Star Trek: TNG
Episode 2.5: Fusion
In Tyson's previous life, aka the one he'd been living last month, he went to a wedding in California. He grew up on the east coast and made a trip out of it, so after the wedding, he rented a car. Not just any car, he splurged and picked up a Camero SS convertible. He spent the week driving down the coast, hitting the major cities until he reached San Diego. Southern California was amazing. The weather was the best found in the continental United States. It was a great way to end the trip.
San Francisco was not like Southern California. It was colder there in June than at his home in New York. House prices were inflated, the homeless people were more aggressive than in NYC, and he saw several instances of heavy drug use and crime; Not even at night, midday. Why Starfleet would choose this miserable city to host their headquarters was beyond him. Sure the city was cleaner in the future but with the cold temperatures wouldn't you rather be in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, or San Diego?
There was no mistaking that Tyson was currently in San Francisco. The Golden Gate bridge stood prominently to his left and the abandoned Alcatraz could be seen in the water. Alcatraz had been converted into a museum and bird sanctuary during his time. Tyson deemed it 'Bird Shit Island'. With the number of avians there, the entire place wreaked of their waste.
He felt a vibration on his wrist. Looking down, he realized he was wearing a futuristic smartwatch. A small holographic stream of text appeared.
Deanna Troi: Come to Fusion. Will's playing tonight!
An address was attached and his smartwatch automatically created an arrow navigating to the destination. The biting wind was reduced to a slight discomfort thanks to his improved constitution. As he walked through the moderately crowded streets, Tyson pondered his situation.
When he envisioned helping T'Pol he thought this would be some kind of meditation session where he was instructed by Troi. At most involving a few visions or glimpses of events from the past. He wasn't expecting full consciousness immersion. This environment rivaled the holodeck or his instanced dungeons. Receiving a message from Troi was curious. He knew she would serve as his guide but wasn't sure in the exact capacity. When he reached Fusion, he wondered if she and T'Pol would be there, or if she was just a guiding voice.
Tyson reached the building. The Fusion logo, a yin-yang symbol with 'Fus' in the black and 'Ion' in the white portion was blazoned on the door and wall. The club wasn't packed, and he was allowed entry without interference from the bouncer. The wall decor was an eclectic mix; portions of it were an orange Venetian plaster, a Japanese shoji screen, and others a gothic metal design. Tyson didn't recognize the gothic design from his time and wasn't sure if it was abstract or Vulcan in nature. The round tables and chairs were all a matching translucent plastic-like material and sized for pairs, each adorned with a single candle. The ambiance matched the Jazz music audible a block away.
Looking over the light crowd, Tyson spotted Deanna alone at a table. She reached over and gave him a hug after he sat. The candlelight danced enticingly over her cleavage. In the dim lounge, he couldn't tell the exact color of her outfit, but she was as beautiful as he'd ever seen her. Troi's makeup was heavier than usual, her eyelids marked with blue eye shadow.
Not wanting to be distracted, he asked, "Hey, I'm not late am I? Have you seen T'Pol?"
Watching the stage, she replied, "Nope, Will hasn't gone on yet. Who's Dypal?"
Tyson's face scrunched up. The performers were in between sets. Ambient music played at a tone low enough that it didn't drown out discussions. Deanna shouldn't have misheard. He repeated himself, and again Deanna seemed to not know who he was talking about.
He was about to ask another question, but Deanna shushed him and grabbed his arm pulling it against the outside of her chest. Tyson enjoyed the softness against his arm and decided playing along for a few minutes wouldn't hurt.
A drumkit and piano were already on the stage when Tyson walked in. A few men came out from behind a curtain, one went to the previously placed drums, and the others were carrying their instruments, a trombone, guitar, bass guitar, and saxophone. The trombone-wielder, Riker, stood out with his tall, stocky build.
Troi's eyes lit up as he walked onto the stage. Tyson felt small pangs of jealousy. Recognizing his own emotions, Tyson reached to sense Deanna's. Nothing. He hadn't realized it before, but he wasn't getting any sense from the people here. Neither his empathy nor telepathy was working. They started playing and Tyson had to admit, they were good. It didn't seem like they were playing a set piece, but more a freeform arrangement that allowed each musician to showcase their individual talents.
The host's voice resonated through the room's speakers. "Does anyone want to jump on the piano? We're always looking for new talent. Don't be shy!"
Dianna still attached to Tyson's arm shook him, "You should go up. I'd love to see you play together. Do you play?"
