Chapter 12

Threv was laughing.

Sat slumped against a tree, he had given in to the insanity of the situation and just let the laughter burst loudly out of him.

Instead of dying in battle because he suffered a panic attack, he was now going to die from being lost in alien woods that were filled with bugs and naked Andorians. It was exchanging one indignity for another.

Perhaps he had already been gone for days. He couldn't know for sure - his chronometer was meaningless to him now - but his water had ran out some time ago. Several times he had considered leaving a recording on his communicator for his bondmates, but he could think of nothing to say that would elevate him from his disgrace. At least, with him gone, they could leave this bizarre planet and start a new family elsewhere.

They would be better off.

His laughter died down as these dark thoughts gripped him, which they often did.

As if in response, a beam of light caught his eye. He turned to see that it emanated from between a cluster of trees. Realising it could mean he was nearing the edge of the forest, he pulled himself to his feet and set out towards the light's source.

He moved swiftly but cautiously. These woods had been playing tricks on him, and he now trusted nothing that he saw.

Confirming his suspicion, his path was suddenly blocked by a sharp-toothed, long-necked Draco, which roared at him menacingly as it leapt out of nowhere. It was smaller than those of its kind Threv had encountered before - it could easily fit between the trees - but still enough of a size to pose a threat. Its bright red body was easily two metres across, and its neck stood up almost as tall.

Threv came to an immediate halt, raising his rifle towards the beast. Unlike Caeldon and her clan, this one seemed feral; snarling and swiping its claws.

Threv took no action. He knew from prior experience that their weapons were useless against the Draco, and he strongly suspected that this one was not open to conversation. He merely stared it down.

The Draco started to charge him, its wings spread wide as it roared.

Threv remained motionless. If this was to be his end, so be it. Better than dying from thirst among silent trees, likely to be left undiscovered for years.

He dropped his rifle and spread his arms, still meeting the beast's gaze, readying himself to be relieved of the burden that his life had become.

The Draco passed right through him.

Now accustomed to the extraordinary, Threv turned to see that the creature had indeed completely vanished. He pondered on this briefly, only then realising that his antennae had not detected the strong bioelectric field that other Draco gave off.

Curious, but filled with an increased desire to escape the forest, Threv resumed heading for the light. He practically ran this time.

He could feel the air growing cooler and could see the light brightening, although still duller than when he had entered the woods. The trees also became more sparse. Soon there were none in front of him at all; only endless green fields under the dimming sunlight.

He closed his eyes, savouring the mild breeze against his azure skin. It was like rolling in the snows of home compared to the stuffy forest. He realised it must be early evening, as the suns were lowering towards the horizon in the distance - he must have been lost all day. If, indeed, it had only been one day.

Everyone was sure to be concerned about him. His bondmates were probably worried sick while half the base staff scoured the woods for him. He felt guilty at the thought that his stupidity had caused such disruption.

He pulled out his communicator and ashamedly reported in.

North had been apprehensive. He had tried to put the evening's awkward dinner to the back of his mind, to focus on the current crisis, but it kept nagging at him. Now, further concerns had been raised as nothing had been heard from Captain Thorpe's search party since they had entered the woods almost an hour ago. Then the starbase had received a call from Guardsman Threv of the original survey team.

North had ordered a shuttlepod sent for Threv, and the young Andorian was presently undergoing examination in the Infirmary, where North now headed to get some answers. Still in his off-duty outfit, he was accompanied by his assistant aide, Ensign Watson, as he did not feel comfortable facing Vaughn again quite yet.

Threv had not required immediate medical attention, so he had been brought to the large Main Infirmary in the middle of the base's tower. A nurse at reception directed the Commodore to Examination Room 3, where he found Dr. T'Ling running a scanner over Threv, who lay on the bed in the spartan room, drinking from a glass of water. One of Threv's spouses, a petite, feminine Andorian, was also present.

"Guardsman," North said. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm… alright, sir," Threv said, in a dry voice. "Just a little… tired."

Dr. T'Ling turned to North. "He is suffering from mild cases of exhaustion and dehydration, but the greater concern is a large amount of an unidentified semiochemical that he has absorbed through the lungs," the Vulcan said flatly.

"Semiochemical?" said North.

"A pheromone secreted by one organism in order to affect another," T'Ling explained. "Usually to attract or disorientate."

"Is it serious?" North asked.

"I cannot be certain without further analysis," said T'Ling, seemingly unworried about this lack of knowledge. "However, I would speculate that it is not lethal or contagious. The structure of the compound suggests it is botanical in origin; likely a plant native to the forest. So long as Mister Threv is no longer exposed to it, he should be unaffected."

Threv spoke up again. "Something was making me confused in the woods. It was difficult to concentrate on stuff like which way I was going. I kept seeing things that weren't there too."

"There is most probably a hallucinogenic quality to the semiochemical as well," said T'Ling. "This is often found in the biochemistry of plantlife."

North nodded. To Threv, he asked, "What happened to the rest of your team, son?"

"I don't know, sir," Threv croaked. He gave a humourless smile. "Until I got rescued, I thought it was just me who was lost."

"You're safe now, th'se," said the feminine Andorian, stroking Threv's arm.

North sighed. "I'm afraid they're all missing. As is the search party we sent after them."

"Commodore," said T'Ling, "it is likely they have all been exposed to this semiochemical and its disorientating effects."

"I only got out by sheer luck, sir," said Threv. "The others might not be so lucky."

North stroked his chin as he considered this new information. He turned to the short, silver-haired healer. "Doctor, would oxygen masks be enough to protect against this chemical?"

T'Ling's sharp features changed not one iota, but she paused briefly in thought. "I believe so."

North looked to Ensign Watson. "Report to Ops and fill them in. Tell them to prepare a second search party equipped with oxygen masks."

"Sir," said T'Ling, "those affected will be delirious and agitated. They may have to be stunned."

"Pass that along too," North said to Watson.

"Aye, sir," said Watson, making a note in her padd.

"I… have a personal errand to run, then I'll report to Ops to check on progress." North still felt he owed Vaughn an apology and he would be unable to stop his guts burning in self-torment until he set this right. There would be nothing he could do in Ops until the search party reported back anyway.

"Keep me updated," he said to T'Ling, then nodded at Threv before turning to leave.

The feminine Andorian approached him. "Uh, Commodore?"

"Yes, Ms…?"

"Sherene," she said. "I haven't heard back from you yet regarding an interview…"

"That will be a 'no' from me, Ms. Sherene." With that, North promptly left.

"I wouldn't worry about it," said Threv, his voice still weak, when the door had shut behind Commodore North and his aide. "I don't think he's the talkative type."

"Oh I'm not worried," said Sherene, with a smirk. "I'll get him eventually." She moved back to Threv's side, stroking his arm again. "How you doing?"

"I'll be okay," Threv said. "Just need some rest." He looked up at Sherene. "Where's Chalmos and Azhri?" he asked, referring to their other bondmates.

"Probably in our quarters," Sherene said. "I don't think they know you're back yet. I just happened to be in the Infirmary to interview Doctor T'Ling here. But I'll let them know."

Threv nodded.

Dr. T'Ling herself interjected. "The computer will take some time to complete its analysis of the semiochemical that Mister Threv inhaled. I suggest that we leave him to recuperate until further information is available."

Sherene leaned down to give Threv a light kiss. "I'll be back with the others later."

Sherene and T'Ling left Threv to drift off to sleep, and the young shen turned to the older woman on the way out.

"Is now a good time for that interview, Doctor?"

T'Ling paused again before saying, "It would be beneficial to complete said interview as soon as possible; so yes."

She led the Andorian towards her office.