(2)

It had happened during her years at University. She was a young and serious student. She studied hard. Helena was determined to ace her lessons, to become the doctor her late Father wanted her to become, and nothing was going to stop his or her ambition.

Then handsome Walden Avery came into her life and swept the lovely young virginal medical student off her feet. Always thoughtful, Helena wanted nothing more than to be a scholar, but she fell in love. She and Walden's nights together, filled with promises of perfect prospects, were like dream. All was splendid for a year until Helena discovered she was going to have his baby.

Walden, feeling cornered, rejected her and the child. He then disappeared, leaving school and what some called a highly prized scholarship behind … All because he was afraid. Years later Helena would discover he married and had three other children. He supported them by managing a medical clinic, a far cry from the cardiac surgeon he aspired to be.

Distraught, Helena could not believe she had fallen for a spineless coward. He had lied to her and the young woman swore it would never happen to her again. Nine months later, still in school, Helena gave birth to a beautiful little girl. Initially, she thought to give the baby up for adoption. She was in no position to raise a child. But her mother insisted she would take care of the baby while Helena continued her education. After breast-feeding Karen, feeling the warmth of her child's skin against her own, and hearing her gentle coos, Helena's cool reserve melted. Truth be told, she wanted to keep her child all during her pregnancy but did not know how it would be possible until her mother stepped forward and offered her help.

Time passed, Helena entered into an internship and she saw Karen as often as she could. She watched her grow. Helena loved her little angel, was stunned to discover she had a beautiful singing voice, and beamed over the photographs her mother sent. One day she would have a nice long chat with Karen about their future together. Soon, Helena knew, she would be able to take her pick of hospitals to work in and she and Karen would be able to spend much more time together as mother and daughter

Sadly, it was not to happen.

One day, after Helena had worked a hard day in the ER, she received a call from her mother …

"You need to come home, Helena."

"I can't, Mother." she said, "It kills me that I will miss Karen's birthday but …"

"You must come home. Karen is not well."

"It was a rare child's virus called Maxim's Syndrome. It started out as nothing more than a cold but then a fever came, a rash, and by the time Helena got home the girl was lapsing into convulsions."

Maya and Tony looked at one another as John spoke quietly to them from his desk in Command Center. Both stood before him, blocking his view of the child on the big screen.

It had grown quiet and her eyes closed. The creature seemed to be napping. Koenig refused to think of it as a child. What it had done to Helena, forcing her to relive a painful memory, was brutal and unforgivable.

"And Karen died?" Maya asked, not unkindly.

"Not right away. She appeared to be recovering, Helena even celebrated her birthday with Karen, and they were happy to be together …" John's voice faded, "But something went wrong and Karen died the following day. Thankfully it was quick and – all things considered – straightforward. But Helena …" Again, John faded a little.

He recalled Helena telling him the story, the tears she shed, and the complete misery the revelation caused. He could only hold her and commiserate. Still, at the time, it had also warmed John. Helena thought enough of them as a couple to tell him something so personal. She wanted no secrets between them.

"Poor Helena." Maya lamented, "But she never told us ... Helena and I have talked and …"

"No one knows."

"Only you." Tony added.

Koenig nodded. He wasn't about to explain to them how he and Helena talked, shared intimate secrets no others could or should know. But Karen and what had happened to her was – indeed – one of those secrets, now revealed.

"Commander," Yasko called from her station, "The entity wants to talk but will only do it if her Mother … That is, if Dr. Russell is present."

Koenig, along with Tony and Maya looked again up at the screen. The girl was still there, awake now and playing a game with string it seemed. They needed to get out of this web but how could he ask Helena to face the child, as phony as she was, when her death had traumatized the woman so deeply?

Helena had never even placed Karen's existence into her personal record.

With a deep sigh, John Koenig stood. "Keep an eye on her … it." He said to Verdeschi. "I'll get Helena."

To be continued ...