[USS Ottawa] An apple a day...

Posted on Thu Sep 27th, 2018 @ 1:59am by Lieutenant Alyssa Walker & Lieutenant Commander Gabriel Sharpe

1,682 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: [USS Ottawa] S1, E3: The True Way
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: 06/02/2394, 1100 Hours

Alyssa was seated behind her desk going through her medical library. She was doing a little research on her own little project. She had left it for a while as she was running in to a dead end, but she picked it back up when she arrived on the Ottawa. She found there was a whole new database added from the previous Ottawa. She was leaving through it to see if there was something in there that could help her.

"This is so interesting," She said to herself as there was no one really around. "The medical database from the alternate universe is extensive, starfleet medical would have a field day with this. If they aren't already." She was still talking to herself not paying attention to sickbay.

Gabe leant against Alyssa's office doorway, his arms folded across his chest. The Half smile on his face barely hiding the exhaustion in his eyes.

"Ya know Doc, technically I shouldn't have shared that with ya, nevermind Starfleet Medical. I'm pretty such I'm breakin' at least 5 different rules even ownin' that." He said, his voice weaker then normal, the side effect of the time he'd taken on his current research project.

Alyssa looked up a little startled. "Oh, commander, I didn't see you there." She shrugged and smiled. "I won't tell anyone. Besides I was looking to find some answers for you, know..?" She pointed to her eyes. She got up. "How can I help you? You look kind of tired. Have you been sleeping at all since Risa?"

Gabe shifted slightly, standing up straight. "Think I may have got a few hours, haven't been keepin' track. Turns out I'm ya next appointment Doctor... annual crew physicals and all that." He replied, unfolding his arms. "But thanks for givin' those files a second look." He added, still unsure he wanted Alyssa involved... not that he had much choice.

She picked up a tricorder and she kept talking as she scanned him. "It's no problem, I was also curious about my own case, if they had heard of it in the alternate universe." She tapped on the tricorder. "I am afraid you need a little more hours of sleep then just a few," she said. "I could give you something to help you sleep if you want." She put the tricorder away.

She sat back down in her chair. "Look, Commander, I know this Umbra business got you on edge. I know the Skipper is and her husband. But even they try to do their best to put it aside when needed. They're on their honeymoon now." She smiled and then sighed. "I did find something rather disturbing. There was a notation in the logs about an ancient legend. A tribe leader and his wife were killed over 5000 years ago. The alternate Colonel and Commander seem to think that is the way she operates. Killing Captain Culbertson did put Colonel Sheppard in charge. Making her responsible and be willing to sacrifice her life, which is what she did in the end to safe her crew. If she still works that way, commander, and she wants you, you know who she is coming after next, right?"

"To many people have died already, if I can get this right I can break a chain that's lasted far too many generations. I can not and will not sit back while this.... thing kills indiscriminately. It targeted me for a reason and I aim to make sure it regrets that choice nobody else will die if I can help it... My life is a small price to pay for countless others." He said, "I have to do something and if that means putting myself in the firein' line to saves others then so be it."

"Well, maybe if you offered yourself to her, she'd go away. It sounds to me she is looking for someone that loves her back, but it has to be voluntarily," Alyssa explained. "Which explains why she has been using violence in the past to force her targets on their knees. But I guess even if her victims give in, they still aren't fully committed to her. As they all did it to safe their people. And so far she has targeted people whose heart initially belonged to someone else. Except maybe you, unless you have given your heart to someone?" She looked suspicious to him. "It would show a pattern."

"Who my heart belongs to is none of her business, besides I could never love someone that uses fear and violence to keep people in check, that's not the kind of person that interests me in the slightest... can't believe I'm even having this conversation." He said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Alyssa giggled. "I didn't ask who your heart belongs to, I asked if you given it away already." She looked to her computer again. "The Pattern I noticed was that all victims seem to have a love interest. The last being the alternate Major Sheppard. She killed the alternate captain Culbertson to put her in a position, that given the right motivation, she would give herself freely to safe the Ottawa crew. But Umbra had to kill alternate commander Ijaan to break her." She got up again. "I don't want to know who your heart belongs to, all I think is if you have a love interest..." She didn't look directly at him. "You know, something is different, she said she wanted me too. I currently have no love interest. Unless she thinks, you and I..." She started laughing.

"It may have something to do with ya... unusual skill." Gabe replied, thinking out loud. "Don't know how that works... something else that completely perplexes me... I don't like not knowing how things work, makes my brain itch."

Alyssa thought a moment. "All I know is, that if I look someone in the eyes, I get random feelings or images. It can be unsetteling sometimes. I try not to use it that often. I don't even know if it evolves, or if I can ever control it. I don't even know from which species I got it. I looked everywhere. So I was hoping that maybe in another reality they would know."

Gabriel stroked his beard, deep in thought. He was added together the pieces of the Umbra problem and Alyssa's own problem, while hoping the doctor had fallen for his own delaying tactic. He'd be lying if he said he felt nothing for her, but since the troubles with Umbra had started, he'd second guessed himself countless times, so he knew better then to say anything. He let out a slight sigh, suddenly wishing his was in his workshop... But even that wasn't safe. He stood up from the biobed, swaying slightly. He sat down to try and collect his bearings.

"That is possible." He said, rubbing his temple, "but unless the answers are in the Colonel's logs we'd have to go there and i'm not sure I have all the information I'd need to get there. The Ottawa's first trip there was an accident and the quantum signature of that universe would have dissipated by now."


"If we were able to go there, would you want to go?" Alyssa asked. "Well knowing what is there. Paranormal energy is much higher then it is here. Umbra might be the least of our problems."

"The more I think about it, the more I think we may have to. At least three of the elements needed to created a basic defence against Umbra don't exist in this universe. My guess would be that since the Paranormal doesn't exist here, the elements weren't created to 'Balance' everythin' out. Besides If I did go, I'd grab a runabout and do it alone... I'm not about to risk anything I'm not willing to lose "

He did his best to keep a good poker face as a single word ran through his head... Idiot

"Sounds very noble," Alyssa said, "But you shouldn't go alone. I don't think the colonel or the commander would allow you to go alone. If anything they have been there for 9 years, they know how to get around there. And also with a ship you have the best bet of staying alive in an unknown universe, specially one with an experienced Skipper." She nodded. "You should take a look at the Ottawa's scans from the time they entered the alternate reality. It may help you. And also, you should try to get your hands on the technology they brought back."

"I have enough blood on my hands Doctor, I don't plan to add to that if I don't have to. I've had all the data the Colonel gave me memorised since before I gave it to you, trust me, I've looked at it all multiple times. As for getting hold of the technology, chances are most if not all of it is in the SCE's hands by now and their not about to give me a bunch of it." He said with a sigh, "Unless some of it's still on the ship, but I doubt it."

Alyssa shrugged. "You can always asked the colonel. Maybe she has that information and is willing to share." She thought about that a moment. "I am not sure she does, or is willing to talk about it. The history might be painful and she just got married."

Gabe nodded, "This whole situation is a mess and I'm not sure how to fix it. The paranormal isn't native to this universe, by it's very nature this universe is unprepared for something like this. If nothing else we need a way to trap this thing and we just don't have the materials needed."

"Let's put it aside for a while. How about I do your physical now?" She got out a medical tricorder and started to scan him without waiting for his answer.

"Sure, never know my luck it may help set my mind at ease. I need rest, but right now it's pretty much impossible."


-----End

 

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