—Chapter 01—
At first, there existed only a vague awareness of consciousness, neither sex, nor name, nor face, nor species, nothing familiar for the mind to latch onto, and then slowly, over the course of an hour, disparate bits and pieces began to trickle in.
-:Trip. Mother. Enterprise. Earth. Soval. Archer. Blood Letting Ritual. V'Shar. Rajiin. Intrusion. Pain. Silence. Delphic Expanse:-
"As I said, I think she is coming out of it, Doctor," said a female's voice, and the patient recognized the language: Vulcan, her mother tongue.
"She is indeed, T'Lir," said a male's voice, calm and steady. "You were right to call me. Now, let us bring her up slowly."
-:Xindi. Weapon. P'Jem. Shran. Andorian. T'Les:-
The man's voice once more, "We set the electro-pads here, just so."
The female nodded, and said, "I see."
-:Darkness. Separation. Loss. Trip:-
"Now we modulate the current," said the man. "We begin gently. Very gently."
"Yes, Doctor," said the female, observing the Vulcan physician's work.
The doctor activated a switch, and a gentle electrical surge reached out from the electrodes placed at the patient's temples, to stimulate a higher level of electrical activity within the patient's brain, and entrain a brain wave pattern associated with conscious thought. Awareness growing now, and confusion along with it.
"We increase the current slowly," said the doctor, and the nurse nodded her understanding.
Fingers twitching unconsciously now, then minutes later clenching consciously. Eyes opening slowly, confusion clouding them.
"Trip," said the patient in Vulcan, her voice hoarse from disuse, eyes darting past the doctor, and past the nurse. "Where is Trip? I want to speak to Trip."
The nurse looked briefly to the doctor, but the physician was focused solely on the patient.
"I do not know anyone named Trip," said the doctor.
"Commander Tucker," said the patient, looking directly at the doctor now.
"I am sorry, I do not know a Commander Tucker," said the doctor. "You must calm yourself now."
"Than I want to speak to Dr. Phlox."
"There is no one named Phlox here," said the doctor. "You must relax now. All will become clear to you soon."
"Where am I?" said the patient, trying to raise herself off the bed.
"Rest now," said the doctor, gently restraining the patient, then raising a hypospray to the patient's neck.
"What happened to me?" said the patient, eyes agitated now.
The doctor administered the sedative in the hypospray, and the patient lost consciousness almost immediately.
"Why did you sedate the patient, doctor?" said the nurse. "Were we not trying to bring her to consciousness?"
"She was both disoriented and agitated on coming out of the coma, but she sleeps normally now," said the doctor. "She will be more clear minded when she wakes."
"I see. How long until she wakes, Doctor?"
"Ten, twelve hours," said the doctor. "Reach out to the names on her contact list. I want someone she knows here when she wakes."
"Yes, doctor," said the nurse.