Beginning: A Star Trek Novel (New Frontier Reloaded Book 2)

by ROVER MARIE TOWLE

  Finally, he eased himself back onto the bed and pulled the covers up to his chest, his face contorting at the constant tension in his lower back. Metorapan barely controlled his pain on days like this.

  Oof, I definitely overdid it yesterday.

  "Father? Are you all right? May I come in?"

  Mora glanced towards the closed door at the foot of his bed. "Of course, Kejal."

  The door opened. Sunlight flooded into the dim bedroom. Kejal carried a breakfast tray containing deka tea and a plate of groatcake dripping with syrup.

  "Oh, how thoughtful. Let me just sit-- " Mora's back twisted itself into knots. He collapsed backwards before he sat halfway up. "--urgh!"

  Kejal set down the tray and hurried to Mora's bedside. His eyes were wide open, bordering on panic. "Father? What is it?"

  "It's just my back," Mora grunted. "I'm fine. Honestly, son...this isn't the end. Shhh." He squeezed Kejal's shoulder. "Pain is part of this, Kejal. It's my own fault for exerting myself too much over the past three days. Now, bring me that tray. It looks good."

  While Kejal's back was turned, Mora forced himself to sit up against the headboard of his bed. The pain left his expression in time for Kejal to turn around and set the tray on his lap.

  "Thank you," said Mora. He used his first sip of tea to wash down an antacid capsule, but something seemed off.

  Mora lowered the mug and peered inside. He found a deka seed pod floating in his tea.

  "Oh." Kejal stared. "How did that get there?"

  "You little sneak!" Mora chortled, fishing the seed pod out. "Get out of here and take your seed pod with you. Go bother your mother! Out with you! Out!"

  "I'm going, I'm going!" Kejal echoed Mora's laughter.

  From further away, Odo grumbled, "What are you two doing?"

  "Bothering you."

  "Hmph! How about helping me clean up this countertop instead? It's in complete disarray."

  "Sure." A pause. "Mother...he isn't feeling well today."

  "It's to be expected."

  Mora ate his breakfast in silence. Kejal left the bedroom door open. From his bed, Mora could see the oval window. Beyond it, the deka tree's glistening branches rippled in the sunlight. Mornings after a storm were Mora's favorites-- rain made everything new.

  "I'd like to visit the market today. It's the right time of year to plant a new garden." Kejal rattled something when he set it down. "Father likes spiny basil plants, and crystilia grows really well right next to the house. Oh, and I know just where to put the Vulcan orchids, too. And, ah, I think I some pansies will look good in the pot by the door."

  Odo grunted. "If you say so. Now, can we get back to organizing?"

  There was a pause before Kejal said something too quiet to hear clearly.

  Mora pushed the tray away once he finished his meal. He reached for the napkin Chalan gave him. Beside the name, she'd written a communications frequency and the name of an organization. Mora spoke the numbers to his console and commanded it to make contact.

  The face of a graying Bajoran woman appeared. "This is Jann Rana of the Bajor Palliative Care unit. How can I help you?"

  "Good morning. My name is Mora Pol. I was recommended someone who works from your location. Someone named Aleexa. Is it correct that she does home care?"

  Her expression lightened. "Ah! Yes. Are you calling for yourself or someone else?"

  "Myself," Mora replied. "I've been fighting Delfeya syndrome for the last ten years, and it's catching up to me. I have my medical record on-hand if you require it."

  "Thank you." Jann rattled off a series of numbers. "Please transmit them through this secure frequency."

  Mora did that.

  "Got it. I'll pass this on to Aleexa. If she is available, she will visit you later today to assess your condition."

  "That quick?"

  Jann nodded once, her smile gentle. "Thank you for selecting our services. Feel free to contact me again if you have any questions."

  "Oh, many thanks." Mora was relieved at not needing a long-winded conversation to get this started. "I hope you have a wonderful day."

  "I offer you the same. Good day."

  The communication screen went dark. Mora laid back with a heavy sigh. Now that he had that taken care of, he picked up the PADD holding all the new data about the Founders.

  Changelings are biologically immortal. Mora remembered leaving off there. They all come from the same genetic progenitor, yet their DNA patterns have endless variations. How strange!

