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archives:walking_wounded [2021/01/11 00:05] – site_adminarchives:walking_wounded [2021/01/11 01:35] (current) – site_admin
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 <BOOKMARK:Chapter35> <BOOKMARK:Chapter35>
 <fs x-large>**Chapter 35: Longings for the T'Kumbra**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:walking_wounded#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\  <fs x-large>**Chapter 35: Longings for the T'Kumbra**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:walking_wounded#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\ 
 +**Location: Unknown**
 +
 +The smell of burned wiring permeated the shuttle as sparks jettisoned out of the panels of the ship. Jaren Tolkath was navigating the ship while Reittan assisted feverishly rerouting power to the engines and the shields.
 +
 +Jaren's son began to perspire at the anticipation of another hit. He had to maintain their shields.
 +
 +Jaren looked over at his son's control panels and noticed they had just lost the starboard shields. Reittan's fingers rabidly flew across the instruments racing for control of the power grid within the vessel. Father Tolkath said nothing but kept his stoic Vulcan demeanor.
 +
 +Jaren returned to his controls maneuvering through some of the most difficult piloting he had ever done.
 +
 +As to where the two battle ships had come from was a mystery, but that was moot at this point. They needed to get out and to the nearest star base before the shuttle was destroyed.
 +
 +Out of the corner of his eyes, Reittan caught his mother looking serene and calm; she reeked of fear as did his grandmother and the ten other dignitaries aboard.
 +
 +His attention snapped back to what he was doing as the panels flickered and the ship jerked; another shot had hit the aft shields. More sparks showered Reittan, and suddenly all power within the ship died.
 +
 +Darkness enveloped them for a fraction of a second, until emergency power brought life support back online. As the lights reappeared, Reittan saw his Grandmother laying on the floor unconscious, a trickle of blood running down her face.
 +
 +Rage engulfed Reittan, anger and a strong sense of primal self preservation began to build within him like a warp core breach. The emotion erupted; all fell into darkness.
 +
 +
 +----
 +
 +
 +Reittan suddenly woke up, sitting straight up with a jerk. His robe was drenched in perspiration. He looked around his quarters and grounded himself in the present moment; not in the past, anything but the past. He hadn't been sleeping well recently being effected by the recent commotion and emotional upheaval aboard the ship. He had arranged his schedule to get some sleep, but only found nightmares.
 +
 +He closed his eyes and began focusing on the feelings of his shipmates. He targeted some very strong feelings of anger, they were emanating from Doctor Cromwell.
 +
 +Leon had been a little edgy since the Hawk incident. Since a large amount of conversation surrounded Lt. Hawk, the Counselor began calling the phenomenon "Hawk talk." Leon would bristle and get angry when Hawk talk occurred around him, but Tolkath could sense hurt too; a sense of betrayal. Upon learning the Counselor had known about the condition of Nat, his interactions with the Lieutenant Commander had cooled. But, the doctor had somewhat forgiven the Counselor, when he learned he had been ordered to stay silent. Reittan wasn't sure if the forgiveness had been genuine, or if Leon had larger fish to fry.
 +
 +Since Leon had the most intense feelings aboard the ship, besides the two crew members who were enjoying each other in the extracurricular activities of a relationship, Tolkath would have to credit this last dream to him. The Counselor's conscience wasn't so easily persuaded by this explanation. After all, it was Reittan's fault he hadn't meditated and closed his mind off to what was happening around him; leaving his dreams completely unguarded.
 +
 +Suddenly, the intercom came to life overhead.
 +
 +//"Counselor, please report to your office!"//
 +
 +The sound of panic in the secretary's voice alerted Reittan that this was not at test . . .
 +\\ 
 +\\ 
 +\\ 
 +**Location: Deck nine just outside the Counselor's quarters, USS Republic**
 +
 +After the assault on the Counselor during the whole Hawk debacle, Tolkath had engineering install what could only be described as a "silent alarm" in the Psychology department. It was activated by strategically-placed hidden triggers that could be reached easily from anywhere around the department offices. Upon activation, the computer would instantly and clandestinely scan the room it was activated in, check the bio-rhythms of all the occupants, and verify that the alarm had been activated by an authorized individual. Unless the computer determined that Reittan himself was in trouble, the system was programmed to contact him instead of security. The reason for this system was that if one of the staff psychologists were in distress while in a counseling session with a patient, it would give Reittan himself a chance to intervene and diffuse the situation before security arrived. While ship security was good at physically restraining an emotionally-distressed patient, it could sometimes do more harm than good, especially if Reittan had a better, more psychologically-sound alternative.
 +
 +It was this alarm system that had alerted the Counselor and summoned him to the psychology department one deck above his personal quarters. Although the secretary's voice was calm enough so as to not alarm anyone who might have been with the Lieutenant Commander, the computer had alerted the Counselor that things had gone awry in the Psychology department. Reittan hurried through the deserted corridor to the turbolifts. Upon arrival, and after waiting for what seemed like an eternity to the Counselor, the doors hissed open, and Tolkath quickly stepped in.
 +
 +"Deck eight," Reittan barked. Luckily, the Counselor was the only occupant in the turbo-lift. "Computer, report on program RT-3 beta."
 +
 +//"Voice authorization confirmed"// the computer replied. //"Lieutenant Reisan, is currently in the main office with a male approximately 167 centimeters tall and 90 kilograms. Both occupant's vital signs and body temperatures are heightened."//
 +
 +"Position of the occupants?"
 +
 +//"The male is one meter directly inside the door and Lieutenant Reisan is behind her desk."//
 +
 +The turbo-lift came to a stop and the doors hissed open. The Lieutenant Commander nearly tripped over himself trying to quickly, yet casually so as to not to draw attention to himself, get to the department. The Counselor thought to himself, "It's times like these I miss the T'Kumbra; much less drama."
 +
 +The seemingly unending deserted corridor finally gave way to the main psychology department. Then Tolkath composed himself, and walked nonchalantly towards the doors as though he were just passing through, as difficult as it was not to just burst into the room. The counselor could hear the heated discussion emanating from the room. He paused just outside of the sensors surrounding the doors, so he could eavesdrop and not go inside being unprepared.
 +
 +"YOU WILL NOT TREAT ME THAT WAY!" Lieutenant Reisan shouted at the unknown guest.
 +
 +Lieutenant Reisan was a short, blue eyed, brunette. Ordinarily she was mild manner, and Reittan had yet to hear her raise her voice. Many times he wondered if she were part Vulcan with her cool demeanor, but her records showed her to be human. Because of her elevated voice, the Counselor waited no longer and entered the room.
 +
 +Something was terribly wrong.
 +
 +Upon entering the dimly lit room, the first thing Reittan noticed was how frazzled the Lieutenant looked. It appeared that someone had tried to remove her uniform by force. It was evident that Reisan had used the silent alarm because she rightly wanted someone to witness the attack for credibility in any testimony, which would unavoidably happen through an inquiry and investigation.
 +
 +The psychology department had been painted in neutral colors to help the ambiance necessary for the therapeutic process. The bulkhead in which Tolkath's fellow counselor was pinned against was painted a pale blue color. However, in this predicament, the pale blue looked terribly foreboding.
 +
 +As Lieutenant Reisan's eyes focused on Tolkath, they filled sudden calm; a sense of safety painted her expression. The perpetrator suddenly grabbed the Lieutenant's uniform, as if to finish ripping it off when suddenly, assailant noticed the change in her expression and swung around to find the Counselor standing behind him. Fury filled the Counselor as he recognized the face of the lieutenant's attacker: Talloc Morganth.
 +
 +"Why, if it isn't Rei-Rei the Crazy Guy..."
 +
 +The taunting stung Reittan, but not as quite much now as it had during his childhood. However, it opened old wounds the counselor thought had healed. Reittan tapped his combadge and said calmly.
 +
 +"Security to the Psychology department."
 +
 +//"On our way, counselor..."//
 +
 +"Oh, come on Rei-Rei you aren't going to . . ." Morganth taunted the counselor in front of his colleague.
 +
 +The silence that met Talloc was filled with anger, and enhanced by fear of the consequences that waited for him. The rage boiled over and he threw a right hook at the Counselor. Reittan instinctively grabbed the fist accelerating towards his face, and the strength of his Vulcan heritage caught Talloc completely off-guard.
 +
 +"Well, well, well, Reitty-Rei, grew up."
 +
 +Lieutenant Reisan watched Talloc futilely grappling for control . Suddenly, the struggle stopped and the conversation turned telepathic. The intensity and the hatred that Morganth looked at the Counselor made Reisan glad she wasn't a telepath.
 +
 +It was then that the doors opened announcing the arrival of Security.
 +
 +"Gentlemen, place this man in the brig!"
 +
 +The red that had filled Talloc's face from his anger suddenly drained until he was a slight green. His eyes melted into pleading orbs towards the counselor. Reittan turned and looked once more towards Morganth. The Counselor then turned the ex-assailant over to the security guards.
 +
 +"Save your pleas for your hearing, then you can say them out loud," the Lieutenant Commander mocked Talloc.
 +
 +With that, the Counselor turned his attention to the Lieutenant who was in shock. She rested her body weight and head against the bulk head and started to slide down into a fetal position. Reittan rushed over and caught her while she was halfway to the floor.
 +
 +"I'll take it from here," Reittan said as calmly as possible. "Just get him to the brig."
