When Worlds Collide
Chapter Nine
Captain's Ready Room
U.S.S Voyager
Captain Kathryn Janeway was starting to get frustrated. She'd tried calling Da'an three times only to get a polite response from this hybrid or another saying that Da'an was currently in a emergency meeting of the Taelon Synod and would not be available until that meeting was concluded. She was about to give up when a call came in from the station.
Hoping that it was Da'an at last she put it through. But the face on her screen wasn't Da'an's instead she found herself looking at Liam Kincaid's handsome features.
"Captain Janeway I understand that you've been making quiet a pain of yourself with our communications ratings trying to get through to Da'an. Unfortunately he is as you have been told in a Synod meeting at present. Perhaps I can help you with whatever problem you have."
"I hope so Gen.… I mean Liam," she said remembering at the last minute to use his given name. "It concerns one of my crew Lieutenant Thomas Paris."
"I am familiar with the individual of whom you speak captain…"
"Kathryn please," she interrupted. "After all if you want me to use your given name then you might as well use mine."
"Very well Kathryn it is. Now as I was saying I am familiar with Lieutenant Paris. I believe he was subjected eleven years ago to crude and cruel Cardassian medical experiments using DNA taken from the survivor of a crashed Taelon ship before he died. He was partially transformed into a hybrid if I recall the incident correctly. He would have become a full hybrid if Captain Ju'su and the Da'shi'ri hadn't rescued him and treated him for what the Cardassians did."
"Yes that's the one," Janeway agreed surprised that Liam seemed to know so much about that incident. "I'm afraid that there is a serious problem."
"What kind of problem?"
"Somehow the Taelon DNA left in Tom's system has begun to become active again." On the screen Liam's eyes went wide.
"That shouldn't be possible," Liam responded. "Most of the Taelon DNA was removed from his system. The only reason some DNA was left behind is because it had become so deeply interwoven with his genetic structure that we dare not remove it for fear of doing irreparable genetic damage. But that DNA was completely suppressed by our medical personnel. There should be no way for it to reactivate."
"Well it is. This didn't show up until Tom returned from the surface of Ya'sa'ra and went to sickbay complaining of a headache. Could the environment on the planet have caused this to happen?"
"I'm no medic but that is highly unlikely there are no elements present in Ya'sa'ra's atmosphere capable of affecting DNA structures on even a basic level. If there had been we would have warned you."
"Then what's causing it?"
"I don't know. The Taelon healer and scientist Mit'gai is currently on the surface of Ya'sa'ra setting up a new biomedical research facility. I will call him up here to the station and bring him across to your ship. Perhaps he can help answer this particular puzzle."
"My Doctor is very good. But any assistance that you can provide would be most appreciated Liam thank you."
"It is no problem at all." For a few moments Liam went quiet. Janeway got the impression that he was talking telepathically to someone. "I've just spoken to Mit'gai through the Commonality," Liam confirmed. What the hell is the Commonality, Janeway thought, somekind of telepathic link? "Mit'gai will transport up to the station as soon as he can get his things together. We will be coming aboard your ship shortly. I look forward to seeing you face to face again Kathryn. Kincaid out." Liam disappeared from her desk screen.
Deactivating the terminal Janeway stood up and left the ready room heading across the nearly deserted bridge to the turbolift and disappeared inside.
Commander Chakotay watched silently from the first officers chair. Kathryn was worried about something or someone that was obvious in her manner but what or who was she worried about and why. Silently Chakotay made up his mind to ask her later. Assuming of course she would tell him since she could be as stubborn as a mule when she wanted to be.
*****
Sickbay
Kathryn Janeway arrived at sickbay a few moments after leaving the bridge. Immediately upon entering sickbay she moved up to the surgical bay where Tom was lying on the biobed B'Elanna hovering concerned nearby. The Doctor was running repeated scans of Tom's body trying to understand what had caused the Taelon DNA in Tom's body to reactivate and what the Taelon DNA was doing now.
