Coming out On The Other Side

Posted on Fri May 22nd, 2015 @ 9:33pm by Captain Li Hawke & Suresh & Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: The Neutral Zone

"Who! Helped! You!?" Darwin, sweaty and bare to the waist, enunciated clearly and punctuated each word with a punch. The Orion, however, still wasn't of a mind to answer him. Stepping away from the bound Orion, Darwin watched him and considered his options. Beating it out of the guy wasn't working, though it was helping Darwin feel better, less stressed. Maybe drugs? Something that'd loosen his lips? He wasn't about to ask Li to go wandering into the Orion's mental jungle to find the answer.

Physical coercion, tactics greater than simply hitting him, were out of the question. Torture was something neither Darwin nor Oralia were willing to use, never mind that the Federation had strict rules against it.

He wiped sweat from his brow with a towel, glared at the Orion, and left the targ pit. Draping the towel over one shoulder, he locked the pit tight and jogged up the stairs to check on Oralia. "Oz?"

She was where he'd left her, sitting in one of the few semi-comfortable seats in the galley. "Yeah? I'm awake. Still nothing?"

"Still nothing," he confirmed. "Do you want anything?"

"A hot chocolate would be good."

"You got it!" He moved about the galley, pulling the parts together to make the whole. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was stabbed. Oh, and shot with a disruptor. Those things hurt, dammit." At the moment, though she sounded grumpy, she was actually taking a moment to enjoy watching Darwin. She couldn't fathom why he was single. Then again, he wasn't really, fully, truly single, was he? "Hey, how about turning him over to Seyla to get him to talk?"

Turning to see if Oz was serious (she looked serious), Darwin frowned. "Seyla? What, she'll threaten him with her pheromones? Make him horny and hot and then he'll just blab all his secrets?"

"It works for some men," she said slowly, blinking just as slowly.

"Yeah, no, I think we'll get one of our Betazoids to read him." He stirred a dollop of cream into the thick drink and handed it to her. Before she could take a sip, he made her look at him and checked her pupils. He wasn't keen on what he saw, but they were just a few days from home.

"I'll be fine, Mike," she smiled at him then sipped at the chocolate. "Is Li okay?"

More footsteps on the stairs announced Suresh descending. “I’ve got this thing on autopilot now that we are back in the Neutral Zone.” He looked from Darwin to Oz. “And that’s a good question Oz. I thought I’d look in on you and then go in to see her.”

"Oh, I'll go with you," she said. She was moving a bit like an old grandmother, slow and stiff. "I'll take my cocoa to go."

Suresh watched her with some concern, then gently slipped his arm around her to help her along. “You do not need to be up walking around Oz. Darwin only had the stuff to do a patch job at best.”

"I'm fine. Darwin did a fine job. I'm just a bit sore is all," she insisted.

Coming along behind them, carrying the chocolate Oz had left behind, Darwin added, "Oh, sure. Dilated pupils, soreness and," as they reached the next level, he lifted Oz's shirt and looked at the patched area on her side, where a large bruise was forming, "a big bruise. Nothing wrong there." He moved ahead of them and opened Li's quarters. "Captain?"

Li still sat, seeming to look out at nothing. Darwin’s call was rewarded with a blink of her eyes, however.

Suresh stepped into the small cabin and sat down by her on the bunk, leaving the chair for Oz. He lifted her hand and wrapped his own around it. She stirred slightly, her eyes shifting to his face. Almost immediately, she flinched and shrunk away from him.

Frowning at Suresh, Oz stubbornly refused the chair. "Trade you, Suresh."

Suresh looked from Li to Oz, his expression dismayed. “Oh..no…. you don’t think she thinks that I …..” He left it at that, but he stood and helped Oz over to the bed.

Settling next to Live, Oralia hugged Li to her with one arm. "Hey, Li? You okay in there?" Darwin handed Oz her mug then stepped back to lean against the door jamb.

