Sorry for the delay...hope I've made it worth the wait. WARNING: D'vonspeak ahead. Lemme know if you need a lexicon ;-) Happy belated Valentine's Day from Seacook...

Chapter Ten: Revelations

"I've got Hoshi trying to track down D'von's people, but so far she's not having much success." Captain Archer stopped pacing and met Phlox's gaze. "We tried contacting the Vulcans to see if they could assist us with that, but they're not too enthusiastic about helping. I guess I should be grateful that they finally agreed to transmit some additional information about Joining to T'Pol."

"I can contact my people if you like," the doctor offered. "Perhaps they would be better able to help contact the Lehrite government."

Archer nodded gratefully at the offer. "Thank you, Phlox. If it wouldn't take us so far off course I'd just have Travis set a course for Lehrite space." Taking a deep breath he exhaled slowly. "According to T'Pol, though," he continued, "these people do a good deal of travelling, so I'm hoping we can contact one of their ships and arrange a rendezvous. They'd certainly be far better equipped to care for D'von and get him back to his family. At the very least, maybe they'd be willing to tell us what 'taj djahl-nach' really means."

"That would be marvelous," Malcolm interjected as he strode over to the two men, pajamas tucked under one arm. Seeing Phlox about to speak the lieutenant held up a hand to stop him. "At the moment I feel fine, though I fear if you ask once more how I'm feeling I may well become violent," he joked, taking a deep breath before continuing. "He's not in there, I'm sure," he assured them, tapping a finger to his temple. "I haven't even dreamt of him anymore, since that last bit. Sorry again about the shouting, Doctor. I trust you were able to get your animals calmed down without too much difficulty?"

Phlox nodded with a forgiving smile. "Most of them, yes, but my Pyrithian bat would probably still have a few choice words for you if she could speak."

"Please offer her my sincerest apologies," Malcolm said, straight-faced except for the twinkle in his eyes.

Archer laid a hand on his Armory Officer's shoulder. "If you need anything let us know, all right?"

"Thank you, sir," Reed answered, reflexively standing straighter. "I appreciate that. If I may say so, though, the only thing I need right now is the loo. If you'll excuse me, sir?" The captain silently nodded his approval, marveling at having to grant a grown man permission to use the bathroom. Courteously nodding in return Malcolm headed for the bathroom, the two officers waiting until he was out of sight to continue their discussion.

"Hoshi wants to know if he's still angry with her," Jon commented quietly. "I should have thought to ask him."

The Denobulan shook his head. "I don't believe he was angry as much as...startled, perhaps."

"Do you know what D'von said to him?"

Phlox shrugged with uncertainty. "I'm sure the lieutenant hasn't yet told me everything that the boy said, but Joining and taj djahl-nach were definitely topics of their conversation. D'von told him that they were Joined now and that Mr. Reed was taj djahl-nach, as though it were a title of some sort. The lad also wanted to know if Humans always wait to 'do Joining'."

"So he doesn't know that humans don't do this sort of thing."

"Not yet. I fear he'll be very disappointed when he wakes and finds that he failed to establish a lasting mental link with the lieutenant."

Archer let out a long, slow breath. "Let Hoshi know when you're ready to contact your people. The sooner the better, I think." Phlox silently nodded his agreement and watched the captain leave before heading to his office to organize his reports and decide, before seeking out Ensign Sato, who best among his people to contact.

Meanwhile, Malcolm lingered in the bathroom a few minutes, briefly examining his bruised midsection before fastening his pajama shirt, then staring into the eyes looking back at him from the mirror. "You're fine," he told himself in a soft voice. "No more little boy's voice bouncing about in your head, none of this 'Joining' stuff left over in there...you're just fine." He couldn't quite decide why, if he was so bloody fine, he felt so hollow.

It had felt good, he at last admitted to himself. He'd been able to feel D'von's trust and adoration, amusement, and absolute confidence that everything was now, to use the tot's own word, 'ho-kay'. And it had felt gloriously wonderful. But, he realized sadly, it was gone now. Time to get back to reality...and back to bed.

