Breadcrumbs

Posted on Sun Dec 19th, 2021 @ 7:08pm by Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr & Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes

Mission: Sinister Intentions
Location: USS Washington
Timeline: Sometime after the hardest of truths

Shran completed his conversation with Celes and told her to stand by for transport. With Samantha off the ship on the planet surface, Dex would be in charge in sickbay, assuming Dex was back on duty. A counselor would be needed as well, and Jortho was likewise on the surface, and Shran was unsure if Callie was ready to return to duty. He had no choice though, the situation demanded attention and they were the senior available officers for both of those medical specialties currently.

He hit his comm badge, =^=Shran to Dex and Callie. Report to sickbay and prepare for incoming. Celes and her team found trafficking victims aboard the Nausicaan vessel and they need both of your attention. =^=

Callie was resting in her quarters after all the unwanted news she’d had lately. Hearing that she was needed she tapped her comm badge. =^= Callie here Captain, I’m on my way. =^=

Dex was already in sickbay having taken over from Sam. She acknowledged the Captain’s order and momentarily worried about him asking Callie to work in her present mental condition, she made a promise to keep a much of an eye on her as she could. She alerted the beta medical team that they were to expect persons in whatever condition. She checked up on surgical and resuscitative systems and informed lay staff that there might be children. Set up and ready she awaited Callie.

Arriving at Sickbay not long afterwards Callie offered a smile to Dex. “Looks like neither of us is getting any rest for now, though I could do with a distraction.”

Dex hugged her. “I am not happy you are here, I am unsure as to whether you are fit to use your abilities for the good of others when you are far from mentally well yourself.”

Callie hugged Dex in return. “I’m fit Dex, I have to be. Besides I’m not helping anyone sitting at home dwelling on things, I’d rather be working.”

The reunion of sorts was cut short as a large group beamed into the middle of sickbay, with several others materializing on biobeds. While the group, excluding the StarFleet personnel, ranged in age from roughly 6 to early 30s and they were of various Federation species, the one thing they had in common was that they were all female. Celes was among them and quickly spotted Callie and Dex and gave them a report.

"They were packed away in a secret sealed compartment in the cargo bay. A few were in suspended animation," and she pointed at the three on the biobeds, "so we had them transported directly to the biobeds for treatment. They have all been traumatized, and it seems a few were assaulted physically, and possibly mentally prior to being sent to the Nausicaan ship. I'll leave you to handle this while I report to the captain."

“Callie can you begin to handle the children, get names and connect them with parents if you can. Check for physical traumas please. I will check the patients that were in suspended animation.”

Callie nodded. “Understood I’ll do what I can” She took a deep breath and headed over to the children.

The group were mainly quiet, some sobbing, others rocking backwards and forwards obviously traumatized. Dex had Dr Perrim begin his assessment of their needs by triage.

The first of the three biobeds contained a human female. “Hello, my name is Dex and I am a doctor, you are safe now on the Federation Vessel Washington.” She began her bio scan. “What is your name?”

The dirty female whispered, “Are we really safe? I have been so scared for weeks now.”

Dex put her hand on her arm. “Yes you are safe here with us.”

“My name is Margaret Phines, I was sent to New Kracow as a nanny to some children. I arrived off the transport, was seen by officials and told I was to have a medical prior to meeting my new charges. That was the last thing I knew until I woke in a jail cell. I have done nothing wrong She began crying.” Dex completed her scans noting a broken femur that had been badly repaired and that she was six weeks pregnant.”

Dex asked her gently, “Margaret do you know you are pregnant.” She stopped sobbing and nodded. “I was told that they would obtain more money if there were two of us to sell and that we had been bought. I tried to run away and they caught me and broke my leg so I could not run. I fought to stop them putting me in stasis, I truly did.”

Dex closed her eyes, remembering another stasis chamber. “Margaret how old are you?”

“I am eighteen, my first adventure away from home. My parents must be beside themselves with worry.”

Dex smiled, “well that is something we can help you with.” She waved a nurse over. “This is Charlie, he will take your details and we can get on with letting your parents know you are safe. Charlie begin metoropan treatments for her leg, check the status of the child and give her 2 cc’s of improvaline, this will help you rest whilst we treat you Margaret. I will return in awhile okay?” The girl nodded through her tears.

