8

The Miracle Man

"There is a possibility that the four life-signs we've found so far are the only ones," Lesley explained, standing before a large screen in a secluded area of engineering.

"I believe you are right," Louvier concurred as he studied the screen intently.

"Please explain," Spock enquired.

"Everything points in the direction of this Klingon Bird-of-Prey staying in orbit around the planet for a few minutes only. They did not announce their presence and they did not uncloak for more than a few seconds. The same number of seconds it would take to beam down a landing party," Lieutenant Lesley said.

"They wanted to conduct a secret operation, trying to judge how to best proceed if they deemed Circusia worthy of incorporation with the Klingon Empire," Louvier added. "Like Doctor Boyce said earlier – the Klingons don't roam the galaxy to meet and greet with friendliness."

"However, there are still rivalries and insecurities amongst the fractions within the Empire," Spock reminded them.

"Yes," Lesley nodded seriously. "Our Klingon expert believes the disagreements are strong enough to force them to work against each other instead of with each other. It is likely that those two ships have been dispatched to search for a way to increase the power of the Klingon Empire by conquering new planets within strategical reaches; reaches that would also hinder the expansion of the Federation. Circusia would create such an advantage. Perhaps not immediately but in the long run."

Spock nodded. "Yes, that is logical," he concurred. "Such a find would undoubtfully increase the tension between two rivalries and lead to danger; perhaps even rushed decisions that might have ramifications far beyond comprehension."

"We can only assume that they came across one another; had the same idea and destroyed each other in the dispute that followed," Louvier explained.

"I agree. There is no other logical explanation for all this," Spock stated. "Have you broached the subject with the captain?"

Lesley shook his head. "No, not yet. We wanted to be as sure as we could first," he replied.

OOOOOO

Una tilted her head and studied him cunningly for a moment, arms draped across her chest. "You are miles away," she noticed with a smirk. "I heard what you said to Jamila earlier but you really do think Trehelios is Ichkamar; don't you?"

"And like I said," he replied. "Nothing points in that direction yet."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "There is something you're not telling me."

"I don't believe in coincidences," he admitted as he reached into a hidden drawer beneath the desk-top. He gently placed a sleek black object, the size and shape of a vulcanized disc, in front of his XO who sat opposite him.

"Sorabraya," she mused. "Who was she really?"

"That's what I am hoping to find out," Chris replied with a faint smile.

"You know-," Una began, her voice taking on a slightly admonishing tone, as she leveled her eyes with her friend's. "You know I'd never question your motives in front of the others – well, perhaps in front of Phil and Spock – but you should never have accommodated the governor on Sobral. What were you thinking?"

He shook his head. "We've been over this, Una," he protested as he leaned forward in his chair. "I needed leverage, Discovery needed a functioning propulsion system and dilithium. I had no choice."

She snorted in disbelief.

"You know, as well I do, that they only talk to the highest-ranking officer," he reminded her.

Una smirked. "Yes, they were quite annoying that way," she remarked and fixed him with a glare. "As long as I've known you, Chris, you've always been levelheaded, calm and reasonable. After the battle with the AI-," she paused and waved a hand in the air, "-I don't know."

"It was a calculated risk," he reasoned.

"There is something else," she replied seriously. "I am used to us being able to talk about everything. But there is something you're hiding from me. I have seen that haunted look in your eyes when you think no one is watching you."

He leaned back and sighed, breaking the eye contact. "Una," he cautioned.

"I saw it a few hours ago, on Circusia," she added kindly, her tone of voice filled with concern for him.

Silence settled over the two occupants in the room. Chris continued to stare at the table-top.

Una waited patiently for him to look at her again. She was growing even more concerned for her friend.

When he finally looked up again, he looked sad, even dejected. "Boreth," he stated solemnly. "Something happened on Boreth that made me reevaluate certain aspects of my life."

She narrowed her eyes as she studied him suspiciously. "That's a little vague," Una replied softly as a faint smile creased her lips. "But at least it is something."

"Now, if you're satisfied-," he began with a faint dimpled smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "- let's get back to solving the mysteries of the universe."

She blinked. "Sounds very intriguing."

"I take it you noticed that everywhere we went – the science laboratories, the hospital, the recreational zones - the professional staff was made up exclusively of Circusians."

"Except for the medical emergency department," Una pointed out.

"Exactly," he replied. "So, who was the older man who accompanied our 'Miracle Man' to the emergency treatment room?"

"And what was his role?" Una mused.

Chris made a face as he got out of his chair and nodded at his XO. "I don't think we're going to solve that from here. Why don't you have another go at Sorabraya?" he suggested. "Go through her speech again and see what you can come up with. Maybe we have missed something?"

"Highly unlikely since several experts onboard the Discovery and several experts onboard the Enterprise have studied it before me," she offered.

He broke into a cunning dimpled smile and blinked at her. "I have faith in your abilities," he replied.

OOOOOO

Trina Mann walked into a secluded area of engineering in full battle gear and frowned as she appeared to be alone in the small section of the room. She made a face and withdrew her tricorder. The small gadget whirred faintly and gave away a faint flash of red but it did not record any lifesigns other than her own. However, her sixth sense told her she had company.