Grateful that the captain and doctor were no longer in the immediate area he returned to the center biobed, sparing a look at the bed Trip had occupied after their frigid close call in the shuttlepod not so long ago. D'von was there now, still out like a light, throat swathed in a dressing and half his left horn encased from the base up in what appeared to be a plaster cast. Malcolm shook his head, a wan smile on his lips: the poor little mite had really been through the wringer. And now, when D'von woke, he would have to be told that the Joining hadn't worked. Malcolm wasn't looking forward to that task, but felt it only right that he be the one to break the bad news to the boy.

Stretching out on his assigned bed the lieutenant tucked one arm under his head and stared up at the ceiling, mind too busy now to let him sleep. He still felt an obligation to D'von, Joined or not. After all, he'd made a promise to take care of the little imp, so that was what he had to do. The first order of business would be finding the gentlest way to tell D'von that the Joining had been unsuccessful, followed by determining whether the tot knew where his family might be.

His thoughts were interrupted by the faint sobs of a child. "D'von?" Malcolm called out softly, "Are you awake?" He had to strain to hear the answer.

{Ams lone,} the sobbed reply came back. {Dunnint likes lone. Can come do sleepies wiv yew? Please?} the pathetic nasal voice begged.

"You're not alone, D'von," Malcolm assured him, slowly sitting up. "I'm right here, in the next bed. And you shouldn't be talking just yet—Dr. Phlox wants you to rest your vocal cords so they'll heal properly."

{Pleeease, can come do sleepies wiv you?} D'von pleaded, his voice fainter. {I be goods...promise. Cannint do sleepies lone...is like on da bad ship...ams fraid. An' cannint hears yew so much. Pleeeease, can come be wiv yew?}

The sorrowful pleading was almost more than Malcolm could bear, but he couldn't very well tell the tot to come over to him. "You need to stay right where you are—you've just had you're hoof mended, remember? I'm right here." Another heartrending sob, fainter still, enveloped him.

{I ams bad? Is whycome I cannint do sleepies wiv yew?} The boy's woeful, feeble voice sounded miles away.

"Of course you're not bad. I just don't want you trying to walk on that hoof." His mind made up, Malcolm tried to comfort the boy as he rose from the bed. "I'll come get you. But you mustn't try to speak. Rest your throat, remember?" As he approached the bed he saw D'von's head nod.

Though still teary-eyed the toddler shone a grateful smile at the lieutenant, voice louder and lips unmoving as he answered. {I 'membered—no talks yet. Hokay good. I gunda come do sleepies wiv yew naow, right?}

Malcolm's breath caught in his throat, waves of gratitude from the boy sweeping over him at the same time as the realization that D'von's voice had been in his head for the entire conversation. At last his voice returned. "Yes...you're coming with me. You just need to be patient a moment, all right?" D'von gave another tiny nod and tossed back his blanket as Malcolm set about rolling the IV stand around the head of the bed, trying not to notice the boy's state of undress. The boy contentedly stroked the pouch still hanging about his neck as he waited. Checking to ensure that the line wasn't snagged or pinched Reed moved the stand as close to his bed as possible before tenderly lifting his charge. Depositing D'von on the center biobed, Malcolm finished moving the IV before walking to the other side and climbing in beside the child, laying on his side to make more room on the narrow surface. Once settled, he laid his blanket over the both of them.

Stroking the small face he watched the boy's welcoming eyes. D'von reached up and laid a hand on his cheek; without realizing he was doing it, Malcolm lowered his head until their foreheads touched. They pulled away from one another after a few seconds, D'von beaming up at him.

"Are you comfortable?" Malcolm asked, already knowing the answer.

{Ya-huh. Is nice. Is hokay to do sleepy snuggles?} the boy asked with a yawn.

