"Multitronic Engram Transcription Interface," Ong admired the shuttlepod-sized chamber sitting in Holodeck Two. "Dude, this thing's massive!"
"Actually, Commander, I do believe the interface unit is still inside its carry case on that table," Remara's smooth voice clarified from behind the pod. "This here is just a sensory isolation tank."
Feeling rather sheepish, the operations officer examined the case's contents - a headband covered with sections of isolinear circuitry and blinking lights.
"Exceptional engineering, wouldn't you agree?" the Cardassian science officer abruptly appeared next to Ong. "Teraquad-level data acquisition bandwidth. Direct interface to standard computer systems. Minimal power requirements-"
"I'm surprised the Ethics Board even approved this experiment," Tigan interrupted, uncharacteristically firm in her complaint. "It's only been a year since what happened with the Captain's counterpart-"
"Wait," Ong approached her. "What's that got to do with this?"
The Cardassian clasped his hands enthusiastically. "Commander, I'm sure you remember the most unfortunate incident involving our Captain's quantum duplicate." He handed Ong a PADD before continuing. "Starfleet Medical has since reported that not only has he made an excellent recovery, but he has also begun to demonstrate tactical aptitude and reflexes typical of seasoned Starfleet officers, despite his civilian background. Further examination has revealed traces of our own Captain's memory engrams within the counterpart's temporal lobe, and therefore, they believe that the engrams may have been copied while the Captain and his counterpart were in a simultaneous state of quantum flux."
"Copied?" Ong spluttered. "And now Starfleet wants to recreate this process?"
"Indeed," Remara returned to the tank. "Imagine if we could distill knowledge and experience from Starfleet's finest, preserve esoteric yet vital expertise, train new officers in two years rather than four-"
"I still think that this is happening too quickly," the Trill doctor pulled her ponytail out of her scrunchie, flustered. "Foreign engrams could potentially induce dissociative personality disorders."
"Optimism, dear doctor!" Remara reassured her as he took the case from Ong. "I have full confidence that both the Board has sufficiently assessed the ramifications of the technology. Besides, it is not our duty as Starfleet officers to continually explore new frontiers?"
"I-if you say so," she warily conceded.
"Your assistance with the isolation tank is much obliged, dear doctor," the Cardassian dipped his head briefly in acknowledgement. "Now, if you would please."
Ong and Tigan promptly shuffled and turned away, as Remara methodically disrobed himself down to his trunks. Once he was finished, the doctor carefully affixed a neurocortical monitor to his neck just below his right ear, the cold sensation of bare metal against skin causing him to inhale sharply with a subtle shiver. Meanwhile, Ong slipped the interface headband snuggly around the science officer's head.
"Whenever you're ready, Corat," Ong stepped back.
The sensory isolation tank welcomed Remara into its dim pool of lukewarm tranquility, the water lapping at his grey skin as he stepped inside and sat down. With the final pull of a handle, he shut the lid, closing out Ong and Tigan's concerned faces.
"Computer," he stated crisply, "Initiate engram transcription."
As the holodeck acknowledged him, he leaned back and let himself float in the water, gradually submerging his ears as the darkness welcomed him.
Then there was nothing but silence.
=Λ=
"Corat, come on!"
"I can't, Lobal! I'm slipping!"
The hound snarled as it darted through the amber prairie grass, thrashing about trying to shake the Cardassian boys off its back. The older boy clutched the bridle tightly, while the younger one clung desperately to the saddle as his frail legs dragged against the ground.
"Your hand! Give me your hand-"
Suddenly, the beast bucked, hurling Corat towards the ground. Lobal unhesitantly dove off the saddle, breaking his brother's fall as they tumbled into a patch of dirt and rocks.
By the time the choking dust clouds settled, the hound was already far off into the distance, bounding over a ridge before vanishing for good.
"It's all my fault!" The younger boy burst into tears. "I'm weak. I always drag everyone down. Father is going to be angry."
"It's okay, Corie, it's okay. I won't tell," Lobal comforted his brother as he dusted their clothes. "I promise."
=Λ=
Corat dreaded the big family dinners every month. With all three generations of the Remara family at the table, the Sem'hal stew was disappearing fast.
"You must be so proud of your big boy, Rellim," Uncle Tavat declared as he reached for the Yamok sauce, "Just his first year at the Military Academy, and he's already top of the class!"
