Doctor Redinium arrived in the main shuttlebay and looked around for Commander Carter. The damaged Banshee of Lt. Commander Vasser stood away from the others, various pieces of scaffold being erected around the damaged areas so repairs could start.
"Over here, Doctor," a voice said from across the bay and Axeline looked towards the voice and saw a small shuttle. Then he saw Commander Carter, exiting the rear of the shuttle and checking the warp nacelles.
"Commander," Axeline acknowledged as he reached the shuttle and stepped inside.
"Doctor," Carter replied as she came in after him and took the pilot's seat.
Five minutes later, the shuttle was free of the Hornet and heading back to the planet.
"Doctor, whilst we're alone, could we please talk about Lieutenant Tycho?" Carter asked.
"I thought that may have been the reason for you volunteering to go down to the surface," Axeline replied.
"Okay, let's get right to the point. She needs to fly, to get back in the ‘saddle' so to speak as soon as possible. The longer she's ‘grounded' the harder it's going to be for her to get her confidence back," Carter stated.
"I realize that and you both know what she has to do to get back on the flight roster," Axeline replied. "But since the briefing, I had a chance to talk to Lieutenant Commander Vasser before she was released from sickbay. She's told me that Lieutenant Tycho hasn't been sleeping well lately. She also told me that Kim's been visiting sickbay for sedatives to help her sleep. Lieutenant Hope has confirmed all this, she's prescribed the Lieutenant three time since we left SB 901."
"I wasn't aware that Kim was feeling so bad about leaving the starbase. Could the sedative she was prescribed have been a factor in the accident?" Carter asked.
"No. Lieutenant Hope prescribed only a mild sedative, something to get Tycho off to sleep. It would have worn off completely within three hours," Axeline replied.
"I had no idea this had got so bad," Carter said "I just thought you were following the book when you had her taken off the flight roster, but having just heard what you said, I realise that Tycho must see the counselor and I promise I'll talk to her once we get back, make her see sense."
"Commander, if she agrees to see Dawson, I'll agree to have her put back on the flight roster," Axeline offered. "But if she fails to keep the appointment or stops going, she'll be off the roster again."
"Agreed," Carter said. "We're approaching the old colony site."
"Good, I'll get ready and you can transport me down," Axeline replied. Ten minutes later, Axeline was fitted in his protective suit and standing on the transporter pad. "Ready to beam me down," Axeline said.
"Ready," Carter said, starting the transport beam.
[Radio check,] Axeline said over the intercom.
"Reading you loud and clear Doctor," Carter acknowledged.
[I'm entering the cave now,] Axeline reported.
Inside the cave, he again came across the bodies he'd found the previous day. Using his tricorder, he scanned the bodies searching for the one.
Found him, Axeline said to himself, before removing a transporter beacon from his pocket and placing it on the dead body's neck. Then he gently placed the corpse into a black body bag and zipped it up. The bag was designed to both ‘shield' the corpse from sight and also to stop any radiation that it had absorbed from affecting everyone else.
"Commander, I've found the subject and I'm ready to beam back," Axeline said.
[Acknowledged,] Carter's voice said over the suit intercom.
Seconds later, the Doctor and his ‘subject' were both back onboard the shuttle. The Doctor removed the protective suit and came back into the cockpit.
"Let's get back to the Hornet," Axeline stated. "And let's hope that Mr. Xander can give us some answers."
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