Another Piece of the Action by John Erik Ege - HTML preview

Hey now
Where you going with that UB40 in your hand I said: Hey now
All through this green and pleasant land.

I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing All the days of my life

After the final shot for the day, Susana and Garcia quietly slipped out a back door, down a side lot, out through security, and jumped onto a public bus that was just about to depart. The two of them quickly made their way to the back of the bus, falling into a chair, laughing, and looking around to make sure no camera had caught them. Susana hugged him.

“Oh, god, Tam,” Susana said. “You make me feel so young. It’s like I’m back in high school.” “It is kind of fun escaping the camera,” Garcia said.
They exited the bus downtown, New Manhattan, walked the streets hand in hand. They visited a toy

store, danced on the giant keyboard that lit up with their weight, shot at each other with nerf dart guns, and tried on a few of the masks. They ate dinner at a Chinese Restaurant, they went ice skating at the outdoor rink, they bought a loaf of bread and a carton of ice cream and two spoons, and went to the park where they fed the bread to the ducks and the pigeons while eating the ice cream. They stayed there until the bread and ice cream was gone, watching the sun set. After that, Garcia and Susana walked leisurely, arms linked, her head on his shoulder. When they arrived at her apartment building, she got in front of him, looking up into his eyes expectantly, holding his hands.

“Would you like to come up?” Susana asked him.
“I would like to,” Garcia said, but he resisted as she took his arm to lead him up.
She turned back to him, her eyes questing to see if he was just being mischievous or perhaps

something else was going on. “You have the most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen. Hazel, but every now and then, there’s like a hint of glitter, sparkles… But what’s going on behind those eyes is a mystery. I see you looking at me, sometimes through me, and I think if you declared your intentions towards me I might just be overwhelmed and disappear into you. I am afraid of it and wanting it at the same time.”

“I do all of that to you, eh?” Garcia asked, pushing his palm against hers, mirroring her fingers with his.
“And more,” Susana said, letting her fingers fall between his, gripping his hand, pulling on him playfully to tease him off balance. “Tam, why haven’t you called me?”
“It’s complicated,” Garcia said. “But I assure you, it isn’t from a lack of feelings for you.”
“Okay, that’s good to know. So I am not misreading you,” Susana said. “But, then, why are you hesitating now?”
“You need to know some things about me if we’re to take this to the next level,” Garcia said.
She smiled. “Close your eyes,” she said, and waited for him to comply. “Give me your hand, darling.”
“You don’t have to call me darling, darling,” Garcia said.
“You’re being silly,” Susana said, taking his other hand and directing it to her heart. “Don’t you feel my heart beating? Don’t you feel the same? You say my name and the sun shines through the rain…”
“You better write this down,” Garcia said. “It’ll make a hit song one day.”
“Be serious,” she said.
“I’m always serious,” Garcia said.
Susana laughed and fell into him. “You are, aren’t you,” she said, hugging him. “What do you want to tell me about you that I don’t already know?”
“I really am from outer space,” Garcia said.
“I’m okay with that,” Susana said.
“No, really,” Garcia said, moving her back just enough that he could look into her eyes. “You need to go into this knowing that this isn’t my home world and I won’t be here forever.”
“Then you’ll take me with you?” Susana asked. “Where ever you go, I’ll go.”
“Is that what you want?” Garcia asked.
“No, not really. This is my home,” Susana said. “I love New NewYork. Give me a chance to make you happy. I’ll help you see that what we have right here and right now is better than any fantasy you might have about being out there or being in the future. Right now, Tam, this moment, this is us and all we have. Nothing else exists.”
“Though I have many fantasies, my being an alien is not one of them. I’m not delusional. I have other obligations,” Garcia said.
Susana stepped backed. “You’re married?” she asked.
“Technically, I think so, but,” Garcia began, and then grabbed Susana’s arm as she started to storm off. “I made no secret that my life is complicated.”
“If you’re not interested in me, just say so. Stop playing this game,” Susana demanded.
Garcia pulled her closer to him. “I am more than interested. My interest in you is so high it’s transcendental and at this moment I want nothing more than to be with you,” Garcia said.
