Chapter 8 [the crash]

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"Thank you for coming, Miss Eastman. I hope to do it again sometime."

"But, sir, I still don't understand the need for the stokaline injections." Indy said, shooting down the chipper voice Doctor McCoy offered her.

He crossed his arms over his chest, the hand holding a syringe tapped against his elbow.

"Well, now, let's see..." he thought to himself before turning around and grabbing the tricorder he had set on the counter minutes before. "I don't know how, Indy, but that deficiency we detected last month has actually gone down more. That's why I asked you if you were eating regularly."

"Oh..." she nodded, unconsciously beginning to bite her lip.

"Yeah, and look, some of the things you're missing in higher levels are things like potassium, magnesium, iron, B-12, B-3, zinc; these all help with your moods, your energy level."

"And the stokaline helps with all that?"

"It should. I was expecting a slight increase or that the levels had stabilised, not dropped more."

"I'm sorry." Indy hung her head, then quickly stuck her chin out just enough to straighten it.

"What are you apologising for? You're doing what you can, eating regularly 'n all that."

She nodded lightly, avoiding his gaze as he continued speaking:

"Why don't you come in for another shot two weeks from now that way we can monitor your levels closer and stabilise them with regular and relatively frequent doses of stokaline."

"Alright." She nodded again.

"Alright?"

"Mm-hm."

"Okay." He smiled.

Doctor McCoy helped her off the biobed and allowed her to get over any lightheadedness she may have developed.

"Why don't you head down to the mess hall and get some solid food in you." He said, leading her toward the door.

"I usually eat in the rec room." She lied. "The canteen's a bit too crowded for me."

"You're telling me." He laughed.

They stopped at the door, watching it open before Indy turned back to Doctor McCoy.

"You don't wanna come with me, do you?"

"I can if you want me to." He shrugged.

"I'd like that."

Doctor McCoy gave her a small smile, but she did not return it.

"Let's go."

The two set off down the corridor, and off toward the rec room. As they neared the corner to enter the rec room, Indy continued straight toward the turbo lift while Doctor McCoy began turning the corner.

"Where're you going, Indy?" He asked, stopping in the middle of the hall.

She paused and turned away from the opening lift, her eyebrows furrowed. She looked at him for a moment before realising how unconcious her actions were.

"Oh, right, we're going to the rec room." She shook her head and thought, force of habit...

Indy quickly went to the doctor's side and they continued on to the rec room.

"I wasn't quite sure where you were going for a minute there." McCoy chuckled as they sat down. "Thought I was gonna have to chase ya down."

Indy released a small giggle, only it didn't sound very cheerful.

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