S13 - M2: Eyes Are Everywhere

[Don Damien Addams]

Crewman Danjar-Torra
[USS Discovery - Deck 15 - collapsed Hallway]

Was it her imagination or did his voice seem to be getting weaker even as he tried to make jokes? Torra paused her excavation efforts to direct the medical scanner towards him once more.  She wasn't positive but it seemed like his readings were worsening.

She considered what to say in answer to his question about the ship.  She didn't want to lie to him, but she also didn't think it would help any to tell him the harsh truth of the ship's predicament. Before she fully ruminate on her answer, the ship suddenly lurched and Torra found herself thrown to what should have been the floor, only she kept falling.  The beam from her headlamp flickered out as she tumbled seemingly endlessly through the open air.

Darkness swallowed her and still she continued to fall.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[USS Discovery - Deck 15 - undamaged Hallway]

Torra blinked, wincing against the sudden brightness of the unblocked hallway that she found herself in.  She cast her glance about in confusion.  Was this another illusion?  Or was this finally the truth once more? Could she trust anything she saw?

Not far ahead of her in the hall, Torra could see a human male waking as well.

Torra watched as the man, an Ensign by the pips at his collar, first sat up taking stock of himself.  The Grazerite slowly followed his lead, sitting up, even as the ensign in front of her used the wall for support to stand.  He looked about.  Torra did likewise and it was then that she noticed that her superior from medical was no longer with them.  Had he been thrown further down the hall? or had he been part of the hallucination all along? Or was this the hallucination right now?

She glanced up towards the current Ensign as she heard him speak her name... then the Ensign... Ensign Adams - the name came to mind having heard him even with her not being fully aware she was listening -  Ensign Adams asked about her missing medical partner.  She shook her head then got to her feet.

"I don't know, sir.  He was in the hall with me... with us" And it was us.. she recognized the man's voice.  Ensign Adams was Donny. "He was with us... before.. things returned to ... normal?  I'm sorry I don't even know his name to check with the computer.". She gave the flight officer an apologetic look and glanced about uncertainly, untrusting of this sudden 'normalcy'.

"Shall I go try to find him, sir?" she asked forgetting for the moment that she was in Medical now, not Security, and that such tasks as 'search and rescue' weren't part of her job description anymore... not really.

"If'n you are callin' ta say you don't know what has happened, join the bloody crowd. Maybe the science boffins can explain it, but for now, report ta your duty station. Galloway out."

The voice of first officer came over the comlink. So everyone was in the same boat of confusion.

The curly haired man turned to look at the female. He had admit he never saw her kind serve in Starfleet, sadly he did not know much them either. That could be a nice ice breaker for that drink date.

He had tapped his combadge with his right hand as he was staring down the hallway.  Ensign Addams to Commander Galloway, I ask if I can get a delay on going to my assigned area. Crewman Torra and I had lost a crew member. To make it more weird. We don't know who it is. 

The flight officer gave her a weak smile to give her some confidence in this vanished medical person. The individual he had never saw before. Lord knows he had many visits to medical from silly accidents in the Holodeck programs.

"Hey, you think we try give description to the computer to see what we get," he suggested to her. It was one of his favorite things to do. To give someone inspiration or make them think it was there idea.

[Danjar-Torra Addams]

Crewman Danjar-Torra
[USS Discovery - Deck 15 - Hallway]

[Engineering]

"If'n you are callin' ta say you don't know what has happened, join the bloody crowd. Maybe the science boffins can explain it, but for now, report ta your duty station. Galloway out."

The voice of first officer came over the comlink. So everyone was in the same boat of confusion.

The curly haired man turned to look at the female. He had admit he never saw her kind serve in Starfleet, sadly he did not know much them either. That could be a nice ice breaker for that drink date.

He had tapped his combadge with his right hand as he was staring down the hallway.  Ensign Addams to Commander Galloway, I ask if I can get a delay on going to my assigned area. Crewman Torra and I had lost a crew member. To make it more weird. We don't know who it is. 

The flight officer gave her a weak smile to give her some confidence in this vanished medical person. The individual he had never saw before. Lord knows he had many visits to medical from silly accidents in the Holodeck programs.