"What's a sleepy snuggle?" Reed asked, puzzled. D'von demonstrated, carefully turning until his back was against Malcolm's stomach, face pillowed by Reed's arm and the back of his head nestled against the man's chest. Malcolm draped his other arm protectively around the boy, feeling D'von drift serenely back to sleep. He felt himself grow momentarily drowsy but was able to fend off the sensation. That seemed promising: he'd been unprepared for the effect of the sedative, but being able to push back the sleepy feeling made him feel confident that with a little extra mental discipline on his part, this whole Joining thing might really be manageable. Of course, he reminded himself, the last time he'd felt confident about that his captain had wound up toting his inert form to a biobed.

It didn't take long for the doctor to come bustling in, alarmed to find the monitors for D'von's bed giving no readings. The empty biobed stunned the Denobulan, but finding his patients spooning in the middle bed left him astounded.

Malcolm risked raising his hand from around the boy to put a finger to his lips. "Shh," he urged. "He's just gone back to sleep." Phlox stepped closer, still speechless, as Reed spoke in a hushed whisper. "I was apparently mistaken," he admitted after a moment. "Knocking D'von out didn't severe the connection...it merely interrupted it. I could hear him in my mind when he woke up, though at first I thought he was speaking."

Finding his voice at last, Phlox chastised the lieutenant as quietly as possible. "Mr. Reed, you should have notified me at once. And you certainly shouldn't have allowed him out of bed!"

"Give me at least a little credit, Doctor. I didn't let him get out of bed, I carried him over here."

Phlox had to struggle to keep his voice down. "What in the world would possess you to do such a thing without telling me?" he scolded. "How can I properly monitor vital signs for either of you when you're both in the same biobed!"

Malcolm debated whether to confide in the doctor, then dismissed his qualms and forged ahead. "You have children, Phlox. Tell me something: when they were very young and something frightened them—a nightmare perhaps, or a storm in the night—could they come to you?"

Phlox considered his answer. "Of course," he replied softly. "Our sleep patterns are a bit different from Humans so nightmares are less of a problem but yes, there were times when they were afraid and needed to be comforted." He studied the lieutenant's eyes, confused by the sorrow and anxiousness there.

There was a long silence before Reed replied in a wistful voice, his gaze shifting to the ceiling. "I envy them, Doctor." One corner of his mouth twitched as he decided how much he should say. "My father," he said, throwing caution to the wind, "believed that coddling his children was the worst thing he could do—thought it would make us unable to withstand the rigors life would throw at us, I suppose. He was not the sort to come dashing to his child's bedside at the first sound of dismay, and I soon found out that my dashing to his bedside would provide no comfort. I learned early on that my only option was to simply lie awake and bear it as best I could. When my sister came along I'd slip into her room when I'd hear her cry out. I'd talk to her, or hold her, or sing to her, until she'd calmed down. I knew what it felt like to just stare terrified at the ceiling, knowing I was alone...and I didn't want her to have to feel that way, too.

"When D'von cried out," he asked, eyes fixing back on the Denobulan, "what was I supposed to do, Doctor? Ignore him? Tell him he was being absurd? He was afraid and alone and he needed to have someone with him, not just in the next bed. When I told him he had to stay in his own bed he thought he was being punished, for God's sake—he asked if I was making him stay there because he'd been bad. He said..." Malcolm had to pause to calm himself, breath shuddering as he exhaled. "He said it was like being back on that bloody ship where we found him. How was I supposed to ignore that, Phlox?"

The doctor nodded in understanding. "You weren't. It would have been helpful, though, if you had summoned me when this happened so I could—"

"Monitor our readings, yes yes, I know," Reed shot back in annoyance.

Phlox smiled paternally, giving the man a moment to calm down. "Assist you in moving the boy," he finished, drawing a tiny bit of satisfaction from Malcolm's surprised expression. "And yes," he admitted, "also so I could check for any abnormalities in vital signs from either of you." With a resigned sigh the doctor pulled a scanner from his pocket and scanned the older of his patients. "You seem fit enough at present, though your neural readings are a bit off-kilter...again." His features softened as he studied the lieutenant. "Are you going to be comfortable sleeping like that?"

"I am so far. However, I am curious as to why D'von is still naked."

