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Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

[ Wenn Cinn | Brig | USS Theurgy ] Attn: DocM, Kaligos, TheCounselor

 Wenn Cinn sighed. He knew he probably shouldn’t be doing this right now. It was late, too late really. After all that had happened, he knew no one would object to him putting it off until tomorrow. The failure of the mission at Starbase 84 was enough, but the loss of Edena tore a new hole in his heart.

He had spent the last few hours wandering the corridors of the ship. It was better than sitting in his quarters. He had tried that for about fifteen minutes, but he was consumed with mourning. That room was the last place he saw her. He had attempted to think about anything but the cold body he had found on the slab in the morgue. She had always been cold to touch but when he had put her hand in his, it was if she was frozen; That was when Cinn knew she was gone.

He swallowed, blinking away any tears that may have attempted to well. He had missed the chance to say goodbye to Edena, missed the chance to stop Acreth, this time however he would not miss this chance to find the truth.  On the walk, he had prepared, leaving a note for Counselor O’Connor if she was awake and wanted to join him. Cinn had also used Thea to call the two security officers for backup.

David Wyburn was the first officer to respond. The seasoned Petty Officer was his usual laid back self as Cinn had explained the purpose for his presence. He and whoever Thea had chosen to accompany him would wait in one of the interview rooms, as an armed extraction team to remove firstly the counselor and then Cinn himself if needed. Acreth was stronger than expected for a human under control of the parasite, Cinn knew he had to plan for a Vulcan.

Standing in the Brig, Cinn stared down at the light blue glow from the forcefield on the occupied cell. Due to the hour, the lights had been dimmed to try to reflect a semblance of night.  It was strange to not see the additional ominous glow from the last cell. The loss of Acreth was not good for his department, nor for the ship. As strange and terrifying as the creature that wore her skin was, the Captain hadn’t learnt everything we needed to know and now a missed opportunity. He had to get to the bottom of this.

Slowly he closed the distance until he stood directly in front of the cell. He watched the prisoner for a fleeting moment, wondering exactly what had caused this. He doubted that Maya was truly one of the infected, but he would have to find out. He pressed a button on the side of the brig cell and spoke.

“Lieutenant Maya…” He paused to ensure she was awake. “I’m sure you know who I am but to ensure clarity, let be clear. I am Lieutenant Commander Wenn Cinn, Chief of Security. I’ll be conducting this interview to find out what exactly has happened.” With the formalities out of the way, his face softened. The initial stage of this interrogation was just an interview and Cinn hoped he could make this an comfortable and easy of an experience as he could. “Firstly, are you comfortable? Do you need anything? Something to drink or eat?”


[David Wyburn (NPC) | Interrogation Room 2 | USS Theurgy]

David Wyburn sat on one of the chairs watching the screen on the room. It showed a feed of the brig. Inside the boss man himself, was conducting the interview. David had taken it upon himself to get cosy. It wasn’t that Wyburn was lazy, it was more than he could just enjoy the chance to take it easy when he could. With ruffled brown hair and light stubble, David spent the most of his time either inside the security office coordinating patrols or on easy jobs, like airlock duty when Theurgy had docked with Resolve.

This was an easy job. Show up, sit around and just wait. If it all went to pot then he would have to step in, but in the meantime? Sit back, relax and wait for his companion to arrive.

As if on cue, the doors parted and Wyburn got the first glimpse of who he would be spending the next however long with.

“Isley! Good of you to make it. You get called in for this too?”

Re: Chapter 10: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #1 –
[ Doctor  Maya | Brig | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Arista, Kaligos, TheCounselor

Maya was sitting on the floor, with her eyes closed and her legs crossed in a lotus position.  He hands were resting on her knees and her eyes were closed.  She wasn’t wearing a combadge and she was barefoot.  Both her ghostly white feet and her pale bloodless hands appeared too large for her short and slender body.  When the door to her cell hissed open, she didn’t seem to have heard, and continued to remain as still as a statue.  No that wasn’t true.  Wenn Cinn was close enough to notice the rapid movement under her closed eyelids.  What did the doctors call it?  REM sleep?

"Lieutenant Maya..." the coffee colored Bajoran cleared his throat and paused as her long pallid face was marred a rapid succession of flinches and tics.  Her lips pushed in and out, her cheeks contracted and relaxed, and her angled, upswept eyebrows waggled up and down.  Finally her face became still and she opened her large hazel eyes to peer up at the colossal coffee colored Bajoran. 

"I'm sure you know who I am but to ensure clarity, let's be clear. I am Lieutenant Commander Wenn Cinn, Chief of Security,” the burly Bajoran continued.  “I'll be conducting this interview to find out what exactly has happened.  Firstly, are you comfortable? Do you need anything? Something to drink or eat?"

The blank catlike expression on her face was hard to read but apparently looking up at him from her position on the floor was a strain on her neck because she unfolded her legs and rose to her feet in the precise uncannily smooth movements of a professional dancer… or an android.

