The Vulcan - Episode 7: Mind in a Vat

[Will The Serious]

The Vulcan, series

Table of Content:
Ep. 1: The Needs of the Many
Ep. 2: The Needs of the Few
Ep. 3: 'T' Minus Negative
Ep. 4: A Pon Too Farr
Ep. 5: Seeing is Believing, Part 1
Ep. 6: Seeing is Believing, Part 2
Ep. 7: Mind in a Vat
Ep. 8: The Job
The Vulcan Character Highlights

Episode 7: Mind in a Vat

The captain's quarters, aboard Vulcan

On S'Talla's screen is her father, Kospak. He is in his office on Vulcan.

Kospak is saying, "S'Talla, Councilor T'Rai is providing me with everything she can to help with the investigation. We don't know who originally commissioned the plans for the V5, but there was a shell corporation through which most of the original work was contracted."

S'Talla asks, "Who brought the program to the councilor's attention and asked her to fund it? There must be a connection that leads back from Counsilor T'Rai. It is my understanding that the Yon-Ha'gel project was already in place when T'Rai's support was provided."

"Yes," answers her father. "We have already followed that trail. Commander Skaul was the one who brought the program to T'Rai's office. He works under Admiral Syjak and picked up the project when a defunding request came across his desk. Skaul read the program's statement of intent, looked at the benefits to cost analysis and concluded that it would be best to keep the project funded under the Office of Advancement and Research by going to T'Rai for support. He doesn't know where how or when the program started. The original order records do not seem to exist."

S'Talla says, "The Admiral told me the Office of Advancement and Research oversees more than twelve thousand independent projects that range from scientific theory investigation to off-world diplomatic first contact. It would not be difficult to start a project the scope of the V5-Beta, but three years without tripping any red flags is statistically unlikely. Have you been able to have someone talk to the construction station? Do they have a contact person on record from the original commission and plan approval?"

"Yes. Commander Skaul," answers Kospak. "But that checks out. He admits that he took the lead on the project and setup the construction schedule, but only after he brought T'Rai onboard. We are thinking that who ever originally planned the project, intentionally let the funding run out so it would come up for review in the commander's department. They set him up to carry it forward. It is as if we have been fed only what someone wants us to see."

Kospak looks past the screen for a second and adjusts his seat to lean in. "S’Talla, It was a relief to your mother and me when T'Rai brought us in and told us you were alive. I will not ask you where you are. Admiral Syjak asked me not to. He won't even tell T'Rai. It is good to know you are not a terrorist that died stealing a star ship. I will investigate on my side and keep you and the Admiral updated."

S'Talla responds, "Thank you. It is good to be able to talk to you again, too. It is late, by the ship's time. I still have my log to dictate. I know it is late on Vulcan, as well. I will say good night and we will talk again when we have more to report. Reason will prevail."

Kospak, sitting up straighter, says, "Of course. I will let your mother know we have talked. She may be able to help, too. Good night S'Talla, let logic guide you always."

S'Talla, sitting at her desk in her quarters, closes the video link between her father and herself. The lights have dimmed slightly. There is a back-lit ambient window panel on the wall behind her that emits a soft, sunset light, orange-yellow at the bottom, a mid-tone chromatic blue fading to a deeper dark blue above. Its colors and pattern imitate the time of deepening twilight. She opens her Captain's Log and begins dictating before turning in for the night.

"Captain's Log, stardate: seven dash three two seven one point nine. We decided to take the shorter course through Klingon space. A brief interruption from a Klingon patrol ship proved Waugg A'nol true to his word. Providing our destination, reason for travel through Klingon space, with a short explanation of our meeting aboard the PIn'a Tlhutlh, and a flash of the pendant I wore around my neck, and the patrol ship captain welcomed us to the Klingon Empire. He allowed us to continue with a caution to check in with port authorities, if we should make a planet or space station stop, then allowed us to continue on our way.

"The crew is coming together very well. I have implemented a sixteen hour rotating watch schedule of, four-on-twelve-off, over the simulated diurnal cycles. Only a skeleton crew of four are necessary to maintain a watch over course and engines. This allows the crew some flexibility to choose their times on duty.

"It is twenty two hundred hours standard Vulcan time. Spalloz is sitting in command with T'Pree second, and T'Perl and Mr. Chang in engineering. Most of the crew have established their sleep rhythms to the ship's clock and are finding a regular sleep cycle easily enough."

S'Talla closes her log. The ambient light panel has grown darker, the orange light at the bottom is gone, the top of the panel is almost black and the pin points of stars have begun to appear. The Vulcan woman moves to her sleep area. A view port next to her bunk has now transformed to a fully clear image of the warp streaked space outside. Shedding her outer robe and hanging it on a nearby hook, S'Talla slips into bed.

Vulcan says, "Have a good night Captain S'Talla."

"Good night Vulcan. Alert me if anything needs my attention."

Vulcan answers, "Of course." The cabin lights dim gently. A quiet traditional music plays in the background to help induce sleep.

A boundless space filled with pairs of Bynars facing each other at small tables

Ya and Ne are talking about the interesting beings they have come across since venturing out from Bynar. They are facing each other. Between them is a holographic file system in which they catalog their daily subjects. Ne fits a sheet representing the subject into its file location. Ne reaches the metallic sheet or file towards the holographic file tree. Once the sheet makes contact with the 3D file tree, it changes to become part of the tree and the holograph. Ne then adjusts the shrunken file to fit within the tree's structure. Ya, across the table, works to update a set of indexes for efficient reference and retrieval. The holographic structure of the index appears like a layered tower with lines of light connecting to the files on the file tree.

Behind Ya and Ne is a vast expanse of Bynar couples all sitting at partner desks organizing their day's experiences. Ya and Ne are somewhat removed from the crowd. They are physically and socially removed from the rest of their planet's inhabitants.

Ya draws with a stylus connecting field names to a table on the next metallic file labeled, new experiences. Ya checks a box that says, value and a holographic sliding scale pops into being before Ya.

Ya says to Ne, "I am labeling magic shows at positive zero one one zero one one one zero with a quality attribute of enjoyable."

Ne nods in agreement. "It was highly enjoyable. I will index that to the Earth table as well as Cultural Entertainment with a secondary key to Historical Careers. I am giving it an association with Klingons, Theft, and Random Encounters. Key words will include Thaddeus Mudd, The Great Zaddius and Company, and Grifters."

Ne looks up from the work Ne was doing on the index tower.

"Have you found the ship's computer to perform well? It seems to approach problems, since our time in Stardate: four dash five one seven one, in a fashion more like a… Vulcan or an Earthling. Very different for a computer. I had not noticed such functioning before that."

Ya looks past the file tree and the holograph fades to allow better visual contact with Ne. Ya takes on a thoughtful look. "The Vulcan computer is the only analog computer I have worked with. To your observation and question, we must establish an expected outcome and add to a pre-time travel norm. We can assess based upon known historical data for similar known behaviors."

While Ya is talking, Ya draws a boolean equation in the space between the couple.

A = Normal
B = pre-time travel behavior
AB = expected normal computer.
A∧B = 1.
Post time travel = ¬B
Current analog computing =¬A
A∧¬A¬B∧B∨A= 0

Ya pauses in his formula writing. "List the possible explanations," Ya directs Ne.

They are interrupted in their conversation by a humanoid who appears before them. "Hello, my name is Tutu." Tutu is black of skin covered in fine soft fur, with a mane of wild, dark golden hair that encircles his face and covers his throat, as well as his head. The furry tips of his round ears, peek out through the thick hair to the sides.

Ya and Ne don't feel alarmed or even surprised. They simply ask in unison, "Where did you come from?"

Tutu answers, "I've always been here. But you are new. Where did you come from?"

Ya and Ne glance behind them towards the crowd of Bynar couples only to see stars and darkness.

An institutional hallway

Sam is in a hurry. Her long flowing red hair streams out behind her as she hurries down the hall. She is late for an exam. She hadn't studied and when she arrives at the door of the classroom, she realizes she had forgotten her clothes. It's too late. She can't go home, she has to sit and take a test she is completely unprepared for.

Sam is not only late, but it doesn't help that she's the only human in a Vulcan school. Every pointy eared student turns to stare at her, and she can see they all have one judgmental eyebrow raised. Sam sees at the head of the class, once she fumbles to her seat, front and center of the columns and rows of desks and she finally sits down, is a professor she doesn't recognize. He's black-skinned and furry. His face is surrounded by a wild mane of thick golden hair.

"I'm so glad you could make it." He says, "You are different. Where are you from?" His tone isn't cutting, but Sam feels intense guilt and embarrassment.

A busy urban street

Francesca Gödel is struggling to escape a crowded street. People are bumping into her, getting in her way, cutting her off. She needs to get out of there, but the crowd won't cooperate, and Francesca is panicking. When she looks back, she is being pursued by a black blob, a humanoid shape, that then splits into two, then into four pursuers. Francesca races across the intersection, only to be arrested in her flight by a traffic cop with a furry black face, a mane of gold in an unruly band encircling his dark features.

He puts his hands out to say stop, "Slow down. No need to be in such a hurry. Where are you from? I've not seen you before."

The tone is friendly and helpful. Francesca feels her anxiety drop just a notch until she looks back over her shoulder. The four pursuers have become eight.