Phlox smiled broadly. "Well, for some reason, we failed to stock up on children's pajamas before leaving Earth," he joked. "Not to worry, though—Crewman Cutler volunteered to see to our patient's wardrobe needs. She said she'd bring something by first thing in the morning."

Reed nodded his approval. "He doesn't seem to mind, but it doesn't seem right for him to have to be stark naked. And once he's feeling better it would be quite inappropriate for him to be dashing about the ship in such a state. I'm fairly sure Captain Archer would frown upon that." He paused as a dreadful thought occurred to him. "I realize that what happened when I woke up earlier had to be reported to the captain," he said, "but I was wondering how much you had to tell him?"

Phlox gave a huge grin. "Ah, you want to know if I told him about your frantic, wild-eyed pacing back and forth, alternately mumbling and shouting about Joining, family, and inaccurate translations? No," he consoled the lieutenant, his grin diminishing to a comforting smile. "I saw no need to go into all the details. I merely told him that you woke up visibly upset and rather distraught, and that the phrase Hoshi suggested using apparently means something different from what she thought. And he already knew about you shouting Ensign Sato's name, but that's only because I was speaking to her over the comm at the time. However," the doctor offered in jest, "if you'd like me to give him more details—"

"Oh God please, no," Reed moaned. "It's embarrassing enough that you and your menagerie witnessed my outburst, and that Hoshi heard any of it. If the captain knew all the sordid details he'd likely order the walls of my quarters padded and never let me out." He gave Phlox a grateful look. "Thank you for your discretion, Doctor. I really do appreciate it." Pausing to gather his thoughts he at last asked, "Any luck locating any Lehrites?"

Phlox shook his head. "Not yet...but it is still early in the search. Right now I believe Captain Archer would be satisfied to get the information the Vulcans promised to send." Scanning D'von he frowned slightly then checked the boy's IV.

"Something's wrong," Malcolm said, more statement that question.

The doctor's head tipped slightly to one side. "I administered antibiotics earlier but his temperature is rising again. It's not high enough to be dangerous at this point," he added, taking a blood sample from the child, "but it could become a problem. There are naturally-occurring beneficial microbes in his digestive tract which could be adversely affected by an additional dose of antibiotics so we'll wait a little while to see if his temperature comes down on its own, hmm?"

"You mean after all that time in Decon something still got through?"

Phlox shook his head. "The antibiotics were given as a preventative measure to keep D'von from catching anything from us," the doctor patiently explained. "His immune system has been weakened by the lack of proper nutrition during his captivity and the infection in the injuries he sustained to his horn and hoof. The elevation in temperature could be a normal result of the stress he's been under, or it could be something more serious. We'll just have to wait and see."

Thoughtfully tapping two fingers against his lips Phlox considered his options. "I'll keep the IV going and increase the nutrient solution to see if we can give him a little boost, and you should call me if you notice a dramatic increase in his temperature or any sign of distress. Additionally, I should be able to attach small biomonitors to the both of you in order to record your vital signs. That way you can both stay in the same bed if you wish." Reed nodded silently and the doctor continued. "Very well. I'll go prepare the additional IV fluids and get the monitors...it won't take too long. You should try to get some rest, hmm?" Biting his lower lip Malcolm nodded and watched as the doctor started to walk away then turn and come back.

Bending slightly Phlox smiled broadly. "Remember, Lieutenant," he whispered, "optimism. If you are indeed Joined with this lad he's going to know if you're excessively worried or depressed, and it will have an impact on him. The best way for you to help him is to channel positive emotions to him. If you're having trouble generating such emotions just keep reminding yourself that he is alive and safe and is being well-cared for. Or perhaps think back on some pleasant memories from your past, hmm?"

"I'll do my best," Malcolm promised. Waiting until the doctor had departed he looked down at the tyke. "Pity you didn't knock heads with Mistah Tuckah," he murmured to the small slumbering form cuddled against him. "You'd have more treacly optimism than you'd know what to do with. That would probably be the Lehrite equivalent of being let loose in a candy shop, eh?"

