A/N: I'm only going to put this here once: I do not own any of these characters. Every chapter is a different point of view and each chapter varies greatly in length. As always, reviews and criticism are welcome. Thank you, pantrycakeless.
Lieutenant Worf POV
'Lieutenant Worf. Meet me in sickbay.' Captain Picard ordered through the ships communications.
'Aye, sir. I'll be there shortly. Worf out.' As I hurried through the Enterprise's corridors to the sickbay level I couldn't help but wonder why the Captain would feel the need to send for a security officer to sickbay. We had yet to encounter another vessel or planet in the last three standard days. The doors to sickbay opened and just inside I could see the Captain, Commander Riker, Data, and Doctor Crusher crowded around the entrance to an isolation room.
"Ah, Lieutenant Worf. Thank you for joining us."
"Of course, Captain. May I ask what this is about?"
"Worf, do you remember about a year ago how we saved those cryogenically frozen humans?" Commander Riker asked.
"How could I forget it, Commander? Those people almost caused our deaths at the hands of the Romulans."
"Yes, you're quite right."
"Well I'm glad we all remember the same incident but I do have to get back to my patient so if you will excuse me?" Doctor Crusher said as she moved into the isolation room.
"Sir, what is this about?"
"Commander Data found another ship like the one from a year ago drifting through space. Except that this one had life signs instead of being dead before the cryogenics process. Well more specifically, one life sign onboard." Captain Picard explained.
"So you called me in to assess the threat this humanoid could have to the ship and its crew?"
"Correct Mister Worf." Riker stated.
"Captain! She's waking up!" Doctor Crusher called from the isolation room. Moving as one the four of us walked into the room.
"How long before she regains full consciousness, Doctor?" Commander Data asked.
"The hypo-spray I used should have had an immediate effect." After the doctor stated this I finally looked over to the patient and my breath seemed to catch in my throat for a moment.
The female lying on the bed was neither lean or thin like the females in Starfleet but she was not overly large either. Her size was just right but she was far too pale for my tastes. She also seemed to be too tense for someone still unconscious as well.
"I believe she is awake, sir. Her posture is too tense for unconsciousness." I observed to the Captain once I could catch my breath again.
"Sweetheart, it's alright. You don't have to be frightened. No one here will harm you." Doctor Crusher said soothingly.
"Captain, I believe Counselor Troi would be a good choice to have now. She may be able to help the girl." Commander Riker said.
"Good idea, Number One. Make it so." Captain Picard ordered.
'Counselor Troi to sickbay.'
'Troi here. I am on my way.' She answered back. Meanwhile, Doctor Crusher continued to speak calmly and slowly to the female. When suddenly the female opened her eyes and bolted into a sitting position. I reacted just as quickly and pulled my phaser out and pushed the Captain behind me.
"Hello, my dear. I hope you slept well?" Captain Picard asked from behind me.
She looked over to the Captain at the sound of his voice and watched him closely as he approached her. When the Captain extended his hand she shook it and simply nodded. After they had released hands the female began to look around the isolation room but before she could make a full rotation around the room Counselor Troi entered the room and drew the female's gaze.
"Please forgive my rudeness, my dear. My name is Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The woman next to you is Doctor Beverly Crusher, Lieutenant Commander Data, Lieutenant Worf, Counselor Troi, and Commander Riker." As each of us was introduced she would meet our eyes and nod in greeting before moving on.
But when her gaze met the Commanders she started to visibly shake and she began to look around in terror before she bolted and ran to me, of all people. She clutched at my uniform. I could tell that she was also crying into my shirt because I could feel the tears slowly soaking my uniform. For some strange reason I felt elation that she would seek me out for protection and confusion at my elation.
"I am feeling extreme terror, Captain, but only when she looks to Commander Riker. After she rushed to Lieutenant Worf's arms a feeling of safety and a kind of warmth pushed the terror back. I am sorry but I do not think she will leave Worf's side until Riker leaves the room."
"Strange, Captain, but I will leave for the bridge if that is alright?"
