An experimental fix

Posted on Sun Jan 9th, 2022 @ 9:25am by Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr & Lieutenant JG Eislyn Jortho

Mission: Sinister Intentions
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Prior to the JAG posts

{ON}

Callie was sitting on her bed enjoying a visit from Jon, so far she hadn’t been released thanks to her split personality problem. “I wish I could come home with you” She held onto Jon’s hand. “How’s Harry been coping without me?”

Jon sat on the side of the bed holding Callie's hands. He was restricted to seeing her and staying in their quarters. "About like I am Callie, he misses you terribly and wants to know when you are coming home."

Callie nodded. “Sometime soon I hope, I just...don’t want to risk exposing him to this other side of me!”

Shon arrived and noted the holding of hands. She smiled, that was good to see. She had come to see if she could repair Callie’s split mind. She had researched what T’Vall meant when he whispered ‘Kohlinar’ to Jon before he died. In order to do this she needed to meld with Callie seek out the other personality and persuade her to leave. As she waited for Eislyn she sat and meditated.

Eislyn had been informed by Dex of what she was planning to do in an attempt to fix Callie, so to speak. The treatment wasn't one that was in the textbooks to be certain, but the cause of this issue wasn't exactly something that one often dealt with either. Eislyn was thankful that she had known several Vulcans in past lives and had had the opportunity to learn about melding in some detail, even experiencing the practice in her last life. It made her far more accepting of the practice compared to others. Not everyone liked or even approved of melds, and to be fair, it was still fair for it to happen with anyone who wasn't Vulcan, but some races just seemed to frown on the practice outright. Eislyn hoped that Dex had gotten the approval from Samantha and Shran before presenting the option to Jon and Callie. She'd soon know as she approached the doors to sickbay.

Eislyn entered and saw Jon sitting next to Callie, the two enjoying the others company, Callie looking far better physically than Jon at the moment. Sickbay was fairly quiet beyond those two at the moment, which Eislyn attributed to the ship reaching Starbase 451 and the trafficking victims being transferred over to the Starbase medical staff. She made her way over to the office and saw Dex meditating. She waited for the Vulcan to come around rather than disturb her.

Callie saw Eislyn enter her tension level raising just at the thought of what was coming. She could feel a change trying to take place inside her as Lia tried to take over, but with Jon at her side she was able to hold Lia at bay. “It’s almost time” She looked at Jon. “Just promise me you won’t let go!”

Dex looked up, “Lt Jortho,” she stood. “I am sorry we do not get much time to meet together. It is good to see you under the circumstances. I think we should make a start. I have to tell you I am not sure this will work. If It does not then I am afraid Callie’s’ ‘other personality’ might take over completely or leave her in this state of duality. I am working under the assumption that the word ‘Kholinar’ given to Commander Grayson by T’Vall’s last breath is the key. The attainment of ‘perfect logic’ on Vulcan is the state of purging all emotions. I have to persuade Lia it is the logical thing to do, she was never meant to inhabit Callie’s mind.” She walked out into main sickbay.

“Callie, are you ready? Jon you need to leave.”

"What leave? What do you mean leave? I went through hell to save Callie and your telling me to leave?" Jon challenged.

Callie looked towards Dex “I need Jon here Shon, I’m not doing this without him.”

“I do not know what will happen during this. In order to maintain control I may have to say….uncomfortable things you do not want each other to hear. Jon, what if you are frightened for her and try to stop me.” She turned to Eislyn. “I will be guided by you in this Counselor?”

"Dex, I want Callie healed, one mind her own and not that damn Lia. I nearly died getting what you need to save her. I'm not leaving and Callie doesn't want me to."

Eislyn didn't wish to get pulled into the middle of a potential conflict, though it looked as if she had little choice in the matter. "Commander, I understand your desire to stay. You have to understand that this will be very difficult, and you may find that some of the things that are said during this procedure very troubling at the very least. If this were a counseling matter I would certainly order you to leave in all honesty, but as this is mostly an unknown procedure, I suppose you can stay for moral support. I do think you should back away however, and you must promise not to interfere."

Callie looked towards Dex. “Shon, I’m ready let’s do this.”

“So you are both willing to take that chance?”

“I am” Callie nodded. “I want...no, I need to do this.”

"We're wasting time Dex. Let's do this." Jon answered crisply.

"Callie, you are aware of the dangers with this procedure?" questioned Eislyn. "You understand that if we can't heal you, you'll be relieved of duty indefinitely, and we may even have need to send you elsewhere for additional treatment. I want to be sure you, and Jon for that matter understand the gravity of the whole situation."

"You will heal Callie. I have every confidence in you both." Jon replied honestly.

Callie looked towards Eislyn. “I fully understand. Whatever happens I’ll accept it.” She looked towards Dex. “Shon, I’m not sure what you’ll find when you enter my mind, this other half of me might try to stop you.”

Eislyn nodded approvingly towards Callie and Dex. "The patient feels confident, I have no objections at this time. I leave the matter to you Dex. I agree though, this other personality won't go without a fight."

"Come on Shon, let's get Callie back to her old beautiful self." Jon encouraged.

Dex nodded “Counselor please do not let anyone touch Callie during the procedure, it would be extremely dangerous for me and her." She smiled at her friend, “okay Callie we have been here before my friend. Just lie back and relax if you can. I want you to try and think of a time prior to all this where you and Jon were together and happy. Can you do that for me?”

Callie nodded. “I can do that” She thought back to the happiest day of her life, the day she married Jon. Their wedding was like something out of a fairytale. Her smile said it all.

