Seeing Someone Else

Posted on Sun Feb 15th, 2026 @ 5:13pm by Captain Zseeq & Lieutenant JG Chase Thompson & Ensign Roju & Lieutenant Commander Melanie D'BrooNi- Haistro & Lieutenant Zhi'rev & Lieutenant JG Maran

2,768 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Life
Location: U.S.S. Saratoga
Timeline: 2401-07-04, 09:00

Captain's Log, Supplemental Entry:

Saratoga is currently on approach to the Gormaganders to begin the process of transporting them to a Starfleet nature preserve where they can thrive.

I am pleased to say that our away team is on approach to the Saratoga after having been missing for quite some time. I'm looking forward to reuniting with my crew, but I am curious why they have been missing for so long.

Captain Zseeq stood near the door to Shuttlebay 2, closely flanked by Security Officer Thompson and Commander Hall. It had been so long since his away team had gone missing that he was really looking forward to seeing them again, but he was deeply concerned about how long they'd been missing and why. Hopefully they got some answers, and soon.

As the runabout pressure door slid open, Zseeq crossed his arms and waited.

Eager to return to his family, and fully expected them to be waiting, Zhi impatiently waiting for the hatch to open. Even before it was fully opened, the Vulcan squirmed through and breathed a sigh of relief from being away from the confining environment. His relief was soon replaced with visible disappointment when faced with just the captain, the first officer and a security officer. "Captain, Commander," he said formally without acknowledging the security officer with anything more than a brief nod.

"Any answers yet, Captain?" Maran asked as he followed the Vulcan off the runabout, eager to find out if they'd managed to discover what had happened in the missing 15 days they seemed to be missing.

"We'll get to that soon enough, Lieutenant," the Deltan Commanding Officer of the Saratoga answered quickly. He quickly surveyed the passengers of the runabout as they came off of the craft. "For now, though, we need to try to figure out what happened to all of you and why you're so overdue. I'd like you all to report to Sickbay for a full once over under the discretion of Mister Sethan. Once those scans are completed, we'll talk about your situations and getting you all back to duty."

Mel nodded. If she had been compromised in any way of course her next in command would have to investigate. "I'll lead the way, we were all getting cabin fever anyway" she smiled. "Captain, Commander," she said to them.

Lieutenant Thompson shared a quick glance to the Captain, sending a full message silently through just a simple glance. It was a message that the Captain received loud and clear, but chose to take things his way instead. "Alright, Doctor, but Lieutenant Thompson and Commander Hall will be accompanying you all." He looked at his XO, "Please keep me updated, Commander."

Maran nodded but frowned. He understood and accepted the Captain's orders but was frustrated at not being told what they knew, if anything. If they didnt know anything it'll be reassuring to know that.

Well, that explained the absence of his husband amongst the welcoming committee. But then there was a new issue, the ethics of being examined by his own husband. He turned to face the XO who flanked them. "If available, another medic should see to my examination," he pointed out. "Perhaps doctor D'BrooNi herself once Sethan has performed hers? Ethics forbid to be examined by one's own family members."

"If the scans come back normal, I don't have a problem with that, Lieutenant," Zseeq answered, having overheard the conversation. He tugged on his uniform tunic as he said it, "If any of you need me, I'll be on the Bridge."

"Of course," Zhi agreed, "well then ..shall we head to sickbay?" He looked towards Hall, "transport perhaps just in case we hare contaminated in some way?"

"The bio filters should screen anything that's potential hazardous. That's a good shout, Lieutenant." Maran agreed with an approving nod.

"I do occasionally have good ideas," Zhi answered, almost cheerfully. "Computer, transport the away team into decon." Within seconds, the ship's computer complied, and the small group materialised into the second chamber in sickbay.

Alerted to their arrival, Sethan was already waiting on the other side of the door. "Decon procedure activated," he announced, "doctor D'BrooNi, as soon as you're ready I'll examine you first. Ideally, you should be in charge ma'am." He cast his husband a small smile, visibly uncomfortable with the idea of being in charge for now.

Lieutenant Thompson quietly observed as the away team members materialized into the Sickbay complex, having traveled ahead of them. With as long as they'd been gone anything was possible. While he was sure he could handle anything that came his way, the close confines of the Sickbay made it a little more difficult to respond than he was comfortable with.

Mel sat down with the others and let the machine do its thing. "You have this Doctor," Mel said gently. She knew he was uncomfortable but he needed to step into the spotlight every now and then.

"Forgive me, Lieutenant. I meant no disrespect." The Cardassian said to the Vulcan science officer as they materialised

"Don't worry about it," the Vulcan answered, "I was trying to respond with humour, but occasionally Human humour still eludes me."

