Chapter 4
Michelle walked toward the Doctor's study. She'd spent two hours having a cozy chat with the TARDIS. She'd checked everything she could think of – any possible agent that might cause the electropathic pattern. She'd been unsuccessful.
She had reached the Doctor's study. As she entered, she spotted the Doctor slumped over his desk. Michelle quickly moved to him and checked his pulse. She had to get him to sickbay.
Michelle was back in the Doctor's study. She had taken the Doctor to sickbay and ascertained that he was in a coma just like Carolyn and Nita. She had hooked him up to a monitor and taken a portable receiver with her so that she would be alerted if there was any change in their conditions.
The Doctor had asked her to do a shipwide diagnostic. She had gone to give him the results when she found him. Her scans had provided no insights into these comas. She had checked and cross-checked… they were just dead ends.
She had seemed to have eliminated all known factors that could have caused the comas – except for the Voords.
She decided to investigate the eleven planets the Voords had visited. See if there had been any reports of unexplained comas.
In the meantime, she considered restricting them to their quarters. As a precautionary measure…
If one of them was behind this… she wondered if keeping telepaths in their quarters prevent it from happening again.
What else could she do? Set up a force field? She didn't know if that would be any more effective…
Michelle's portable monitor went off. It indicated that Carolyn had regained consciousness. This may be a breakthrough.
Carolyn sat in a bio-bed, talking with Michelle. She was struggling to recall what happened to her.
"It's like waking up from a nightmare… but not remembering what it was about."
"What's the last thing you do remember?"
There was a long beat as Carolyn thought… "My hair… I was brushing my hair." There was a pause as she tried to go beyond that.
"And then…?"
Carolyn struggled to take the next step, but finally shook her head in frustration. "I don't know… just… waking up here…" She looked up at her, fragile and vulnerable. "Why do I feel so frightened? What happened to me?"
"I was hoping you could tell me."
"How long have I been here?"
"Three days."
Carolyn was stunned. "Three days…?"
"You were the first. The next day Nita fell into a similar coma… and last night – the Doctor."
Carolyn was shocked and disturbed by this revelation. She was amazed. "What is going on here…?"
"I'm not certain. It may be… that there is some unusual effect produced by the Voord's telepathic activity."
Carolyn sunk back on the bed, trying to absorb all this startling information.
"I'm going to talk to them. In the meantime, you're to stay here and recuperate. And if you remember anything about what happened to you… let me know immediately."
She turned and left. Carolyn was left with strange, disturbing feelings that she couldn't even identify.
Michelle was in the Voord's quarters with Tarlak, Lemon and Brenner. Tarlak already had a head of steam gathered; Michelle was trying to navigate these troubled diplomatic waters carefully.
"What are you suggesting, Michelle?"
"That you voluntarily confine yourself to quarters. At least until I unravel this mystery."
Tarlak was offended. "We're to be prisoners?"
"Father…"
"Please don't think of it that way." She moved toward them, making her case. "We have done everything we can think of to explain these comas. We've performed physical examinations and neurological scans… I have conducted a shipwide diagnostic, looking for viruses and parasites and infestations…" She stood before the Voords, at the end of her rope. "I have investigated every possible cause I can imagine. And I have found nothing – nothing – to explain the comas." She paused a moment, eyeing them. "The only variable I cannot eliminate… is your presence on this ship. In light of these efforts, I ask you to understand my request. And to honor it."
There was a silence in the room.
"Michelle… our history indicates that we do not adversely affect the people we contact."
"I know that."
"Then… are you implying an intentional assault?"
"I am simply trying to consider all possibilities."
Lemon regarded Michelle, thinking. "Surely you would give us the chance to prove that we are innocent?"
"If that is possible, of course."
"Then… I would propose doing a memory probe of Carolyn."
Michelle gave him a surprised look.
"You've said she doesn't remember what happened to her before she lapsed into consciousness. I could retrieve that memory… There's a possibility it could explain the coma – and prove us innocent.