"I might have had a lesson or two," Tyson muttered.
He was telling the truth. As a child, he had a single piano lesson but wasn't that interested, so it was dropped. As an adult, he watched a few YouTube video tutorials, but without true guidance, he hadn't made any progress with the instrument. Troi was incessant on him going up to the stage, so much so that Tyson was becoming suspicious. She was supposed to be his guide, he should follow her lead.
Tyson stood and made his way to the piano. There was light applause as he approached the stage. Three steps up and he made it to the chair, a simple seat with a low back. The piano was actually a keyboard on a simple metal stand, three pedals on the floor were connected into the back of the keyboard by a wire.
Tyson felt uneasy. He was always anxious in front of crowds. Giving presentations during school was bad enough, playing an instrument he wasn't familiar with in front of so many people was a nightmare.
He closed his eyes. Tyson had no faith in his musical talent. However, he had faith in his gamer ability. He began playing.
Perform Check (DC: 10) = 30 Major Success
Perform skill has increased! 8 - 9
With his eyes closed, his fingers glided across the keys keeping tempo with the drummer. His skill hadn't failed him. It was strange just riding the sensations and instincts presented by his skill. When he fought, it felt like it was his intent and skill that drove the rolls. In this case, he was a passenger in his body. The skill guided him through the cord progressions and arpeggios culminating in a great jazz flow.
The audience applauded, surprised that a walk-in was able to play with such proficiency. Usually, when a random person jumped in, they stumbled through the set. Not this time. It was clear to Deanna Troi that Riker was not pleased. When the time for Tyson's solo came, he played very well. Immediately after Riker jumped in and did his solo, challenging the newcomer.
Perform Check (DC: 20): 26 Success
Tyson was able to match Riker's playing in that second round. He wasn't sure how, but his skill was telling him the rhythm would continue for only one more round. Riker blew his trombone like a Big Bad Jazz Wolf, just without all the hair… cause this was the beardless Riker.
Perform Check (DC: 25): 14 Critical Failure
+1 Luck
Tyson faltered. He'd been playing well, but he couldn't stand in the face of Riker's jazz barrage His fingers stumbled across the keys, and he couldn't get the timing right. He was playing like he feared he would. It was like his gas tank ran empty and he didn't reach the finish line.
As the set reached conclusion, there was loud applause, most of it for Riker. Tyson shook the man's hand and thanked the other members of the band for allowing him to play. Troi came up to the stage and placed a hand on Tyson's shoulder.
"You played so well. I didn't expect you to be so good. The end could use a little work, but you should play more often." She said enthusiastically.
After she moved to Riker and the man placed his trombone on a nearby bench. He lifted Deanna into the air and kissed her.
She leaned into the kiss, obviously wanting, and enjoying it. That hurt a bit. Tyson and Troi hadn't agreed to anything exclusive or talked about their relationship at all really. But seeing her kiss another guy, unexpectedly, not ten feet away was more than he'd been prepared for. He looked away, stepping off the stage to get out of the bright lights.
Tyson looked to the back of the room as his eyes adapted to the dim lighting and saw her. T'Pol. Her hair was back to the traditional Vulcan cut ending just above her shoulder. At the table with her was another Vulcan. They seemed to be speaking somewhat heatedly. The Vulcan man grabbed T'Pol's hand and lead her outside the club. Tyson could see her struggling to no avail, the man was stronger.
Turning back to the stage, Tyson yelled to Troi, "Deanna, I need your help."
She didn't even acknowledge hearing him. He tried again, as loud as he could project. No answer. Turning back, T'Pol was already out the door. He wasn't willing to wait or try again. He ran to catch up.
One block down, Tyson made up the distance. T'Pol's resistance slowed the Vulcans enough for him to catch up. Noticing his pursuer, the Vulcan assailant pulled her into an alleyway. The narrow corridor was filled with piles of discarded cardboard and grungy blankets. The Vulcan abductor pushed T'Pol to the ground where she landed among the refuse. Tyson used Observe on the Vulcan.
Tolaris
{Avatar of Pa'nar}
Now Tyson was getting somewhere. Pa'nar syndrome was T'Pol's condition he was trying to heal. If this Vulcan was its manifestation, defeating it might be all he needs to do. Tyson tried to pull his phasers from his Inventory. He failed. He found similar failure with his mace and shield, and everything else. His Inventory was locked like his psionic abilities.
Martial Arts/Medicine Check (DC: 60) = 62 Success!