"You may have guessed but I'm not very good either." Maran replied with a smirk. "For obvious reasons."

Mel waited patiently the few minutes while the decon worked on her watching patiently. When it dinged to state their freedom, she happily walked out again. "Okay then. Examine me," she said amused at the turn of events. She went and sat on a nearby biobed.

Normally, the Chief of Security for a starship wouldn't be present for such an examination, but these weren't typical times. Standing off to the side, he did turn to give them privacy and checked his own readings on the tricorder. He wasn't sure why the away team was missing for so long, partially he thought that the Captain may've lost his own mind for going as hard as he did, but these were certainly perilous times. Only recently had Starfleet been devasted by the Borg. They couldn't risk another incident.

Nodding, the Vulcan doctor led his boss to a bed and activated the scanners, consulting his tricorder on the side. At the back of his mind, he was aware of his husband's scrutiny and it felt like more than just the usual sense of love and pride his husband usually emitted. Ignoring it, he studied the readings. "How unusual," he announced, "you're as fit as anything doctor. If I didn't know better and hadn't seen you before, then based on these readings you're at a juvenile state of being. Based on these readings, you're seventeen standard years old."

He scrutinized his readings to double check them. "No pathogens, but all seems to be ah... firming up. Hormonal levels too are corresponding to a teenage Trill female."

Having overheard as part of his responsibilities, as ordered by the Captain, Lieutenant Thompson turned and approached the biobed where the Vulcan Doctor and the Chief Medical Officer were located. Standing nearby, he asked, "What exactly could cause such a thing, Doctor? Is the Tricorder out of alignment?" He didn't mean the question as pointedly as it came out and hoped that the Vulcan Doctor hadn't been offended by the question.

"No I don't think it is," Sethan answered, after checking the medical device's settings. He handed it over to the lieutenant. "Here see for yourself. Maybe you can confirm my readings with a different device." He was certain there was no mistake, the chief medical officer was in excellent, perhaps even juvenile condition.

Lieutenant Thompson readied his own Tricorder. While he knew that the Medical Tricorder was far more adept at the scans that were being conducted, he knew that his Tricorder could at least confirm the readings that Sethan shared. Tapping on the interface, he read the results. "Fascinating," he said like a Vulcan. "How does someone's body rejuvenate like that? I know Nepenthe's not far from here, but even if you'd gone there you shouldn't be in this good've shape."

Mel while they were talking had stood up and was examining her arms, legs and stomach. "I do seem to be trimmer ..... almost like when I was at the academy ..... well as far as side effects are I can't complain at this one but we need to keep an eye on it."

Sethan turned his attention to the rest of the group, leaving his boss to see to his husband since he had declared her healthy. "Who's next?"

"If no one volunteers we will pick, "Mel said simply picking up her own tricorder. "In fact we have 2 doctors now, assuming your happy I am not compromised?" she asked security.

"Happy to comply." The Cardassian said stepping forward.

"If you could see to Lieutenants Zhi'rev and, Maran then I will look after Ensign Roju," Sethan suggested.

"Yes of course," Mel said. There couldn't be a conflict of interest. She should have seen that sooner.

Zhi smiled somewhat nervously. "Ready when you are doctor," he said, rubbing his arm again as though he was very nervous. He was eager to return home, so he wanted to get this over with. "I feel fine."

Before an answer could be given, the lights in the Sickbay slightly changed as the indicator lights switch on to a light-yellow color. The main computer's voice interrupted, "Yellow alert. All hands to stations."

Lieutenant Thompson, as Acting Security Chief, wanted to head out to the Bridge to help, but knew that was impossible right now. Looking around, "Until you're cleared by the Medical staff you need to remain here." He mumbled under his breath, "We all need to remain here."

Mel nodded. "Right then Lieutenant," she said to Zhi'rev, "Up on this biobed please."

Obediently, the Vulcan science chief eased himself down onto the bed. He folded his hands over his chest to have some sense of comfort.

Mel operated a scan. "You seem to have a scratch. Its not bleeding but it just looks, I don't know slightly different. I think I might do a more detailed scan. Any idea how it happened? Does it hurt in any way?" she asked as she started working the bio bed controls for a higher level scan.

The Vulcan shook his head. "I'm not sure doctor," he answered, "maybe on some foliage while I was exploring? It was quite warm if you recall, so I did take off my jacket. It doesn't hurt but it does seem to itch a little. No that's not quite the right word, I don't know how to explain. I feel it...like a mild rash?"

