What a Rock Would Say Stardate 2259.182

Scarlett, Nathan and Amara were getting into the special suits that were equipment with gravity regulators. They would allow them not to be crushed by the strong forces of the planets gravity. Amara had arrived late and Nathan was helping her into her suit. She smelled like sex and he smiled and gave Scarlett a knowing look. His and Lucia's relationship had become more in the past few weeks. he was fully recovered from his injuries like Scarlett's brother Silas was.

"You're suits have internal tricorders and mine has an internal phaser built into the arm. I doubt we'll need it but be careful. Any kind of environmental breach in your suits could cause serious injury before it sealed itself. "Before we head out, is there anything medical that I should be aware of with either of you two?" He asked. It was clear what he was asking.

Amara had not expected to get pulled out of bed and thus she had not showered. She had figured James would come back and they would have sex again before falling asleep since their first time had been a little rushed. Amara had gotten dressed and then met up with Nathan and Scarlett and Nathan helped her into her suit. Amara was glad to see that Nathan and Silas were both back up on their feet after what had happened. Amara considered Nathan a good friend especially. 

Scarlett glanced at Nathan when she heard his question. She started to hesitate. She didn't want to lie to him, but she and Spock had agreed to keep this between them for now. However, before she could think of what to say Amara chimed in. "We're both fine Nathan. Now can we go?"

"Sheesh, didn't know you were in such a hurry! Sheesh," he said as he checked their suits one last time and had them got up onto the teleporter pad. Grav suits were very confining and claustrophobic by design. Once all three of them were on teh pad, they were transported down.

For all of the colors seen from space, they could barely see anything. There was some of kind of storm and they had to switch to another light spectrum to even be able to see where they were going. The telemetry on Scarlett's suit told her where they needed to go to find the heart of the signals they received.

"Well, I wouldn't build a vacation home here," Nathan quipped. They all had their exterior lighting on and even so, they could barely make out the massive rock formations all around them. "Where to Scarlett?" Nathan asked and Scarlett led them into a cavern. Once inside it was darker but there was no storm. The rocks were gray or brown and they gave off a golden glow. Scarlett's tricorder could sense that they were indeed Organic, possibly one, massive life form. All the rock was of the same reading. They had moved deeper in for about 15 minutes and then the cavern seemed to narrow. "We'll have to cut this small formation here Scarlett, to progress deeper in," Nathan said.

Scarlett remained silent as they stepped up onto the Transporter pad. They were beamed down onto the planet's surface and they immediately found themselves in the center of some kind of storm. They switched over to light spectrum and Scarlett used the telemetry on her suit to lock on to the signals they had received. They found themselves in a cavern and thankfully shielded from the storm, but it was quite dark inside the cavern. Scarlett used the tricorder that was built into her suit to scan the rock around them and the readings she got indicated that they were organic. 

They continued to walk on and the cavern began to narrow. She was quiet a moment as she considered what Nathan said. "I...I'm not sure how I feel about cutting into the rock," she admitted. "These rocks are organic...probably one massive life form."

Nathan stopped and turned to face them. "So we call it then? By your readings, the signal is further in. I doubt we'll find another way in. It's your call Scarlett," Nathan said.

Scarlett sighed as she considered the problem they had. They needed to get to the signal and the only way would be to cut into the rock. "Alright, let's cut into the rock...but only as much as we need to get through."

Nathan judged the gap and thought that f they ducked a little, he'd only need to cut a small bit. And so he set his phaser and began to cut...

As he began the energy reading Scarlett was getting was amplified 10 fold. That and the whole cavern began to shake. He stopped immediately. "Uh...I think that maybe this wasn't a good idea afterall?" Nathan said. "Ya think?" Amara said sarcastically. "Enterprise, we need a quick beam out," Nathan said. "We can't get a signal, it's being blocked," the voice said. "Well thats a bummer," Nathan said and they all began to move back to where they had come. When they got to the larger opening though two large rock formations that had not been there before were now there. They appeared to have grown from the cavern walls and as they approached them they moved toward them.

Scarlett kept an eye on her Tricorder and almost the moment Nathan began to cut into the rock the whole cavern began to shake. Scarlett started to get a bad feeling about this. Unfortunately, they couldn't get beamed out from where they were. They started to walk back the way they had come, but when they got to the larger opening Scarlett immediately noticed that two large rock formations were suddenly there.

Amara's eyes widened. "Uh...is it just me or are those rocks moving towards us?"

The rock formations had no noticeable heads but they certainly had arm like appendages and legs. Nathan dodged one's swipe at him. The rock didn't move fast but he thought that it might hit pretty hard. The two women managed to move around them but The formations had cut Nathan off from them. "Scarlett, I'm going to have to shoot them!" Nathan said as he backed up and they moved toward him.

