Certifiable

[T'Prise 0]

"No, no, you're not going to do that. Look, T'Prise..." Escher trailed off frantically grasping for a reason that would appeal logically to his Vulcan science officer, before suddenly recalling her having mentioned some type of friendship with Lieutenant Lamoreaux, "... for me, please, stay in sick bay? Trust me, the project will be fine."

 

T'Prise stared back at him for several moments before acquiescing to his plea. "If you believe that these tests are necessary to the completion of this project, I will undergo the prescribed examination."

 

Escher nodded vehemently in relief at her agreement and turned towards Drs. t'Tamarak and Jaz, nodding meaningfully towards the Vulcan.

 

T'Prise also turned towards the doctors, still eyeing t'Tamarak skeptically. "I was unaware we had a Romulan physician attending at this facility. Although your rationale regarding the disclosure of our location is a logical argument, I must request that you present your qualifications and clearances prior to your participation in project related medical examinations."

 

Jaiysa listened to this little back and forth with her eyes slightly narrowed. The yyaio, T'Prise, appeared to have progressed considerably from whatever complaint she had come to see Vilanne about -- according to the commander with her, she had begun to believe herself at an entirely different facility, with people who were dead. Physical trauma...psychological trauma...simply trying to make a nuisance of herself...quite a cocktail of options but definitely...damaged...

 

She raised both eyebrows slightly as the Vulcan officer turned to address her. For the time being it would do more good to determine where exactly T'Prise thought she was, rather than trying to convince her otherwise -- yyaios could be the most stubborn race in the galaxy. So she simply ignored the request for credentials and picked up a tricorder standing on a nearby cart, deftly adjusting it for Vulcan neurology, beginning the scans while directing her expression on T'Prise's face to try to keep her attention focused. "I will have one of the orderlies bring you the information -- later."

 

T'Prise watched closely as t'Tamarak began her examination, a bit surprised when the Romulan started to scan her with a tricorder. "Do these pressure stress tests require vital statistics prior to being performed?"

 

Jaiysa smirked slightly. "Of course, rekkhai; you as a scientist know the value of a control before performing experiments; I should think you'd be pleased and proud..." The tricorder pinged, indicating the completion of the scan and she snapped it shut with a low thunk before setting it atop and set it on top of a console to input the results into the computer. Quickly completing her task, she rounded on T'Prise once more, folding her arms. "Now -- tell me, so that I can be absolutely sure of your...stability...your name, rank, serial number, current assignment, the location of this facility, and the stardate."

 

The Vulcan gave the Romulan a penetrating stare for several moments, trying to determine the source of t'Tamarak's hostility before superciliously launching into a terse recitation. "T'Prise, Ensign, RJ-426-791, classified information, classified information, 50806.16," she finished succinctly, the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice indicating that she was not about to divulge anything she considered to be sensitive information.

 

Jaiysa laughed sardonically, her eyes narrowing again. "Not to worry, rekkhai, you already told me we are in the Daystrom." Mentally she was subtracting -- from what she knew of the Federation dating system that was..."More than a year ago," she murmured. Amnesia. Fvadt...they intend to make me earn my pay, clearly.

 

"Rekkhai, are you at all familiar with the USS Manticore?" she asked conversationally, settling herself against the computer console which was chewing on the scan results. Her eyes fixed again on T'Prise's face, watching the yyaio's reaction.

 

T'Prise stared at Jaiysa impassively her features assuming the normal disinterested demeanor of a Vulcan. "While I have had no direct contact with, nor been aboard the USS Manticore, Starfleet registry lists it as a rescue and salvage vessel, tasked with aiding ships in distress. I believe humans would refer to it as a tugboat. Inquiry: why is the USS Manticore pertinent to this medical examination?"

 

"Response: because I want to know how aware you are of your situation." Which, Jaiysa reflected, was actually true, to some extent, though it was more the lack of awareness that was causing the problem. Either the yyaio was lying through her teeth -- unlikely -- or she was completely nohtho -- insane. She glanced sidelong at the other science officer who was with her, then looked back towards the computer as the scans pinged up on the screen.

 

Escher returned her glance with as much exasperation and worry he could cram into one facial expression. He had, despite himself, grown quite fond of the Vulcan during her time on Manticore, and was worried that any permanent damage to T'Prise would not only rob him of an excellent science officer but also of a friend, as much as the Vulcan could be friends with any human. Still, he was exhausted, the science department was spent, the whole crew was strained, and Escher really didn't need yet another wrench in the works to make recent events that much more painful.

 

Watching the byplay between the Romulan and Lamoreaux, T'Prise suddenly became suspicious of their behavior. Addressing Jaiysa, she gave her a stern, penetrating look. "I believe that you are not being entirely truthful in your motives for this examination, would you care to explain what you are hoping to accomplish here?"

 

Jaiysa did not turn around but continued to tap at the console, calling up the scans. "For a yyaio, you certainly take curiosity and suspicion to the extreme, rekkhai. Very well -- you are not currently at the Daystrom, wherever that is, but aboard the USS Manticore, a lloann'na security and operations vessel located just outside of the Rihannsu neutral zone. The current stardate is 50907, and you..." The sharp tone of her voice trailed off abruptly as she saw the scans pop up on the screen, and she ran a finger over the image as her expression abruptly deepened. "...have suffered recent cranial trauma."

 

Escher glanced up at the screen, looking sternly at the readouts reporting T'Prise's health, mentally speculating as to when the cranial trauma had occurred.

