What Happens Next?

Posted on Sun Dec 12th, 2021 @ 12:04am by Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr

Mission: Sinister Intentions
Location: Sickbay

Sam staggered a little, quickly caught by the rapid reflexes of the warming medical team. A quick glance told her both Callie and T'hgrek were both vertical and breathing, tick boxes there. She risked a glance to Dex's vital's to find them stable and hovering in the amber zone.

~ Next morning ~

Callie walked into Sickbay, having spent a night cuddled up safe in Jon’s embrace she’d talked to Shran, and Eislyn, now she came to check on Dex. “Good morning Sam” She offered the best smile she could muster. “How’s Dex?”

" She was doing well through the night, however now not so much" Sam replied sagely, feeling her hair turning gray the more she thought about Dex's complex issues.

Dex lay still on the bio bed. Her white room exploded due to Sam’s input. Her mind wanted to emerge but she felt new, like a child not quite ready to embrace the wonder of the world or know her place in it. The galaxy wandered in and out of her head a kaleidoscope of places she had been and places she still had to go. Her mind decided to make one last attempt at rebuilding her white room and staying in there.

Her vitals began to drop and fluctuate as she attempted to put her heart into fibrillation. She began an argument between the Vulcan and the Risan sides of her brain. The Vulcan side seeing the logic of staying put and the Risan side wanting to emerge and continue her exploration.

" Will you QUIT trying to die on me!" Sam retorted angrily, Dex had been stable the entire night, even showing progress in recovery but now decided to swing the other way. The CMO looked at the experimental serum she had devised, a chemical balancer in order to force the Dex's mind to get along with itself.

Dex’s mind was so conflicted, if only she could get the two half’s to work together she was sure everybody would benefit. She just could not seem to get there. After Sam’s intervention she felt sure she could escape. But the Vulcan side of her mind had again offered its pure logic and the white room was beginning to rebuild itself. If she managed that she would never leave and would spend the rest of her life in a sanatorium on Vulcan. Her Risan side hated that thought and was turning her body against her. Better to be no more than exist in nothingness. Her breathing slowed as did her heart. Her internal organs began their slow shutdown as Shoniara prepared to enter her minds resting place.

Sam's fingers hesitated on the vial, she'd already exhausted all traditional methods of keeping her friend on the road to recovery, all of them met with failure. Refusing to accept that this may be beyond her ability. Her last ditch effort was the experimental serum.

" I'm sorry Dex, this is all I have left" Sam apologised as she pressed the hypo into Dex's neck.

Dex’s brain began to respond almost imperceptibly. Her neurotransmitters and neuropeptides began the slow job of influencing her neurons, synapses, and neural networks. Allowing them to reconnect; increased cortical plasticity began to combine both halves of her brain. Neurogenesis began to take part regrowing the embattled and destroyed parts of her brain caused by her PTSD. Neural differentiation followed as she became Dex again. Her breathing continued to improve as did her cardiovascular system. Her vital organs began to perfuse. She remained unconscious however as she began her long climb back.

Sam whispered a prayer to whatever deity may be listening as Dex one again began to stablise, her vitals reversing their descent into the red zone and slowly rising once more.

" I think we've done it" She said cautiously as things moved in the right direction. She didn't want to be too hopfefully yet - this was the third time she had brought Dex back from the brink and there was nothing left in her medical miracle arsonal.

T’ghrek of Vulcan entered sickbay and headed straight for Sam and Dex. “Something has happened. I felt it, what have you done?” He asked taking both her hands in his.

Sam looked down for a moment " I tried an experimental serum as a last ditch effort" She admitted, knowing she was walking a very fine line when it came to the protocol of experimental treatments.

“How experimental Commander?” He asked.

" About as experimental as it gets" Sam admitted sagely " I based it on the hypothesis that her mind was at war with itself after the events of the Pon Farr then the away mission to the planet. I devised a serum that would force the logic centre to create neural connections to the emotional centre" She tried to explain.

T’ghrek nodded, “so what do we do now Doctor, is it just a case of waiting? I am loathe to meld with her again if her brain is making new connections.” He looked at Sam as if trying to figure her out.

" I would be inclined to wait 24 hours, it's still too early to tell if her mind is repairing itself or is just 'resting' so to speak. Although her neural readings are encouraging" The Doctor indicated the readings on a large display panel next to Dex's bed.

He nodded, “Do you eat lunch Doctor?” He asked.

