"Vision"

[Garnoopy 0]

GARNOOPY

Chief Engineering Officer

USS Manticore, NCC-5852

Stardate 50508.27

 

“VISION”

 

Garnoopy looked around sickbay, noticing that for the first time in several months he could make out objects in the room. He could read panels that before only looked like a washed out photo. After an hour surgery his vision had been returned by Dr. Mele.

 

Of course, it wasn’t quite the same vision as he remembered. To be honest, it was nothing like he remembered. The optical implants which connected directly to his occipital lobe did not compute images the way normal eyes did. Instead his vision was a mixture of colors and light shades. Somehow his brain was managing to make sense of it, though at times he felt as though he would never understand the world around him.

 

The implants also had the ability to see the chemical composition of gasses and items around the room. Right now Garn couldn’t tell what exactly was what, but he could already tell gases from metals. In time he would be able to make out more details.

 

As grateful as he was though, it was troubling to thank Mele. As helpful as he had been this was not his vision, it was a substitute. Something that was only there because he was unable to restore the original vision Garn had been born with. It was troubling to remember what a sunrise was, when he could no longer see one. Part of him felt like it was missing and although there was a replacement, it wasn’t the same. He only hoped that in time that the realization he could never see the way he used to would become less painful.

 

For now though the implants would allow him to see. That was something he deeply had wanted. As much as he enjoyed the company of the good doctors in sickbay he was ready to get back to engineering. The feeling of uselessness had been getting to him, eating away at him like a dog on a bone.

 

To the observer of course his eyes looked the same, unless you got close in. Then you could see some of the optical fiber running underneath the sclera. The pigments in his eyes were blue, for now. Mele had informed him that he could change colors at any point without any trouble. For now Garn felt that returning to his previous eye color would be the best thing, perhaps in time another color would come to his attention. A few of the doctors had suggested polka dots or stripes.

 

The experience had brought new attention to who Garn was. In the time that he couldn’t see there had been much time that reflected on who he had been. There was no mistaking it, the experience had changed him. His entire view on the world had changed, he no longer viewed it from the limited perspective of vision, but he heard things now that he had never heard before. His hearing still seemed to be heightened and his sense of smell was amazing.

 

At times he still had flashes of colors when people spoke, almost seeming to detect their moods. It was confusing and hard to pin what exactly triggered them. At times he felt lost by them and at other times they made him understand what the other person might be feeling.

 

It was good to have his vision back. To see never felt quite so good, even if it isn’t quite the same.