Exploring the past

Posted on Sun Feb 5th, 2017 @ 5:22am by Lieutenant Arnon Barak MD, PsyD & Lieutenant JG Victoria Drani M.D. & 2nd Lieutenant Jae Drani
Edited on on Tue Feb 21st, 2017 @ 5:55am

1,405 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Shadow Dance
Location: Victoria's Quarters
Timeline: Current

Victoria paced in front of her sister. "So you had no idea that I was held captive?"

Jae shook her head. "No. I was young and they simply told me that you had gone away on a secret mission. Probably to keep me from being scared, I guess."

Victoria knew Jae was telling the truth. The recent experience she had while unconscious was unnerving. She took a deep breath and sighed, sitting down in a nearby chair.

Jae and Victoria both looked to the door as it chimed. "Enter," called Victoria.

The door opened to reveal Arnon Barak standing at the threshold of Victoria's quarters.

"Ladies," Arnon said. "Am I interrupting or may I join you?"

Upon seeing Arnon in the doorway, Jae grinned. "I'll leave you two alone." She made her way out of Victoria's quarters.

Arnon smiled and nodded his thanks to Jae as she left. He entered and walked up to Victoria and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into a warm hug. He held her a moment, then kissed her on the cheek before moving away a bit. He took her hands in his and kissed them both.

"How are you feeling, my darling," Arnon said.

"Sore but better," she grinned. "I've just been thinking about what I experienced while I was unconscious."

"I've been wondering about that myself, but I didn't want to push you," Arnon replied gently. "If you're up to talking, I am certainly up to listening."

Drani took a deep breath, wondering how to continue without sounding crazy. "Tell me, Arnon. Are you aware of the Prophets of Bajor? And it's nine orbs?"

"I'm somewhat familiar," Arnon replied. "They were scattered, right? Of the original nine, the Vedek Assembly is in possession of the Orb of Contemplation, the Orb of Prophecy and Change, the Orb of Time, and the Orb of Wisdom. I seem to remember something about a tenth orb, the Orb of the Emissary, I believe. In the Bajoran faith, the orbs are usually used as a way to interface with the Prophets...to seek wisdom, guidance, and clarity. Are you saying that you had a vision...that the Prophets contacted you while you were unconscious?"

Arnon's question was sincere. His own people's religion was Numerology. To Arnon Numerology seemed extremely complicated. Yet for all of his confusion involving a religion based on mathematics whose 'deity' (if it could be called a 'deity') was the mathematical concept of the Prime Number, he still paid it some attention. But to have a religion with living deities to provide actual guidance! Truly remarkable!

Victoria shrugged. "I'm honestly not sure. It seemed so real. They took the image of you, Jae, and my mother. Said they were...impressions left from when I visited the Orb of Peace on Bajor shortly after I graduated the Academy. When I initially visited, I was seeking peace because of nightmares but I could never remember the nightmares. After my visit, the nightmares stopped but I don't remember ever speaking directly to any of the prophets. I simply put it off as to me either being half betazoid, or because I'm not much of a religious person. I've always dealt in facts and science."

"Certain religions have scientific aspects," Arnon said. "The primary religion on my planet is a form of Numerology, a religion based in part on mathematics. While the calculations might not make sense to a traditional mathematician, they make sense within the context of the religion. The Bajoran religion makes sense scientifically within its own context as well. Whether you consider the Prophets to be deities or 'wormhole aliens', there is no arguing that they are sentient. Further, we know that they can communicate with sentient beings, at times over vast distances and that when they have a powerful yet limited ability to affect reality. We also know that their lives are not linear, that they have trouble with concepts of past and future. That is one of their contradictions. If everything is now, why have an Orb of Time? Still, there is a science behind them. So, we can assume that it is possible that they did contact you while you were unconcious and that they may have provided you with guidance. Let's assume for a moment that this is true, that they did contact you. What do you think they were trying to tell you? What experience were they trying to guide you through and why?"

Arnon realized that they were still both standing.

"Come," he said. "Sit with me and continue your story. I am fascinated. You never cease to intrigue me."

Victoria sat next to Arnon on her couch as she concentrated on her experience. "They showed me something that I had forgotten. That I had been captured and either tested or experimented on by a cardassian doctor, Dr. Crell Moset."

Arnon hid his disgust and his anger. He focused on feelings of companssion for Victoria. Crell Moset was a monster. He made important advances in medical science, but to make these advances he had conducted experiments on live sentient beings, often causing them grave injury or infecting them with a terminal disease and then devising treatments for them. The fact that Moset had put his hands and scalpels on Victoria horrified Arnon.

"If this is true, then it is a miracle that you survived!" he said. "My darling, I am so sorry. I hope this next question doesn't seem insensitive, but do you have any idea what he was trying to do?"

"Well, it's known that Moset was on Betazed after the invasion to make the Jem'Ha dar telepathic. Many Betazoids died at his hands...but what he was specifically doing with me, I have no clue--I was only 15 at the time. Did he take an interest in me because I'm part Bajoran?

"Perhaps," Arnon replied. "He could have been interested in the abilities of a Betazoid/Bajoran hybrid...but why? Perhaps to test the possibility of force breeding Cardassians with Betazoids to produce Cardassian telepaths and empaths? What a horrifying thought! But we do know that Bajorans and Cardassians can produce hybrid offspring...I just don't know. I don't want to upset you, anymore than you are already upset, but do you remember anything he said or did?"

Drani sighed as she thought back to the scene. "No idea. I know he used mind probe on me but the rest is a blur. However, the prophets, if it was them, said I was stronger than I realize because of what happened."

"Hmm..." Arnon said. "Well, the mind probe would also allow him to map your mind if that was his intent. Or he could have been testing an 'upgrade' if you'll forgive the term. If it was the prophets, could they not have been inferring that he had successfully upgraded you somehow?"

"I don't see how...I've never felt any different. Maybe if I practiced some...but not right now. I'm too tired." She was overwhelmed by the recent events, and still having to run Medical.

Arnon moved close to Victoria and slipped an arm around her, allowing her to cuddle in next to him.

"Of course," Arnon said. "Whenever you feel up to it, we can look into whether Moset actually enhanced you in some way. For now, rest. Would you like me to stay? Or would you rather be alone?"

"I suppose you can stay," she grinned, happy to have company at the moment.

Arnon chuckled.

"Thanks ever so," he said. "Computer: Something from the Ahmad Jamal Trio, please. Start with Ahmad's Blues."

Soothing jazz music came over the sound system in Victoria's quarters, as they listened to Ahmad Jamal's fingers dance over the keys of his piano. Arnon leaned in and kissed Victoria on the forehead.

"Relax, my love," he said. "Can I get you anything? Something to drink? To eat? I promise no psychotic culinary holograms."

Victoria laughed. "No thank you." She thought for a moment before continuing. "What would you think about moving in with me?"

Arnon smiled.

"I would think there are few more appealing prospects than laying my head down to sleep next to you every night and waking up next to you the next morning," Arnon said. "Are you sure?"

Victoria was silent for a moment, wondering if she was moving too fast but Arnon had always been supportive and kind to her. "I'm sure."

 

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