 

Moving to join Jaiysa at the monitor, T'Prise stared at the readings for a moment, assessing the diagnosis. She studied the data for a long moment before turning back to face Jaiysa. "I have difficulty believing your prognosis, doctor. While these scans do indicate cranial trauma, I have never been aboard the USS Manticore something which my colleague Lieutenant Lamoreaux can attest to. As you have never presented the credentials I requested, I must therefore question the veracity of your statements and assume this is some type of attempt to compromise the security of the project." With that she turned on her heel, giving Escher an inscrutable glance and moving towards the comm to alert security.

 

As Escher did his best to look – Lamoreaux-y, Jaiysa stood up and caught T'Prise's arm before she could go too far. "Sit, rekkhai. I won't bother trying to convince you of the truth because you are clearly too addled to recognize it, but I do not need you crawling all over the room." Turning her gaze on the other science officer, she addressed him coolly. "Your subordinate actually shows a very interesting pattern of neurological disruption -- there is direct evidence of trauma to the base of the skull but also readings in the mesiofrontal cortex and memory centers which--"

 

Giving Jaiysa another penetrating glare, T'Prise refused to be subdued and shook off the Romulan's restraining hand and interrupted her explanation. "Whatever your purpose Doctor, I believe we would benefit with the presence security in the medical at this time." She glanced once more at Lamoreaux, curious as to his behavior, before standing and reaching for the comm panel.

 

"Hta`Dva...it is going to be a long day..." Jaiysa groaned, turning back towards the cart from which she had retrieved the tricorder and coming up with a hypospray in one hand, which she tucked up against her wrist while turning to move towards T'Prise slowly. She did not want to deal with having the Manticore's security called on her; she had the enriov's permission to practice but her trust level here was not high and even if T'Prise was patently insane the incident would not reflect favorably on anyone. "Rekkhai, sit, before I have to carry you into a chair. You do not need to call security, you are not going to call security; you are going to let me treat you or your...project...will never go forward." This last was a calculated risk -- an attempt to distract the yyaio from her object for the second required to reach her.

 

"I believe it has already been established that we require the presence of security at this time." T'Prise calmly reached for the comm panel.

 

Jaiysa's hand flashed out, seizing T'Prise's hand at the wrist and pivoting her body around, bringing her neck and shoulder into a position for Jaiysa's other hand to empty the full dosage of anaesthezine contained in the hypospray into her skin with a low hiss. T'Prise's body sagged against her and she took the weight across her knee, levering the yyaio's slender frame onto a nearby biobed with a grunt. Glancing back towards the other scientist, she shrugged slightly. "That conversation was getting us nowhere."

 

Escher nodded. "Honestly, I think we should have done that five minutes ago. A Vulcan with logic on her side is a dangerous force to reckon with; I shudder to think what might happen when that Vulcan is messed up enough to use faulty logic. That hypo was for her own good."

 

Dusting her hands off, Jaiysa returned to the computer which she had been standing at before. "As I was saying, rekkhai, your colleague has suffered cranial trauma but it has exacerbated damage which was already in place -- are you at all familiar with Vulcan neurology?"

 

Escher shrugged. "I suspect that there's something pretty unique about their brains, but I'd be guessing if you asked me to name it."

 

Jaiysa grunted. "They are capable of rewiring their own neurological mechanisms. Not a conscious thing -- at least not that I've seen; they cannot determine one day to turn their brains inside out and backwards on a whim. But on a subconscious level they are able to adjust for damaging injuries -- including psychological trauma." She paused, glancing at the scientist sidelong and watching his expression. "The brain scans that I just did were hardly invasive; there was not enough time. However -- she clearly shows the markers in her memory centers of that natural rewiring. She has been making adjustments to her memory of past events and, presumably, done so successfully, if her behavior now is atypical, which I sincerely hope it is, unless the lloann'na are less scrupulous than I take them for."

 

Escher snorted. "Are you kidding? Have you ever met T'Prise? She's got a rod so far up her –"

 

Jaiysa shook her head slightly, a little impatient, and interrupted Escher. "I know nothing of her history; my familiarity with this crew's medical files is, I'm afraid, a little lacking." She smirked sardonically, shaking her head. "But she will need further tests -- the cranial trauma which she suffered has thrown her rewiring process out of joint. Hence this behavior..." She jerked a hand behind her to reference the body now stretched on the bed near Vilanne. "Some of the pathways to those memories have been reopened and she does not know how to properly interpret them any longer. How much damage this has caused and whether it is reparable will require more tests to determine -- she will have to stay here until I can get hard data." She grimaced; between T'Prise and Vilanne she might possibly have some of the most talkative patients she had ever dealt with -- even including those back on Tehann who had often been desperate to talk. "What is your name? I will contact you when the tests are complete."

 

Escher rubbed his eyes. "Escher. Malcom Christopher Escher, although my friends call me MC. Well, they would, if I had any friends." Muttering to himself for a moment, before sighing and turning to look at t'Tamarak once more. "Look, I should go back to science and tell the rest of them about our little – adventure. I was getting some funny looks leading T'Prise out of there as she babbled about Daystrom and Lamoreaux. You look like you have it handled here." After seeing her nod, Escher turned and exited the Sick Bay, the doors closing behind him with a gentle hiss.

 

Jaiysa watched Escher depart from the room as she leaned against another biobed, looking at the two prostrate women -- one being destroyed by unknown forces in her body, one being eaten by an enemy she herself had created in her head. "Caelis-a u' Kholairlh-a...." she muttered, feeling a bit of a headache starting to come on."I suppose that's one way to make me feel welcome." Leaning forward, she tapped the controls of T'Prise's bed, starting a round of more invasive neurological scans. Suddenly she had a lot of work ahead of her.

Edited July 12, 2009 by T'Prise