"Syndromes, Disorders and Other Nasty Things"
(Previous Post: "Nausicaan Heaven")
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Stardate: 60326.1400
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 12, Forensics Lab
SDS, or Soul Displacement Syndrome as Commander Wellington had explained it was the transfer of a soul, or at least part of one, from one person to another at the time of death. Although this was a very rare condition, one that many members of the medical community within Starfleet still refuse to recognise as being genuine, some cases had been documented and seemed to gravitate mostly around twins who had suffered some sort of severe emotional trauma. The other target group for this unusual syndrome appeared to be amongst races which possessed extensive telepathic abilities as well as specific genetic predisposition for fraternal twins such as Betazoids. From the looks of things Vulcans had never encountered this medical condition leading the Shillian woman to dismiss many reports submitted by members of the Vulcan Medical Academy on this subject.
The Chief Science Officer had gone to the forensics lab of the USS ANUBIS to review her notes on the ONAIRA VIII conference and everything else the scientist had been able to gather on the subject mostly because none of the other labs were appropriately equipped for this sort of work. Although the SCARAB-Class ships had been fitted with a more than impressive array of scientific laboratories none of them had been meant to research something along the lines of 'souls' or their transfer from one physical body to another.
While rereading the notes that she had taken on this subject during the conference and comparing them to the reports of other occurrences of SDS the Shillian scientist tried to imagine what it would feel like to have another 'entity' fight for control of her body. Despite the medical records of overlapping brainwave patterns and the eventual dominance of one over the other the Chief Science Officer found it hard to grasp the concept of two *minds* occupying the same form while retaining the majority of their individual characteristics. The closest the scientist could come to applying a known template to what she had been researching was to return to the Vulcans and what they referred to as a Katra or soul and its passing from one person to another, and even its return to the original body. Such practices were said to be common in Vulcan mythology when a physical body was extensively damaged requiring an extended period of time to heal, unfortunately none of the literature that the Chief Science Officer had located gave any indication as to how such a transfer could be accomplish, especially not on none-Vulcans.
"Never thought I would find you researching 'souls'," the Enaran said as he stepped into the Forensics Laboratory. The Marine had grown quite skilled in locating the Chief Science Officer when she was not on duty on the bridge, the Shillian usually spending her free time in one of the many labs that were onboard the ANUBIS.
"Actually," the Shillian woman replied, "I am conducting research on the 'Transfer of Coherent Bio-Energy Between Siblings Following Severe Emotional or Psychological Trauma', the tern SDS, or Soul Displacement Syndrome was associated to this condition only at a later time when research on this rare occurrence was conducted on EARTH by members of Starfleet Medical. My guess is that they were trying to make it easier for Doctors and Researchers to understand what it was they were trying to figure out. I mean the original name given to the research is lengthy enough to require several pages of a report on its own," the scientist said finding the entire thing almost amusing.
"You can call it whatever you want," Pravat said crossing his arms over his chest, "it will not change the fact that Lieutenant Dawson disobeyed a direct order and that he should suffer the consequences of his actions."
The Chief Science Officer stopped dead in the middle of what she had been doing shocked to have heard the Enaran speak as he had. How could he be so cold and uncaring about David and the unique situation he had been thrown in the middle of by no deliberate action of his own? "That is cold, even under normal circumstances, I mean I agree in principle that someone should be disciplined when going against the orders of a superior officer but the disciplinary measures should be tempered with compassion in some way. We, meaning the Federation and those working under the rules set by it, are not barbarians who deal justice blindly without due process or taking into account special circumstances that may have come into play in the development of the situation. In the case of David there are more then sufficient cause to have the entire case re-evaluated and not be brought in front of a court-martial."
"Let me get this straight," the Marine First Lieutenant said not hiding in any way his disappointment in the Shillian woman for having sided with David and the story of his having fallen under the influence of the spirit of his dead twin brother. "If I can manage to find a way to alter my brainwaves and come up with a lunatic story about the spirit of a dead twin taking over my mind I can openly disregard any and all orders given to me and avoid prosecution by claiming that I was not in control of my own thoughts? Where do I sign up?"
The Shillian woman glared back at the Enaran man having clearly picked up on the sarcasm present in his last statement. "It is not that simple, and david did not find a way to modify his own brainwave pattern, there is clear proof that there is another entity present in his mind, an entity that has recently proven to being capable of taking full control over his body. Surely you can be sympathetic to his situation?"
Pravat seemed unimpressed by what the Shillian had said on behalf of the Chief Engineering Officer, in fact the Enaran appeared increasingly infuriated by the growing willingness of the scientist to find cause to support the story that had formed around Lieutenant Dawson, his inability to control his temper and his continued defiance of orders.
"You can believe whatever you want," Pravat said with fire in his eyes. "David disobeyed orders and in doing so he placed the lives of several people including that of your own Commanding Officer and Executive Officer in peril. Would you be so willing to defend or even forgive him if his actions had caused their death? If Captain Rikar believes that the hijacking of the SPHINX was in any way, shape or form responsible for the death of Lieutenant Commander Enaii, then I fully support her actions and hope that the three Command Officers presiding over the court-martial throw David and his sad story into the stockade where he can stay until he is old and gray."
The Shillian woman had been ready to blast the Marine for what he has said but by the time the scientist had formulated what she had wanted to state in her reply Pravat had stormed out of the Forensics Lab leaving the scientist alone, angered and confused.
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Jessica Solarik { maya_992003@yahoo.com }
Lieutenant Commander Maya
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS
"To see the world in a grain of sand, 2005 post #409
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