"I suppose that I would desire the cup of tea,” the little Vulcan admitted in a quiet mezzosoprano voice.  As she spoke, Cinn noticed two things.  One that her polite professional voice had a strange lilting quality indicating an accent he couldn’t place.  Secondly the loss of her combadge seemed to have affect the little Vulcan’s grasp of proper grammar.  Shouldn’t she have said that she would like a cup of tea?

“And I must do the admitting to having, the hungry,” she continued, “but I suppose that can do the waiting until we have done the finishing of the interview."

Yup.  Without her combadge, Maya’s grasp of common grammar had gone right out the airlock.  Usually Vulcans seemed to speak Federation Standard English better than Terrans did, but apparently the greenblooded physician was an exception.  Where did she go to school?

“I must also do the confessing to having the curiosity as to the whereabouts of my footwear,” Maya admitted as she glanced down at her bare feet.  The contrast of her stark white feet against both the deck and the dark leggings of her uniform really made them stand out.


[ David Wyburn (NPC) | Interrogation Room 2 | USS Theurgy]

“We found a pair of unclaimed shoes in our gymnasium,” Wyburn informed Isley as they watched the interview from another room.  “If those shoes are hers, how did they get in there?”


[ Doctor  Maya | Brig | USS Theurgy ]

“But if you must know what would make me the comfortable it would be a sitting pillow,” the little Vulcan admitted as her colorless white face became an uncannily light shade of green.  “The deck is quite the rigid and is the unyielding on my posterior.”  Her left hand unconsciously moved back to her hindquarters before it stopped less than three inches (7.62 centimeters) from her rump.  With an audible clap, she clasped her hands and held them against her navel while fixing him with a blank catlike stare.  “Some incense and some chimes would be the appreciated… but I am focusing excessively on my prospective needs without paying adequate attention to the present.  I can only infer that the secret I have been the keeping has been the exposed.”


Re: Chapter 10: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #2 –
[ Nathaniel Isley | Interrogation Room 2 | USS Theurgy] Attn: Arista
[Show/Hide]

This had become the longest shift of his life. Nathan wasn't exactly sure how it happened. His going down to see the wolves had cost him dearly as he should have been in bed hours ago, and yet he had been called back to active duty. Apparently his vanishing act for when he had gone away had been counted as a shift off, and he had been placed on a double shift duty.

Which was why when he strolled into interrogation room, it was less of a stroll and more of a dragging himself by his feet to the place he needed to be. The only thing saving his soul in this moment of need and desperation was the coffee he was clutching, for it was a magical elixir that would instill life to him, and give him strength to see out the double shift.

Letting out a yawn he regarded the screen as David called out to him. Looking at the investigation that was underway it got under his skin. This felt a lot more awkward than he thought it would. He had been on the other end of that forcefield only a hand full of days ago. He shook his head for a moment. "Yeah, i mean really who better to contend with the strength of a Vulcan."

David had been one of his wardens during the time he had been in the brig, and honestly his presence here was another test of patience he was sure of it. "Double shift duty on a three hour nap, and now..." He was trying to stay focused on the less personal aspects of the day.

"Now we get to deal with this hot mess."

When she started speaking in broken Federation english. Nathan gave a puzzled look towards David, and only chuckled at the mention of the shoes. He didn't go to sit, rather he was too uncomfortable with all of this and just needed to stand and pace all things considered. "You think she needs a translator? Vulcan was my first language." Obviously doing a step by step translation was a bit much for this, but the fact was the woman had been inside his brain twice, and he wanted to get in that room.

He wanted to get his hands on Maya, he just wasn't sure what he was going to do once he got to her.

Re: Chapter 10: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #3 –
[ Doctor Hayden O'Connor | Brig | USS Theurgy ]

After the meeting with the crew of the Resolve in the Fighter Assault Bay, it had been Hayden's intention to catch a couple hours of sleep. Not for the first time, however, O'Connor hadn't been able to turn off her mind no matter how hard she tried. Besides going over and over the battle plan for how she and the rest of the department were going to tackle the latest burdens placed upon them with the integration of the new personnel, she couldn't put to rest the conflicting emotions from the past few hours. There was a deep sadness and frustration, of course, but there was also hope which stemmed from the arrival of Hylota's offspring. The counselor knew better than to get her hopes up that whatever life remained would survive, but no matter what her brain told her, her heart just couldn't seem to comply.

Altogether, it was a strange mix of emotions to carry that simultaneously made her giddy and nauseated at the same time. For a brief few moments, she wondered if she was finally beginning to lose her grip after all this time, and for far longer than she liked or expected, it felt as if she were in freefall before reason prevailed once again, taking her under its wing like a parachute that finally decided to open. She was too tired for any sort of navelgazing, the sort of bone tired exhaustion that ironically, made her too tired to sleep.

She was just about to give up on any effort to get some rest and pace the floor of her quarters in hopes that she would eventually get tired enough to fall asleep when her communications terminal beeped, informing her of an incoming message. If she weren't so tired and emotionally raw, she might have wryly smiled at the device and chuckled at the thought it might be telling her to be careful what she wished for.

