Spock waits to answer until they are further down the corridor, out of earshot of the other visitors waiting in the lobby. "The captain is currently comatose and his respiration is being supplemented by an oxygen field. There is also a stabilization field protecting minor fractures to the T12 and L1 vertebrae until he has recovered sufficiently to allow surgical repair."

The Vulcan hesitates, clearly struggling with his own emotions, while also realizing that he must take Hunter's into account. "Are you familiar with CCU visitor protocol?" he asks. While he doesn't know that Hunter is not from the twenty-third century, it's logical that many citizens would not have had the need for this knowledge before.