  Odo appeared in the doorway. "Doctor Mora? Are you all right?"

  Mora lowered the PADD. He smiled up at Odo. "Yes."

  "Is there anything you would like me to do?"

  "Oh, thank you. The breakfast tray can go."

  Odo leaned over and lifted the tray without effort. "Kejal wants to take me to the market." Finally, he offered a small smile of his own. "You know how persuasive he can be."

  "Mmhmm, all he has to do is open his eyes wide and plead, and you're through."

  Chuckling, Odo shook his head. "I love to make him happy...it doesn't matter what it is. Who knows? I might learn something new."

  "Learning...yes." Mora squinted at the PADD. He laid it in his lap and focused on Odo again. "There is always time to learn."

  "I think a lack of it is what led the Founders to fear all solids, but we would be here all day trying to discuss that." Odo straightened, balancing the tray on his forearm. "Kejal and I will be gone for a few hours." He twitched his shoulder and a Bajoran combadge appeared on his vest. "Don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything."

  "Thank you, Odo." Mora dipped his head in gratitude. "I'll be all right. Go on...Kejal truly comes to life when he has his pick of gardening materials."

  "I look forward to it."

  With that, Odo was gone. Mora heard Kejal loudly announce their departure. Odo's and Kejal's quiet voices passed the bedroom window and faded around the corner.

  Mora dozed for an hour before his back complained about lying in bed. So much for resting. He forced himself onto his feet. Getting dressed was out of the question, so he put on his lightweight house robe because, as his father used to say, 'who wants to stare at an old man's leg veins?'

  It was a nice day out. Mora hobbled into the living room and opened the front door to inhale the fresh morning air.

  A Talaxian woman nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh!"

  Mora gasped. "Oh! Oh my! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

  The woman laughed, and it sounded pleasant like a fast-moving brook. "No, no, it keeps me on my toes!" Her voice was quiet and low. "Hello, I'm Aleexa. And I already know you're Doctor Mora Pol."

  "I see my reputation precedes me." Mora said. He smiled and beckoned for her to enter.

  Aleexa politely wiped her feet before stepping over the threshold. She was a head shorter than Mora, her body plump and her smile jolly. Her large honey brown eyes twinkled kindly. Like all Talaxians she had brown and yellow spots all over her pale skin, and a small transparent barrette kept the plume of sandy-colored hair atop her head from falling in her round face. She dressed smartly in a dark brown Bajoran nursing uniform, and over it she wore a purple ankle-length travel jacket. A knitted white knapsack hung off her shoulder.

  "I know about your work as a scientist, so when I got your records, I jumped on the chance." Aleexa extended her hand, "I'm honored to meet you, Doctor Mora."

  "You may call me Pol if you like, since you might be taking care of me pretty soon." Mora accepted her offered hand. Warm, soft and strong in its gentleness-- a good sign. "Please, let's go sit down. I'm afraid I overexerted myself yesterday, and I'm paying for it today."

  Aleexa nodded. "Of course."

  Mora showed her the way and slowly situated himself in the large chair by the oval window. Aleexa sat on the footrest right in front of him.

  "I like to get right down to business when I assess a patient. I usually start with a baseline exam," she said. "I noticed
you're having a little trouble walking."

  "I have arthritis in my knee." Mora rubbed the offending joint. "It's not related to the Delfeya syndrome. Also, uh, I'm not at my best today. I'm not this limited all the time."

  "That's fine. I prefer seeing people 'in the middle of the pond' like this. I get a better idea of what good days and bad days are like that way." Aleexa noted the arthritis down on the PADD she took out of her knapsack. "I'm going to need you to stand up while I run a scan. I can help if you need it."

  "Thank you, I've got it. Give me one moment." Mora frowned and struggled onto his feet. The crushing pain in his back almost wrenched his breath away, but it dissipated once he achieved a vertical base.

  Aleexa held her medical tricorder near his feet and scanned upward. She passed it right over his head and retraced her path down his back.

  "Your tricorder is so quiet," said Mora.

  "It's less bothersome that way, especially near the end. I can verify that someone has died without disturbing the family." Her tone turned teasing, "But if you prefer a noisy tricorder, I can change it."