As it was, she padded her way over to the terminal, and had to read the message from the ship's security chief twice, the second time actually making an effort to wipe her eyes, as if the simple gesture would make what she was reading seem sensible. The counselor wouldn't have thought it possible to feel more panic today, her entire body spent from the roller coaster of the battle and everything that followed, but this was just another instance the human body surprised her. Her stomach clenched and the adrenaline began to flow through her all over again as if for the first time.

Her panicked brain would no longer allow her the luxury of trying to deny what her own eyes were telling her. Maya was in the brig. The circumstances weren't entirely clear in Hayden's mind, but the implications were clear enough. The Vulcan doctor was being considered a traitor. All at once, their last conversation before the battle roared in Hayden's ears. Neither one of them had believed to she was truly psychologically fit for duty, but both of them had ignored their instincts because they had deemed the mission too important to consider removing her from duty. At the time, given the potential upcoming casualties, it's had seemed like the right, although difficult choice.

Now...

What had she unleashed amongst the crew and what had it cost them?

Hayden doubled over and had to take several deep breaths to keep herself from vomiting. When she righted herself again, she was still shaking, but determined to make it to the brig to hear and see the Vulcan doctor first-hand.

The trip there was long enough for her to regain her composure, but anyone who looked closely, would be able to determine she was decidedly not okay.

She offered a barely perceptible nod to Cinn as she caught the tail end of his questions Maya and then her response. Hearing the disjointed speech, Hayden swallowed a great deal of emotion. Over and over, all Hayden could ask herself was whether the Vulcan doctor was now irreparably broken and if it was all her fault? "Dear God, Maya, what have you done?" O'Connor asked, just above a whisper.


Re: Chapter 14: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #4 –
[ Lt Cmdr. Wenn Cinn | Brig | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @DocM, @Kaligos, @The Counselor

[Show/Hide]

In the corner of his eye Cinn caught the figure of Counselor O’Connor. It seemed she had seen his message and thought it useful to come along. In an effort not to give anything away, the Chief would not acknowledge her until she brought herself into the view of Maya. This would give the ability to stay by the wayside and just monitor for now, assuming that was what she wanted to do.

While Maya spoke, Wenn Cinn watched and listened. He clocked all the minute details in the way that Maya responded to his presence. The facial twitches, the smoothness of her motions, the blank stare. Her broken speech trouble him the most. It was quite obvious the Vulcan was under some form of duress, though different from the signs that Acreth had. The fact was though, that Acreth was human and Cinn was yet to know how the signs of evil showed in other species. Perhaps this was the Vulcan coping mechanism? Or was there something more going on? Cinn wouldn’t rest until he got to the bottom of it.

As she rambled about needs beyond interim sustenance, Cinn tapping a few buttons on the PADD he held in his hands. Elsewhere in the security, a cup of tea would be replicated and immediately beamed into her cell. It was a useful function of being able to feed prisoners without the need to lower the forcefield. Something that he would not do at this time, especially with O’Connor present.

“A Secret? And which secret is this?” He asked nonchalantly in response to the Vulcan’s last statement, ignoring the whisper from the counselor.


[ David Wyburn (NPC) | Interrogation Room 2 | USS Theurgy]

“Hot damn!” Wyburn exclaimed, clapping his hands together once and laughing jovially at the response from Maya. Quite frankly this had been some of the best viewing he had seen in some time.

“Did you see what the boss man did?” He asked Isley “By offering her something to eat or drink, he tried to create a bond. Usually, it gives the recipient an unconscious desire to return the hospitality, and we can exploit that to get them to give up information. I’ve never seen it work on a Vulcan so quickly before.” Smiling to his comrade he continued “Looks like we’ll be home before we know it” Another easy assignment after all.

Re: Chapter 14: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #5 –
[ Doctor  Maya | Brig | USS Theurgy ]

Maya’s eyes narrowed and she glanced in Hayden’s direction before replying, but when she answered his question, they were wide open, giving the impression that the greenblooded physician was surprised. 

“I had the assuming that the counselor had informed you, but it appears that I need to give my express permission,” Maya announced in a quiet casual voice.  “I have experienced the suffering from what is colloquially known as ‘the blackouts’,” the little Vulcan added as her long spidery fingers made air quotes.  “It would seem that I have been the experiencing of the phenomenon where one enters a disassociate state and acts unconsciously, with little to no memory of the event.  I have conclusively suffered from one such of the episodes, and I have been doing the investigating of a possible second such incident.  It would appear now that I have suffered from a third.  Did I embarrass myself?” she asked as she looked in Hayden’s direction.  “I certainly hope that I am not responsible for harming any of my patients.”

Re: Chapter 14: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #6 –
[ Nathaniel Isley | Interrogation Room 2 | USS Theurgy] Attn: Arista
[Show/Hide]

"Are we really so sure that she's a Vulcan?" Nathan looked at the screen his eyes scanning as he went over the dialog, and now they brought in a doctor even less of a chance that he would get to intervene now. When Maya said that she had black outs he just frowned. That excuse hadn't paid him anything when he had used it in his interrogations, and now she was saying that she had suffered black outs as well?