" Lunch? Wha?? Isn't it morning still?" Sam looked bewildered as she looked at the chronometre on one of the monitors. She's missed breakfast, and now lunch and was operating solely on a coffee from before her shift started and adrenaline.

“I wonder if you would do me the honor of letting me take you to lunch Doctor?”

" That would be delightful, I didn't realise how late it was" Sam admitted as she issued instructions to her staff to closely monitor Dex and advise her immediately if her condition deteriorated.

“Where do you normally eat, we could go there or my quarters?”

" It's normally just the galley for me, mostly replicators there but the occasional fresh food. I'm kinda boring in that area" She shrugged as she explained, regarding T'hgrek with a curious eye.

“If you would like to come to my quarters I can cook for you Doctor, or may I call you Sam?”

She blushed slightly, wondering if he was just being polite or if she was completely misreading the sitaution.
" That would be lovely, I would like that"

They strolled down the corridor. “Are you vegetarian or Vegan?”he asked.

" Neither, I eat pretty much anything I dont have to cook - although I must admit I'm not overly adventurous when it comes to cuisine" Sam admitted as she followed T'hgrek towards his quarters.

“If I am to be honest and As a Vulcan most of the time I am, I can only lie by omission. Where was I, oh yes most Vulcans are vegetarian but as an Ambassador I have eaten so many half cooked vegetables that sometimes I do eat meat.” They arrived at his quarters, he stood for a moment….”Sam I am aware that Callie has now just melded with Shon, did you know?”

That stopped Sam dead in her tracks. Last she knew Dex wasn't even conscious let alone engaging in another meld. " What?!?!" Instantly she turned on her heel and started back towards sickbay.

T’ghrek turned on his heels and sped after her, he was just as surprised. He was upset that Shon had asked Callie into her mind considering the revelations she had just gone through.

The nurse was not sure what had happened but Dex’s and Callie’s adrenaline levels were spiking together off the scale. She had just been about to call Dr Howard back when they entered sickbay. Callie was sitting next to Dex their hands touching.

"Damnit NOT AGAIN. I'm gonna lock you in a room and stop letting people near you" Sam grumbled as she rapidly set up a complex series of monitors on both of them and began organising resus supplies.

T’ghrek stood back and watched her work, there was no room for mistakes in her simple, timely movements, she knew her profession he was sure of that and her respected her for what she knew and when she could no longer work she always seemed to pull something out that worked such as her serum. Dex had also informed him of the serum she had developed which saved her life during her Pon Farr. She moved with a grace which he liked and he thought she deserved dinner rather than lunch where they could spend more time talking.

The cortical monitor on Dex alarmed again as the readings went into the red, their adrenal glands both went into overload at the same time. He moved further back, there was nothing he could do and nothing to say that would not disturb her obvious concentration.

Sam rapidly applied a series of hypos, a detailed neurological scan and the occasional curse over the next few minutes, watching carefully as the two reacted to her treatments. All she could try and do was support their bodies whilst their minds tried to sort themselves out.

“You are doing everything you can Sam.” T’ghrek said softly. “I hope you do not mind me calling you by that name?” He touched her momentarily on the shoulder and then stepped back again. He had felt that she needed some support.

" We need to have a stern talk to her if by some miracle she survives this idea and I don't go stark raving mad in the process" Sam grumbled as she continued to work.

~”we have to do what we have to do”~ someone spoke to Sam rather like a whisper on the wind, a paper lantern set in the path of a storm. T’ghrek had not heard it as the message was not for him.

Callie has smiled as she watched Sam and T’ghrek head out of Sickbay. Happy that Dex appeared to be improving she headed out of Sickbay, right now she needed to concentrate on something other than her recent news, so she headed for her office to start going over reports and requests for appointments.

Dex desperately tried to call to Callie as she saw her standing there. When she turned and left she had to reset. A few minutes later she tried again, she threw her mind into the void willing it to seek Callie out.

~Callie I need you, I need you in my mind, please help me escape from inside, Callie, Callie ~

It was exhausting. She had decided to emerge into real life once again with her ‘new’ mind but she was lost and needed guidance to emerge, only something that Callie could do. She rested, waiting.

Callie paused. At first she wasn’t sure she’d heard anything but this time she was sure! She rushed back to Dex’s side. “Nurse!” She looked up at the Nurse who came running. “I have to go inside Dex’s mind, you’ll need to monitor both of us.” She took a seat before taking hold of Dex’s hand and closing her eyes.

