Images whirled around her - faces of people from her past. She would catch glimpses of and then cringe. Kassia saw the Son'a commander and see him strike her, then Rojere . . . Then Lt. Kelly, only Lt. Kelly turned into Troy's father. Her eyes flew open as she cried almost on the verge of hysterics. She looked around and found herself in sickbay, worried faces looking down at her. She saw Tarik and Troy and Toren Len . . . She even saw Garek standing near by. As she looked to the side of her, she saw Kelly being treated on the bed beside her and she started crying again as she sat up almost trying to get away.
"Shhhhh . . . Its all right," Troy tried to soothe as he took her in his arms.
"No, its not . . . I can't be here, I have to leave . . ." She cried, not making any sense.
"Let me get the doctor," Toren Len said.
The Doctor came over with a hypospray. "Let me give this to you. It's thorizadine and pretty strong anti-psychotic."
Everyone but Toren Len raised their eyebrows as Troy held Kassia's crying form.
"This will calm her down," he said.
Troy nodded his agreement as the doctor stepped toward the bed. He gently lifted Kassia's hair and injected the medication into the common artery in her neck. In a few seconds, she crying began to slow and her body slump. Gently, Troy laid her back down in the bed, but not releasing her hand. Tears still shone brightly in her green eyes. The bruising on her face was almost gone now from the doctor's treatments. Tarik was also beside her stroking her hair. She look at them and more tears just flowed.
"I tried to get away . . . I tried to stop him . . . I just . . . I just couldn't . . ."
"It's all right," Tarik said, "It's over now . . ."
"He threatened to kill me . .. he threatened to . . . to . . . Oh God . . . " she turned to her side, away from Kelly's image crying again, though gently, with a shudder. Troy, Tarik and Toren Len all exchanged glances as the realization hit them. They looked to Garek, whose look and nod confirmed their thoughts even further. Immediately, Troy got up, let go of Kassia's hand and made a dash for Kelly.
"You %$#@& bastard!" he screamed as Tarik immediately grabbed him before he could reach Kelly's bed and him.
Tarik and Garek both had to restrain Troy from attacking Kelly, who lay unconscious on the next biobed. Kelly's face and upper body were a mass of bruises, scratches and bite marks evident on his face and hands. Every so often a spasm could be observed as the effects of the riot gas grenade on Kelly's lungs wore off.
"That's not going to accomplish anything, Troy!" Garek said. "He's got to answer for his crimes the right way!"
Troy started to calm down. "Anyone care to explain what made Kelly attack her?" he asked angrily.
They told Troy the whole story: the replicated arms, setting the colony up for a massacre, and how Kassia probably had found out Kelly was guilty. "This man is sick," Tarik said. "Fundamentally evil, if ever such a thing existed."
"What's going to happen to him?" Troy asked, trying to focus on something else.
"Court-martial and, given the extraordinary consequences of his actions, he'll be sentenced either to life at hard labor or death," Garek said.
"Doctor, I must recuse myself of caring for Mr. Kelly," Toren Len requested of Cherrin. "Under the present circumstances I do not trust my impartiality or my judgment."
Cherrin thought for a moment. "Okay, so noted. Thank you for your candor. Unfortunately I'm afraid half or more of the medical staff might be in the same boat. But, I think I have an idea. Computer, activate EMH program."
The standardized image of the EMH--a middle-aged, balding Caucasian man in a medical uniform--appeared. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."
"Patient is a criminal who has attacked an officer of this station. No member of the medical staff is able to render treatment to this individual without an ethical conflict. Please monitor Lt. Kelly's condition and advise when the patient is ready for release," Cherrin said.
"Will the patient require a secure treatment area?" the hologram asked.
"Yes, probably a good idea," Cherrin stated. He had two orderlies wheel Kelly's biobed to a separate section of Sickbay that could be secured with a forcefield against contagious diseases or uncooperative patients. Of course, which category Kelly falls under at the moment is a matter for debate, Cherrin thought.
"Very well. I will transfer my program to the iso facility," the EMH said as he vanished.
Kassia still lay on her biobed, dazed and aware of what was happening but not saying much. Tarik, familiar with the physiological effects of shock, found a blanket at the foot of the biobed and covered Kassia with it as Cherrin administered a hypospray.