For the moment he rested his hands behind his back, and refused to take a seat, calsping his wrist he just watched with a scowl on his face wanting so badly to burst into that jail cell and swing at Maya, to crush her like a fly. "I mean up until last week I had believed I was a vulcan my entire life. The use of psychic powers while less common in the star empire is not exactly impossible. Many Reman's have that ability, and the mind meld can be learned by anyone with the talent."

"Her language, her body, her entire existance could be a fabrication, so why not call her out on it?"

Re: Chapter 14: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #7 –
[Doctor Hayden O'Connor[/color]| Brig | USS Theurgy]  Attn: Arista

It took conscious reminding, but Hayden managed to keep her expression neutral as she met Maya's gaze. Even in her shock, Hayden was able to eventually take in the Vulcan doctor's disjointed speech and realize on some level that if O'Connor panicked, it had the potential to make Maya's reaction worse. What this reaction was exactly and why it was happening wasn't clear, but besides overwhelming guilt, O'Connor couldn't shake the feeling that if she weren't careful, they could lose the person they knew as Maya completely.

Feeling the Vulcan doctor's eyes on her, O'Connor offered, "It's okay, Maya. We are going to figure this out and we are going to make sure you're okay. How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?" O'Connor realized her questions and demeanor probably seemed strange to the security chief, considering she was addressing a prisoner in the brig, but given the Vulcan doctor's mental state, it seemed pretty clear she was going to be needed for whatever came next.

To the security chief she offered, "It's a bit complicated to explain, but Maya is correct: Given some experiences from her past, she has learned to suppress memories and emotions that would otherwise be disruptive to her conscious awareness. She recently told me she has begun to lose time on some occasions, and we had been in the process of addressing these concerns through therapy. I was not aware that she was engaged in any potentially criminal or disruptive behavior during these blackouts, however. Had I known she was capable of such behavior, I would've taken steps to ensure her safety and that of others immediately." Her confusion was obvious. "Will you tell me exactly why she's in the brig? I don't understand."

Re: Chapter 14: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #8 –
[ Doctor  Maya | Brig | USS Theurgy ]   Attn: Arista

"It's okay, Maya. We are going to figure this out and we are going to make sure you're okay. How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?"

“I seem to be physically intact, thank you for the asking Counselor,” Maya replied with a respectful nod at Hayden.  “I must confess to a disturbing sensation I recalled during my last episode.  Since I have awoken, I have been endeavoring to isolate and excise it from my psyche.”

Wenn’s face was unreadable to Maya, but the little Vulcan often had difficulty reading people’s facial expressions.  He must have nonverbally expressed some doubts for Hayden chimed in with an explanation:

"It's a bit complicated to explain, but Maya is correct: Given some experiences from her past, she has learned to suppress memories and emotions that would otherwise be disruptive to her conscious awareness.  She recently told me she has begun to lose time on some occasions, and we had been in the process of addressing these concerns through therapy.  I was not aware that she was engaged in any potentially criminal or disruptive behavior during these blackouts, however.  Had I known she was capable of such behavior, I would've taken steps to ensure her safety and that of others immediately.  Will you tell me exactly why she's in the brig?  I don't understand."

“Yes, I must confess to being the curious,” Maya added conversationally as her large hazel eyes peered up at the towering Bajoran.  “If I was discovered in a dissociative state on duty, I would have expected to do the waking in sickbay.   How many patients do we have?  Did they run out of the room?”

Re: Chapter 14: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #9 –
[ Lt Cmdr. Wenn Cinn | Brig | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Doc M. @The Counselor @Kaligos 

[Show/Hide]

Kosst! He swore mentally. Cinn had asked the counselor there to help and that was exactly she was doing, just not helping him. Throughout the whole explanation from both Maya and O’Connor, Cinn stood silent, taking in and processing what they said very carefully. Almost absent mindlessly, the Bajoran brought a rough, calloused hand to rub against the stubble along his jaw. He had to plan the way he revealed the information, as by being loose with his tongue Cinn would run the risk of causing Maya to shut down and halt the investigation.

“Counselor, I need details of these previous blackout periods.” The words Cinn used made it more of an order than a request. He would need to cross reference any previous lost time against Maya’s recorded movements and any criminal action aboard Theurgy. Why couldn’t it have just been an isolated incident? All of what had been going on didn’t tally up to what he had already known about the parasites. Could it be that these blackouts were just periods in which the parasite was active, suppressing her memories? Did it lie dormant within the Vulcan, even now? Or was it something even worse?

“Maya, there are no patients here.” The Bajoran started, in an attempt to bring her focus back on topic. “You are in the brig as you are suspected of perpetrating or being complicit in multiple criminal activities. I will explain what we know so far shortly, but first I need to know. What was the last thing you remember before waking here? You said you recall a disturbing sensation, can you please elaborate?”