"Have you found anything," she asked as she reached the biobed and glanced down at Tom. He looked terrible. His skin was covered in sweat and flushed bright red as if he had a fever and he also seemed to be shivering. Yet he did not appear to be in any pain – if he was in pain then he was doing a good job of hiding it.
"Plenty," the Doctor replied. "I believe I have found what's caused Mr Paris' Taelon DNA to reactivate." He led her over to the diagnostic console. Pressing a couple of controls the Doctor made an image appear on the console screen, an image of some sort of virus.
"A virus," Janeway exclaimed.
"Precisely. My analysis of the virus shows that it's been in Mr Paris' system for quiet sometime quietly replicating. I estimate initial infection occurred several weeks ago."
"When we were on the Galaki homeworld."
"Yes. Ordinarily this virus would not be a threat to anyone on the crew," the Doctor replied. "For all that its an insidious little buggar. The virus structure is almost identical to Terran influenza, which Humans became immune to three hundred years ago – it was one of the few beneficial mutations that resulted from the Third World War. The virus structure is close enough for the Human immune system to recognise and destroy immediately."
"So why am I being affected," Tom asked weakly from the biobed.
"My guess is that the virus somehow hooked itself onto your Taelon DNA," the Doctor answered. "In effect your Taelon DNA hid it from your immune system. Now that the virus has become active your immune system is destroying it in the normal manner which explains your fever. Almost all of it is gone already. But the virus becoming active has had an unexpected affect. In becoming active it also activated the dormant Taelon DNA."
"Is the crew in any danger from this virus doctor?" Janeway asked.
"No. The virus isn't airborne. It appears to be passed by drinking infected water. No one else on the crew is at risk. As for the Taelon part of Mr Paris' DNA that is rapidly becoming fully active. Only a small part was activated by the virus but its started a cascade reaction in the rest of it. It's only a matter of time before all the Taelon DNA becomes active."
"And when that happens I'll become a hybrid again," Tom said shuddering at the prospect.
"I'm afraid so at least you'll be a partial hybrid as you don't have a full strand of Taelon genetic material just a large part of one. Cellular structures inside you are already starting to change. It's only a matter of time."
"Can you stop it," B'Elanna asked.
"I don't know. Taelon DNA is completely different in structure to the DNA of carbon based lifeforms. Like the Taelons themselves it's more energy than anything else. I don't know enough about it to give you an answer."
"A Taelon scientist and physician is on his way here," Janeway informed him. "I called the station as soon as you told me what was happening to Tom. He should be able to help."
Before the Doctor could respond the diagnostic console gave a bleep. At the same time Tom emitted a strangled gasp.
"Tom," B'Elanna yelped in alarm.
Janeway and the Doctor darted back over to the biobed. Tom was convulsing sharply on the bed his facial features contorted in agony. To everyone's shock a energy pulse erupted from deep within his body making Tom glow bright blue. After what seemed like an eternity though in reality it was barely three seconds the energy burst faded away and the convulsion stopped. The agony evaporated from Tom's face somewhat though it didn't fade altogether. Tom opened his eyes again gasping to get his breath back and trembling with the after-effects of the convulsion.
"Not this again," Tom wailed quietly. "I cannot face it again." B'Elanna came back to her husbands side and gently reached out and grasped his shoulder soothingly. The Doctor meanwhile scanned Tom with his medical tricorder. He was surprised by what he saw. Somehow during that convulsion a dozen separate energy pathways had appeared in Tom's body and the scan also revealed shaqarava starting to form once more in Tom's hands though they weren't yet linked to the internal energy pathways. The changes were incredibly sudden, quiet dramatic, and very traumatic to the surrounding cell structures. It was no wonder that it was painful.
"Security to Captain Janeway," a voice said over the intercom. Janeway tapped her combadge.
"Janeway here."
"Baxter here captain. I'm at the airlock. General Kincaid and a Taelon are here and requesting permission to come aboard."