"This is not funny Joe," she replied sourly.

"Every security officer hate to be left in the dark," Nicola spoke up amusedly.

Trina jumped slightly as the sound of his voice seemed so close. "Vicente?" She stuffed her tricorder and brought out her scanning device.

"Hopefully, you won't get any readings on that either," Lesley said as he walked around the corner and revealed himself; tightly followed by Nicola.

Mann huffed in annoyance as the technical engineer and the communications officer came to stand opposite her. "I am impressed and mad at the same time," she replied.

"This is a very handy little device," Joe Lesley began smugly. "It's a prototype based on the schematics of a personal security system developed by Commander Jett Reno while she awaited rescue from the stricken SS Hiawatha. When she came onboard the Discovery, we tried to perfect the technique with the help of Airiam but when she was overpowered by the AI and sacrificed herself in the line of duty, we kind of put it aside."

"Until now," Nicola pointed out.

"Until now," Lesley echoed with a faint smile.

"Lifesigns can be masked by several things already. Some more intentional than others," Mann reasoned.

"Yeah, but you can't rely on interference," Lesley replied. "During the Federation-Klingon war, Starfleet managed to get their hands on Klingon shield technology. While we do not have enough material to understand how they cloak an entire ship, we can make other uses of it – such as this."

Mann looked awfully pleased with herself, coming to the conclusion that the Klingons wouldn't be able to detect her either. "They can't see me either, can they?" she asked.

"No, they shouldn't," Lesley answered. "Just take it easy and watch out. They might not be able to read your lifesign but they might spot you anyway."

OOOOOO

The white-haired CMO glanced up from the file he was reading as he heard footsteps coming his way. The corners of his mouth curled slightly upwards as he saw the captain walk up to him where he sat behind the desk in his office.

Pike frowned. "Something amusing you, Phil?" he asked as he stopped to lean on the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest.

The good doctor shook his head. "Not really. I just assumed who'd be coming and, it turns out, I've honed in my skills of prediction."

Pike smirked cunningly as he stepped into the small cubicle of glass in the middle of sickbay. "You did call – remember?" he asked.

Phil leaned back in his chair and focused on his friend and superior officer. "Yeah, and as usual when you're called to sickbay, you tend to be a little late – unless of course, someone under your command is ill or injured – then you hardly leave the place at all."

Chris tilted his head a little, preparing an answer but he didn't have time to speak up before the doctor added. "That is a polite way to tell you that I feel neglected at times."

The captain actually chuckled at that. "You're usually more brusque than sensitive," he pointed out. "I was held up on my way here – the delay wasn't intentional. Now, what did you find out from the readings Spock took?"

"Of your 'Miracle Man'?" he surmised and slid over a data tablet for Pike to see.

Chris sat down opposite him and accessed the file.

"There are advanced races out here but judging from what you reported after the guided tour, the Circusians are not advanced enough to be able to repair the extensive damages inflicted upon that particular patient."

Pike looked up from the file to watch his CMO. Phil looked troubled for a moment; he was clearly contemplating something.

"So, what are you saying?" Chris asked softly. "You are not suggesting it is some kind of divine intervention?"

Doctor Boyce shook his head as he leaned forward in his chair and clasped his hands together before him on the table-top. He leveled his eyes with the captain's, studying him for a moment. "I know of only one case where something similar has occurred. The Starfleet Medical report states it was a human male, age 52, in excellent physique, a highly decorated Starfleet officer."

Chris sighed as he glanced down at the polished table-top. He knew where this conversation was going.

"There are a number of test results in the report but none of them can actually explain what happened. It only states that during a first contact mission this officer was deeply affected by the aliens influential mindpowers. Starfleet reached the decision that they possessed the ability to kill with the mere thought of doing so, yet they finally restored the officer back to normal health. Do I need to tell you his name was Christopher Pike?"

Chris looked up to face the doctor and when he did, he looked angry; his jaw set and his eyes cold. "That is not the same thing," he protested. "I did not have the kind of physical injuries that man had. He was practically bleeding to death before us."

Phil narrowed his eyes as he studied his captain. "Are you fully aware of what happened to you back there?" he asked curiously. "I have old colleagues at HQ, in San Francisco, who calls you a miracle."

It was Chris' time to look troubled. "Don't go there, Phil," he replied in a subdued voice.

A momentary silence settled over the two occupants in the room.

The door suddenly swooshed open to reveal Una. She walked through sickbay and up to the office and let herself in.

Chris smirked cunningly. "If you summoned us at the same time, she's just given the expression 'I am going to be late' a whole new meaning," he teased.

The XO playfully slapped his shoulder. "Hey," she called out, trying to look offended and then looked from the captain to the doctor and then back again. "What's the matter with you? Did someone die before I got here?"

"We touched the topic of someone who nearly did just that, on an away mission not too long ago," Phil pointed out.

Una rolled her eyes knowingly but she didn't comment. "I can understand where that comparison came from," she said. "What happened to this man that we saw, Phil?"

The doctor shook his head. "Like I told Chris; I don't know. It is simply impossible to explain at the moment," he replied.

OOOOOO

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