Dex looked for Callie and found her, going over she asked “Callie what is happening?”

Callie had gathered a group of three young children together, more for strength in numbers, as well as companionship. “These are our three youngest guests, it seems Eliza, Andreas and...” She paused for a moment and looked towards the eldest boy. “Alexander, are all siblings. They were snatched from their parents.”

“You are so good with children Callie.” She smiled. “Do we have any idea where they last remember being with their parents?”

“Doctor?” A voice called. “I’ll be back as soon as I can Callie, if you need to get help from the preschool teachers.”

She went back over to where one of the stasis patients was fitting. She went over the bio signs, she looked mostly Bajoran with another mix that she did not recognize. She was approximately 30 years old and was in cardiac shock. “3ccs Delactovine timed over 3 minutes and administer a cortical analeptic to reinvigorate her cerebral cortex.

Callie distracted the children as best as she could. “Can you tell me anything about the people that took you? Anything at all?”

“There was a man with pointed ears” Eliza pointed out another Vulcan in the room.

“Did you see his face?” Callie looked at Athens young girl curiously.

Eliza shook her head obviously upset.

“Hey, it’s okay don’t worry” Callie smiled. “Once you’re all cleared by the doctors I’ll take you to meet some more children around your ages, including my son. You’ll all be take care of you until we can find your parents.”

The last stasis patient was dying and there seemed to be nothing she could do about it. She was a Tellerite female who appeared to have some kind of implant which reminded her of the Aenar child. It has been leaking chloraxine, a powerful stimulant that is lethal in larger doses. The implant seemed to have been designed to encourage general strength and growth. It looked like the leakage began with the stasis process.

Leaving the children in the care of one of the school teachers who’d come to help, Callie made her way around some of the other women offering comfort where she could. She was surprised to find just how many memories it brought back of her time in Sickbay after her violation, memories she hadn’t recalled up until now. She offered gentle words of support, as well as fetching pillows and blankets for those who wanted them. Also engaging privacy screens around the biobeds for those wanting more privacy. Looking around she took a breather, walking over to Dex. “How are you doing?”

“I have had better days Callie.” Her Tellerite patient had just died and she felt as she always did when she lost someone, helpless.
“You know I think all these people have come from the same place, they are all immigrants or else have just arrived without family or friends and all the female, and the majority of them are of childbearing age; and the children, we have seen this before on the Breen planet. These women have been assaulted, surgically altered, made pregnant and in most cases mentally abused also. There will be a lot of counseling needed but not from you do not worry.”

Callie nodded. “To be honest talking to these women has stirred up a lot of memories of my time in Sickbay after what happened. It’s good in one way, not in others.” She sighed. “Anyway I’ve made a note of their names, the children as well. We should be able to search for relatives now.”

“Some of the women have been assigned quarters, they are so scared they all requested not to be alone, lucky space is tight and there are three to a room. Have you noted any mental problems with the children, any abuse that you can see?”

Callie shook her head. “No, thankfully not. I think we got to them just in time. I just hope we can locate the siblings parents now.”

Shon walked to the replicator and ordered an Earl Grey tea hot, she had started drinking more of it since her chat with the Captain. “Do you want anything Callie?” she asked.

Shran looked around sickbay and saw a few patients and nurses, but didn't see Dex or Callie. He inquired as to their whereabouts and then made his way over to the office. "What is the status of the patients?" he asked as he entered.

“Captain, the patients in stasis have been physically traumatized one human girl is pregnant, she told me that she had tried to escape and they broke her leg so she could no longer walk. It will be fine now but she is only 18. My Bajoran patient was in cardiac shock but will live. She has been through some trauma but is currently unable to speak about it. I have asked Bajoran crew members to try to befriend her. My last patient a Tellerite female has died. She had a powerful stimulant that was administering inside her. Unfortunately it was leaking and I was unable to revitalize her tissues. I think it must have Been a problem with the stasis pods. I think they must be pretty old. All the other women have no injuries but they all report mental abuse, they seem to have been taken from the surface after their admission formalities to the colony and told they were now to be slaves. Some of them report others being killed for trying to escape. Callie has been looking after the children."