"Hey, you think we try give description to the computer to see what we get," he suggested to her. It was one of his favorite things to do. To give someone inspiration or make them think it was there idea.

Torra smiled at hearing Donny's request to be given opportunity to look for the missing medical officer together.  His suggestion on how to locate the missing medical officer was slightly less inspired but was a good attempt nonetheless.  "Or we could have the computer provide visuals of all the medical staff and I could just identify him that way."

The most difficult part of Torra's plan was locating a wall console on which they could call up the list of medical officers.  Or at least that was supposed to be the hardest part.  But there was only one problem with Torra's plan.   The missing medical officers face wasn't among the listed crew - not in medical anyways.  So after several minutes of checking the medical personnel, Torra opened up the ID pictures to other departments - all the other departments, Ops, Medical, Science, Security and Engineering.

But still there were no hits.  "I don't understand, who was this guy, and why can't we find him?  Was he just another figment of our imagination?"  Torra remarked quietly.

[Ian Galloway]

The voice of first officer came over the comlink. So everyone was in the same boat of confusion.

The curly haired man turned to look at the female. He had admit he never saw her kind serve in Starfleet, sadly he did not know much them either. That could be a nice ice breaker for that drink date.

He had tapped his combadge with his right hand as he was staring down the hallway.  Ensign Addams to Commander Galloway, I ask if I can get a delay on going to my assigned area. Crewman Torra and I had lost a crew member. To make it more weird. We don't know who it is. 

The flight officer gave her a weak smile to give her some confidence in this vanished medical person. The individual he had never saw before. Lord knows he had many visits to medical from silly accidents in the Holodeck programs.

"Hey, you think we try give description to the computer to see what we get," he suggested to her. It was one of his favorite things to do. To give someone inspiration or make them think it was there idea.

Crewman Danjar-Torra
[USS Discovery - Deck 15 - Hallway]

Torra smiled at hearing Donny's request to be given opportunity to look for the missing medical officer together.  His suggestion on how to locate the missing medical officer was slightly less inspired but was a good attempt nonetheless.  "Or we could have the computer provide visuals of all the medical staff and I could just identify him that way."

The most difficult part of Torra's plan was locating a wall console on which they could call up the list of medical officers.  Or at least that was supposed to be the hardest part.  But there was only one problem with Torra's plan.   The missing medical officers face wasn't among the listed crew - not in medical anyways.  So after several minutes of checking the medical personnel, Torra opened up the ID pictures to other departments - all the other departments, Ops, Medical, Science, Security and Engineering.

But still there were no hits.  "I don't understand, who was this guy, and why can't we find him?  Was he just another figment of our imagination?"  Torra remarked quietly.

[Engineering]

Ian snorted as it seemed they found another phantom crewman. He tapped his commbadge  to reply.

"Sensors show all 175 crew present with no stowaways or extras aboard. Odds are, your missing crewman wasn't real. There was one in engineering that isn't here anymore. I'll give you fifteen minutes, then get to your duty station. Galloway out."

[Don Damien Addams]

Crewman Danjar-Torra
[USS Discovery - Deck 15 - Hallway]

Torra smiled at hearing Donny's request to be given opportunity to look for the missing medical officer together.  His suggestion on how to locate the missing medical officer was slightly less inspired but was a good attempt nonetheless.  "Or we could have the computer provide visuals of all the medical staff and I could just identify him that way."

The most difficult part of Torra's plan was locating a wall console on which they could call up the list of medical officers.  Or at least that was supposed to be the hardest part.  But there was only one problem with Torra's plan.   The missing medical officers face wasn't among the listed crew - not in medical anyways.  So after several minutes of checking the medical personnel, Torra opened up the ID pictures to other departments - all the other departments, Ops, Medical, Science, Security and Engineering.

But still there were no hits.  "I don't understand, who was this guy, and why can't we find him?  Was he just another figment of our imagination?"  Torra remarked quietly.

Sensors show all 175 crew present with no stowaways or extras aboard. Odds are, your missing crewman wasn't real. There was one in engineering that isn't here anymore. I'll give you fifteen minutes, then get to your duty station. Galloway out."