Rellim chuckled, lowering his spoon. "But of course. When he was no taller than a riding hound, he declared he would devote his life to the Cardassian people, wouldn't you believe it? And since that day, he has surpassed all of our expectations."
"Father, please pass the stew," Corat asked quietly.
"Lobal, are you taking Ilora to the ball later this year?" Aunt Siana giggled. "I think she's a lovely girl."
"Sisi, this isn't the time to be talking about girls," Rellim snapped. "Oral examinations for entrance into the Command School are just three months away. I'm calling on a favor from my old friend Gul Ejan-"
"May I please have the stew?"
"Father, did you hear about Corat?" Lobal surreptitiously pushed the stew to his brother. "He won a physics scholarship to the University of Culat."
"Oh, that's nice," their mother said nonchalantly, "Lobal, why don't you invite Ilora over some time?"
"See? Look at what you've done. Once you talk about girls, the boy's mind's all over the place-"
As the other relatives bickered, Lobal whispered to Corat. "I read your dissertation. It was really good."
=Λ=
"Absolutely not," Corat hissed into his communicator from the middle of the University square. "I'm not coming."
"Corat, please be reasonable just this once," Lobal pleaded from the other end, atypical for a now highly-decorated Gul in the Defense Force. "I had to apply for leave weeks in advance to make it to the family reunion!"
"You heard what Father and Mother said back then - 'Selfish and indulgent, a disgrace to the family.' How can I stand to face them again after all these years?"
"You broke their hearts too when you left without saying goodbye, you know. If you had just given them a little more time-."
"Twenty years, Lobal. Twenty years!" Corat snapped. "They had twenty years to accept that I wanted to go into the sciences. But no, they decried the pursuit of knowledge as unworldly and impractical to the matters of state, and tried to push me into carrying the family tradition in public service. 'For the good of Cardassia,' they always said."
He paused before continuing. "Look, I'm attending the Science Academy symposium this afternoon. Either way, I won't be coming."
"That's in the Belor Auditorium, isn't it? We're right next door! Ilora and the children really want to meet you."
Corat sighed. "I can't promise anything. But perhaps I'll have time afterwards."
"It will be good to see you again, Corie."
Corat grunted as he threw the communicator back into his pocket. It had been almost ten years since he set out with nothing but a single suitcase to his name, gradually building a name for himself in Cardassia's academic circles - countless months pleading for grants, weekend experiments and late nights drafting journal papers.
And yet, in spite of all this, his family - excluding Lobal - continued to shun him, and the closest thing he had to a compliment from his predominantly female colleagues and supervisors were offhanded comments on how he was a credit to his gender.
The one indulgence he allowed himself was the daily farmers' market at noon, the fresh produce and homemade snacks reinvigorating him from the dreary laboratories and petty office politics.
And speaking of snacks, there was a vendor offering spiced meat rolls not far from the auditorium gardens. Lobal's favorites.
"Perhaps I should buy some for him, after all," he mused to himself-
Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of white light. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the pavement, the ringing in his ears slowly fading to bloodcurdling screams. It was only until Corat pulled himself to his feet that he saw the thick black clouds billowing in the distance.
"Lobal!" he screamed as he broke into a run towards the auditorium, pushing against the fleeing crowds. "Father! Mother!"
He had barely taken twenty, thirty steps when, amidst the pandemonium, a woman staggered out from the flames, tattered clothes stained with brown Cardassian blood.
"Professor Pagad?" Corat's eyes widened.
"H-help...me…" Pagad desperately grasped for Corat's shirt before collapsing, revealing a bloodied stump where her left forearm should have been. "The True Way...murderers..."
As she expired in his arms, Corat saw before him a burning pile of crumbled sandstone and twisted metal, bodies strewn throughout the rubble.
He fell to his knees, trembling and clutching his chest.
=Λ=
"He's still catatonic," Counselor McGill noted grimly outside the sickbay. "It must have triggered a major traumatic episode."
Tigan buried her head in her hands. "I shouldn't have let this gone ahead. The signs were all there, I just-"
"You couldn't have known, Lelania," Captain Zhang comforted the doctor. "The device had never been tested on non-humans before."
"But dumping it in hazardous cargo storage, isn't that a bit harsh?" First Officer Richardson pondered.
"That damn thing almost cooked Corat's brains, Tom. Starfleet Science should be glad I didn't space their gizmo. Tell them to come get it themselves if they want it back."
"Aye sir."