An uncultured path beside a stream on Vulcan

T'Pia is walking with a young Vulcan boy, a Vulcan girl, two Vulcan teenage boys, and a young adult Vulcan woman, and T'Pia holds an infant in her arms. They are all her children and she is taking the opportunity to spend her time with them. T'Pia recites a poem to them.

"Curious.
"Playful.
"Children grow.
"Parents stay focused.
"The next generation needs guidance.
"A child's wonder will teach them so much.
"They are free to look in wonder because they have other's eyes watching.
"When they go, those other eyes grow sharper.
"They need to see far.
"Children wander away.
"They learn.
"Focus.
"Logic.

The seven of them come upon a strange looking black man with wild golden hair.

"What an interesting way of speaking," the man says. "Where did you learn to talk like that? Where are you from?"

T'Pia stops and says, "It is a poem in the builder's palindrome meter. I do not remember learning it."

The man answers with an understanding nod, "I find I often know things I never learned."

A bedroom in a Vulcan apartment

Skyvik is with a woman. They are in bed, getting ready to make love. The woman, snuggled into the crook of Skyvik's arm, her head laying on his chest, rolls up over him. She is smiling down at the big Vulcan below her.

"Skyvik, we are about to get married; you can not go on another assignment now. They have other teams they can send."

Skyvik slides his hands gently up over her hips, covered only in the bedsheets. He answers, "I told them, T'Patia, but the logical choice is to send my team. We have the experience. It is a simple reconnaissance assignment. There is little likelihood there will even be any Klingons there. It is not within Klingon territory. There may be a small scouting platoon, at most."

"Where then?" T'Patia wants to know. "It is logical to follow orders. You have a duty and a good, prosperous career, but I fail to see the logic of your taking this extra mission. You also have a responsibility to me. How do you know you will come back? You told me there is always a chance you will meet the ene…"

Skyvik does not hear the end of T'Patia's plea, because a voice interrupts, "Yes, where? Where is Klingon territory? Everything is so new today. I am having such a good time."

Skyvik becomes focused on the being standing at the foot of his bed. Unlike the others, Skyvik rolls for a phaser on the nightstand. T'Patia gone. Skyvik levels the phaser and fires. He misses?

The being chuffes with glee. "Ha! That was an attack. It's been awhile, but…"

Skyvik fires again, but the golden maned being is by the door, not at the foot of the bed. Skyvik leaps from bed in pursuit.

The gymnasium at the Temple of Pure Reason

S'Talla is in the circular martial ring, laying on the mat, bald-headed Master Sparoe looking down at her.

Master Sparoe observes, "You must keep your balance centered. You stopped paying attention. You let your mind wander, that is why you lost your center."

S'Talla, in a very serious tone, announces, "I will not lose my center again." She gets up and takes her fighting stance.

Facing off once more in the arena, Master Sparoe can not disturb S'Talla's balance. She deflects lightning kicks that move her backwards, she is thrown over Master Sparoe's shoulder. She flips in mid-air and lands on her feet. The master strikes rapidly at her upper body, forcing S’Talla to bob and weave until he steps past S'Talla and sweeps across her chest with both arms in another attempt to knock her over. S’Talla flows with the quick press of arms and flexes backwards with the movement. She remains on her feet. Master Sparoe drops and spins to sweep S'Talla's legs. His instep connects with S'Talla's foot, but her feet remain glued to the mat, her entire body slipping sideways as Master Spareo's powerful leg-sweep connects with S'Talla's ankle. Her posture holds, unmoved.

The master breaks from his attack and says, "Very good. You are starting to listen and keep your balance centered. We practice martial arts to sharpen our focus and hone our awareness. You make excellent progress, but you still have a lot to learn."

S'Talla replies, "It is as you teach. I will not lose my balance again."

In the Temple garden

The two are walking in the garden side-by-side. S'Talla is asking, "I understand that our martial studies are simply a vehicle to learning control and sharpening our senses, but are there not less… 'violent' methods for developing these attributes? I am becoming a great fighter, but what about honing my logic, improving more applicable skills?"

They were just crossing a garden foot bridge when the master stops and turns towards his student, "Yes, of course." And he reaches up gently and pushes S'Talla with two fingers against her sternum. S'Talla teeters backwards and steps back to catch her balance. Her foot misses the edge of the bridge. She rocks unexpectedly backwards and falls over the side of the bridge and into the water.

The surprised student splashes to the surface and stands in the waist deep water, looking up in confusion at her master standing above her.

Master Sparoe asks his soaking wet student, "We practice martial arts as a way to learn balance, control, quickness of thought, and awareness. Why do we wish to do these things?"

S'Talla stands in the water and answers seriously, "To improve our nature and become better Vulcans."

"Yes. Do you think the martial arena is the only time you need to be a better Vulcan?"

"No Master Sparoe, we strive to be better Vulcans always."

The master states, "Yet the only time I can not disrupt your balance and surprise you is in the arena. You said you would not lose your balance again. Do you think your lessons are only for combat?"

S'Talla sags slightly, as she makes to climb out of the pond. Then, she adds with conviction, "I understand. The lessons I learn are for always, in and out of the arena."

The master quips, "In the arena, out of the arena. There is no difference, there is no arena, only logic and control."

"I see that now. Thank you Master." S'Talla, having reached the path and the middle of the bridge, bows with respect to Master Sparoe.

Just then, a dark stranger with golden hair comes walking along the path

The middle of open space

Professor Kazzak is working on a gravity theory in the middle of open space. Planets and stars all have cords of light curving between them.

Kazzak, a stylus to his chin, muses, "Since space is curved, it is logical to look for the force that is causing that curve. Energy has to be going into curving space. Unless it is a perception of curving space, like the curves created by intersecting soap film enclosing adjacent pockets of space."

This idea prompts Professor Kazzak to tap at his screen with the tip of his stylus while he considers the alternate frame of reference. A subtle sheen of soapy planes appear to fill the open space all around the professor, as if he were inside a sudsy collection of cosmic bubbles, the celestial bodies each at an intersection where adjacent bubbles merge and share their soapy membranes. "They might, then, appear to look like strings, lines where planes intersect…"

A figure, distant, coming from one of the closer planets, is sliding at high speed, along one of the light cords created by intersecting bubble walls that connects the planet of origin to the professor's holo-board. The figure coalesces into a humanoid, then, getting closer, is seen to be a being with a black face, a wild mane of golden hair and a multi- colored coat, below which are paws instead of feet. He does have hands, which, like his face, are black.

Once he arrives, he hops off the curving slide of light and faces the professor. "Hi. Where'd you come from?" He looks around. His gaze taking in the vastness of the Universe. "I like what you've done with the place."

Professor Kazzak takes a moment to assimilate what is going on.

"Tutu, by the way. Where are my manners?" The new arrival stretches out a hand in greeting. He curls his fingers into a fist and holds it steady, expecting a response.

"No? Okay, usually I get it right. What sort of greeting is called for here?" asks the being.

Professor Kazzak finally responds, his gaze moving from the intruding being to look at the dark space around him. Kazzak then looks down at his feet. He is standing, but there is nothing there to stand upon. The professor finally responds while turning back to look at his equations. "The usual way my people greet one another is by holding the right hand up in a spread of two pairs of fingers and then say something like, 'live long and prosper' or 'may logic guide you', but I have no time for such things."

Kazzak loses his attention on the newcomer and points his stylus at the board. "This is all wrong." Everything changes and he is in his lab. The holo-board has switched to the one from his lab and the equations, numbers, and the diagrams of gravity fields, slide around nebulously over the surface. Some of the content spills out into 3D space.

"Francesca!" the professor shouts.

Tutu says, "I was just helping someone named Francesca get rid of some monsters. I'll go get her."

He is back before he was gone with Doctor Gödel at his side. Francesca is wearing pajamas.

"I have met others who seem… like you. This might not work with them, they are different, but I'll see if I can…" Tutu spreads his arms out and does a pirouette.

S'Talla, Sam, Ya and Ne, Art Santayana, T'Pia, Naxx, Cialoa, Damian, and Sadek are there in the Professor's lab. Then Skyvik appears and he levels a phaser at Tutu. They were simply there, no flash or wink into being. It was like they had been there all along.

Skyvik growls, "What is going on?" With so many of the Vulcan's crew in the Professor's laboratory, Skyvik doesn't want to be quick to fire his weapon.

The crew are surprised by Skyvik, naked and pointing a phaser, but they are not alarmed to a panic.

Sam is near and puts out a hand to cover Skyvik's weapon. "I'd tell you to put that away, but I see neither of us has a way to do that." Sam is still naked, as well.

When Skyvik calms, and lowers his weapon, he looks down and finds himself dressed.

Sam quips, "Okay, now I really feel embarrassed." The red of a freckled blush glows with unusual intensity.

Francesca speaks without her usual stutter, "I hope we have eluded… uh…" She pauses, unable to give a name to the thing that was chasing her.

Naxx, standing next to her asks, "Eluded who?"

Francesca turns to Naxx and tries to answer, "Ah… I never know."

Naxx notes, "I thought you had a stammer?!"

Francesca Gödel looks off into space in reflection.

Art, at the same time, is smiling at Samantha Kelly. He scans his eyes up and down Sam's naked body. "Forget something? I have to say, I love the look." His hand to his chin thoughtfully, he adds, "When did you grow your hair out?"

