[audio; open]

[doctornota]

McCoy to Enterprise, Enterprise, do you read?

[Beat.]

Scotty, I don't know where the hell you beamed me down to, but I don't see the rest of the away team, and it doesn't look good -

Scotty, come on!

[There's the sound of his hand hitting the device, then his voice grows quieter, as though he's lowered the device.]I don't know what you want,

Comments

[voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[rightawaydoctor]

When Christine heard Leonard's voice over the Network, she was overjoyed, and then felt a little guilty about being overjoyed that he was trapped again. From the sounds of it, he didn't recognize that he was back in Bete Noire, so she'd been about to answer him to let him know when she heard...

But no, he wasn't dead. There was no way. And so she'd called out to him frantically on the comm, trying to get a response.

She had been going mad, pacing around in circles. How would she even begin to search for him out there? Then Jim made contact and she rushed to reply, her voice thick with emotion.

"Chapel here! You found him?"

[voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[chairismine]

[Jim's voice is carefully blank, trying to be authorative and failing. He needs to get him to a morgue.]

Chapel, yes. I've found him. We- I'm at [this address.]

[voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[rightawaydoctor]

[She's already pulling on her coat and grabbing her med kit.]

On my way! How is he? Is he unresponsive?

[No, she can't think on the possibility that he might be dead.]

[voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[chairismine]

[He won't answer that question.] Can you call an ambulance?

[voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[rightawaydoctor]

Yeah, you got it!

[voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[chairismine]

All right. Thank you.

[He pauses, unable to keep his eyes from being drawn to the still face.]

He's dead, Chris.

[voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[rightawaydoctor]

[She's about to disconnect so she can call for an ambulance, but she freezes, even stops jogging on the sidewalk and just stands in the middle, shock written across her face. She'd gotten her hopes up. She'd thought if Jim found him that he was controlling the bleeding, keeping Leonard alive.]

But--

[She bites down any argument. She won't insult Jim by asking him to be sure, to check for a pulse. Leonard is his best friend. If he says he's dead, then he knows he is.

Tears flood her vision and she inhales sharply.]

Jim... I-I'll be right there. I'm-- [She sniffs back her tears. Now isn't the time to fall to pieces.] I'm going to let you go and call the ambulance.

[voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[chairismine]

I'll see you soon.

[He swallows hard. What was it they taught you in Lies For Captains 101?] It's going to be okay.

Re: [voice; locked to Starfleet peeps]

[rightawaydoctor]

[She barks out a bitter laugh with a sob on the end. No, it's not going to be ok, but damn it if he doesn't have to say that anyway.]

Yeah. Chapel out.

[Then she disconnects to call for an ambulance.]