The only thing worrying him as he felt himself dozing off was what had possessed him to speak to Phlox about his father. The doctor would, Malcolm was certain, keep such a conversation confidential. Still, that made twice in one day that he'd gotten overly chatty about his childhood. Such lapses would simply have to stop. Pushing that bit of business to the back of his mind Malcolm sought to follow the doctor's instructions, pulling up happier memories until at last he fell asleep with traces of a smile on his face.

Several hours later he slowly woke, feeling as though he were being watched. D'von had shifted position and was now facing him, but the lad was still sleeping soundly. Two small, round disks were attached to the boy's temples and a small, slender device not quite the size of a hand scanner was fastened to D'von's chest, partially obscured by the boy's pouch. Hand drifting down to rub his own chest Reed felt a similar apparatus beneath his shirt, firmly affixed to the center of his chest. It amazed him that he had slept through the doctor attaching the gizmos to the both of them. Casting a look around Malcolm's eyes fell upon a worried-looking Crewman Cutler standing next to the bed.

"Lt. Reed?" she whispered. "Are you all right?" The evident concern on her face was enough to prevent one of Malcolm's automatic 'I'm fine' responses.

He blinked a few times, puzzled by her worry. "I believe so," he answered. "Why? Is something wrong? Is there a problem with D'von?" He looked down at the boy but saw nothing amiss.

"He's doing very well," Cutler assured the lieutenant. "I just came by to drop this off," she explained, holding up a folded bundle of tan fabric, "and to see if the doctor needed any help with anything. When I came in here, though...you were...the two of you were," she faltered, unsure how to continue. "You were...doing it again," she at last managed.

Malcolm gave her a thoroughly perplexed stare. "Doing what?" he finally asked.

"Umm...well," she struggled for an explanation. "The head thing. You know," she said, tapping the center of her forehead with her index finger. "The two of you were cemented at the skull again."

"The head thing," he responded slowly, self-consciously rubbing at his forehead and noticing the small button-like devices on either side. "I don't remember it. You're quite certain?"

"Oh yes," the crewman nodded. "You both looked like you were asleep but I scanned the two of you and got the same unusual neural readings Phlox recorded earlier."

"The same sort of thing happened when we first got in bed together, I think. The doctor told me that my readings were 'off kilter'." He shook his head as he looked at the sleeping child but couldn't suppress a wry grin. "You're quite the little imp, sneaking up on me while I'm asleep."

"Maybe he didn't realize he was doing it," Elizabeth gently defended the boy. "For all we know, it's the Lehrite equivalent of sleepwalking."

"Mmm. I suppose it's possible," Malcolm agreed. "I was dreaming," he told her. "Wherever I was, it was dark and brutally hot, but a refreshing cool breeze started blowing. Then I woke to find you checking on us...but I don't recall 'the head thing'. Speaking of being hot, has D'von's temperature come down?" he asked, worried. "It had gone up before, and the doctor was concerned."

"I'm not sure what his temperature was before," Cutler said, "but it appears normal now. Did you notice any problems while he was sleeping?"

"Aside from our apparently knocking noggins in our sleep? No...no problems at all." The two fell silent for a moment before Malcolm felt the need to change the subject. "Phlox said you offered to find some suitable garments for the little chap. Any success?"

Cutler gave a self-satisfied grin. "As a matter of fact," she said, unfurling the fabric she'd been holding, "I have. Mind you, it's still a little too large, but we figured it would make a perfect nightshirt for him."

Reed stared in stunned silence until he found what he hoped would be an inoffensive reaction. "It's quite lovely, but isn't it a bit...flowery? For a boy, I mean?" he hastened to add. The shirt was indeed pretty, the silky tan fabric festooned with yellow orchids. Malcolm's first thought was that Trip had provided it, but it wasn't nearly garish enough to have come from the engineer's collection of retina-searing off-duty shirts. Plus it was far too small to be Trip's, and too feminine.

