A Place For My Head

Posted on Thu Oct 9th, 2025 @ 7:04pm by Commodore Wilkan Targaryen & Commander Zhora zh'Roothi & Lieutenant Commander Ash Randall & Lieutenant Rio Kholin MD & Lieutenant Amber Laurell

1,473 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Madre - Short Treks
Location: Infirmary, U.S.S. Enterprise
Timeline: 2439-07-03, 07:30

Inside the medical side cubicle, Rio was doing her best to try to give her patient some relief from the pain in her head. "I've maxed out all I can give you in the form of medication so I'm going to have to go right back to primitive basics. If you'd like to lie on the bio-bed, I'll try a head massage. It can only annoy you if it doesn't work, hopefully there's nothing else it can do wrong that isn't already being done by whatever has its psychic claws inside your mind." she reassured Lt Laurell with a wry expression that said how she was trying to lighten this but with little to actually offer that was actually hopeful.

"If you like I could limit the massage to your temples alone?" she offered, covering Amber with a light but warm thermal blanket hoping to minimise shock - again the old fashioned way. "How about I ask Ben to bring you a hot drink from the replicator?" she asked, whilst at the same time nodding her head sideways at the ACMO who was hovering hoping to be some help in a difficult situation. "In a nice mug that you can hold and hopefully it will feel comforting? Some broth? Soup? Milky hot chocolate?" the CMO was talking both to Ben and Amber at the same time, the plan being that as soon as Amber chose something, Ben would pop out and fetch it for her. The Medics were trying very hard, clearly.

Amber offered the best smile she could muster given the circumstances. “I think a hot chocolate sounds wonderful, my headache isn’t as bad as it was I’m glad to say. I won’t say no to that head massage though.” She was doing her best to relax even though her head was banging.

The infirmary doors slid open to admit Ash and zh'Roothi, the pair in mid conversation.

"...I weighed the risk of appearing more nuts than usual against keeping my mouth shut and came down on the side of risking a straitjacket." The Chief Engineer stated, in explanation, as the pair entered. "Could be I am compromised, in some way, by whatever has been causing such pain and distress to the councilor. I am a touch telepath and empath so, who knows, maybe it was trying multiple paths and my, goofy, brain spun a message into a fantasy." She added, as an aside, with a little shrug.

"There's no harm in being careful, Ash." The Andorian replied softly. "After the incident with the Founder Progenitor the Commodore is probably being cautious. The last thing we need is for the wider crew to be affected by this anomaly."

“Right now I wouldn’t be surprised by anything” Amber offered as she gave the pair a tired smile. “Whatever is trying to get through to us is pretty powerful. At least that’s how it felt.”

Ash looked to Amber and offered a sympathetic smile and a little shrug. "I'd offer a theory but it might not be mine." She joked, with a glance up at zh'Roothi and a little wink. "However, if you still have a headache I may be able to help." the Engineer offered.

The Commander's lips thinned slightly at the humorous comment but otherwise she didn't reply. "How so?" she asked regarding treatment.

Rio had already begun the promised head massage and she looked up with interest to find out what Ash had to offer with regard to the headache problem.

"By using a form empathic, bio-feedback, to make your pain, mine and feed it back to you at a reduced level and, gradually, step the pain down to being, barley, there. It is not dissimilar in nature to a Vulcan nerve pinch." Ash explained, while she held up one of her hands, pulled her sleeve a little bit up her wrist, to reveal the top of a glove that was, all but, invisible due to its color and texture being so, very, much like her actual, furry, self. "Hardly anyone knows that I wear gloves or why." She admitted, with a little grin. If the little felinoid could step pain down she could probably amplify it, as well. "I can't make the pain go away completely but I can reset the threshold it registers at, for a time. A few hours, at least." She added.

“Interesting” Amber nodded. “If it’ll help keep any future headaches down then that’ll be great. That’s if Doctor Kholin thinks it’s a good idea?” She looked at Rio.

Entering through the starboard door, Commodore Wilkan Targaryen heard the tail end of the conversation and quickly asked, "What's a good idea?"

“I think I’ll let Ash explain that one Sir” Amber offered as she gave the best smile she could muster under the circumstances.

Ash looked to the Commodore. "I offered to use a form of empathic bio-feedback to ratchet down the intensity of her headache pain for a while." Ash explained, quickly."

"Ah," the Commodore answered. "I'm not qualified to comment on the efficacy of such a treatment and would defer to the Doctor to answer about that idea." He glanced at the Chief Medical Officer. "Instead, I'm here to tell you that we've tracked down the source of the potential telepathic contact. I've ordered Lieutenant Elandorn to take us there."

“Really!?” Amber sat up giving Wilkan a wide eyed look. “Forgive me for being a little like a child in a candy store, but I’d really like to see what has been trying to contact us. In all honesty I feel quite drawn to it.”

"Steady Counselour," zh'Roothi injected. "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Given how you've reacted so far I'd prefer we go slow."

Amber nodded. “I know, I’m sorry if I sound over enthusiastic.” She offered an apologetic glance.

The Commodore didn't say anything, in fact he used every mental block he'd ever learned, to hide that he was a little concerned the Counselor was drawn to whatever was calling for her. They'd have to keep a close eye on her, especially as they grew closer.

"Apology noted," Wilkan said with a slight body. "I'm going to be preparing for first contact. I'd like both you and Ash to remain here. Commander zh'Roothi is going to oversee operations in Engineering until the Doctor says you're up to it, Ash."

“Of course Sir” Amber nodded.

"How long until we reach the coordinates, Captain?" The XO asked.

Ash smiled to herself as Zhora asked her question and successfully resisted the urge to give an answer and wait for the Captain to answer. Ash knew it wouldn't be long. they weren't far, not far at all.

"About three hours," Targaryen answered. "Plenty of time to prepare," he added with a smile. "Exec, maybe we should let the Doctor see to the patients. We both have a lot of work to do in preparation. Ash, is there anything Zhora should know about in the short-term while you're off duty?"

"No sir. Nothing comes to mind, engineering or operations, wise though I was working on something at the MSD. A shield modification that, I think, is supposed to tie into communications and utilize the universal translator." The chief engineer reported. "It might be worth taking a look at." She added.

"Is this something you'd be willing to delegate to a member of your team, as not to lose momentum?" zh'Roothi asked.

Ash considered the XO's question for a few seconds and then shook her head in the negative. "There's really no one else on my engineering team with the expertise to just, 'pickup' on what I was working on. Kuzos could, most likely, continue the work without requiring a two day primer on what he was looking at." The Engineer responded, with a little shrug. "I was pretty close to a break through...I think." She admitted, and looked to the Counselor. "If you're still suffering from the headache, I'll be happy to help." The Tuansee offered, once more.

“It’s not as bad as it was but I’m up for anything” Amber smiled as she looked at Ash.

"It can't hurt, the more ideas we try the more likely we are to discover something that will be helpful" Rio agreed.

"I'll see what we can do," the Commodore reassured Ash. "Commander, let's get going so we don't crowd out the doctor."

"Of course," zh'Roothi nodded and followed his lead out of the small infirmary.

Ash nodded understanding of what the Commodore said and looked to Amber and Rio while she removed her gloves.

"Just take hold of my hands." She directed to Amber. "It will only take a minute or two." She added, while offering her hands to take hold of.

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