Chapter 14

"The storm - bad here. It's start- affect systems." Captain Thorpe had called from the habitats on Berengaria V. As he was telling North through the static, the EM storm was starting to impact their comm signal, among other things. "Environmental controls -functional. Gonna get - hotter. Habitats sh- hold, but don't - how long. And there's no - when or - another storm might start."

Still in his office, North listened grimly. "When the evac is over, we can maybe shuttle some of the civilians back up to the starships, but most of us will have to remain on the surface."

"The Tharp's engines -loaded. They had to slow down. We've told - other - ships to slow down too. Pain in the - but it's better - blowing up. The Garas has - pick up - slack, but - enough."

North rubbed his chin. The fates were against them, it seemed. All signs were starting to point the same way: They could not remain on Berengaria V for very long. They'd need to go elsewhere soon, and for that they'd need a lot more ships. He looked at the countdown. Ten hours left.

"Sit tight, Captain," he said, trying to sound confident. "We'll figure something out. But be prepared to lead our crew to safety."

"Me, sir?" Thorpe's voice crackled over the comm.

North did not elaborate. "Base out." He closed the channel. He knew what had to be done now.

He opened the intercom channel. "North to Ambassador Mamao'lani."

After a moment, the Ambassador's voice answered. "Go ahead, Commodore."

With a heavy sigh, he said, "Contact the Orions. Tell them we accept their offer."

"Doctor!" McQueen called as she made her way across the Infirmary. There was a lot less staff present, but they all still hurried back and forth carrying medical supplies. No patients remained.

T'Ling, who had been lecturing two med-techs carrying a case of vasostimulators, had stopped and turned at McQueen's cry.

"Commander?" said the doctor, dismissing the med-techs and their cargo. "I was under the impression that you had evacuated already."

"I did," said McQueen, out of breath. "But I came back. I needed to talk with you. About the creature."

T'Ling raised an eyebrow, clasping her hands behind her back. "Proceed."

"Could you mind-meld with her?"

Although her sharp features remained impassive, T'Ling was surprised by the inquiry. "The creature is several thousand kilometres away buried deep within a comet that is currently in the vacuum of space. These conditions are not ideal for tactile telepathic contact, Commander."

"No, but you reached her before, right? What if we could focus that somehow? Like in a meld? Would it be possible?"

T'Ling took a breath. "Theoretically, yes. If I could concentrate my thoughts, as in a meld, I could achieve a greater degree of telepathic interaction. While, as with my previous encounter, physical contact would not be necessary, I would still require a mental focus. A means of linking myself with the creature, in mind if not in person."

McQueen was getting even more excitable. "Well I've been thinking. We left a sensor probe on the comet's surface, to monitor it. If we could transmit its readings to the REC Room, get a visual image of the comet's surface, would that help to focus your thoughts?"

Again, T'Ling was surprised. She had, however, heard of Vulcans who could extend the range of a meld by concentrating on a mental image of the recipient - usually just through a wall, but sometimes over great distances. "Such visual stimuli can help to 'trick' the mind into thinking it is elsewhere. But to what end, Commander? I remind you that this is a simple lifeform, not susceptible to intelligent discourse. And if you are under the impression that I can telepathically control her..."

"No, no, I was actually wondering if you could somehow link my mind to hers?"

T'Ling blinked. "There is a technique known as the bridging of minds, which allows a melder to connect two separate individuals, acting as an conduit. I am still a novice melder, however, and it is a more advanced process."

"You're a quick learner, Doctor, I'm confident in you." McQueen tapped her arm.

"For what purpose though?" T'Ling asked, ignoring the unwanted physical touch.

McQueen smiled. "No offence, Doc, but you might not be dumb enough to talk to the creature."

T'Ling's eyebrows both shot up now. "I beg your pardon?"

"Like you said: This is a primitive lifeform. It might respond better to emotion than logic. Don't underestimate the power of compassion."

"I do not think-"

"What have we got to lose, Doctor?" McQueen pleaded with her. There was desperation in her eyes now.

T'Ling stiffened. She did not appreciate being emotionally manipulated. "I suppose it would be logical to make the attempt."

McQueen smiled again. "C'mon, no time to waste!"