Tyson moved into range and applied a Vulcan Neck Pinch on Tolaris. His minor success caused the Vulcan man to seize up and fall to the ground. The minor success wouldn't keep the avatar down for long. Tyson grabbed the nearest weapon he could find. It was a brick that had shaken loose from the building's facade. Using the improvised weapon, he went to town on the Vulcan's head.
It was brutal. Easily the worst thing he'd seen or done in either of his lives. To Tolaris's credit, after the second hit, he regained movement and tried to fight back. It was too late. He was already blinded by blood covering his face and Tyson matched his strength but had greater leverage ending any resistance quickly. By the time Observe read Tolaris as deceased, Tyson and the alleyway entrance were covered in blood and bits of brain matter and bone. It was such a gruesome sight, Tyson regretted not picking Aesthetic Damage when he had the lewd perk choice.
~~Star Trek: TNG~~
Moments after Tolaris's death, Tyson found himself in a different setting. The chilly San Fransisco evening was replaced with the homeostatic atmosphere of a starship. Tyson immediately recognized his surroundings. He should, considering it was where his instance dungeon started every time he entered. The Enterprise shuttle pod.
A screen flickered on near the forward control console. Tyson had deja vu. But this time, instead of Jonathan Archer, appearing on the screen, it was Counselor Troi. Interestingly enough, she was wearing the typical Enterprise-era Starfleet uniform.
Troi began speaking, "Tyson, I'm not sure what you did, but I can feel T'Pol improving. Her emotions are stabilizing, and her sense of control is strengthening. Her soul is healing. I can't help you from here, but if you can find me, I feel I'll be able to join you going forward."
The screen went black as Tyson felt the shuttle pod dock with the Seleya.
His first move was to check if his Inventory worked. Nope. That would've made this whole task easier, with his weapons, biobed, replicator, and tools. He wasn't discouraged. He'd completed this scenario before, with significantly lower skills.
Tyson proceeded much as he had during his first time on the Seleya. He closed off the corridor and locked the doors with his fall-back Cetacean encryption. The encryption made more complex by his language advancing to the native level.
He made his way to the medical bay easily dispatching the two Vulcans before reaching his destination. Observe revealed no differences between these Vulcans and the ones in his instance.
Vulcan Crewman
Negative Status Effect
Trellium-D Poisoning: Trellium-D is a potent neurotoxin for Vulcans. This toxin causes severe aggression and paranoia. Prolonged exposure inflicts a Berserk state.
Berserk: -50% Defense, +50% damage. This status effect causes the character to fly into a rage, attacking the nearest enemy creature.
He dragged the unconscious Vulcans to the medical bay after tying them up with some corridor wiring. He missed his zip ties, but wiring worked the first time he tried, so he stuck with it. He found T'Pol restrained in the biobed exactly as expected.
Tyson didn't know if he was on a time limit like in his initial instance. But it wasn't a risk worth taking. He left the Vulcans, lifted T'Pol, and headed back to the shuttle pod.
Tyson hadn't forgotten the first time he did this. He'd dropped T'Pol and had to spend a luck point to retry. His proper technique and his vastly increased Strength made it an easy task. A quick administration of Axanol snagged from the medical bay, and T'Pol was left unconscious in the pod.
Tyson returned to medical and got to work. He went to the body of the dead mako and grabbed his utility belt and phase pistol. Then he scoured the deck until he found some engineering tools. They weren't as good as what he normally used, but they would help. Tyson got to work repairing the EPS on that deck.
Full power was restored to the deck after some trivial Engineering checks. The lighting in the medical bay revealed what a mess the place was. Tyson threw the first Vulcan into the biobed. Finding the neural decay caused by Trellium-D was an old hat for him at this point. He attended a task he'd always failed thus far, trying to find a cure.
Medicine Check (DC: 30) = 31 Success!
He started with Axanol to ensure the Vulcan stayed unconscious. He followed it up with Tetrovaline to inhibit the immune response. Lastly, he injected Cortropine to stimulate the nervous system. Like magic, the growths on the Vulcan's skin began to fade.
What was impossible when he entered the instance that first week, he now succeeded with a low roll. The power of the gamer system was difficult to quantify. He went from hearing Treknobabble on television to understanding warp-field mechanics in under a month.
Having a solution, Tyson began mixing as much of the cure as he could. He found a bag lying around and filled it with the newly created cure. Then proceed to sneak through the ship administering the treatment. Sneak, incapacitate, cure. Repeat. The work was repetitive, boring, and almost completely mirrored his first trip through the ship.
