Pon Farr

Posted on Mon Oct 4th, 2021 @ 6:48pm by Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr & Lieutenant Ayana Hillis

Mission: Breen in Paradise
Location: USS Washington
Timeline: Current

Ayana worked on the bridge after informing Shran of the apprehension of the Breen agents. She began a new scan of the ship for the RNA virus and was happy none had been found. She thought of Dex and what she was going through. She didn't envy her, but she hoped she'd be alright. Hopefully Samantha could help her.

Dr Samantha Howard regarded her new 2IC with a curious glance once they were along, feeling as though she had missed a critical indicator somewhere.

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm missing something?" She asked quizzically.

“Dex knew that a question was coming. She had fully intended to launch into her problem as succinctly Vulcan as she could. But when it came down to it she felt something different. Something akin to ….embarrassment. She could actually feel the tips of her ears turning red, but there was no easy way to approach it.


“ I am sure you are aware of the Pon Farr Doctor. The cycle all Vulcans go through every 7 to 8 years due to the nature of the constant repression of our emotions. Even those who have undertaken and succeeded with the Kolinar go through it.

Most people think that as Vulcans we only mate at that time, an onerous thing to think we can only have sexual relations once every 7 years but of course that is not true. However failing to observe or treat the Pon Farr can be deadly, as I know from my own friendships. Her voice dropped as they passed people in the corridor.

My Pon Farr was supposed to be next year and I had made plans for it to happen on leave but, something has happened to bring it on now. For the last few weeks I have been feeling more emotional, more prone to fits of rage and sometimes violence as my quarters can attest to. During our investigation it came to a head when Ayana and myself were chasing our suspect and I became overcome when a male crew member brushed passed me.”

She sighed and wished this was over, the more she explained the worse she felt.

“Ayana had to stun me as she did not have the strength to physically intervene and I surely would have hurt her. It was then I met Dr Perrim, a cheerful chap if ever there was one. He told me he was leaving the ship as soon as he could. Anyway, I have been taking Davalzine to postpone the crisis. Ayana has told me of a holodeck program that was secretly developed on Voyager when a Vulcan crew member went through the same thing and has given me access to the program.

By this time they had reached sickbay. “Do you mind if I have a Dela leaf tea? I am feeling ……unsettled.

"Of course" Sam nodded, keeping a calm eye on Dex as she headed to the replicator. "Have you had any success with using the program?" She asked cautiously, not wanting to unsettle her ACMO further.

She sat and sipped her tea slowly breathing a sigh of relief as the calming affects of the tea was almost instantaneous. “The trouble with the program is that you have to believe in it and take part spiritually and physically. I’m not sure violent sex with a hologram would do it for me. The end of it all is that If I do not complete the Pon Farr I could die. So, that is my problem.” She continued with her tea. “Anyway I can continue with the davalazine a couple more times.

"Stop gap measures may only make things harder in the short term" Sam replied as they sat on the biobed side by side. "Have you considered an emergency trip back home?" Having listened to how the other alternative therapies hadn't worked

Shoniara stopped for a minute. “No, no to be honest I had not. Help would be too far away now. We have been so caught up in the Breen problem and with you on the way team I felt I just had to keep going. I do not want to have to let anyone down but I realize Ayana having to stun me was a pretty powerful wake up call. As time goes on my options are getting smaller Sam.” She paused a little frightened that it had come down to this, 9 weeks had seemed such a long time and, now it was nearly up. “I have probably one last shot to take before….well before. I think I have to go through with Ayana’s program. If it fails sedate the hell out of me until we can get help, T’ghrek my bond brother is full Vulcan and as he is much older then maybe he can be of some help, however I have had no luck in reaching him.”

Sam rubbed her chin thoughtfully, taking a quick trip to the replicator to grab herself a coffee, hoping the bitter liquid would kick start her brain into some unorthodox thinking that may help the situation. Pon Farr was a well documented but yet still very mysterious occurrence in the Vulcan life cycle and would have deadly consequences if not observed correctly.

