw the rusted old vehicle full of people. He managed to get B'Ket a seat near an open window. Then quickly embraced the child and left. A small dark hand waving from the open window was the last he saw of B'Ket.

"You will have a beautiful and clever great great whatever granddaughter, travelling the stars, B'Ket," he said aloud to the departing dust cloud.

---

Jim was restless. They had to spend the rest of the night under the open sky. He had enjoyed watching the stars, identifying each one, and ticking off those whose planets he had visited. But he felt apprehensive, knowing that in this time the Enterprise did not exist yet. The uncertainty of the situation, of not knowing if they could return through the Guardian made him tense. Unwelcome memories of Edith Keeler flooded back. He was also worried about McCoy's health. He was sorry that he had to be so assertive with the doctor and wished he could have helped him more. He walked over to Spock, who was recording the various fauna, his eyes alive with a familiar look of interest.

"Captain, " Spock acknowledged Jim's presence, "are you aware that a large majority of the plant life here is either extinct or mutated on Earth in our century.

"Very... interesting, Spock." He peered at the sequences of numbers and the data on Spock's tricorder, in amused wonderment at his friend's ability to always find enticing problems to keep himself occupied. Wherever and whenever they were.

"Worry is illogical, Jim," the gentle admonition brought Kirk back from his reminiscences.

"But concern is advisable and logical," he smiled at Spock.

Spock shut his tricorder off, then looked towards where the village was situated.

"Yes, he is late," Kirk stated. "If McCoy doesn't arrive in five more minutes, we will have to go back for him," Jim continued.

"It is an additional risk, Captain."

"Worried, Spock?"

Spock gave the captain a gentle you-must-be-joking expression that Jim had seen so many times before. "As the first officer, sir, I must point out all the factors involved."

"Indeed, Mr. Spock," Jim's mouth twisted in a slight smile. "Let's go."

They made their way as silently as possible back towards the village. Spock suppressed the temptation to record more of the wildlife for the Enterprise's scientific and historical library. When the first huts became visible Kirk halted.

"Wait here, Spock," he said, then pointed at the tricorder, grinned and continued: "Amuse yourself."

Spock raised an amused eyebrow, but remained impassive, his expression inscrutable. "We should return shortly," the Captain was serious again. "Do not come in after us, Spock."

"I will wait till nightfall if necessary, Jim," Spock consented.

Kirk disappeared into the village. Spock watched him go, then, telling himself that 'worry was illogical' he took out the tricorder and 'amused himself', while his internal sense of time kept an accurate awareness of the duration since the Captain left to find Dr. McCoy.

---

McCoy had finished designing a distillator, with material available to him. 'Now all I need to do is to build the damn thing.' he thought trying to ignore the time. Engrossed in locating the various constituents for his appliance, he was unaware of Kirk's entry.

Jim Kirk had come to the village on the pretence of having an important message for the 'American' doctor. He was immediately shown where McCoy could be found. No questions asked, he was accepted as yet another 'colourless' alien. He entered the healer's abode to find McCoy building a distinctly un-native-like contraption. He switched off the translator before saying sharply, "Dr. McCoy, what are you doing?"

McCoy nearly dropped a half-cut bottle. "Jim!" he exclaimed.

"You were supposed to meet us an hour ago! Instead I find you breaking the Prime Directive left, right and centre," the Captain's voice was quiet but cold as space, his eyes ablaze with anger.

"Be reasonable, Jim," McCoy's own voice now rose indignantly. "Distilling equipment has been know for centuries by now," he snapped.

"In small native villages on the