 +
 +The security officers nodded and began leading their prisoner out of the room to his cell.
 +
 +Reisan began shaking uncontrollably. "He was in my head," was all she could say as she rocked back and forth. The words made Reittan sick.
 +
 +"We are going to take you to sickbay," Reittan said as he tried to comfort her. "Can you walk?"
 +
 +She stared off into space still shaking, but her legs supported her as he placed her weight on them. Reittan walked all the way to sickbay with her, many times carrying her weight whenever her legs became shaky due to shock.
 +
 +
 +----
 +
 +
 +**Location: Captains ready room, USS Republic**
 +
 +Lieutenant Commander Tolkath looked at his Captain with anticipation in his eyes. Though he could have clearly read her thoughts on the matter, he did as he always had and respected her privacy, though her emotions emanated much caution.
 +
 +"This is highly unusual Counselor. Why is it that you want to look into the matter?" Kimberly Roth was sitting in her chair behind her desk; opposite the standing Counselor. Smoke was in her lap and had been resting lazily until the Lieutenant Commander had entered the room. He blinked and looked intently at the new visitor. Roth unconsciously stroked her pet as the Republic's Counselor continued.
 +
 +"Captain," he addressed his superior, "he is a good family friend. I also may be one of the few who could reach him, should his condition continue to deteriorate." The Counselor had been confused, to say the least, with his encounter with Talloc Morganth. Although they had been rivals as children, Talloc and Reittan had made amends years earlier; he now considered him nearly a brother. It made no sense to Tolkath, something was terribly wrong.
 +
 +"Explain." Roth pressed.
 +
 +"There was a man on Earth named Sigmund Freud who could explain this scenario best. Freud postulated that there were three main spheres of the psyche: the Id, the Ego, and the Super Ego. The Id is all about impulse and selfish desires, the Super Ego is all about rules and morals; constraint. The Ego is the bartering system between the Id and the Super Ego."
 +
 +"Yes, I am aware of Mister Freud."
 +
 +"To put it best, Morganth's Super Ego has become incapacitated, leaving him now acting impulsively. The Ego's intact, but without the other force to balance it out . . ."
 +
 +". . . he's running off pure instinct." The Captain finished his thought. "I see. But, why would you be one of the few who could face him?"
 +
 +"Because I have the training. People with my . . . sensitivity to telepathic energy are trained to block it out or deal with it, or they go insane." With the last statement Reittan's eyes reflected intense pain as he broke eye contact with the Captain; his gaze fell to the floor haunted by ghosts of his past.
 +
 +Kimberly had once heard of those who were overly sensitive to psioinic energy. Many were doomed to self-exile, and others would be driven insane by the maelstrom of energy.
 +
 +"Counselor, I am concerned with one thing. I heard about the exchange between you and Mister Morganth, the verbal exchange seemed quite heated."
 +
 +His most recent interactions with his old friend had not gone the way that Reittan had wished they had. "It is part of the reason I wanted to do this." Tolkath said repentantly. "I am ashamed of how I behaved and I need to find the truth."
 +
 +Kimberly Roth looked over the blue uniformed counselor. It didn't take an empath to know that his remorse was sincere. Smoke cocked his head and bleaked. "Yes, I agree with you Smoke. Counselor, I have talked it over with Lieutenant Beauvais. She is currently occupied with other concerns, but will look over your report, as will I. Is there anything you feel you may need?"
 +
 +What excitement had filled the eyes of the Counselor quickly drained and he looked as if he were being asked to sacrifice his friend on a prehistoric altar. "Yes, one other. I will need someone on the medical team to assist me. I am going to do a complete psycho-socio-bio report. But, my concerns are about the individual assisting me. Should he or she become angry while I am there due to telepathic side-effects of me working with Talloc, well . . . we know what Betaziods are capable of thanks to the Dominion War."
 +
 +"Do you think Mister Morganth is capable of being hostile or violent?"
 +
 +"I am not sure. This is the first time I have encountered a condition where the Super-Ego became this incapacitated, but if my hypothesis is correct, yes, he is completely impulsive..." Then Tolkath's voice trailed off as if he was talking to himself, "and there are no force fields we know of that psionic energy can't penetrate."
 +
 +Roth paused for a moment thinking of her crew's safety. The answer became evident. "Counselor, I suggest you use Doctor Harris on your team. I will arrange for you to escort Mister Morganth to Sickbay."
 +
 +Tolkath looked up at the Captain one eyebrow raised. "I haven't met Doctor Harris as of yet." Reittan had silently labeled her, 'the ghost doctor', as he was the one officer he hadn't been able to due an annual psych eval on.
 +
 +"You are dismissed."
 +
 +"Thank you, sir." The Counselor turned and began his journey through the bridge to the turbolift. As he approached the doors they gave way with a hiss, and the sounds from the bridge entered the previously quiet room.
 +
 +
 +----
 +
 +
 +**Location: Main corridor, deck 10, USS Republic**
 +
 +Reittan Tolkath was lost shaken from his thoughts as the turbo-lift he was in came to a halt, signaling the arrival of another passenger Republic's Counselor hardly noticed the red-headed Pediatrician enter the turbo lift. The doors closed behind her as she announced "Biology Lab."
 +
 +The voice startled the Tolkath as he sensed no emotion from the Doctor with him in the turbo-lift. He looked up to find the source of the voice only to be greeted by Doctor Harris.
 +
 +"Hello, Counselor," she began.
 +
 +Reittan paused, staring at the hologram standing before him, "Uh, hello Doctor Harris," he said absently. Tolkath's mind was racing trying to figure out why she showed no life force to him.
 +
 +"Is something bothering you, Counselor?" Shannon Harris offered. "I was an acting Counselor for a little while. I know how tough the job can be."
 +
 +Tolkath looked at her in astonishment. He looked at the obviously human form before him. Doctor Shannon Harris looked all too real, but as the empathic officer regarded her, for Tolkath, it was like looking at a well-animated puppet. His eyes told him she was there. He could even feel a bit of air being displaced by her presence, perhaps even some heat, but the parts of his brain that read emotion and thought in other beings, which would be impossible to ignore at this distance, told him that the space around him was empty.
 +
 +Tolkath took another long look at Doctor Harris, fixing his gaze on her eyes. "Forgive me, Doctor..." he said with an air of skepticism, "but, what exactly are you?"
 +
 +Shannon looked on, dumb-founded. "Excuse me?"
 +
 +"Again, I'm sorry to be so blunt, but, to my empathic senses..." Tolkath paused, taking a moment to try and focus on the other mind in the car that SHOULD have been there, but wasn't. "You're... not here."
 +
 +Shannon dropped her head with a soft chuckle. "Heh... I must be getting sloppy."
 +
 +"Come again?" The Counselor asked.
 +
 +"I'm an inter-active, autonomous hologram, Counselor."
 +
 +At one moment, Doctor Harris' answer seemed absurd, but at the same time, it answered more than a few questions. Like all Starfleet personnel, Reittan had spent more than a few hours in a holodeck. Sometimes it was for training or for casework. Other times it was purely personal. In all those times, he'd never been off-put by interaction with a hologram, the way he was now, but upon coming to that realization, it occurred to him that, while on the holodeck, he knew not to EXPECT any telepathic or emotional resonance. Logically then, it's absence would likely have gone unnoticed. Here however the expectation of at least getting a passive sense of Shannon Harris made the absence of that sensation all the more obvious. "Fascinating". He offered.
 +
 +"You are a holographic projection?" Reittan asked awkwardly, and then continued, "Why haven't we met until now?"
 +
 +"Until recently, I kept the nature of my existence a secret. But the captain has now given me permission to let the rest of the crew know... if they ask."
 +
 +"Oh, I see," the Counselor responded; still taken off guard. "It was kept secret... because you were worried that others may be discriminative towards you?"
 +
 +"Yes, that was part of it." Shannon replied.
 +
 +"How have people responded as they..." The Counselor paused mid- thought, and jumped back to the reason they were headed to the Brig. "Would you mind if we carried this conversation later? I would be interested in learning more about your situation."
 +
 +Shannon was slightly shocked by how the Lieutenant Commander was responding to the news, but attributed it to his line of duty. "I wouldn't mind, she answered.
 +
 +The Doctor and the Counselor had some things in common. The both knew more than people were willing to admit, or that they would try to hide. Yet, they respected others privacy; they both stayed as much as they could out of people's personal lives.
 +
 +Shannon looked at the level read-out, near the lift car's door. "You're headed to the brig?" Shannon asked.
 +
 +"Yes," Tolkath answered. "An unusual case, actually."
 +
 +"Does this ship have any other kind?"
 +
 +With a chuckle, the Counselor continued. "I suppose not." For a moment, the empath paused. "Actually, you might be of some use. Assuming I can take you away from whatever you're up to at the moment?"
 +
 +Shannon tilted her head and raised her left eyebrow. "You've got my attention Tolkath." She answered. "My bio-cultures can wait. What's your case?"
 +
 +"A friend of mine, actually. A man I've known for years. Morganth is his name. He's a civilian contractor, at least according to his computer file, but I must confess I had no idea he was on board, and less of a clue why he assaulted one of my colleagues."
 +
 +"Lieutenant Xera Reisan." Shannon confirmed. "Teague checked her out. She's resting comfortably... Unless there's been some sort of change?"
