That Buzz In Your Head

Posted on Thu Aug 4th, 2011 @ 9:18am by Commander Sakkath

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Planetary surface
Timeline: 30 minutes after landing on Divitia Prime

USS TAKEI

With the embarked Marines divided between the two ships, Hammond and Takei, Lorenz was forced to rely on secure subspace radio to brief his troops. "Marines, we will be landing on a world that is on the verge of collapse. There are a lot of scared people on the surface and they will be fearful of you. That being said, our top priority is the safety and well being of the eggheads and their toys. Divitian scientists will be afforded the same courtesy we extend to Starfleet scientists.....well, just treat 'em good!" This drew laughs.

Lorenz consulted a padd in his hand. "Okay we land and set up in the barracks area provided by the Divitians. We don't have any Argos or hoverbikes on this one. The Divitians have agreed to provide us with ground transports. If you have questions, ask someone who gives a fuck cuz I don't!" Another chorus of laughs sounded. This mission is going to end in disaster David thought to himself, feeling nauseated suddenly. Weird, I haven't felt sick since the formula damped my telepathy!

Sakkath strode through the corridors of the Takei, not encountering anyone in the short journey from the bridge to the slightly larger office/quarter space provided to the Marine Commander on the mission. Almost subconsciously, he adjusted the bracelet he wore just beneath the gold duty tunic of his uniform. The crystal pulsed with his touch, resonating to his own telepathic impression, filling him with Li's essence. She was too far away now to reach directly, but her imprint lingered in the unique mineral.

The bracelet had belonged to Rhys, Sakkath knew, but he could not bring himself to let it be buried with him. It was too... personal. A wholly un-Vulcan sentiment, but one he could not deny. Too often, of late, he had found that to be the case. He had resolved to use this command, this time apart, to reestablish complete emotional control, but he still found himself lingering over the bracelet.

The wash of her psyche over him faded as he removed his finger from the crystal, tucking it back under his sleeve. Straightening his duty vest and composing himself, he sounded the chime to Captain Lorenz's quarters.

David raised his head, the nausea causing his head to spin. "Come in!" he said in a loud voice, shaking his head trying to clear it.

The Vulcan entered, draping his hands behind his back as he stood in the entryway. "Captain Lorenz," he said by way of greeting. "We shall be arriving in orbit of Divitia within the hour. I trust that your men are prepared for transport to the surface with myself and the Science team?"

As he waited for the Captain's answer, he regarded the man. He seemed flushed, Sakkath noted, or else he had been paler during the briefing. But there was more than that.

"Are you quite well, Captain?"

Lorenz looked at Sakkath. "I don't know what is happening, commander....I don't feel very well....must have been the ravioli!" he laughed weakly. Can you hear me?...What is this place?......so cold.......I hate Captain Lorenz.....the food sucks.....oh, that feels so good!..... A million unbidden thoughts crashed into his head. David saw the image of a grinning madman holding a woman that looked like Commander Hawke at knife point He slowly turned to face Lorenz then drew the blade across Hawke's throat. Scarlet blood erupted from the wound, splashing Lorenz....Yes, you want it...feel the warm wetness of her blood on your lips....

Lorenz shook his head to find Sakkath standing over him. "I need my formula, commander," he gasped, still dizzy from the experience. "The injector is on the table over there!"

The Vulcan had gone to one knee next to the prone Marine, his fingers pressed against David's neck to check his pulse. He turned his head to where the Captain indicated, then back to Lorenz.

Tentatively, he stood and retrieved the injector, certainly no standard issue hypospray. There was no serial number on the vial either, he noticed.

Sakkath tapped his communicator with his free hand as he returned to Lorenz's side. "Medical team to my location," he advised, before once more kneeling. "Captain, this compound is not Starfleet regulation," he observed. "Why is it that you find yourself in need of it?"

Dave regarded the Vulcan with a wry look. "It's an herbal formula.....for telepathic suppression....past time for...injection."

Sakkath raised an eyebrow in appraisal, but given that the man appeared to be in more than mild discomfort, he applied the injection to Lorenz's neck.

Lorenz closed his eyes, letting the formula dampen the aching roar of voices that had built in his head. "This particular formula was developed by my mother over twenty years ago and has been refined by Starfleet Medical herbologists as my body has built up tolerance to it. My brother, Arjem, was born with his latent telepathy fully active as well and he elected to surgically remove that part of his mind, rather than utilize this compound. The results were catastrophic."