"It's just a stopgap," the crewman assured him with a chuckle. "It's one of Hoshi's camisoles. We thought it would be close to the right size for him—after we did a few alterations of course. But some of us are working on a more extensive wardrobe for him. Between the quartermaster, the ensign, a couple others, and myself, we'll have him up to his cute little floppy ears in clothing in no time. If the pictures in the Vulcan Database are any indication Lehrites don't wear pants, which is making things much easier."

"No pants?" Malcolm looked shocked.

"Nope. More like kilts, only without all the plaid. Don't worry," she assured him, "we'll be sure to put together an appropriately masculine wardrobe for him. And once he's awake we can double-check with him about the pants." Refolding the shirt she put it on the nearby utility table before taking scans of Malcolm and D'von and getting readings from the biomonitors the doctor had placed on them. "I told Phlox I'd get a few additional readings from the two of you," she explained. "I'd better go turn in these scan results."

"Where is the doctor, anyway?"

"I think he's with Subcommander T'Pol, going over the information the Vulcans sent to her. I can get him if you want," she offered.

Lips pursed, Reed shook his head. "No, thank you. Probably best that he finishes his conference with the subcommander first. I would like to ask a favor, though, if you wouldn't mind."

"What is it?"

"When you see Hoshi, would you please tell her the shirt is grand. I'm certain D'von will love it. And thank whomever else you've recruited for clothing duty." With a smile and a nod, Elizabeth exited Sickbay, waiting until the doors had closed behind her to let the smile slip away. With a worried glance at the scanner she hurried to find Phlox, hoping she'd done the right thing in not telling Lt. Reed that he, and not D'von, had initiated 'the head thing'.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Archer's appetite fled as Phlox stood in the Captain's Mess and reported his findings. He could see that Trip was no longer concerned with food either: the engineer gaped at the Denobulan in disbelief.

The captain broke the silence. "You're sure it's permanent?"

"Quite sure, Captain," Phlox said. "The link established by Lehrites during Joining lasts for the lifetime of the parties involved."

"And these additional...episodes?" Jon asked. "How many times did D'von get into Malcolm's mind while they were asleep?"

"I reviewed the scans, and it looks like at least four times," the doctor admitted. "Once, it seems, immediately after the lieutenant put D'von into bed with him, twice after Mr. Reed went back to sleep, and once just as Crewman Cutler went to check on them for me. Now, although Lt. Reed's neural readings have been slightly abnormal following these encounters, I do not believe he is in any jeopardy. And I'm not convinced that D'von was 'getting into Malcolm's mind', as you put it. When a Lehrite is injured or ill, they turn to others in their family or community, drawing energy from healthy people to aid in their recovery. The only person here able to fill that role is Lt. Reed. I believe that D'von is simply trying to draw the energy he needs from Malcolm."

Trip paled. "Ya mean he's feedin' offa Malcolm? Like some sorta...vampire or somethin'?" he asked in disbelief.

"'Feeding' is hardly an accurate description, Commander," Phlox gingerly corrected. "Nor is 'vampire', for that matter. It's more like," Phlox paused as he came up with an apt comparison, "like recharging a power cell of, say, a phase pistol." He rather thought Lt. Reed would appreciate that analogy. "The power cell has a limited amount of energy stored in it, which needs to be replaced when it is depleted. Similarly, D'von's energy has been drained by his ordeal and his injuries, and he is recharging in the only way presently available to him. And you might be interested to know that D'von has not always been the one to initiate this...procedure. You'll recall, Commander, that when you and the lieutenant were reassuring D'von about the imaging chamber Mr. Reed took hold of the boy's face."

"Well yeah," Trip replied. "That's when Malcolm got zapped by the little guy."

"He was not zapped," Phlox protested. "According to the additional records sent by the Vulcans, such facial caresses are a means of communicating either a request to initiate mental contact or a means of granting permission to do so. D'von no doubt interpreted the lieutenant's gesture of comfort as a sign that it was acceptable to commence with Joining. The same sort of caresses took place with each subsequent episode, and in the incident Crewman Cutler witnessed Mr. Reed initiated contact, not D'von."

The captain shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "What are these 'incidents' doing to Malcolm's brain, Doctor? How much damage are they causing?"