~ I’m coming Dex! ~

Dex could feel Callie’s hand holding hers and her mind hovering just outside her vision. ~push through Callie please help me~

Callie paused, with Dex’s mind making new connections it could cause problems for her. Still Dex needed her and she wasn’t going to let her down. Pushing her way into Dex’s mind she was relieved to come face to face with Dex. ~ I’m here ~

~Callie,~ Dex ran to her and held her in a bear hug. ~How are you holding up my friend?~

Callie offered a smile. ~To be honest...not that good. I’ll explain when we get you free of this place, and back into the real world.~

~we need to get out of here but everytime I make a decision the other half gives me a scenario that makes me self guess myself. Help me make the right decision, walk with me ~ her mind was full of passages aboard the Washington, some had doors that would not open, some were blind ends and some opened on frightening vistas.

They walked quietly along until the came to a door ~here we go~ said Dex and opened the door. A wall of flame and rock came towards then at lightening speed. Dex slammed the door. ~see that is not it ~

~ Let me try a door? ~ Callie looked around. ~ How about that one? ~ she pointed further down the corridor.

~Very well~ Dex said, they walked slowly and she opened the door and smiled ~this one is for you Callie~ Harry was running towards her with a toy shuttlecraft, his arms open~ go ahead this one is yours~ Dex said.

Callie smiled as she enjoyed the memory before closing the door. ~ I guess it’s best you choose. Where do you feel drawn? ~

~This one next to yours~ she said. Dex opened it ~oh my~ she said and closed it quickly, it contained a large bed with a very naked Captain. ~please don’t say anything Callie, remember these are dreams and wishes as well as memories. Your turn~

Callie grinned and opened a door. Her face changed as she saw the horrors within, she backed away unable to face even closing the door. ~ Shut it! Please shut it!! ~

Dex reached over and closed it with alacrity. She had an idea of what it was. ~I’m sorry Callie~ she said. ~this one next~ they walked to the end of the corridor to what seemed like a turbolift.

Dex pressed the control and the door opened, it was empty and looked just like a turbolift. They entered and the door closed with the usual swish. ~where shall we go now Callie? I asked it to take me out and it deposited me into space~

Callie pulled herself together, concentrating on Dex. ~Concentrate on getting out, let nothing else distract you. You want out, this is your mind, you control it.~

She nodded ~you are right. Take us to T’ghrek~ she said . The answer came immediately ~T’ghrek is not on board~ it said. She thought for a minute ~well then take us to where I came in~ the lift started working and she grabbed Callie’s hand.

The turbo lift stopped and the door opened onto a lake, they were standing on a raft floating on the water, the sky was blue and the water filled with diving mammals. ~I think we have to paddle over there Callie~ Dex said.

Callie nodded. ~ Then lets go. The sooner we’re out of here, the sooner you can start your recovery. ~

They paddled for some time until they came to another door Dex opened it and they were in the white room, all the walls were built again, no windows or shadows. ~No she screamed, I do not want to be here any more. She closed the door and the raft moved, she fell backwards and deposited them both into the water. Dex was an excellent swimmer but for some reason she could not move her arms of legs, she looked at Callie.

Callie too was struggling to move. It was as though someone had bound her arms and legs. ~ We’ll drown Dex! If we die in here neither of us will wake up ever again! ~

Dex tried to shout but her mouth filled up with water, she tried to pull herself upwards but her arms still did not work, she looked at Callie above her. They sank down so far that the light disappeared. The water filled her lungs ~she was dying ~ and then…..she opened her eyes in sickbay, she was lying on the biobed looking up at the lights. ‘Callie” she rasped?

"Callie's fine, but I'm gonna have words to you both about unplanned melds" Sam grumped as she watched the vital signs on the monitor would of the corner of her eye.

Callie awoke with a coughing fit before she realised she was back in Sickbay. Sitting up she looked at Dex. “Dex?” She smiled as she set eyes on Dex. “You’re awake!”

“Thanks to you my friend, you took the journey with me” She stretched out her hand and took Callie’s in hers. “And I will take yours with you, all the way Callie I promise.” Dex’s eyes closed and she slept.

Callie smiled before closing her eyes and taking a well deserved nap herself.

As the two released themselves to the healing power of sleep Sam breathed out the breath she felt like she'd been holding for days. Finally the healing could begin.