“Then kiss me,” Susana said. “Kiss me like you did that Scully girl.”
“That’s another thing we need to discuss,” Garcia started.
“Please, I’m not jealous of your TV encounters,” Susana said. “That’s just for ratings.”
“What I meant is, there’s always a risk that intimacy will induce a psychic bond,” Garcia said. “And that brings a whole other level of complications, and obligations, and you need be aware that I have these bonds with several other people. They can’t be undone, at least, not easily, and not without consequences.”
“You’re in love with Niki’s mother, aren’t you,” Susana said.
“No,” Garcia said, confused.
“I don’t understand what you’re telling me,” Susana said. “What? You can’t be monogamous? You have a thing for green aliens? What?”
“Let’s just stay with the easy ones first,” Garcia said. “Do you believe me when I say I’m from Earth?”
“According to you, so am I,” Susana said.
“You are,” Garcia said.
“Damn it, Tam. I was born here. I know my mother and father, and I know my grand parents, and there is no way you can convince me that I am an alien,” Susana said. “I am willing to buy into the fact that you may be psychic, because you know some things about me that no one else seems to know, and you have this power over me, but I am not an alien.”
“I have no power over you,” Garcia said. “You’re free to make choices.”
“Alright, then I choose to be with you,” Susana said. “Come up stairs with me.”
“I can’t,” Garcia said. “Not tonight. And not until I’m convinced you’re making this decision with both eyes opened.”
“Fine,” Susana said. “Prove to me what you’re saying.”
“Good night, Susanna,” Garcia said.
“What, you can prove it to that Scully chick and not to me?” Susana said. “You knew her all of two minutes and you jumped her mind, but you want give me the same opportunity? Prove that what you’re saying to me is true!”
“Good night,” Garcia said, and turned and walked away.
“I can’t believe you’re walking away from me!” Susana said, pursuing him. “This doesn’t make any sense. You’re crazy!”
“We’ll talk again later,” Garcia said, struggling to stay calm.
“No, there is no later. You either come with me now, or say goodbye forever,” Susana said.
“Good bye,” Garcia said and walked away.
Susana screamed, fist clenched, and then she ran up the flight of stairs, ran back down as if she were going to pursue Garcia, changed her mind, ran back up the stairs, struggled with her keys, tried to force the door, and then rang all the door bells until someone buzzed her in. She went immediately to her apartment.
After several blocks, Garcia’s anger dissolved and he slowed his pace. He started a walking meditation to help sort through his frustration, and tried to reconcile himself that Susanna’s unreasonableness came from a lack of understanding. His life was indeed complicated. He recognized he had feelings for her. He also recognized that he didn’t have to act on those feelings. Had it just been a playful fling, Garcia wouldn’t have had a problem with it, but like Trini, he recognized that Susana had greater expectations than just a mere fling, and he since had no intentions of staying on this planet, and he wasn’t Captain Kirk, he reminded himself, then he had responsibilities to be completely honest. A car pulled closer to the curb and a window came down. It was Susana.
“Get in,” Susana said.
“I need to walk,” Garcia said.
“Tam, get in the car, now,” Susana said.
Garcia just kept walking.
“Tam,” Susana said, softer. “Your friends have been trying to get a hold of us. Vicki left a message on my recorder saying I need to take you immediately to Memorial Hospital. They’ve taken Niki there and they need you to sign the medical release forms or something.”
Garcia reached for his cell phone, but it was gone. He checked all his pockets, but it was really gone. He cursed himself for being so careless, hopped into the car and Susana accelerated away. On the radio was Star Fleet’s version of an old Earth song, “Dream Weaver.” He turned it off.
“Hey, I like that song,” Susana said.
“Can you go any faster?” Garcia asked.
“I’m going the speed limit,” Susana said.
“Aren’t there exceptions? Medical emergency clauses or something?” Garcia asked.
“I’ll have you there in ten minutes,” Susana said.
Garcia hit the dashboard. “I should have stayed with her,” he complained.
“Are you saying you regretted spending the day with me?” Susana demanded.
“I didn’t say that,” Garcia snapped.