 +
 +"How did you...?"
 +
 +Shannon tapped her temple with a smile. "One advantage of being a hologram. I'm literally PART of the computer. I can access anything it knows, with a little effort."
 +
 +"Well then, I am glad you are here, and that you are immune to our psionic capabilities. We may need that," the Counselor said.
 +
 +"Do you have any idea what is happening to your friend?" Shannon asked.
 +
 +"Regrettably, no. That is why I need you to do a complete medical work-up on him."
 +
 +Shannon nodded. She saw the pain in the Counselor's eyes.
 +
 +The turbo lift halted and the door opened to the corridor leading to the brig. The two walked in silence and the doors opened with a soft hiss, opening the way to the cells. As soon as the duty officers saw Tolkath and Doctor Harris enter the room, the gold-clad security men opened the heavy servo-locked doors that lead to the brig's interior.
 +
 +Once inside, effectively isolated from the rest of the ship, the two stopped, taking stock of their surroundings.
 +
 +From inside the brig's only occupied cell, Morganth noticed Reittan and telepathically shouted, 'YOU DID THIS TO ME!'
 +
 +Reittan suddenly felt the barrage of psionic energy crashing down on his body. His body shook and started to collapse for a brief moment under the weight of the attack. Shannon noticed the Counselor weaken and steadied him by putting her arm around him. It took a moment for Tolkath to recover and put his training in to play. Though he could feel the pressure of the attack, the pain had subsided.
 +
 +"Thank you," he said to Shannon as his strength returned and he stood upright.
 +
 +"No worries," Shannon answered in her familiar Australian accent.
 +
 +Morganth looked at Reittan with pure hate emanating from him. "If you don't release me, I will hurt your friend."
 +
 +Reittan half-smiled and suddenly the weight no longer was there. The Lieutenant Commander had learned his lesson from entering the room unprepared. He leaned on Harris a moment longer, mustered his concentration, and focused his defenses into place.
 +
 +Morganth stared at Shannon ferociously.
 +
 +"You can't hurt her. She's immune to psionic energy."
 +
 +Morganth shouted in frustration. 'Fine,' he answered silently. 'If I can't hurt her, I'll find someone else,' he threatened telepathically. "This is an awfully crowded ship." He added the last rejoinder aloud... apparently for the female officer's benefit.
 +
 +In the Brig's foyer, one of the duty officers doubled over and collapsed in pain. His partner acted quickly to sound the security alert.
 +
 +"I don't even need to see anyone anymore. Face it Rei-Rei. I'm better than you."
 +
 +Reacting to the security alert, Shannon Harris shifted her concentration to the web of information constantly flowing to and from the ship's computer. She slipped in between bio-neural impulses and accessed the combadge network.
 +
 +"Petty Officer Rolands. Alpha Centauran." She said matter of factly. "He's having some sort of aneurism, I think!"
 +
 +Reittan warned Morganth calmly, "Stop... or I will stop you."
 +
 +The prisoner laughed outloud and exclaimed audibly. "How are you going to do that, Rei-Rei the crazy guy?"
 +
 +Reittan produced a hypospray. Hyposprays had been used before to incapacitate, but where the Counselor had obtained it, Shannon didn't know. She assumed it was a psychiatric drug authorized for the psychology department.
 +
 +As Tolkath walked slowly towards the force field, he began to feel the weight of the onslaught again. "Good," he said to his attacker, "focus on me... I can handle it."
 +
 +When Reittan began to take on the attack, Rolands regained his composure. Reittan used his medical override code to lower the force field, then to raise it after he had entered the cell.
 +
 +Shannon looked on, puzzled by the Counselor's actions. She could only assume that the Counselor's hypo-spray contained a powerful sedative. Something to end Morganth's psionic rampage.
 +
 +As he entered, Reittan's one time friend intensified the attack. With hypo-spray in hand, the Counselor inched towards his current attacker. Morganth lunged at the Counselor, but Tolkath was quicker. Mid-lunge the Counselor pressed the hypospray to Morganth's neck and the hiss of it sounded in the room.
 +
 +Shannon was puzzled when the assailant did not lose consciousness. The prisoner suddenly went pale and looked bewildered.
 +
 +"What have you done to me?" he asked in horror as he sank to the floor.
 +
 +Reittan looked down at the empty container in his hand and all he could do was apologize. Turning back, he again used his code to lower the security field, exit the cell, and look back at his one-time-friend as the bluish field snapped back into place.
 +
 +Doctor Harris looked at the Counselor. She had seen the look before on doctors who had just informed their patient's family that their loved one was going to die. She didn't understand what was happening. The once angry, violent prisoner was beginning to weep.
 +
 +For Morganth, the once buzzing world surrounding him had gone deafeningly silent. He felt empty loneliness in a way that had only been nightmares during his youth.
 +
 +"We can take him to sickbay now," Reittan stated hollowly, "He won't be a problem to anyone else for the moment."
 +
 +"We're not taking him anywhere NEAR any other patients until you tell me what was in that hypo-spray."
 +
 +Reittan took a deep breath and answered the Pediatrician. "It's a compound that inhibits the production of Psilosynine, the main neurotransmitter in psionic energy." He continued, "This specific one will continue to work indefinitely until the 'antidote' is applied. It comes as a heavy price though. We only have a short time before the effects of the drug, the silence, can have a profound psychological effect."
 +
 +"Isn't there something else that could have been used? Perhaps you could have made him unconscious?" Shannon inquired.
 +
 +"No, I have thought this through. I need him to answer questions. Hopefully the bio-scans will show something."
 +
 +"Won't the inhibitor affect the brain scan?"
 +
 +Reittan involuntarily twitched at the word "inhibitor", explaining how exactly the bio-scans would show nothing out of the ordinary.
 +
 +Shannon noted the unusual authority in his voice that a seasoned expert would display. It was as strange to her, as it was the rest of the crew, to see someone who looked Vulcan expressing emotion. Especially pride.
 +
 +Reittan was remorseful as the pair made their way to sickbay. At one point he tried to put his arm around the prisoner's shoulders consolingly, only to have the prisoner jerk away. Tolkath understood the prisoner's anger and resentment, but it was for his, Morganth's, and the crew's safety that the intervention had been taken.
 +
 +
 +----
 +
 +
 +**Location: Sickbay, deck 12, USS Republic**
 +
 +Upon reaching sickbay, Reittan walked to the side as Shannon took the prisoner to the medical bed. She could see pure fear in his eyes; so child-like.
 +
 +Now in Sickbay, Shannon felt back in her element. She looked to the duty station and found the somewhat confused face of Saal Yezbeck.
 +
 +"Hey Shannon. Counselor," he welcomed the new arrivals. "Why do I get the feeling this has something to do with the security alert a minute ago?"
 +
 +"Can't get anything past you Saal." Shannon smiled. "I'll need a hand with a full neural scan." She turned to face Tolkath. "If you would, Counselor?"
 +
 +"This man is... or rather, WAS a dangerous psionic. I've administered an inhibitor to block his powers, so there is no danger, but I need to know what caused his illness."
 +
 +"Illness?" Saal asked as he readied the diagnostic probes that would adhere to Morganth's temples. "How do you mean?"
 +
 +"He's had some sort of psychotic breakdown," Tolkath explained, "but I would like to know the reason why. He was... He is, a friend of mine."
 +
 +Saal nodded solemnly. "Right. Let's get you a look then."
 +
 +In moments, Saal had refined the scans of the bio-bed to Morganth's brain. The scan, repeated on a large diagnostic board mounted on the room's near wall. The picture showed not only several views of the patient's physical health, but also showed the areas of his brain that were currently active. Saal visibly winced as the scan showed the `dead area of Morganth's frontal lobe, rendered dormant by Tolkath's hypo-spray.
 +
 +"Now... let's see if we can tell what's..." Saal's voice trailed off.
 +
 +Next to the diagnostic bed, Tolkath looked at Shannon. "So, what's it like?" he asked simply.
 +
 +"Sorry?" Shannon asked.
 +
 +"You're a singular being onboard Republic, Doctor." He explained. "And if rumors are true, you and Commander Carter are... involved?" Shannon smiled at the thought of John, then looked back at Tolkath. "You want to have this conversation now?" she asked. "Shouldn't I make an appointment or something?"
 +
 +"Do you think you need an appointment?"
 +
 +"No."
 +
 +"Why not?"
 +
 +"Stop that!" Shannon chided. "Stop answering questions with questions. It's... unnerving."
 +
 +"It makes you anxious? Really?" Tolkath thought outloud. "I'm sorry. It's just that usually when I ask a question like that I already have a pretty good idea of the answer. This really is interesting."
 +
 +"Fair enough," Shannon offered. She crossed her arms in front of her and paused in thought. "I suppose it's like being inside a novel, except... if I really want to, I can be anywhere on the ship. I don't have to follow just one plot. That is... if I don't want to."
 +
 +"And, Commander Carter? I assume he knows?" Tolkath asked.
 +
 +"Damned right he does," Harris answered defensively. "He was the first one to figure it out after I did."
 +
 +"Wait..." Tolkath looked shocked. "You didn't know what you were? Really? For how long?"
