The Box

Posted on Thu Aug 11th, 2016 @ 7:52pm by Splendora Sage & Captain R'nard Lokran & Lieutenant Danielle Cole-Bremer & Lieutenant Ariel Gilmore

1,257 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 92 - More Questions than Answers
Location: Science Office
Timeline: MD04 Very Early Morning

[ON]

Splendora hurried towards the science office, box in bag. Her head was pounding. She had to stop often, rub her temples, and then continue. She went towards the science offices located Lt. Cole's office and rang the chime. She wondered if Tom had told Cole of Splendora's theories.

Danielle was wrapping up a report. Lieutenant Gilmore was beside her. "I never knew there was this much work in being the Chief Science Officer of a Starbase. When I was the Chief aboard the Pegasus for a short time I never had to do so much paperwork." Gilmore smiled.

Danielle smiled back, "At least the two of us are splitting the work until Captain L'Verrem returns of a new Assistant Chief is assigned."

The chime rang and Danielle looked back. "Enter."

Splendora entered and stopped just outside the door. "Hi...Lieutenant Cole?"

Danielle stood. "I'm Lieutenant Cole. Can I help you...Miss?"

She smiled. "I'm...Doctor Splendora Sage. Mr. Tom Vercetti passed me your name. Am I interrupting?"

"No, not at all." Danielle replied. She knew Tom in passing, her and K'Temoc had been to 'Good Fella's' before but she wondered why he would have sent this woman to her. "What can I do for you?"

Ariel was was curious too, so she remained too.

Splendora put her bag down. "Recently I found something unpacking my things. It's a box...it looks like it has Telerite glyphs on it. I didn't pack it, two of my four previous roomates reported they didn't pack it in my things by accident I'm still waiting on two more but...well since it appeared I get headaches. It's not just me...two of my clients as well. I can't open it and I'm at a loss as to what it is. Can you help me?"

"I'm just an Anthropologist, not an Archaeologist...but I'll take a look." Cole replied.

"I have a little Archaeologist experience, I'll help." Gilmore replied.

Splendora smiled. "Thank you" She pulled out the black box that was about 12 by 12 inches square. She put it down on the desk and swayed a little. She grabbed the chair. "Always get dizzy when I handle it."

"These markings do look ancient Telerite." Cole commented as she tapped commands into a PADD.

Ariel pulled out a tricorder and started to scan. "It's old, over two thousand years old. I am picking up some kind of energy signature."

"Translation is something along the lines of 'Memory recalibrator'" Cole added.

"Well that doesn't sound good." Splendora looked at the box. She stood and moved towards the door. "See the farther I get from it the more my headache eases."

Ariel walked over and scanned Sage. Danielle then scanned the box again.

"There's clearly a change in your hippocampus. The closer you are the more blood flow to your brain causing inflammation of the lining of the arteries and higher electrical stimulation." Gilmore reported.

"The energy signature has a range of only three or four meters and seems to only affect one person at a time, that's why Ariel and I aren't suffering any ill affects right now." Cole added.

"Using the text on the side as a clue, as well as the effects it's having on you, I'd say this device was designed to either suppress memories or completely alter them." Gilmore said.

Danielle stood up and walked over to it, looking a little more closely to see if it could be opened easily. "I agree. It appears to be sealed, and the tricorder can't get a clear scan of the interior because of the energy signature it's emitting." She then tapped in commands on her PADD. "You said you don't know where this came from, and you'd never seen it before?"

Splendora gave a nod. "Yes. I was unpacking my books when I got here and it was just there. I have no idea where it came from but if it has that effect maybe we better leave it here. Is there a way to safely contain it?"

Danielle had Ariel walk over and look at the PADD. Both women looked up at Sage, then back to the info on the PADD. Ariel then walked over to a side terminal and tapped in a few commands. Danielle set the PADD down and looked up at Sage.

“This artifact was reported stolen from a museum on Tellar Prime a little over three years ago. It’s believed to be capable of alter the memories of people, for what purpose no one is sure. The description of the person that stole it matches you.” Cole explained.

Ariel walked back over. "I've sent a message to Commander Lokran to join us." She glared at Sage.

Splendora's surprise was evident. "What? I was nowhere near Tellar Prime Three years ago!" She crossed her arms defensively.

"Maybe not, but we still have to verify that and turn this over to the proper authorities." Cole replied.

"You brought it to us, a guilty person wouldn't do that, but you wanted the truth and so do we." Gilmore added.

Splendora sighed. "You're right."

R'nard arrived and said "What may I help you with?"

"Miss Sage here brought this to us to try and identify." Cole pointed toward the box. "During our research we learned it was stolen from Tellar Prime about three years ago from a museum. We believe it's some form of memory manipulations device, ancient, it was giving her terrible headaches. She claims she'd never seen it before until she arrived on the station and unpacked, and she says she wasn't on Tellar Prime at the time of the theft. Lieutenant Gilmore and I believe her story."

"The first thing we need to do is let Tellar Prime know we have found this box. Since it does some things like that, telepaths should be kept away from it." He said.

Splendora sighed with relief. "It's all yours. I've been having headaches and other issues since I found that thing."

Cole nodded, she was also happy to get it away from her. "Is there anything else we need to do Commander? Or should we let Miss Sage go?

"I'd like to know where you found it. That way, I would have somewhere to start to find who rreally stole it."

Splendora shrugged. "I was unpacking my quarters and there was a box of books. I started unpacking it and then noticed the box underneath. Several books of mine were missing. I told a friend and he suggested I come here. Ever since I've had it I keep almost passing out and the headaches are getting worse. I sent a message to my ex roommates. We were all packing at the same time so I figured one of them put it in my box. Two responded that it wasn't there. I have two more to hear from."

R'nard nodded. "I think that is the case myself." he said. "Somebody put that device in your box because they knew it would affect you that way. Just like that mythical element kryptonite in a Terran story. I will have it rremoved frrom your prresence."

"Thank you Commander." Cole said, she was also happy to have that thing removed from the Science Lab.

Splendora sighed with relief when the box was removed. She thanked everyone involved and promised to keep them updated as to what her roommates said.

There was one more stop his morning before she went and saw Tom. She had to thank him for suggesting she see Cole.

[OFF]

RSS Feed