“Don’t take that tone with me,” Susana snapped back.
“You don’t understand the pressure I am under. If anything happens to Niki, I will never forgive myself,” Garcia said.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Susana said, again trying to comfort him. She was wavering from being mad at him to loving him, and it was much easier to love him than be mad at him. So, he was a little messed up in the head. Most the people on this planet, she thought, were messed up in the head. Tam, at least, has a good heart, she told herself. You can’t fake a good heart. “Memorial has some good doctors.”
Hearing that didn’t seem to comfort Garcia any, as he started mumbling about butchers and the damned inquisition. It took Susana every bit of ten minutes to arrive at the hospital, and several more minutes for Garcia to be reunited with his friends. Trini was waiting in the Emergency Room’s lobby, along with the rest of the Bangles. Mark brought the camera to bear on him.
“Where is she?” Garcia demanded.
“This way,” Trini said, taking his hand and leading him straight way to Niki’s room. “Where have you been? We’ve been trying to call you for hours.”
“I lost my cell,” Garcia admitted. The Bangles were following them around a corner, while Mark was trying to stay ahead.
Kletsova was outside the door and she was wearing a phaser. “Was she worth it?” Kletsova asked, with a slight sneer.
Garcia nearly hit her, but a nurse stepped in between them. “Wait a minute,” Nurse Hudson said. “I can’t let you all go in there. This is a hospital, not a concert hall.”
“What have you done to Niki?” Garcia asked the nurse.
“Nothing,” Kletsova said. “I told them no one touches her until you arrive.”
“Then why did you bring her here?” Garcia snapped.
“I didn’t think it would take you four hours to get here,” Kletsova returned with equal intensity. “Maybe next time you won’t turn off your cell phone.”
“I didn’t turn off my cell phone,” Garcia said.
“Hey!” Trini snapped at both of them. “You’re forgetting we’re here for Niki.”
Doctor Lanciano stepped up. “I’m glad you’re here, Mr. Garcia,” he said. “If you’ll sign these forms, we can get to work on your girl. I’d like to start with some blood work.”
“I’ll be taking over from here, Doctor,” Garcia said.
“Mr. Garcia, I think she may have acute appendicitis,” Doctor Lanciano said.
“You think that, uh?” Garcia asked. “Based on what?”
“She’s maintained a high temp,” Kletsova said. “Blood pressure and heart rate are slightly increased. I have her currently resting in the semi-Fowler position, so if it is appendicitis, it should be able to drain.”
“Good thinking,” Garcia applauded Kletsova.
“So, you both want to play Doctor now?” Doctor Lanciano asked.
“I am a Doctor,” Garcia said.
“Right, and, let me guess, you went to medical school on Earth,” Doctor Lanciano said, sarcastically.
“No, actually, I attended school at the Vulcan Academy of Science,” Garcia said.
“Look, she has pain in the epigastric and periumbilical area, which is symptomatic of appendicitis,” Doctor Lanciano said.
“It could also just be stomach cramps due to a virus or poorly cooked food,” Garcia countered.
“Hey!” Trini said, extremely sensitive to critiques of her cooking.
“Besides, she displayed no signs of distresss on palpating the region…” Garcia continued on.
“Some people have a higher tolerance to pain. Allowing me to do a white blood cell count will rule out viral infections and…” Doctor Lanciano began.
“An elevated WBC count alone is not indicative of appendicitis,” Garcia argued.
“True, but with elevated WBC’s, I can justify performing a laproscopy, where I go in with an endoscope,” Lanciano said.
Garcia steamed. “My god, man! Poking holes in her is not the answer. If she has it, her infection has to be treated, the edema reduced, obstructions removed, and the tissue repaired or regenerated.”
“And how do you expect to do that with out surgery? If her appendix is bad, it has to come out,” Doctor Lanciano said.
“It isn’t necessary to butcher people to cure them!” Garcia argued.
“Appendixes have no known functions in humans, so removing it does less harm than not removing it,” Doctor Lanciano said.
“Tam,” Kletsova interrupted. “We don’t have access to our 24^th century medicines. You may have to consider the technology we have available in the here and now.”
