The Tirok Maneuver

XIII

 To say that Kirk, Spock, and Bones ran to the shuttle bay would be an understatement.

They were there in record time, just in time to see a severely damaged shuttlepod come crashing into the bay.

They ran to the pod, straining to pull open the dented door.

As the door was finally pried open, a disheveled looking miracle came tumbling out.

She gasped for air and looked up at her Commanding officers through tangled, graying hair, "I am... back."

Kirk laughed in surprise and knelt next to her.

Spock could only stare in shock at the Lieutenant.

"Commander," Mac'hla said, "Forgive me for attacking you."

"...You are forgiven, Lieutenant." he whispered, the corners of his lips curling up ever so slightly.

McCoy lifted Mac'hla to their feet and supported their weight, "Alright, let's get you to sickbay... I can only imagine what the gravity and radiation did to you." 

Realizing that many of Mac'hla's bones had snapped during the stretch, he pulled her up onto his back with a grunt. 

Mac'hla smiled and laughed quietly, much to everyone's surprise, "I am not dead."

"No, you're not, Maggie." Bones said, "And I intend to keep it that way. Come on."

Mac'hla let McCoy drag her away, giggling the whole time.

"God, you're delirious." McCoy remarked, though he couldn't keep the smile from his face.

"Perhaps I am." Mac'hla grinned, "The radiation can cause malfunctions."

"You're a Vulcan, not a ship."

"Well... yes, you are correct." she bubbled, "But I am malfunctioning."

McCoy scoffed and pulled along the euphoric Lieutenant to sickbay.

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"Lieutenant Tirok is alive and well." Kirk informed the bridge, and added with a smile, "And a little bit giggly."

Uhura smiled and burst into tears, "Can we see them?"

"They're currently undergoing treatment for the exposure to Hawking radiation. However, by the end of your rotation they should be stable enough to visit." Spock explained.

Chekov laughed in relief, leaning forward onto the console, "My god... How? She was sucked in! And even if she survived that, she was caught in the blast!"

"I'm sure she'll explain it to us in great detail once she gets better." Kirk grinned, plopping himself down in the Captain's chair.

"But she's alive, and we are too. That's all that matters."