  Aleexa's frankness was refreshing. Mora felt comfortable with her already. Everyone else danced around discussing death, and she mentioned it like an everyday subject.

  "Actually, I like not being able to hear it. It feels less medical."

  "There you go, that's the point. Oh, I see you have some gastric erosion, and your kidneys and posterior spleen are swollen. Is that new?"

  "The stomach lining is from last night's hasperat. The posterior spleen and kidneys have been that way for months, and they're the cause of my back pain. Metorapan stops it on an average day, but today it's just keeping things bearable. Standing up is difficult...ooh-- do you mind if I sit again?"

  "Oh, go ahead! I'm finished scanning. Here, let me ease you down." Aleexa wrapped her hands around Mora's upper arms and gently assisted his descent onto the chair. To his surprise, the discomfort in his lower back hardly changed. "There, better?"

  "Much...that was amazing." He smiled at her.

  "Sometimes, touch just helps." Aleexa grinned back. "I'll see about getting some adaptive equipment for your house to help you get up and down, but I need to take a look around first."

  "That's fine."

  "Great!" She took an earpiece out of her knapsack and held up a small cup-shaped microphone. "I'd like to listen to your heart and lungs. Tricorders are great, but they don't tell me everything."

  "All right." Mora admired her thoroughness. He sat up straighter, letting her place the microphone where she needed.

  "Mm, your heart has a grade two murmur. It's been awhile since I had a growler."

  "That's congenital...it never troubled me. It is interesting to note that most people with Delfeya syndrome have heart murmurs. Heh, heh...ironic. I went in for a checkup because I kept getting short of breath. I thought something was wrong with my heart, and after all the tests I learned the truth. My first instinct was to go back to work and pretend I wasn't sick. None of it felt real until I started the treatments."

  "People usually react that way. It's not abnormal unless the denial interferes with the treatments or the end-of-life planning. I've seen that before...it isn't pretty." Aleexa moved the microphone lower.

  Mora stayed quiet until he saw her write on her PADD.

  "So how will this end?" He met her eyes. "What sort of death will I die?"

  Aleexa didn't shy away from his gaze. "What happens to your body late in the disease depends on the organs most affected by the Delfeya syndrome. In your case, it will probably start with kidney failure, which will progress to multi-organ failure."

  "Mm...what about pain? Will it get worse than this?"

  "I won't lie. Yes, it will. There may be times where we have to play guessing games with herbs and medicine to get it under control, but it will be managed. I promise you that. I'll do everything I can to keep you comfortable."

  "Can it be done without altering my consciousness?"

  She nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, but towards the end your consciousness will likely be altered. During the last few weeks or days before death, as your brain receives less oxygen, you might hallucinate and you might get confused about time or place. Most people slip into a coma before they die. But..." She tilted her head to regard him again, "...with experience, I've learned that patients with unresolved issues suffer more than those who don't. Sometimes the pain of dying isn't always physical, although it manifests that way, and medicine can't control that. So if you have anything that needs resolving, you should do it sooner rather than later."

  "I see..."

  Aleexa stood and touched the microphone to his upper back. "It's all right. Breathe normally."

  Mora did what she said while her words permeated his mind. Something inside him compacted into a tight ball. He thought of Odo and how they still had rifts despite the healing between them. He thought of Kejal, who seemed intent on pretending everything was fine.

  "I have a lot of work to do." He squared his shoulders. "Thank you, Aleexa. Oh, I'm sorry, you're still trying to listen, aren't you?"

  "It's fine! I'm glad I could help." She winked at him. "Deep breath, please."

  Mora inhaled through his nose and exhaled from his mouth. She shifted the microphone lower and asked him to do it again, so he did.

  "Lungs sound a little chunky."

  "It may be the dexalin. I take it to help with the fatigue."

  "Mmhmm, increased mucus in the lungs is normal. Do you ever cough it up?"

  "Very rarely. Sometimes I find blood in it, but I'm not sure if it's from my lungs or residue in my throat from past nosebleeds. I never have trouble breathing."

