Foreshadowing

[JJLexi 0]

JJ sat up in the bed, unable and unwilling to fall asleep, even for the short nap that he had planned. He was tired. Tired of the nightmares, tired of the stress. There had to be something that could help him. Some sort of cure or treatment. He took a seat at the small desk next to his desk, running his hands through his corded hair.

 

"Computer"

 

The computer beeped.

 

"Pull up all records from. . ." JJ thought about it for a moment, trying to recall where he could find some sort of answers to his problems. Starfleet Medical would probably not have anything yet. But he should have access to Sovereign records from here.

 

"Computer, do you have any information from the Sovereign Medical Institutes?"

 

"Affirmative"

 

He paused for a moment. "Pull up scholarly articles from the Sovereign Neurological Institute."

 

"Unable to comply, too many entries, please narrow your search."

 

"Choose those dealing with Deharmonization."

 

The computer beeped in compliance, downloading 7 articles to the console. The first one on that list was the one that caught his eye. He touched the screen, pulling up that article and began to read.

 

Short and Long Term Neurological Issues of a Mental and/or Biological Nature Linked to Deharmonization in Brythtons.

Rmi Bloi, Baron of Ymal, Honored Doctor of the Sovereign Neurological Institute

 

Yn'na Ddi, Honored Doctor of the Sovereign Neurological Institute

 

Abstract

The Sovereign Neurological Institute conducted a longitudinal prospective cohort study to track and map neurological problems that may arise due to Deharmonization. The study consisted of 240 Brythtons; 120 males and 120 females. Of which, 60 males and 60 females had been previously assigned duties which required Deharmonization. The participants were tracked over a period of 30 years. The study concluded that all citizens who went through Deharmonization suffered immediate minor hypothalamic and frontal lobe trauma. Such damage leads to a host of disorders and health issues, including lack of sleep, loss of appetite, decreased mood, nightmares and severe headaches. More severe cases included seizure disorders, dementia, partial paralysis, schizophrenia, and gradual loss of neurological functioning resulting in death. Methods to combat or prevent these issues are currently being studied.

Lack of sleep, loss of appetite, nightmares. . .

 

That was it. That was him. A sudden chill went up his spine has he read the next sentence over again. Seizure disorders, dementia, partial paralysis, schizophrenia, death. Those were facts that were conveniently left out during the selection process.

 

He skipped through the article to the individual case assessments, he found he self reading about a male participant simply known as "Deharmonized Male Participant # 12" which was shortened to "DM12". DM12 served as a spy against the Breen Confederacy, staying in Breen territory for over 3 years. DM12 claimed that during his assignment, there were few times where he slept more than 5 hours at a time, as he was consistently interrupted by vivid nightmares, much like JJ had been experiencing. About 2 years after his return to the Sovereignty and his subsequent enrollment into this study, his brain scans began to show signs of neurological deterioration. Within another year, DM12 began to suffer from short-term memory loss. 3 years later, he was institutionalized for displaying increasingly violent and erratic behavior. A little over a year after being committed, he suffered catastrophic neurological failure and died. DM12 lived just over 10 years after his initial Deharmonization before dying.

 

What scared JJ the most about DM12's story was how the descriptions of the early symptoms seemed to match his own. But that was only one case, one instance. That could possibly be just a coincidence.

 

He continued browsing the case studies until he fell upon Deharmonized Female Participant # 44, or "DF44". DF44 was a scout pilot. Her scout suffered an electrical malfunction while in warp, killing her co-pilot instantly and subsequently Deharmonizing her. She was rescued 2 days later and a Sovereign search and rescue party. Upon her return, she began to have nightmares, and her appetite had begun to suffer, again going into detail describing symptoms much like JJ's. The initial brain scan done upon her enrollment in the study, which was done 5 years after her Deharmonization, showed decreased neurological functioning, which was highlighted by a significant drop off in her motor skills. Not 2 years later, DF44 autonomic functions suddenly failed, killing her instantly. Again, this lady showed initial symptoms much like JJ's.

 

JJ couldn't read any further, becoming sick to his stomach all of a sudden. The stories of their deterioration were difficult to read, as they seemingly suffered needlessly through unimaginable personal hells, enduring a punishment doled on them by some merciless and unfeeling evil.

 

JJ closed the article and turned away from the console, his fear of his own mortality strengthening with every mental image of those two Brythtons suffering. If he would have known this he would have never volunteered for this assignment. But it was too late, the damage had most likely already been done.

 

"Computer. Attach that article to my medical records to be used as reference."

 

"Authorization code needed."

 

"Lexi Foxtrot Uniform Delta"

 

The computer beeped in compliance.

 

JJ just sat there for the remainder of the time he had before duty, unable to shake those images.

Edited June 3, 2009 by JJLexi