Don was trying to match the face as well. "I don't think it was our imagination. The chances we are all on the same brain wave thingy," he replied to her. He was rubbing his right jaw with his index finger.

His head shot up. He piped up. "I accept we are safe. I will put all my trust in the Captain and the Commander for now. I might really believe in seeing angels now."

Then he was remembering what his grandmother told him when he was a child. Angels are alive and guardians of loved ones. Demons are the opposite. One folk lore he was told about metal coins and keys. The days when people had coins in their hands. When they drop the coins or lose change or drop keys or lose keys. It was an angel saying that person was being watched by a loved one. They even said heads up was luck and the dime was a sign someone was thinking of you. He had enjoyed his grandmother's stories. Now he was wondering if it was a true.

Don nodded to the medic. "Well, Torra, I guess I need to head out to the shuttle bay. I see you later. And thanks for saving me," he nod his head to her and started to walk away.

Half way to the turbolift he spun around on his heels to look at her with a beaming smile. "If you still up for a drink date. Contact me." He kept his eyes on her for a second longer before he walked away.

As he entered the turbolift, the doors closed. He placed his hands together front of him. He closed his eyes. Praying. whoever runs this universe thank you for not dying. Thanks showing me things I took for granted. And thank you for whoever that angel is. And I miss my mother. Amen.

Then he was snuck in a special thank you for Torra being at the right ship and the right time.

[Danjar-Torra Addams]

Crewman Danjar-Torra
[USS Discovery - Deck 15 - Hallway]

[Engineering]

Ian snorted as it seemed they found another phantom crewman. He tapped his commbadge  to reply.

"Sensors show all 175 crew present with no stowaways or extras aboard. Odds are, your missing crewman wasn't real. There was one in engineering that isn't here anymore. I'll give you fifteen minutes, then get to your duty station. Galloway out."

The Commander's words were a bit of a comfort.  No one was missing - so the medical officer must have been a hallucination.  Like the two Inzjana's and the wolves... except the last two were nightmarish, while the officer... was helpful.

Don was trying to match the face as well. "I don't think it was our imagination. The chances we are all on the same brain wave thingy," he replied to her. He was rubbing his right jaw with his index finger.

His head shot up. He piped up. "I accept we are safe. I will put all my trust in the Captain and the Commander for now. I might really believe in seeing angels now."

Torra looked to Donny a bit puzzled at his comment.  While she recognized the word angels vaguely as being something religious to the people of Earth, she couldn't place how it fit with the situation they had just been in.  She'd have to check with her universal translator later.

Don nodded to the medic. "Well, Torra, I guess I need to head out to the shuttle bay. I see you later. And thanks for saving me," he nod his head to her and started to walk away.

Half way to the turbolift he spun around on his heels to look at her with a beaming smile. "If you still up for a drink date. Contact me." He kept his eyes on her for a second longer before he walked away.

Torra nodded her agreement, "Yeah, I should get back to Sec... to Sickbay."  She remained at the wall panel display closing down the search program she'd opened, while Donny headed away... then suddenly he turned back around to face her, his sharp movement catching her attention from the corner of her eye.  She looked towards him as he suggested she call him later if she wanted to take him up on the offer of a drink date.

Grazerite's were not known for blushing, and Torra would swear up and down she didn't blush then but his words did fluster her a bit... more so because this time the offer wasn't a dying man's last desperate bid for connection - a marriage proposal to someone he didn't know- but rather a genuine offer to get to know her.

Torra nodded.  "I'll do that."

[Kali Reyes]

[Beta Bridge?]

She wasn't sure how long she stared at the cross looming around a black mountain range. It could have been minutes, hours, or days. It could have been a thousand years. A chill blossomed across her shoulders until it shot down to her fingertips as if blood was returning there. Whatever spell Kali was in shattered when she irritably shook the pins and needles out of her hands.

There was a heaviness pushing her down and without thought, she collapsed into unconsciousness.

[Alpha Turbolift]

She came to with a blinding light overhead and a gaggle of officers surrounding her. Disoriented and annoyed, she waved away the tricorder pressing into her cheek and tried to stand. Someone tsked at her uncoordinated stumble. Thankfully, a yeoman steadied Kali to her feet. "What?"