" If we can't get to Vulcan in time, and your bond brother is not available, your options are somewhat limited." She said carefully, not wanting to put a negative light on the situation but also wanting to be realistic. " I know the holoprogram sounds...fake, but it may be the best alternative. Perhaps we can give you something that would make your mind a little more suggestive to what the program has to offer?"

Dex nodded, “ it’s not really about sex but the emotions and the undertow we carry in order to live our lives with Kolinar. I studied for a while but as not being full Vulcan I could not master it. For me it’s about fear and rage and wanting to be master of it.” She shrugged. “It is difficult for non Vulcans to understand.” Then feeling appalled she realized that she was crying and turned her face away from Sam. “Please help me?”

"Please, there's nothing to be ashamed off. It's part of your genetic makeup to go through this phase every 7 years. No-one knows why but it is what it is. From what I understand you have to believe in order for the Pon Farr to be fulfilled. But you are correct - I don't fully understand, but I want to try to" Sam explained, placing a hand on Dex's shoulder in support.

Dex turned to her. “ Thank you Sam I will get through it with the holodeck program then.” She shrugged, “I was going to drink the 200 year old bottle of brandy T’ghrek gave me but I don’t drink so do not know how it would affect me. Maybe with your help and Ayana’s program I can get through this and go back to being the physician I want to be and be of use to the ship. Surak knows what Captain Shran thinks about all this?”

"As a Captain he is aware of the basic premise of Pon Farr, I haven't told him officially yet and he doesn't need to know unless you want him to. I will write you up for medical leave until this is resolved though." Sam said reassuringly "I need to do some more research into Pon Farr though, there is a severe shortage on reliable information on the subject"

“It might take you a while to research Pon Farr, there is one thing but I am not sure you would be willing to go that far.” Dex jumped off the biobed and ordered another Dela leaf tea, more for just something to do as she wondered how to ask this of a woman she hardly knew and her CMO to boot. She sipped the tea.

“Would you be willing to meld with me. It might help you to see how I feel and what I know?” There, it was out in the open like Pandora’s box.

There was the briefest of hesitations before Sam nodded. Mind melds with non-vulcans were rare but they had been done without harm before. The knowledge and understand she would gain in regards to the Pon Farr would greatly outweigh the risk involved. " One condition though - we do the meld here in sickbay under supervision"

Dex thought about it. “When you say ‘under supervision’ you don’t mean an audience do you? The meld is a very private, intimate thing. You may find it brings feelings up in you. So we have to meditate beforehand. Although I am not sure how long I can meditate feeling the way I do.” She finished her tea. “When then?”

"Whenever you feel you're up to it. And Supervision is under the observation of one of the doctors in a private room. I understand the need for privacy but I also don't want my brain scrambled... no offense at all" Sam smiled wryly as she considered what she had just agreed to. A nervous flutter emanated from her belly.

“I rather think you will be looking into my scrambled brain Sam.” She paused and took a deep breath “I would like to start as soon as is convenient for you?”

" Then we can be scrambled together and they can figure out how to unscramble us later" Sam laughed nervously. " I'm ready when you are"

Dex nodded, there are a couple of things I need from my quarters, my lamp and spices and, I’m not sure ….have you met Puss yet? My sehlat, I need him he is my adjunct to meditation as I am not fully Vulcan, you could call him my ‘service animal’.
Are you okay with big cats? Sorry that is a stupid statement”

" Nothing is a stupid statement" Sam reassured as she rose from the biobed " I'll notify the Dr Perrim to oversee the meld. "I'll meet you back here in half an hour?"

In her quarters Dex had to wake Puss, she scratched his ears, “come on you, no more sleeping, you have to help me meditate and meld, with my boss!” The sehlat looked at her. She looked back. “Yes I said my boss! you be on your best behaviour.” She took her meditation lamp and filled it with the spices she used. Wrapping it in her blue gold cloth they left for sickbay.

Sam meanwhile briefed Dr Perrim on what was about to transpire and prepared one of the small private rooms with two chairs, two biobeds and a small table. She was nervous but kept her emotions in check - to mind meld with a Vulcan in Pon Farr would be something that had rarely been done. The ramifications were widely unknown.

Soon hopefully they would both have their answers.

 

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