The Remote Environment and Conference Room was very rarely used for its intended purpose on Starbase 1. Able to create a simulation of a distant location, it was supposed to be for exploring dangerous areas or attending faraway meetings. But nothing on the base ever went to plan.

With most of the staff busy with the evacuation, or already off-world, the REC Room was abandoned, leaving McQueen to set up the equipment herself. Only one of them could use the VR headset, so T'Ling would don it, then link minds with McQueen.

The Vulcan doctor stood on the illuminated platform, bulky headset on. "Ready, Doc?" McQueen asked her.

"You may proceed," T'Ling answered.

McQueen hit a control and stepped up to the platform before T'Ling. This was a crazy plan, sure, and they were wasting valuable time, but if it worked - if McQueen could get through to the creature on some level - then maybe evacuation wouldn't be necessary.

T'Ling raised her right hand to touch McQueen's face, and the Human woman felt the extraordinary sensation of being in two places at once.

Then, the VR headset kicked in and she was in three places.

A simulation of the comet's surface appeared around them. Technically, it was only being broadcast to T'Ling's visor, but McQueen was able to see it through her eyes. The barren, rocky surface was just how McQueen remembered it, but felt larger now that she wasn't encumbered by an EV suit. This also created a mild panic effect, until her rational mind reminded her she wasn't really standing in a vacuum. Maybe T'Ling's logical brain was rubbing off on her.

There was also another difference to the locale: The green and blue sphere of Berengaria VII loomed much larger in the sky. "Can almost see the base from here," she joked.

T'Ling did not respond. Here, in this mental simulation of a computerised simulation, they stood apart, not needing physical contact like in the real world. The doctor was concentrating, her eyes shut.

While McQueen had set up the REC Room equipment, T'Ling had read up on the bridging technique. Although a bit of a crash course, it thankfully turned out to be not so different from a standard meld - although the doctor still complained about the rush to practice it.

Slowly kneeling, T'Ling said, "I will now attempt to link with the creature." She put her left hand to the comet's surface. She had explained earlier that physical contact - even simulated - with the rock around the creature was similar to physical contact with the subject's skull in a normal meld. In each case, touching the brain itself was not required, merely the 'shell' around it.

McQueen gasped, her legs buckling, as she felt another, more powerful presence. It felt like being overwhelmed with white noise - calm and chaotic at the same time. T'Ling's mental discipline must have taken over again though, as she felt it subsiding. The older woman would not interfere further, as agreed, merely facilitate the psychic introduction.

"Hi," McQueen said to the air. "My name's Jess." She had no clear picture of the creature, but she could still feel its mind as if nearby, listening, like knowing there was someone in your bedroom in the middle of the night. "I... I know you can't understand my words, but maybe you'll understand my feelings. You can sense them now."

She paced around the comet, as if the creature was hiding somewhere and she had to find it. "You're trying to go to the planet up ahead, and start your race again. We don't want to stop you, and we're sorry we tried to move you, but you should know that there are people living on that planet. People who've made it their home. And other lifeforms too. They would all be killed if you land on that planet.

"There is another world, just like it though. The next planet away from the suns." She tried to conjure up a mental picture, knowing the creature would, via the meld, understand that better than her description. "It's a little bit further, but it's just like our world, and there's no one there that you could hurt. You could have that whole world just for you and your children."

The creature's mind did not respond, but McQueen could almost sense a curiosity. It was likely it had never interacted with another living thing before. She hoped that was enough to catch its attention.

"Please," she said, choking up. "Please go to the other planet. Please don't destroy the one ahead. Pl-"

She suddenly saw the comet disappear beneath her feet, as if she had been plucked up by a giant hand, and came crashing back to the REC Room. She felt as if she had been dropped from orbit and had landed on her head.

Groaning, she clutched her throbbing cranium. "What happened? Did the creature throw you out again?"

T'Ling removed the headset and gently rubbed her own temples. "I am afraid the procedure was too taxing for me, Commander. Especially over such a distance. It is remarkable I was able to sustain it for as long as I did."

"That's okay, Doctor, you did your best." She clapped T'Ling's shoulder. "I just hope we got through to it."

She looked up at the ceiling, wondering what the creature was thinking now.