Stealth Skill Increased! 8-12
The divergence didn't happen until his battle on the bridge. Tyson was able to take out all but one of the Vulcans with his stealth attacks. The slugfest with the Captain was also much shorter-lived due to his increased Strength. After administering his treatment, Tyson began the slog of repairing all the EPS ruptures throughout the ship.
The repairs took much less time than they had during his first run. Once they were done, he returned to the bridge and activated the impulse engines.
Computers Check (DC: 20) = 25 Success!
Computers Skill Increased! 11-12
Physical Science Check (DC: 20) = 31 Success!
Physical Science Skill Increased! 15-16
Tyson navigated the Seleya out of the Trellium-laced asteroid field. He grabbed his phaser and a primitive tricorder he found, and meticulously searched the ship. He adjusted the phaser settings until it could be used as a cutting beam for removing any Trellium-D the Vulcans had fused to the hull and bulkheads. The work took nearly as long as repairing the EPS system. When he finished he jettisoned the Trellium through an airlock. Final task complete, he set a course for the Enterprise.
The two ships docked and the hatch opened allowing access between them. Troi was waiting as the doors opened and leaped into Tyson's arms.
Opening their eyes signaled another shift in the surroundings. This time, they were on the Enterprise, not the NX Enterprise but back on the Enterprise-D.
~~Star Trek: TNG~~
"I can feel her Katra has been healed." Tyson breathed a sigh of relief. They'd been successful in saving T'Pol's soul. His premature celebration was interrupted as Troi continued, "But we're not finished yet. with everything she's been through her emotional control has been completely compromised," stated Troi.
Tyson looked around his room. T'Pol was gone. "How can you tell, how can you still feel her?"
"Can't you feel her too?"
A moment of focus, and Tyson wasn't sure how he'd missed the returned sensation initially. His telepathy and empathy had been completely devoted to the mind-meld and were inaccessible while merged with the women. To him, the now returned emotions of the crew felt distant but numerous. It reminded him of looking at the lights of New York City from the other side of the Hudson. The city never slept, its brightness ever present, and able to light up the sky, but far enough away that it could easily fall into the background.
The connection he was feeling with T'Pol was more like a telephone line wrapped around him with the receiver just out of reach. He could sense her and feel what she was feeling however, he couldn't directly communicate with her. His description was insufficient. It was hard to put into words the connection they now shared. He wasn't just sensing her feelings or picking up a muted sense of her thoughts. What T'Pol felt, he felt. Her feelings became his feelings. T'Pol's hunger became Tyson's hunger, and T'Pol's lust became Tyson's lust.
Wait. Lust?
Tyson looked over at Deanna. It wasn't just T'Pol he was feeling. The lust gave it away. T'Pol was a dominant force in the bedroom, his presence beneath her was at her behest and in service of her. What he felt wasn't that. There was another more submissive feeling mixed in. A desire to let go and just be taken, to ride the waves of sensation and pleasure. Tyson recognized those feelings from the night he'd been with Troi. When the waves of sensation transfer from shore to shore creating an ocean of feeling that they both dove into and got lost within.
He could feel the pull of the divergent desires. They were linked. All three of them.
Status Effects:
'Weak Telepathic Bond'
Negative Status Effects:
'Polywater Contagion: Stage 2'
'Pon Farr'
Tyson used Observe on Troi.
Deanna Troi
{(Lieutenant Commander, Counselor) Enterprise-D, Federation}
Status Effects:
'Weak Telepathic Bond'
Negative Status Effects:
'Polywater Contagion: Stage 2'
'Pon Farr'
Why was Deanna experiencing the Pon Farr? As a Betazed-human hybrid, it shouldn't be possible. The status effect they shared was also new. Was it strong enough to pass on the condition to her? On the same note, why was he experiencing the Pon Farr anyway? Some kind of side effect of the Polywater Contagion perhaps. Tyson couldn't remember if that happened to Spock in the original series episode this one was based on.
The Pon Farr is part of a Vulcan biological cycle. Every seven years Vulcans experience it, and there are four possible outcomes. Either the Vulcan enters intense meditation, mates, kills or dies. The gamer ability might allow Tyson to sleep it off since it's a Negative Status Effect, but that wouldn't help Deanna… or T'Pol. Nothing about this status was conventional, the gamer could work under the assumption that the only full Vulcan among them not only had the condition but was also likely the source of the effect.
He needed to find T'Pol, but he had no idea what state the ship was in after his mind romp or how long his consciousness had been displaced.