"Request granted. Escort them to sickbay Mr Baxter."
"Aye captain."
"Hopefully that Taelon healer will be able to help," B'Elanna commented.
"We can hope," Tom agreed his voice still very weak and with a hint of pain present in it. "After all they were able to help before….arrgghh." Another convulsion abruptly wracked his body. As before energy flared from deep within him making him glow blue. The convulsion dragged on and on. Just when it seemed that Tom would not be able to endure anymore it stopped and the energy flash once more faded away. Tom gasped shaking violently – more pain was noticeable on his face now.
"Can't you give him anything for the pain," B'Elanna asked the Doctor.
"I don't know if anything will work but we can try," the Doctor responded moving over to his medicine rack that was always kept full. Selecting a strong painkiller the Doctor slotted the appropriate cartridge into a hypospray and turned around to return to the surgical bay. To see that Tom had pushed himself up onto his elbows and was looking straight at the palms of his hands which were glowing with swirling blue energy. Janeway and B'Elanna were also staring at the glowing shaqarava – it was one thing to hear about the shaqarava quiet another to actually see someone with them glowing. Particularly if that someone – like Tom Paris – hadn't been born with them. It just somehow didn't seem right in Tom – didn't seem quiet natural.
The Doctor coaxed his legs into motion at that and returned to the surgical bay just as Tom flexed his fingers and made the shaqarava stop glowing.
"Glad I still remember how to do that," Tom commented his voice thick with the pain he was experiencing.
"This will help with the pain," I hope, the Doctor added to himself as he placed the hypospray against Tom's neck and injected the drug. Almost immediately Tom felt the fiery pain that was burning through him fade away to a distant background ache. He sighed in relief then lay back down grateful for the respite all the while wondering how long it would be before the next convulsion came and what that would do to him.
At that moment the sickbay doors opened and Baxter came through followed by Liam Kincaid and a Taelon who wore a white smock over his blue jumpsuit. The Taelon also carried a small bag – presumably the Taelon equivalent of a medkit. Baxter then left at a gesture from Janeway to return to his duty station.
"Captain Janeway," Liam said formally. "This is Mit'gai one of our most prominent healers and scientists."
"I hope that I am able to be of assistance," Mit'gai said smoothly as he to came up followed by General Kincaid. "Could someone please explain to me what has happened so far."
Quickly the Doctor explained everything that had happened in the thirty minutes or so that had passed since Tom and B'Elanna had come into sickbay – Tom complaining of a nasty headache and the discovery that the Taelon DNA left in his body was becoming active again. This Mit'gai already knew. But still his listened intently as the Doctor described how Tom had begun running a heavy fever and the discovery of the influenza-like virus that had hooked onto Tom's Taelon DNA reactivating a small part of it when the virus became active.
"The virus has been completely destroyed now," the Doctor concluded. "However Mr Paris' Taelon DNA has continued to reactivate itself. In the last ten to fifteen minutes Mr Paris has suffered two powerful convulsions each accompanied by an internal blast of energy. Each time new energy pathways and structures have formed."
"Yeah including these things," Tom held up a hand and Mit'gai immediately noticed the reddish shaqarava mark in his palm. He was so used to seeing them now that he no longer flinched at the sight of operational shaqarava. After all he regularly dealt with injured hybrids – all of whom had the shaqarava.
"I see," Mit'gai said fishing in his medkit for his scanner. "Your Taelon DNA should not have continued to activate after the virus was destroyed by your immune system. It should have gone dormant again. Something else must be going on."
Retrieving his scanner from its slot he proceeded to sweep it up and down Tom's body three times. Then stopped to analyse the findings. What he saw made him blush blue slightly in the Taelon equivalent of a frown.
"Curious," he said.
"What is," the Doctor demanded sweeping his own medical tricorder over Tom. He frowned at the results. "That's odd."
"Would someone please explain," Janeway demanded before either Tom or B'Elanna could do so.
