Ethical Considerations 2

Author: J.A. Toner

Teaser:

The first sight to greet Sam as she dragged herself into her quarters was that of her daughter's willowy form, stretched out upon their couch, one arm curved over her eyes as if to block the light-not that there was much to block. The lighting was only at about the twenty percent level. Sam felt a little guilty at being relieved that Naomi was napping. The last thing she wanted to do was to talk to her about a certain young man who, she knew, would be a major topic of conversation if Naomi were awake. He always was-when he wasn't with them in the flesh. Today, the subject was far less palatable than it usually was. Sam crept as lightly as she could to her bedroom to remove her uniform and, possibly, stretch out for a nap herself.

"How's Marla, Mom?"

Sighing, Sam turned around to see Naomi struggling to sit up.

"No change."

Naomi shrugged, frowning. "I was afraid of that. If Icheb can't figure out how to adjust those nanoprobes to help her, she's never going to wake up, is she?"

Biting her lower lip to hold back a reply she might regret, Sam matched Naomi's shrug with one of her own and sat down at the table before answering. "I don't know, Honey. The Doctor is working pretty hard to find an answer. Lieutenant Paris and I have been spending extra time in the lab doing research, too. I never thought I'd ever do that, let alone see Tom working in the lab! None of us are ready to give up on her, or Darren, either."

"I know you won't, Mom," Naomi said, walking to her mother and giving her a big hug. Not for the first time, Sam thought about how brutal her exile in the Delta Quadrant would have been without having Naomi. She felt so sorry for her husband Greskrendtregk, who had been alone for so long. He hadn't even known he had a daughter for the first two and a half years of Naomi's life, and he still only had contact with her through data stream letters. Sam felt the familiar ache, longing to be together as a whole family, something that they had never had the chance to be.

The warm family moment was shattered a bare instant later. "Mom, can we invite Icheb to dinner? I'm sure he could use a break, too. And you know he never eats unless I nag him."

"Not tonight, Nomi. I'd like to have a quiet family dinner, just the two of us. We've both been working so hard, and we've had so little time to speak with each other alone together lately. I'd like to talk about your day, not Icheb's. What did you do today? Did you work on the circuitry with Vorik again?"

"Yes, I worked with Vorik, but we were checking out the bioneural gel packs today. That's what I did. Not much to talk about, really. Now that we've talked about my day, can't we have Icheb over? I wanted him to help me study for my Academy entrance exams." Naomi's wheedling became a little sharp after the abrupt change of subject.

Sam's voice level went up a notch. "Naomi, be sensible. I'm sure Icheb doesn't want you tagging along with him so much of the time. He needs to have some time for himself, too."

" 'Tagging along'? What do you mean by that? Do you think I'm hanging onto him like some little kid?" Naomi's decibel level ratcheted higher.

"Oh, please! If I want to find you, all I have to do is find out where Icheb is, and there you are!"

"And is that so terrible? He's very intelligent! He helps me with my school work, and he keeps me company! And it keeps me from 'tagging along' with everyone else on this ship! I must really be bothering the adults on board if I'm bothering him!"

"Don't start, Naomi. I just want some peace and quiet tonight. I've got a lot on my mind; I'm tired; and I don't want Icheb here tonight. That's all there is to it!" Sam stood up and walked to her doorway, seething as she pulled her tunic over her head to change into casual clothing. The last thing she needed tonight was Icheb simpering in her quarters, knowing what she did about what he was up to and not having screwed up the courage to go to the captain about it yet. In fact, what she should do tonight was go to the captain. Problem was, Sam couldn't be sure if Captain Janeway would come down hard on Icheb for using the med labs for his own experiments when he was supposed to be working on medical treatments for Gilmore and Pierce, or applaud him for finding a way to kill more Borg. And the not knowing which it might be upset Sam all the more.

"If you're that tired, maybe I should just leave you alone and spend the evening with Icheb! I'll bet he wouldn't be bothered by my 'tagging along.' "

Sam groaned, "I'm sorry I said anything at all about 'tagging along,' Naomi. Please, let's have a quiet evening here, all right?"

"It'll be much quieter for you without me, Mom. Maybe I can help Icheb with his experiments in the med lab."

"I don't want you anywhere near the med lab, Naomi." Sam shuddered involuntarily at the very thought.

"Why not? I'm sure Icheb won't mind having me around!" Naomi's forehead and vestigial tusks burned brightly in her fury.

"I won't have you part of what he's doing!"

"I want to help him! He's trying to heal people."

"Heal? Kill is more like it."

"What are you saying? Icheb is working on a cure for Marla and Darren."

All the discretion Sam had promised herself to maintain vanished as her anger blazed. "That's what he's supposed to be doing! Instead, he's hogging the lab, looking for a way to kill Borg drones without endangering his own precious hide."

"Don't be so hateful! Icheb is brave! And he's not a murderer!"

"I've seen his research! I know what he's doing!"

The crimson drained from Naomi's face, leaving her pale and shaken. "I've got to go to him," Naomi said, running towards the door.

"Please, Naomi! Don't . . ." Sam called out after her daughter as Naomi ran out into the corridor.

At the doorway she stopped, appalled at the way she'd lost her temper and desperate to comfort her child in her moment of disillusionment. The words to call her daughter back died in her throat. She didn't want to see the proof-that Naomi would ignore her mother and run to that boy instead.

Closing her eyes, Sam leaned her head against the doorjamb. She needed to go to sickbay, which was surely where Naomi was also headed, to get an analgesic for her pounding headache. But first, she had a duty to perform. The door closed behind her as she walked back into her quarters. Fetching her tunic, she pulled it back over her head and smoothed it over her hips. Once she was dressed, Sam took a few deep breaths and gathered herself together before saying, "Ensign Wildman to Captain Janeway."

A moment later, a disembodied voice responded, :::Janeway here.:::

"I need to see you right away, Captain."

:::You sound upset. Is there something wrong, Samantha?:::

"Yes, Captain."

:::I'm in my ready room. Come as soon as you can.:::