Stardate: 60322:2200
Title: Pick Your Battles Carefully
Author: Dr Edward Matthews
Time: After "Causing trouble" During "Friend or foe, For All Those About To Rock (Part 1 & 2)"
Scene: USS Horizon / USS Relentless


The group laughed and Ted couldn't help but smile. His internship had been a mad few years and the story's about the things he had removed from various embarrassing body parts was always a crowd pleaser. The part of the stories that most people enjoyed was the bit where the individual tried to give an excuse of how it got there in the first place.

With the Captain's entrance and proclamation that they had a problem the mood had turned more sombre. Ted loved puzzles and Captain Khavok's arrest and disappearance seemed to be a real conundrum. As Tammin and Ted walked to the sickbay they didn't talk much and when they got back Tammin started to pack together an emergency medical bag that could be taken to the Relentless if the need arose. Ted went to his office and accessed Alexander Khavok's medical file that the XO of the Relentless had sent over. The Doctor raised an eyebrow as he skimmed through the patient's history - he was certainly one tough guy to have survived some of his previous wounds.

"Ted" Tammin stood with the emergency bag in her hand.

"Is there news?" Ted asked Tammin as she passed the bag over.

"Khavok is said to be in bad shape and they are requesting your presence" Tammin smiled and Ted just nodded.

The doctor hit his combadge.

"I'm ready to transport."


=/\= USS Relentless =/\=

Ted stood in the Relentless sickbay and started to take out the medical equipment that Tammin had packed. As Captain Khavok appeared he could see they hadn't been lying when they had said he was in pretty bad shape. Ted immediately administered a low-level painkiller to take the edge off the Captain's pain but not make him incoherent or groggy. A scan of Khavok's body revealed severe bruising to over 50% of him and a few serious bleeding wounds.

The Doctor heard someone enter the room but just continued to work at stopping the bleeds and shutting wounds before infections became an issue.

"Abby?" Khavok moved himself into a more seated position and Ted recognised the name Abby as the XO's.

"Give us a minute doctor" Captain Khavok asked Ted.

The Doctor would have usually said no, but as he looked from the XO to the Captain he could tell that their discussion couldn't wait. He quietly went into a nearby office and patched his comlink through to Tammin.

"Long time no speak - thought I'd check in." Ted waited for Tammin's response.

[Ted, you can't be missing me that much - you have only been gone ten minutes] Tammin sounded like she was smiling [How is the Captain?]

Ted thought about it for a moment.

"I don't think the physical abuse is anything compared to the verbal abuse his XO is about to give him." Ted smiled.

[Sounds like she'd have to be a strong woman to keep up with a man of Khavok's reputation] Ted laughed and nodded at how true that sounded.

"All ok back at the ranch?" Ted had no doubts that Tammin could hold the fort.

[Well apparently the Captain is on his way so I will have to say goodbye] With that the comlink fell silent.

"Doctor" Khavok called out.

As the doctor walked in the main sickbay he found a man lying on the floor with Khavok pointing a phaser at his head. Abby quickly explained that the man (a now former crew member) had threaten her life.

"Doctor if you would, please sedate and restrain Mr. Kell." Khavok asked Ted.

"Captain, I uh..." Ted didn't feel right about using drugs against someone.

"Doc, you can stun him or I can, I'd kind of like the opportunity now that I think about it," Khavok's words were jokey but there was a coldness in his eyes. Ted, however, thought he could understand how the Captain felt, it must hurt to have one of your own turn on you.

Abby helped Ted muscle the unconscious Kell onto a spare biobed and the Doctor sedated him.

"That will keep him out for several hours Captain. However, I must officially register my complaint." Ted felt bad for the Captain but he had to at least make a token protest for the record.

"Understood Doctor, just tell me where to sign." Khavok didn't seem to hold it against him.

Ted nodded and stood back as the Captain made his way to the medical replicator. Ted watched closely as the Captain made a concoction of medications. The doctor thought about protesting but the Captain was using a formula that Ted had often made and carried himself when he had worked battlefields. Captain Khavok gave Ted a grin as he made the illegal brew.

"Doctor, I'm fully aware of what I'm doing, I can't afford right now to be in this condition. I'll make you a deal - once the ships are secure and safe and we have a chance to start figuring out who is hitting us, I will be your guest in the sickbay of your choice until you see fit to release me," Khavok injected the hypo-spray on himself. Ted didn't think he could ask much more of the man. Sometimes as a doctor you had to pick your battles carefully.

The Captain and his XO planned their next move and Dr Matthews set up camp in the sickbay; he would have to monitor the Captain carefully.


====================
Dr Edward Matthews (Lt.)
Chief Medical Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
====================