TRT3: The Ranma Trek Voyages! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 29
For the next few hours, Ranko, in 'MedLab', was looking at various possibilities as to why Chakotay was still unconscious, and why Tuvok was up; he awakened about an hour after Kat had regenerated. Although she was not a medical scientist, Ranko was experienced at identifying different energy signatures. So, with Kat's help, Ranko began her research…
"Ranko, take a look at this record," Kat says, as she brought up an old archive.
Ranko looks up from her work.
"What is it, Kat?" Ranko says, as she scoots over.
"According to this archive entry, some energy signatures we had mapped within that nebula seem quite similar," Kat says, as she punches up the entry to be displayed on a larger screen in the lab.
"What is it?" Ranko says.
"According to this entry, the energy signatures we've been mapping are very similar to several energy signatures of…entities that have possessed crewmembers of starships," Kat says.
Ranko reads the brief summary of the selected entries. Some of the entries were from her experience aboard several ships, all named "Enterprise"…
"Well, what do you think?" Ranko says.
"I…think that somehow, something took my life energy," Kat says. "Thanks to you, I recovered."
Kat pauses.
"Does this mean that I don't have a soul?"
"Why would you say that?"
"I don't know. It's not that I take seriously the concept of an afterlife, but with the stuff we've faced thus far…"
"Kat, there is a possibility that your original life force was from your body. However, there is an equal possibility when your Juraian heritage was awakened."
"Oh."
Silence.
"Ranko, you seem so familiar with the Juraians."
"I am. I am…1/4 Juraian myself."
"Oh, so that's how you managed to save my life."
"Yes."
"So, are you from Jurai?" Kat asked.
"No, I'm from Earth," Ranko says. "My grandfather is from Jurai."
"Really?"
"Really."
"But have you visited his homeworld?"
"Ah, a few times…"
"What it's like? Jurai, I mean."
"The Juraians LOVE nature, particularly trees."
"I know," Kat says. "I find it fascinating that an entire civilization has technology that uses very little processed materials."
"No need to be elitist, you know. Not all cultures develop the same way, you know."
"I'm not, Ranko. I just find it fascinating, that's all."
"I see…"
"But since I know that I am not…fully human, I would love to visit that world."
"Why?"
"Well, I always wanted to get to know my father better."
"Oh."
"Yeah, Mom is always a bit…quiet where my father is concerned, even though he's suppose to be famous or something."
"That's a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Well, on one hand, I…kind of like having a famous dad."
Ranko inwardly smiles…
"On the other hand, I hate the fact that he's the biggest man-whore in the Alpha quadrant."
"…"
"But, I still want to get to know him well."
"Well, I'm sure you will."
"Yeah. But, in the mean time, what are we going to do with this information? It's bad enough that Commander Chakotay could be…gone, but what if something came back with us?"
"Hmmm," Ranko mused. "From my sensor work, and with your skills, we might be able to create a way to detect alien energy signatures."
Meanwhile…
"Here you go," says Neelix, as he puts two plates of food in front of Tom and Harry. "I call it 'Neelix Chicken Surprise'."
"The 'surprise' would be if none of us gets sick from eating this 'dish'," Paris says with a smirk.
"I beg your pardon," Neelix says. "I have you know that that there has only been ONE incident of food poisoning…this week."
"I like those odds, Neelix." Tom says with a smirk.
"But I didn't think you had access to the replicators this week," Harry says.
"I don't. However, ever since we stopped at that trading post a few sectors back, I've been raising 'Cuckoos' in Cargo Bay 7."
"'Cuckoos'?" Tom says.
"Why yes. I took it upon myself to test the meats of many of the animals the trader had to offer, and then tested to see how edible they were. And with the help of Ensign Tendo—lovely girl, by the way—I was able to get the approximate taste for the dishes. So you should try some, Tom."
"Well…only if Harry takes the first bite," Tom says with a mischievous grin.
"Fine," Harry says, as he shakes his head, he unfurls his napkin…to be placed on his lap. Harry then take his fork, dips it into the dish, and then takes a bite…
"Well?"
"You know, this tastes good," Harry says.
"As I said, Ensign Tendo helped me on getting the ingredients right," Neelix says. "Enjoy."
After Neelix leaves the table, Tom copies Harry's movements…
"Wow, this IS tasty," says Tom.
"I know," Harry says. "We're lucky to have her."
"Speaking of which, how is the roommate situation coming along?" Tom asked. "I mean, with T'Lana there now…"
"It's a bit crowded, but I don't mind," Harry says. "In fact, it's…like having a family again."
"Ah, so you see yourself wearing the pants in this family of yours?"
"No, that's still Ranko's area-"
"Get out of my…head-!"
All eyes turns to Counselor Stadi, who had just entered the Mess Hall.
"Counselor, I need your help!" Stadi says to herself. "I need to warn the others about the dangers-"
"Stadi," Tom says, as he goes over the Betazoid. "What's the manner?"
"Intruder…in my HEAD-"
"Mess Hall to Sick Bay," Harry says, as he taps his combadge. "Medical Emergency, on the double-"
"I'll take it from here," says Lt/Commander Tuvok, as he and a Security Team enters the Mess Hall.