 +
 +Shannon shook her head. "Not a clue. I remember waking up in my quarters when Republic was in dry dock after her first re-commissioning. Then, for the next year or so, I just thought I was one of the crew. I was born in Australia. I survived the Borg attack on Earth. I joined Starfleet just after the Dominion War."
 +
 +"You did? Or Shannon Harris did?" Tolkath questioned.
 +
 +"What?" Shannon was again confused.
 +
 +"Your background," Tolkath continued, his voice filled with warmth and curiosity. "Is your history purely fictional? Or were you modeled on a... and forgive me for this, 'real' Shannon Harris?"
 +
 +For a moment, Republic's pediatrician stood. Unsure of what the answer really was.
 +
 +"Eureka!" Saal Yezbeck shouted. "I think I found it." There were a few short beeps from the console Saal was bent over, then the display they were all looking at shifted to show a multi-colored cross-section of Morganth's frontal lobe. "Look closely. Right here at the pre-frontal cortex." The image enlarged and intensified, showing the area of the patient's brain in fine detail.
 +
 +"It looks... smaller, dimmer." Tolkath offered.
 +
 +"Exactly." Saal confirmed. "I ran a full spectro-chemical analysis, and your friend's cortisone levels are off the charts, in a highly localized area."
 +
 +"He's allergic to something?" Shannon asked. "Or is this some kind of viral reaction?"
 +
 +Saal shook his head looking at the scan, then at Morganth's bewildered expression. "My money's on option one. If this were viral, some other parts of his physiology would be either agitated or suppressed. Since they're not..." Saal folded his arms across his chest, stroking his beard with one hand in a contemplative manner. "I'd be looking for some sort of agent or irritant that he might have been exposed to."
 +
 +Saal turned to look at Tolkath directly, but the Counselor was already out the door, bolting down the corridor.
 +
 +
 +----
 +
 +
 +**Location: Talloc Morganth’s assigned guest quarters, USS Republic**
 +
 +Reittan entered his friend’s quarters cautiously; the lights were dimmer in the room than in the corridor. As his eyes adjusted to the darker environment, he scanned the room and noticed the quarters were in complete disarray; furniture was turned over and clothing was strewn across the room leaving the abode in utter chaos.
 +
 +Reittan spied a PADD walked over to the tablet shaped object that had been left in the mess. With a couple of quick taps to the PADD it came to life then flickered and faded, then came to life again.
 +
 +Counselor Tolkath began scanning the PADD with interest. With his access code over-ride he was able to access Morganth's personal entries since the day the Republic had left Deep Space Nine abruptly to five days ago when they had suddenly ceased. Looking over the information, he gathered up the PADD, and righted an overturned table. Reaching for a stool that lay nearby, the Counselor placed the tablet shaped object on the table top. Tolkath had learned that even the smallest detail could lead to the correct answer to the current conundrum, so he began reading the journal entries from the beginning.
 +
 +Morganth's voice filled Tolkath's mind, //"Day one aboard the USS Republic. I am not sure why I have been detained aboard this vessel; it was a very abrupt emergency departure. The day started out very nicely, the Tolkath's were gracious enough to allow me to come aboard the ship with them to see Reittan. It will be good to see him again. However, on our way to the Counseling Center, I gazed on one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Her eyes, the way she carried herself made me feel like a boy back in Betazed when I had the crush on Jemma in the second grade."//
 +
 +Reittan looked up and laughed in spite of himself; Morganth had been definitely love struck with her.
 +
 +Morganth's log continued. //"I lost track of time because we were having a pleasant conversation, then everything erupted. I didn't have time to get off the ship. I can only hope Reittan's family will inform my family about what has happened, because we have been put on radio silence. . ."// Morganth's voice continued onward, but that information had answered why Tolkath's friend was aboard the ship; to see him.
 +
 +Morganth's log continued onward with daily events, and meetings with the Lieutenant Xera Reisan, and his infatuation with her. Their voyage had also allowed him sometime, while the Lieutenant was on duty, to engage in his favorite past time; botany.
 +
 +Reittan remembered that Talloc was always, even as a child, engrossed with some type of plant and with his talent had resurrected much vegetation. Everyone thought that he would become a great botanist, but that dream took second to his current occupation.
 +
 +Reittan glanced around the chaotic room and saw Morganth's latest creation laying on the floor; Talloc often manipulated plant DNA and its subatomic structure to create new plant varieties. Through his doctoring of the plant's sub cellular makeup he was able to create many wonderful new classifications of plants that had the ability to propagate themselves; many types of these "engineered" plants lost the ability to reproduce with their inception. On Betazed, many people frowned on the genetic manipulation of plants, in favor of holistic or "natural" varieties.
 +
 +Tolkath reached out and grabbed the plant's container. He then attempted to steady the plant with his opposite hand only to be pricked by one of the magnificent purple thorns. Reittan jerked back his hand instinctively, but maintained his grip on the pot-like structure with the other. Tolkath placed the plant down and examined the wound. A purple thorn protruded from the wound, after removing the thorn, a drop of blood formed over the puncture wound and Reittan absent-mindedly stuck the wounded finger in his mouth.
 +
 +Tolkath decided he had seen enough for today and was going to take the PADD back to his office to re-process the journal logs, when he noticed that he was starting to get a headache. Instinctively he thought of ignoring the pain, but his gut reaction that had served him very well in the past, suggested that he go to sickbay. Tolkath didn't recall how he got there, but the thorn lay in the palm of his hand as the Counselor entered sickbay.
 +
 +Doctor Harris was the first to meet him. Her demeanor changed from pleasant to a worried expression on her face. "Counselor?" She already knew part of the answer to the question she was going to ask, as the Counselor's biorhythms were abnormal.
 +
 +"I have a slight headache," Reittan began, but then concluded. "It's getting worse, but strangely euphoric."
 +
 +Then Tolkath started noticing that his ability to think logically was beginning to get greatly inhibited. With one last push of thought, the answer became evident.
 +
 +The thorn.
 +
 +As the realization dawned on him, he quickly thrusted the thorn towards Doctor Harris, then blacked out.
 +
 +Already tapped into the computer's sensor system, Shannon had previously had called for assistance for the ailing Counselor, and had him placed on a biobed. Medical bay suddenly came to life with medical personnel surrounding the bed where Reittan lay.
 +
 +The sensors displayed what Doctor Harris had feared: cortisone levels elevated and were continuing on to reach toxic levels.
 +
 +"I need a hypospray of corticotropin! Stat!" Shannon commanded in her Australian accent to the attending nurse. A hypospray appeared and Shannon quickly calculated the necessary dosage. Pressing the hypospray to the Counselor's neck, it hissed and the battle over Tolkath's cortisone levels began. "Make sure to watch the amount of copper-levels in his blood . . . he is part Vulcan after all. It should give us another indicator as to what is happening."
 +
 +Regulating the cortisol levels was just buying time while the deeper roots to the problem could be solved. Shannon gave orders to the frequency and dosage of the hypospray to be administered, then left with the brilliant purple thorn in her hand.
 +
 +Shannon stared at the thorn, studying it using all of the sensors available in Medical Bay. She then cross-referenced all material available to her aboard the Republic and in the Starfleet database; a pattern emerged.
 +
 +
 +----
 +
 +
 +Leon looked at Doctor Harris, fascinated by the implications of this purple thorn's 'magic'. "It's comparable to an allergic reaction of the brain?"
 +
 +"Exactly. Instead of a histamine reaction, it's cortisol. The counselor is doing fine now and has returned to his quarters, despite his protests to remain with his friend. The only reason we can think of that Talloc has had as much damage to his brain as he did is because of his constant contact with the plant; which has been put under quarantine."
 +
 +Leon scratched his chin as he listened to Doctor Harris' report.
 +
 +"Doctor Ryda has begun repair on the myelin sheathing in Mister Morganth's brain. There has been a lot of damage, but the process looks promising. He'll be out of surgery within an hour."
 +
 +
 +----
 +
 +
 +Morganth was alone with Reittan in his section of sickbay. Tolkath looked at his friend pitifully.
 +
 +"I don't look that bad, do I?" Talloc verbally asked, half-smiling while laying in his bed. Morganth's pre-frontal cortex still lay hauntingly black on the bio-screen above him. The Lieutenant Commander couldn't take his eyes off of the darkened image.
 +
 +Morganth had been in a medically induced coma for the past few days while the effects of the surgery were being studied. He had been awake only fifteen minutes when his Counselor-friend had arrived. (Reittan would have been the moment he was awakened, except one of the officers with a histrionic personality had hindered his progress.) All of the bio scans and cognitive functioning batteries appeared normal; only some problems with short term memory.
 +
 +"Reittan," Morganth began with a new-found empathy for his friend, "Was it like this every time for you? Deafeningly silent? Empty? A holographic program? Icily still?"
 +
 +Reittan looked at Talloc and nodded in affirmation. "But it beat the madness . . . I guess." The emotional scars of years past flickered in the Counselor's eyes briefly, then were gone.
 +
 +Doctor Harris came to Morganth's bedside and pulled out a hypospray from her pocket. It was the final neurological stimulant that needed to be applied in order to restore his telepathic abilities following the surgery.
 +
 +"Are you ready?" she asked Morganth Talloc.
 +
 +"Very." came his reply.
 +
 +Shannon pressed the hypospray to his neck. With a hiss, a warm blanket of noise and life entered Talloc's mind. Morganth looked at his Doctor and a puzzled look appeared on his face.