Sam shoots back, "I am late for an exam, and I don't know…" Sam looks down and finds herself dressed in business wear. "Huh. Weird, but better."

The oddest part is that no one in the party has trouble simply accepting the surreal situation. They are capable of noticing the oddity of some changes, but they react as if everything is normal, except for Ya and Ne. They are highly agitated and confused.

Ya says to Ne, "We need to go."

Ne nods, and agrees. "This is not where we should be."

Ya says, "We still have more data to file."

Ne observes, "It is odd, but we don't know how to find our catalog desk from here."

Ya suggests, "Maybe we should stay with the others."

Ne agrees, "We should stay and experience this new adventure."

Ya says. "Yes, learn what is going on and file it with the rest ..."

"later." Both Ya and Ne say together.

Naxx asks Skyvik, "Why were you holding that phaser on Mr. Tutu?"

Skyvik answers, "He invaded T'Patia's and my apartment while we were in bed together."

Skyvik looks at his phaser, gestures towards Tutu, and asks Naxx, "Do you know this being?" Skyvik clips the phaser away on his belt.

Naxx shakes his head 'no'. "I was helping my parents in the mines when he found me trapped in a collapse." Naxx gets thoughtful. "Funny, but it feels like that's happened before." He shrugs and turns to look at the group.

T'Pia says, "I have to get back to my children. They need me."

Tutu says to everyone, "I am so happy to run into you all. I was afraid I had experienced every strange thing in the Universe, now I meet you and I cannot explain what it is you are. This is very exciting."

 

[Will The Serious]

The bridge of the Vulcan

T'Pree is lounging at the sensor display, Spalloz is meditating in the command chair. The main screen shows the streaking of stars as seen from warp factor eight point nine. A quiet alert sounds to attract T'Pree's attention. She leans in to look into the tactical hood.

Vulcan announces, "Mr. Spalloz, be aware, a vessel has entered within sensor range."

T'Pree looks up and adds, "Vulcan is correct, a small vessel of unidentified configuration is on a trajectory that will bring it within five thousand six hundred five kilometers in two hours, twenty-five minutes and nineteen seconds, if it maintains current velocity.

Spalloz replies, "Does it show any signs of aggression?"

T'Pree had bent back in to study the sensor hood display again. She answers without looking up, "Negative. The vessel's course remains steady. I detect minimal output and no active scans. I am not sure they know we are here. Should we make contact?"

Spalloz answers, "Not yet. We will keep a watch and if it is anything more than a passing ship, we will wake the captain."

The dream world, a water garden of colors, movement, textures, and growth

Tutu is saying to the group, "This is my favorite place. It is so relaxing, yet there is always excitement too."

S'Talla and Sam are standing before Tutu with Skyvik looking on suspiciously; his phaser remains holstered. T'Pia is next to Skyvik and the professor and Doctor Gödel are on his other side. Naxx, T'Perl, Ya and Ne, Sadek, Art, Damian, and Cia are spread out nearby, looking around them at the beautiful water garden.

S'Talla comments, "This is illogical. Water does not flow up."

Tutu responds, "Illogical? Water often falls up, down, flows sideways, rests in balls or drops. There is neither logic nor illogic. You have a curious way of thinking."

T'Pia answers, "Captain S'Talla is correct. This is illogical. How does such a place exist? I was with my children a few moments ago, but I know they are all dead except my baby."

Tutu stares with wonder at her. "Dead? No, there is death, but that doesn't mean they are gone. Anything can come back. That is nonsense. Just relax, your children will come back. I often relive my adventures with friends or family who have died. I even go on new adventures with them."

T'Pia is looking down into the face of her baby, cradled in her arms. She hadn't been holding the baby before. "This is highly illogical." She declares. T'Pia holds a finger out for her baby to grab onto.

Sadek steps up to look at T'Pia's baby. "This is your son?" he asks.

"Poenack," T'Pia says with a smile. "He is going to be an explorer."

Sadek asks, "What logic leads you to know that?"

T'Pia looks up at Sadek with a questioning look. "Because he is an explorer. I… I do not know. I just know he is. He is on an adventure right now." T'Pia no longer holds her baby son. She doesn't notice the change.

Naxx steps quickly over. "Did you feel that? A tremor."

The ground shakes again.

Everyone braces and the tremor ends. Naxx looks up, followed by several others. The cavern's ceiling is covered in stalactites. One drops and lands near Tutu's feet.

Tutu says, "Ha! An adventure. We are in luck."

Naxx warns, "Another one like that and the whole cave could collapse."

Ya says, "We are in a garden."

Ne adds, "Not a cave."

The two of them look up at the sky to discover their mistake. The cave is dark. The garden is gone. A shadow looms from a far wall, big and ominous. It's negative outline stretches to the stalactites above.

Francesca points and opens her mouth to call a warning, but she can not speak. Only a quiet squeak comes out.

Tutu shouts, "Everyone, this way."

They begin to move. Skyvik draws his phaser.

"What is that?" asks Cialoa. She stays next to Arthur and S'Talla.

Art tries to answer through his shortened breaths as the group follows Tutu, "I don't want to stick around and find out."

Skyvik swings around and levels his phaser at the menacing apparition. The black shadow stretches it's arms out. The fingers spread, showing long sharpened claws. It reaches for Skyvik in the rear of the group. Skyvik fires.

A giant reinforced door is ahead in the cave wall. Tutu directs the group, "Through here."

The well of blackness that is the creature stops for a moment, then roars in threat. The phaser's energy passes right through the creature. Skyvik raises one skeptical eyebrow, as the entity divides. Two creatures now threatens Skyvik and the group. By reflex, Skyvik sends two quick bolts of energy through each of the two shapes. Four black monsters hesitate before they lunge at Skyvik. Skyvik dives through the large doorway and the rest of the group catch him while Tutu thrusts the door closed.

A huge bar falls across the double doors. Wheels turn, gears engage and multiple bolts snap into place around the jamb, to further secure the door against breaching. Tutu laughs nervously. He reaches into a large pocket of his multicolored coat and pulls out a big padlock. He snaps it into place through the lock plates where the two sides come together.

Another small chuckle. "There. That should keep the creature out." He turns to Francesca Gödel. "What is that thing, anyhow?"

Francesca shakes her head nervously, "I don't… It has never caught me."

Tutu smiles, "Don't worry, it won't, if you don't let it."

S'Talla asks Francesca, "You have seen that thing before?"

Francesca nods.

"Where?" Professor Kazzak asks.

Francesca shrugs.

Four horrendous crashes pound on the giant door, sending the heavy material into quakes.

Francesca flinches, along with a number of other members of the group.

Tutu tried to settle them. "It won't get through. That door is impervious to everything."

Skyvik holds up his weapon. "The energy beam looked like it turned that thing into two creatures, when I hit it with a phaser. I think it slowed, but ultimately the two just turned into four with my next shots."

Damian comments, "Like the Hydra's heads."

Kazzak turns back to his assistant, "Where have you seen that thing before, Doctor Gödel, Francesca?"

Francesca replied to Skyvik, "It does that. It will turn into an army of shadows." Francesca looked to Professor Kazzak. "I can't remember where. Lots of places. I only remember it has chased me lots of times."

Kazzak takes on a thoughtful expression and comments, "How very strange. You never forget anything. Yet, you can not remember the details about where you have seen this creature before, only that you have seen it. Fascinating."

Francesca shrugs.

"Hey look!" shouts Cialoa. She is pointing at the door which has started to glow red in the center. Another series of crashes ring out from the door. Eight sound out and the red glow expands and brightens.

Kazzak warns, "It is heating up."

Tutu says, "It has never done that before."

A rapid series of sixteen crashes against the door shakes the cavern and a nearby stalactite crashes down.

Kazzak speculates, "We can not know what the limits of either beast or door could be. If the heat continues, that door will go from red hot, to white hot and the material may well become molten, thereby losing its ability to maintain its structure. Already, the forces upon the door go far beyond any known life forms of this creature's size.

A staccato pounding of thirty two massive impacts shakes the cavern even more strongly. Several stone formations crumble down.

S'Talla adds, "The door's integrity may not be our biggest concern. The cavern itself could give way." She turns to Tutu and calmly suggests, "Perhaps there is another way out of here?"

Tutu spins around to scan the cavern's walls. He shrugs, somewhat in a panic. He looks to Doctor Gödel. "There is always a way out, but something is different about all this. You, you find a door, or something. This is your monster."

Francesca looks at Tutu in confusion, then around at the others. Francesca hates being the center of attention. She starts to shake nervously.

Kazzak steps up to his assistant. "Relax, Francesca. You do not need to say anything. I do not understand what is happening either."

Francesca calms a little. She stops shaking.

Sam takes Francesca's hand. "We will look together. Alright?"

Doctor Gödel nods.

Sam asks, "Which way? Just point and we will go." Sam spots the agitated Bynar couple to her right, and adds, "Two as one. All as one."

The cave trembles before the onslaught of a seemingly endless series of crashes against the giant doors. More of the cave crumbles. The group, including the Bynars, moves together.

On the bridge of Vulcan

T'Pree looks up from her viewer. "Spalloz, the ship is in visual range. We will pass it in six minutes, fifty one seconds."

