Post 341: Beneath Part Two

Stardate:70802.2040
Title: Beneath: Part Two
Author: Acting CO Zanh Liis
Scene: 2345 hours: In the arboretum
Time: Following Part One (which is also hours after "Guinea Pig, Part Three)
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"You stepped out of a dream believing everything was gone;
Return with what you've learned. . . kiss the ground you walk upon." ~From "21st Century Man," by ELO
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Zanh knew that the new tactical officer (a Klingon Lt. Commander by the name of Maak) was working the night shift. She tapped her badge and requested that he pay a visit to the arboretum as soon as he was able.

She also knew that Maak was a veteran, both in service to Starfleet and to the Klingon Empire. She wasn't concerned about his ability to perform his duties, or to fit in aboard ship.

She just wanted to get a feel for the man's personality, and to establish herself in his mind as a force to be reckoned with. Earning the respect of a Klingon -any Klingon- was something you had about a nanosecond to do.

She intended to make good use of the time.

She noticed that the volume on her music lowered unexpectedly, and frowned as she struggled with a particularly difficult weed. She planted her feet against the deck for leverage and pulled again, groaning.

"Hey, computer, what's the deal?"

"The 'deal', Zanh Liis, is that I wish to speak with you."

*That was not the computer.*

She was surprised to look up and see the face of her friend and ship's acting first officer, Commander Salvek.

"Please." he added hastily.

"Well, you're the very last person I expected to see tonight." With a genuine smile, she told the computer to turn the volume on the music down even further, to ten percent.

"If I could have a moment of your time. Privately," he paused, "not as captain, but as my. . . friend."

Liis grew concerned. "Of course. Computer, lock the doors." She didn't want their discussion to be interrupted. The computer beeped to signal it had complied, and she prepared to stand.

"No, please. Do not get up." Salvek sat down on the grass beside her, crossing his legs as he was accustomed to do.

Liis analyzed his expression. She had known him a long time, and she had seen him deal with his current situation before. She could tell that he was recovering from the worst of the Plak-tau, but had not entirely regained control of his logic, or emotions. The fact that he was willing to speak with her at all in this condition told her that whatever was on his mind, it was important.

"How are you?"

"I am. Better. Thank you." He ran his hands through the blades of grass, suddenly feeling embarrassed. He averted his eyes.

"Glad to hear it. Does Kellyn know you're here?"

"Kellyn is sleeping." He analyzed a flower on the rose bush before them with rapt attention. "Our mind meld was extensive. It took a great toll on her."

"On you both, apparently. What's wrong?"

"This has been an experience which I never counted upon."

Liis was intrigued. "How so? You've been through this many times, Salvek. I'd have thought that by now it would be. . .somewhat routine." She didn't want to pry, but it was obvious he wanted to talk about it, otherwise he wouldn't be here.

"Did you know?" he blurted suddenly, crossing his arms in an uncharacteristic display of displeasure.

"Interesting way to start a sentence," Liis raised an eyebrow. "Did I know what?"

"T'Elani." he snapped. "The name is familiar to you?"

"She was your first wife. Before Kellyn."

"How did she die, Zanh Liis?"

"What?"

"How," Salvek repeated slowly, "did she die?"

"I don't know. You- you never told me." She was puzzled by his demeanor and this conversation in general."Why are you bringing up T'Elani now?"

"Because I have seen the truth." His eyes flashed rage and sadness. "I know the truth."

"The truth about what?" Liis was growing exasperated. "Stop speaking in riddles! You're going to have to spell this one out for me, Logic, because you've lost me."

"The truth that T'Elani and I were part of a failed experiment. That we were used. Both by the Vulcan government. and medical community."

Liis turned even paler than she naturally was. "Salvek,"

He gritted his teeth as he repeated his earlier question. "Did you know?"

Liis stood and walked away, brushing dirt from her hands onto her denim overalls. Her tone was serious, and desperate.

"Do not ever ask what I know! Or when I might have come to know it. It's too dangerous."

"I have always respected your wishes in this matter. You know that I have never pressed you for information beyond my purview," he spoke softly, trying to calm her.

"I always waited for you to volunteer it. Because I knew that your work at the time was larger than any one person involved." He stood again as well and approached her as she leaned with her back pressed up against the trunk of one of the largest trees in the arboretum.

"But this time, Liis," It took her aback to hear him simply address her by her first name. He never did that. "This time, I have to know if you knew about this before. It. . .is important to me."

"I knew that you may have been subjected to some manner of testing by the government when you were a child. Yes." She admitted sadly, as she placed her hands on his shoulders and looked him squarely in the eyes.

"But Salvek, honestly, I didn't know that they did any experiments or anything else that caused you harm," she stammered, "or that the tests had anything to do with T'Elani. You have to believe that." She was grave, horrified, and telling the truth. "My god, what did they do to you?"

"I have recovered memories, with the help of my wife," Salvek confided, "It seems that T'Elani and I, because we were both orphans and traumatized early in life, were chosen to be test subjects for medical and psychological experimentation."

"Are you certain?" Liis didn't doubt his sincerity and knew that he wasn't prone to exaggeration. Yet, she knew he wasn't quite himself just now.

"I am completely certain. It took hours of intense effort on Kellyn's part to help me uncover these memories," he shook his head in disbelief. "She showed courage beyond anything I have ever seen."

"She loves you, Salvek."

He nodded, remaining silent for a moment. He tried his best to hold back the emotions he felt concerning Kellyn, and continued.

"It seems that they attempted to bond myself and T'Elani two years after my parents were killed. Due to the trauma I had suffered, the bonding was unsuccessful. That complicated their experiment. But still, they manipulated us mentally and physically in order to try to suppress Pon farr, thinking if they could find a way to do so for all Vulcans, that our race would finally be free of the last vestiges of emotion."

"You were only children! How could they justify,"

"The needs of the many," Salvek interrupted, and Liis held up her hand.

"I am so frigging sick of that phrase! That one and 'Today is a good day to die'." Her voice took on an exaggerated depth as she imitated a Klingon tone of voice. "Whenever I've heard that, I always wanted to say, 'maybe for you, pal, but I'm not ready to go just yet'!"

She looked at Salvek again, sighing before continuing "What really became of T'Elani?"

"I am uncertain. But I know that our memories of each other were manufactured. False. The meld revealed all to be events which never actually took place. Our marriage, our reunions over the years. Her death. Nothing, none of it, was real."

"Wow." Liis could hardly believe what she was hearing. "If it wasn't real, then. . ."

"The effects of their Pon farr suppression methods wore off as my age progressed, and they gave up their efforts. They allowed nature to take its course, as it were, knowing I would select another mate after being told T'Elani had died."

"Kellyn."

"Kellyn."

"How do you feel about all of this?"

"I do not know, to be honest. It will take some time to process it all. I just knew that," he paused, "If there was anyone besides my wife that I could trust to speak of this to, that it was you, Zanh Liis."

"I'm honored." She was the one who remained silent a moment now. "I swear to you, Salvek, this I didn't know. And I'm really sorry that you have to go through all of this. Do you need more time. . . to sort everything out?"

"I believe that the additional time off which you have already allotted me will allow ample opportunity for introspection, Zanh Liis. If that changes, I will speak with you again."

"Speak with me anytime, Salvek," she offered, patting him on the back gently. "Now, go home. If I know your wife, she's awake and panicked to know where you are. You're not wearing your com badge."

He nodded. As she returned to her work with the plants and he retreated, she said one thing more.

"If you're looking for some physical activity to help clear your head later, might I suggest gardening?"

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Zanh Liis
Acting CO
USS Independence NCC-90791