Scarlett had never seen anything like this before and she knew they had made a grievous error in cutting into the rock. However, now all they could do was defend themselves and try to get to a spot where they could get beamed out. Scarlett and Amara managed to get around the rock formations, but Nathan found himself trapped, with the rock formations moving closer to him. As Nathan used his phaser on the rocks, Amara and Scarlett used the rock cutters on theirs to try and give Nathan room to get past them. Amara heard Nathan ask her if she could communicate with the rocks.

"No! I speak 11 languages, but none of them are 'rock'!"

The rock closest to Scarlett flung its arm-like appendage at her. She managed to cut it off with her suit's cutter but another one that had shifted out from the other side flung its arm at her. "Look out!" Nathan shouted as the one to hie right was cut in half. Scarlett was hit around the middle and flung backward several meters onto her back. The blow knocked the wind out of her and her suit's alarms began going off. "No!" Amara shouted! as she cut that rock's arm off too. Nathan down the 2 closest to them and he rushe dup and took up Scarlett's right arm as Amara took her left. They began to drag her out and Nathan had to shoot at 2 more as they made it to the entrance tunnel.

"Ok, I've got you!" The transporter chief said and they were transported out.

They appeared on the PADD and Scarlett tasted the coppery, metallic taste of blood\. The front of her suit was badly damaged and Nathan and Amara tossed off their helmets as they struggled to get Scarlett out of hers.

"Medical emergency, Transporter room 1!" The transporter chief said. In under a minute, Jagasho and a nurse were there. They managed to get her suit off but she continued to spit up blood until she went unconscious. Lagasho worked on her.

"I need a site to site transport to sickbay And wake up McCoy!!" She said and Scarlett and Lagasho were transported to sickbay.

Amara was deeply concerned about Scarlett. She was alive, but when they transported her to sickbay she looked in bad shape. She and Nathan got out of their suits and she knew that she needed to go wake up Spock. She quickly made her way to his and Scarlett's quarters and she hit the door chime. When he didn't answer quickly enough she pressed the door chime again. Finally, the door opened and he would be able to tell from the look on Amara's face that something was wrong.

"Spock...it's Scarlett...she was badly injured...."

Lagasho worked furiously. She was an excellent doctor but she could not do miracles. McCoy came into sickbay and when he saw who it was and how badly she was injured he grabbed his tricorder. Lagasho noticed that there was bleeding and the nurses cut away Scarlett's uniform as fast as they could. Blood dripped down from her stomach and from between her legs. He could not find a fetal heartbeat. The baby had died so it was a matter of saving just the mother, not...Scarlett.

Spock had hurried into sickbay but a nurse was there to stop him. "Spock, they are doing everything they can. you're only going to get in their way," she told him and the others. Spock was beyond upset and worried. He looked at Amara and Nathan. "What happened?" Spock asked and Nathan let Amara tell it. She knew him better than he did.

"Broken ribs," McCoy said and Lagasho said. "Collapsed lung," as they fought to save Scarlett's life.

Amara had also woken James up. She knew Spock was going to need to be calmed down. The half Vulcan was usually calm and collected, but not when it came to Scarlett. Spock, James, Amara, and Nathan stood outside of the sickbay while McCoy and Lagasho worked frantically to save Scarlett's life. Amara began to explain what had happened. She was quite upset herself over what had happened.

"Then, one of the rock figures swung an arm around and struck Scarlett in the abdomen. She was flung hard against one of the rock walls. By the time we were Transported back she was spitting up blood and then lost consciousness."

"There was no way for us to know the entire area was one, massive organism or even somewhat sentient," Nathan said. Kirk was pissed. "So what about the initial piece that was brought back? We don't normally harm organic creatures Nathan, not for any reason if it can be avoided. You didn't have to go in there to study it and now one my my officers is in there fighting for her life," he said and looked at both Amara and Nathan. "I'm banning you both from joining any away teams until further notice," Kirk said. "And I am considering formal reprimands," Kirk said. "Dismissed," he said before Amara could say anything.

"Spock...I'm sorry, I'm sure McCoy will bring her through," he said. "That is not my only concern Captain, Scarlett, was pregnant," Spock said. Kirk's eyes grew larger. "What? "Away teams depend on the health of those officers, where was the disconnect?" Kirk asked. "Scarlett and I did not intend on saying anything for a little while but I did not know she'd agree to an away mission," Spock said. "Likely, she didn't think there would have been a problem," Spock said. "Away missions go bad in a hurry, I'm not certain I can blame anyone for this. But I want Amara and Nathan to think about what they did and didn't do," Kirk said. Finally McCoy came out.