Callie nodded. “Fortunately the three young siblings I was talking to are recent abductees, they were snatched from their parents. They did mention seeing a Vulcan male amongst those who took them but unfortunately they didn’t see his face, as such an identification won’t be possible.”

Shran arched an eyebrow in an almost Vulcan manner. "They saw a Vulcan amongst the abductors? I find that to be strange to say the least. Did they give you any other information that we might use? I'm loathe to have Celes use her telepathy to seek out details considering the trauma these women have already endured."

“Unfortunately no Captain, they all reported feelings of nausea, instability and blackouts, I have found traces of unknown drugs in their systems which I am running tests on now. Apart from being abducted soon after they arrived they have only sparse knowledge of abuse followed by unconsciousness, then waking again and subjected to more trauma. Three of the older women report rapes I am afraid and again my 18 year old appears to have been made pregnant by the same. She did however tell me she was told that they could obtain more money for two.” Dex sounded disgusted. “If I could get my hands on these people !”

For Callie the conversation was getting pretty uncomfortable given what Dex had discovered about her own lost baby. “I wouldn’t suggest subjecting any of them to telepathic scans Captain. If my own...problems are anything to go by it’ll just make things all the more difficult for them.”

Shran nodded, "I tend to agree counselor. But I'm certain these victims know more than they are telling us. The trauma is a roadblock in us uncovering all we can. These villains are vile, and we need to put an end to this and destroy the ring outright."

Callie nodded. “I understand Sir.”

"Can anything else be done to help them at this time counselor? Perhaps Dex can do something to aid in their recovery. I don't want to add further to their trauma, but I do want us to get all the information we can from them."

Callie looked towards Dex. “I think Dex is doing everything she can right now, at present all we can do is offer these women and children safe haven, and earn their trust. Once we do they may be able to remember more.”

“The Lieutenant is right Captain, my only recourse would be memory recalling drugs and I think they have been through enough already. I plan to talk to them tomorrow in group therapy. They may open up to each other more than me, I know you need as much information as possible but I have to go slowly. Captain I want Callie dealing with the children only. As her physician there are some situations I do not currently want her in.”

Callie nodded her agreement, and thanks to Dex. She wasn’t yet ready to face something so close to what happened to herself.

"What we all want and what will have to be are separate matters doctor. Callie dealing with the children is perfectly fine with me, but until Eislyn returns from the surface, Callie may well have to deal with the adults as well. Simple logic to that don't you agree doctor?" Shran looked at the patients back in sickbay, "They have been traumatized, and I don't wish to cause them more trauma, but we can't coddle them indefinitely either. We have hard choices before us, and I suspect we have even harder choices yet to come as we try to put an end to all this despicable behavior. We all will simply have to find ways to cope as best we can. For now, I'll wait to see what news comes from Jon's trip to the surface."

Callie nodded as she looked towards Shran. “I’ll do what I can Captain.”

Dex was furious but she maintained her veneer of coolness. “Captain may I speak to you privately please?”

"Very well doctor." He walked over to the corner of the room to give the conversation the privacy Dex had requested.

“Captain Callie is my patient, for the state of her mental health I do not want her interacting mentally with the adults in this group. If you wish I will take her off duty completely and I know Doctor Howard will have my back on this. I will do my best with the adults to find out what I can and will have a preliminary report for you within two hours. Will that be adequate for the moment Sir?” She waited watching his eyes as they appraised her.

Shran spoke in a low tone, "You are well within your rights to make whatever medical decision you feel is right doctor. You have little say regarding the mental health practices however. Callie is the chief counselor and it is her duty to handle the mental care of everyone aboard this ship. When her subordinate Jortho is aboard and available once more you can by all means request her to handle the mental care of these patients, but until then I expect Callie to perform her duties as I do anyone else. I'm sorry if this seems cruel to you doctor, but as I said hard choices exist, and like it or not, they, much like our duty, come with the uniform."

Dex also spoke in a tone to match Shran’s. “Captain you know full well that mental and physical health are not interchangeable they are one. Due to my patient’s confidentiality I am unable to go into the specifics of her case but her physical health is currently very strongly interlinked with her mental health. The problems these women have are directly linked with what the Lieutenant has suffered. In my expert medical opinion she will be unable to carry on her duties and maybe her career if she is allowed to have mental contact with the women.”