 +
 +"Uh Reittan,. . . I'm not sure that stuff is working right. . ."
 +
 +Reittan looked at his friend in confusion for a moment, but as he realized that he and Morganth were the only two full telepaths on the ship, he smiled in amusement.
 +
 +"Morganth," the counselor motioned towards Shannon. "Meet Doctor Harris. Republic's sentient, autonomous, and fully-commissioned holographic physician."
  
 ---- ----
 <BOOKMARK:Chapter36> <BOOKMARK:Chapter36>
 <fs x-large>**Chapter 36: A Fighting Chance to Live**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:walking_wounded#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\  <fs x-large>**Chapter 36: A Fighting Chance to Live**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:walking_wounded#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\ 
 +**Location: Holodeck two, deck 10, USS Republic**
 +
 +Leon walked through the doors into a well-furnished, albeit dimly lit room that appeared to be a comfortable living space. The ivory-colored carpet matched the off-white walls, and as he perused the various accouterments, took note of the hanging décor that sported objects from Earth's renaissance and colonial eras such as flintlock pistols, spring-wound clocks, and models of old, wooden sailing vessels. A shelving unit just inside the foyer was a tall, wide diamond-shaped unit of brass and glass, and exhibited several items of antiquity. To Leon's right, two empty cushioned lounge chairs faced a marble fireplace on the opposite wall, separated only by a small end table. To his left, a huge, panoramic window presented an unparalleled view of the evening San Francisco skyline. Leon watched in the distance as a lighted external elevator slowly rose to the top floor of a building that was easily 200 stories tall.
 +
 +Quietly, a man came strolling into the room from the direction of the fireplace. At first, he did not pay attention to Leon, as he seemed engrossed in a quaint, leather-bound. The individual wasn't very tall, and in fact, was about the same height as Leon. Although he was wide around the waist, he wasn't stout, and carried his extra weight well. With a mop of curly brown and gray hair, his face was clean-shaven, and he wore a pair of ancient rectangular spectacles that accentuated the wrinkles around his eyes.
 +
 +"Aren't you a little old for a cadet?" the hologram finally noticed Leon. He asked the question matter-of-factly, peering past the cover of his book, and over the top brim of his gold-framed glasses. The image was that of a Starfleet officer in the old maroon, wrap-around tunic of yesteryear, complete with the black trousers and boots standard with most uniforms. While the right shoulder strap bore the rank insignia of captain, the breast flap was partially open to reveal a buff-white liner; a telltale sign that the officer was off duty. Judging from the ribbed turtleneck collar, Leon guessed the uniform was from the late 23rd century era.
 +
 +"Excuse me?" Leon asked the holographic captain with confusion.
 +
 +With pursed lips, the officer closed his book, and seemed slightly annoyed at Leon's arrival. Yet, he also acted as if the doctor's presence was completely normal; as if he were expecting it. "I assume that you're another one of Carter's promising fourth-years with 'potential'?" Without waiting for an answer, the captain placed the closed book on the edge of a coffee table and proceeded to stroll across the room towards the wall adjacent to the window. There, he reached into a small wooden cabinet set atop a shelf.
 +
 +"One thing I like about the way he programmed my apartment is the randomness of the liquor cabinet," he commented. "Let's see . . ." Fumbling inside the storage compartment, the man produced a long-necked bottle with a slight curve to its muzzle. Inspecting the liquid within, the aged officer smiled with amusement and looked back to Leon. "Saurian Brandy!" he announced while collecting a pair of crystal drinking vessels from the shelf below. "It beats the Klingon blood wine that was here when that fellow in the bathrobe stopped by recently." Filling the two glasses with a dark green liquid, the man put away the flask and offered one of the drinks to Leon.
 +
 +The doctor accepted. Sniffing the glass before sipping, the aroma was rich and distilled, and although it had a slightly bitter overtone (Leon's tongue could always taste the chemical artifacts from the ship's food synthesizer), the concoction went down smooth, and warmed his stomach.
 +
 +"Not bad for a computer," remarked the Starfleet captain, enjoying his own glass. "Every now and then, it gets it right."
 +
 +As the two stood in the center of the posh den, Leon couldn't help but ask the evident question. "Who are you?"
 +
 +"James T. Kirk," the hologram replied expectantly. "Former captain of the Enterprise-A."
 +
 +Leon squinted at the hologram with both puzzlement and surprise. THIS was Kirk? The legend of the alpha quadrant? The most prominent of starship commanders that had been so idolized in every Starfleet historical text?
 +
 +Recognizing Leon's confused expression, the captain pursed his lips again, not in annoyance this time, but more with resignation to the obvious. "I'm not what you expected, am I?"
 +
 +"Um," Leon wasn't sure whether to admit as such, as there was hesitation on his part to insult a renowned historical figure. "Not really," he finally admitted. In fact, this hologram looked nothing like the images he had seen in the media. Not only had Leon assumed Kirk to be taller, but also leaner, younger-looking, and much more robust. The computerized facsimile before him was none of these, and seemed to lack the energy and charismatic appeal highlighted elsewhere. It was hard to imagine that this hologram imbued Kirk's legendary persona in what appeared to be a typical, stodgy Starfleet officer.
 +
 +Kirk huffed with irony. "That's roughly what Nat Hawk said to me. Do you know how many self-aware Jim Kirk holographic programs exist out there?" the captain asked.
 +
 +"Not a clue."
 +
 +"Over forty-five thousand," he responded with emphasis. "Most are montages of my early career. Back when I was supposedly bold and endearing," he swept his hand through the air while holding his glass steady in the other hand. His words came forth not with proud grace, but with lackluster appeal and a touch of sarcasm. "Only a fraction actually show how it really was before I died," he looked upwards, pointing around the room. "No dramatic battles, no dashing adventures . . . just this." Kirk sighed, observing his apartment with tired eyes. "Alone, and as a friend once pointed out, slowing turning into one of these antiques I so cherish."
 +
 +Taking a sip from his drink, Kirk casually began walking towards the two empty chairs by the fireplace. "Well, go ahead. Ask."
 +
 +"Ask what?"
 +
 +"What every cadet that John Carter sends here asks, of course," he motioned for the Doctor to have a seat in one of the recliners.
 +
 +"I don't understand," Leon commented while watching Kirk flop into his own cushioned seat. Realizing that the captain could have cared less whether he stood or sat, the Republic's CMO decided to sit down in the adjoining chair on the other side of the end table. He looked uncomfortable, but it was more a matter of his state of mind rather than the quality of the furniture.
 +
 +"You've been running the Kobyashi Maru scenario, correct?"
 +
 +"Um, yes." The doctor paused with slight embarrassment, not wanting to reveal that it had actually been several weeks since he last tried the program.
 +
 +"And you've just completed your fifth try, which ended in failure?"
 +
 +"Why do you ask?" he replied to the question, nervously taking a sip from his cup. In fact, he had not run the Kobyashi Maru more than three times since John had given it to him, each session ending in a catastrophic explosion. With frustration, Leon had given up on the computer program, and never gave it another thought.
 +
 +"Because," Kirk explained. "Any cadet who runs through the Kobyashi Maru scenario five or more times is obviously having difficulty with the concept of the test."
 +
 +Leon froze at the statement. He suddenly realized why John was so angry with him. Up until their discussion in the corridor a few minutes ago, it was John's impression that Leon had already encountered the Jim Kirk program via the Kobyashi Maru. The fact that the holographic Kirk thought the same thing led Leon to realize that John had suspected this shortfall, and may have been the reason he gave him a second chance at the bridge officer's test just now. The question then came to mind why Nat Hawk had been running this program is anyone's guess, but it certainly explained why he looked so much more relaxed afterwards, and why he suggested that Leon give it a try.
 +
 +Leon swallowed a sip of brandy very slowly, hoping to draw attention away from his shortfall about the Kobyashi Maru, and choosing to answer Kirk with information that John Carter had already offered him. "I've been told that it's a test of character."
 +
 +Kirk's look of annoyance returned, and he almost looked insulted for a moment. "As the senior officer here, I believe that's *my* line," he scolded.
 +
 +Leon clearly looked much more uncomfortable at his response.
 +
 +Kirk ignored it. "Do you know why Carter programmed me?"
 +
 +"For entertainment purposes, I assume."
 +
 +"Entertainment?" he echoed incredulously. "My good man, do you have any idea how long Carter and I have known each other?"
 +
 +"No."
 +
 +"Eleven years. He first programmed me from my Starfleet personnel file when he was a freshman at the academy. By the time he graduated, he had logged almost 200 hours with me, studying at that table right over there." Kirk pointed to a small desk in the corner of the room.
 +
 +Leon suddenly realized why John was so ready to accept Shannon as a real person: His academy mentor was a hologram.
 +
 +"After the academy, he took my program with him to every posting and ship that had a holodeck. Every time he needed someone to bounce ideas off of, or mull over difficult decisions, he'd be in here. Some assignments had him consulting me almost every night. Especially after being aboard the Devonshire . . . did he ever talk to you about the Devonshire?"
 +
 +Leon shook his head. "There are lots of things about his life that John Carter doesn't tell me."
 +
 +"Eventually, his visits tapered off to where months went by before he would drop by again," Kirk continued musing. "Then one day, he became an instructor at the academy. My role soon became that of a mentor to whatever student he felt needed to meet me. Finally, he linked my program with the Kobyashi Maru scenario, automatically activating it when a user replayed the scenario five times."
