Ensign Sera: Just a normal day on Shore Leave
Hope Forster
<<Main Filtration/Water Reservoir>>
Oddas transported into the reservoir room with the typical swirls of light as her matter coalesced into her physical form.
Oddas: Report Doctor.
Indobri: Whatever being has taken over, it has made telepathic contact with me. I am not sure about vocal speech, however.
Falt: I’m not picking up any lifesigns other than Sera’s, but she’s not breathing and her lungs half full of water. She should be gasping for oxygen, not upright and working. I’d agree this is likely an external force at work, presumably a lifeform.
Sera, meanwhile, made no outward sign of acknowledging that more people had arrived at the large cavern that housed the main filtration unit. Her focus never wavered on whatever task she was currently performing, but the pile of wires and pieces of damaged machinery pieces was growing larger as she tossed them with little thought over her shoulder.
The filtration unit made a terrible groaning sound after enough of its guts had been torn from the chassis and the humming and whirring of the machinery began to slow. Sera’s body stopped moving and looked blankly at the machine until the sounds coming from it completely stopped.
Oddas: ::to Sera:: I'm sorry - how can I address you?
Sera slowly turned to the newly arrived form and looked at her with pits of black as her eyes had dilated completely. The voices that had not been focused on moving this solid form or keeping its singular restrained, studied the solid creature before them. This one lacked the ability for true communication, unlike the form that had been acquired. Searching within this singular they had possessed, they identified these solid forms’ method of communication and attempted it.
Sera: ::gurgling voice:: It hurts us. We stop the hurting light.
She looked to the others for some sort of confirmation of what the organism now inhabiting Sera was saying.
Falt: ::to Indobri:: Hurting light? Do you think she means the UV light from the filtration system?
Indobri: It said something about the light burning it and that it was having Sera stop the light. That makes the most sense to me.
Oddas: I am Captain Oddas Aria of Starfleet, and I am responsible for the crewman you are inhabiting. Is there some way you can prove to she is ok?
Sera: OK? ::uncomprehending:: This one is between. When the hurt stops, we will release this form.
The filtration unit made a sonorous groan and white wispy smoke began to drift out of the panel Sera had ripped off just moments ago. The purple haze of the UV lighting underneath the platform they were standing on flickered out of existence as the unit gave up the ghost.
Falt: I’ll guess we'll find out if that’s what she meant in a moment.
Indobri: Indeed.
Sera’s body shuddered and then began to collapse to the deck in an inelegant heap as whatever had taken her over no longer required her physical form.
Oddas: Catch her!
Sera’s mind also had been released from whatever grip the voices had over her. The sound of her heart roared back, but instead of a healthy thrum it was a stuttering sound of an organ on the brink of silence from the lack of oxygen. Her eyes were open, but she couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing as her ability to move, or focus appeared to be non-functional. In fact, nothing in her body would respond…oh.
Indobri: She’s alive and conscious but appears to be unable to move. She also appears to be somewhat incoherent, but I can’t be entirely certain about that part.
Falt was quickly at her side, kneeling next to the Vulcan woman.
Falt: Where do you need me, Doctor?
Indobri: She’s got water in her lungs. We need to start compressions immediately. I’ll handle the airway if you will do the compressions, Lieutenant.
Falt: ::counting each compression:: 1, 2, 3, 4…
Indobri: Come on, Sera. Spit it out!
Sera heard her colleague yelling something at her, but Sera had no way to respond. Did it matter what they were saying? Less seemed to matter at all as the seconds ticked on…
Sera’s upper back and neck arched as water spewed out of her mouth and nose, and the overwhelming urge to breathe roared back into her. The intake of air was met with the left-over water within her lungs, and she began to cough and wretch violently. Somehow, she was suddenly on her side spasming, as her body tried to cough, inhale, and wretch all at the same time to get air in her lungs.
Indobri: Breath, Ensign. Just breathe. You’re okay now.
Meanwhile, Falt took a swab of the residue left by the life form and Karise gave him an approving nod.
Falt: ::carefully sealing the swab in the tube:: I think we should get this to the lab and carefully analyse it. Until then I’d really suggest no one drinks any water that hasn’t come out of a replicator?
Indobri: I’ve already placed a full lockdown on all water from the water purification plant and arranged for shipments sent down from the Juneau and Eagle until we can get this plant up and running.
Oddas: Good Call. ::to Falt:: Use whatever staff you need to understand what is going on.
Indobri: Ensign, I want to take you back to the clinic for a full examination. But is there anything that you remember that can help us with this situation?
It took an unmeasurable amount of time for her to realize that Indobri was speaking to her. Sera had no desire to recall what she had just experienced, even though the doctor’s request was a most logical one.
oO To cross a desert, one must walk through it… Oo
Sera: ::in a hoarse voice:: Very well Doctor. These…beings demonstrated a group mind…They…they were in such…such pain…::shivers at the memory of her experience under these creatures’ control::
The memory pushed her into action to do something, anything. Sera pushed herself up off the ground in an attempt to sit up. It was becoming imperative to get out of this place for undefinable reasons. She had almost made it completely upright when her arms wobbled and buckled from the unexpected exertion. Realizing she has made a slight…error, she stopped the attempt and slumped back to the decking; at least it was a much shorter drop than her initial fall. Sera obviously wasn’t thinking clearly because instead of remaining where she was, she tried to sit up again, and was slightly more successful this time.
Aria moved to help steady the Engineer.
The feeling of physical contact to her shoulder and upper back surprised her and she whipped her head around to see the captain helping to steady her. Inwardly she felt self-conscious at the captain helping her, but outwardly she nodded her thanks.
Oddas: Let's make sure there are no long-term side effects at the least.
Falt: Response
Indobri: Lieutenant, when you’ve finished scanning that sample, will you forward the readings to me? I want to take a look at it from a life sciences perspective. Also, we might want to find a better way to communicate with these beings and see if we can find an equitable solution for all.
Oddas: ::nodding:: The last thing we need is to be drinking a civilization, but if we can segregate them off or if they would be happier somewhere else.
Falt: Response
Sera’s expression could have been interpreted as ‘mildly worried.’
Sera: Those questions…That would require a further attempt at…communication. ::experiencing a strange, tightening sensation within her as her respiration rate picked up::
Oddas: Understood.
Falt/Indobri: Response
She watched as they all winked out of existence, beaming to their labs and offices to do their work before taking a long hard look at the water and beaming away herself.
Tag/TBC?
(End Sera’s part)
<<OOC:
More than happy to continue in a new thread if there is interest?
Let Karise work her magic? 😊>>
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Ensign Sera
Engineering Officer
USS Juneau, NX-99801
J239812S14