he adventures of the Star Traveler Andromeda that started in Among the Stars, Beyond the Farthest Planet, and So Far From Home, continues in the final chapter The Voyage Home.
"Welcome back." Kate stated. Natalia stood up and kissed Kacey.
"Hi you." Kacey whispered.
"Hi yourself. Would you like more water?"
"Please. I don't know why I am so thirsty."
"Being locked up for over eighteen hours in that hot access tube may be a contributing factor." Kate answered. "Plus you have a slight fever."
"Guess that means I will not be getting out of here today."
"Do not set your hopes on that, Kacey. You were knocked unconscious, and tied up for several hours."
"Do you know why this happened? Or who did this?"
"Adrian Jessup who we think was working with Albert Devoe. We have no idea where he is hiding."
Kacey looked at the doorway. "Is that why I have guards on my door?"
"It is and they will remain."
"Oh so this is paybacks for making you have a security detail when we land."
"Would you believe me that is not the reason? Kacey that attack on you was real and until he is caught, you could still in danger. The guards will remain."
"You can not think he will pull..."
"Kacey," Natalia interrupted. "Just say thank you for caring Kate."
"Thank you for caring Kate."
"You are very welcome. Do you remember anything about the attack?" Kate asked
"I was heading into work early to get some reports done before my flight. I was near engineering and I noticed, I noticed, Damn I know I noticed something that, I wanted to tell you about it."
"You do not remember what it was?"
"No just that I needed to talk to you about it. Then I heard a noise and before I could turn to see what it was, something hit me and," she paused and felt the back of her head. "Ow, if I was hit there why is my face sore?" She closed her eyes.
Kate stood and touched her arm. "Kacey?"
She jumped and opened her eyes. "Sorry Kate."
"We can only guess what happened. What we think is he hit you hard enough to drive you into the bulk head where you hit face first."
"I guess that makes sense."
"We do not have to finish this now. You rest a bit then we can continue."
"Okay." Kacey's eyes closed and she drifted into sleep.
Anya walked into the room a few minutes later. "Patricia has breakfast ready for both of you. I will sit with Kacey." She stated. "Rhea has a report for you and will meet you at Kacey's in thirty minutes. How is she?"
"She has been in and out. She still has a slight fever and will not be leaving today."
"Do they know what is causing the fever?"
"According to the doctor it can happen with a concussion sometimes." Natalia stated.
"Go eat, I will be here." Anya told them.
Anya sat next to the bed and waited for Kacey to wake up again. She looked up at the readouts of the machines around the bed that monitored her body functions. While she watched, the readout of her body temperature rose. She glanced at it frequently. Each time she looked it was higher.
Doctor McCloud walked in and checked the readouts. "Commander when did Natalia and Captain Jensen leave?"
"About fifteen minutes ago. I sent them to get breakfast." Anya stated. "Doctor, I have been watching her temperature rise. It has gone up several degrees in the past few minutes."
"While a low grade fever can happen, this can no longer be considered a low grade fever. We have to think that there is something else going on now." She checked the still angry red welts from the first set of flex cuffs. "It is time to start thinking about putting her on antibiotics."
"When will that happen?"
"If her temperature goes up another degree."
"So it could be something other than the concussion?"
"Yes. I need to take a look at the inside of that access tube she was held in."
"Kate can show you when she returns."
"Would you happen to know what became of that water bottle that was found with her?"
"No I am afraid not. It might still be there."
"The person responsible for this has not been caught?"
"It is only a matter of time. There are over three hundred of the crew searching for him."
"Is that why we have landed?"
"Yes, Kate wanted as many people as possible searching."
"From what I have heard, the Marines are out for blood."
Kacey moaned and stopped their conversation. "Colonel are you in pain?"
"Talia?"
"Natalia will be back shortly. Can I get you anything?" Kacey licked her dry lips. Anya picked up the water glass and held the straw in Kacey's mouth. She drank greedily until the glass was empty. "Easy, there is more if you want more." Anya refilled the glass.
"Talia?" She repeated.
"Colonel open your eyes for me." Doctor McCloud ordered. Her eyelids fluttered open revealing the glassy fevered eyes. "I am not going to wait. She needs to be on antibiotics now." The doctor left and returned shortly with an I.V. bag. "Commander, do you think you could hold onto her arm so that she does not knock me on my ass?"