~~Star Trek: TNG~~
Captain Picard stood on the Bridge, "Wesley, this is Captain Picard. it's very important I get control of the ship. Do you see me?"
The viewscreen at the front of the bridge shifted. The image of the system's red dwarf star was replaced with the visage of a sweating, smiling teenager.
"Yes, sir."
"You will now return control of this vessel to the bridge where it belongs. At once."
"I'm sorry sir. Why don't you just tell me what you want done, and I'll do it."
"Because ship captains control their own vessels, young man."
"But sir, you don't do it yourself. You give the orders and somebody else does it. What's wrong with giving me the orders to do it?"
The two were interrupted by Worf, "Captain. Getting unusual readings now from the dwarf star."
"Standby on that for a moment. Wesley, Wes. Are you aware that you're behaving strangely? That a kind of infection was brought over from the Tsilkovsky which acts like intoxication."
"Are you saying that's why I feel so hot? So strange?"
"That's. That's a very adult bit of reasoning, Wesley."
"So you mean I'm drunk! I feel strange, but also good."
"Because... Because you have lost the capacity for self-judgment. Now, alcohol does this, Wesley, but the contaminant we brought back from the Tsilkovsky does it even more so.
"What would you do if you got your ship back?"
"Oh. It's very important that I do, Wesley. Because I must immediately lock a tractor beam on the Tsilokovsky and tow it out of..."
Wesley interrupted the captain, "Tractor beams are my specialty, skipper! I'll contact you when that's done. Wesley, out."
"Wesley! Wesley!"
"Sir, the star. It's beginning to collapse." stated the stoic Klingon.
"What the hell is happening in Engineering?"
~~Star Trek: TNG~~
Riker and McDougall worked in main engineering to cut the EPS flow to Wesley's Tractor Beam. The teen worked on the calculations to engage a tractor beam on the Tsilkovsky. Assistant Chief Engineer Shimoda was sitting nearby, stacking isolinear chips like a Jenga tower.
"Where's the sonic driver?" Riker asked.
"It's over there. Okay. Let's see if this cuts out his tractor beam's power."
They both looked over at the entrance to the Chief Engineer's station. The blue force screen from Wesley's project was still in place. It hadn't so much as shimmered with the power fluctuation.
"Come on," McDougall grunted out in frustration.
"Recruit Tyson to Commander Riker. Commander, status?"
"Tyson? Where have you been? Get to Engineering, we're in process of taking down Wesley's forcefield. We can use more hands if you're fit for duty."
"On my way."
Tyson
Title: Recruit
Race: Human Hybrid
Level: 5 (4,850/61,000)
Energy Credits: 69,885
Hit Points: 660/660
Strength: 23
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 22
Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 12
Charisma: 11
Luck: 1
Unspent Attribute Points: 1
Racial Traits:
Vulcan Senses
Half-Betazoid Sense
Vulcan Strength
Vulcan Metabolism
Klingon Constitution
Status Effects:
'Polywater Contagion: Stage 2'
'Pon Farr'
'Weak Telepathic Bond'
Skills:
Observe: Lvl 12
Meditation: Lvl 0 - Locked
Engineering: Lvl 30
Computers: Lvl 12
Physical Science: Lvl 16
Martial Arts: Lvl 22
Athletics: Lvl 10
Medicine: Lvl 26
Social: Lvl 29
Cooking: Lvl 15
Energy Weapons: Lvl 9
Melee Weapons: Lvl 9
Stealth: Lvl 12
Perform: Lvl 9
Language Skills:
Cetacean: Lvl 5
Klingon: Lvl 2
Vulcan: Lvl 5
Perks:
'Out of Nowhere'
'The Anti-Worf Effect'
'Universal Translator'
'Culinary Visualization'
'Your Hands Clean'
'Grand Theft Starship'
'Free Love'
'Power Eater'
'Apt Pupil'
'Master with your Hands'
'Binding Foods'
'Direct Control Disruption'
Drawbacks:
'Q and U'
AN: As always, thanks for reading and the feedback. I consider all feedback in the reviews and use it to improve my writing.
This sub-episode was inspired by several episodes - ENT: S1 Fusion & S2 Stigma as well as Voy: S5 Infinite Regress.
Feedback:
The criticism that Tyson hasn't changed much, or as much as he could/should is valid. Consider his position; he hasn't built up much trust to this point so he can't do a ton from his perspective. But I get where you're coming from.
Question for Reviewers: What would you be doing in Tyson's place up to this point?