From: 95lnm@williams.edu (Lisa Masterman)
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: "Aeia" epilogue and repost (4)
Date: 6 Jan 1993 01:51:22 GMT
Organization: Williams College, Williamstown, MA
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: welsh.cs.williams.edu

"Aeia"

PART FOUR

"You're asking the impossible."

Aeia frowned at the doctor who stood in front of her.  She pushed herself 
further upright on the bed, leaning forward with determination.  Her long 
brown curls, tousled by sleep, hung down limply in front of her shoulders, 
but her eyes sparked with vibrant life.  "No, Doctor," she replied.  "I am 
asking you to believe me.  Now is the time to act.  My leg cannot wait; you 
and I both know that."

Dr. Crusher shook her head.  Aeia was right; her leg's condition had worsened 
overnight since her excursion onto the planet.  She should never have let the 
girl get out of bed.  But what was now presented to her was simply beyond 
her ability to imagine.

Aeia's face darkened at the doctor's silence.  "I can't do this alone," she said.  
Dr. Crusher remained silent.  "You're a member of Starfleet," she continued.  
"You're supposed to discover new peoples, new civilizations...  new 
experiences.  New ways of doing things.  Discover this one with me."

The CMO exploded out of her silence.  "You're asking me to believe that you 
can heal your leg with nothing but - but your hands, and a couple of 
radioactive rocks!"  She shook her head.  "My belief doesn't stretch that far.  
Not when I can do nothing with all I have-"

"Stop limiting yourself," Aeia said quietly.  "Do you really think that all this 
intricate technology that surrounds you is the only way to heal?  Stop being 
a doctor."

"I AM a doctor."

Aeia looked levelly into the CMO's eyes.  "No you aren't.  A doctor is someone 
who doctors a wound.  You are a healer.  You heal them.  Listen: I am not 
strong enough yet to do this by myself, or I would go about it quietly and 
not bring you into it.  But I sense your strength, and your potential.  The 
human race is so close to acquiring many of the abilities my people had; take 
this step with me!  Further your evolution as a species.  Or do this just as a 
favor for me, but do it; there is no risk, I assure you.  If we fail, nothing will 
be lost.  Please.  I need your help to heal."

Dr. Crusher sank back to lean against the neighboring bed, her protests 
exhausted.  "What does it entail?"

Aeia picked up the two crystals that had been resting on her lap.  They were 
dense, and her arms, weakened by her worsened condition, quivered under 
their weight.  "These emit a low-level radiation that, focused properly, can 
be a powerful tool for healing.  They will be our guides, and our aids.  Our 
only aids.  Everything else that we need we will find within us."

Dr. Crusher fidgeted nervously.  "What do I do?"

"Come here beside me," directed Aeia.  She lay back as the doctor 
approached the bed.  "Relax.  No, not like that.  Straighten your back, let your 
shoulders fall back.  Open your frame and find your balance."  She paused as 
the CMO concentrated on following her directions.  "Now give me your hand, 
and place the other there - yes.  Now close your eyes, and join me..."  And 
her voice fell silent as their minds met and joined.  They began the healing 
process as one.

--------------------------------------------------------

Ensign Park was preoccupied as she strode into Sick Bay to report for duty.  
Her argument with her husband vanished from her thoughts, however, as 
she rounded the corner to see Dr. Crusher standing beside a patient's bed, 
eyes closed and motionless.  Park stood at a respectful distance for a few 
moments, but when after a few seconds neither patient nor doctor had 
stirred, she began to approach the still pair.

Suddenly, Dr. Crusher's legs buckled and she pitched forward towards the 
bed.  Before Park could reach the bed, the young woman on the bed had 
stopped the CMO from falling.  One hand had caught Dr. Crusher's forearm 
and held it up off the bed with an iron grip, though the arm shook violently 
from the effort.  Ensign Park hooked one arm around her superior's waist, 
lifting her weight and supporting her away from the bed.