"I will try. Let me talk to her first. This may not work. I am not Natalia." The doctor motioned for her to continue. "Kacey, it is Anya. Natalia will be back shortly. The doctor needs to start an I.V."
"Anya?"
"Yes, I need you to relax and not take a swing at the doctor. Can you do that for me?"
"Yeah."
"Good, I am going to hold you right hand. Keep you left hand nice and relaxed all right?"
"Anya?"
"I am right here little sister. Just relax." Anya took her hand and nodded for the doctor to begin. "Just relax." Anya repeated. Kacey's arm jumped when the doctor touched her. "Relax Kacey. Open your eyes and look at me." Her eyes opened. That is right. Just look at me and relax."
Doctor McCloud was able to finish without incident. She blew out a breath. "Commander have you ever heard the saying, trying to rope a tornado?"
"I have why?"
"That is what working on Kacey when she is out of it is like."
"I really did not think that would work."
"Anya?"
"What is it Kacey?"
"Hurts. Head hurts."
"I will get her something for the pain." The doctor stated and left the room. Anya went to sit back down when Kacey raised her head.
"Wha's happin?" Her words were slurred
"What was that Kacey?"
Whas happen to me"
"Shh, we will find out."
"Ha ta get outa here. Warn Kate. Gotta warn Kate. Need ta 'teck her." Kacey tried to get out of bed and fought against Anya's hands.
Anya placed her hands on Kacey's shoulders to push her back onto the pillows. She quickly pushed the call button. "I need help in here." She called out.
Within seconds the room filled with medical staff. "Commander what is wrong?"
"She started to slur her words and tried to get out of bed." Anya stated.
"Get the scan ready. I want another look at her injuries. Something is going on." Doctor McCloud ordered. "Commander you had better contact Natalia." They wheeled the bed out of the room as Anya touched her communicator.
"Natalia?"
"Anya is anything wrong?"
"You need to come back to Sick Bay right away."
--------------------------------
Natalia threw down her fork and ran for the door with Kate close behind her. They ran to the lift. Natalia repeatedly pushed the lift button. The door opened and they rushed inside. "Sick Bay." Kate ordered. Seconds later they hurried off the lift and through the doors of Sick Bay and into Kacey's room. The guards stood at attention when Kate passed.
"Anya what is going on?" Natalia demanded.
"I am not sure. Her temperature spiked so the doctor started an antibiotic I.V. Kacey said her head hurt and the doctor went to get her pain medication. But then she started to slur her words and tried to get out of bed. She had no idea where she was. She said she had to warn Kate. They took her for another scan to make sure they had not missed anything. "Kate put her arm around Natalia's shoulders as the younger woman started to cry. "Kate the doctor would like to see the tube where she was held and if possible check out that water bottle."
"I will go check the..."
"Kate you will not go alone. You are to take a guard with you." Anya ordered.
"I will darling." Kate touched her communicator. "Commander Rhea Torino to Sick Bay."
"On my way Captain."
"Kate I also want you to carry a weapon." Anya demanded.
"Anya is right Kate. You have to be extra careful." Natalia agreed
"I will. Please do not worry. You have enough on your mind right now." Kate responded. "Anya you stay with Natalia. Neither of you are to leave here alone. Even better until Jessup is caught you should have a security escort."
"You are absolutely right, Kate." Rhea said from the doorway. "I have already assigned guards to your parents and children. Until this joker is caught, the girls should not go to school or the babies to day care. I have talked to Patricia. She will keep the children with her,"
"I should be angry that you went over my head, Rhea."
"Sorry, Kate, but as you know, in certain circumstances the head of security outranks the Captain."
"Is that right Kate?" Natalia asked.
"It is." Kate sighed.
"Good. One of you down at a time is enough. How is Kacey?"
"We are not sure. Her temperature spiked and she was delirious."
"What did you need me for Kate?"
"The Doctor wants to see that access tube and if possible to test the water in that bottle we found."
"I have that water bottle just in case she needed it." Rhea stated. "The guard with Devoe found Jessup's communicator. He destroyed it and threw it into the trash recycler area."
"Anything on the skeletal match?"