  "Then it's probably leftover blood. Nothing to worry about." Aleexa took the earpiece off and sat back. "All right, I think I can help you with the spleen and kidney swelling right now. Bajoran patients with this issue usually respond well to fruit smoothies with takeo herbs. Drinking one along with the metorapan might do you a lot of good. And, by the way," she playfully tossed her hair, "I make some of the best smoothies you'll ever taste. I'm a kitchen queen."

  Mora folded his hands in his lap, smiling. "How about I test your skills and ask you to make me one right now?"

  "Ever the scientist." She giggled. "Name any fruit you like."

  Laughing, Mora said, "Alvas. I happen to have a bowl of them on the counter. The blender is in the corner."

  "Ah, thank you." Aleexa glanced at the holograms near the window when she put her equipment away. "Oh, you had quite a long braid when you were younger."

  "Mmhmm. I cut it off right after I was sent to work at the Science Institute. Leruu was so upset-- she loved my hair long and braided it for me every morning-- but she understood why I had to do it. She saved the braid. It's in the chest behind the holograms."

  "Oh...how sweet. Where is she now?"

  Mora licked his lips. "She died many years ago of a fever, and our unborn child went with her." His vision blurred. He remembered when he couldn't talk about her at all. Kejal coming into his life changed everything. He looked up, smiling faintly. "I look forward to seeing her again and meeting our baby."

  "I'm sorry she's gone." Aleexa's warm hand settled on his shoulder. "It's good that you have hope, though. A lot of people are angry at this stage...you seem to be in a good place right now. But don't be afraid to talk to me if you need to." Then she moved away and rummaged in the kitchen. "Now, who are the other two people, and what is going on in that series under the window?"

  "Thank you." Mora leaned back in the chair, chortling to himself. "Do you like long stories?"

  "Oh!" Aleexa's whole face lit up. "Always!"

  Of course. Mora almost forgot how Talaxians loved stories. He cleared his throat and watched Aleexa assemble the blender.

  "Aha, I'm sure you'll enjoy this." He tapped on his cane and started to speak. "It happened less than a year after Leruu died. A Cardassian presented me with a beaker full of fluid. Nobody knew what
it was, and they chose me to find out. Little did I know it would become..."

  .o

  Odo wondered, for the millionth time, where Kejal got his energy. He stood in the middle of the gardening section of the market, watching his offspring make his way from one end to the other. Kejal pushed a hover basket with his colorful selections arranged from largest to smallest.

  "I thought you were coming for seeds," said Odo.

  "No." Kejal paused, looking at a pack of Albanian rose seeds. "Plants grown from seeds can take up to two years to produce flowers. Some take even longer."

  "Oh." Odo peered into the basket. "It looks like far more than we need."

  "That's because it's close together. Wait until the garden is all set. Then you'll see." Kejal tapped the side of his head. "I already have it mapped in my mind. Now we-- ooh! Alderbaran climbing vines!" He sprang towards a square pot with a small blue-green vine clinging to a metal rod in its center. "The trellis needs something. This is perfect! Fertilize it and it grows like crazy. These are bioluminescent at night and they don't need a lot of sunlight."

  Odo smiled a little as he watched Kejal's eyes light up. "How long will it take you to plant everything?"

  "Uninterrupted? About a day. I doubt I'll be doing it all at once. It's almost impossible to plant anything when it's raining. I'm hoping to get the spiny basil planted first. It likes wet soil and the rain made everything just right for it. I don't have to pre-water."

  Odo's combadge beeped. He tapped it. "Yes, Doctor Mora?"

  Doctor Mora's voice sounded amused. "Odo, are you and Kejal still in the market?"

  "Yes, we are. You didn't tell me how picky he is about the plants he chooses."

  Laughter on the comm line. "Isn't it refreshing? Anyhow, make sure he picks up a takeo plant, would you please?"

  "All right. Anything else?"

  "No, that's all. Thank you, Odo."

  "You're welcome. Odo out."

  "Takeo plants? I hadn't thought of those. Come on, they're in the herbal section. Ah, this place makes me wish I had a sense of smell."

  Odo followed Kejal past a Bajoran peddling fruit. They stopped near a shelf of tall, potted shrubs, each one labeled in several languages. Takeo plants had four stems popping up off a thorny central stalk. Clusters of fat, juicy purple leaves grew along the length of the stems.