Spalloz directs, "Put it on the main screen."

T'Pree adjusts the viewer to magnify the incoming ship as it flies closer. The screen shifts its view from forward to a slight angle, maintaining focus on the ship.

T'Pree informs Spalloz, "It is on a trajectory that will pass us from our forward port quarter and above." T'Pree checks her readings again. "It has not altered its velocity since coming within sensor…" T'Pree pauses. "Mr. Spalloz, I have expanded the high frequency scanning into the ultra-high frequency range. The ship is emitting a signal after all. It appears to be scanning us, but it is faint and difficult to analyze."

Vulcan speaks up, "I can find no record of such a signal configuration. It's carrier wave might be electro-magneticaly-based, but it is in an extremely high frequency. I can not isolate it. There is a temporal dilation at such a high frequency that makes it look as if it is traveling with instantaneous velocity. My instrument readings can not be trusted due to the introduction of unpredictable probabilistic phenomena at such ultra-high frequencies. I am reading the same signal as likely to be coming from us, as the signal originating from them."

On the screen, the ship Spalloz and T'Pree are watching flies past Vulcan.

Vulcan asks, "Shall I alert Captain S'Talla of the alien probe?"

Spalloz answers, "Not yet. Let us find out if this ship is just curious or has something else in mind. Maintain course and speed." Spalloz turns in the command chair to look towards T'Pree. "What is the vessel's approach speed?"

T'Pree answers without needing to recheck her display, "Point nine eight nine nine impulse speed. Except for the beam, the ship is not expending much energy.

Spalloz comments, "We are traveling at warp eight point nine. If the other ship has any mal intent, it will be out of range soon."

The two bridge crew members watch. On the screen, the alien ship passes and begins receding as it continues on its course. T'Pree checks her display again.

"Mr. Spalloz, the ship has passed and its course and speed have not altered. According to my calculations, it came from the outer curve of the spiral arm and is heading into deep space. The scans strengthened while closing the distance, and now the signal holds steady."

Spalloz asks, "What can you tell me about that ship?"

T'Pree studies her display for a few seconds. She fingers the controls to switch between sensor readings. Then reads out her findings.

"The vessel is eighty seven meters long and has a mass of three gigagrams. The warp core reads a dilithium energy supply. I read only basic shielding, no weapons are online."

"Mr. Spalloz," calls Vulcan. "Be aware that the alien ship has locked onto us with a focused subspace beam. I do not detect any known communications structure. The frequency pattern is unknown. I have no way to disrupt the beam without destroying the other ship. My shields are ineffective against it. However it does appear to be harmless."

Spalloz replies, "It is time to alert the captain. Computer… Vulcan, wake Captain S'Talla. She will want you to call Mr. Skyvik, and Mr. Sadek to the bridge. They are next in watch. Summon Ms. T'Pia to Engineering, as well. Let Ms. Kelly know what is happening." Spalloz turns towards T'Pree. "T'Pree, keep me updated until the captain gets here."

T'Pree reports, "The alien ship has one life sign aboard. The subspace beam is having little effect other than to focus the beam between our two ships. It does not seem to be attempting to cause damage, alter our progress, or change our course. It has simply locked onto us." T'Pree leaves her chair at the tactical station and moves to take navigation. After a few moments of adjusting the controls, she announces. "I have attempted to adjust the power output to our deflectors and force a break from the beam, but I get no reaction. Engineering may have some thoughts about what is going on and how to block it."

Sadek clicks the communicator on the left arm of the command chair, "Bridge to Engineering."

T'Perl answers, "Engineering. This is T'Perl."

Sadek tells T'Perl, "We are detecting a probing signal from a passing ship that has somehow locked onto us in subspace with an ultrahigh frequency beam. Vulcan advises that it could cause unpredictable probabilistic events in the ship's energy fields. Helm has called for additional power in an attempt to sever the connection using our shields. T'Pree's efforts have been unsuccessful. Let me know if anything unusual is happening, or you come up with more ideas. We do not know the purpose of this beam. It may be completely benign, but we can not take that chance."

T'Perl says, "I will let Mr. Chang know what is going on and we will keep you informed of any thoughts we may come up with. I would suggest alerting Professor Kazzak or Doctor Gödel. If anyone can figure out what is happening, it will be those two."

"Thank you," responds Sadek.

T'Perl asks, "Have you sent for the captain?"

Vulcan answers so both parties can hear, "Mr. Sadek, I am having no success at rousing the captain or crew. I have tried to wake everyone. They are all asleep and do not wake at my hails. Perhaps I should transfer them to sickbay? "

Sadek nods, "If we have any medical personnel, by all means, transfer who you can."

Vulcan informs Sadek, "According to my records, Commander Skyvik has the most in-depth medical training, as a combat field medic, but no one aboard is a medical doctor. Also, the beds and equipment in sickbay are still under their pre-operational wraps. If someone could meet the incoming patients, It would help to have them unwrap the beds and prepare the bedding beforehand."

Sadek looks to T'Pree. "Do you have any medical experience?"

T'Pree answers, "Basic first aid. I believe Mr. Apollonias mentioned something about a year in pre-med. T'Pia always seemed to know how to treat small medical incidents among her crew."

Vulcan replies, "Ms. T'Pia has no records of medical training."

Spalloz begins to speak, but pauses to consider his words for a moment, "... Vulcan and I have the bridge. Go prep sickbay. We can figure out the next steps from there."

T'Pree answers, "Aye aye." And she heads to the starboard lift.

Vulcan says, "I have access to a complete medical library on every known species. I am sure, if there is a studied answer, I can help Ms. T'Pree make the right decisions."

"Very good," responds Spalloz. "Concentrate on waking Mr. Skyvik first. I will follow that ship. These events are likely to be connected."

Vulcan replies, "I will do my best, Mr. Spalloz."

A vast abandoned university science hall's reception area

S'Talla, Sam, Skyvik, Professor Kazzak and Dr. Gödel, are leading Tutu, Mr. Naxx, Art Santayana, Cialoa, T'Pia, Damian, and Sadek up through a crevice that ends with an escalator to the main floor and large reception area of a science building. Ya and Ne are already standing in the middle of the large foyer area.

Ya announces, "This is still..."

Ne completes, "... the dream world."

Ya explains, "Bynars do not dream like this."

Ne adds, "We spend our dreams sorting and filing our waking experiences."

Ya asks, "Is this how other species dream?"

Ya and Ne say together, "It is highly chaotic and illogical."

S'Talla volunteers, "Vulcans do not dream in such illogical ways either. We often re-live important experiences from our past or construct moments to complete unfinished business, try to fill in gaps to lost opportunities."

Sam, dressed in an Irish tartan schoolgirl uniform, volunteers, "Humans dream much like this, we live out our fears, construct metaphorical experiences from the past and face our deepest anxieties. But we also, sometimes, do the impossible in our dreams, like fly or breathe underwater or in outer space."

Professor Kazzak turns his head to look at Sam on that last word.

Naxx nods his head. "Coridanites have similar dreams. Usually they involve reconnecting with lost family and living out some difficulties or trials. I was…" He stops and thinks. "I was dreaming of my grandparents who died in a collapse of the mine they worked in, back on Desotriana."

Randool offers his perspective, "My people have very harsh dreams of frustrating obstacles or puzzles, it's usually very dark in our dreams. We spend our sleep searching for a kind of paradise where our dilemmas all have answers."

Tutu speaks up, "I don't know what you are all talking about. What is a dream? Do you mean a fantasy, where you stop to imagine what you want to do, then you go do it?"

Professor Kazzak asks Tutu, "Does your species sleep?"

Tutu shakes his head, "I don't think so. I am as unfamiliar with that word as with 'dream'."

T'Pia explains, "We all live in the waking world. It is a universe with rules, laws. They are logical and immutable, even if there are some that we haven't figured out yet and seem random. But most life forms have a sleep cycle. Our minds construct a more…malleable universe that allows us to revisit ideas that we do not get to work on while awake. The dream world has no rules."

T'Pia looks down, she is no longer holding her baby. T'Pia looks back up from inspecting her empty hands. "My youngest is fully grown. He is away on a deep space mission. I can only see him and my lost children in my dreams."

There is a huge crash from underground. The hall shakes. Francesca gets animated. She warns, "It's coming. We need to run."

Tutu says, "Yes, run. I don't know what this thing can do, but there is something different about it. I can't stop it."

The group begins to retreat to a bank of escalators that takes them to the mezzanine level. Ya and Ne remain standing in place. They say to each other. "Can you wake up?"

The black shadow creature emerges from the crevasse. The two Bynars hold each other's hands and concentrate. Nothing happens while the shadow looms over them.

On the balcony looking over the middle of the food court, Francesca Gödel looks down after the two Bynars and tries to shout a warning. Only a tiny squeek comes out. Skyvik turns and sees the huge black thing lunge down upon the Bynar couple. He fires his phaser out of reflex. It strikes the creature center-chest. The thing's attack is interrupted, but then, two black shadowy predators stand over the Bynar couple.

Francesca can only whisper, "No!" before they become four huge monsters surrounding the small Bynars.

Ya and Ne have their eyes closed to concentrate on waking up. The shadowy creatures descend into the center, converging over the tiny purple humanoids. They join into the single monster again.

The group lines the mezzanine railing to witness the loss of their two friends.