[ David Wyburn (NPC) | Interrogation Room 2 | USS Theurgy]

“Call her on it?” Wyburn puzzled. “What evidence do we have to base that on? Surely if she were Reman, a medical scan would have shown it?”
 
“I mean, I’m sure it’s difficult for you, but you can’t use your personal situation to throw allegations around. Just because it happened to you doesn’t mean every Vulcan isn’t actually Vulcan.” He looked over the newbie to the security department “Have a seat. Think about it. If you can come up with a legitimate reason why it should be considered, we can alert the boss man”

Re: Chapter 14: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #10 –
[ Doctor Maya | Brig | USS Theurgy ]

Wenn Cinn’s brow was furrowed.  Previous experience had told Maya that such most anthropomorphic species furrow their brow when they are annoyed, unhappy or confused.  Indeed, over the years Maya herself had furrowed her brow a number of times to silently express disapproval when using words seemed presumptuous. 

Doctor Maya clasped her hands and cocked her head to the side while staring up at Wenn Cinn. This was supposed to let the chief security officer know that she was giving him her undivided attention, but in reality it merely made her appear strange.  Her large hazel eyes, already wide open while looking up at the burly Bajoran, widened even more before narrowing considerably.  She clasped her hands and her fingers undulated like the tendrils of a sea anemone as she bowed her head and closed her eyes.  “It is something I wish to forget, although I understand that it may be vital in establishing a diagnosis.  The sensation I felt during my last out of the blacking is difficult to describe in the words.  It was… foulness, a predatory evil unlike any I have ever encountered.”  Although her voice was calm and tranquil she crossed her arms in front of her chest as her long spidery fingers clasped her biceps.  As she spoke, she lapsed into her native Vulcan, but since everyone in the room was wearing combadges equipped with universal translators, the only perceptible change was that Maya’s grammar had improved.  “There are no words in my language for such blasphemy, such… disease.  It was a like a hunger that wishes to debase its prey as well as consume it.  To call it chaos or anger would be misleading.  It was… malicious, diseased… it was all of the negative emotions and sensations that one could experience combined to create a predatory sentience.  The only coherent image in my recollection is that of the prisoner, Sonja Acreth.  The expression on her face was… I apologize but I do not have the words.”

Re: Chapter 14: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #11 –
[ Nathaniel Isley | Interrogation Room 2 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Doc M. @Arista @The Counselor
[Show/Hide]


Nathan had to take a deep breath closing his eyes when David spoke. In truth he wasn't wrong. Nathan lacked a lot of evidence for the things he wanted to claim against Maya, but at the same time this story about how she was blacking out made him feel ill. He didn't want to think of her as a victim of some other psionic thing, rather he was much more happy with believing that she was some sort of Machiavellian force of evil.

Sitting seemed like an impossible idea when he would rather stand. He was too bound up too angry and annoyed with how gentle this interrogation felt. Actually he paused for a moment turning towards David. "I had several medical scans in the academy, and on this ship, why was I only found out after the broken rib incident?" The question was slightly confused for a moment as he looked at the screen and then shrugged it off. "Actually... Who did I see at sickbay? I know Nicander spoke at my trial, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't the attending physician when I broke my ribs... how did they know to look for romulan genetic traits?"

Was it weird that he couldn't remember that detail? Why hadn't he voiced that question at the trial?

Re: Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Reply #12 –
[Doctor Hayden O'Connor| Brig | USS Theurgy]

Hayden was relieved to hear Maya say she wasn't in any immediate danger or at least physical pain. In addition, once the counselor's own heart slowed somewhat, she was able to register that although the Vulcan's speech came a bit muddled, it wasn't so mixed up that she couldn't be understood. Besides being relieved for Maya's sake, selfishly, O'Connor was relieved for her own. Maya was able to provide more insight into her own blackouts than regrettably, O'Connor was able to share.

Hayden understood the security chief's urgency to understand everything she could possibly provide to shed light on Maya's behavior, but as the Vulcan doctor revealed more about her most recent experience, O'Connor was left with just as many questions. It made sense her recent mind melds with infected and compromised crewmembers would have something to do with how Maya had ended up in the brig, but was it possible to be infected with the parasite via mental contact? O'Connor couldn't say for certain. Was it possible her recent mind melds just enhanced the trauma induced suppression strategies she'd already developed? Hayden couldn't be sure.

To the security chief, she offered, "I should have clarified that when Maya and I spoke about her past blackouts, it was a brief conversation that took place after a session with someone else. Maya had brought this person to see me out of concern for this person's mental state, and it had brought up similar feelings for Maya, which led Maya to disclose she'd experienced some instances of lost time. She didn't express many details of the blackouts at the time, but we both believed it could have had something to do with all of the mind melds she had to do to break people of T'Rena's brainwashing. Through past experiences and training, Maya has learned to suppress unpleasant and potentially harmful memories and experiences, and given the unpleasant and destructive nature of T'Rena's mind control, it seemed likely these blackouts were her mind's way of trying to cope with what she had been through."