The red-haired doctor stirred as Park set her down on a chair.  "Are you all 
right, Dr. Crusher?" asked the ensign.

"Yes," came the faint reply.  Dr. Crusher's cheeks slowly began to recover 
their color as she pressed her forehead into one hand.  "What is Aeia's 
condition?"

Park moved over to the bed and examined the readouts.  Picking up an 
instrument from a nearby shelf, she moved it over the still patient.  Her 
movements gravitated to the right leg, and, after checking the results, she 
scanned it again.  Shaking her head in disbelief, she turned to her superior.  
"She's asleep," she said, "and showing very severe signs of fatigue.  Doctor, 
according to these scans, the cell damage in her right leg has been corrected."

Dr. Crusher nodded.  She had known this, she had been part of it, but she 
wanted to hear the words, to know that it was really true.  "I know," she 
said.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Captain, a vessel is approaching this system from the Neutral Zone."

"Romulan?" queried Picard.

Data was silent for a moment as his fingertips tapped his console.  
"Affirmative."

Riker frowned.  "Why would a Romulan ship leave the Neutral Zone 
uncloaked?"

"Time to arrival, Mr. Data?"

"Two minutes, forty-two seconds, Captain."

"We will know soon, Number One," Picard said in response to Riker's 
question.  "Standby for Yellow Alert," he commanded.

---------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Crusher stood over Aeia's sleeping form, brushing a strand of the girl's 
long hair from her face.  Her sleep was so deep, and her form so still and 
colorless, she bore a semblance to death, and yet Beverly Crusher had never 
been so keenly aware of the life within a patient.  The young woman before 
her, almost exactly her son's age, had a fierce grip on life and bristled with 
an incredible strength.  The doctor was in awe.

She moved away from the bed after a time, heading out of Sick Bay and 
towards the turbolift.  Captain Picard had requested an update on any 
change in Aeia's condition, and she decided she would deliver this one in 
person.  She wondered as the turbolift doors closed if she would be able to 
describe what she had just experienced to someone even as close to her as 
Jean-Luc.

---------------------------------------------------------

"We are in hailing range, sir," reported Data.

"Open a channel," Picard commanded.

"Channel open," reported the deep voice of Worf.

"Romulan Vessel, this is Captain Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise.  
I demand an explanation for your presence in Federation space."

"They are responding," said Worf.

"On screen."

A Romulan commander appeared on the viewscreen, gazing with perfect, 
impenetrable composure at the bridge crew of the Enterprise.  "I beg to 
differ with you, Picard.  This is not Federation space."

Picard's sarcasm belied the fact he did not take the Romulan commander's 
statement seriously.  "And from what data do you draw this conclusion, 
Commander?"

"On the truth," the Romulan replied.

Picard's patience with the joke ended abruptly.  "The treaty between our 
peoples clearly-"

"Did not involve the Katyans," the Romulan finished for him.  He signalled to 
his left, and a young man moved into view on the screen.  His thick reddish-
brown skin and barrel-like form was in distinct contrast to the Romulans 
around him.  "Dhyle here has informed me that his kind have populated this 
region for over four hundred years, long before the Federation claimed it as 
its own."

Picard looked skeptical.  "Starfleet found no evidence of previous settlement 
in any of these systems."

"We did not wish to be found," spat the man now identified as Dhyle.  Thick 
hairs across his lower neck bristled with a hint of nervousness.  "Besides, 
Starfleet has not bothered to fully explore any of these systems until now."

"Dhyle has decided to join his people with the Empire," said the Romulan 
coolly.  "Therefore, Picard, it would appear that it is you, and not I, that is 
trespassing."  He waited for a moment for the implication of his words to 
register with the Enterprise's captain and crew, and then continued, "I am 
here to claim what rightly belongs to the Empire, Picard.  Leave this system 
now or be destroyed."

"Wait," interjected the Captain.  "We have discovered a life form who claims 
her people inhabited this planet about which we orbit.  I do not believe she 
is of your people, Dhyle."

