Ensign Yinn: Unbalance of Terror

[Mike Vago]

((The town centre of New Faren, New Bajor))

Yinn was looking forward to another Bolian festival, and upon beaming down she was overwhelmed with a combination of pleasant scents. But it was the sights that concerned her. She saw everything she expected — crowds of people lining up to order food, banners flapping in the wind, children running — but she seemed to be seeing all of these things at once. It was a jumble of images her brain could barely make sense of.

Nilsen: I’ve been looking forward to this. Can you just smell that? I’m so glad we made it to the festival

Fer’at: The smells are…interesting.  

Loq: Um... is everybody...

Nilsen: You’re going to love this Fer’at. :beat: You folks alright?

Fer’at: Is there a concern?  

Nilsen: I think there is. Yinn? Loq? What are you two feeling?

Yinn extended her arms like a blind person feeling their way forward. Loq wavered unsteadily and looked a bit queasy.

Loq: I don't know what happened. I'm seeing double. Is everybody else okay?

Yinn: I seem to be affected as well.

Nilsen: Yinn, can I borrow your tricorder?

Yinn reached for her tricorder and started to lose her balance, so she just held her arms up and let Nilsen take it.

Fer’at: It is more likely a reaction to the transporter.  Although most will travel without incident, it is not out of the realm of possibility that such a reaction is related, even if there have been no prior incidents. 

Loq: I have the worst luck. First the holodeck freezes over...

Yinn: We should have taken a shuttlecraft.

Nilsen: I’m going to hang around here, I’ll keep investigating and maybe go back to the ship if need be. If push comes to shove and we have to take them offline, you’ll be able to get back via DS14 or I can come back with the new Foxy Lady. I do need to take her out for a spin, I don’t want her gathering dust. You folks go have fun, and Loq, rain check on that sparring match?

Fer’at: If it would be beneficial, I am certain we can find some place to sit and rest for a moment until you are feeling more…normal. 

Loq: Yes. Let's sit. Have a kava juice. Clear my head a little.

Yinn suddenly tumbled forward, arms and legs flailing. Loq took a step towards her experimentally, and fell over with a thud.

Fer'at: response

Loq: I'm okay. I mean, I'm not okay at all, but I'm not hurt, but—

Yinn: I'm having trouble controlling my limbs. And I—

Her head started spinning, as memories rushed in. Running along the beach on Izos. Trekking across the cracked ground on Hitorah. Lowering newborn Tikk into the water for the first time. Qurgh'Ahn's coming of age ceremony. A chaotic mealtime with five adults and twelve kids all talking over each other. A serene, quiet meal before a roaring fire. Some of these were old, comforting memories and some of them were new, but which were which?

Standing up was out of the question. Just start simple. Hands. Double vision resolved into two sets of hands overlaid, one callused and brown, one soft and blue. All 20 fingers wiggled experimentally. All four hands clenched and unclenched. All together, then one at a time. Left. Right... Other left. Other right.

Slowly, gently, two heads turned until the Vulcan's blue uniform came into view.

Loq: Fer'at... I think... 

Yinn: ...I'm both Qurgh'Loq and Yinn.

Fer'at: response.

-- 
Ensign Yinn
Science Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240011Y12

Ensign Qurgh'Loq, son of Qurgh'Lun
Federation Diplomatic Corps
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240011Y12