Post 327: Guinea Pig Part One

Stardate: 70729.1700
Title: Guinea Pig Part One
Author: Commander Salvek
Time: Immediately following "A Very High Price" by Lair Kellyn
Scene: Inside Salvek's Mind-meld with Kellyn

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"Pure logic is the ruin of the spirit." ~Fortune cookie from last night's Chinese take out.
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Lair Kellyn did as best as she could to navigate the tumultuous waters of Salvek's soul.

The barriers in the deepest recesses of his mind were weakened or gone, but the pure intensity of emotions all around her made it nearly impossible for her to "see" where she was going.

He had taught her well over the years how to use her mind to probe his through the meld, even through the unabated intensity of Pon farr, but this time it was different. She experienced all the normal feelings one would expect from a Vulcan in this state. His love for his wife and child, his pride in his work, his anger over every irrational thing from wondering what happened with Morris and Kellyn on the runabout Io to that Ensign who had stepped on his foot in the turbolift earlier.

She could feel, however, that there was more. Something so enraged his spirit that Kellyn knew he was either using every bit of strength he had to stop her from discovering it, or the anger was emanating from a source that even Salvek did not know about or understand.

Kellyn slowly peeled through the layers of his psyche, until all around her was black. In the distance was the orange glow of a flame. *Salvek, where am I?*

*I do not know, I have never been here. But every fiber of my being is consumed by fear of what you will discover here. Please, go back.*

*No, we must know.*

*GO BACK!* Kellyn felt the anger in his voice, as his defenses were piqued by her defiance. As she pressed forward that flame in the distance grew into a wall of fire.

*Try and stop me.* The defenses at the center of his soul were not yet prepared to deal with intensity of her own Bajoran stubbornness.

Kellyn soon found herself standing before the wall of fire that stretched on forever. Salvek's mind had always resisted her from seeing this place, but it was as unfamiliar to him as it was to her. Kellyn could feel his curiosity, as well as his fear. It was almost as if the memories that resided here had been repressed in Salvek's mind, and not by his choice.

She winced at the heat of the fires before her. Salvek had taught her sensations of hot and cold in a meld usually were a warning from your body in the real world that the stress of the link was taking a toll on her real world body. Heat would mean she was sweating, feverish, and her heart rate and pulse were likely dangerously high. She could not stay here much longer.

*I cannot protect you here, Kellyn. If you press forward you are on your own.*

*For you, Salvek.*

Salvek knew she would give her life to find out what so troubled him at the center of his soul. He would stop her if he could, but his discipline to control the meld was gone in his current state.

Kellyn drew a deep breath, and stepped into the fire.

*FLASH*

"Good morning, may I see your identification please, doctor?" Lair Kellyn looked down at her clothes. She wore the scrubs of a doctor. To her left was a window, through which she could see the skyline of a city, with the unmistakable red mountains of Vulcan on the horizon. She was standing outside a room marked "research center" and the man who quizzed her wore a weapon and a black uniform, obviously some sort of security officer.

"Please step aside!" A group of doctors rounded the corner, pushing a gurney. Kellyn pressed up against the wall.

The doctors flashed their badges to the security officer and passed through the doors. As they ran past she overheard one speaking; "Summon T'Elani, it is time."

Commander Salvek
Acting First Officer
USS Independence NCC-90791

NRPG: No joke- He really did get that fortune in his cookie with dinner last night. Talk about your Twilight Zone moments.~ ZL