“Would you stop encouraging him?!” Susana finally snapped. “Tam, this delusion you have of being from outer space is going to get Niki killed. You need to let this doctor do his job.”
Tam rubbed his forehead. “Alright, Doctor,” Garcia said, ignoring the look of relief on Susana’s face as she believed she was finally reaching him. “I’ll perform the surgery.”
Susana’s jaw dropped.
“No you won’t,” Doctor Lanciano said.
“Doctor, I am a surgeon,” Garcia began.
“Not in my hospital you’re not,” Lanciano said.
“I am a surgeon and Niki’s guardian, and I am responsible for this person’s immediate and long term health care,” Garcia said.
“This is my hospital and I am telling you…” Lanciano began.
“And this is my patient,” Garcia interrupted. “My friends and I are not from this planet, and there are anatomical variations which you are not equipped to handle. Let me save her.”
“You’re not from outer space, Tam,” Susana said.
“You want proof? Do you all want proof?! Here’s proof,” Garcia said, and reached out to the nurse with his right hand. The end of her stethoscope, which had been hanging loosely around her neck, began to levitate. It extended itself towards him. As it slipped off her neck, she reached for it, thinking it would fall, but it pulled free from her hand. It traveled across empty space to Garcia’s hands.
The nurse and the Bangles gasped. “How did you do that?” the nurse asked
“Yeah, Tam,” Kletsova asked. “How did you do that?”
“I have some psionic abilities, one of which is limited telekinesis,” Garcia said.
“Please, any magician can do that,” Lanciano said.
Garcia lifted his pants leg and removed a knife he had concealed in his boot. Before anyone knew what he was going to do with it, he cut a line in his arm. “Tam!” Susana cried out, at first moving towards him and then quickly backing up. She bumped into her friends, watching in confusion as green blood started to flow.
“I’m one quarter Vulcan,” Garcia said. “And the gene for green blood is dominant. Do you want to inspect this wound to determine if I’m telling the truth?”
Doctor Lanciano examined the wound… “Oh my god, you’re really an alien.”
“I am the son of the alien you know as Doctor Leonard H McCoy,” Garcia said, and fell into an impromptu speech, using many of the mannerism Captain James T Kirk might have used. “And I am here to evaluate how to best help your society get to the next stage of development. McCoy left his communicator here and you developed technology that your society wasn’t ready to handle. In truth, you weren’t prepared to handle the technology that the Horizon left you. My people have been trying to help prepare you for the things to come, marvelous, wonderful things, but you keep getting it wrong, and because you have free will, and our society respects freedom more than any other individual quality, the way we’re allowed to interact with you is limited. Right now, though, you are in a position to help me save my friend and that sort of thing does not go unnoticed or even unrewarded. Help me save her.”
Doctor Lanciano nodded. “May I at least assist?”
Garcia nodded his head. “Yes, I would actually appreciate that. Now, I’ll want to speak to the surgical tech, the anesthesiologist, and any other people who will be in the surgery room. Nurse, I am going to want to start an IV, lactic ringer, and I am going to want to see a list of the best antibiotics, including a map of their molecular structure, stat. Doctor, why don’t you go ahead and bandage this,” Garcia said, pointing to the cut on his arm. “And, Mark, get that damn camera out of my face.”
“Are you kidding?” Mark asked. “This is the best stuff ever. Better than the landing of the airplane”
“Just back off a little,” Garcia said.
“Come on,” Kletsova said, herding the Bangles towards the waiting room.
“Wait, Debbi,” Garcia turned to Ms. Peterson. “Is that a PMD?”
“Is what a what?” Debbi asked.
“Is that a portable music device?” Garcia asked
“My ipod?” Debbi asked. “Yes.”
“May I see it?” Garcia asked. He took it, examined it, and scrolled through the song list. “Good selections. May I have this?”
“Sure,” Debbi said.
“Tam, you don’t have time to listen to music,” Kletsova said.
“It’s not for me,” Garcia said. “It’s for Niki. It is a medical fact that patients who listen to music during surgery require fifty percent less anesthesia and heal twice as fast as patients who don’t. The selections need to have a beat of sixty to eighty beats per minute, mimicking the normal heart range, at rest.”
