Fatigue

The next day found Spock working in the main science lab. Danny sat on a nearby workbench, his feet dangling lazily.

His sharp Vulcan ears caught the thirteenth yawn in the past hour. "Did you not rest well?" he asked while still bent over his scanner.

Danny yawned again. "I did. I dropped dead around eight last night and slept for almost eleven hours." The ghost's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "I don't know why I'm this tired."

Spock looked up from his work. The boy looked exhausted. His eyes had lost some of their radiance, as had his aura. Additionally, he'd paled considerably since he had rescued Spock from Skulker. "Have you ever been in this form for extended periods of time?"

Danny thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No, never this long. I usually change back when I run out of energy."

Spock pressed his lips together and nodded grimly. "And you are at present unable to do so."

Phantom looked at him in alarm. "You think it's serious? That something bad is gonna happen if I don't change back soon?"

"I do not know. I have no expertise in this area."

Danny sighed. "Where's Vlad if you need him. He probably knows."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Even if he was here, do you think he would help you?"

Danny shrugged. "Maybe. Sure, he's manipulative, creepy and vengeful. But he's also bitter and lonely. I think in some strange way he cares, even if it's just so he won't be alone with his fate again."

Spock nodded, comprehending. "There is no other person who understands what it means to have one's DNA accidentally altered to become half ghost. And how to live this sort of double life."

Phantom studied his boots. "Yeah. My friends and Jazz are a great help and all, but they are humans. Jazz doesn't have the risk of setting off our parents' equipment or it affecting her at all. They aren't constantly late for school, or miss deadlines on assignments, or fall asleep in class. I'm constantly in trouble with my teachers or my parents because I am late, have bad grades and lag behind chores. And the ghosts seem to think being a halfa is great. One was completely awestruck when he witnessed my transformation. And Danielle was born a halfa and she doesn't have a human identity known to the public."

The Vulcan nodded before focusing back on his scanner. "I believe we should find the cause of your problem as soon as possible.

They had just picked up their lunch trays and were about to join Kirk and McCoy at the usual table when it happened. The sound of a full tray clattering to the ground made Spock turn around. Danny stood there, his tray and everything on it scattered and spilt across the deck. The boy looked at him with a startled expression that quickly morphed into sheer terror as he looked at his hands.

"What is wrong?"

Phantom took a few shaky breaths. "The tray… it fell right through my hands."

"Go and sit down. I will take care of this and get you a new tray." The Vulcan put his lunch on the table before putting a hand on the boy's upper back to gently push him towards the table. Or at least he attempted to do so. His hand went right through the boy. Spock quickly removed his hand, waiting for the strange sensation to wear off. The ghost now looked even more frantic."I can't control my intangibility. I…" He pressed his lips together and fled from the room.

Kirk and McCoy walked over. "What happened, Spock?"

"I am uncertain, Captain. But I have the theory that having been in ghost form for such an extended period of time is negatively affecting the control over his abilities. He accidentally turned partially intangible twice within 1.14 minutes and he is extraordinarily fatigued."

They exchanged worried glances. "Lunch has to wait. You think he's in his room?"

"I think it's a safe bet, Bones. Let's go."

When they entered Phantom's quarters, they appeared empty. "Kid, you in here?" McCoy called.

"I'm right next to you," replied a disembodied voice.

"Can you turn visible? We can't see you."

A sigh. "I'm trying, Captain. It's not working."

A short while later, Phantom appeared before them, eyes squeezed shut. He opened them and sighed with relief before he let out a startled yelp because he started sinking through the floor.

Spock grabbed him by the arms and pulled him up, fortunately able to get a grip on him this time.

The boy floating in front of them looked ready to hyperventilate."This is like the first month all over again. I can't control my powers."

"I'm sure we'll figure this out…"

"You don't understand!" Danny cut Kirk off. "Back then, I didn't have many powers to begin with. Now I do. And some are pretty dangerous. What if I lose control over them too?"

"Danny," Spock said firmly. "It will not get better from panicking. What was the worst accident with your newly gained abilities?"

"I… accidentally blasted Tucker when he tried to give me a high-five. He was okay, I swear." Danny added hurriedly.

The humans chuckled despite the situation. "I am confident that we will find a solution soon. The last test results were promising."

Phantom looked at Spock with a glimmer of hope in his toxic green eyes. "Really? You're not just saying this to calm me down?"

"Vulcans do not lie."

"I suggest," Kirk cut in. "We get back to lunch and then you get some more sleep, Danny. You look beat."

Spock nodded. "I believe I will work through the night. I might come to a solution by tomorrow morning." Danny opened his mouth in protest, but Spock continued. "Vulcans also require less sleep than humans."

The boy looked a strange combination of grateful and uncomfortable. "I don't know how to repay you for all of this."

"In case you have forgotten, it is I who owes you my very life. And it was you who said 'you owe me nothing'."

The halfa blinked back a few tears and said in a breaking voice: "Let's get back to lunch."

I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.