"Commander Kalelothran. Report to the Bridge."
The medical doctor looked up from his data padd, sitting in sick bay with a typical Vulcan raised eyebrow. In his two years of service aboard the Fontana he had never been called to the bridge. The Chief Medical Officer Commander Robertson walked into the room from the lab with an equally puzzled look.
"I wonder what that's about Kal?"
Kalelothran stood up, straighting his uniform.. He hated the familiarity of 'Kal' but understood the human predilection for it.
"I'll let you know." he nodded at his senior officer as he headed out the door for a turbo lift.
When the doors parted it took him just a moment to orient himself. He had only been here once, when he reported for duty to Captain Michael.
"Captain." Kal stood at attention just to the right of the Captains chair.
"Commander. I need you to verify our tactical officers readings. Seems we have picked up a reading on a Retarnee shuttle. It's still some distance away but the readings are....odd."
"Retarnee? In this sector? Life signs?"
"That's why I called you. See for yourself."
Kal went to the tactical station and the officer stepped aside. The readings made no since and he ran a quick level 1 diagnostic. The Computer assured him that there was a 90% probability of accuracy at this range.
"Interesting."Kal said looking back at the Captain.
"Yes. I thought you would find it so. You think its safe to approach?"
"Readings indicate the ship is on emergency life support. The warp drive will fail in another 2 hours, leaving it adrift. The 'life form' is barely reading, probably near death. I recommend a rescue."
Captain Michael turned to the helmsman. "Intercept course. Go to yellow alert."
The Saladin class Phoenix ship turned and was within transport range in only minutes. Commander Kalelothran rushed back to the Medical bay
"Transporter room 1. Beam the occupant of that shuttle directly to Sick Bay. Security team report as well. Tactical, put a tractor beam on that shuttle." the Captain ordered
Just as Kal entered the Sick Bay he saw a blue light of transporter beam evaporating leaving a very ragged looking Vulcan male on the biobed. The three security men standing with weapons drawn looked entirely out of place.
Commander Robertson handed Kal a medical tricorder and he methodically scanned the man.
"Severe trauma. Running ID now."
It took the computer an unprecedented minute and a half to come back with the ID.
Kal looked up at Robertson. "Lieutenant Soran of the Vulcan Recon ship Vesper."
"The Vesper disappeared a week ago. How the hell did he wind up on a Retarnee shuttle craft?"
Kal ran the scan over the Sorans forehead again. "The mystery goes much deeper. How did the conscious of a Human get in his mind?
"What?"
Kal looked up. "Sir. We need to get back to the colony with best possible speed."
"Why? Whats wrong?"
Reaching for a hypo spray Kal tried to make since of it. "Sorans body is fighting a human presence in his mind. If we can't resolve this in a day or two.... We will most likely lose them both."
Robertson nodded and went to make his recommendation to the Captain.
Seeing the patient was stabilizing, Commander Kalelothran went to the computer and opened a comm signal to Admiral T'Ora.
The Admiral looked slightly aggravated at the intrusion when the connection was made. But when Kal finished bringing the Admiral up to speed her response was immediate.
"Bring him to me. I'll talk to the Captain now."
Off:
A Post by Marcus Dinn