Sickbay aboard the Vulcan

T'Pree peels the sanitary wrap off the last bed, then she makes it quickly, stretching a fitted sheet over the bare mattress and places a pillow at the head. The first of her sleeping crew mates arrives three beds over. Skyvik is beamed onto the first of four beds lining the aft bulkhead.

T'Pree hurries over to check on the large Vulcan man.

The ship states, "Skyvik has the most medical experience. We should concentrate our efforts on his revival first. I will beam the rest of the crew over, but first, you will want to become familiar with the vital monitor and equipment.

"Commander Skyvik's heart rates are the first two monitors. Body temperature, respiration and volume, blood pressure, oxygen saturation levels and blood gasses, then brain functions, in that order.

"Tap the screen over the reading you want to see more detailed data and analysis of. A function menu for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and all other deep scans are accessed from the bottom left or bottom right corner of the monitor screen. It will switch to follow which side of the bed the treating medical professional, in this case, you, are standing on.

"Go ahead and familiarize yourself with all features and readouts while I beam the rest of the crew into the triage cabin and the rehabilitation cabin."

T'Pree says, "Of course, Vulcan. I will do that. Thank you."

A moment later, Damian materializes in the next bed, and S'Talla's sleeping figure materializes in the third bed. T'Pia soon takes up the fourth. The soft light of a transporter beam glows in the open doorway leading to the triage cabin.

T'Pree finishes examining Skyvik's monitor, pulls a light blanket up over him, then turns around to read Damian's vitals.

"Vulcan," calls T'Pree. "I understand the monitor display, but these values are meaningless to me."

Vulcan responds, "That will take experience and study, I am sure. For now, know that all numbers are within point two five of one standard deviation of the textbook normal for the relevant species in normal sleep. I will inform you of any unusual readings."

T'Pree asks, "Normal. You are saying there is nothing wrong with them?"

"That is correct."

"How do…" T'Pree stops talking and grabs Skyvik by his shoulders and shakes him vigorously. "Commander Skyvik, wake up!" T'Pree shouts at the sleeping Vulcan. She gets no response.

T'Pree breathes deeply. "Okay, what do the textbooks say to do next?"

Vulcan tells T'Pree, "Since there are no abnormal indicators, you may want to administer a mild stimulant. I will elevate the oxygen saturation levels around their beds.

"In the medication locker in the office, you will find a hypospray and a case of dopamine-based stimulant cartridges.

"Be careful to grab the correct medication.

"Rotate the dial on the back of the hypospray to set the dose. We should start with a low dose and see what happens."

 

[Will The Serious]

The bridge of the Vulcan

T'Perl's voice calls over the ship's comm, "T'Perl to Bridge."

Spalloz is at the tactical station studying the readings. "Spalloz here."

T'Perl continues, "Charlie suggests one of us can help in sickbay or on the bridge. Engineering is mostly automated at the moment, and everything is under control."

Charlie breaks in, "Yeah, we are just down here twiddling our thumbs."

Spalloz asks, "Why would you be twiddling… no need to respond. Obviously some illogical Earth metaphor. I will check with T'Pree. Just a moment."

Vulcan's Sickbay

T'Pree is going over a medical text on a screen at the desk in the head physician's office. The title at the top of the screen is, Coma Differentiation, by Dr. P. Boyce

Vulcan is saying, "The stimulants are having typical physiological effects, just as expected, but the sleeping crews' brain activity remains consistent with the REM cycle of sleep."

Spalloz calls over the comm, "Bridge to T'Pree. How is the crew doing? Any progress?"

T'Pree answers without looking away from her reading, "Everyone is stable. Otherwise, no change. They are all sleeping. Mr. Santayana is even snoring."

Spalloz continues, "T'Perl and Charlie say Engineering is secure and routine. They can provide you with another set of hands, if you could use them."

T'Pree sits up in thought. A moment later she says, "Yes, It is time to try something else. I think I could use help."

Vulcan's Engineering

Charlie is saying to T'Perl, "You are my idol. Probably the most brilliant person I have ever met. I wouldn't have believed anyone could walk into Astroways Construction, with no education, no connections, and get a job as an engineer on a project like the V5. I want to be you when I grow up…"

T'Perl and Charlie are standing by the main engineering control station when Spalloz comes back on the comm. "T'Pree is having no success waking the crew. She would like assistance while she tries a different approach."

"I'll go," volunteers Charlie.

Spalloz replies, "T'Pree thinks it would be better if T'Perl were to assist."

Charlie feels a little deflated. "Okay, I have things I could do here."

T'Perl tells Charlie, "Call if there is any trouble." She heads for the turbo lift. The lift takes her to sickbay without need of instructions.

A laboratory in the Dream World

Kazzak looks around, "Fascinating!"

Doctor Gödel comes up to stand next to her mentor. "This looks almost exactly like the physics lab in Vienna." She turns to a bulky piece of equipment that consists of a series of large looping tubes that stand all the way to the top of the ceiling over seven meters high. The loops intertwine to form the framework of a sphere without intersecting. They curve constantly around in one continuous loop.

Professor Kazzak explains, "It is an old particle accelerator from the time I was a young grad student. It has been a hundred years since I have seen one of these."

Art interjects, "Ya and Ne are dead. What are we going to do about that?" He is clearly shaken by the loss of two of their own.

Sam puts a comforting hand on Art's back. Cialoa takes his left hand in hers.

S'Talla tries to answer, "We have to address the immediate pro…"

Kazzak answers calmly, at the same time as S'Talla, cutting the captain off, "Nothing. They are dead."

S'Talla nods in agreement and finishes her own sentence, "We have the creature to worry about. I think Dr. Gödel is the key."

Tutu joins the group. "It is her monster. It is here because of her. And, your friends are dead, in a way, but like I said, that doesn't mean they are gone forever. We'll see them again."

T'Pia asks, "How can that be true?"

Tutu shrugs, "That's just the way the world works. You haven't experienced such things before? You said your children were all dead except your baby. You were with them when we met."

Naxx answers, "T'Pia was describing a dream."

Tutu looks confused. "I still don't know what you are talking about. What is a dream? You people are so different."

Naxx took a shallow breath to start describing what a dream is when S'Talla turns on Tutu.

"What do you mean by different? How are we different?" S'Talla asks.

Naxx stops, and he and the others begin wondering about S'Talla's question to Tutu.

Tutu looks around at everyone. "You know, You have control. You make things work, like I do."

Professor Kazzak finally turns his attention from examining the particle accelerator. He asks, "Have control? What kind of control? How do we make things work like you?"

Tutu explains, "Like this place. This isn't my place, it belongs to you. The building, the cave, the forest path. He looks from Kazzak to Art to T'Pia. "I met Francesca in her city and I was wearing her uniform." Tutu turns to Sam and adds, "You made me into your Professor." To Cialoa he says, "You wrote the music you were dancing to."

Cia looks down at herself as if just noticing she was wearing a traditional Orion dancing costume.

Tutu looks around at everyone. He takes on the same questioning look in Randool's eyes, "I couldn't understand why you didn't just pull out a key and unlock the garden gate. It was your gate… but now I see. You didn't know it was your gate and your garden."

Tutu gestures into a circle around him. "This is Francesca's lab, but that," and he points to the particle accelerator, "... is your accelerator, Professor. I thought you knew that."

There is a distant roar and the building softly shakes.

"And that monster is yours, Francesca. I have lots of monsters, but this one is not one of mine, so it has to be one of yours, and you have seen it before, where Mr. Skyvik and the others knew nothing about it."

S'Talla speaks, "You are talking about dreams. What you are telling us is, that we are dreaming all this."

Tutu shrugs, "If that's what a dream is, then…okay. I have never met anyone who didn't know this. Well actually, I've never met anyone else who controlled these things. I thought I was the only god in the universe."

Sadek says, "We are not gods."

Another roar and Francesca runs to close the laboratory door. She turns to scan the laboratory. Spotting a tall dark gray machine across the lab, she calls, "Robot, bar the door!"

From the corner of the lab, a tall robot with a clear glass dome over a collection of whirring and blinking sensory and computer components on top, spinning circular antennae on the sides, and a bulky rounded cylindrical body supported by a pair of legs made up of three reticulated spherical joints over heavy round pedipod feet, walks heavily and clumsily to the door. The over two meter tall automaton lumbers past Dr. Gödel, and rotates at its waist to face her while it continues on its way. A light panel flashes its speech pattern synchronously with an artificial electronic voice just below the dome.

"Good morning Doctor Gödel. C fifty-seven D is happy to help," the robot comments.

Arriving at the heavy, reinforced double doors, the robot extends one of its two reciprocating arms to press at a panel on the left side of the door frame. The thick, two digit hand depresses a button and a thick, heavy looking, security door panel descends from above and below, to bar the room. The C57-D then braces its form before the door, and a welding arc snaps and burns out over the seam of the door, melting the two panels together as one.

The robot rotates on its waist turret to face the group and announces, "The door is sealed. Nothing can open it. C fifty-seven D will maintain the doors security until further instructions."

"Thank you, C fifty-seven D," responds Francesca.

Francesca turns to the watching group and answers their unasked question, "It's from an ancient movie I saw when I was little. I thought it was scary at the time, but it makes me laugh when I think about it now. The robot sometimes appears in my dreams to help me."