She admired his strength and sense of what needed to be done but currently it was at odds with her Hippocratic oath.

"I'm just the captain, your the medical expert. I have little choice but to bow to you in regards to medical matters. That said, I am less than certain that allowing Callie to do her duty would be detrimental to her health or anyone else's for that matter. Her mental health was made clear to me by Jortho prior to her leaving with the away team, and it was made clear that she was under distress and needed some time away from duty, but that Callie was indeed still capable of performing her duties if and when needed. You are now stating otherwise. Forgive me for being confused in this matter doctor, but which professional should I listen to in this matter, the medical doctor or the mental health professional?"

She crossed her arms, “Captain I am unsure as to whether Counselor Jortho is completely aware of the ongoing situation that has unfolded over the last 24 hours. I wish I had had time to consult with the Counselor. I have had extensive neurological melding with the Lieutenant at her request during the time she has also had counseling. I am willing however to let her work with a couple of the women, under my supervision of course. If at any time it becomes problematical I will return her to duties with the children. Sir the more time we stand here the less time I have with the adults. Captain I have just had a thought. My brother is still here visiting Sam he is a touch telepath perhaps he could help?”

Shran did his best to keep back his annoyance regarding all the melds. "To be honest doctor, I am not a big fan of all the melding. Never have been. Telepathic contact with others, especially those not prone to it has always been considered dangerous to me. Vulcans I'm sad to say seem to have an almost devil may care approach to it at times, and the results are, as we can see here, often full of tragedy and loaded with intended or unintended consequences." He took a moment to settle himself as he had just ranted in a way he hadn't intended. "I'm sure your brother is a fine person. From my brief time with him he seemed respectable enough, but he isn't StarFleet, so I am disinclined to have him intervene unless absolutely necessary. And how can he be visiting Samantha if she is down on the planet with the away team and she has only just met him herself?"

Meanwhile in Sickbay one of the female patients had broken down, sitting sobbing with no one to comfort her. Callie had taken up her counselling role moving across to provide comfort. “It’ll be okay” She sat simply holding the other woman, allowing her to cry on her shoulder. “You’re safe now, no one will hurt you anymore.”

Dex and Shran continued to speak together in hushed whispers. “As you recall sir he was invited to help me following my problems with the away team. His ship will take two weeks to meet up with us so …well he and Sam have struck up a relationship. She may be down on the planet now but last evening she certainly was not. And Sir I take it as an insult to malign my race as you have just done. There are a few bad apples as they say and a lot of them in Star Fleet.”….she stopped as she realised she was sailing very close to the wind with him. She continued unbowed. “Vulcan mind melds are an approved therapy where needed.”

Having comforted the female patient Callie moved across to Dex and Shran. Pausing far enough away not to eavesdrop. “Excuse me Sir, Doctor...I have a female patient in need of sedation.” She looked a little frazzled herself but did her best not to let it show.

Shran didn't believe he had maligned Vulcans in the least bit, but this was not the time or place to get into such a debate. He looked at Callie and then to Dex, "It would seem Callie has managed to deal with a patient and now requires you doctor. I'm sure we can continue this discussion at another time. I won't interfere with your duties any longer."

The Andorian turned to leave but stopped to speak with Callie briefly, "Do what you can counselor. I'm sure the away team will return shortly and you can return to your needed rest."

Callie nodded. “I’ll rest when my job is done Sir, not a moment before.” She offered a smile, before starting after Dex. She didn’t get far before, without warning she collapsed to the deck as her body went into a seizure.

Dex was by her side in a minute “give me a hypo of 3ccs drolantin” she asked the nurse who ran up to help. She depressed the proffered hypo into her neck. Callie stopped almost immediately. “Help me get her onto the bio bed. Dex and the nurse lifted her onto the bio bed. I want a full neurological scan asap. She turned to Shran looked at him and then looked back to Callie. “Vital signs are now stable but neurological scans show trauma to her frontal lobe, it is as though her memories have been rearranged somehow.