 +
 +Again, Leon felt embarrassed by the realization that he failed to follow John's advice and run the Kobyashi Maru as often as he could. "When was the last time you saw him?" he chose to change the subject.
 +
 +"Who? Carter?" Kirk asked, as Leon's question brought the hologram's mind back to present day. "Well, since Mister Hawk stopped by to see me last night, the last time my program was activated was several months ago. Carter came in here asking about how I dealt with the Gorns on Cestus Three. He didn't elaborate on why he wanted to know, though."
 +
 +"Well?" Leon replied, previously unaware that Kirk possessed a link to his homeworld's history. "How did you deal with them?"
 +
 +Kirk waved his hand. "Never mind that," he dismissed. "Ask Carter if you're so interested about that. What we need to be discussing at the moment is how you did on the Kobyashi Maru."
 +
 +Leon sulkily leaned back into his chair.
 +
 +"I realize that you must not be too happy with your performance, and let me tell you, I've never met a cadet that hasn't."
 +
 +"And why is that?" Leon mumbled, more detached than ever. Listening to the rambling thoughts of an old man - even a legendary one - wasn't his idea of a fun or interesting time in the holodeck.
 +
 +"Because," Kirk explained. "The test wasn't designed to see if you could win the combat, it was designed to see if you could handle the rigors of command. How you tackle a no-win scenario tells a lot about how a cadet will react in a similar real-life situation."
 +
 +"I'm *not* a cadet!" Leon blurted out before he realized it. The animosity of being treated as a young student instead of a seasoned adult was eating at Leon, but as soon as he protested, he suddenly wished he hadn't. Kirk's eyes were uncomfortably fixed on the doctor after the outburst, and as the hologram scrutinized him over the brim of his glasses, Leon sunk back into the upholstered padding of the chair in embarrassment.
 +
 +"So then, why are you still here?" Kirk finally asked.
 +
 +"Because a year ago, some damned Starfleet admiral pulled me out of my civilian career to make me an officer! That's why!"
 +
 +"Seems I've had this conversation before," he commented sourly just as he took another sip from his glass. "So . . . you took the test - perhaps several times - and discovered that you were unable to resolve the situation."
 +
 +"You could say that," the doctor replied, still looking rather uncomfortable to admit his shortcomings.
 +
 +"And you're not happy with your performance?" Kirk continued his line of questioning while taking a seat in the other chair parallel to Leon's. The orange dancing light from the fire reflected off his spectacles.
 +
 +"Something like that," Leon admitted, taking another swig from his drink.
 +
 +"And why not?"
 +
 +Leon was taken slightly by surprise. "Why do you think?" he blurted out again. "The ship kept getting destroyed, no matter what I did. As a starship commander, I'm really pathetic."
 +
 +Kirk looked towards Leon with a blank stare. If he was displeased at the doctor's tone, he did not show it. "What is it that you do on board the Republic again?"
 +
 +"I'm a doctor."
 +
 +"Ah," the captain replied, turning back to the fire with an expression of comprehension. "I've known several doctors throughout my time in Starfleet. Not many of them would have cut it in the captain's chair."
 +
 +"Now you see my problem."
 +
 +At that, Kirk looked back at him with the same blank stare, hiding whatever emotion he had behind his renowned poker face. "Problem?" he asked emphatically. "You think that NOT being in the captain's seat is a problem? Have you ANY idea of the responsibility involved in commanding a starship?"
 +
 +"Of course I do!"
 +
 +"No, I don't think you do," Kirk returned to watching the lit fireplace. "The doctors that I knew wouldn't have made good captains because they didn't WANT to be captains. Their command over a starship extended from being able to tell the captain what they thought on a moments notice. Always adding their emotional opinion unimpeded by the chain-of-command, and often insubordinate in their attitude."
 +
 +"Are you saying I'm too insubordinate to command a starship?"
 +
 +"What I'm saying," he emphasized. "Is that a doctor can get away with speaking their mind, often without consequences, because more often than not, they're looking out for the welfare of the crew. Good starship captains realize that. In the heat of battle, they often lose touch with the fact that their crewmembers are human beings with limitations, especially if they're focused on thinking tactically. The ship's doctor reminds them to stop what they're doing for a moment, and to think how their next command might affect the crew."
 +
 +"How does that affect whether or not a doctor can command a starship?"
 +
 +"Simple. It has to do with their point of view."
 +
 +"I don't understand."
 +
 +"If a doctor spends most of their time thinking about only the crew, then they lose touch with what's happening outside the ship."
 +
 +"Or with it," Leon whispered in thought, the gears beginning to turn in his head.
 +
 +"Absolutely," Kirk answered. "I remember this one time when my entire crew was infected with a behavior-altering virus that caused anyone infected to act as if they were intoxicated. One infected officer had actually locked himself in engineering and shut down the ship's engines while we were attempting to maintain orbit around a planet with an unstable core. If I had lost my objectivity and continued to chase down and reprimand every crewman that had misbehaved, my chief engineer and I wouldn't have been able to regain control of the ship. Our orbit would have decayed, and everyone would have died."
 +
 +"Well, that's easy for the immortal Captain Kirk," Leon exclaimed. "Your entire career was about how you escaped from the jaws of death, and turned situations around to give them a more favorable outcome."
 +
 +"You're wrong. I didn't turn them around. Not without paying for it. Usually, I had to sacrifice something in order to get the outcome I wanted. And maybe that's my point: You *have* to sacrifice something." Kirk emphasized the last four words of the sentence by nodding his head in rhythm to the words. "And it can't be just anything either," he added. "It has to be something of extreme significance. *That* was what the Kobyashi Maru program taught me. Only I learned it's lesson later in life; decades afterward in fact. When I originally took the test, I sacrificed my integrity to beat the no win scenario. I cheated. I was the only cadet to actually have *won* because I reprogrammed the computer. I missed the entire purpose of the test . . . at first. But the truth was that I paid for it later in life."
 +
 +"What do you mean?"
 +
 +"Most of the time it wasn't *me* making the sacrifice," Kirk explained. "Sure, I may have orchestrated the outcome, but each time I turned a situation around and was supposedly victorious, someone else paid for it, even though I didn't know it at the time. Later on, the sacrifices became more personal. Decker . . . Spock . . . my ship . . . even my own son. Each of them had paid for my victories. It wasn't until after the Khitomer Conference when I read the casualty lists for the Enterprise and the Excelsior that I realized how many had died before we could turn the situation around. After that, I came to understand that the no-win scenario truly could not be beaten. If I cheated death, someone else had to die. *That* was the order of things . . . *That* was the lesson of the Kobyashi Maru."
 +
 +Although Kirk hadn't realized it, Leon had stopped drinking. His half-empty glass was sitting in his folded hands as he stared into the fire, hanging on every word that Kirk spoke. Leon finally found the magic and appeal of this particular holographic program, and why Nat found it so important for him to run it. With a look of comprehension on his face, the doctor abruptly set his glass down on the table next to him, and got up from the chair.
 +
 +"Was it something I said?" Kirk asked with surprise, glancing towards Leon as he marched towards the door.
 +
 +"Yes," Leon explained. "But don't worry, it was all helpful."
 +
 +"Glad I could do something for you," the hologram replied, turning back towards the fireplace before adding one last sentence over his shoulder. "Do me a favor and tell Carter to stop by more than once a year, will you?"
 +
 +"No problem," Leon replied over the grinding sound of the opening holodeck doors. "And thanks."
 +
 +"Just doing my job," Kirk replied nonchalantly as he leaned over to reclaim his leather-bound book from the coffee table.
  
 ---- ----
 <BOOKMARK:Chapter37> <BOOKMARK:Chapter37>
 <fs x-large>**Chapter 37: Interludes**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:walking_wounded#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\  <fs x-large>**Chapter 37: Interludes**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:walking_wounded#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\ 
 +**Location: Somewhere in the Delta Quadrant**
 +
 +Fierce wind whipped across the rocky plains of the primitive looking settlement as a cloaked figure glanced into a fiercely burning binary sky. "Damn." The cloaked figure hissed at the bright blue star just rising over the jagged mountain peaks in the distant. "Blue moon's blood," he whispered. Then he ducked into the shadows of a rough hewn cut-out in the side of a small rock hill.
 +
 +Hidden from view, the figure rapped twice quickly, then once again after a longer pause. After a moment, the rock face he was pressed against pushed in and then slid away with a heavy, low, grind. Stepping quickly into the revealed opening, the cloaked stranger wound his way down a spiraling path deep into the bedrock of the planet. The flickering light of torches lit his way, but the figure slowed his pace, still firmly aware that he could still slip and break his neck.
 +
 +Stepping gingerly down the path, he wound his way to the bottom, where a cavern opened up. As he stepped in, he bowed his head, six other assembled figures turned with surprise to look at him. Each of the beings in the cave were humanoid, save for the large pupil-less eyes, and the ranges of blue skin that were now visible in the dim light.
 +
 +Three males and three females were already present; each wearing little more than silken wraps serving as loin clothes. The females wore similar coverings on their chests, though, considering the diaphanous nature of the fabric, these additional coverings were clearly ceremonial. Small pieces of metal and polished stones also served as ornaments and symbols of station; worn both on the body and worked into the hair, which all assembled persons tended to wear long.
