Healing

Posted on Mon Aug 10th, 2026 @ 11:18am by Commander Jennifer Baldric & Lieutenant Sarah Wilson & Commander Dean House & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Lieutenant JG Olivia Voight

1,235 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Pirates!
Location: Sunfire Sickbay

Dr Sarah Wilson was standing by when the team beamed back from D9 with the unconscious form of Commander Baldric. She had a tricorder ready and waited to hear what Dr Voight amd Commander Vali had to say.

Aurora offered Sarah a brief smile. “From what Dr Bashir told me, he’s done everything they can think of to help Jennifer. Without her being conscious I can’t fully assess her mental state.”

"I see" Sarah said simply, adjusting the controls on the biobed to maximum support of all vital functions. From what she understood Baldric had been tortured and endured one if not more forced mind melds. She had dealt with something similar in the past, which needed the gentle presence of the ship's counsellors entering the patient's mind to understand the nature of the trauma. It wasn't something done lightly, but had been successful in the past. Still she would conduct her own assessment first.

“I’m not sure exactly how she’ll take my presence given what she’s been through.” Aurora added. “I’m a telepath and she knows it, that fact may cause distress. We won’t know for sure until Jennifer is conscious.”

"That's the problem" Sarah admitted with a sigh. "Dr Bashir has tried all the usual protocols as well as some left field ones in order to revive her. None of it works. It's like she's determined to stay inside"

“I have one suggestion, but it’s risky and I don’t know how Jennifer would respond to it.” Aurora added. “I could try entering her mind, she’s most likely retreated into the depths of her mind, she needs someone to bring her out and right now that’s me.”

"She would trust you more than any other random that's for sure" Sarah admitted, standing back a little and running another scan. "Her brain is active, she it's like she's completely retreated within, almost like she's created a safe space for herself"

“Therein lies the danger” Aurora added. “She can conjure up whatever defences she needs in her mind, she could trap me in there or throw me out. I won’t know what awaits until I can get in there.”

Sarah took a breath, understanding the concern. "We don't do anything unless you're comfortable. If you choose to go ahead we can use neural monitors to keep a tab on your brain activity. If anything spikes too high we can also use it to sever the connection" She explained as she moved to a nearby storage cupboard and removed two of the small dome shaped devices.

Aurora nodded. “I’ll do it, it’s Jennifer’s only chance. Either we bring her out or she’ll remain trapped in there.”

Sarah handed the monitor to Aurora, then fitted the other to Jennifer before activating the nearby display. Two brainwave scans appeared as the doc synced the units.

"Would you prefer to lie down, or be seated?" She asked the kind hearted counselor.

“I think lying down would be more advisable, I’ll be in an unconscious state as far as my body is concerned.” Aurora smiled. “I just hope I’ll be able to get past her defenses, or this might take several attempts.”

"Just take your time, little by little" Sarah encouraged as she moved the biobed closer and prepped it with a warm blanket and monitor.

"When you're ready" she said gently.

Dean had been in the room just staying out of the way and out of sight until just then, "I know of a way. Or theoretically." Stepping out and over to the biobed. Taking Jennifer's hand. "Genetically altered remember, I might be able to get in there."

"What are you suggesting exactly?" Sarah asked, handed over the panels.

"It's the link between all of us. Myself, the Captain, the Entities, we've all been 'touched' by it. That's what also pisses the Mirror universe ones, they haven't or can't."

Dean wasn't exactly a Doctor but he could read numbers...sorta. "So compare them to mine. Run exactly that, the panels, Willy." Yes, she was just given a term of endearment.

"So you go in with Aurora, keep each other safe, try and find out what's got her so spooked she doesn't want to come out" Sarah replied, patting the biobed on the other side of Jennifer. " I can give you a powerful stimulant to break the connection if I need to." She filed away the comment that Dean had a connection to the Captain for future questions.

There was the raise of an eyebrow, "You want me to try this, and not only that but bring Aurora in if that will even work?" Dean tilted his head, "I guess it could work as long as I let down some walls so you can get into my mind that deeply, Aurora."

"If we don't try something, she never regains consciousness and she dies" Sarah said simply. "If you two are willing to try whatever mind mastery you can both come up with, I'm willing to keep both of you as safe as possible." She explained cautiously, looking again at the brain wave patterns.

Dean literally growled, though quickly quelled it. Taking a breath, whatever that was all of a sudden it was odd. It would be the Batel cross Gorn augment applied just started showing. However it still just looked like he's frustrated. Which he is. "Aurora, we've got to do this in quick steps. You initiate a mind meld, I make sure to let my walls down, I link with Jennifer's mind and we have to stay there and figure it out until we can reach the 'exit'"

Sarah stood with the monitors ready, a tray of hypos next to her ready for use if necessary.

Olivia watched the exchange a bit trying to understand it as best she could. “Is there anything specific you are considering attempting?,” Olivia asked.

His attention turned to Olivia, "Since I've kinda gotten use to this, yes," no he hasn't. It's weird. "If it's like last time with Batel, will be plopped into a watcher role first, seeing what she is, what things she's running through in her mind and what's blocking her. After that, we take what we've observed and put the fix into effect to as I said, get to the 'exit.' "

"Olivia, you'll be monitoring their progress, once we see Jennifer making some neural progress towards consciousness, we can bring them out if they aren't already" Sarah explained.

“You do realise if anything happens to Jennifer while we’re in there, that we could be trapped in there permanently or possibly not come out alive?” Aurora added hoping nothing would go wrong. “I plan on coming back though, just to make that clear.”

" I can keep her alive physically, she's just choosing to remain in there through some deep trauma." Sarah advised, motioning to the trolley of hyposprays next to her. "She won't be dying, not on my watch, and definitely not with both of you inside her mind"

Olivia nodded slightly. “Hopefully things will work out for the better and we can see the needed improvements.”

"Her longterm prognosis remains grim unless we can find out why she's sheltering in her mind. I trust you both will do what you can." Sarah added. "And I'm sure you'll guide her home"

TBC

 

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