Post 387: Lost

Stardate:70814.2330
Title: Lost
Author: Lt. February Grace
Scene: Sickbay, Independence
Time: Following "Setting the Stage"
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Salvek had been summarily dismissed from the bridge by Zanh Liis as soon as their confrontation with the Trill had ended.

He wasn't supposed to be on duty to begin with, she reminded him. Knowing it would be illogical to attempt to change her mind, Salvek simply nodded and told her that should she require anything further of him, that all she had to do was say the word.

He considered going to find his wife, but knew that she was a busy woman with an already over-booked schedule this day. He would leave her to her work for now.

With nothing specific to do, he decided to stop by Sickbay to see how Gilmore and Grace were faring. They had both had a rough trip back.

As he stepped through the doors, he found Dr. McKenna and Rigin in an animated conversation.

"What do you mean, you can't wake her up?" Rigin was on the verge of panic. He just didn't know how much more his heart could take.

"I have already given her more than the recommended dose of stimulant. She remains unconscious and I can't determine a reason why." McKenna informed him, shrugging helplessly. "Can you get anything more out of the symbiont?"

Rigin initiated a telepathic link yet again with Grace, and he shook his head. "This is not the symbiont. The symbiont is conscious of its surroundings. This is February."

Salvek approached. "Status of Lt. Grace?"

"She won't come around." Rigin said, his voice rising. "We must begin the zhian'tara soon, if we don't we lose all hope of regaining the memory link between host and symbiont. Time is ticking away."

"You can initiate a telepathic link with the symbiont, but not the host?" Salvek said, raising an eyebrow at Rigin.

"It's two different disciplines in telepathy," Rigin explained. "We don't generally have reason to ever link telepathically with the host mind, so we're not trained to-"

"Perhaps I could make an attempt." Salvek volunteered.

"Mr. Salvek, I don't know, is that wise?" Dr. McKenna scanned Salvek and could read that his brain chemistry and hormone levels were still altered even as Pon farr was waning in him.

"Do we have any other options?"

"I don't know what else to do with her." McKenna admitted. "Hood and Trind have done everything to her that can be done neurologically."

"She couldn't remember who she was when she woke up on the yacht," Rigin thought out loud. "She did at first but then she lost her train of thought and she couldn't focus. Perhaps she's just been through too much, and her mind is protecting her by shutting down."

"If that is the case, then someone must go into her mind and lead her back out." Salvek said, as calmly as if he were saying that the sky was blue and warp speed was fast. "I am the logical choice. We will begin immediately."

"Salvek, it's too risky."

"The risk is mine to take."

McKenna nodded, and attached neural monitoring devices to Salvek's brow.

"All right. But if anything goes awry, I will send a signal, give you a small jolt through these neural stimulators. If that happens, break the meld at once."

"Very well. Mr. Rigin, I would suggest that you monitor Grace telepathically as well to be certain that it is not being damaged in any way by the meld." Salvek moved closer to February, and stood beside her bed. He pressed his fingers to her face, and initiated the meld.

He looked around to try to get his bearings.

He found himself in an empty, dimly lit room. Nothing on the walls, nothing at all in the way of furniture surrounded him. It was just a room.

The next thing he was aware of was the form of February Grace standing before him. She stood still, and her expression was emotionless. She was dressed in an identical outfit to the one that he was wearing in the real world, a point which he found fascinating.

"Who are you?" She asked him, her voice devoid of emotion as well. She sounded absolutely. . .Vulcan.

"I am Salvek."

She seemed satisfied by that answer. "Who am I?"

"You," Salvek replied, "are February Grace."

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Lt. (jg) February Grace
Helm/Flight Controller
USS Independence NCC-90791