Professor Kazzak explains, "Logic would dictate that this experience is a dream. I do not know if I am the only one dreaming. The complete lack of logic would make it highly unlikely that I am. That I am dreaming about the Vulcan's crew instead of solving an astronomical problem, makes even less sense. When I factor in the details of everyone else's role in this dream, logic would also suggest that I am not the sole dreamer of this world."

Damian observes, "I have been wondering why I don't seem to find the oddities of what is happening here alarming. Until Captain S'Talla pointed out the water falling the wrong way, I had accepted the odd garden of Mr. Tutu's..."

Tutu answers, "It's just Tutu."

Damian continues with an acknowledging nod, "...Tutu's, and everything else as normal. I have been trying to will myself awake, but find I can't. I feel like I am bound to a spot, only able to look at shadows on a wall without the ability to understand the light that creates the shadows."

Randool suggests, "If I am the dreamer, then I will try to wake up." Randool stands up tall and closes his eyes in concentration, then he snaps them open wide, stares around at the lab. "I am still here."

Sadek adds his thought, "Logically, if everyone is dreaming, or if just one of us is dreaming, but we do not know which of us it is, the correct course of action would be for all of us to try waking at once."

Kazzak nods his agreement, "Yes. We are either all dreaming or the dreamer does not know who is dreaming."

Sam says, "On the count of three, everyone wake up."

Tutu stands on the outside of the huddled group of spacefarers and smiles indulgently.

Sam counts, "One, two, three!"

Everyone repeats Randool's performance.

Nothing.

Art yells incoherently and slaps himself. "Wake up!" he finished with a shout.

Taking his example, the rest of them also try slapping themselves.

They are still in the dream lab and a roar outside the door punctuates their presence.

S'Talla pulls out a communicator and flips it open. "S'Talla to Vulcan."

Vulcan answers, "Vulcan here. How may I help."

Art points a finger at S'Talla, "Good idea. We can simply beam out of our dream."

S'Talla asks Vulcan, "Can you tell if you are dreaming now?"

Vulcan replies, "Logic would suggest that I am not dreaming since I do not sleep. However, I could not confirm this, since any dreaming self would believe anything my sensors told me. Are you having trouble believing what your senses are telling you, Captain?"

S'Talla answers, "Not our senses, but our logic. What our senses are telling us can only be explained by a dream."

Tutu chuckles, "That is simply nonsense. Everything is exactly the way it normally is."

Vulcan suggests, "Since I do not dream, I would hold that I am real. However, for you, I may not be real. The logical thing for me to do is to continue to act as though I am real. Should I beam you up?"

Francesca jumps in, "Yes, beam us up to our laboratory."

Sam asks, "Why your lab?"

Francesca answers, "You may have noticed, but I am not stuttering. I do not stutter in my dreams. The only time I have been chased by the creature that waits outside that door is in my dreams. I remember now. In every case, I find refuge in my laboratory. It is the only place I feel safe. If I am responsible for that creature, we will be safe there. Just in case it isn't the real Vulcan beaming us up."

S'Talla asks Vulcan, "Thirteen to beam up to Professor Kazzak's and Doctor Gödel's laboratory."

Vulcan answers, "I am locked on. Energizing now."

Vulcan's Sickbay

T'Perl enters from the turbo lift. "I am here to help, T'Pree." T'Perl looks around at the occupied beds.

T'Pree is standing next to Skyvik. "The entire crew, except the four of us on watch, are asleep and do not respond to any attempts to wake them."

Vulcan adds, "There is an energy beam coming from a passing ship. It is the only anomaly that we can find. Mr. Spalloz is pursuing the ship now. There has been no response to our hails, and my transporter beam cannot penetrate the other ship's shields."

T'Pree says, "I want to try a mind meld. Maybe I can learn what is preventing Skyvik from waking up. Maybe I can wake Skyvik and the others up that way. I wanted another Vulcan present, in case something went wrong."

Alarms sound in the triage ward.

Vulcan warns, "Both Ya and Ne are showing signs of abnormally fluctuating brain activity."

T'Pree races into the triage ward to find Ya's unconscious body vibrating spastically. T'Perl, on T'Pree's heels, runs to Ne in the next bed, behaving in much the same way.

Just as the two women reach the Bynars' bedsides, Ya and Ne stop.

The urgently beeping vital display over their beds falls quiet and a solid tone emits. All respiratory readings fall to rest at the bottom. The three neutral activity readings, on the far right of the screen, drop from the very top of their range to settle slowly with the others at the bottom of the screen.

"What do we do?" calls T'Perl to Vulcan and T'Pree.

Vulcan answers, "Ultrasonic stimulation of the neurons in the thalamus are normally indicated."

T'Pree asks, "How do we do that?"

T'Perl prompts Vulcan, "It sounds like you do not think that is the case here."

Vulcan answers, "Correct. According to the texts, the Bynar positronic implants would be negatively affected and cause irrevocable damage to the corpus callosum, the temporal lobe, and various other areas of the cerebral cortex."

T'Pree asks, "They are dead?"

Vulcan answers, "By all indicators, yes."

T'Perl interjects, "We must do something."

Vulcan answers, "There is nothing to do."

T'Pree steps back. "We must hurry. If Ya and Ne have died, we have a time limit to help the others. Come T'Perl; I want to try to meld with Commander Skyvik."

"I will be there," agrees T'Perl. T'Perl looks back and forth between the two Bynars. "Vulcan, were Ya and Ne sleeping in separate beds when you beamed them into sickbay?"

"No. According to my research, Bynar couples sleep intertwined with their foreheads pressed together. That is how they were in their cabin. I had to adjust the transporter's sensitivity to the top of its range to separate them."

T'Pree leaves to attend Skyvik. T'Perl says to Vulcan, "I do not know what death rituals, if any, the Bynar people have, but Ya and Ne should be together." As T'Perl talks, she pulls the covers off of the two Bynars.

Vulcan answers, "Bynar culture does not record any ritualistic practices. However, it is rare that the death of one Bynar is not immediately followed by the coupled second half. They are typically placed together in the mortuary incinerators."

T'Perl lifts Ne from the treatment bed and turns to walk around Ya's still form to lay Ne next to Ya.

T'Perl states, "I know this is not the most logical thing for a Vulcan to do, but I never completed the Kolinahr ritual."

Vulcan says, "I understand."

T'Perl gently positions the two Bynars facing each other and presses Ne's forehead to Ya's forehead.

In the main treatment and recovery cabin

T'Pree places the spread fingers of both her hands over Skyvik's forehead, temples, the buccal nodes, and the parotid nodes of his face.

T'Perl steps up behind T'Pree and watches in silence.

T'Pree bends her head towards Skyvik's head and begins to take rhythmic breaths, in through her nose, gently out through her mouth. After three cyclic breaths she focuses on Skyvik's closed eyes.

"Skyvik!" she calls for his attention in a quiet, but clear voice. "Join your mind to my mind. My mind to your mind. Your thoughts to my thoughts." T'Pree breaths another round. Her eyes remain focused. T'Perl hold frozen, watching.

"My mind to your mind. My thoughts to your thoughts. Our being as one…"

T'Pree's eyes close. Her body relaxes. Her bent head falls farther and her forehead comes in contact with Skyvik's forehead, where they stay.

T'Perl is captivated by the technique. There are aspects to Vulcan culture that growing up homeless, she had never been exposed to before. T'Perl watches for a few long seconds until T'Pree's hands slip from where they had rested against Skyvik's face. T'Perl leaps forward to catch T'Pree as the other Vulcan woman collapses towards the floor.

T'Perl checks T'Pree's breathing, it is soft, relaxed, steady. T'Perl shakes her friend, calling, "T'Pree! Wake up."

When T'Pree does not respond, T'Perl calls to Vulcan, "Vulcan, I think T'Pree has fallen asleep, and I can not wake her."

When T'Perl stands, T'Pree dematerialises from where she lays on the floor, and Vulcan answers, "I have transferred Ms. T'Pree to Ne's empty bed."

T'Perl turns to follow.

Vulcan announces, "Ya and Ne are waking."

T'Perl hurdles her way through to the triage ward. She finds T'Pree laying in the vacated bed next to where Ya and Ne are detangling themselves and sitting up on the next bed.

T'Perl falters, not knowing who to go to first. T'Perl finally stops to check T'Pree's vital monitor. "Vulcan, are T'Pree's readings the same as the others?"

"Yes, in that they show normal biological function for a female Vulcan in REM sleep."

T'Perl begins to move away from T'Pree's bed, T'Perl moves hurriedly to check on Ya and Ne. She snaps out her question quickly, almost desperately, "So, T'Pree is just sleeping, like everyone else?"

"That is so, Ms. T'perl."

T'Perl steps up to where Ya and Ne are sitting on the edge of their bed, side by side. She asks them a rush of questions. "Are you alright? How do you feel? Can you tell me what happened? Do you know what happened to you or the others?"

"Ms. T'Perl," interrupts Vulcan. "You may want to take Ya and Ne's recovery a little slower. I suggest one question at a time. 'How do you feel,' is a good first question."

T'Perl takes a deep breath to calm down and replies gratefully, "Of course. Thank you Vulcan." T'Perl turns her attention back to Ya and Ne. "How do you feel?"