"Curiouser and curiouser," Sakkath murmured beneath his breath, even as he offered a hand to Lorenz to help him up. More unusual telepathic activity, and now so far removed from the shielded mineral on 900. He wondered if this too could be related.

"Though it brings me no joy to hear of your plight or that of your sibling, Captain, I do appreciate knowing when those under my command are suffering from a malady, physical or mental, that requires regular treatment."

"To answer your question, I would pose a question to you, commander; would you make a decision to alleviate your pain if you knew the cost of such an action was the loss of your standing in your family and community? My brother became a social outcast as a result of his inability to communicate telepathically with other Betazoids. He works as a low-level bureaucrat in my mother's administration. He is not the man he once was." David gazed at Sakkath's wrist. "You are betrothed to a Betazoid woman, so you should know that telepathy is an integral and natural part of our lives. And without is, we suffer."

"Naturally," the Vulcan conceded. "Nevertheless, there are times when logic demands a sacrifice of some sort for the greater good. Better to lose an arm that has been ravaged by disease than allow it to spread to one's core, if you will. If your telepathy is a liability, the time may come for you to face that possibility, however socially awkward. If you can control it with this formula, then I would advise you to heed your injection schedule more mindfully. Or consider more... shall we say, traditional medical options?" Sakkath knew that Lexorin could dampen innate telepathy from experience moreso than he was aware of any herbal formula that might do the same.

David nodded his head carefully "I agree whole heartedly, commander. The telepathic connection shared by Betazoids and touch-telepaths like Vulcans can make interpersonal connections more intense. I do not want to end up like my brother, alone and shunned because he cannot hear his mate." David held up the vial that contained his formula. "I need your help to control my problem."

"Explain," Sakkath said simply.

"Before I was accepted into the Marine Academy, I was sent to New Berlin for evaluation. A Vulcan doctor, T'Prena, suggested a mild-meld in which a Vulcan mental blockage was erected to dampen or fully suppress my telepathic ability. The idea was abandoned due to lack of information on the subject. My own research in the field lead me to believe that there may be a chance that your home planet's archives may contain the information. Starbase 900's mainframe could access the Vulcan Archives...."

"Indeed they can, though in this instance such may not be necessary," Sakkath concluded. "The rituals you speak of do exist, though there are risks. A meld is not a surgery, it is a joining. There will be lingering aspects of both of our personalities passed to the other, a terrible intimacy even among telepaths used to the thoughts of others. And there is no guarantee it will work, or for how long. In truth, such close telepathic contact could only serve to inflame your ... issue."

Lorenz simply nodded. "I understand the risks, commander. But we have an important job to do, and I can't afford to be sidelined right now. When we return to the base, I will take a leave of absence to address this issue. But I don't think I could get as fortunate as Tam Elbrun did!"

Sakkath had heard that tale, of the Ambassador and his union with a living ship. He imagined such would never be heard of again. "In truth, Captain, you may wish for the medics to look you over before resorting to this," he cautioned.

Lorenz regarded the Vulcan with a cool glance. "Understood, commander," he said shortly. "Your insights have been valuable and I will give them due consideration. Also, thank you for your timely assistance!" Lorenz handed the Vulcan a padd containing the deployment schedules. "Until I get a lay of the land, this is the best I can come up with as far as deployment of my troops and equipment. Each Marine will be fitted with a standard combat loadout. We're going to have to commandeer the embarked Argo transports for patrol purposes until we secure vehicles planetside."

"An emotional response is unnecessary Captain; it would be logical to explore all avenues before committing to a course of action." Sakkath moved to take the PADD, his hand brushing against the Marine's. Even with his mental walls in place, David's senses were in a hypersensitive state, reaching out beyond his control, enough to respond to the Vulcan's own innate perceptions. Flashes passed between them, fragmented images. Sakkath half-recoiled before composing himself again. Too much like with Li, he thought to himself, the thought carrying to Lorenz as well.

"I'm sure all of this will be in order," the Commander said with reference to the PADD, the first word catching in his throat before he regained control of his voice, an even monotone. "I will ... leave you to your preparations," he finished, believing an exit to be in his best interest.

David nodded. "Again, I thank you for your assistance."


________________________________
a joint post by

MCPT David Lorenz
Marine Force Commander, Divitia Prime
Starbase 900

&

LCDR Sakkath
Commanding Officer - USS Takei
Chief Operations Officer - Starbase 900