"Do what you have to doctor." Shran had a look of concern, but it was obvious he wasn't going to interfere with a medical problem without cause. He knew when to step aside.

Dex sedated her friend and ran another invasive inter cranial scan. Her vital signs remained stable as the data received from the scan revealed that this had been spontaneous within her mind rather than some outside trauma. Callie had not reported an injury so Dex had discounted that initially. The only thing she could think of was her contact with the female rescued refugee who was sitting looking frightened on the corner.

Dex went over to speak to the woman she knelt down and looked into her eyes. “Do not be frightened my name is Shoniara and I am a doctor on board this ship that rescued you. What is your name?” She smiled and took the woman’s hand. She visibly relaxed. “My friend who was talking to you has been taken ill” she indicated Callie on the biobed “and I am trying to find out why. I have a special talent I can look into minds, may I have a look at yours, it will not hurt.”

The woman nodded and Dex commenced a low level meld. What she saw was distracting and disturbing. This woman had been neurally abused and then had had an imperative placed in her mind to return to this place. Dex slid out of her mind. She smiled “thank you” she said. She moved on to the next refugee and managed to recover the same information. The third however had initially agreed to the meld seeing her friends had not been harmed. As Dex was about to commence the meld however she caught sight of the doctors Vulcan ears and screamed. The force of the mental rebuttal threw Dex back across the floor. People ran to help her but she put her arms out for them to stay back. She stood up slowly shaking her head and looked at Shran.

“Captain, the short answer you may be looking for is that these women have been mentally conditioned for their lives as slaves. However in the case of them not reaching their destinations their minds have been programmed to return here to their captors for whatever reason, I suspect to be re sold. The amount of mental and physical abuse they have suffered is, “ Dex’s eyes grew hard “is the worst abuse I have ever seen. She touched Shran’s arm.

However I have not yet finished Captain I don’t know why but Callie’s mind is showing the same imperative. I will wake her shortly but want to keep her for observation and I suggest we feed, clothe and let these women relax but we need to keep security round them. At some stage they are going to try to return from whence they were programmed.” She sighed and went pale “I must sit down for a few minutes.

"If that is the case doctor then I want them all confined to sickbay for the time being. I'll have security send a contingent here to help with any security matters that might arise."

A recovered Dex maintained her watch on Callie for another hour before waking her, she kept the forcefield in operation whilst she depressed the hypo that would wake her into her neck. Callie’s vital signs began to waver as she woke. “Callie?” Dex asked, “It’s Shon, how are you feeling?”

Callie frowned as she woke up to find herself staring up at the ceiling. “What?...why?” She looked towards Dex. “What happened?”

“You collapsed and had a seizure. Callie since these women came aboard your neural pathways have become, “ she paused “have become tangled. Some of you what we call ‘imperative’ brainwaves have changed. These brainwaves tell you that you need to do something in an increasingly strong way. Do you feel anything at all?”

Callie frowned, “I...I don’t know. Ever since the children mentioned a Vulcan male being amongst those slavers I’ve felt...uncomfortable, but it’s not surprising given what happened to me.” She paused. “I don’t feel like I need to run away anywhere if that’s what you’re worried about. At least...not yet.”

“You have some of the same brainwaves as these women Callie.” She took her friend by the hand. “I don’t want to lose the only friend I have. Will you let me implant you with a tracker just under the skin so I can monitor your whereabouts?”

“If you feel it’s really necessary” Callie nodded. “But how did that happen? My brainwaves changing? It doesn’t make sense. I just...felt dizzy all of a sudden, and then you woke me.” She sighed. “It must just be me feeling so close to them, we’ve mostly gone through the same thing.”

“Yes Callie I do think it is necessary. I think your brain responded to these women, I don’t know how but I will when I am able to study it more. The Captain has asked that everyone remain in sickbay for the time being so just lie back and rest. I will place the tracker just here” she pointed towards Callie’s right hand.”Just at the base. It is about the size of a grain of rice.” She placed the hypo onto her wrist and depressed it. “There, try to sleep a little and when Jon returns I am sure he will be able to look after you.”

Callie nodded and relaxed. Right now she needed the rest. There were far too many mysteries she didn’t like right now. She just had to hope they’d find some answers soon.

{OFF}