"At this point none that I have detected. His neuropeptide levels dropped after the initial Joining and there has been increased activity in various sections of his brain, but there is no synaptic damage showing up on any of my scans. And his neuropeptide levels are nearly back to normal."

Archer contemplated what he'd been told then looked at his science officer standing silently off to one side. "You've been awfully quiet so far, Subcommander. Anything you'd care to contribute?"

T'Pol looked unnaturally ill at ease as she spoke. "I would advise trying to find a way to dampen or counteract the effects of Joining in case problems develop."

"What sort of problems?" Trip asked before Jon could get the question out.

"The possibility of future neurological or psychological damage exists. Some sort of contingency plan should be put in place in case such damage occurs."

"Doc?" Trip asked uncertainly. He was still struggling with the idea of D'von using Malcolm to 'recharge', and hearing that his friend's brain might be scrambled as a result did nothing to ease his concerns.

Jon interrupted before the doctor could answer. "T'Pol...what happened to the Vulcan that was Joined with a Lehrite sixty years ago?"

A millisecond of dread and discomfort crossed her face before T'Pol spoke. "According to the records I received, he gradually lost the ability to control his emotions. He grew increasingly eccentric, his behavior becoming more illogical and irrational as time passed. His family placed him in a facility that dealt with disorders of the mind. The doctors were able to slow the rate of mental deterioration but could not halt it. Not long after his hospitalization he escaped and fled Vulcan. What happened to him after that is unknown."

"The Vulcan brain is substantially different from that of a human," Phlox pointed out. "There is no reason to automatically assume that what happened to that Vulcan fellow will also happen to Lt. Reed."

"Agreed," T'Pol said. "However, we must not ignore the possibility that it could."

The long, oppressive silence was broken by Captain Archer as he slowly slid his plate away. "When you sedated D'von," he started slowly, "the connection between the two of them was interrupted. You could sedate him again. Keep him under until we find his people."

Phlox shook his head. "I could, but I won't. Contrary to popular belief Lehrites are not a frail species, but they do have rather sensitive systems which are susceptible to adverse reactions to a number of medications. Sedating D'von earlier was a risky proposition but was necessary to treat his injuries, and was only possible because I used a miniscule amount of the mildest sedative I have on hand. Sedating him again now could cause physical damage or even death. It is simply not an option at this time. But I do agree with Subcommander T'Pol regarding a contingency plan. I'll continue to monitor their biosigns and neural readings—if any signs of synaptic damage or erratic behavior appear I should be able to use neurosedation on the lieutenant without any unpleasant aftereffects.

"There is something else you should know," the doctor added. "The norm among Lehrites is for all the members of a community to be Joined with one another. It would be safe to assume that once D'von is up and around he'll be expecting the rest of us to Join with him as well. When he wakes up I will do my best to explain to him that Humans don't do that sort of thing, but it might be a good idea to discreetly notify the crew, hmm? I can put together an informational packet for them if you like."

Archer gave Phlox a grateful look. "That would be very helpful. Thanks, Phlox."

"Happy to be of service, Captain," the doctor said with a slight bow of his head. "And again, I feel confident that Mr. Reed is in no danger from this experience. It would be best to maintain a somewhat less somber mood around him. There's no sense in causing him any undue worry. When I return to Sickbay I'll fill him in on our discussion. Speaking of which I should get back there to check on my patients: I asked Ms. Cutler to keep an eye on them but I'm sure she'd like to get some breakfast before tending to her regular duties."

Trip rose as Phlox stepped toward the door. "Mind if I tag along? Maybe I could, y'know...help ya tell him what's goin' on?" He looked to Jon with pleading eyes, and the captain nodded his consent.

Phlox smiled broadly, opening the door and stepping aside to let the engineer exit first. "Not at all," he said. "Perhaps seeing him will put your mind at ease, and I'm sure the lieutenant would appreciate the company. Just try to bear in mind that D'von is an innocent child trying to adapt to an alien situation and not some sort of vampire, hmm?"