"I'm sorry. But I cannot subject Carolyn to a potentially dangerous procedure."
"And I will not be a party to any of these proceedings." Tarlak withdrew to another part of the room, separating himself from the group.
Brenner stepped forward. "Lemon is making a reasonable request, Michelle. If we're to be accused, surely we're entitled to a defense." She walked to Michelle, addressing her directly. "Tarlak did a memory probe on you… Have you suffered any ill effects?"
"No…"
"And neither will Carolyn. Please… do what you like to guarantee her safety… but give us this chance to vindicate ourselves."
A pause as Michelle considered. "I will discuss the matter with Carolyn."
In the Control Room, Michelle was working at a science station. That was it for Melina Two. No unexplained comas during the time the Voords were working there. She was striking out everywhere.
She had yet to receive transmissions from the two planets of the Nel system. Perhaps they would show different results.
She thought. Or maybe… she hadn't checked for the right thing. She turned to the console. She hadn't looked into the comas that were explained. She remembered wat the Doctor said right after Carolyn became unconscious. That it looked exactly like Iresine syndrome except for the histamine count.
Maybe not every medical facility was as careful as the Doctor. Maybe it was easier to give a quick diagnosis to something than to keep hunting for the real cause. Michell kept inputting. She was checking for instances of Iresine Syndrome… and correlating them with visits by the Voords – she saw something on the monitor – and there it was.
Two cases of Iresine Syndrome on Hurada Three – right at the time Tarlak and his group was there. She decided to try other planets. She thought she had something.
Carolyn was in her quarters with Michelle, Brenner and Lemon.
"Carolyn, I want to reinterate… if you have any doubts about this procedure, you don't have to go through with it."
"I want to do it, Michelle. Something awful happened to me… and I can't even remember what it was."
Michelle was reluctant in a protective way, but acquiesced to her. "Very well." She backed off, and nodded to Lemon.
"Carolyn… what's the last thing you remember that night?"
"Brushing my hair…"
"Would you get your hairbrush?"
Carolyn walked to the vanity and took her hairbrush. Lemon put his hand on his forehead in the same way Tarlak did earlier. He closed his eyes in concentration. "Tell me about brushing your hair… do you do it every night?"
"Yes… when I'm ready for bed…" She frowned.
"What is it?"
Flashback – her ex-boyfriend's hand, stroking her hair.
The present – "Someone… touching my hair…"
"Someone's with you in the room?"
"No… I'm alone. No one's there." Carolyn put down the hairbrush, closed her eyes. "I get some hot chocolate…" She frowned again, disturbed by something.
"Something's happening…"
"I'm alone in my quarters… and I'm remembering something from a few years ago…"
"Go back… into that memory… you said someone was touching your hair…?"
"Yes… and…"
Flashback – in William's quarters – William and Carolyn, hands touching over the poker chips.
The present – Carolyn smiled. "It's my ex-boyfriend… that's right… I was thinking of him…"
"Remembering a time when you were with him…"
"Yes… after a poker game…"
"It's a pleasant memory… stay with it…"
Flashback – in William's quarters – Tarlak's arms lowering her backwards onto the floor.
The present – now her face clouded, she looked distressed. "…but now he's hurting me… no…"
"You're frightened…"
"I want him to stop…" She gasped and threw her head back… "It's not Bill… somebody's taken his place…"
"Someone else is there? Who is it?"
Carolyn shook her head. "No… no… he shouldn't be there… why is he there? No… no… he's hurting me.."
"Can you see his face…?"
"Yes…"
Flashback – Tarlak staring down at her, an ugly look on his face. "Beloved…"
The present – "No… stop… you're hurting me…"
"Who is it? Who's doing this to you?"
Carolyn's eyes snapped open and she got to her feet. She stared at Lemon. "It's Tarlak… it's your father!"
Brenner looked stunned; Michelle reacted; Lemon opened his eyes and stared at Carolyn with pity and concern.