With not many places to go inside of the Sickbay, Lieutenant Thompson couldn't help but overhear the discussion going on between the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Science Officer. Lieutenant Thompson moved closer to the duo instinctively, silently chastising himself in his own head for thinking that a scratch was anything to really worry about.

Mel frowned as the results of the next scan came in. "That cuts got healing characteristics. Its not ... its not your body chemistry .... its Bioplast." She shot a look at Sethan wondering if he was getting to the same conclusion she was. She scanned herself too.

"Okay this is insane," she said as it gave the same results. Even D'BrooNi. "It seems we have been replaced or changed. We are now synthetic beings. All the scans point to this. Doctor can you double check all my scans?" she asked Sethan. This really was insane.

The Acting Chief of Security looked surprised by the announcement, "Are we certain, Doctor, that you are synthetic? Can't bioplast be used in surgery to cover wounds until the skin naturally regrows?" He wasn't exactly sure. He'd recalled during training that one of his fellow Security Officers had been injured on Frontier Day and the surgeons used bioplast in his surgical treatments. Something told him though, due to the reaction that the Chief Medical Officer had had, this wasn't the case.

"Lieutenant Thompson is right," Sethan said as he studied his own tricorder, which wasn't as advanced as the medical bays more thorough sensors. "It can be used in surgery. And who's to say our scanners aren't being manipulated?" He glanced sideways at his husband. "I have trouble believing you all aren't real. I can sense Zhi as well as ever, I haven't sensed any anomalies. Surely, I would've if something this extensive had happened?"

The Vulcan studied his readings once more. "I can't explain the anomalies in clotting agents, not can I explain other anomalies but we should overhaul our own systems before coming to too hasty conclusions? I would recommend the away team stays here as a security measure, but I think that order should come from the captain, not from a chief medical officer who herself might be compromised if what she says is true."

"As the Security Chief I can issue that order," Lieutenant Thompson answered, wondering what the fallout of a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) issuing such a directive would actually be." He looked at the members of the away team, "I hate to say it, but I'm also going to post a Security Guard here in Sickbay for the time being just as a precautionary measure. I know that this isn't an ideal situation, but until we know what actually is going on the safety of the ship takes priority. This could simply have been a surgical procedure," he silently reminded himself that they'd probably know if they had surgery, "but rather safe than sorry."

Mel blinked a few times as she got her head round things. Just one time she would like to be compromised in a good way.

Then she giggled internally despite herself. ~Perhaps you are ready to date again~ Leiko one of her hosts through D'BrooNi or "fake D'BrooNi" as it may be now said. ~Not the time,~ she thought back to her prior host.

"Okay lets do a level 5 diagnostic on the scanners. Double check things," she agreed. "And," she raised her hands. "Don't worry none of us are going anywhere. The correct thing to do is quarantine the away team here till we understand more. If you have had a surgical procedure you cannot remember or all of us have, perhaps we should ask the counselor to try some hypnosis or something to try draw those hidden memories out or what is subconsciously still there up to the point they wiped things?"

Ensign Roju interrupted, "Since I'm Acting Chief Engineer I could do the diagnostic myself, that way we limit the access to the room to others to better ensure their protection if we've been compromised." The Vorgon was worried about the fallout of potentially having been compromised and didn't want to put others at risk, but he couldn't escape the possibility that this was all a simple mistake?

Thompson shook his head, "I'm sorry, Ensign, but I can't permit that. If you are compromised you may not even know it and could manipulate the diagnostic to hide the truth." It was a bit harsh, but true.

"I agree with Lieutenant Thompson," Sethan spoke apologetically. "Until diagnostics are done, and until the Captain clears it all, you're stuck in quarantine."

Chase looked at Sethan, "I suppose that makes you Acting Chief Medical Officer until we get to the bottom of this. So, what's your next move?"

"We monitor them," the young Vulcan stated uncomfortably, "and we make sure our sensors are in optimal condition. They were lost for quite some time, and they have no recollection of it, that's curious to say the least. Why don't they know they were gone for two weeks?"

"Good question. I suppose that just one of the answers we have to figure out," the young Human answered. "I'll post additional guards for the time being, Doctor, and we should probably notify the Captain. This is going to be a very long day."

"Indeed." He rested a hand on the your officer's arm. "Rotate your guards as needed, but the away team is confined to sickbay until we can determine with absolutely certainty they are who they seem to be. I'll be in the office for now."

The Security Chief nodded, "You got it."

"Make sure you don't move my mountain of PADDs, took me forever to organise them," Mel quipped. Mind you if they had been missing 2 weeks she supposed he could have done that already. "Guess we all pick a biobed," she shrugged at the rest of the away team.

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