Eislyn watched as the procedure began, keeping one eye on Dex and Callie and the other on Jon. She was hopeful that this would work, though she knew it would be difficult. The other options were far less appealing and would require Callie to leave the ship at least for a time. Hopefully Dex could purge this alien presence that had taken hold of Callie.

Dex sat as comfortably behind Callie. She placed her delicate fingers in the three places on either side of her head, chin, cheek and forehead.”Callie Raven-Grayson our minds are now one.”
She pushed her thoughts inside Callie’s brain. It seemed quiet inside, Callie was sat in a chair reading.

“Hello Dex” Callie offered a smile. In here she was safe, no one could hurt her whilst she dwelt here inside her mind. Not now T’Vall was gone.

“Yes...hello Dex” Lia stood in the shadows at the side of the room watching Callie.

“Hello Lia, did Callie invite you to this meeting?” Dex said.

“Oh I don’t need to be invited, this is my mind too Dex.” Lia grinned. “Besides Callie is happy here, I’m here to make sure she stays that way.”

“Well that is not logically true Lia, you were not here for a great deal of Callie’s life, her brain was readily set up for you to move in too when you met T’Vall who also moved in so really the two of you were shall we say ‘squatters’ inside her.”

“Well this...squatter, is here to stay!” Lia folded her arms across her chest. “Callie needs me, as you can see she’s happy here. With me here she can stay happy here for as long as she wants.”

“Lia Callie does not need you, she has had her brain for a lot longer than you have been here, you see the reversal is true. You need her, if she was not here neither would T’Vall and by default you.”

“So...you’re here to convince me to what?” Lia moved to stand between Dex and Callie, “To go away quietly? To give up my existence, and let little miss weak here control things?”

“Oh no Lia, in fact I WANT you to convince me you should stay. You see I liked T’Vall as well. He did not need to die.” Dex got up and went over to Lia and put her arm round her “Tell me why Lia, please.”

“You liked T’Vall?” Lia looked confused. “He’s dead?” She frowned. “No...he can’t be...I would have felt that! We had s connection, we were bonded!” She shook her head.

“He’s...really gone?” In the background Callie had risen from her seat. “He’s really dead?”

“No...NO!!” Lia pushed Dex away, turning back towards Callie “He’s not gone!” She looked at Callie. “Do you hear me!? T’Vall isn’t gone! He’s out there waiting for us!”

Dex held Lia to her. “Oh you poor poor girl, I am afraid he is, you see I performed his autopsy, weighed his heart, looked at his brain and there was no doubt on my mind he is dead. Lia I think he is out there waiting for you. I am half Vulcan and we Vulcans know these things. He would stay for you wouldn’t he?”

“You’re just trying to confuse me!” She looked towards Callie whose figure was slowly starting to look stronger. “Stop...stop trying to...confuse me!”

“Lia would you like to look inside my mind to see what I saw?”

“You’ll trick me!” She frowned at Dex. “It’s all a trick” she looked back at Callie whose figure was holding firm. As long as her figure remained Lia was losing the fight.

“Why would I trick you Lia, I wish to Surak that he WAS still here with us. I can put you into his last moments as well? Come let me show you.” Dex ignored the figure of Callie and showed only concern for Lia.

Lia shook her head and pushed Dex away. “STOP IT!! I know what you’re doing, you’re trying to save her!” She pointed to Callie who was looking weaker again. “I won’t let you!”

Callie’s own figure suddenly stepped forward. “NO! You stop it!” She looked at Lia. “You’re just a part of me! I control my body, not you!” She looked at Dex. “I want to go home...I want Jon, and Harry.”

Shon looked at Lia, “what do you want Lia, to stay a prisoner inside Callie, forever trying to return to him, or you can be free to join him. I can do that for you. Take you into my brain and let you go.”

“No...you can’t go,I need you!” Callie stepped closer. “We’re both a part of one person, you’re part of me. We can exist...together, as one.”

“I...” Lia’s figure slowly started to fade, before eventually disappearing altogether leaving just Callie and Dex standing alone in the space of Callie’s mind. Callie stood silent with her eyes closed as she and the other half of her mind recombined.

Dex looked at Callie, “well that was very easy my friend, how was it for you?”

Callie looked at Dex before rushing to her friend hugging her tightly. Right now she needed it.

“I think it is all over Callie, I am sorry I was unable to protect you against him. Now how about I get out of your mind and you can start your recovery?”

Callie was reluctant to let go at first but she nodded and offered a brief smile. “Thank you Shon.”

Dex looked into Callie’s glial memory strands just to ensure that Lia had indeed gone, she would not put it past her to weave herself in so she could return at a later date. Her friend and her husband had suffered enough. Finding nothing she began to leave her friends mind. Slowly but surely she reduced the meld to ensure that Callie had no lasting effects. Eventually she removed her fingers and sat up exhausted. She nodded at Eislyn and sat back.

"Are you alright?" questioned Eislyn. "What about Callie?"

“Dex nodded and smiled. Lia has gone and there is no sign of her anywhere inside Callie’s brain. She is weak but fine. She will be awake in a minute.” She looked at Jon, he had tears in his eyes. “You have your wife back” she said.

"Assuming everything checks out, I think I can do a final psychological check on Callie as early as tomorrow then." She looked at Jon, "I would say you can be with your wife for a bit now. It ought to help you both in the healing process."

Callie slowly opened her eyes, her grip tightening on Jon’s hand as she offered a tired but happier smile. She nodded to Eislyn before slowly drifting back into a more relaxed sleep.

{OFF}