“Who are you?” Susanna asked.
“I told you. I am Doctor Tammas Parkin Arblaster-Garcia, a representative of the Federation of Planets, and an Ensign in Star Fleet,” Garcia said.
“Doctor,” the nurse interrupted. “Here is a list of those antibiotics you asked for. Would you like me to start the IV?”
“No, I’ll do it,” Garcia said, looking over the list. He took the nurse’s pen and marked three antibiotics. “Bring me those two, IV push, and the other will be PO starting tomorrow.” PO was medical slang for “by mouth.”
Garcia entered the room and approached Niki. He showed her the IPOD. “Debbi loaned this to us,” Garcia said.
“Can I see her?” Niki asked, tryig to sit up. Garcis eased her back back down. Trini came up beside her and rubbed her arm.
“Later, right now, you and I need to talk,” Garcia said.
“No,” she started to cry.
“Niki, I know you’re frightened, and you’re a long way from home, but I am going to take care of you,” Garcia said, caressing her hair. “You believe me, right?”
Niki squeezed Trini’s hand.
“Niki, there’s a good chance you have appendicitis, and what I’m going to do is make a small incision and go inside with a camera and just take a look. If it’s good, no harm done, but if it’s bad, it’s going to have to come out,” Tam said.
“I don’t want surgery,” Niki began.
“I know,” Garcia said. He got up and washed his hands, and then set out the material he needed to start the IV. The Nurse stood by in case he needed anything. He put on some gloves and sat back down on the bed, inspecting her arm for a good vein. “I’m going to start an IV, to help keep you hydrated. Now, I’m going to have to stick you, but I am very good at this, and you won’t feel a thing. Okay?”
Niki nodded, watching everything Garcia did as he explained what he was doing. He advised her to look away, but she refused. She made a noise, not quite a scream, when he stuck her and then sighed heavily. Garcia noted that she seemed much more relaxed than before.
“I feel better already,” Niki said. “Was there a pain killer in that?”
“Doctor!” Garcia said, standing up alarmed. “Lanciano, you need to prep me for surgery now.”
“But I feel better,” Niki protested.
“You’re appendix just ruptured,” Garica said. “Nurse, secure this IV. Doctor?”
“She’s not in pain anymore?” Lanciano asked, and came to the same conclusion as Garcia. “Nurse Mendez, get Niki prepped, I’ll be there shortly. Have Doctor Meyers and Fennel report to the OR on the double.”
“Come with me, Doctor Garcia,” Mendez said.
“Tam, I’m scared,” Niki said, reaching towards him.
“Trini, go with her as far as you can,” Tam said. “Niki, start listening to the music. Practice your breathing techniques that I taught you. I promise I will talk to you before you go under. Let’s move, people.”
The doctor began issuing orders, and two new nurses came in to help move Niki to a gurney. Mendez aided Garcia in getting dressed and scrubbed up, and then led him to the OR room. Niki was there, naked and shivering, even though a warm blanket lay over her. He checked her IV placement and the drip rate.
“How are you holding up,” Garcia asked her.
Niki took the earphones off. “Tam, is this necessary?”
“It is, honey,” Garcia said. “We’re putting something into your IV that will help you relax.”
“It feels cold,” Niki commented.
“In a moment, you’re going to go to sleep, and when you wake up, everything will be okay. I’ll be there when you wake up. One mind, one heart, one thought. We will get through this together. Now, I want you to put the headset back on, and sing along for me,” Garcia said.
Niki nodded, complying with Garcia’s instructions. She began singing the chorus of one of Garcia’s songs. She saw him smile at her, saw him nod to the anesthesiologist, and then she was out. Doctor Lanciano listened and observed as Doctor Garcia performed the surgery. Garcia made an incision seven point five centimeters long in the right lower quadrant, otherwise known as the McBurney’s point. He was relieved to find the appendix so readily available, because an atypical position might have meant making a larger incision. He was also happy to find no peritonitis, for that would have complicated matters even worse, to the point of requiring a nasogastric tube to decompress the stomach and prevent abdominal distention. Niki’s appendix was perforated and oozing with infectious materials, that meant it was just a matter of removing the infection and the damaged tissue. The Tammas commune watched the surgery from the observation room above, and Mark captured it all on film.