"The antibodies released into Mr Paris' system to destroy the virus have had a secondary effect," Mit'gai told her calmly. "They've apparently adapted themselves to destroy the chemical elements we introduced into Mr Paris' bloodstream to repress those Taelon DNA traits that we to deeply integrated with Mr Paris' DNA to be removed safely. Without those chemical elements there is nothing to stop the Taelon DNA from becoming active once more. Which is what it is now doing."
"Can you stop it," Tom demanded.
"I'm afraid not," Mit'gai admitted. "The chemicals we introduced to your system were the only things capable of safely suppressing such deeply integrated genes. We could reintroduce the chemicals but it would do no good your body has become immune to them now." Tom's shoulders slumped as his worst fears were confirmed.
"Then there is nothing that you can…arrgghh." A third powerful convulsion abruptly wracked Tom's body as always accompanied by a surge of energy.
Liam immediately exploded into movement. Quickly he darted around to the head of the bed and placed his shaqarava close to Tom's head and allowed them to activate. Janeway, the Doctor and B'Elanna immediately noticed something strange. The colour of Liam's shaqarava energy was different to the blue energy that was apparently normal for Taelon shaqarava. Instead of blue his glowed a pinkish-white. The energy immediately seemed to have an effect.
The pain on Tom's face faded even as the convulsion continued dragging on and on. Liam closed his eyes in concentration. Inhibiting pain like this was a great strain on him. Immediately he felt Mit'gai, Da'an and the rest of the Commonality reach out mentally to him providing him with the additional strength he needed.
After what seemed like an age he felt Tom's energy levels drop back down and the convulsion stop. Liam stopped what he was doing and immediately crumpled exhausted by the energy expenditure to his knees. Deactivating his shaqarava he took a number of deep breaths before climbing back to his feet.
(Are you all right Liam?) Mit'gai asked telepathically knowing full well that blocking pain reception to such a degree was a strain on the Kimera hybrid. The fact that Liam was a Kimera hybrid not a Taelon one didn't bother him or any other Taelon. Once they'd found out what he was three hundred and sixty-five years ago it hadn't bothered them at all. In fact his existence had intrigued them more than anything and his help had been instrumental in solving both the core energy crisis and the sterility problems.
(I'll be all right in a few minutes,) Liam replied. (It's just been awhile since I did that.)
(Yes I remember. The last time was the birth of your great-granddaughter wasn't it?)
(Yes.)
Liam pulled himself back together feeling better already.
"Are you all right," Janeway asked eyeing Liam in concern.
"I'm fine just blocking pain reception like that is not easy."
"I'm grateful for it thank you," Tom said weakly. He looked straight at Mit'gai. "How many more of these things am I going to go through?" Mit'gai used his scanner again.
"None," he responded after a moment. "That last energy surge was the last one you will experience. The last of the residual DNA has reactivated itself. You're now three quarters Human and one quarter Taelon."
Tom slumped back onto the biobed in a mixture of relief and resignation. Relief that he wouldn't suffer any more pain – the residual ache from all the changes were already fading away. Resignation at being once more a hybrid something that he had never wanted to be but would now have to learn to live with.
"So what happens now," he asked.
"Nothing. You have a few things to learn," Mit'gai said. "Like how to control your shaqarava properly. Somehow I don't think anyone on board would appreciate you accidentally blowing a hole in the side of the ship."
"Least of all me," B'Elanna commented. "Since I'd have to fix it."
"Fortunately learning to control shaqarava is relatively easy when you've got someone to teach you and holographic exercises designed for that purpose," Liam said. "Unlike me you are going to have someone to teach you how. Any of us can tell you how."
"What do you mean unlike you," B'Elanna asked.
