by Avery Breaux and Zanh Liis
80628.20
Before, during and after Bursting the Bubble
Soundtrack: Message in a Bottle by The Police
-=Sickbay=-
80628.20
Before, during and after Bursting the Bubble
Soundtrack: Message in a Bottle by The Police
-=Sickbay=-
Breaux sat in his office, unaware that his eyelids had closed once again, and then he awoke with a start.
"Gods damn it! Some simple research on the electrochemical organ known as the brain, and I can't stay awake." He returned to the same PADD that had haunted him for well over two hours.
*Her theta waves show a lesser amplitude and a slower frequency which is diametrically opposed to the norm,* he thought as he scrolled down. * No room for ideation,* He looked up from the PADD and thought of several curses in various languages and looked down at the second PADD on his desk.
"It can't be cryptomnesia..." he said aloud to no one...the Sickbay had been vacant for hours-the 'C' cycle shift was working quietly.
He looked over his notes on acute cellular breakdown and compared them with her readouts.
*Dysphoria...dysphoria,* he read, calculated and cursed again.
He sat back, rubbed his eyes and downed his cold coffee. He went to the replicator, "Coffee, two creams." He retrieved the freshly brewed beverage and walked about the office, pacing, thinking.
*A form of Pa'nar...a strain?...a mutation?* He continued to move about the office, struggling for answers.
He flung his coffee mug against the far wall sending the metallic cup careening off the surface and summoning the 'C' cycle nursing staff.
They knew better than to interrupt him; viewing him through the window he was at his desk again, mulling over the PADDS and putting pen to paper.
-=Later=-
An update from the bridge warned Breaux to be prepared for anything. That the Sera was going to attempt to withdraw from the trap that the mysterious alien beings had swept them up in, like some sort of other-worldly fishing net.
Caught on a giant hamster wheel, they thought they were moving all that time, the past few days.
All that time while they were only rats in the cage of the alien species. Subjects for experimentation.
All night Avery had continued to work on Liis, scurrying from one console to the next. Rechecking his PADDS and notes. Cursing. Drinking coffee that was handed to him by one of the nurses. He was adrift in inefficacy-having no success, but not for lack of trying.
Exasperated, but driven he continued his efforts moving from his office to the biobed and completing that circuit countless times.
He had even taken to enlisting the services of the LMH. Though it was an immense help, Breaux had no time to applaud its efforts. Perhaps the collaboration would lead to an answer.
Avery was alternately inspired by the challenge and distraught over the helplessness of the situation. Yet even as he continued trying his best for those in his care, beneath the surface a cauldron of anger at the actions of Temporal Investigations, another damned self-righteous, arrogant Starfleet entity and the resultant price demanded by it from the souls of Zanh Liis, Keiran O'Sullivan and countless others threatened to boil over.
The ship rocked as those on the bridge did what they could to keep the Sera and her crew from becoming a footnote in history akin to the disappearance of Amelia Earhart or those lost to the Bermuda Triangle.
Avery held his breath, and waited. A few moments later came the news- Sera was wounded, but she was 'home'.
It was then that Avery forced himself to take another short break in his office, although no moments alone were devoid of thoughts of Liis. One of the med staff was cleaning the coffee mess from the wall.
"Leave it," Breaux said curtly, his lack of sleep showing. He tried to soften the blow, "Sometimes I find inspiration in the damndest places," he smiled. The med tech left. Avery stared at the stains and drew a metaphor somehow in the futility of Liis' current situation.
Now that the Sera had been restored to normal space, the nearest relay beacons began to transmit all messages that had been waiting...and the flashing on the comm caught his attention, what little he had left.
Incoming message. Without thinking he activated it and hoped for some type of momentary respite.
It was from Angela.
[Just touching base-hope all is well.]
He froze, then he deleted the message as quickly as he'd read it.
'Just touching base' meant she was in deep on her assignment and needed help. He hadn't seen that message since their legitimate days in Intel.
It all came to a stop for Avery. His world was a kaleidoscope of uncertainty. The clarity came, somehow he knew it was inevitable. Angela needed him. He'd had his fill of the bureaucratic duplicity.
They had used him for their own purposes, twisted or compassionate. He'd turned the tables and he knew in his heart of hearts he belonged with her, fighting the good fight.
Within a moment he'd decided, keep up the front, and the moment that he had the chance -he was gone.
He looked down at his coffee cup and watched the minute ripples from the hum of the engines-in that moment he found himself again.
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LT. CMDR Avery Breaux
Chief Medical Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
LT. CMDR Avery Breaux
Chief Medical Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012