CHAPTER TWENTYTWO
Garcia cleaned up after the surgery and then went straight to recovery, where he waited for Niki to come around, assessing her progress every step of the way. She was notably groggy, but she answered questions, and using the stethoscope, he monitored for signs of peristalsis resuming, and checked the drain left in the incision. Satisfied that she was recovering along the normal curve, he moved her to a private room, where he pulled up a chair and continued to monitor her progress.
His commune came in shortly after. “Are you hungry?” Kletsova asked.
“No,” Garcia said. “Why don’t you all go home and get some rest. I’m not leaving.”
Trini put her hands on his shoulders, massaging him lightly. She could see that no one was going to talk him out of leaving. “Tam, you’ve had a really long day. Long couple of days. At least let us bring you something to eat,” Trini said. “My spinach roti perhaps?”
“No, thank you,” Garcia said.
“Coffee?” Lenar tried.
Garcia consented. “Black,” Garcia said.
“Everything is okay?” Kletsova asked. “It sounded like there were no complications.”
“Yes, she should be good. Maybe out of here in two or three days,” Garcia said. “Susana?”
“The Bangles went home,” Kletsova said.
Garcia nodded, accepting the coffee Lenar brought him. “Now, all of you go home and get some sleep. You can relieve me tomorrow morning about ten.”
Trini kissed him good night. Everyone left but Mark, who was setting up a tripod. “Is that really necessary?” Garcia asked.
“Are you kidding? Your show just broke all records in ratings,” Mark said. “We’re not going to miss a thing.”
“Fine, but do me a favor, keep the camera on me, and give my patient some privacy,” Garcia said.
“Fair enough,” Mark said.
Garcia engaged Mark in a light conversation, a mini interview if you will, that evolved into an esoteric talk on the meaning of life and what sort of things were out there in the Universe. He checked on the patient now and then, but didn’t wake her. When the shift nurse came in to take vitals, Garcia chased her out, ranting, “You’re not going to wake my patient up from a health generating sleep just to see if she’s asleep.”
“I got to take vitals,” the nurse said, retreating. “Doctor’s orders.”
“I am her Doctor,” Garcia said. A moment after she left, he shook his head, remorseful. He stepped out in the hall and waved her down. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I was wrong. You were doing your job and you were following the correct procedures, to satisfy hospital policy and insurance guidelines.”
“Thank you,” the nurse said. “Can I bring you something to eat?”
“No, I’m alright. I just wanted you to know I was sorry,” Garcia said. “I noted on her chart that you came in at the appropriate time. Thanks.”
Garcia hovered over his patient, paced a little, washed his hands quite a number of times, and then sat on the window ledge, observing the city street below. It looked as if it might rain and the street lights were star-points in the morning haze. He looked up at the sky wanting to see the stars, couldn’t, and then returned to his chair after washing his hands again. The hospital sounded eerily quiet, except for the beeps from the IV machine, and an occasional cough from another room. Though many people might associate the smell of hospitals with cleanliness, Garcia thought it smelt like death. It was the smell of chemical cleaners and sterile plastic that accosted his nose. It was nothing like a modern, Star Fleet regulation sick bay. He did eventually drift off to sleep about seven thirty in the morning, as sounds of traffic began to increase outside the window. It was a monotonous, dull roar of moving vehicles that would have been better for the nerves if it had been ocean waves, but it still lulled Garcia into sleep. He didn’t hear Susanna enter. She approached him, memorized the features of his face, wanting to touch him, so peaceful compared to the day before. She whispered, “I watch you while you’re sleeping. Do you feel the same?”
“You really love him don’t you?”
Susana turned to Niki and smiled. She went to her and brushed her hair with her hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Like crap,” Niki confided. She smiled faintly. “But I know I will be okay.”
“I know so, too,” Susana agreed. She sat on the bed, kissed Niki lightly on the forehead. “You have someone to watch over you. Tell me, what’s it like out there?”