The Katyan flinched momentarily.  "Impossible," he said firmly.  "The 
Petryans are dead; I have seen their ruins myself.  They have all gone from 
this life."

"Show us this...  Petryan," said the Romulan commander.

Dr. Crusher's voice spoke quietly at Picard's side.  "Jean-Luc, she's nearly 
unconscious with exhaustion."

He nodded to the CMO and turned to speak to the viewscreen.  "That is 
unfortunately impossible," he began.

The Romulan commander cut him off with a wave of his arm. "Unfortunate 
indeed, human.  You have two minutes to leave what is now Romulan space."  
The transmission ended abruptly, replacing the Romulan's image with that of 
his vessel.

"Captain," spoke Worf from his station, "the Romulan vessel is not a match 
for the Enterprise's weaponry or her mobility.  They do not pose us a threat."

"Counselor?" queried the Captain.

"I sense deceit," answered Troi, "but I am not sure of what kind.  I know that 
he is quite confident that he will succeed in his mission.  I also don't think he 
intends to allow us to leave alive."

"How does he expect to stop us if he's outgunned and outmatched?" asked 
Riker.  Troi had nothing to offer in response.

"What about the Katyan?" Picard asked of Troi.

"I sense mostly nervousness from him," she responded.  "He's young and 
unsure of himself.  But he is not deceiving us."

The bridge fell to silence for a few seconds while Picard contemplated the 
weight of their situation.

"Open a channel to the Romulan vessel," spoke an unexpected voice out of 
this silence.  All turned around to see Aeia standing near the turbolift, 
leaning heavily on the railing.  "Do it," she commanded, her voice deep and 
authoritative.  She glared across the upper level of the bridge at Worf, who 
stood motionless at his station, meeting her eyes with his own in a fierce 
white stare from within his dark face.  She turned her gaze on Picard, whose 
face blazed in indignation.

"What is the meaning of this??  You are not part of this crew, and you have 
no authority to be on my bridge!"

"Your crew is in grave danger," she responded firmly.  "If you do not allow 
me to act, your lives will end in minutes.  My planet has already seen 
enough deaths.  I will not allow these to occur, not when I can save them."

"That ship," said Picard, pointing to the image on the viewscreen, "does not 
mean we are in grave danger."

"The five unseen warships surrounding it, however, mean EXACTLY that," 
countered Aeia.

"There are no indications of cloaked warships in the area," said Data from his 
console.

"Nevertheless, they are there," said Aeia.  "Their technology cannot hide their 
presences from me.  Katyans have very loud minds."  A half-smile crossed 
her face for an instant, giving the impression that her statement, however 
serious, possessed recognizable humor.

Picard was not amused.  He looked straight and full into the dark blue 
depths and searched them.  They offered no resistance to his probing, but 
met him with every ounce of his strength and more.  He saw within an 
admirable force and an inner will that could not be denied.  "Make it so," he 
commanded Worf.

"Channel open," boomed the voice of the Klingon.

"Romulan vessel," spoke Aeia in a loud, full voice.  She stood up slowly from 
the railing, shifting her weight with caution onto both legs.  "This is Aeia, an 
inhabitant of the planet below.  You are in our space."

The viewscreen switched to show Dhyle sitting before it, the Romulan 
commander beside him, frowning.  "Your claim is false," asserted the Katyan.

"Let me prove my case in person," she responded.  "Allow me to beam over 
to your ship."

The Romulan commander started in surprise, but the Katyan held back his 
response by a quickly raised hand.  "Agreed.  Beam over in one minute."  The 
transmission ended.

The bridge of the Enterprise stood in dumbfounded silence.

Picard was the first to recover from his shock.  His preparatory breath drew 
all attention on the bridge to him, and all expected some sort of reprimand.  
Surprising them all, he merely said quietly, "I hope you know what you're 
doing."

Aeia leaned once more upon the railing, a pained look crossing her face.  "So 
do I," she replied.
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