Consultation

Posted on Thu Oct 7th, 2021 @ 9:38am by Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson

Mission: Breen in Paradise
Location: ACMO Quarters
Timeline: Current

Having slept a couple of hours Shoniara woke feeling unrefreshed. She hoped Sam was catching up on sleep although she knew Sam would be trying to find the drug they had discussed as time was short. Instead of sitting in her wrecked quarters she had decided to seek out a Counsellors ideas on all this. She knew she had to take Puss with her wherever she went now for the safety of others. Their link was such that he could break into her thoughts and remind her of who she was so stabilising her mood. Needing sustenance she had a small bowl of Plomeek broth and showered and dressed. She sat on the couch and tapped her communicator.

=/\= Dex to Counsellor Raven-Grayson =/\=

=/\= Grayson here =/\= came the immediate response from Callie, she didn’t always use her full surname to save time.

=/\= Counsellor we have not met but I am Doctor T’ghann Dex and wondered if you had any time for a consultation today?=/\=

=/\= By all means Doctor, would you prefer to come to me? or I I can come to you =/\=

=/\= if you could come to me Counsellor it would be better. I am having trouble going out at the moment . Any time you have is good but the sooner the better=/\=

There was a slight pause. =/\= I’ll be there right away =/\= heading out of her office a few moments later Callie made her way to Dex’s Quarters, pausing outside she pressed the chime and waited for permission to enter.

Dex realised that she was not going to be able to get her quarters in any kind of a decent state so she gave up. “Enter” she called as the door chimed.

Walking into Dex’s quarters Callie looked around before looking at Dex. “Let me guess...Pon’farr?” She offered a polite, cheery smile.

Dex would have smiled had she had it in her. “You guessed correctly counsellor. Please come in and sit down if you can find a seat. I am sorry I cannot offer you a drink I …..broke my replicator.”

“Well we can sort that out for you, once we have a handle on the problem.” Callie smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about a place to sit, I’m perfectly happy sitting on the floor.” She took a seat on a clear spot of floor motioning for Shoniara to join her. “So, how long has it been since the onset of symptoms?”

She sat on the floor opposite Callie. “Call me Shoniara or Dex, whatever you prefer. Symptoms for about seven weeks now, I’m nearly at my limit. This is a year early for me or obviously I would have arranged leave on Vulcan.” Puss padded up to Callie and sniffed her hair. Linking her smell he licked her hand and sat purring by her side. “This is Puss my Sehlat companion. He is my service animal.” I hope he doesn’t bother you, most people are scared by his looks but he is a big softie.”

Callie slowly and gently held out her hand, “I don’t mind, I love animals. Some Betazoids find animals difficult to be around due to the random nature of their thoughts but I’ve always loved animals.” She gently stroked puss before putting her hand down. “So this is a year early? That’s pretty rare, is there anything you can think of that’s set this off?”

“No, nothing at all. Although the last few months before I transferred to the ship were difficult. My Bond brother T’ghrek did not want me to take this position. I think he wanted to keep an eye on me..when my husband and daughter died I went to pieces and became addicted to a Klingon narcotic. Life during that time was very difficult…” to her horror Dex felt herself begin to cry. “After I saved his life he helped me come off the drug and made me his sister. He has now become an ambassador and he thought I would stay with him. . I have also become a rather late student of Kohlinar, that is why T’ghrek gave me Puss. I am only half Vulcan you see.” She could feel a warmth inside her which was springing to life. She balled her fists to keep it down and Puss sat by her and purred.

Callie nodded, she could sense the emotional force bubbling away inside Shoniara. “I understand how hard this must be for you, I’ve melded with a Vulcan in the early stages of Pon’farr before but not one in the stage you’re reaching. I take it you’re the Vulcan that the Doctor is trying to help?”

“Yes I am, last night I melded with her in the hope that she would understand something of what I was feeling so she could …..I’m sorry I find this very difficult. We do not usually ….we keep to ourselves. Ayana has given me a holodeck program, she told me it had been developed on Voyager for a Vulcan crew member to go through the Pon Farr. She has given me a copy of that same program. The problem is the user has to believe it for it to work, and, I do not. It is just that a program.” Dex jumped up and began walking around. “I am sorry, the rage just builds up until it explodes. At times I feel …it is not me but yet it is the real me. Does any of this make sense?”

Callie nodded. “I’m half Betazoid, I can feel what you’re feeling. I understand what you’re trying to say. For a holodeck program to work for you, you would have to truly be able to feel a connection with the holographic partner. I don’t see how it would work for you, though I maybe wrong.”

“You are not wrong Counsellor, Sam is trying to work on a drug that could change my perception so I can believe it. It is too late to get to Vulcan, I am unable to contact T’ghrek so, I go through the program or go insane and possibly die. There are no good solutions. I can feel the fire, aggression and lust rising in me. I can no longer hold it back with medication. The only path I can take is the Tg’ra-Nath, suicide before all this comes to pass.”

“Certainly not!” Callie gave Dex a disapproving look. “There will be No suicide on my watch!” She offered a smile. “Is there anything I can do to help you, to help relieve your symptoms? I have experienced a meld before.”

“I am not sure what you could do within a meld. It took so much out of me to hold back the worst of it with Sam, even though you have experienced a meld before If I loose control there will be two casualties.” Her voice began to climb. “I CANNOT DO THIS” she shouted and hit the bulkhead with her fist. “I need to show you something Dex said.” Turning she lowered her shirt to show her back covered in multiple burn scars. She shrugged her shirt up again. “I obtained these trying to rescue my husband Mark and my little girl Shasta. They burned before my eyes. I lost control after that, but this, this is so much worse. It is as if everything I ever was is leaving me and I can do nothing, just watch it all burn.”

