The Voices Don't Like You (part 3)

Posted on Fri Mar 20th, 2015 @ 4:12pm by Captain T'mpest Michaels & Lieutenant Commander Orin ch’Valri

1,034 words; about a 5 minute read

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

Orin stumbled back but quickly kept his balance. He looked back to her and smirked slightly, feeling a rush as if he were back on the battle field. "Okay. The fun way then." He replied as he got into a fighting stance and cracked his neck slightly. "Show of hands. Who can see better in dark? Computer: Lights off." Suddenly the dim lights turned off, leaving both T'mpest and Orin in a dark locked room alone.

[NEW]

The darkness momentarily blinded her. He now had a clear advantage, but she remembered the layout of the room and she could hear him breathing. She held perfectly still and listened, ready to lash out when he got close. "See? You can't trust him," the voices whispered. She felt movement and lashed out. "Computer, lights," she ordered.

The lights remained off and suddenly she felt the breathing close to her, however, before she could react she was thrown onto the ground by a judo throw. "I'm sorry, Captain, but it won't be that easy. In here, the computer responds to me. I can't allow you to be out there if you're going to be like this. These people look up to you. They are counting on you to get them out. If you're like this, you're going to get them killed." He called out as he continued to move, circling her in the dark. He wanted to make sure to keep moving. Never giving her something to target. He knew all too well not to keep still when he hand the advantage. Closed area. Nothing but darkness between him and her. Orin was well trained in conditions like this and whether she had Vulcan strength on her side or not, as long as he kept moving he had the upper hand. "Trust me, Captain. A Vulcan mind meld will help you assess whether or not you can trust in me, but it will also keep all the other surrounding voices from getting to you. I can help you. Aenar are known as the strongest of telepaths. I am part Aenar and know some of their techniques that will help get you back on track. Make this easier on yourself. Please."

T'mpest listened quietly as he moved. He might be a strong telepath, but he clearly forgot about Vulcan hearing. In one deft movement she pulled him to the floor and then straddled him, pinning him to the ground. "A mind meld will not silence the voices," she insisted. She could probe his mind, but there was always a chance that a strong telepath could get into hers as well. It did not make her want to trust him.

"Clearly, you know nothing of mind melds." Orin countered as, with surprising strength he slipped her arms from his shoulders and used that small momentum to roll her over on her back. "A mind meld is a private linking that combines the two minds as one. During a mind meld, no outside influences and interrupt it. Not even the thoughts of others, as long as our minds remain locked. That includes outside telepaths. You have to initiate it, Captain. Its the only way. Please, trust me in this."

"I am a VULCAN. I am intimately acquainted with a mind meld. The focus only lasts as long as the meld itself. Once the meld is broken, the voices will return." She thrashed to beat him off, but in her current state she was reacting more on instinct than logic. Any link that would last outside the meld itself would be far too intimate. Her breathing was rapid and her pulse raced as she again tried to unseat him.

Orin struggled with her, but felt that her strength was depleting. "And I could die." He countered, looking down at her even though it was pitch black. "But I am willing to take the chance if it will help you get back in your own mind. The voices will always come back, but two minds, such as ours, might help keep them out a bit longer that it would be if I were a normal person. Let's face it, if I survive, it will be able to keep us both steady. So you can use my strength to fight off your weakness and I can use your strength to fight off mine. I know this is asking a lot, but for this crew, its worth a try."

T'mpest flipped him and again pinned him to the ground. "I was trained on Vulcan. You will survive a mind meld from me." The fight was helping her mood, but she wasn't ready to admit that. "My quarters are telepathically shielded. But it won't help my crew. I need to keep control of the ship." Again the voices bombarded her, telling her that her crew would mutiny. She leaned closer. "Tell me, Aenar, how will a mind meld with you help my crew?"

"I'm half Aenar." He replied with a raised voice as he flipped her back over again. "Unlike you, I am not ashamed to be half of something else." He pinned her down hard and looked her in the eyes. "Computer: Raise lights to previous setting." Orin let go of her and stood up, breathing heavily. "Because, Captain. Two minds are always better than one. My mind and your mind would be a lot stronger together than apart. As a team. As a family, if you want. Trust is all we have and once we lose that trust we are truly alone." He let out a sigh and held out his hand to her. "I don't know if the mind meld would help, but what do know is that the meld will ease your mind by silencing the other voices and allowing you to know whether you can trust me. The moment of silence from those voices will help you refocus your mind, and that silence, will last as long as you allow it to. You need to have faith, because so far I haven't given you any real reason not trust in me."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant Orin ch'Valri
Chief Security/Tactical Officer

Commander T'mpest Michaels
Commanding Officer

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