Chapter 7
After two days of testing numerous subjects, Dr. Heidelburg had requested a few hours to himself to review the data that had been gathered in preparation for the second phase of his research. He would not share the nature of this second phase, nor his findings from the first.
In the meantime, T'Ling had been asked to assign one of her medical staff to examine the crew in stasis aboard a sleeper ship in the new orbital drydock. While she normally delegated such duties, she had been trying to get out of the Infirmary more, and she did have some experience with stasis medicine in her early career, so she had volunteered herself.
The bracing ride through the cold Berengarian air to the Shuttlepod Hangar, however, had convinced her that leaving the base tower would be a rare occurrence.
She now strolled through the long mid-section of the Velikan which contained the decks of stasis units filled with the slumbering crew, blissfully unaware of their ship's stopover for repairs. T'Ling had individually scanned each crewmember - scientists, engineers, specialists; all young men and women who had given up their lives on Earth to explore the unknown. She paced along the corridor lined with glass-doored bunks, reviewing her medical scanner's readouts, until she reached Commander McQueen at the stasis monitoring console for this deck.
"All crewmembers on this deck are showing optimal bio-readings," she reported.
"Good," said McQueen as she pressed a few buttons on the console, watching the screen carefully. "Everything seems fine with the stasis units themselves too, but I'm just waiting on a diagnostic finishing before we move on to the next deck."
"Very well," said T'Ling. She holstered her scanner and clasped her hands behind her back. She had intended on mentally preparing her next reports to both Starfleet Medical and the Vulcan Defence Force, as well as review the upcoming staff physical schedule while she patiently waited, but McQueen had other plans.
"So, you and Doctor Heidelburg seemed quite friendly yesterday," she said with a smirk.
T'Ling raised an eyebrow. She knew, of course, what the Human was insinuating, but would not dignify it with acknowledgement.
"I have been assisting him with his research," T'Ling said. "A process hindered by a lack of punctuality from the test subjects."
McQueen chuckled and tucked a strand of her unruly reddish-blonde hair behind her ear as she leaned on the console. "You're just his assistant then, huh? Nothing more?"
T'Ling maintained her dignified calm and shut down the younger woman's line of questioning. "I am not only a widow but Dr. Heidelburg's senior by over a century, Commander. The level of… fraternisation you are suggesting would be inappropriate."
McQueen grinned. "No worries, Doc, I'm just being a tease."
"Indeed," T'Ling agreed.
"Seems to me though, that things like remaining celibate, what, twenty years after your spouse has passed, or caring about an age difference are illogical…"
T'Ling started to protest again, then McQueen held up a hand to interrupt.
"But even so, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy a bit of companionship. Purely platonic. I know that we must seem like insects to you - short-lived and dumb - but Dr. Heidelburg is a peer. Someone a bit more mature, a fellow academic, someone you might enjoy spending time with." She took on a more serious expression. "It's good you're out and about more. No sense in being lonely all the time."
T'Ling considered this. It was true, and perhaps a sign of arrogance on her part, that she found non-Vulcans to be unrelatable. Even some of her fellow Vulcans were difficult to converse with. Her culture had rapidly changed over the past few years, and she was finding it hard to keep up. Heidelburg was somewhat intriguing, perhaps he felt the same way about her. He certainly seemed to be well-versed in Vulcan culture, and T'Ling had been contemplating his words on mind-melds since yesterday.
"You are correct," she eventually said to McQueen.
"Yeah?"
T'Ling fixed her with a blank stare. "You do seem like insects."
McQueen just laughed.
Mercifully, Lt. Garrison had left Loxus alone in the drydock control room after entering his access code and giving a lecture, as if it were Loxus' fault for his forgetfulness. The man seemed to get away with incompetence through sheer luck alone.
Loxus had continued his work uninterrupted until he required technical assistance reinstalling the data relays. At his request for help, Commander Patel had sent Technician Keller.
When Loxus had explained to Keller that he would need to manually reinstall each relay himself while Loxus monitored the data network, Keller had murmured something under his breath about "lazy Vulcans." If only he knew how much 'Sylor' agreed with him.
"Will that be all, sir?" said Keller when his task was completed, his tone abrasive. "Or will there be anything else?"
Loxus may have agreed with Keller's assessment of Vulcans, but it was difficult not to take the Human's insubordination personally.
"You may leave, Technician," Loxus said.
"Superior intellect, my ass," Keller quietly muttered on his way out. Loxus was almost starting to side with the Vulcans.
His peace was soon interrupted again by the arrival of Dr. T'Ling.
He turned in his chair to face the small, elderly woman. "May I help you, Doctor?"
She remained at the doorway, hands behind her back. "I am waiting for the rest of the science team to complete their analysis of the Earth vessel so that we may return to the base. I noticed your presence and found it opportune, as I have a query for a fellow Vulcan."
Loxus raised an eyebrow. "Proceed."
Since the beginning of his undercover mission, he had tried to avoid Vulcan doctors wherever possible. While virtually identical, there were a few subtle anatomical differences between Vulcans and Romulans. Starfleet doctors wouldn't pick them up, but a Vulcan might. His falsified medical history explained these differences as minor birth defects, but he liked to err on the side of caution and not draw too much attention to it.
T'Ling hesitated a moment, then said, "I am curious as to your experience with and opinion of taroon-ifla."
This froze Loxus. Taroon-ifla was the infamous Vulcan mind-meld. The Vulcans' invasive telepathic abilities were one of the major differences between the Romulans and their distant brothers. When he had started his assignment, melding was still taboo in Vulcan culture, so he and his fellow undercover operatives did not need to worry about this discrepancy.
Then the Syrrannite Reformation had occurred. The Vulcans had returned to their primitive ways, including the embracing of mind-melding. Thankfully, the topic was still rarely discussed, so Loxus had not needed to find an excuse for avoiding the practice. Until now.
He carefully chose his words. "I have not yet found the time to indulge in learning to meld."
T'Ling cocked her head. "In six years? It was my understanding that the younger generations were most interested in the process."
"Perhaps for the majority… But, in truth, I have never felt the compulsion to learn. Out of personal preference."
T'Ling bowed her head. "I see. Then I apologise for disturbing you."
She started to leave, then Loxus said, "If I may ask, Doctor… What was the reason for your inquiry?"
She hesitated again. "Doctor Heidelburg was interested in melding. As I do not have a great deal of experience with the process, I was attempting to gather more information for him."
He nodded and she left. Loxus found himself still thinking about mind-melding though.
The Vulcan cultural shift against melding had originally been a Romulan plot, as part of their now defunct, centuries-long campaign to slowly, secretly influence Vulcan society away from logic and pacifism back towards the noble world Loxus' ancestors had been exiled from.
About 250 years ago, medical reports had been released to the public showing fabricated evidence that mind-melds were hazardous to the brain. Several key political, scientific and social figures - either undercover Romulans or manipulated by the same - also spoke out about how the practice was intrusive and uncouth. That it violated the sanctity of the mind and the katra.
Alternative, factually-based evidence was eventually released denouncing these earlier reports, but by then the cultural damage had been done. No one was willing to admit that they indulged in such reckless, illicit behaviour, and melding soon fell into obscurity.
It amazed Loxus how easily a society could be made to believe a lie, even with all the evidence in front of them.