Ya answers while stretching as if just waking up from a good nap, "Well…"

Ne finishes the sentence, "...rested."

Ya looks around and asks, "Why are we in this room?"

Ne asks, "Where is this room?"

T'Perl says, "You are in the ship's sickbay. We could not wake you up. Do you have any idea what happened?"

Ya and Ne begin to shake their heads no, but they both think better of it.

"We had a dream." answers Ya.

Ne fills in with, "Bynars do not have such dreams."

T'Parl calls out to Vulcan, "Vulcan, what can you tell us about dreaming symptoms?"

Vulcan responds, "There are a number of psychosis, syndromes, and illnesses from infections, allergic reactions, drug and toxin ingestion, as well as two thousand five hundred sixty three reported conditions among the various known species that can lead to unusual dreams. Bynars, however, have never reported any states of dreaming inconsistent with the studies done by Doctors So and Ada, over two hundred years ago."

Ya and Ne nod their heads in agreement.

T'Perl, takes charge. "We need better information. Tell me about your dreams. Almost the entire crew is asleep and we can not wake them."

Ya and Ne both look around at the sleeping patients. They then turn to T'Pree sleeping next to them.

Ya states, "Everyone except you, Charley, Mr. Spalloz, and T'Pree…"

Ne finishes, "... were in our dream."

T'Perl asks, "And both of you had the same dream?"

Ya and Ne nod and answer together, "Yes, Bynars always dream together."

"Ms. T'Perl," speaks Ya.

Ne adds, "How long have we…"

Ya finishes, "... been asleep?"

Vulcan breaks in, "You both went to sleep ninety one minutes, sixteen seconds after your watch ended at twenty two hundred hours ship time. You have been asleep nine hours seventeen minutes and twelve seconds. Some of the crew have been asleep as long as Thirteen hours and fifty one seconds."

Ya and Ne look at each other in confusion. "Bynars usually sleep six and a half hours in a cycle," Both confirm in unison.

T'Perl and the Bynars are quiet for a moment; no one has an answer.

Ya and Ne look up at T'Perl with a sudden thought. They jump off their bed together and shout, "Tutu!"

 

[Will The Serious]

The dream world laboratory aboard Vulcan

Kazzak is deep in thought. He has retreated to study the antique particle accelerator that also appeared in his laboratory when the group beamed aboard. His attention is turned inward, more to the problem of waking from their group dream, than to the laboratory machine. The ship laboratory has changed slightly, the walls are a pink in color where they had been an gray blue before. The floor layout has also shifted, taking on an 'L' shape over the original open rectangle of a converted cargo bay.

Kazzak calls to Francesca, "Doctor Gödel, come add your thoughts to this problem."

Francesca moves to join Professor Kazzak when she turns directly into T'Pree who is standing in front of Skyvik, her fingers spread over the tall Vulcan's face. Francesca catches her balance on the T'Pree, carrying both of them a couple of steps away from a surprised Skyvik.

"T'Pree!" Francesca shouts in excitement. She grabs the startled Vulcan woman in a hug. The rest of the group turn their attention to the new arrival.

Doctor Gödel holds T'Pree by the shoulders, shoving her out to arms length. "Are you real or just a dream?"

Tutu replies helpfully, "I believe she is real. I can not affect her presence, so she is like you."

Tutu extends his hand in the Vulcan greeting Professor Kazzak has taught him. "Live long and prosperously. My name is Tutu."

T'Pree takes in the environment, her attention is distracted from the unexpected greeting by Tutu. "Where is this?"

Tutu points at Doctor Gödel and says, "This is her lab, but it's starting to take a lot of pieces from each of you."

Naxx and Sam come over to greet T'Pree just as S'Talla and Skyvik step back up. Skyvik is wearing his OSS mission camouflage. S'Talla is dressed in her monk robes and Sam has returned to her business suit, but it has switched to a blue on green color that accents her hair.

Kazzak is in his normal laboratory coat and ever-present safety goggles. He joins the group, "Tell me T'Pree, is the crew all asleep right now?"

T'Pree, trying to take everything in and make logical sense out of it all, nods her head. "Yes, you are all asleep. We have been unable to wake you. I reason that this is a dream, and I must be asleep, as well. But how are we all in each other's dreams?"

Skyvik pokes at T'Pree hard. "I am not so sure you are real. I was just thinking of you. I may have conjured this image." Skyvik pokes T'Pree in another spot against her ribs.

"Stop." T'Pree warns, "I was attempting a mind meld with you, trying to wake you up, or at least, figure out what was happening."

Kazzak states, "We are trapped in this dream. Logically, It would seem Mr. Tutu…"

"Just Tutu," interjects Tutu.

Kazzak continues on. "It seems as if this is a world… with which Tutu is very familiar. While we are obviously dreaming, and therefore, sleeping, Tutu is unaware of such a state in his universe. Logic suggests, Tutu is the reason we are trapped here."

Tutu looks offended and concerned. He explains, "I am not doing anything like that."

T'Pree looks at Tutu and asks, "Do you have a ship?"

Tutu looks slightly confused, "A spaceship? That was so long ago, I can barely remember. I…" Tutu starts to recall, "It's like another lifetime ago. I used to be an explorer. But I had…" Tutu meets T'Pree's eyes with sudden recollection. "I was dying. Radiation poisoning had caused an incurable cancer to spread throughout my body. I should have died."

Tutu turns and looks at other members of the crew. A smile spreads across his face. "I beat it. They said it was incurable, a death sentence, but…" Tutu steps into the open and spreads his arms taking a turn around. "Here I am. Not dead."

Kazzak gets a suspicious look on his face. "Do your people make arrangements for after death?"

Tutu says, "Sure, but I didn't die, or I would be just a dead guy floating out into space in my old ship. And… as you can see, that is not the case."

Kazzak asks, "Are you sure you are not?"

The bridge of the Vulcan

Spalloz is standing with Ya and Ne. T'Perl is sitting at tactical, looking over her instruments.

Ya is saying to Spalloz, "We think the answers are…"

Ne ends with, "...in the signal coming from…"

Both say together, "... that ship."

Vulcan adds, "I have tried to block the signal, but I noticed some fluctuations in the vital signs of the sleeping crew. I fear severing the signal may do harm. Otherwise, we could simply turn away."

The starboard turbolift doors swish open and Charley steps onto the bridge.

"Who is watching sickbay?"

T'Pree answers, "They are all in stable sleep. Vulcan will alert us of any changes. With limited resources, we have to divide our time of we are going to work on our problem."

Charley nods with understanding and asks, "What's this about reprogramming the transporter beam?"

Ya and Ne turn and beckon him to them.

T'Perl straightens from her study of the sensor readings, and explains, "Vulcan recorded a high tech transporter signal that was able to penetrate… ahem… her… shields. I just finished installing a transponder designed to her specifications. Ya and Ne died in the dream world and say a dangerous beast had killed them. Their positronic implants were able to reboot and regulate their brains, so our concern is that the rest of the crew will not have that ability to survive. We need, therefore, to get aboard that ship as soon as possible."

Spalloz adds, "Readings show only one unidentifiable life form aboard. Our hails continue to go unanswered, so it is logical to assume the being aboard is in a similar state of sleep. The ship is the origin of the unknown signal, so logic suggests that is where we will best find our answers."

Vulcan speaks, "Ms. T'Perl, every reading is within the specifications I gave you. I believe we just need an adjustment to the low level logic routines on my sensor interface board.

"Mr. Chang. You are most familiar with my analog circuitry and are a skilled programmer. Ya and Ne suggest you are better suited for success at that level of instructions, since they are unfamiliar with analog computers. I do not have the control necessary at the lowest levels to my machine coded routines, so I must ask for your help."

Charley laces his fingers behind his neck and arches slightly with a yawn. "You are talking about the transporter signal you recorded from the Mystic Spirit?"

Vulcan answers, "You are correct."

"And you're certain this will work?"

Vulcan replies, "There is a ninety four point six chance of success. The chances of success increase to ninety seven point seven percent by sending only Ya over. Ya has forty three point five six percent less mass than you, Mr. Chang.

"According to published Bynar physiology, Ne should be able to remain connected to Ya from the distance between the alien ship and me. Just in case the shielding on the other ship inhibits communication."

Charley asks, "You mean there is a two point three chance that Ya won't make it?"

Vulcan explains. The theory is sound. However, when the Ferengi scientist proposed the idea, it was rejected as too dangerous. At the time of publication, the possibility of failure was seventeen point four percent. I have modified the design so there is now a larger margin for success."

Charley turns to Ya and Ne, "You are good with these numbers?"

The two Bynars fidget slightly. Ya nods and says, "There is no better chance of success…"

Ne completes, "... to save our friends. Vulcan estimates the risk of harm is greater than fifty percent…"

Ya picks up the sentence, "... by severing the signal without shutting it down…"

"... at the source," both Bynars finish.

Ya drops a shoulder in resignation. "We will succeed…"

Ne continues, "... or we will not."

Ya adds, "If we do not try…"

Ne finishes, "... we will not succeed."

Charley looks over to the control console. He says, "I can't argue with that logic."

Charley sits down next to T'Perl. "How about you? What is your opinion, T'Perl?"

T'Perl replies, "I find I am in the rare situation of doubting myself. I am not a trained engineer and relying upon my work to save lives seems questionable, at best."

