A Stunning Surprise

[John Randall 0]

OFFICIAL LOG

LIEUTENANT JOHN RANDALL

USS CHALLENGER

 

(Personal Log Stardate 11604.12)

 

John awoke from his nap about 3 hours later, and sat up on the side of the bed. The nurses had scheduled some therapy sessions for him, and he was actually looking forward to them. Victoria came into the room, and smiled as she saw him sitting on the bed. "How are you feeling, brother dear?" she asked as she came over to him, kissing him on the cheek.

 

John smiled back at her. "A little better every minute, sister mine. I'm ready for a little more walking, and I would like to try going a little farther this time." Victoria smiled happily, raising her eyebrows. "You're sounding more like your old self, Johnny; I'm very pleased." John stood up, and offered his arm to her. "Ready when you are, sister mine," he said, and Victoria smiled, but she was blinking her eyes rapidly; that last statement was so like her brother it was all she could do not to burst into tears. He sounded so strong and so confident, and inwardly she was shouting, she was so happy to see him recovering as rapidly as he seemed to be now.

 

Victoria took her brother's arm, and they left the room, walking down the hallway. Acceding to John's wishes, they walked a farther distance this time before turning and heading back to the room. She kept a sharp eye on him as they traveled, but to her secret delight, Johnny wasn't showing any pain, and he didn't seem to be trying to hide any. She was so proud of him, and she secretly marveled at her brother's recuperative powers.

 

They arrived back at the room, and John walked over to the chair sitting beside the bed. He sat down, and smiled up at her. "Vicki, I have a request," he said, and his sister came over to him. "What is it, Johnny?" she inquired, and Randall said, "I would like you to get permission from the doctor for me to go work out in the exercise room, gym, or whatever they have here. I'm feeling pretty strong today."

 

Victoria raised her eyebrows, and a look of apprehension came over her face. "Johnny, are you sure you're ready, darling?" she asked a little fearfully. "You're doing so well, we don't want to rush this." John looked at her, and nodded. "I'm ready, Vicki," he said, and there was a note of determination in his voice. "The Challenger's undergoing repairs, I'm sure, and I want to be there when she's spaceworthy again. I really want to do this, sweetie. Nothing too rigorous, I want to start light, and build up. I really would like for you to make this happen, sister mine. Come here." He stood up, Victoria went to him, and they shared a hug.

 

They released each other, and Victoria looked up at him. "You really want to do this, don't you?" she asked softly, and John kissed her on the forehead. "I'm ready, sweetie," he repeated, and Victoria nodded, smiling. "All right, then," she replied. "I'll go talk to Dr. McCoy. You sit back down, and I'll be right back." She kissed him on the cheek, and left the room.

 

A few minutes later, Victoria returned with Dr. Joanna McCoy. The female physician walked over to John and smiled at him. "So, Vicki tells me you're ready to try lifting some weights," she said, and John grinned. "Among other things, yes," he replied, and Joanna grinned back at him. She took a PADD from her coat pocket and studied it a few seconds. "Well, your voice sounds strong," she said, "and I'm seeing some good readings here. Let me scan you real quick," and she took a medical tricorder from her other pocket.

 

She adjusted some settings, then scanned John with the probe. She looked down at the results, and nodded. "Readings are good here, too," she remarked, and looked at him. "All right, Lieutenant, I think you could handle a supervised light workout," she continued, and John smiled. "Nothing over a half hour, mind you," she cautioned, and Randall nodded. "After your workout, we'll re-evaluate you. Sound good?"

 

John smiled. "It sure does, Doc," he said, and both women grinned. Joanna said, "All right, I'll send one of the exercise boys to get you, and you do EXACTLY what they say. Are we clear on that, Lieutenant?" John nodded again, knowing a medical order when he heard one. "As a bell, Doc," he replied, and McCoy nodded. "You wait here, then, and one of the boys will be along shortly. Vicki, come with me, we need to talk." The women left the room, and John settled back into the chair, awaiting the summons to go to the gym.

 

A few minutes later, a man came into the room and said he was part of the physical therapy team, and he had orders to take John to the gym. Randall nodded, and the two men left the room, going down the hallway, taking a left turn at an intersection, and walking a little distance more until they came to a room. The man led John inside, and it was a fairly big room with exercise equipment everywhere you looked. The man led John over to a machine, and the workout commenced.

 

25 minutes later, the workout came to an end, and the man escorted John back to his room. Randall climbed back into the bed, but elevated the head so he would technically be in a sitting position. He was a little tired and a little sore, but he was very pleased at the way the workout had gone. A couple of nurses came in a few moments later, and they took turns scanning him with their tricorders. They entered their results into their PADDs, then left the room.

 

A few moments after that, Victoria and Joanna came back into the room, and John knew instantly something was wrong. Victoria's eyes were very bright, and Dr. McCoy had a grim look on her face. His sister came over to the bed, and smiled at him, but to John, it seemed to be forced somewhat. "How did it go, honey?" she asked, but her voice was strained. John smiled. "It went fine," he answered, then cocked his head at her. "What's up with you? You have a look in your eyes that I don't like."

 

Victoria sighed softly, then sat on the side of the bed. "You know me too well, brother dear," she said, then looked at McCoy, who nodded to her. "Johnny, Dr. McCoy has been able to find out some information about what happened on the Challenger. Her father told her that it sounded to him, when it was described to him, that the explosion was deliberately triggered." John stared at her in shock, then looked over at Joanna. "What?!" he said. "What are you talking about?!"

 

Victoria quickly took his hand and squeezed it; John looked back at her, and tears were forming in his sister's eyes. He let out a big sigh, and relaxed, patting his sister's hand. McCoy said, "John, my father was the chief surgeon of the Enterprise for a good many years. There was a similar situation aboard her some years ago, and the chief engineer, Montgomery Scott, told him an explosion like that doesn't just happen. It almost always is triggered in some fashion."

 

John knew of the reputation of Captain Montgomery Scott, a wizard when it came to the field of engineering. If he had said that to the equally legendary Dr. Leonard McCoy, then you could pretty well take it to the bank. He stared at Joanna, not quite believing what he was hearing. Victoria then moved to sit right beside him, and John could feel her trembling as she looked at him. "Johnny, I think someone aboard your ship doesn't like you," she said in a small voice, then a sob escaped her, and Randall immediately embraced his sister, who began sobbing into his shoulder.

 

Joanna turned and quietly left the room as John continued to hold his sister. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. His mind raced as he tried to ask himself who aboard the Challenger could hate him so much that they would try to kill him. It just didn't make any sense. He continued to hold Victoria as his sister cried into his chest. She was frightened, and John, for now, had no answers for her.

 

END LOG