Callie got to her feet. “Shoniara, you are stronger than you give yourself credit for! You have survived the loss of your family, nothing could be greater than that!” She edged a little closer but kept a safe distance. “We will find a way to help you, I’ll talk with the doctor and see what our options are, if all else fails then we find you someone you can safely meld with until such a time as we can get to Vulcan.”

“You are very kind.” She indicated the mess. “I am very sorry you see me like this. This is not me, I am trying but with every passing minute I am slipping away. I need to be confined for everyone else’s safety. Can you arrange this for me?”

“If you’re sure that’s what you truly want” Callie nodded. “I’ll arrange with medical and security to have your quarters put under quarantine. If it any time you need anything, all you have to do is call us.”

“It is not what I want it is what I need, I would hate to hurt someone. I will arrange to have my replicator repaired. Thank you for coming so quickly.”

Callie nodded. “It’s my pleasure, how’s about I help you tidy up before I go? I can take a look at that replicator too I’m fully Ops trained. You’ll probably need some replacement parts though which, unfortunately, I don’t have.”

“Dex raised an eyebrow, “full service counselling, now there is something you do not see every day.” She smiled. “Thank you, that would be kind. As you can see the place is a mess and I only started last night.” She walked over to the desk and took out a small medkit containing a medical sensor. She scanned her hand. “2 fractured metacarpals. Oh well I am sure given time I can do more damage.”

“I think regular check ins to make sure you’re alright are in order too in that case.” Callie smiled as she started on tidying the area nearest to her. “Don’t tell anyone but I’m something of a neat and tidy freak! I hate it when things are out of place.”

Feeling a little churlish Shoniara set right the table she had knocked over and replaced the holo photos of Mark and Shasta onto the smooth surface her fingers touching them lightly. “Damned Dominion war.” She said. She removed the shredded sheets from the bed and began to place her clothes back in their storage bins. It actually felt good to do that. Organisation was very dear to Vulcan, she had forgotten that. “Speak to Sam, the more heads tackle this the better, but, I know I have very little time left. Thank you again Counsellor.”

Dex and Puss saw her to the door, “hopefully you will touch base with Commander Howard this morning. And, please arrange for security.”

“I will don’t worry” Callie offered a warm smile before heading on her way tapping her comm badge as she went. =/\= Raven-Grayson to Howard, I need to speak with you as soon as possible. =/\=

A yawn could be heard in the background before Dr Howard replied.

" Howard here... I'm in sickbay, do you want to drop by to discuss something?" Sam replied.

“I do indeed Doctor, I’ll see you there soon,” She double tapped her comm badge. =/\= Raven-Grayson to Security I need a security quarantine put on Lieutenant Dex’s Quarters immediately! No one in besides myself or Doctor Howard. =/\=

The security department acknowledged the order and attended with guards for the door.

Meanwhile Sam was making the finishing touches on her serum when Callie entered sickbay.

"Well hello again" She smiled as the Counsellor entered.

“Hello again” Callie smiled. “I’ve just had a talk with Lieutenant Dex, if that’s a serum you’re making for her you’re going to have to hurry!” She sighed. “She asked me to quarantine her, and I’ve also added a security detail at the door, but we'll need to keep a close eye on her as she’s hurting herself as well as destroying her quarters.”

"Its just about ready" Sam had been working at one of the sequencing stations, refining her serum so that it would working with Dex's unique physiology.

“Excellant” Callie smiled a relieved smile. “In that case I guess it’s just a case of you having chance to test it.”

"We don't have time to treat it, it either works, or we sedate Dex until I can come up with another solution" Sam said sagely, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Callie nodded. “Agreed, if necessary I’ll volunteer myself to help her until we can get to Vulcan. I can handle a meld, but only if absolutely necessary.”

"Not something I would recommend, my brain is scrambled enough after the last one" Sam quipped as she tweaked the formula yet again.

“It’s definitely not something to be taken lightly” Callie offered a smile. Hopefully your serum will work, I guess only time will tell.”

"Do me a favour, bring Dex here, I'd like to a administer the serum In a controlled environment before we allow her to attempt to use the holoprogram" Sam suggested as she made the last adjustment to the serum "I think it's ready"

Callie nodded. “I’ll go now.” She turned and headed out of Sickbay tapping her comm badge. =/\= Raven-Grayson to Dex, I need you and puss ready to go, I’m on my way to take you to Sickbay for your serum. =/\=

After the counsellor had departed Dex quickly changed into a pair of light grey trousers and shirt, picked up her Ba’tleth and looked at Puss. “I have to go my Shon ‘a Loc. You have to stay here Sam will look after you until T’ghrek comes for you.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she kissed him on his shaggy neck. “Remember me my friend.” Puss licked her his eyes sad. She placed her combadge on the table pulled open the mesh situated over the Jeffries tube and entered replacing it behind her. She had been working on this idea for a few days, to take a shuttle and head out into space. She knew she was not in her right mind but this had to end and this was the only way she could think of to keep everybody safe. She had already brewed a tea from the herbs she had used in the meld with Sam and drank it. This was highly poisonous to Vulcans so if the shuttle did not work out in an hour or so she would go in to convulsions and die. It would not be a good death, she thought, but a necessary one. She headed off down the Jeffries tube and turned right towards the shuttle bay two decks up.


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