Phoenix back on her feet

Entering sickbay Riker looked back and forth as several nursers were treating crew members from both the USS Phoenix and the USS Nunito. Since the shield matrix in the shuttle bay is what was used Ensign Tolo was in the back of sickbay working on an engineering panel to recalibrate the shields and rework power to his beloved sickbay. Looking up and giving a nod to Commander Riker Tolo went back to work on the panel. Glancing back and forth at the medical team Riker reached into his pocket and pulled out the portable holo emitter he beamed back to the Phoenix with. Holding it up and activating it, Doctor Gray materialized. As the matrix on the ship copied over Doctor Gray, he blinked a few times and then reappeared. Glancing around the room he ran right over to a medical kit and grabbed a tricorder.

"Thank you for bringing me back Commander, but as you can see I have some work to do"

"Of course old friend" Riker said with a smile.

Turning and heading over to the door Riker turned back as he was headed out the door.

"Keep an ear out, the bridge might want to talk to you"

Waving a dismissive hand Doctor Gray scanned the head of a young man in front of him and began to to point towards the burns just above his ear. With a woosh the door to sickbay closed and Riker headed towards the bridge.

Behind him, Commander Schaell's towering frame went to a biobed where rested a middle-sized, middle-aged but still rather young-looking brown-haired woman wearing four pips on her red collar.

"How is sshe, Doctor?" the Saurian inquired with a neutral tone and expressionless face that somehow still conveyed a worry his species should not have been able to even feel.

"Captain Rousseau is in a coma," answered the CMO of the Phoenix. "Like just about everyone else on your crew, Commander. Unlike you, they have only one brain and a much less sturdy central nervous system than those steel wires you call nerves within your anatomy. And the emotional turmoil of this... possession they experienced and for so long was a tremendous shock. Beleive me, I know..."

"What can you do for her... for them?"

"I can maintain them in stable condition as long as they stay aboard. But to properly treat them, it will require several months and nothing less than a starbase medical facility; or at least what the Horizon can provide since it is by and large a mobile starbase herself, with larger capabilities even than this state of the art science vessel of ours. We have an excellent sickbay, if I may say so myself, but the Horizon has a complete hospital on board. We should transfer them there as soon as we are able to."

"I'll go to the bridge report to your captain," Schaell concluded.

"Oh no you don't," Gray objected, interposing his much smaller frame between the gigantic reptilian officer and the nearest door. "I need to make a thorough check on you for any remaining side effect of your multiple contacts with those... Zetarrians of yours."

"I am fine and wholly purged of alien presence, Doctor."

"That is not the point. You have managed to survive repeated, multiple and simultaneous occupations of your central nervous system without having it fried like it invariable happened with all other species that ever encountered those life forms. Almost two centuries ago, Memory Alpha's entire population of fifty-three different sentient lifeforms had been wiped out in minutes by such an encounter; but Saurians were not part of the Federation at the time and your species seems to be the only one so far able to easily tolerate contact. And according to Commander Riker, you could even assert your own mind over no less than two of them occupying your two brains."

"Barely, Doctor... and not for more than a few minutes at a time at best. And it was quite painful."

"I beleive you. But now, you may hold within your physiology a key to help all your comrades here. "

He lifted a hand way over his head to reach the broad, deceptively slim shoulder of the Saurian. his voice lost it's commanding tone and softened as a gentle smile appeared on his elderly features.

"You are needed here, Commander. Your crew, your captain, needs you."

Silently, Schaell lowered his bald scaly head and nodded. Theodor Gray tapped his shoulder and guided him to an empty biobed.

"Nice of you to comply, Commander. Guess you are not that eager to become Captain yet."