17
Those Left Behind
"My apologies for bringing you all up at this hour but time is not on our side," Pike apologized as he glanced around the conference table.
Spock, Louvier, Una, Boyce and Amin, Nicola and Mann looked at him, each of them ready to hear what he would have to say.
"As you all know; Una, Phil, Spock and I will beam down to Circusia within the hour to discuss the oppression of the empaths. However, before that, I'd like to know how it is coming along with the expedition we sent to Trehelios."
"It is an interesting place," Spock began. "It does have three moons and a longer trajectory around the sun than Sobral but other than that the facts remain inconclusive."
"Meaning?" Chris asked.
"We've only scratched the surface of a vast amount of structured data but so far there has been no signs of any civilization," Nicola reported. "No written words have been found, no form of communication whatsoever. Unless you count adventurers from this day."
"In all fairness," Amin reasoned. "Our team has only been present for a week. The planet is large. With the Enterprise in orbit around Circusia we can't deploy our scanners or search deeper down under the planet's surface for signs of long-lost civilizations. The shuttle simply doesn't have the means for such a task."
"There is, however, an interesting formation on the northern continent, close to the pole," Louvier said. "It's not a naturally occurring element and definitely man-made but the team hasn't been able to find an exact date or time period for it."
"Don't keep us on our toes," Una remarked. "What is it? A monument?"
"A pile of rocks," Mann said. "At least that's what I saw on the pictures sent back yesterday."
Amin huffed. "I can definitely see why you aren't an archeologist," she offered with a smirk.
"Well, keep at it," Pike said. "Was there anything else?"
"Not at the moment, sir," Nicola answered for all of them.
He nodded. "Good. You're dismissed."
OOOOOO
The chancellor and chief physician stared in wonder as the glowing light grew more intense and morphed into several humans.
Captain Christopher, Commander Una, Doctor Philip and Lieutenant Spock appeared before them, looking no worse for wear.
Ta'Bob Bobba Dus gently turned to each of them and bowed slightly. "Welcome back," he said.
The chancellor was about to say something more but was interrupted by Ta'Rex Da Od who burst into the room and offered a humble apology before whispering something in the chancellor's ear.
By the looks of it the news wasn't good.
"Something wrong, chancellor?" Pike asked.
The Circusian hesitated then sighed. "The Klingons have taken off with a Gargantian supply shuttle. Several injuries have been reported."
"I can order the Enterprise to bring them back to you," Chris offered.
He shook his head and forced a smile on his thin lips. "No, there is no need. I'll have Ta'Rex Da Od alert the Gargantians. I am sure everything will be taken care of."
Una smirked. The chancellor didn't want the Klingon warriors back on his planet of leisure and pleasure – no one would want monsters in paradise. She supposed this was a perfect solution for the chancellor. The tourists would now be safe and Circusias reputation would once again flourish.
OOOOOO
Teelar was happy. For the first time in her life, she felt hope for the future. She walked the well-worn and familiar path from the shed to the pasture to feed the Hav'rats. Doctor Ov'Da Bob Da waited for her to come to the government building so she had to be quick while performing her duties at the Biosphere this morning.
The Hav'rats greeted her with affection and kindness as she began to portion out the food. They were unusually livid and appeared to be unsettled as she took a step back to watch them eat.
"You didn't really care for his life, did you?" a cold voice asked from behind her.
Teelar whirled around in surprise and came face to face with three men in Gargantian uniform attire.
She forced herself to remain calm and managed a faint smile. "I am sorry; are you here with supplies for the animals?" she asked.
"It has taken me one year to find out what happened to my brother; how and why he died," one of the men said coldly. "I understand he was reckless but he had just about the same right as everyone else here to be healed."
She hesitated for a second as if deciding on how to respond. "Do you know how we came to be there? At the hospital?"
He glared at her.
"Because we are forced too," she added.
"He was everything I had back home. Everything I am, I owe to him and you've taken that away from me," the Gargantian said angrily.
The Hav'rats neighed worriedly at the scene that unfolded before them.
"I couldn't-," she began regretfully.
"If you truly couldn't then, you can't now either," he reasoned as he pulled the trigger of the small handgun.
Telaar gasped and fell backwards as the small vicious bullets impacted her petite body. Although she had felt the pain of others, nothing could have prepared her for the pain she was feeling now. There hadn't been time to steel the body, to prepare it for the onslaught of emotions that now threatened to overcome her. She could not heal herself and with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and panic she reached out to the one she considered to be her only hope.
OOOOOO
"It has always been this way," Ta'Bob Bobba Dus reasoned. "They are happy with the arrangement."
"Happy with the arrangement?" Doctor Boyce echoed dryly, the skepticism and disbelief in his tone of voice was unmistakable.
Doctor Ov'Da Bob Da suddenly burst into the room, looking upset. "I can't find her," he said regrettably. "I've been looking everywhere at the Biosphere and the hospital."
Chris got this foreboding premotion and shuddered involuntarily.
Ov'Da Bob Da turned to the chancellor with an incredible look on his face, as if remembering something. "That supply ship from Gargantos; the one the man she was supposed to have saved was assigned too-,"
"It came for a delivery a few hours ago," the chancellor filled in. "I don't know how many times I have apologized for that incident."
Una narrowed her eyes at the Circusian leader. "Do they harbor any bad feelings against her?" she asked carefully.
"If there is anyone whom they should seek rectification from, it would be me," Doctor Tee'Pa Dus Do pointed out. "I made the call and I-," he hesitated as he glanced around the room, "- I considered him the most expendable party and therefore the most suited patient to invite a new empath in the important work they perform for the hospital."
"Do you hear what you're saying, doctor?" the Enterprise's CMO stated with dismay. "At least in Starfleet and the territories of the Federation, being a doctor means to save lives; not sacrifice them."
Pike suddenly sucked on a breath, overcome by an eerie feeling of despair, then a chill went down his spine and he cried out in pain as it suddenly seemed to engulf him. His nerves screamed at him and he couldn't breathe as a horrendous searing sensation erupted from within his left side.
"Chris!" Una shouted worriedly as she grabbed his arm. "Talk to me, what is going on?"
He leveled his eyes with hers. "Have Louvier pinpoint Teelar's life-sign and beam us directly to her. I think she's in trouble. I can't explain it but I feel it."
Una flipped her communicator open and hailed the ship.
Chris took a deep breath and turned to the chancellor as both Doctor Boyce and Doctor Ov'Da Bob Da reached for him, to offer support. "I hope you're ready to try out the transporter, chancellor," he said.
OOOOOO
17/24
AN: Thank you for all the kind reviews. Those are treasured and very welcomed. Enjoy the rest of the story.