He’s here..I thought he was dead. I can still hear him screaming in my head…. The thought slipped into Oz’s mind.

The old one is dead. This is the alternate universe Suresh. The screaming..., Oz worried about that. ...how can we get rid of that?

Li closed her eyes and inched closer against Oz. I felt him die…..it was like I died in there. I tried to get out in time….he wouldn’t let go…

Suresh shot a concerned look up at Darwin as he stood by the door. Darwin returned the look but shrugged helplessly.

You have to let go, Li. He's dead and gone. You have Sakkath to go home to.

Li sighed aloud and closed her eyes. It should fade. It’s just the..psychic shock. It happened once before...Connor’s rescue...remember…

I do. Not that I want to, Oralia shifted uncomfortably. I worry about you, Li.

Why?

Suresh stood and moved over to Darwin. “Should we leave them?” he asked quietly.

He shrugged and said back, "Perhaps we could check on that autopilot."

“Good idea.” Suresh looked back at the two women, then followed Darwin out.

Oz barely noticed them. I do. I just do. This is a bit unnatural for humans, the whole telepathy thing. You take on too much sometimes.

It’s over isn’t it? Suresh killed him…..ohhh Oz...what will you do about that? Li reached for Oz’s hand, her own chilly.

"Do?" The question surprised Oz right out of their mental space. Puzzled, she shook her head. "Defense of others, Li. He was fully in his rights to kill that ass. If this Suresh hadn't, old Suresh would have killed me - and we have some solid physical evidence to prove that. - and who knows what he'd have done to you."

“Good.” Li finally spoke aloud. “Better you are not connected anymore, Oz. I don’t want it affecting you. Does Darwin have anything for headache?”

Heartened by Li's shift to verbal speech, Oz smiled. "Of course. He's got some good all over painkillers. And makes a wicked mug of chocolate," Oz held her mug out to Li. "Let me get him." She stood, slowly, then turned slightly, "Oh, and he looks quite good with no shirt, you have to admit."

Li sipped the chocolate. “Yummy.” Whether she meant the hot chocolate or Darwin, she didn’t say. “Send him, then I need to see Suresh. And I’m giving you an order. Get your ass to your room and get some rest. You keep moving around, you’ll have internal bleeding to deal with and we’re too far from Nelvana III and a doctor yet.”

"I'll be fine," Oz insisted yet again. "But, okay, I'll get Dar---"

"Me? I heard my name," Darwin looked into the room. "You're looking better, Li."

"She asked for a headache med."

"Coming up, then. And I heard her order you to bed," he said, catching Oz's arm. "Come on. Li, I'll be right back." He then pulled Oz out of the room.

Li leaned back against the wall, letting out a long breath. A noise outside pulled her attention to the door but she saw no one. She knew, however, who was there.

“Come on in, Suresh.”

He stepped back into the cabin but she stopped him at the door. “Wait till Darwin’s worked his magic, then we’ll talk.”

Darwin came back, as promised (putting Oz in bed wasn't a problem; getting her stay there would be, he knew), and wasn't surprised to see Suresh in the room again. "One dose of Betazoid paracetamol, Captain," he flashed the hypospray at her before leaning in and applying it to her neck. "Should be feelin' that in just a couple seconds here."

“You’re a peach, Darwin. You give me enough to knock me out?”

He looked surprised. "Ah, no. Did you want me to? I mean, I'm going to do that to Oz, but that's because otherwise she'll be up and around. Is it safe to knock you out?"

Li considered it, then shook her head. “Probably not. Thanks. Feeling better already.” She smiled up at him. “Good luck with Oz, I’ll go over in a bit and check on her.”

"Okay. I'm going to fix some lunch. I'll bring it up, unless you want to come get it," Darwin told the two as he headed back toward the galley.

*********
Lt. Mike Darwin
Cmdr. Oralia Zeferino
Captain Li Hawke
Suresh