"Of course, Commander. I will debrief you afterwards." The Captain promised. The Commander simply nodded and left.
"Be calm now, dearest. He is gone now and no one will harm you." Counselor Troi said as she slowly approached. I was suddenly overcome with the need to keep the female close and to never let her go. The feeling was so sudden and strong that my hold on her tightened for a moment before I released her. At my reaction Troi glanced at me but, thankfully, did not say anything aloud.
The female peaked over her shoulder to make sure that Riker had left. When she was certain that he was gone she visibly relaxed and left my arms. I tried to squash the disappointment and emptiness the female had left me with but judging from Troi's confused look I was not entirely successful. When I glanced down at the female all I could see was her light brown hair as she hung her head in shame.
"There is no need to feel shame, dearest. We all have fears we cannot control sometimes, it is understandable that you might hold fear for some of us." The female nodded and I noticed that she began to sway from side to side.
"Doctor!" I exclaimed as I moved closer to the female so that I could grab her before she fell to the ground.
"Bring her back to the med-bed, Worf. She is still weak from being in cryostasis."
"I do not recall the others we found like this being so weak when they woke up, Doctor." Data said.
"That's because they weren't, Data. They had been frozen after they died but she didn't have that luxury since she was still alive. Because of this she will have a much longer recovery time." Doctor Crusher explained while I settled the female back onto the bed.
"Interesting, thank you, Doctor. But it seems that my manners have left me yet again, dear. What is your name?" Captain Picard asked. The female began to make some gestures before looking at our confused faces.
"Captain. I believe that she is using a gesture based language. It actually looks quite similar to one I have already learned. If you would not mind I could interpret for you."
"Please do so, Mister Data."
"She's very amused, sir. She seems to find our dilemma quite comical." Troi said from beside the Captain. And it was true from what I could see of her face since she had a small smirk spread across her lips. Captain Picard also chuckled before he turned back to her.
"I suppose it is quite comical to you, my dear. Now forgive me but I still don't quite know what your name is. Could you please repeat it for me?" She nodded and repeated the gestures while partially turning to face Data.
"Hello, Captain. My name is Karlee." Data said in response. At his words 'Karlee' shook her head in the negative and repeated the sign that must be her name but slightly slower.
"I am sorry, sir, but I do not know the word she is spelling for me."
"Spell it for me, Commander Data." The Captain ordered.
"She is spelling C-H-A-R-L-E-E but that is not a name I am familiar with."
"It's pronounced Charlee, Mister Data, and was commonly used as a shortened name for Charlotte or Charles."
"Ah, I see." Surprisingly through this ordeal I had yet to leave Charlee's side and while I may have had to release her, she had yet to fully release me. It seemed that some part of her arm or hand was in constant contact with mine, even while she was signing. And if I were to be honest with myself, there was some part of me that rejoiced in the constant contact.
"Are you deaf, my dear?" The Captain asked. At his question she began to shake her head almost violently while she signed.
"No, Captain. My hearing is perfect. But I am, in fact, mute."
"Oh, forgive my rudeness."
"No need, Captain. Being mute is even harder to find than deafness, I presume." Data translated.
"Fascinating. Would you be opposed to a full medical examination, Miss Charlee?" Doctor Crusher asked.
"That would depend what that examination entailed, Doctor." Data answered while Charlee smirked. It took almost all of my self-control not to hold her close when she did that.
"Just me waving this over you while the computer gathered information. Maybe some blood samples." At the mention of blood Charlee latched onto my hand and moved herself more behind me as she remained on the bed. She than signed at Data with one hand.
"Only if he can stay, Doctor."
"Of course. I'll allow it if both the Captain and Lieutenant have no objections."
"Mister Worf isn't due on the bridge for one more standard day, so I have no objections."
"I would actually prefer to stay, if that is what you want." I said directly to Charlee. She nodded and put both of her hands around one of mine.
"Very well. We will continue our discussion after you are fully recovered and after the Doctor has finished her examination and tests, my dear." Captain Picard said and Charlee nodded in response.