"This will help her sleep it off," Cherrin said. Then, to Tarik and Troy: "Her injuries aren't terribly bad in the main--concussion, some contusions to the abdomen and chest, and three broken teeth," he said. Tarik winced at the broken teeth. For some reason that seemed to affect him more deeply than the other issues. "I was able to repair a fractured rib, but seeing as how she's had prior skull and brain injuries I want to keep her here overnight. You'll have to monitor her for the next week or so, however. Brain injuries can take a while to show up, and she's most assuredly going to experience post-traumatic stress events as a result of all this."
"I'll be able to watch her when I'm not working," Troy said. "But I have to go to work at some point."
"Troy, if you need to stay home, stay home," Tarik said. "If it's the money you're worried about, I can cover you. Don't worry about it!"
"Thanks, but...I don't know. Maybe we should take turns or something."
"That might work best," Tarik answered. "We work opposite shifts anyway. You can watch her during the day; I'll watch her at night. I may get called away at a moment's notice, however, so if I call you will you be able to get to her?"
"I will get to her one way or another!" Troy said. "Let's get a schedule worked out before she's released."
The next day...
Troy led Kassia out of Sickbay, draping a heavy black shawl over her shoulders to help her ward off the cold she was feeling. Troy knew that Kassia couldn't possibly be cold aboard the climate-controlled station, but he also knew that Kassia was still in shock from her recent trauma. Who in their right mind would have suspected Kelly? he thought. I could almost forgive the Son'a--but not Kelly!
They approached the turbolift. Troy attempted to lead Kassia into the car but she would not move. "I won't go in there..." she said, starting to cry. "I don't ever want to go in there again!"
Oh, great... "Kass, we have to take the turbolift to get home! It's the only way! I'm here with you; it'll be just fine!"
"No...no turbolift!" Kassia was adamant.
Now, how do I handle this? he thought. Then, Troy saw Kassia's combadge and got an idea. He tapped the combadge.
"Troy to Tarik--come in please," he said, feeling a bit awkward about using Starfleet communications for this.
"Yes, Troy, what can I do for you?" Tarik replied from the command deck.
"I'm having a problem with Kassia," Troy said. "She won't get on the turbolift, and I can't get her home!"
Tarik could hear Kassia breaking down into tears next to Troy. "Hang on just a moment...there. You'll feel a little bit of disorientation, but that will go away after a few seconds."
The world around Troy winked out of existence...then reappeared as they rematerialized in Kassia's quarters. "Did what I think happened just happen?" Troy said, not having used a transporter before.
"Yes. I used the transporter for a site-to-site transport to get you and Kassia to her quarters. Are you feeling any nausea, loss of equilibrium, or disorientation?" Tarik asked.
"Uhh...just a little bit, but I'm fine."
"That's normal the first time. We don't want to keep doing this, of course, but this at least gets her home," Tarik said. "I'll be there to relieve you at 1800 hours unless an emergency comes up. Good luck, Troy. If you need anything else, let me know."
"Thanks," Troy said. "Thanks for everything. Just warn me the next time you use the transporter on me!"
Kassia looked around at her surroundings and her tears quieted though they did not stop falling. Troy looked at her and gently wiped away some of her tears.
"Want to go sit down on the couch? I could make you a cup of tea or something," Troy said.
She shook her head. "I just want to sleep . . ." she said, wanting to forget everything around her and all the events that had to recently happened to shatter the comfort and security that she had begun to feel in the world around her.
Troy could almost see her body wilting, partly from her condition and party from the drugs the doctor had placed her on. He picked her up like a child.
"Then I'll take you to bed," he said.
She didn't resist and allowed him to carry her to her room. As he laid her on the bed, he sat down next to her.
"Do you want me to bring you anything?" he asked.
She shook her head. He nodded and stood to go.
"Please don't leave . . . " she said, the tears still in her green eyes. "I don't want to be alone . . . The . . . The nightmares come back and . . ."
"Shhhhh," he said as he sat back down next to her and caressed hercheek. "Its okay. I'm here. I'll stay with you . . ."
With that, she forced a half smile before her eyes closed of their own volition. The medication the doctor had given her was working to calm her and ease her mind. Within another minute, she was asleep. Troy sat watching her as he gently caressed her face again.