"Well, Spock...the baby's gone," he said. Spock did not even flinch. "Scarlett is out of harm's way for the most part. Labasho got to her in time," McCoy said. "You can sit with her Spock but she'll be out of it for a while," McCoy said.

Amara sighed, but didn't say anything. She wanted to stay and make sure her friend was going to be alright, but she knew from James' tone of voice that it wouldn't be wise to stay. She turned and left. She headed back to their quarters. She was exhausted from working a full shift and then going on the away mission, but she needed a shower. As she got into the shower the realization that Scarlett might die hit her and tears began to stream down her cheeks. She stood in the shower and cried for a little while, but none of her tears were for herself. She finally got out of the shower and dried herself off. Her hair was wet, but she didn't have the energy to dry it.

Amara felt the ship lurch into warp. So much for the little exploration! Kirk eventually came back to their quarters. He was angry and more than a little upset at Scarlett but also very sad for her and Spock as well. He said nothing when he came in. He began to get out of uniform when he noticed Amara just sitting on the corner of the bed. She had a towel around her body and her hair was twirled up in another.

"I'm going to bed," he said as he sat and removed his boots. Spock sat next to Scarlett and held her hand. She was stable now and breathing on her own. She would be perfectly fine but he knew when she learned about the baby, her heart would break as much as his did. He stayed like that for several hours until he felt her stir and he lifted up his head. Scarlett felt pressure in her chest and stomach but not alot of real pain.

Amara glanced over at James as he removed his boots. "Will she be alright?" she asked quietly and with more than a little concern in her voice.

After several hours, Scarlett slowly began to stir and awaken. As her eyes opened she became aware that she was back on the ship, and from the lights above her she knew she was in sickbay. Her mind struggled to recall what had happened. Then, it slowly began to come back to her...the organic lifeforms...Nathan was trapped...she was hit...and then...nothing except for the taste of blood in her mouth. She shifted slightly and then saw Spock's face. His eyes held deep concern for her.

"No, no she won't be alright!" Kirk shouted and threw his left boot. It hit the wall and fell to the floor. He shifted and looked at her accusingly. "Did you know she was pregnant!?" Kirk asked in an accusatory voice.

Spock's face was completely neutral but his emotions were in flux. A mix between relief and sadness and concern. "What's the last think you remember?" Spock asked.

Amara's eyes widened in shock at what James told her. "W-what?! No! She was pregnant? James, I swear to you I had no idea. If I had there is absolutely no way Nathan or I would have let her go."

Scarlett picked up the flux in Spock's emotions and it began to concern her. "I...I think being hit by one of the rock creature's arms...I remember being in a lot of pain and struggling to breathe...but that's it."

"She lost the baby Amara," Kirk said as his throat tightened. He felt like crying but he wouldn't in front of her. He couldn't blame anyone for this but Scarlett for not telling Nathan and it was troubling him.

"You're in stable condition, you're all right," Spock said. "Nathan and Amara brought you out," he said. He knew he had to tell her. Delaying it would only make the pain of her loss live on longer and he couldn't do that. His chest felt as tight as his throat and he tightened his grip on her hand.

"Scarlett...the baby didn't survive," Spock said. "I'm so sorry," He said as his eyes welled up with tears.

Amara felt new tears come to her eyes when she heard James tell her that she had lost the baby. She put her head in her hands and cried for her friend. 

Scarlett already knew what Spock was going to tell her before he spoke the words. However, hearing them said and seeing the tears well up in his eyes made it all too real. She had been on an emotional roller coaster the past 24 hours and though they hadn't planned on the baby, losing it was painful...especially when she knew that they may never conceive again. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, but she had no one to blame but herself. She had made a mistake and it had cost the life of their unborn child.

Kirk shifted and put his arms around Amara and let her lean in on him.

"Spock tilted forward and allowed his head to rest on Scarlett's legs. He felt a wave of guilt in their bond and that made him feel worse. Everyone made mistakes but this loss was brutal. Scarlett would never make it again but the cost of it might be that she never becomes pregnant again. Spock did not blame her. That thought had never entered into his mind. He only felt horrible that it had happened.

Amara cried against James for a while before they both just fell asleep. The following morning they rose and began to get dressed. Amara knew that James was going to go see Spock and Scarlett. "James, please don't reprimand Scarlett. She's already been punished enough. I will accept her punishment."

Kirk looked At Amara. "Well, that's very noble of you but I think she's suffered enough too, like you say," he said. He left their room and went directly to sickbay. he found just Scarlett there and he stepped up to her and put on a smile for her. he could tell that she might just want to be alone but he felt maybe a visit from her Captain might cheer her up a little.

"Well, you seem to be doing well. All things considered. I am looking for ward into getting my Science Officer back," Kirk said as he smiled at her.