"Nothing, Kate, but we will find that son of a bitch. Heaven help him if any of the Marines find him. They will throw him out an air lock if they do not tear him apart first."
"As soon as the doctor returns we can take her to see that tube. She wants to run tests to see what is making her sick. It is not just the concussion any more. Not the way her temp spiked."
Kacey's bed was wheeled back into the room. They moved out of the way so that the medical staff could hook up all the machines again. The blue eyes were closed.
"What ever is causing the fever is not due to the concussion or the cut on her face. We had to sedate her. She was belligerent and fighting the staff."
"Doctor I have that water bottle we found with her." Rhea handed the bottle to the doctor. Doctor McCloud handed it to the nurse.
"Run a full diagnostic on this water. We need to know if it is poison, or viral. Check for microbes. Use full quarantine procedures. Do not let your skin touch it. We do not know what is in there. If it needs to be ingested or can be absorbed through the skin." She ordered.
"Understood doctor."
"One other thing. Do not let Maria come anywhere near this. We have no idea if it would harm an unborn child."
"Yes doctor."
"I will be with Captain Jensen and Commander Torino checking out that access tube. Page me if you need me.
The nurse nodded and left the room with the water bottle.
"Poison? Biological microbes? Doctor what do you think it is?" Natalia asked.
"Natalia, right now it is important to rule out everything first. Captain, according to Doctor Blue's notes, Kacey lost control of her bladder while she was confined."
"That is correct. She was mortified that anyone would know. We were able to remove her wet clothes."
"So you and Commander Torino came in contact with the soiled clothing."
"Of course how else were we supposed to get them off her." Kate said indignantly.
"As soon as we return, I want you both to be examined."
"Of course Doctor." They left the room and headed to the lift. The Doctor picked up a medical bag as they left Sick Bay.
"Where are her soiled clothes now?"
"I bagged them and Kate brought them to her quarters."
"Mom said she would take care of them."
"Then as a precaution, I would like to have her come down for a check up also."
"When we return, I will have Anya stay with the children so that she can come here." They arrived at the access tube. Doctor McCloud handed Kate and Rhea a paper mask and rubber gloves before allowing the hatch to be opened. Kate entered first followed by the Doctor and then Rhea entered. Rhea turned on the flashlight to add light to the dim interior. "She was right about here Doctor." Kate pointed to the area.
Doctor McCloud opened the bag and removed several long swabs encased in plastic tubes. She opened one and rubbed it against the wall before she replaced it in the tube and snapped the top shut. She repeated the same procedure on the opposite wall, the ceiling, ladder and floor of the tube. She ran several over the small puddle that still remained. Those swabs she placed in a special biohazard container and sealed the top. She then took out a package, broke the seal and took out a sterilized cloth that she used to wipe up the rest of the moisture which she placed into another biohazard container. Lastly the Doctor pulled out a scanning device that she turned on and moved over the walls, floor, ceiling and ladder. She checked the readouts.
"I have everything I need. We can leave now." They moved to the end of the access tube and climbed out. The doctor closed the hatch before she removed the mask and gloves. "Until we know what we are dealing with no one is to reenter this tube. Computer seal off all hatches to lower level three access tube 27 A. Open only by authorization of Doctor Olive McCloud."
They head the hatch lock. "All hatches are locked." The computer responded.
They returned to Sick Bay where Doctor McCloud handed the samples to the same nurse. "Run the same tests on everything in the biohazard bags. Standard test on the swabs." She ordered. "Also I want full workup, blood, saliva and urine on Captain Jensen, Commander Torino, Mrs. Patricia O'Malley, Doctor Blue. and who ever was with him last night and came into contact with the interior of that access tube, Colonel O'Malley was kept prisoner in."
"I will contact Doctor Blue immediately." The nurse stated and took all the samples into the medical lab.
"I will have Anya get mom down here." Kate said as she headed to Kacey room and motioned for Anya. "I need you to relieve mom so that she can come down and get checked out."
"Do you know anything more?"
"No, this is just a precaution."
"Captain it is a little more than a precaution." Doctor McCloud informed her. "I am afraid that until we have answers, anyone who came in contact with Kacey's soiled clothes or the inside of that tube will be quarantined here in Sick Bay. If possible we will need whatever clothing Mrs. O'Malley wore when she came into contact with those clothes. Also the clothes you both were wearing when you found her and the clothes you are both wearing now."
