Post 328: Guinea Pig Part Two

Stardate: 70729.1700
Title: Guinea Pig Part Two
Author: Commander Salvek
Time: Immediately following Part One
Scene: Inside Salvek's Mind-Meld with Kellyn

Kellyn recognized Salvek as the man on the gurney, and that name, T'Elani, as that of the female who was bonded to him as a child on Vulcan, betrothed to become his mate in adulthood.

Their relationship had been nothing more than, what was the best word, mechanical? Before he knew Kellyn, Salvek and T'Elani had met every 7 years as a matter of fulfilling the rituals of the Pon farr and little more. After Salvek and Kellyn had bonded, T'Elani was little more than a ghost from his past.

Salvek and the doctors disappeared into the research suite, Kellyn stepped to follow them and the security guard stopped her.

"I'm sorry doctor, this area is off limits. Access to senior staff only. May I see your identification please?"

"Shoot me." Kellyn spat back at him. She stepped to her left and pushed the door open. The guard drew his weapon and fired. The beam harmlessly passed through her. Kellyn whirled around, and the last thing that guard saw was 5 Bajoran knuckles knocking him to the ground.

She continued on into the corridor. She saw Salvek and the doctors disappear into the room behind the double doors at the end of the corridor. Kellyn ran to follow, and entered the suite behind him. She ducked in behind some equipment where no one could see her.

"Do you really think we can keep doing this forever?" The shorter of the two doctors spoke.

"We must, he cannot ever know. It would tear at the fabric of Vulcan society. It was a decent idea, but it simply did not work. The public cannot know he was used as a test subject in this failed research or there would be tremendous backlash against the medical community." Said the tall one.

"But the goal was logical. Perhaps we should just admit what we have done."

"I am afraid that logic is often defined by the ends and not the means. If we had succeeded it would have been accepted as logical, but..." The doctor gestured towards Salvek on the table. He laid peacefully still with his eyes open, apparently drugged, but listening to every word

"So, instead we are forced to perform this procedure every seven years to cover our errors." The two doctors were interrupted by a woman entering the room.

"Welcome T'Elani. Salvek is prepared to receive the memories."

The woman merely nodded, not saying a word. She pressed her hands to his face to initiate a mind meld. There was silence for about 5 minutes, until the woman removed her hands from his face.

"Thank you, T'Elani," said the tall doctor.

T'Elani approached him. "I do this for my people, but I will say again I find this procedure and your methods despicable."

She left the room without another word. The tall doctor spoke again "That is exactly why no one can ever know. Come, we need to begin the procedure. The transport from Starfleet will be expecting him at the bonding site in less then one hour."

Kellyn watched at the men worked on Salvek. She sat in silence an observed them making several injections into his neck, and using several other instruments she did not even recognize.

"Who are you?" Kellyn was startled by the sound of Salvek's voice.

"He is becoming aware. Give him another injection, or the memory suppression procedure won't fully take."

The short doctor administered another hypo, and Salvek once again went back to staring at the ceiling.

The tall doctor scanned Salvek with a device for several minutes before declaring, "The memories of T'Elani are taking effect, and the memories of this procedure have been suppressed fully. He is ready for transport. Clean up here." He said to the short doctor.

The tall doctor wheeled Salvek out of the room. Kellyn stepped out of her hiding place and approached the short doctor.

Commander Salvek
Acting First Officer
USS Independence NCC-90791