Stadi wildly turns to see Tuvok standing there.
"Everyone, it's me…Chakotay!" Stadi says. "Tuvok isn't-"
"You need some medical attention, Counselor," Tuvok says, as he gives Stadi a Vulcan nerve pinch. "We will provide it."
As Security begins to escort Stadi to Sick Bay, Harry and Tom turn to look at each other, wonder why Stadi would imply that Tuvok was a threat.
Later in Sick Bay…
"Counselor Stadi is resting comfortably," the Doctor says, as he goes over Stadi's prone body. "However, I am detecting unusual brain patterns."
"Show me," Janeway says, as she, Ranko, Tuvok and Kes watched the Doctor in action.
CHIRP!
"This is a normal Betazoid brain wave pattern," the Doctor says. "Betazoid brainwaves are much more efficient than normal humanoid brain waves."
"Which is an indication of telepathic potential," Tuvok says.
"My concern are these additional brain patterns," the Doctor says, as he highlights some more erratic brain waves. "I do not know what any of these mean, other than to say that there are additional thought processes going on."
"Is it possible that Stadi suffered from a nervous breakdown?" Kes asked.
"It's possible. These additional pattern do have similarity to schizophrenia found commonly in Betazoids."
"Could it be…possession?" Ranko asked.
Janeway sharply turns towards Ranko.
"What do you mean?"
"I meant to speak to you about this earlier, but Kat and I might have the means to identify who could be possessed or not."
Ranko steps up to the main screen in Sick Bay.
"This could mean that Stadi has been possessed."
"Or it could mean that Stadi has a nervous breakdown," Tuvok says. He then turns to the Doctor. "Doctor, do you not have suppressors?"
"Well, yes, but those are highly toxic towards telepaths. And Stadi's brain could be harmed."
"But will it allow you tell if Stadi is possessed or not?" Janeway asked.
"In theory, if there is a possession involved, the additional patterns won't go away."
"Then, Captain, I would recommend that the Doctor use these suppressors, so we will have proof positive that Stadi is indeed possessed."
Janeway turns to Ranko.
"Ranko?"
"I need more time to create the method for the detector."
Janeway mulls a bit…
"Captain?" Tuvok asked.
"Do it, Doctor," Janeway commands.
"Okay," the Doctor says, as he places a pair of nodes on each side of Stadi's head on her temples. "I am ready to begin."
"Do it."
Hummmmmmm…
Soon, the brain patterns begin to level off. However, both Ranko and Kes begin to hear screams. However, Tuvok seemed unaffected, which did not go unnoticed by Janeway.
"Tuvok?" Janeway says. "Kes? Ranko-?"
"Captain, I hear them screaming!" Kes manages to say.
"Who-?"
"Stadi and Chakotay!" Ranko says, as she smashed the control panel. This had the effect of disrupting the instruments.
CHOOM…
Ranko turns to see a smirking Tuvok.
"It is a shame that you will not provide energy for us," "Tuvok" says.
"Who's 'us'?" Janeway asked.
Just then, Tom, Harry and Kat come running into Sick Bay, all carrying strange instruments.
"You guys were right," Kat says, as she scanned Tuvok.
"Wait, how did you the sensors ready so fast?" Ranko asked.
"We went looking for you, but found only Kat," Tom says.
"We told Kat what was going on, and helped her to jury-rig something together in the hurry," Harry says.
"Kat, are you SURE that Tuvok is the possessed one?" Janeway asked.
"One-hundred percent," Kat says.
"Good. Ranko?"
"With pleasure," Ranko says, as she suddenly jammed her hand into Tuvok.
"Uck-!" Tuvok says.
"What is this-?" the Doctor yells.
"I learned a trick from the Necromongers," Ranko says. "It's crude…but…effective-!"
Ranko pulls out an ecto-plasmic entity, as he whither about.
"Harry-!"
"Right," Harry says, as he shoots some sort of proton gun at the entity.
ZARK!
"Now!" Harry yells.
Tom opens up an enclosed contain, which shone a light on the entity. Soon, the energy from the box sucks the entity into it…
CLACK!
"Dusted," Tom says approvingly
"Nice job," Janeway says. "But that still doesn't solve our immediate problem…"
About a day later…
"How does it feel to be in your old body, Commander," Ranko says, as she goes over her sensor readings. Since yesterday, thanks to Kat and Ranko's efforts, the ship's shielding system has been modified to prevent future incursions that are similar to what happened to Chakotay and the others. As to the entity itself, it was soon let go with a stern warning. Thus, that was that.
"Well, it was weird, I'll tell you that much," Chakotay says. And then-
CHIRP!
"Janeway to Ranko," came a voice over the PA system.
"Ranko: here."
"Could you come to my Read Room?" Janeway asked.
"I'm on my way," Ranko says, as she sets her datapad down.
As soon as she steps into Janeway's office, she sees Kat staring at her intently.
"What?" Ranko asked.
Kat looks back at her mother—who nods her head in reply—and then back at Ranko.
"Ranko?"
"Yes?"
"Are you my real father?"
"?"
Tbc.
Next Time: The Vidians are back to harvest for organs…or are they? See you next time!
