xxx

It

The pink glow leaves just as It reaches for it. There is nothing It can do. It withdraws inside the host, ready to sink back into the throes of despair.

But wait! The pink glow is back. It can feel it! It expands again, palpitating intensely.

And pauses.

The pink glow doesn't feel like a host. Perhaps it is a new kind of host. It reaches out again. It can feel a familiar telepathic subtext. That's the almost-host. So the almost-host is not dead... It keeps its cautious approach. The pink glow is powerful, very powerful. More powerful than a symbiot, possibly. Its first thought is that something that powerful can certainly help It reach the Realm of the Unassigned. Its second thought is that It needs to make itself known. But how?

The telepathic projection of the pink glow illuminates everything around. A vision suddenly runs through It like ripples on a pond. The almost-host is connected to the dying host. A faint luminous thread goes from one to the other. Now It understands its initial confusion and why It was able to successfully manipulate the energy fields around the almost-host.

In a sudden inspiration, It knows how to reach the pink glow. The power of the pink glow intensifies everything around it, the energy fields, the almost-host, the bond with the dying host. It will use that power to force a contact.

xxx

E'Shara

E'Shara tenses. There is the unmistakable aura of another telepathic presence. She knows it can feel her in turn. But it cannot directly contact her. She is actively skirting around the contours of the engineer's mind, using his absence of psi abilities to shield herself.

She can feel the crakling of the psionic sphere. The energy form is strong, different from anything she has ever known, and more powerful. She takes a breath, mindful of Yadur and Smirak behind her. She is the Elder, her duty is to protect them, make sure the telepathic energy form cannot reach them through her. The thought comes that she should retreat, interrupt the mind-touch, and save herself. The Humans could abandon the stasis field, the energy form and T'Pol's body on a remote planet. Perhaps that is what has happened previously, that is how they came to find the energy form.

If she retreats, she will not find out more about the energy form. Not even whether It is a telepathic parasite.

If she remains and the energy form is indeed a telepathic parasite, she may die at the hands of her acolytes. If they are overtaken in turn, there are many others ready to take them out. Kaiidth. Things will be as they must be. But at least she will know.

It is her scientific duty as a healer to find out more. She is pleased at the logical conclusion, which she deems unrelated to any consideration of personal curiosity. She will not retreat.

She stands her ground, watching the fast-rotating whirlpools of energy that herald the new energy form's encroaching closeness. She will not close her eyes as it draws near. She will watch. And learn. She braces herself.

And then it is there, right there, next to her.

xxx

Sickbay

They're all on tenterhooks. Phlox is keeping an eye on Trip and E'Shara, Archer is keeping an eye on him and the Vulcans, Reed is keeping an eye on everyone. The silence is complete, all tensely waiting for something to happen. They're not sure what.

Something does happen. Trip talks.

"I am….," he says, his mouth contorting itself around the sounds, his jaw working.

It is so unexpected it sends their minds reeling, unable to come to terms with what their senses are telling them. Archer whips around to look at him, did he actually wake up?But no, Trip's still unconscious. "What's going on?!" Archer hisses at Phlox. That didn't sound like Trip. Did it? He wants answers. He needs answers. Besides Trip, he's responsible for a hundred souls aboard the ship.

Phlox is on his heels, the smile off his face, his face strained as he quickly recalibrates the mediscanner. He looks up uncertainly at Archer.

Reed is staring in horror at Trip's prone figure, his grip tighter on his phaser, pushing away the unwelcome thought that perhaps he'll have to kill his best friend.

Only E'Shara hasn't moved, she's welded to Trip's face. The healers are not moving either but the strain is showing in their quicker breath. Silence falls.

Trip's mouth opens again, "I am... It." The voice is guttural. That's definitely not Trip's voice.

Archer looks from Trip to the Vulcans, trying to figure out who's responsible for this. Heads will roll if it's some kind of trick. "What the hell's going on?!" he whispers more loudly, staring accusingly at Phlox. It's the chief medical officer's duty to know, to tell his Captain.

But Phlox's attention is on E'Shara. If he had any idea what's going on, he would tell the Captain. His mediscanner says Trip is in a coma, unable to think or speak. E'Shara's eyes are showing white, the pupils rolled back in her head. She's still standing, still breathing. There's no sign she's been taking over by whatever that thing in T'Pol is. Though his first clue may be when she tries to kill herself...

Finally, E'Shara speaks. "Who are you?" she asks. Phlox relaxes.

"I am a geodid," Trip replies, or whatever's using Trip replies. The engineer's throat is working hard, as if the words are being squeezed out of him.

Archer stares in horror. She's using Trip to talk to that thing! Or that thing is using Trip to talk to her, whichever!

Phlox lifts his mediscanner, recording everything that's going on. He's never seen anything quite like this before.