The full turbolift grumbled in worry before a voice piped up. "We were going down and you just collapsed. Are you okay?"

Crewman Travers grinned. "That's a coded question for 'are you drunk' by the way." Everyone groaned.

"Wow, that was inappropriate," Kali said mildly, delighting in the way Travers attempted to backpedal from all the glares fired at him. "You know what? Let's just keep this under wraps. No one report anything."

"Yeah, yeah," Travers said hastily, hands waving in defeat. "I wasn't even here."

A rather dimwitted Gorn security officer just stared at him as everyone mumbled in agreement. "But you are here, Travers. I'm looking at you right now."

Kali rubbed at her eyelids. "Okay, can someone push a button and get us out of here?"

Mild paranoia, overworking, exhaustion, a bad hit of Romulan hash, any of these could have tripped her out. She could barely remember the dream anyways and trying to recall it didn't help the strangely slow ascent back to the bridge. One nonsensical thought kept beating in her head, a strange worrying question that wasn't applicable at all.

Did you go back the way you came?

[Ian Galloway]

[Engineering]

After running multiple scans and getting the same results each time, all systems nominal, all crew accounted for, and no casualties, Ian was finally willing to accept that what he was seeing was for real. Whatever had happened with the moon simply wasn't reality, it had to be that this region of space induced hallucinations in sentient beings. Satisfied, he stood up from the terminal, but as he did, he felt something shift in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out a necklace of irregular shaped crystals and stood slack-jawed holding it at arm's length as if it were a snake.

"C-c-captain?"

[Tekin Nevir]

[Engineering]

After running multiple scans and getting the same results each time, all systems nominal, all crew accounted for, and no casualties, Ian was finally willing to accept that what he was seeing was for real. Whatever had happened with the moon simply wasn't reality, it had to be that this region of space induced hallucinations in sentient beings. Satisfied, he stood up from the terminal, but as he did, he felt something shift in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out a necklace of irregular shaped crystals and stood slack-jawed holding it at arm's length as if it were a snake.

"C-c-captain?"

[Bajor - Campground]

Above them, the black mass had passed through the sky.  Like a solar eclipse, this once in a lifetime event for Bajor had finally passed.  Although the Captain had his attention on the mass, Nerys, Tidu, and Lamar seemed absolutely shaken and yet immersed in their father's story.

"So... it wasn't a dream?  Or a hallucination?  But you said everything was like it never happened...?"

"True, the ship had no signs of damage, not even the ones Crewman Odelot put in when he was working on the lower levels.  For about a few hours, mostly spent running check after check on the systems to make sure it was us and not the computer, we all thought it was just some psychoactive affect of the cloud.  But following Mr. Galloway's fearful discovery of the stone crystals in his pocket, a chill went through the ship.

"Crewman Odelot's badge had been damaged.. no one could reach him both because he was far away, and because his commbadge broke.  He swore up and down that he was assisted by an officer named Earl Dungon.  There was no such officer... at least not for a decade.  Lieutenant Commander Earl Dungon was one of the original designers of the Discovery's warp engines.  Both he and another officer, Lieutenant Steve Daniels, were involved in an accident during one of the shakedown tests of the ship.  Daniels had been caught in an explosion that killed him, while Dungon had been pinned by debris.  Unable to get out, he gave his own life directing others and how to stablize and save the ship."

"He mentioned a Lt. Daniels...."  Lamar said, realizing what Nevir was getting at.

"Exactly.  The ghost of Dungon seemed to have come back to help Odelot save the ship.  Regardless if it was needed or not.  He wasn't the only helpful.... voice.  The medic that was with Danjar and Addams... that was one of my former medical crewmen.  He had died before I was Captain on a mission."

"Did your friend die too?  The other Captain?"

"James?  No... but I got a spook within a few days when I received a comminque from Starfleet that I would be meeting up with Hawke."

"Wait.." Lamar said, crossing his arms.  "I thought you were telling us a story.. did it happen or not?"

"Well... thats for you to decide.  We don't know what happened and what didn't, if it was all in our heads...." Nevir reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace.... a simple one made with crystal-like stones.

"... or if we really were there."

END