Side effects

Posted on Sun Feb 23rd, 2020 @ 12:14pm by Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne

1,302 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 104 - A Glimmer of Hope...
Location: The Colony
Timeline: MD1 - Memory Log

{On}

Current Time, USS Mercy

Hades sat in hi ready room. The shock of seeing Fal had brought him to a whole world of pain, as had the hate that rolled off the man. His mind turned to Richard.

Sighing, "Computer recall Erebus Recording 001. Open Message Adari 1. Boost sound."

The image shifted and changed. There, on his screen, was an image that was secretly recorded and sent to him. He watched as Richard came back to life one more time. He watched trying to allow his brain to process Fal and all that was happening.



Weeks Prior....Erebus Colony First Federation Space

Ariana was lying on a bed in a private room in the colony medical facility, she hadn't been feeling the best and scans had shown that the brain changes Hades had already shown her back on the station were accelerating at a rapid rate.

She'd already flipped out several times on the facility staff, revealing a definite second personality but now her body was struggling to meet the stresses that were being put on it by the changes within. She was tired and struggling to seperate her personalities, even so she offered a smile as Carolyn came in to see her.

“Hey, feel like some company?” Carolyn asked quietly as she slipped into the room. Nobody had strictly forbidden her from sneaking into the room where her friend was being treated, nor had they encouraged visitors. So while Harris was in discussions with Adari, she took full advantage. “I wanted to see if you were doing okay.”

Ariana slowly sat up, offering a smile. "I would love some, please..." She motioned to a seat by the bed. "I..I'm finding it hard separating me from...me!" She grinned. "Just don't be surprised if I start acting strange."

"I promise," Carolyn smiled as she slipped into the seat. "Everyone is being a little vague when I ask about you so I thought I'd see for myself. If anyone asks, I got lost and just happened to wind up in your room, deal?"

Adari smiled at the door. "That might work if this hospital wasn't staffed with some of the most gifted telepaths." She walked into the room Harris and Nivar not too far behind.

"Well it...could have worked if I could have shielded your thoughts!" Ariana offered a weak smile. She was looking more and more tired as time went by.

"Can't believe you got me busted," Carolyn teased her with a grin, flashing a sheepish smile at Harris. "I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

"My fault entirely!" Ariana stifled a yawn as she looked at Harris. "I know something is happening to me that isn't good, so you might as well come out and say it."

"You don't need to apologise for me. I'll wait outside and let you all talk," Carolyn said as she stood, trying to gauge from Harris' expression if Ariana's hunch was right.

"No, Carolyn please stay." Ariana reached for her friend's hand, something she hadn't ever done before. "I want you here, but only if you're up to it."

"Of course I can stay," Carolyn promised.

"So... Are you going to spit it or not?" Ariana's tone changed as her other personality came to the fore. "Why don't you just tell her that I'm taking over?" She glanced at Nivar. "I think 31 will be very interested in hearing what goes on here."

Nivar would have taken a step forward. Harris held him back. He looked at Adari. "I believe we can confirm all this now."

She gave a nod.

“Why don’t you let them explain what’s happening to Ariana,” Carolyn urged, twisting her hand to try and free it from a suddenly tighter grip. “You can give her that much, right?”

The other Ariana gave Carolyn a curious look, noting her want to get free. "I guess I could, there's little she can do about it anyway." With that Ariana seemed to resurface. "Carolyn?" She looked at Nivar and Harris. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"It's okay," Carolyn reassured her, looking towards Adari and Harris. "Is it? Okay, I mean?"

"Dammit!!" Ariana showed an unusual angry streak. "How can it be okay? I don't care what has to be done! Just do it!!"

Throughout everything they had gone through, Carolyn had never heard such anger in her friend's voice and she instinctively stepped back, bumping into Harris.

Ariana gave her friend a shocked glance. "Carolyn...I'm sorry! I would never...ever! Do anything to hurt you."

"I'm sorry," Carolyn blurted out, flashing her an apologetic smile. "And I know. I'm jumpy is all... maybe me being here will only make this worse..."

Adari stepped forward. She held up a device and it issued forth three bursts of blue light. She heard Ariana whimper and knew that the pain in her head worsened.

Ariana sat cradling her head for a moment before looking up at Adari.

"The other one is supressed for the time. We can help. I've had some of the best cranial specialists look at your case. Since everyone here is a victim of Section 31 in one way or another they were motivated to help. The treatment won't be easy."

"I didn't come here expecting easy" Ariana sighed. "What do I have to do?"

Harris stepped forward. "The only way to assist you is to merge the two halves. We've spoken with a Trill member of our group. They do something similar with the personalities of previous hosts on Trill. This will be different. You will get to encounter your second personality. But...you must convince her to merge with you. The process should take a couple of months to solidify so a Neural inhibitor will help."

Ariana nodded. "Okay, so how do I convince this other me to merge with me?!" She looked at Harris. "Stand infront of a mirror?"

"A bit more dramatic then that. We can...pull out the personality and you will physically get to meet her but there are risks."

"Pull her out?!" Ariana looked shocked but it was the only way. "What kind of risks are we talking about here?"

"Oh you know," he said rolling his wrist. "The usual, this treatment will improve your conditions, possible side effects include, insanity, death, and possible brain shut down." His attempt at a bad joke fell flat.

Adari smacked him upside the head.

"Ahhh that's where Hades learned it." He said rubbing the back of his skull.

Ariana couldn't help but smile at that. "Well either way I'm in trouble and I have a baby to get home to." She looked at Adari. "Let's do it!"

"We are all here for you," Carolyn assured her, hoping that desire to get back to Stacie, to be back with her baby, would also help her friend through this.

"We'll make the preparations until then," Adari held up a small square chip. "This attaches to your skin. It is an inhibitor that will keep the other personality down. I will teach you how to use it until integration is complete."

Ariana nodded. "Thank you Adari, thanks to all of you." She offered a warm smile. "Nivar...I get the feeling that I...she...offended you, I'm sorry."

"No offense." He stepped forward. "but I do have to go update Hades. If you'll excuse me."

Ariana nodded respectfully and watched him go, she owed Nivar a lot and she wouldn't forget.


Current Time, USS Mercy

Hades closed the computer. It took a moment for him to realize that the door was chiming. Taking a moment to center himself and snap out of what was holding him he called for whoever was there to come in...

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