Charley responds, "We rely upon your work for our lives every second we are aboard Vulcan. I have no doubts in your abilities. That is not a thing."

Charley sighs, "Okay, let me see the code and give me the parameters."

The dream world lab aboard Vulcan

The shadow creature is attacking the large cargo bay door. Francesca's robot is knocked back from its sentry stance and the large bay door begins to glow hot just as the cave door did. The heavy percussion starts ringing in the lab.

Kazzak comments calmly, "Clearly we have not beamed aboard the real Vulcan."

Francesca nods her head in a tremble. "I was afraid of that. I am sorry."

S'Talla turns to Francesca and says, "You have to ability to stop this. Logic and control. Calm yourself. Breathe, empty your mind by concentrating on a void. Count, if that will help." S'Talla's voice is soft and gentle. The crashing of at the bay door does not affect S'Talla's calm. S'Talla reaches for Francesca's left hand and fold it gently between both of her own. "Logic, we are dreaming, nothing is real. Control, this is your dream, you can take control of it. Breathe and know you are in control."

A seam rips around the edge of the large door.

Art calls, "It's getting in!"

S'Talla talks calmly to Francesca, "Quiet your mind. There is no creature."

Another crash stretches the bay door inward. C57-D extends its arms and an electrical arc discharges against the door. The creature roars from the other side.

"Breathe, Count slowly, take control."

A rip appears in the door and the center turns white hot. The robot sends out another charge.

Francesca closed her eyes. S'Talla steps closer and moves her hands up to Francesca's temples. "Logic and control. You are dreaming, take control of it."

The center of the heavy door begins to melt. A hole grows in the center. The blackness of numerous creatures crowd the growing opening. C57-D moves in and electrifies the remains of the door panel. The beasts roar as one and the large robot is smashed, hurling backwards into a battered pile of antique electronic parts.

"Hurry. They are getting in." shouts Art.

Cialoa directs, "We must find a way out."

S'Talla ignores the growing commotion.

Francesca starts to shake and tries to pull away. S'Talla hold her, stepping up to embrace the skinny Earthling. S'Talla speaks directly in Francesca's ear. "You have control. I am with you, calm your mind. Take control."

The opening in the door is yanked back and the whole door is torn away. Skyvik's phaser flashes over and over in short bursts.

"Francesca," S'Talla uses Dr. Gödel's first name. "Let the creature go. You don't have to hold on to it anymore. You are in control. You don't need logic to know that. You just are."

Francesca visibly calms. The small tremors in her hands quiet. The crashing of the creatures inside the lab slow and stop.

Skyvik is surrounded by the giant shadows, his phaser no longer firing. The rest of the crew have retreated to the far corner.

The shadows, dozens, hundreds, perhapse, crowd the opening and beyond. Skyvik is almost lost in the center of their darkness.

S'Talla whispers, "You did it. You are in control."

The shadows disintegrate when Francesca lifts her head and looks around.

"I did it!" Francesca Gödel hops excitedly.

Everyone disintegrates.

The bridge of an alien ship

Ya is standing in the center of a dark, circular alien bridge. Next to Ya is a transparent bubble filled with liquid. In the center of the fluid is a brain. Clusters of wires connect the brain to the electronics within the pedestal upon which the glass vessel sits. Tiny bubbles feed oxygen or some other life giving gas to the biological organ. Around Ya are lights and controls, tubes, probes and data displays.

Ya holds up a communicator, and circles the bridge inspecting the equipment. Ya speaks into the device, "Ya to Vulcan."

No response.

The bridge of Vulcan

Ne announces, "Ya is not able to use the communicator. The life form appears to be a brain in a… vessel."

T'Pree has returned to sickbay. Only Charley and Spalloz are with Ne on the bridge.

Charley says to Ne, "Tell Ya to look for a control panel that displays a signal readout in the upper terahertz range. That will be the one we are concerned about."

Ne is quiet for a moment. Spalloz and Charley wait, their attention on the single Bynar.

Ne finally responds, "Ya has found several possibilities."

Spalloz adds, "It is using a subspace carrier underneath an infrared tuning signal. Ya will most logically find the three readings on the same control panel."

Ne concentrates again.

The alien ship's bridge

Ya says, "I found it."

When Ya puts a hand on the flat panel beneath the alien display of number scales and wave forms, the panel seems to come to life. The signals go flat and the untranslated values change to rows of diagonal white dashes where more complex characters had shown. The a high pitch tone quickly sinks to the sub audible range and goes quiet.

Ya says, "Uh oh. "Ne, it shut off. How is the crew?"

Ya then turns to survey the whole of the bridge in case there was more to be done. Ya comes face to face with a translucent holograph of a being in a multi-colored coat with black furry skin and a wild golden main of hair encircling his face.

Ya freezes, a purple hand poised over a phaser at Ya's belting.

"Hello?" The image speaks. "My name is Tutu." Tutu pauses when he recognizes Ya. "I know you. I told them you would return. I don't remember your name though."

The being looks from Ya to survey the bridge. "My old ship," he declares. I nearly forgot."

Ya finally responds. "Our names are Ya and… my name is Ya."

Tutu walks around the circular bridge, then stops to inspect the brain in the center. "Huaaah!" he exclaims in horor, "I didn't beat it after all."

Tutu looks down at himself. He holds his hands out. He holds a hand up to look through the translucent image. Turning to Ya Tutu asks, "I'm not really here, am I?"

Ya doesn't know how to respond. "I see you. I hear you."

Tutu says, "Yes, but I'm just a projection. That…" and Tutu points at the brain, "is all that is left of me." I thought the wild crazy universe I was being fed was all real, but it's a lie; nothing more than an illusion dumped into my mind by this." Tutu points at the computer cabinet taking up the space underneath the brain vat. "One last space adventure, but it isn't real."

Ya pauses for a moment. Ya then asks, "This is your ship, so you know how to shut down your shields?"

Tutu points, "Yes, of course. Over there."

Ya shuts down the shields and opens the communicator. "Ya to Vulcan."

"Spalloz here. They are awake."

"I have dropped the ship's shields with the help of the captain. If everything is good, I am ready to transport back."

"Wait!" shouts Tutu. "You can't leave me like this. I have no way of doing anything with my ship in this state. I don't want to be alone. Help me go back."

The bridge of Vulcan

S'Talla is in the command chair. Ya and Ne are back at navigation. Spalloz has ended his shift to be replaced by Sadek and Skyvik at sensors and tactical.

S'Talla says to Ya, "So Tutu wanted to return to his dream world, to his illusion?"

Ya and Ne turn to address S'Talla.

Ya answers, "As a holograph aboard his ship…"

Ne continues, "Tutu could only exist for the ride."

Ya goes on, "Tutu showed me how to disable the probe that trapped other dreamers into his dreams,"

Ne finishes, "while still allowing the system to input his own dream world into the sensory areas of his brain."

Sam, standing next to S'Talla, comments, "It sounds very lonely."

Vulcan answers, "On the contrary, Tutu has been drifting in space for over five hundred years.

"There have been recent attempts at transplanting brains into android bodies. Tutu may eventually come across a species who can help him."

Ne says, "Tutu told us that he never had a dull moment in the dream world, and all his friends were there."

Ya concludes, "He even said we would likely be there as his newest friends."

The bridge fell silent thinking about the implications of Tutu's situation.

S'Talla finally says, "Ya, let us go onward. We have an ultimate weapon to steal."

RETURN TO THE BEGINNING

-Will

 

[Bynar0110]

I enjoyed reading it.

 

[Will The Serious]

Thanks 0110.

It was... interesting to write. I was glad to get a chance to unwrap sickbay, and I wish I knew what species Tutu was. He's an interesting character with more depth than I brought out of him for the story. Those Bynars are brave creatures too.

-Will

 

[Will The Serious]

I want to give a huge thank you to Robert Bruce Scott for his editing skills. I had thought I sent this episode to him weeks ago and was getting anxious about hearing back from him. It turns out I hadn't sent him the manuscript, but got it confused with the season outline, so He was probably waiting patiently to hear from me at the same time. Once I did finally send it, rbs turned it around with almost superhuman speed.

Thanks again.

-Will

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

This episode became my hands-down series favorite from the moment Tutu was introduced. Wonderful critter design and character design. Tutu is instantly likable and relatable despite his evident alien nature. And a great sci-fi concept exploring the cultural, functional and aesthetic differences of the dreaming minds of the diverse species aboard Vulcan, as well as Tutu's unfamiliarity with the concept.

Standout details - Ya and Ne being kick-started by their implants. The reveal was handled with an economy of technobabble - no need to belabor the magic - just enough detail to reveal it was technological in nature. Really nicely handled all around.

Thanks!! rbs

 

[Will The Serious]

I very much appreciate your praise. Thanks for taking the time to detail the parts you think work best. It means a lot to me to read.

-Will

 

[Will The Serious]

New chapter art.

S'Talla and Master Sporrow, after S'Talla climbed back out of the water, meet the alien Tutu.

-Will

 

[Will The Serious]

Sorry about the technical difficulties.
I think I've worked out my picture publishing issue, for now.

-Will

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Tutu is exactly how I imagined him - meaning you painted him as accurately with words as with graphite.

Thanks!! rbs

 

[Bynar0110]

Nice drawing