Bearer Of Bad News

Posted on Mon Sep 5th, 2011 @ 6:14pm by Captain Li Hawke & Commander Oralia Zeferino & https://starbase900.info/index.php/personnel/character/23

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Oz and Connor's Quarters

Li left the science lab with a nasty pounding headache and a lingering disorientation. A serious case of nerves was added on top of that, given her target's avoidance of her. That meant he was aware and was up to something. She had to get to Oz. She couldn't get much from whoever that man was but she did sense that whatever he was planning, it was coming soon.

And then there were the other voices. Iggy, bless her, was lonely. And Rhys....Li had hoped he would have vanished by now but it seemed that his energy held in the crystal had only grown nastier. That was something she would just keep to herself. Others would think it strange, if not downright crazy, and Sakkath would not be the least bit pleased. She might, she suspected, actually see the man get angry for once and there was no need to burden him. The echoes that remained of Rhys were locked in that crystal and there they would stay. No problem.

It was with some relief that she reached Oz's quarters. As she pressed the chime, the hope rose that Connor might be in with her and could do something about this headache.

Several moments later, a disheveled and flustered looking Oralia answered the door. Her hair was partly down and mostly a mess; she was wearing a long robe, wrapped tight and tied closed. Looking over Li, she frowned and drew her into the apartment. "Commander? Li? What's wrong?" From Li's pale skin, it was easy for Oz to guess that something was awry.

Li moved in, somewhat unsteady and followed Oz to a chair. She dropped into it and took a moment to look around the room, one hand still pressed to her temple. Her gaze landed on Iggy's terrarium and she smiled finally.

"Iggy is lonely."

"Iggy? What?" Oz glanced at the spider's terrarium, frowning even harder, then looked at Li again. "That's what you came to say?"

"She also suggested that either Connor move out or that you eat him like her species does, but I told her I didn't think either would happen." Li sighed and rubbed her temple. "Sorry, killer headache." Li's voice was slowed, a trifle slurred. "But no, something's up. That man...in the bar."

"From the Wormhole? What about him?"

"He's involved in ...something. Tonight. I tried to read him, but he sensed I was there, tracking him and he kept evading me. I couldn't get a good solid read on him. I could see him moving around the station to get away and then I got interrupted..." She stopped. Damn it. That was further than she wanted to go.

Processing that information, Oz went to the doorway of the bedroom and quietly said, "Hey, babe, could you come see to Li? She's got a 'killer headache'." She then turned back towards Li already mentally listing which officers she'd assign to finding the unknown male. "How were you interrupted?"

"I'd rather not say." She glanced up at Oz at the question. "Nothing that matters really."

Frowning, Oz was about to chase Li for the answer to her question, but paused as she saw Connor enter the room. She couldn't help but let her gaze linger for a moment, considering what they'd just been interrupted in the middle of.

Connor walked out of the bedroom, wearing pajama pants and buttoning a shirt up from the bottom. His head was tilted downwards as he headed towards the two. His expression quickly changed from one of annoyance to concern as he took in Li's appearance. Giving a side glance to Oralia, he crouched down before Li. "What's wrong?" he asked, placing a hand on the side of her face as he directed her to look at him.

Things clicked for Oz and she jerked her gaze back to Li and said, "You've been playing with that crystal again, haven't you?"

"I just got...overextended a bit is all. Head's killing me now." Her gaze shifted to Oz. "Had to. That guy in the bar...had to find him. Too much is riding on tonight, Oz."

"The crystal?" Connor questioned, his brows coming together, he looked between the two, "The same crystal that had an effect on Oralia?"

"In a roundabout way, yes. I think it is what made Rhys' mental meddling so long lasting. It's an amplifier of sorts, as well as a battery. It stores...impressions." She glanced back at Oz. "The point is, he's one we need to keep our eyes open for tonight. Can you do something for this headache Connor? Jackson's counting on me to help Eli monitor the airwaves, so to speak."

Oz was not thrilled to hear Li's news, but realized the crystal and its effects were out of her area of expertise. "I'm going to contact Lieutenant Chase, have him intensify the alert for this guy," she said, lightly touching Connor's shoulder as she moved away from him and Li.

Working his facial muscles, Connor moved away from Li as well, going to his desk and pulling out a small personal medical tricorder out of a drawer. He returned, grabbing a chair on the way and short of slamming it down in front of her before he sat in it. "I can do something for your headache", he said, raising both eyebrows, "but first I want to know, is the Admiral aware of your experimentation with the crystal?"

"He was informed when we brought it to the station, Connor. I agreed to proceed with caution and that's what I did. I've not had any time to look into it since we arrived here but I made time, given the strange things that have happened around this individual." She rubbed her head once more. "And thank you. Just don't yell."

His eyes swept over her before he pulled out the small peripheral hand scanner and began running it over her,"Proceeding with caution would of included the presence of a doc", he argued, "You're not out in the field, Cmdr. I should of been there."

"I had a safeguard in place, Ensign Aure'l. As long as she had physical contact, she could read what was happening and was under orders to notify the science officer immediately if there was a problem and they could break the connection."

"Neither one of them prepared to give immediate medical care if needed..." he pulled the scanner away, his lips pressed together, "You have heightened levels of psilosynine in your paracortex. Neither Ensign Aure'l nor the science officer would be aware." Connor stood up, went over to his desk and hit the comm, "McKinney to Sickbay, I want 20ccs of psilifurane brought to my quarters."

=^=Yes, Doctor=^=

"What will that do? It won't hamper my abilities will it?" Li looked suddenly apprehensive.

Connor needed to look away. She had no clue how annoyed he was with her, with what he felt was her lack of concern for her own welfare, and for others in this situation. Rubbing at his neck, he walked back over, sitting back in the chair to face her. "I'm going to give you lesson in the physiology of your own species in layman terms, Li. Your paracortex is the area of your brain where telepathic activity takes place. Psilosynine is the main neurotransmitter that makes it possible. The heightened levels are the cause of your headache, but what you need to understand..", he put a hand out to her, " is levels amplified too high can cause feelings of overwhelmness to the point of hallucinations, even the most highly trained Betazoid finds too much to deal with...and there is the chance.."

The door chime rang, cutting Connor off. "That would be your inhibitor...", and he got up from the chair to head for the door.

"Inhibitor?" She looked from him to Oz, giving her the 'do something' look. "Maybe we should do this once the Speaker is safely back home?"

Oz caught Li's look, knew what she meant, but shrugged. "If my team can't keep the Speaker safe, after all the prep we've gone through... I don't deserve to be Chief. Li, I do have telepaths on my team and they will be there tonight." She hated taking the Chief of Intelligence's best ability from her but... it was a medical thing. "I can't override what Connor thinks is best for your health."

Connor walked back, holding a hypo in one hand and a small case of medicine ampules in the other. "We'll burl a small dose at first, if your levels normalize from there, you'll be able to use your abilities within the hour", he said, placing one of the ampules into the hypo as he sat back down.

"Here's hoping," Li answered. "Let's get this done, we all have to get changed. And thanks Connor."

He just stared at her, placing the hypo on her neck, releasing it's contents. "As Acting CMO on this starbase, I have the power to write you up as medically unfit for duty. Brothel with that crystal again without my presence, 'n' I will." Pulling his hand away, he locked eyes with her, "Am I making myself clear, Cmdr?"

"Indeed." She smiled finally. "Besides, you'll be standing in line with my husband in that regard." It took a moment and then the headache began to ease. "Better."

*********

Lt. Commander Li Hawke
Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Lt. Connor McKinney
ACMO/Chief Surgeon

Lt. Commander Oralia Zeferino
Chief Of Security