Hayden continued, working through the conversation in her own memory. "The idea was supported by the fact that she hadn't mentioned coming out of one of these states with the sense she had done something inherently dangerous or criminal, just that she had had the sense of having been triggered by something which caused blanks in her recollection."

Hayden turned to Maya, suddenly embarrassed that she had been spending all of this time talking about her as if she weren't present. "That's when you mentioned you knew of some Vulcan strategies that could prove useful in purging unwanted emotions from previous mind melds and that you felt it best to spend the next couple of days employing the strategies under my therapeutic supervision. I don't think I'm speaking out of turn to say under perfect circumstances, Maya would've been removed from duty merely as a precaution. However, because we are shorthanded in the medical department and because I had no reason to think Maya represented an immediate danger to herself or others, the decision was made to report our concerns to Dr. Nicander and to keep Maya on duty with continued therapy and supervision."

Now speaking more directly to Maya, Hayden said, "Perhaps it would help if you told us what you remember about where you were and what you were doing just before the blackout?" Perhaps there would be a chance for them to uncover more concrete information if they could access nearby internal sensors.

Re: Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Reply #13 –
[ Doctor Maya | Brig | USS Theurgy ] Atten:  Arista

“I was in sickbay, with Doctor Nicander and Doctor Saugn,” Maya replied.  “We were in surgical suite two when Nurse Herbert informed us that we were needed in the primary surgical bay.  We had begun sterilization of the operating table and my surgical scrubs.”

The little Vulcan frowned and pursed her lips in an exaggerated manner her head jerked as if she was a small bird taking in her surroundings.  “My next memory is that terrible foulness and that image of Sonja Acreth I mentioned.  My next memory is waking up in the brig.”

She turned her head so that her large hazel eyes faced Hayden.  “Counselor, we have assumed my blackouts were either caused by the strain of deprogramming Commander T’Rena’s victims or a psychological reaction to being sexually assaulted by Commander Kilinvoss.  What if the entities that have compromised Starfleet have found a way to affect my psyche as well?  Unpleasant as the possibility is, we cannot dismiss it.”  Before Hayden could respond the little Vulcan addressed Cinn.  “We will need to determine my depth of guilt.  Commander, I would like to report another crime I may have committed.”


Re: Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Reply #14 –
[ Lt Cmdr. Wenn Cinn | Security Centre | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Doc M. @The Counselor @Kaligos

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Sonja Acreth. Even though he knew it all came down to her, Cinn couldn’t help but feel his blood chill as Maya said the former prisoner’s name. He rolled his shoulders and tried to look impartial, but the Vulcan’s description of her memories unnerved the security chief. Probably for the best, that he wasn’t a counselor, in this case it would be with O’Connor and her team for Maya to come to terms with what she did remember.

O’Connor herself, shared the final remaining parts of what she knew, but that only left more questions. He appreciated her efforts to get more information on the past blackouts and as much as Cinn wanted to just sit and go over them, he knew he promised that he would share what was know of Maya’s movements so far. This, out of everything that had gone on so far, he looked forward to the least. He just prayed that Maya’s steely Vulcan resolve would allow her to process the information and allow them to continue.

“Maya, I promised to share with you what happened during this latest blackout.” He began. “As you say, you were with Dr Nincander. According to the doctor you were mid-conversation with him when you assaulted him and fled sickbay through the Jefferies Tubes. You gained entry to the security centre and rendered both Ensign McArthur and Warrant Officer Striker unconscious, using McArthur’s security codes to release Acreth from her cell.” At this point, a small voice in the back of his head told him to stop, but he continued. Be it tiredness or ill placed compassion, he felt Maya had a right to know the rest of the story. “Acreth knocked you out, then killed Striker and a few other officers on the way to the Temporal Observatory Laboratory. Before she could be stopped, she used the equipment there to escape the ship.”

That was enough. The massive Bajoran wasn’t going to bombard her until she at least had time to process what he had told her so far. So instead, he finished speaking simply.
 
“You said you had something you wish to confess?”

Re: Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Reply #15 –
[ Doctor Maya | Brig | USS Theurgy ]

Maya listened to the list of charges without comment, not even blinking when she heard of the fatalities caused by her actions.  It was as if she had turned into a frozen holodeck image.  Only when Wenn directly asked her a question did she respond.

"You said you had something you wish to confess?"

“Yes,” the little Vulcan replied.  “It concerns Nathaniel Isley and the incident that took place at Black Opal.  During the investigation I made telepathic contact with his consent as ordered and was able to experience his memories of the incident.  He was clearly under the influence of an anesthetic that was too strong for him to be considered flightworthy.  The error that caused Skye Carver’s death was caused by the drugs in his system rather than choice or malice.  I was the one who administered the painkiller to him that morning, just before the mission.  I chose the medication and dosage myself.  After experiencing Mister Isley’s memory of the incident from his perspective I was concerned that the dosage had been tampered with and began a discrete investigation.”

