Post 287: Circuit du Soleil

Stardate:70705.2100
Title: Circuit du Soleil
Authors:Trind/Salvek/Grace
Scene: Holodeck Four/T'Ana Beach House
Time: Following "Another One Into the Pan" and "Into the Fire"
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As Ashlyn Trind and TC Blane walked up the steps to the deck of Lily's holographic beach house, TC shrugged his shoulders.

"Huh. That's funny, everything seems to be fine here."

"Must've been a programming glitch."

"Must have been. Well," he rubbed his hands together. "I smell food. I think there's a steak on that grill with my name on it. I'll catch ya later Doc."

No sooner had Ashlyn set both feet on the deck than she saw a big white blur rapidly approaching from the West.

"Doctor Trind! I really need a moment of your time please!" February Grace exclaimed from beneath the world's largest sun hat.

"February are you all right? Is someone hurt?"

"Not yet but if we don't do something I think somebody is gonna be." She growled. "'Because I just might have to kill him."

"Kill who? Now calm down. Let's have a seat and talk a moment. Over there. Away from the pointed objects. . .and the. . .fire." Trind said gently, taking Grace by the hand and leading her away from the grill and out onto the lanai.

"Wait a second there's one more person we need to include in this little confab," February pointed to Salvek. He had gone to whisper something into his wife's ear as she sat at a picnic table nearby with their daughter, eating dinner.

In response to his whisper Lair Kellyn laughed out loud, her hand shooting up to her lips, until she noticed that her husband had both hands on his hips indignantly. At that point she stifled her amusement and looked up at him sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, Salvek, but it is kind of funny."

"There is nothing funny about it." Salvek replied crossing his arms in an downright emotional display of displeasure. He returned to Grace and Trind.

"Have a seat, Commander," Trind invited. "Now you do have me curious. What could you two possibly need me for at this moment in time?"

"We need you to perform a very discreet assessment of the behavior of a member of the crew here present." Salvek confided.

"What am I looking for exactly?"

"Signs of increased body temperature, blood pressure, and signs of irrational or obsessive behavior."

"Wait a minute, it sounds like you're talking about me!" February groaned.

"There's no way to put this gently, Doctor," Salvek continued. "You're looking for outward signs of potentially promiscuous behavior."

"Sounds like fun!" Ashlyn replied dryly. "I could use a little of that myself, to tell you the truth."

"Doctor! Really, this is serious!" Grace complained.

"So am I!" Ashlyn's face was completely devoid of sarcasm. "But who is it that is supposed to be having such a good time around here if not me?"

"Lily T'Ana." February answered dejectedly, "And our too-slick-for-his-own-good-and-her-safety chef, Mr. MacDougal."

"Salvek, it sounds to me as if you're describing Vulcan blood fever, and Lt. T'Ana is only one-quarter Vulcan. How can it be that her response to the biochemical changes could be so strong?"

Before he could answer, February sighed with irritation and interrupted.

"I don't know, why don't you ask Harry Potter over here with his magical telepathy, special DNA and 'just add electricity for instant Pon farr' book of spells!" She slapped her knee angrily then muttered, "Ouch. That's going to leave a mark."

She slipped her feet out of the too-tight sandals that had been given to her with the dress earlier in the day. She had done her part for fashion and appearances (complete with surprise compliments from one Fox Margolis) and she just wanted her tennis shoes back.

Sunshine the dog, meantime, decided that her sandals looked like a really great chew toy and inched his way over beneath the bench Grace sat on. He took the shoes into his mouth, took off running and started furiously burying them in the sand a ways down the beach.

"Sunshine! You come back here with those!" Ashlyn objected.

"No, no, it's okay poochie. Bury 'em fast, and bury 'em deep!" Grace exclaimed, adding "That's the best thing that has happened to me all day."

"I have a medical tricorder in my tote bag," Ashlyn stood up, anxious to get down to business. "Let me grab it I'll be right back. Don't you two go anywhere."

"Wouldn't dream of it," February replied. She shot the Vulcan a look, and he one back at her.

Salvek frowned at her from behind his huge, round sunglasses. "Harry Potter?"

"Yep. And the control panel of fire."

Ashlyn crossed the lanai and went for her bag, which she had left on the porch swing across the way. She happened to look into the windows of the house and into the kitchen. What she saw made her surprised that the windows were not fogging up.

Lily T'Ana seemed to be having a wonderful time, with her arms wrapped around Angus MacDougal from behind as he leveled a can of whipped cream and finished plating a piece of pie for one of the guests.

Lily took the can from him, put her finger to the nozzle and dangled it above his head. Angus laughed, actually appeared to blush a little and took it out of her hands, quickly looking around to be sure that her Uncle RJ had not returned from his nap. He took the can back, pressed the nozzle and left a dab of the whipped cream on the tip of her nose. She laughed and wiped it off with the back of her hand.

Ashlyn didn't need a stinking tricorder to diagnose what she was seeing. For a being with any Vulcan DNA in their body at all to risk such behavior in such a public setting, there could only be one explanation. Still, she wished she knew why her tricorder wasn't giving her any readings at all no matter what she did with it.

"Well, that's all about that." Ashlyn concluded, returning to the bench on the lanai and tossing the tricorder at Salvek. "For some reason, Mr. Engineer, this thing isn't working. But I don't need it to make a diagnosis, I've seen enough. I would say in my expert opinion that somehow, Lily T'Ana is suffering, or not suffering, as the case may be, from a mild case of Pon farr. So what does this have to do with- oh." Ashlyn remembered her conversation in the Arboretum with Salvek earlier in the day.

"Salvek, it's not your fault. That jolt of electricity likely had more to do with it than anything. It could've created a telepathic link- a circuit of energy-" Ashlyn tried to soothe the Vulcan's nerves.

"Well whatever has happened, I have to go have a little chat with my friend in there before she does something she might regret." February rose from her seat.

Ashlyn looked into the windows one more time and saw Angus kiss Lily on top of the head as she stirred something in a pot on the stove. "Or not regret!" Ashlyn concluded, "She might just have the time of her life," under Trind's breath, Salvek heard her whisper, "I wish I was having that much fun on this shore leave."

"Unless," February turned desperately to the Vulcan. "There is a way to stop this?"

"There is only one way," Salvek replied, "Unless ritual combat is part of this evening's scheduled activities. Do you desire to battle her to the death for the hand of the fair Angus MacDougal?"

"Hell no!"

"Then," he repeated stoically, "There is only one way."

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Dr. Ashlyn Trind
On Special Assignment
USS Independence

Commander Salvek
Acting First Officer
USS Independence

Lt. February Grace
Helm/Flight Controller
USS Independence