 +
 +Like other natives of desert worlds, the blue-skinned inhabitants of this planet also had ears that crested into graceful points, lending a truly alien appearance to their otherwise familiar builds.
 +
 +At the head of the cavern, an older male looked across the assembled crowd. "Now that we're all here..." he said with a scowl, directed at the late-comer. "My friends", he stretched out his arms, as if embracing the crowd. "For years now we have lived under dangerous skies. Our enemy lives in the air, and has forced us to scurry like vermin into caves and hiding places. We have tried to appease, tried to negotiate," he turned his attention to a female in the crowd who, unlike her fellows was armed with a scimitar style weapon worn low on her hip. "Some of us have even tried to fight."
 +
 +The older speaker turned his attention to a large, covered object behind him that was draped in the darkness of the cave. "Our faith in the Mother and Father who watch over our world has finally been rewarded. I have devised a means to communicate DIRECTLY with our gods, and, using the finest science my and many other brains could muster, I am confident that our deliverance is at had."
 +
 +"Rubbish!" the armed woman spoke up. "How many times, Zharon? How many times have you promised that your science and your faith would save us? Eight? Ten? Twenty?" She looked to the other men and women assembled and continued. "Keep your science, and your gods! I'll rid this world of the invaders by myself if I have to, so long as I can pick up a sword!"
 +
 +"Dadjinn has a point," the late-comer agreed. "I believe in the gods as much as all of us do, but is it right, or even feasible to think that we should need to go through such outlandish lengths. Perhaps they do not hear us because they no longer wish to."
 +
 +Zharon fumed, his eyes blazing. "NO!" he yelled, then turned to light a torch, which revealed the large construct behind him. It was an enormous metal and glass box filled with pulsing lights, roiling gasses and a dancing conglomeration of dots that seemed barely contained in a fragile-looking glass bulb.
 +
 +"I know that the last attempts were...less than ideal," he explained. "But I have tapped into the molten core of the planet itself, solving the power problem from before. I simply know that the Theta Project will work."
 +
 +"Like your Alpha and Beta projects, and all the rest?" The armed woman remained unconvinced. "Throw the switch then, if you're so sure!"
 +
 +Zharon did so, and in the half second of perfect silence, he waited, relieved when the cave was soon filled with the cacophonous noise of whirring machinery and building energy.
 +
 +Amid the clatter, the gathered beings stepped back as the machine began to glow. Then, with far less fanfare than it had started, the contraption stopped and seemed lifeless. For long moments, Zharon regarded the machine. Finally, after checking, tightening and tapping all manner of things, he simply let his shoulders drop. "Another failure..." he whispered. "But, how? The science is right." He looked back at the crowd, pleading. "Please friends," he asked. I know it works. I just..."
 +
 +"No, Zharon," the sword-wielder interrupted. You've wasted enough precious time and resources on this..." she indicated to the mechanical mass behind the crest-fallen man, "this, Zealot's folly!"
 +
 +Before Zharon could respond there was a frightful shriek and the sound of scraping stone. "It's worse than that!" the late-comer spat as he looked to the sword wielder. "They've found us!"
 +
 +
 +----
 +
 +
 +**Location: Crew quarters, USS Apex**
 +
 +"Computer, begin recording."
 +
 +//beep-eep//
 +
 +"Hello Leon. I hope everything is going well in your thorax of the woods. S.C.A.R. is making great strides in identifying and cataloging nanoscopic sub-spacial tears. Unfortunately, they are great strides in the wrong direction if one were to inquire as to my ever so humble opinion. We have the technology to repair anything up to nineteen millionths of a meter across, but instead of fixing several hundred thousand such holes 'Fleet has decided to study them for an indeterminate amount of time to see if they can be quickly closed or expanded remotely."
 +
 +"I don't believe you ever met my number three guy on the Defiant II, Rick Leonetti. The best field weapons engineer with which I've had the pleasure to work. He once theorized a warp capable probe, similar to a quantum torpedo, that's only function was to catalyze a catastrophic subspace breach within maneuvering range of an enemy. Given the right location and proper timing, the probe would be an elegant and effective weapon against the Romulans."
 +
 +"Thus I find myself once again distrusting my orders and wondering if I am yet again designing weapons of war instead of quietly tending to my required research."
 +
 +Victor looked around the tiny room and his eyes fixed on a small bronze and black colored old-timey photograph of himself, Leon, Victor and Shannon, dressed in the style of the western herd drovers of the late 19th century. The costumes were outlandish and gaudy, Shannon's most of all, consisting of an enormous skirt with concentric metal rings sewn in. Top hats came back into style for a handful of years in the mid 2300s so that was acceptable, but the cloth short coats and leather long coats had been a multi-hour flirtation with uncontrollable laughter. Even the weapons of the time were reproduced and seated in a holster low on the hip. Vic chuckled at the memory of two hours stuck in a malfunctioning holodeck 'Western', not because of a software problem, nor because of a hardware problem, but because of a human problem. Someone had been repairing the wiring behind the holodeck controls' console and accidentally vibration welded the doors shut. Thus the only options were sit down and wait or continue on with the original plan. As "Saloon Girls" went, Dr. Harris made a fine soiled dove.
 +
 +"If you have some time, shoot me a message. Our survey will be done in about a month, and then a short 126 hours until we get back to Spacedock. Any idea where you folks will be going next?"
 +
 +"Have a good day Leon. Tell John I said hello."
 +
 +"End recording" //beep// 
  
 ---- ----
 <BOOKMARK:Chapter38> <BOOKMARK:Chapter38>
 <fs x-large>**Chapter 38: Caduceus of Command**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:walking_wounded#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\  <fs x-large>**Chapter 38: Caduceus of Command**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:walking_wounded#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\ 
 +Leon's return to the holodeck the morning after his conversation with Captain Kirk was nearly identical to his first encounter with the bridge officer's exam the previous morning. John Carter greeted him, and the test began just as it did before. Although Leon attempted to avoid combat yet again, the outcome remained the nearly the same, and with only minor variances to his original solution. Before Leon knew it, he found himself and the simulated Republic crew in the exact same critical situation: the ship dead in space, and only five hundred and twelve of the crew left alive with life support power fading quickly.
 +
 +This time, however, the doctor did not run down the usual list of remedies. He knew all the dead-end options now, and to try to go over them again with minor tweaks would be wasting time. There was only one way to face this crisis, and it wasn't with the humane diagnostic dogma of a trained physician.
 +
 +"Vic," Leon asked the engineer with trepidation. "How long would the batteries last if you had only two hundred personnel to keep alive under life support minimums instead of five hundred?"
 +
 +Lieutenant Commander Victor Virtus was a smart man. Although the officers around the table didn't pick up on the inquiry right away, Vic did. And he had already extrapolated it to its logical conclusion. With no more than a blink, he answered the question stoically. "About six hours."
 +
 +"Is that enough to deploy that solar sail we talked about?"
 +
 +"If everyone pitched in . . . yes. But, it would be tight."
 +
 +//"Warning: Life support failure in 10 minutes"//
 +
 +The clock was ticking, and Leon knew it. How the next few moments unfolded would decide whether he passed or failed the bridge officers exam. Taking to heart Kirk's lessons from last night, he chose to take a risk and set a new course to try and resolve the situation. Only this time, he had to learn how to throw his medical training out the window, and force himself to perform tasks completely contrary to who he was as a person.
 +
 +Reaching for the ship-wide intercom, the electronic boatswain whistle sounded throughout the smashed vessel, beckoning the attention of anyone still left alive onboard.
 +
 +"Attention crew: this is the captain. As you already know, our situation is dire. We have sustained numerous casualties, most of the ship is destroyed, and that which is left is near collapse. Life support power is quickly fading, and our only option to stabilize it will not work with the number of people still left alive onboard."
 +
 +He paused momentarily, struggling to find the fortitude for his upcoming sentences.
 +
 +"I understand that what I am about to say will disturb many people, but I am asking . . . I'm pleading . . . for volunteers, both healthy and injured, to . . ." he paused for a second, bracing at the words as they came forth from his lips. ". . . sacrifice their lives in order to preserve life support power.
 +
 +Disbelief welled in the eyes of the holographic senior officers around him. A few dropped their jaws, and all but Chief Rainier showed signs of controlled panic as Leon continued his announcement.
 +
 +"Euthanasia procedures will be painless, quick, and under my strict medical control. I alone will be the one held responsible. Know that your selfless decision will be in the spirit of allowing others to continue living, and you have my personal promise that your memory will not be forgotten."
 +
 +He looked around the table at the shocked faces of his officers. He returned a stoic glance to each of them, offering the merest glimmer of regret in his eyes before noticing the chronometer on the panel screen in front of him.
 +
 +"We have very little time left," Leon continued. "So I ask those willing to report to holodeck six in the next three minutes. On arrival, you have one minute to write a last message to loved ones. Captain out."
 +
 +No one spoke.
 +
 +Minutes ticked by in silence as the holographic officers struggled with the realization that Doctor Cromwell had just asked members of the crew to submit to medically assisted suicide. For his part, Leon knew it was only a simulation, but the guilt and stress behind his decision was real. As the clock approached the three-minute mark, he turned to the ship's COB.
 +
 +"Chief, how many people have gathered in holodeck six?"