Maya’s large hazel eyes blinked and her voice lost what little energy it had been endowed with before.  ”There was no tampering.  I checked the pharmaceutical replicator myself.   I was forced to conclude that it was malpractice on my part.   For the last week the counselor and I have been discussing the both the feasibility of my conclusion and the legal ramifications I will face if it is valid.  So far both Counselor O’Conner and I have assumed that this was an error caused by fatigue from overwork and the strain of removing T’Rena’s influence from so many contaminated minds but we cannot overlook the possibility that this may have been deliberate.  My last memory was that of the evil that has infected Starfleet.   It is entirely possible that I was susceptible to telepathic manipulation from the prisoner due to my empathic nature, but we cannot dismiss the possibility that I may have been compromised and am currently suffering from the early stages of parasitic usurpation.”

Re: Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Reply #16 –
[Dr. Hayden O'Connor| Brig| USS Theurgy]

As Maya shared the initial details of her most recent black out, Hayden listened carefully for any triggers that could potentially explain what happened. Even though the clinician knew she had to keep an open mind, she couldn't shake the feeling the Vulcan doctor's reaction was a dissociative response to trauma.  Even as she mentally posed the theory to herself, however, she knew it didn't make an entirely amount of sense.  Providing medical care, emergency or otherwise, could be considered the Vulcan doctor's comfort zone, couldn't it? What about preparing for an emergency in the infirmary could be considered similar to past trauma, or for that matter, in any way traumatic? Had she simply reached overload? It was frustrating not being able to provide any clear answers on top of feeling like she had failed Maya in the first place.

As Hayden listened to the security chief recount aloud the circumstances leading up to Maya's incarceration, she forced herself to keep her knees from buckling and to keep her expression as calm and neutral as before. Still, the words were like a knife in o'Connor's own heart. Even if they found the cause of the blackouts, even if they found a way to prevent them from happening ever again, nothing could change the fact the Vulcan was now a murderer. Would the crew ever trust her again? Knowing and being sympathetic to the cause of her behavior was one thing, but trusting her was quite another. The counselor had only to think as far as Edena Rez to be reminded of that. What's more, the counselor noted the doctor didn't seem to be fazed by the revelation of the crimes. Had she heard them? Was that just another indication she was floating away from all of them and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it?

On some level, Hayden understood complete honesty was necessary. She also understood on some intellectual level her assumptions had been completely reasonable at the time, but hearing all of it shared now, O'Connor wasn't so sure. By the time her patient had proposed her darkest but eminently reasonable theory, Hayden was dizzy. None of them could rule out the possibility Maya had been infected with the same parasite that had infected so many others, but the question was, how could they determine that? "I'd have to review my notes on what we know about the parasites themselves, but I don't remember there being stages to the infection process, at least as far as we know. From what I recall, there's only one way to determine whether someone has been infected, but I am loathe to have you stunned on a hunch, especially given your current mental state." Whatever their current circumstances, Hayden have to remember she still had an obligation to do no harm. It was as important to her as sticking to their Starfleet values was as important to the captain.

Re: Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Reply #17 –
[ Lt Cmdr. Wenn Cinn | Security Centre | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: 1) @Kaligos 2) @Doc M.  3) @The Counselor
[Show/Hide]
It was not just the counselor who found it eerie how the Vulcan chose to make neither comment nor reaction to what Wenn Cinn had told her. For a moment, he considered if he should go further into detail, explaining the sight that had met him when he walked the path that Sonja Acreth had taken towards the Temporal Observatory. How Acreth had torn Starfleet officers open with her bare hands and teeth alone. It had been unlike anything Cinn has seen before. The only thing that kept him from it was that Maya was, hopefully, not Acreth - merely the victim of circumstance. Be it because of T'Rena... or Acreth.

The verification of the Vulcan's nature was, however, paramount if they were to learn the truth.

"Counselor O'Connor, Doctor Maya," he said, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. He remembered how the human had verified his own nature in the very brig they stood in, after Ida had preformed the test on him. "My apologies."

With practised ease, unhurried yet without unnecessary movements, he had stepped to the edge of the force field. He was already tapping his authorisation into the control panel, and as soon as the field winked out of existence, he had already drawn his Type II handphaser, and he fired a phaser beam from his hip. It had happened fast, his experience making his movements seamless, and the beam hit Maya square in the torso. He had opted to surprise the prisoner in the cell, and therefore, he had done it without preamble or taking his time raise the phaser in front of himself. Once he had stunned the Vulcan, he stood with both hands wrapped around the handle of his weapon, lining up a second shot. As he did, he glanced towards the surveillance device in the edge of the ceiling.

"Seal the brig," he told David Wyburn and whoever shared shift with him through the vid-feed, before looking back at the prone Vulcan. "Alert the rest. Stand ready to move in and subdue the Vulcan... should she get past me."

His phaser had been set to maximum stun, and he kept it that way as he kept his aim on the pale woman on the deck plates of the cell. "Counsellor, there is a tricorder at the Brig Officer's station. Would you be so kind and to scan the prisoner?"

