S1 - M9: Pollice Verso

[Auzual Knox]

[Arena, under the platform]

"SPOTS!" Ramona called out. "The Commander needs your help! I need you to get up!"

Under other circumstances this would have been the right approach to encourage Knox, however, not this time.

He turned to see Knox collapse. He stood still for a couple of seconds, before running over to her. Katheroz, can you hear me.

Knox could not sense anything. Her vital signs were all but gone, she was closer to death than she had ever been in all her lives.

Dr. Lunn found Ensign Knox collapsed at the far end of the arena. He administered the Dylovene, a broad spectrum antitoxin, as they had little idea as to what it was that was making her ill. He then gave her some Polyadrenaline in the hopes that it would keep her body from shutting down long enough that they could run tests on her.

The Dylovene was a wise choice, the broad spectrum antibiotic could fight both the bacteria she had acquired from the blue and orange Xa'zii saliva, as well as the green Xa'zii blood tipped arrow that had pierced her left side. However, as Knox's system had shut down, it did not diffuse further than the delivery to her neck. Her blood pressure and heart rate were just too low to allow it to disseminate throughout her body. Thus, it had been extremely good thinking on Dr. Lunn's part to administer the Polyadrenaline. It literally saved Knox's life.

"Ensign," he spoke calmly to her. "Can you hear me? I'm going to need you to hang on. We are doing everything we can to keep you alive but I'm going to need you to help us. Can you open your eyes? Say something to us."

Knox could not yet respond, her senses were not strong enough to comprehend anything. She had put all her energy into protecting her symbiont. Though unconscious, her vitals were slowly improving. However, it was too soon to tell if the extent of the damage caused by the infection was severe.

[Naira]

Arena
Dan was fighting more Xa'zii. To his surprise he was winning. His injures thus far were only superficial, the odd cut here and there. Finally, it looked to be that the Xa'zii were starting to tire from this fight. Plans were starting to get in place to be able to beam out so Dan's focus turned to helping out injured crew members.
He turned to see Knox collapse. He stood still for a couple of seconds, before running over to her. Katheroz, can you hear me. Dr. Lunn came over to administer some medication. Dr, report, do you know what is causing her to fall ill? He inquired. He suspected the arrows that were launched had something to do with it, but wasn't sure enough to put a safe bet on it.

Dr. Lunn pressed two fingers to Ensign Knox's neck as he attempted to check her pulse. Meanwhile, with his other hand he dug through the medkit for the medical tricorder to get his own readings of her current condition. "Dr. Naira found signs of an unknown infection in her system prior to any injuries she may have sustained in the arena. Until we know more, I'm putting her on a broad-spectrum antibiotic and a stimulant that will prevent her body from further shutting down until we have access to a proper medical facility."

He wasn't at all familiar with the physiology of a joined Trill, but he drew on what knowledge he had of pregnant women in trying to interpret his scan. In his mind, there wasn't much of a difference between host and symbiot to that of mother and fetus. The symbiot's had a strong, if not fast, heartbeat but, he didn't have anything to compare it to to know what normal was. The woman on the other hand, her systems had been starting to shut down as all her energy was going to keep the symbiot alive, even though it could kill her. The one thing he did know was that the two of them couldn't survive without the other.

The medication he had given her was now moving throughout her body and it was a matter of waiting to see if she showed any signs of improvement.   

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Arena]

The crossbow had knocked together so many times in the act of firing that it was falling apart. Adeyemi shouldered the thing one last time, drawing a bead on a Xa'zii who was squaring up against one of his crew. A quarrel sprouted from his hand, pinning it to his thigh. The lizard couldn't draw his weapon. The crewman quickly ran away.

A Xa'zii mounted on a four legged lizard roared past him, trying to skewer him with a long metal lance.  Adeyemi stepped aside but the lance tugged at his uniform. Sweat clung to his brow and he couldn't tell if he'd been wounded.

The lizard turned his mount around and it reared. The Xa'zii jabbed his lance at him and shouted some words that were lost in the roar of the crowd. They clearly weren't complimentary as he spurred his mount forward to charge.

Adeyemi let the nearly ruined crossbow fall to the sand, kicked it aside. The pounding of clawed feet on the ground filled his ears. The Xa'zii stood in the stirrups. The lizard man let out a blood curdling banshee wail, trying to rattle his nerves.

The captain stood his ground, wiped his sweaty hands on his uniform pants. He needed his grip and to remain calm now more than ever. Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.

The Xa'zii seemed to double in size as Adeyemi waited and focused on the hardly wavering lance.

My goodness and my fortress. My high tower and my Deliverer.

The lizard man had a broad, reptilian face, like a brutal predator. It's lipless mouth was drawn back over dinosaur teeth. The point of the lance twinkled in the sun.

My shield and He in whom I trust.

"Die soft skin!" The Xa'zii screamed. He had a prayer of his own. "Juitza!"

The lance was leveled at the center of his chest. The Xa'zii was very close.

"JUIIIITTZZZZ---"

Adeyemi grabbed the weapon, feeling the speed and weight of charging animal, arm, and metal, his hands meeting just below the blade. The captain twisted his body and whipped his arms overhand before the lance could be torn from his grasp. The Xa'zii was thrown forward, off of the creature's back, and disappeared under the mount's  legs and claws.

He hasn't been able to hold on to the lance, and the force of it hitting the sand had thrown it from his grasp. He scooped it up and held it across his body.

The massive beast was still galloping off. It's rider emerged from beneath its retreating body, bloodied and broken.

Adeyemi's boots crunched over the sand as he made his way over. The Xa'zii had been trampled upon and sliced. The lizard man sat up on his elbows, his face a grim mask. His leg had been partially severed and intestines dragged through the sand behind him, all in a slowly spreading pool of mauve blood.

"P-p-please...in the name of the gods..." The Xa'zii said. "End it."

"There is only one God." Adeyemi said automatically. "Let us treat you."

"No! T-To die. On the altar of...battle. Don't leave me in pain."

The captain shook his head and jabbed the lance into the sand. He knelt by his enemy and touched his shoulder.

"We'll help you. You're not dying on me."

[Kyle Briggs]

NPC Lt Jace Roberts, USS Gibson, Acting CO

"SIR!. We've got something."

Jace jumped up and made his way to the rear of the Bridge. "Report."

"Native life signs just started popping up in the area right here." said the officer manning the Ops station. "And there are several of our crew there as well." He watched as she ran her fingers over the console. "More life signs, including the rest of ours."

=^=Roberts to Transporter Room. Lock on and beam our people up NOW!!=^=

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Arena]

"=/\=Ensign Hughes to Adeyemi, Hughes to the captain!=/\="

Incredulously, he tapped his commbadge and parroted back an acknowledgement.

"=/\=Standby for transport."

"=/\=Hold./\=" Adeyemi said back instantly. "=/\=We've got wounded, both friendly and enemy. Alert sickbay to prepare for casualties."

"Weak...human. Weak. Helping your foes." The Xa'zii at his feet hissed.

"Forgiveness is not a weakness, but our greatest strength. Only then do enemies become friends." The captain said earnestly.

"=/\=Adeyemi to Gibson, energize."

THE END