 +
 +"Eighty seven," he returned ominously.
 +
 +"It's not enough, is it?" Shannon asked to no response.
 +
 +"Vic," Leon continued giving orders. "Gather the people you need to begin construction on the solar sail. Chief, order any non-essential Starfleet crew to holodeck six. Begin with the lowest ranking, and work your way up the roster. Allow them to spend no more than a minute to record a last message to their loved ones."
 +
 +"Aye aye, sir," the chief complied, and began typing commands into a nearby computer console. With a glazed expression, the holographic representation of Victor Virtus slowly stood up from his chair and walked out the door to commence expedited sail-building activities. Vic was gone for no more than 30 seconds when Nat Hawk began to stir, standing up from the table with a wild-eyed expression that caused Doctor Cromwell concern.
 +
 +"Mister Hawk," Leon addressed the helmsmen with as much authority as he could muster. "I didn't excuse you."
 +
 +"Ya wanted volunteers, din'cha?" the native southerner returned with a rasp to his voice. He looked around the room as if it was the last time he was going to see it. "I've got nuthin left ta do onboard."
 +
 +"You're a senior officer," Leon said calmly. "You're not a non-essential crewmember. Sit down."
 +
 +"Yer crazy!" Nat bellowed while running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. "Yer jus' gonna kill us all off, one by one! Aren't cha? Well, here I am! Jus beggin ta get spaced Captn! You jus give the word!"
 +
 +"You're dismissed, lieutenant," Leon ordered with a deadpan face. "Report to Commander Virtus to assist in building the solar sail."
 +
 +//"Warning: Life support failure in 5 minutes"//
 +
 +The alert seemed to bring the holographic Hawk back to his senses. He locked stares with Leon momentarily before relaxing his eyes, then swallowed coarsely while reluctantly nodding his head. As he turned to face the door, Nat peered over his shoulder one last time as if he had something more to say, but words seemed to fail the helmsman, and his eyes dropped to the floor before exiting the ready room.
 +
 +As Hawk left, Leon turned back to Brad Rainier. "Chief, how many people have gathered in holodeck six?"
 +
 +"Two hundred and sixty two," the senior noncom reported. "Still not enough."
 +
 +"Christ, John," he whispered to himself. "You're gonna make me do it, aren't you?"
 +
 +Strangely, Starfleet had contingency plans for exactly the kind of situation that the doctor was currently enduring. Attrition procedures in LOD (life or death) emergencies dictated volunteers first, then non-essential Starfleet personnel beginning with the lowest rank. This was the only instance where, in the military-style rank-and-file system of Starfleet, that a lieutenant commander could be considered less important than a crewman first-class, should the latter be of a vital occupation onboard the ship. Unfortunately, the contingency stopped there, making Leon's next order the most difficult.
 +
 +"Shannon, how many critically injured patients do we have that possess less than a 50% chance of surviving until we're rescued?"
 +
 +"No . . ." she whispered incredulously. "You can't . . ."
 +
 +"We have to."
 +
 +"I won't participate!" Shannon stammered.
 +
 +"I understand," Leon replied calmly. "You're relieved."
 +
 +Shannon stood up and shuffled backwards a few steps while turning a pair of fiery eyes towards Leon with an angry mix of horror and revulsion. "You're a doctor!" she gasped.
 +
 +"I'm also the captain."
 +
 +"As medical officer, I can relieve YOU!" she screamed defiantly.
 +
 +"To do so, you would need grounds that I am medically unfit to command," Leon explained, knowing full well of the medical protocols needed to relieve a starship commander from his post. "That would require evidence that my behavior has somehow changed erratically, or that I have been physically injured enough to affect my mental faculties. Since I am uninjured, and my recent decisions have followed Starfleet protocols, my current line of thinking is simply an attempt to extrapolate the protocols to our current situation. Therefore, there is no basis for a medical declaration of unfitness for command."
 +
 +"You won't get away with this!" the Shannon facsimile seethed.
 +
 +"I repeat: You are relived, doctor."
 +
 +With an expression that ripped through his soul, Leon witnessed what could have been described only as emotional evisceration emanating from Shannon. As she stormed out of the ready room, her penetrating scowl driving home the point that the only feelings she had left for Leon was burning hate.
 +
 +A quiet pause ensued after the doors slid shut. Leon scanned the small ready room, and realized that only himself and Chief Rainier were left.
 +
 +//"Warning: Life support failure in 3 minutes"//
 +
 +"Better see to getting those casualties moved to the holodeck yourself, chief. Take only the most extreme cases, and no more than what we need to reduce our compliment to two hundred personnel."
 +
 +"Aye, sir," Brad Rainier agreed as he somberly stood up and excused himself from the room. As the most militarized man on the bridge crew, Leon knew that the Chief of the Boat was the one soul he could count on to follow his orders to the letter. That was the design of Starfleet's non-commissioned officer corps. Experience plus a disciplined subordinate disposition was a formula for getting the job done. Saving him for the most vital and yet most displeasing task imaginable was the only way Leon knew it would be completed correctly. Unfortunately, it was just him left in the ready room now.
 +
 +A minute went by.
 +
 +Two minutes went by.
 +
 +//"Warning: Life support failure in 60 seconds"//
 +
 +Leon stared at the internal sensor feed as it indicated exactly three hundred and twelve souls gathered in holodeck six. Reviewing the roster, his heart sank as the bio-readouts from their combadges displayed their names on Leon's screen. He knew all of them. Every one of them was a soul he had, at one time or another, worked with onboard the ship. Depach Narundi . . . Hayden Kroeger . . . Christopher Teague. Tears welled in Leon's eyes as he saw Susan Hayworth's name alongside Saal Yezbeck, and he hissed "damn it!" when he read Nat Hawk's name, realizing the helmsman had yet again disobeyed orders. Finally, the last blinking light gave him pause: Bradford Rainier. The chief had entered the holodeck, but wasn't leaving.
 +
 +//"Warning: Life support failure in 45 seconds"//
 +
 +There was no time left.
 +
 +Using the computer console, Leon charged the Anesthizine gas cylinders in the holodeck walls to 200 parts per million. It was nearly three times the concentration to put humans into a deep sleep, and in doing so, would cause a calming, euphoric effect in it's victims. He felt it was humane enough to ensure a comatose slumber before the next phase.
 +
 +The doctor pushed a few more buttons to release Neurozine gas into the holodeck. It was a convenient way to anesthetize Romulans, but for other humanoids, it induced a neuromuscular transmission blockage causing every muscle in the body to relax and fall limp . . . every single muscle. That included the lungs, it included the heart.
 +
 +//"Warning: Life support failure in 30 seconds"//
 +
 +Leon's finger hovered over the blinking red button that read "ATMOSPHERE PURGE". He knew that if he used all of his medical knowledge and skill, he could still save the 300-plus souls lying dormant in holodeck six. There was still time to revive them, bring them back to consciousness, and allow the whole crew to die a dignified death together. But ever since last night, the title of John Carter's holodeck program echoed in his head:
 +
 +"Turn death into a fighting chance to live."
 +
 +Leon now knew what those words meant. His finger fell upon the console, and the blinking red light turned to a solid green.
 +
 +The deed was done.
 +
 +The program ended, and the empty battle-bridge ready room shimmered with an effervescent light before fading away into non-existence.
 +
 +"Congratulations, commander," John's voice echoed off the ebony, yellow-lined walls. He approached Leon with both approval and concern on his face. "Looks like you you've got what it takes after all."
 +
 +Leon said nothing. He simply sat there, staring into space, unable to find absolution.
 +
 +"Look, I know this was hard on you, but you did it. When the time came to stop thinking like a doctor, you did it."
 +
 +"Go to hell," Leon whispered without looking at his friend.
 +
 +"I suppose I deserved that," John replied, his anger regarding the incomplete Kobyashi Maru test melting away. "I've been hard on you, and I'm sorry," he consoled. "I won't throw you into uniform and make you do bridge watch right away. You've been through a lot recently, so take some time off. Say, the rest of the week?"
 +
 +Leon remained silent, acting like John wasn't even present.
 +
 +"You know," John added. "There *is* a reason I didn't program the counselor into the bridge test."
 +
 +The doctor finally looked John in the eye, but still said nothing.
 +
 +"He's got a full schedule these days, but I'm sure Commander Tolkath will make time for the chief medical officer. Only promise me you'll take it easy until Monday, okay?"
 +
 +Leon's silence persisted. In light of that, John felt there wasn't much left to say. He knew deep inside that they both would eventually get over what happened here today, whether it be at the poker table, over drinks at the Hill, or perusing the promenade on Deep Space Nine. It was only a matter of time.
 +
 +Taking the doctor's silence as affirmation of his advice to take a short holiday, the Republic's XO walked away, leaving him by himself. As the grinding noise of the holodeck doors subsided, Leon remained motionless, coming to grips with knowing that had the simulation been real, he would have just sent 300-plus people - some of them critically injured patients - straight to their deaths.
 +
 +Leon stayed seated on the empty holodeck for over 30 minutes, his chair the only remnant left of the holographic program that brought him to his moral breaking point. He sat staring into space, with the same blank 1000-mile stare he had on his face when Nat Hawk had died on his operating table a week ago.
  
  
archives/walking_wounded.1610323526.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/01/11 00:05 by site_admin

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