Uninvited

Posted on Thu Nov 7th, 2019 @ 3:25am by Crewman Recruit Zeria

Mission: For Whom The Bell Tolls
Location: Security Office
Timeline: MD 12 08:00 Hours
1167 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Sickbay seemed like the place she should be going to but somehow Zeria knew that they couldn't do anything for her. Instead she found herself standing outside of the security office wondering if the story she was going to tell was going to get her locked up in the brig or behind a forcefield for crazy people. She pressed the chime anyway, bit her bottom lip and waited for someone to answer her.

The door slid open to reveal the Romulan security chief, who looked a little startled at having the chime go off just as he'd been about to step out. "Crewman Zeria," he greeted, stepping back to allow her inside. "What can I do for you?"

"Well it's kind of . . . I just have this." She took a deep breath. "I woke up last night and felt odd. Like there was a presence. I can't explain it and when I woke this morning again I couldn't quite remember what I had seen or felt. I just knew someone had been there. With all the strange things going on, the injuries and emotional issues. I thought maybe you might be able to help me."

Lhaes beckoned her over towards his desk and as he sat down his monitor sprang to life. "We can check the internal sensors for intruders," he suggested, "though obviously we never look in on private quarters, things are still monitored. I require your permission to look at any scans that might've been taken of your quarters during the sensor sweeps." He looked up at her. "I take it you have an implant too?"

"Well they aren't my quarters, I was staying with Dominic, but I think under the circumstances he'd like to know if someone was in the room with me. And no, I don't. At least not that I'm aware of. I haven't reported any unusual emotional behavior."

"Everyone reacts differently," Lhaes commented quietly. "I have been...amorous," he confessed, blushing slightly at his admission, "others have sported injuries. I have seen reports of the chief medical officer going blind. We are working hard on finding a way to remove them. However if you have no implant..."

He paused, sitting up a little. "There is a Vulcan technique, known as a mind meld... it allows another participant to witness memories that may or may not be forgotten. It is a technique I am capable of as well, as I am a touch telepath... would you be willing to allow me to perform this technique?" He paused again. "It is not wholly without danger," he warned, "but I am sufficiently skilled to safely perform it."

"What kind of danger?" Zeria had never heard of such a thing but she didn't want to appear as if she hadn't.

"Well for one I don't know how your species responds to telepathic contact," Lhaes ventured carefully. "I know Stef married a Mardran woman, but I don't know if he bonded with her. There's also the fact that while I know what I'm doing, it has a draining effect on me. Meanin I'm very careful with offering this solution. Do you want to proceed?"

"I'm half human, if that helps." Zeria offered. "I just found out." She seemed to think about it for a moment. What would Dom think of this? Surely despite his worries he would want her to help catch these beings, whomever they were? "Do it."

"Let's move over to the couch," Lhaes suggested, gesturing ahead. "You might feel a little faint afterwards and I don't want you to get hurt." As they sat down, Lhaes raised his hand to her face, carefully touching specific points as he whispered the mantra that Vulcans used to initiate the meld. He closed his eyes in concentration as he felt ther minds merge.

Can you show me what you remember?

Zeria took a deep breath. It didn't hurt but it was uncomfortable, as if someone were poking different areas of her brain. She tried to focus on the memory and that's when sharp pains started to develop. She gasped but didn't pull away from him. She was determined to see this through and to find out who was responsible.

Grimacing, aware of her discomfort, Lhaes delved deeper. What were you doing, when you remembered something? Find that spot and go from there... Anything you remember, can help our investigation."

Opening her eyes, that was what she remembered. She couldn't move. Zeria's whole body was in excruciating pain. But there was more, someone was there in the room with her. She could feel their breath on her body. She wanted to turn her head to see if Dom was still beside her but she had neither the strength nor the pain tolerance to be able to do it. A shadow cast over her, a pair of green eyes looked into hers. The face was blurry but the kin was dark grey and wrinkled like that of an older reptile. There was no nose that she could discern. Zeria jerked and squealed.

Easy... nothing can harm you here. You are safe in my office. Focus on the face, try to remember any features beyond the eyes. if you can't, try to focus on the room. Where are you? The Romulan physically wrenched his eyes shut, feeling the energy just ebb from his body as he focused on the meld. Anything you remember is helpful.

Dom's quarters. That's where she was. In his bedroom. She normally felt safe next to him. His quarters were warm, inviting and comfortable. But that wasn't going to help him, she knew it. She needed to focus on what was going on around her. The sounds the creature made. How he had entered the room. No, he hadn't just walked through the front door, she always saw him from above.

But it did help. So they are on board this vessel... any description at all can help us search for them. We can calibrate sensors to find someone with specific markings, if you saw any of any kind.

A ridge, there was a ridge around his face. A bone? It kind of looked like a collar. She couldn't see his arms but he had long point fingers that reached down and touched her body. She shuddered at the memory.

That's helpful. Inwardly, the Romulan smiled. We can use this to calibrate internal sensors. Now we can actively start looking for whoever did this to us.

That was it, Zeria felt that was all she could give. She slumped back against the couch exhausted but happy with what she had remembered.

Pulling back his hand, Lhaes seemed to slouch a little too as he regarded her with the faintest of smiles. His face was ashen though and then he slumped backwards as his eyes rolled up in their sockets and he passed out.

---

Crewman Zeria
Hydroponics

Lieutenant Commander Lhaes Sommers
CTSO