The brain drain

Posted on Sun Jan 7th, 2024 @ 3:17am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali

Mission: Halloween
Location: Counsellors quarters

After the creature had fed and the current crisis was more or less over, Rhenora left the bridge with Commander Savar and went to see Aurora on her way back to her quarters. Dr Wilson had ordered her to rest and eat, and the Captain thought she could clear her head as well as munch in the company of the counsellor. She pressed the door chime and waited.

Aurora was putting her feet up, getting as much rest as possible after recent events. She hadn't been possessed by the energy beings, but she had, had her mind invaded. When the door chime rang she got up to answer smiling warmly as she saw Rhenora waiting. "Cap..Rhenora, please come in." she motioned her friend inside and let the door slide closed. "Please make yourself at home."

"Thanks Aurora" The Bajoran replied, heading towards one of the comfortable chairs and settling into it. She was a a little uncertain how to start. How does one go "I've just had my brains sucked and I don't know how I feel about it?"

Aurora nodded. "So I heard, I popped to the bridge briefly a few minutes ago. I know you wanted to prove to these beings that we can be trusted, but that's going a bit too far don't you think? Especially in our condition."

Rhenora bowed her head a little, as usual she had been thinking of the crew first. "Maybe, but someone had to show some trust and offer the olive branch." She shrugged as she shifted a little uncomfortably. "It was a strange sensation though, it was feeding, but it was also in my mind, ruffling through whatever was in there as though rummaging through an encyclopaedia"

Aurora nodded. “I know how that feels. I wasn’t possessed as such down on the planet, but one of them entered my mind via telepathy. It was like having a passenger in my mind, who somehow stopped me from warning the others it was there. It was...odd to say the least.”

"Odd, that's a good word for it" Rhenora quipped with a wry smile. "Did they hurt you?" She asked cautiously, not being fully aware of what transpired on the planet.

Aurora shook her head. “No, not really. I think they would have if we hadn’t reached this agreement. They used me to spy on the away team, to lead them to the structure on the surface. It started out with them just calling to me, before they tried to take over. I’m just glad Savar was there to help me.”

Rhenora nodded, finding out a little more about how bad it was on the surface whilst the Sunfire was on emergency power. "I'm sorry you had to experience that. It must have been terrible for you"

"Not as bad as it was for those up here" Aurora sighed. "Thanks to our guests Sarah was forced to deliver Alison Haldeman's baby early, he's currently in special care for the forseeable future."

"I did read that there were complications there" Rhenora dipped her head slightly. Thankful that they had the medical expertise and care available but ultimately the blame lay with her for putting them in danger in the first place. "And how are you going?"

"I'm fine" Aurora smiled. "Four whole weeks and counting, just the morning sickness that's starting to plague me now. The mornings are the worst at the moment, but that doesn't stop it reappearing during the day. "I'm learning to eat little and often, as all the literature I've read advises."

"I think I prefer the constant sneezing and excessive fatigue" Rhenora laughed before sombering a little. "I can't help but feel trepidation as to what will transpire in 8 weeks. What the Prophets have foretold isn't positive" Her closest friends and staff knew of the prophecy and she was still torn as to how much she was supposed to either participate or fight against what she had seen.

"What the prophets showed you is just their interpretation of possible events, how can they tell what is to truly happen? Everything we do every day changes the course of what happens the next day, and so on.." Aurora offered a comforting smile. "Don't give up hope Rhenora, no one here is going to let you die."

The Captain smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She was torn, conflicted even about possible future events. Was it her right to go against the will of the prophets just to save her own hide? A tear escaped, a testament to the mental and physical strain she was under. "I just don't know Aurora. I came here because the creature messed with my head, it was in there twice. The first was in engineering, it was an attack. They showed me horrible things and stole Sunfire's command codes. The second time was different, it was draining the life out if me but rummaged through my head at the same time. It was curious." Her voice drifted as she realised she was babbling.

Aurora nodded. "Curiosity is a good thing I guess, they want to know who and what we are. You've shown great trust, and the fact that it didn't kill you is testament to that fact." she offered an understanding smile. "You are tired, worried, afraid, an a whole mess of emotions more than that. What you need right now is rest, put your feet up and enjoy time with Remal while you can, once that baby of yours is born you'll wish you'd taken the time to enjoy it!"

Rhenora nodded ruefully, knowing what Aurora said was true. Too much stress could bring things along much sooner than expected. She was torn between her crew and herself though, having always put others first. It felt wrong to take time for herself. " I guess so, I've always had trouble putting myself first though"

"I know that feeling!" Aurora grinned. "But right now you need to put yourself first. I'm sure you've heard Remal say it often enough, and if you need to talk again we can talk anytime."

"Thanks Aurora, I do appreciate it" The Captain rose and gave her friend a hug before heading back to her quarters to catch up on some much needed sleep.