Final Requests

[Finn 0]

The cargo bay of the Pandora’s Box was littered with bodies. The sounds of coughs, gurgles and sporadic moans echoed around the normally sterile bay and the smell of death and injury had already begun to drift through the area.

Finn was treating a Bajoran for a broken leg when Doctor Grissom approached him.

‘The Freighter captain is asking to speak with you, Dr Halek.’ He said. Finn looked around.

‘Well he’ll have to wait. I’m sure he can appreciate we’re quite busy here.’ He turned back to the Bajoran’s injury.

Grissom’s face darkened. ‘I’m not sure she’s physically able to wait, Sir.’

Finn looked around again, realisation sinking in. ‘I see.’ He replied. ‘Please, Dr Grissom, take over here.’

He smiled at the Bajoran. ‘You’re in good hands.’

Grissom nodded his head to where the Freighter captain was laying, and Finn made his way through the injured, their nurses working with them, to the Freighter captain.

He knelt down next to the woman and quickly began assessing her injuries. The woman coughed and bright red blood spattered from her mouth. The tricorder showed massive internal bleeding, she would be dead in minutes.

She opened her eyes, a piercing blue, and looked at him.

‘Don’t worry, Doctor,’ she began, ‘I don’t want medical treatment. I know I’m too far gone.’

Finn began to open his mouth, to form the words of hope, of denial. He closed it again and just nodded.

‘What can I do for you, Captain?’ he asked. The woman shuddered slightly, her body going through a spasm.

‘A couple of things, if you would.’ She replied. ‘When you think you have the rest of your life to lead you don’t worry about the harsh words or the chasms you create with those you love.’ She paused and coughed again. Blood spattered onto her tunic. She took an attempt at a deep breath and continued. ‘I have a son on Earth, Henry Telleric. He works in the Spanish Vineyards for the Yarrow Wine Group. We stopped talking three years ago. I’d wanted him to join me on the freighter runs and he fought back.’ She gripped Finn’s hand and tears filled her eyes. ‘I never told him how proud I was of him. Please, I need him to know. Tell him that I was proud of him, and that I love him so very very much.’

Finn bit his lip and nodded. ‘I will.’ Was all he could reply. The Captain smiled and let go of Finn’s wrist.

‘The second thing, Doctor, if you would?’ Finn nodded, leaning closer as the woman’s voice grew quieter.

‘Make sure the people responsible for this are not allowed to walk free. There will be inquests, defences and double talk, with denials and lies. Don’t let what happened here be without consequence. Don’t let us die without meaning.’

Finn nodded again as the Captain closed her eyes.

‘Just rest now.’ He whispered, but she had already stopped hearing him.

 

Finn stood up and looked down at the Captain, then across at the mixture of dead and living in the cargo bay.

‘There is always consequence.’ He whispered and made his way to help the injured.