"What is a geodid?" E'Shara goes on.

Archer looks daggers at her. This is no time for Vulcan curiosity! Why doesn't she tell that thing to get the hell away from his officer! He starts moving towards her but Phlox's hand on his arm stops him. Archer glares at him but the doctor shakes his head, imploring him not to sever the connection.

"I am a geodid," Trip repeats. Apparently, that's enough of an explanation. Or perhaps that's the only explanation it can give. "Go … Real... Often... Assigned," he haltingly adds.

Archer looks at Reed then at Phlox. Did her hear right? What does that mean? What are they going to do if Trip starts talking gibberish? He needs to put a stop to that nonsense. That thing has a hold of Trip, he doesn't know how and it's spooking him. He wants it gone, out, away from his crew. He signals Reed to go to the isolation unit. The security man had the same thought, is already walking over there, phaser at the ready.

E'Shara acts as if she isn't talking to a comatose Trip. "What is the Realm of the Unassigned?" she asks.

Archer convulsively balls his hands into fists. Really?! That's the best she can come up with? How does she even know what Trip said?... Of course, he realizes, she heard it, what with her Vulcan hearing and all. Only secondly does he realize that perhaps she's also heard it in her mind. In any case that's not where he wants this to go.

"What do you want from us?!" he shouts at the space above Trip's head. He'll be damned if he's going to just stand there while those two talk about the weather.

"Are you a parasite?" Phlox quickly asks over him. Archer glares at him but the doctor pays him no attention. Whatever's talking through Trip is obviously limited by physical constraints. Better keep the answers to a simple 'yes' or 'no'.

"Not... Parasite... I" comes the laborious answer.

Phlox looks at E'Shara. If that's the case, there's no risk, E'Shara can attempt a mind-meld! The Vulcan healers are not reacting though, and Phlox's reminded that they all know better than to blindly trust an alien.

There is a keening sound coming from Trip, a sound of great pain or great longing, he's not sure. "The... Realm..." Is the engineer crying? He gives a long shuddering breath. "The Realm... Symbiots…. It needs..."

xxx

E'Shara

Words are not enough. E'Shara realizes she needs direct contact with the telepathic energy form. In a few seconds she could learn everything there is to learn. The energy form says it is not a telepathic parasite. That does not mean it is the case. It could be stating the truth or it could be lying. There is no way to know unless one exposes oneself.

She interrupts the contact, blinks reflexively as the room shifts from the psionic sphere back to the physical reality. The transition always leaves her mildly disoriented. The Doctor and the Captain are looking intensely at her. Behind her, she senses Yadur and Smirak coming out of their vigil. Immediately, she feels the pressure of the telepathic energy on her mind, she can tell it by its psionic imprint. Now that she knows what it is, the pressure is not so intense. The mind is a mysterious thing indeed.

"What's going on?" Archer asks her.

It is the third time he has asked that question. She wonders if that is a representation of the limits of his questioning range, his ability to probe the unknown. But she answers the question nonetheless, "The energy form has expressed it is not a telepathic parasite. It is therefore appropriate to enter into a mind-meld. That will facilitate communication and exchange."

"Hold it!" he stops her with a raised palm. She notes that the Captain's rate of respiration has increased, his skin seems warmer, he looks pinkier. He is obviously in an agitated state. She raises an eyebrow. She does not wish to point out he does not have the physically ability to restrain her.

Dr. Phlox's voice cuts through the tension, "Are you sure it's safe?" he asks.

E'Shara turns to him. At least, he has a theoretical understanding of Vulcan telepathia. "If it is not safe, it shall be destroyed," she answers, glossing over the fact she will be destroyed along with it, and possibly the other Vulcan healers.

The Captain is scowling. She notes the limited range of motion of Human eyebrows. "Lieutenant Reed is in the isolation room. He will cover you."

She is not sure what that means but the geographic inference is that he assumes she will engage in a mind-meld with T'Pol. She gives a shake of her head. "Not necessary. I will mind-meld with Commander Tucker."

The Captain seems surprised. "Won't the interposition of another skew the communication in ways that cannot be anticipated?" He asks.

It is E'Shara's turn to be surprised by his understanding of the subtleties of an indirect meld. Her eyebrows climb to their apex. She is reminded that the Captain gave a flawless ta'al when she came on board. And that it is illogical to underestimate another based on one's perceptions alone. She inclines her head towards the Captain.

"There is a risk that the appeal of a direct contact could overwhelm the energy form's portrayal that it is not a parasite," she replies. The Captain nods, he understands the concept of not tempting the devil, however poorly formulated.

E'Shara is surprised by this unexpected finesse. That is the third time he has surprised her. When she is back in the monastery she will spend additional meditation time on the topic.

xxx