"Liam was one of the first hybrids," Mit'gai said. "He had to learn how to control his powers completely on his own as we couldn't help. Our shaqarava haven't worked for millions of years at least not in the way that they originally did. We can only join telepathically or sharing thoughts or feelings with others through ours. We can't throw energy bolts or generate shields, heal injuries that sort of thing like hybrids like Liam can. In addition Liam had the problem of being much more powerful than regular hybrids."
"Why is that," Janeway asked.
"Because I'm not a Taelon hybrid," Liam answered.
"Liam is the last of his kind and also the first real hybrid," Mit'gai said. "He is the last child of an ancient race called the Kimera. A race who were our friends and teachers aeons ago before they died off." He didn't say that it had been the Taelons who destroyed the Kimera. The shame of admitting that would be too great.
"So your alone?"
"No," Liam replied. "I'm not alone. The Taelons were the children of the Kimera so to speak so while I'm around them and around other hybrids I'm never lonely or anything like that."
"What can I expect to happen now," Tom asked.
"Nothing much. You do have the shaqarava," Liam replied. "And all the powers that come with them. And you might find that the telepathic and telekinetic abilities that lay dormant in full Humans might be active in you I don't know yet. Physically your now considerably stronger. Your lifespan will be that of a normal Human you won't live for a thousand years or so like I will or for a few centuries like other Taelon/Human hybrids do."
"Good I wouldn't want to," Tom said he glanced over at B'Elanna and carefully reached out to take her hand. "I wouldn't want to live for three hundred or so years without B'Elanna." B'Elanna blushed even as her hand and Tom's touched. A jolt of shock abruptly rippled through her as she suddenly sensed Tom's being and his equal jolt of shock when he sensed her. They both heard a chuckle from both Liam and Captain Janeway.
"What's so funny," Tom demanded to know letting go of B'Elanna's hand which made the awareness stop.
"Nothing just the look on your faces," Liam replied. "You just shared inadvertently. You'll learn eventually how to stop that happening. It's easy when you know how. And theirs another thing. Your husband and wife yes?"
"Yes."
"The Taelon part of you wants to create a kind of mental link between you and your wife," Mit'gai told Tom. "It always happens when one of us or a hybrid chooses a mate. It's called the va'ruu. The closest term in English would be love bond. When a bond forms both partners are aware of where the other is. You can even talk telepathically to each other through the bond and share images and feelings if you so chose. Alternatively you can block each other out and simply just be aware of each other. It will form weather you want it to our not. It's instinct."
"Interesting," the Doctor commented. "If my database is correct the Vulcans have a similar thing when they take a mate."
"I'm afraid that I am not very familiar with the Vulcans," Mit'gai admitted. "We never encountered them when we were in your part of this galaxy. So I'll take your word for it. But it would be a natural thing for a telepathic species." At that moment Tom yawned loudly. "Am I boring you Mr Paris?"
"No I'm tired," Tom admitted.
"That's no surprise," Mit'gai commented. "Considering what you've just been through. You'll go to sleep soon and will stay asleep for quiet sometime. Your body is exhausted."
"Then you must all leave to let Mr Paris get some sleep," the Doctor said his tone making it clear that it was an order.
"Someone will come aboard later to help you learn to control your new powers lieutenant," Mit'gai said as he put his scanner away before starting for the door with Liam at his side.
Janeway watched them go, she was about to leave when a word from Tom stopped her.
"Captain," he said. She turned to face him and gave him an enquiring look. "I think that it's time that the rest of the senior staff learns what happened to me in the past," Tom said. "And what I am now."
"You're sure."
"Yes. They have the right to know."
"Very well then I'll tell them."
"Thank you."
"Pleasant dreams Tom," Janeway said then left the room. She waited outside for a few moments then B'Elanna joined her having stayed behind to say goodnight to her husband. She didn't look happy about spending tonight on her own – not that it was ships night yet but late afternoon. Janeway then tapped her combadge. "All senior staff bar the Doctor and Lieutenant Paris report for briefing," she ordered then closed the channel. "Let's go," she said to B'Elanna who nodded back. Together they headed for the turbolift.