Cinn knew that the human would not approve, having said as much, but after all that had happened - not limited to Edena Rez - knowing whether or not they actually still had an infected aboard was a mission priority. In fact, it would be quite beneficial if there was, since then Doctor Nicander could continue his tests, and they might find both a scanning method and a treatment to free the hosts of the parasites. If Doctor Maya was not infected, however...

...perhaps the only way to verify the health of her mind was through another Vulcan?

OOC: Doc M. could actually post next too, and not just Kaligos. Either works. I figured the best way to end this is to have O'Connor announce that Maya does not appear infected - the stun beam having had full effect. :)

Re: Chapter 10: Depth of Guilt | Day 01 [2315 hrs.]

Reply #18 –
[ Nathaniel Isley | Interrogation Room 2 | USS Theurgy] Attn: Arista
[Show/Hide]

Nathan was a half step from running out of the interogation room and charging into the brig. He had a very pleasant vision of charging in and shooting Maya himself the moment that she turned around and confessed to poisoning him. He watched the screen as the brig was sealed, and now was the chance all he would have to do was force his way past Wenn, grab the weapon set it to kill, and be rid of the woman.

However he stayed rooted in place, The words of Sten Covington assuring him that if this interogation went well he could re-apply for a transfer, the promise that he could have wings, and be in the place where he could make the most difference on this ship.

Nathan bit down on his hand as he paced the room, when the order came to lock down the brig it was Nathan who pressed the button, and locked down the area. He glowered at the screen watching as Wenn drew his weapon, and he turned from the screen. Maya had been inside his mind twice now and the first thing he needed to schedual was someone else to perform a mind meld. Get himself checked over by a neuatrual party. He felt caged in this room.

He wanted out of the brig, but he had just locked down the place. As for the weapon firing he couldn't actually bring himself to check what was going on. He couldn't look at the screen, right now with all of his rage he just felt like a rat in a cage.

Re: Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Reply #19 –
[ Doctor Maya | Brig | USS Theurgy ]

"Counselor O'Connor, Doctor Maya," the coffee colored Bajoran rumbled.  "My apologies."

With one fluid motion Lieutenant Commander Wenn Cinn deactivated the force field and shot the greenblooded physician with the highest stun setting her Vulcan physiology could endure. 

The result was immediate.  Maya was thrown backward and bounced off the back wall of her cell to tumble to the ground like a marionette whose strings had been cut.  Her body was stiff as rigor mortis and her large hazel eyes stared unblinking making her appear dead before she shuddered and finally drew a breath.  Only when the neural overload subsided did her body relax and her eyelids flicker shut.

Re: Day 01 [2315 hrs.] Depth of Guilt

Reply #20 –
[Dr. Hayden O'Connor| Security Center | Deck 07| USS Theurgy]

"Jesus Christ!" The exclamation was out of Hayden's mouth before she even knew she was speaking, her body automatically jumping back from the force field, instinctually afraid the security chief would for some reason turn the weapon on them all. Of course, that didn't happen, but adrenaline coursed through the counselor, who was now in immediate fight or flight mode. So much had happened, with so many people acting violently without warning after seemingly presenting themselves as people that could be trusted, it took her longer than she wanted to admit to realize what just happened and why.

Hayden found herself shaking internally, whether in fear or in anger, or both, she couldn't be sure.  Her face showed all of her emotion, the boiling rage, the shock, of the surprise, even as her brain tried to temper her emotion with logic and facts.  They all knew there was only one way to determine whether this parasitic infection had spread. They both knew that warning Maya would only increase her anxiety. They both knew what needed to happen wasn't pleasant for anyone. She tried to remind herself a true killer wouldn't apologize for what he was about to do.  It was thin logic to be sure, but in that moment, it was the only thing she could hold onto that made sense and made her heart stop pounding long enough to focus on the potential additional harm that has been caused two are very fragile patient.

Had the security chief mattered to her in that moment more than her patient, she might've told him off for his calm request that the counselor examine the woman he had just casually shot, but as it was, the only thing that mattered to her now was saving the doctor. Her heart broke a little more as she realized on some level not quite conscious to her yet that all she could really do was keep people from slipping away from her for only as long as the universe allowed. It was an obvious insight, given her profession as a healer, but all of those feelings were magnified here, here on a vessel where they only had each other to turn to.

It was like she was trying to hold onto thousands of grains of sand, only the harder she tried to hold onto them, the faster they fell through her fingers. It was this intense emotion that drove her to scan the doctor as quickly as she did, feeling tears stream down her cheeks as she realized the Vulcan was not infected, and if scans could be trusted, was not badly injured by the stun, at least not physically anyway. It was also this intense emotion that led her, after stating flatly, "She's not infected," to drop to her knees in the cell and cradle Maya's head and upper body in her arms, rocking slightly back-and-forth, reassuring softly, "You're going to be OK, you're safe now, I have you," before quietly offering the vulnerable Vulcan her ministrations.

FIN









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