"I will send Patricia down." Anya left Sick Bay with her Security escort..
"Captain would you come over here please? We will get you checked out." The nurse handed her two cups and a pair of pajamas with a robe and slippers and a bio hazard bag. "Please removed your uniform and put it in this bag. This cup is for a urine sample, this one is for saliva. We only need the saliva from your mouth. After you come out we will take a blood sample." Kate nodded and headed to the bathroom. Rhea was already changed and getting blood drawn. Kate came out of the bathroom, handed the samples and bag to the nurse before she sat down to have her blood taken.
Patricia, Liam and their Marine guard walked in minutes later. Patricia handed her clothes to the nurse and went to the tech who was waiting for her. Liam continued into Kacey's room. Natalia remained next to Kacey's bed and held the bigger hand in her own, as she stared at the rhythmic rise and fall of the strong chest she loved to lay her head against. Kate stood behind Natalia and rested her hands on the younger woman's shoulders.
"Anya is staying with the children so that we could come down. She said that you are all under quarantine." Liam stated.
"Yes we are at least until they know what is causing Kacey's fever."
"So they still are not knowing what is wrong."
"No they do not know whether it is poison or something biological. We all had to be tested because we came into contact with Kacey' clothing and the tube. When we went back to that tube we all had to wear masks and gloves and now we are stuck here until they have some answers.." Kate stated. "Commander you are in charge of Andromeda."
"Aye Katie and do not worry, I will take good care of your ship. I spoke with Admiral Tacher earlier and told him about the attack. I told him you will have to reschedule the video conference."
"Oh damn, with every going on I completely forgot about that conference."
"He said not to worry about it and just concentrate on finding the person responsible. He also said that he and General Millhouse have every confidence in your prevailing."
"Dad, thank you for taking care of everything, when I know you want to be here with us." Kate said. "As soon as we are cleared, I will help with the searches."
"No Katie, ye will not be doing that. Your place is here with your sister. One of me girls down at a time is more than enough. We have every available person combing through every part of this ship."
"Kate, Liam is right." Rhea said as she entered the room. "I had a talk with Doctor Kipling. He will allow us the use of the room next door as our new command center. I have people bringing down all the equipment we will need. Until Jessup is found or we are allowed to leave."
"I am the Captain. I should be leading the search."
"Even if we were not under house arrest here in Sick Bay, you could also be a target. As Kacey's backup in protecting you, and due to the fact that we have landed, you are safer here. I have given orders to the searchers that whatever they find no matter how small, they are to bring it here."
"You do remember how many arguments Kacey and I have had over this protection bull shit?"
"Katie stop." Liam warned.
"Look Kate, Bella and Mike found a recording they tried to erase." Rhea informed them.
"What recording?" Kate demanded.
"Jessup's attack on Kacey, he did not act alone. He had help. He shut down the video cameras in the Brig so that the two of them could find a way to attack and confine Kacey. They also mentioned that all they needed now was the other one. One guess who that 'other one' is. They had several practice runs. Every time the cameras were shut down was when Jessup had the Gamma shift Brig duty. He also mentioned the special water to Kacey."
"What was their ultimate purpose?"
"We have no idea yet, but we will find out." Rhea stated adamantly. "Kate keeping you safe was Kacey's biggest concern outside her family. It was also her biggest headache each time you fought her on it."
"Rhea..."
"No Kate, you listen to me. We have another five or six months left in space. You have made it this far because of her protection. For the remainder of our voyage, could you please stop fighting her about her dedication in keeping you safe." Kate stared at her friend for a long time. "Every time you fight her or us over that protection, you pull our attention away from that protection. You make our jobs harder. Hell for all we know, she may have expected this attack and once again made herself the target."
"Do you really believe that?"
"I have no idea, but I would not put anything past her. She has a, hell, I guess you could call it a sixth sense about these things. So please stop fighting her."
Behind them, Kacey bolted up in bed shouting. "GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER YOU BASTARD. KATE MOVE. LEAVE HER ALONE. She tried to get out of bed. Her eyes glazed and fevered.