" Life Is Very Persistent "
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By warmth of heart, your pain I feel,
Grant me the power, your wounds to heal.
- Ancient Poem/Incantation of Healing
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Stardate: 60327.1550
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
It seemed as if everyone on the ANUBIS had heard the same thing at the same time - that Lieutenant David Dawson had been found, in the ship's Sickbay of all places. The news had been accompanied with a wide array of stories, theories and speculations that had only made the sudden reappearance of the ship's Chief Engineering Officer that much more intriguing. Some believed that the Engineer had been abducted by beings from another dimension while others believed the cause to be much closer and hidden somewhere inside of the secret Intel base. Whatever the cause had been, only questions had been found along with the Chief Engineer of the SCARAB-Class ship.
Several members of the senior staff, as well as numerous crewmembers had rushed into the large room which had rapidly grown too small for the crowd that had gathered, everyone wanting to witness first hand the mysterious event. By the time the massive Oltharian had stepped into the revered location, a large number of officers had already taken position on the outskirts of the biobed on which David was on. Most had decided to stay at a safe distance, but others including the Commanding Officer and Chief of Security had decided to be as close as possible to see what would happen next.
As the imposing Oltharian approached, the equally massive Nausicaan turned to see who had joined them on the frontline of this circus. The expression on the face of the Ensign spoke volumes as to what he believed - that the sudden appearance of the Chief Engineer had been a breech in security and a possible danger to the ship and crew. Captain Rikar on the other hand appeared puzzled and inquisitive as to the details of what had happened leaving the Oltharian to be the one concerned for the Engineer himself.
"Captain," the Nausicaan whispered as he turned to the senior-most officer of the ANUBIS, "I recommend that we secure Sickbay."
Rikar looked up at her Chief of Security and glanced momentarily at the gentle giant, the Oltharian almost invisible behind the imposing form of the Nausicaan warrior. With a nod of her head she agreed with the recommendation that had been made only to add a restriction to what she was certain would be an impenetrable blockade. "With the exception of senior officers."
Nico turned to face Elan ready to ask him to leave but the Oltharian politely stood his ground. Although slightly larger than the Chief of Security, the Robotics Expert knew that in a conflict opposing the two of them Fairborn would not be able to stand his ground for very long. A quick glance in the direction of the Commanding Officer made Rikar confirm with yet another nod of her head that the giant would be considered as a senior officer for the time being despite his temporary assignment to the ANUBIS.
As the attention of the Chief of Security diverted to the rest of the gathered members of the crew, Elan turned to Sabrina and offered a deep bow of respect, "Thank you Captain."
"I know that you two were friends," the Commanding Officer said while watching the continued labour of the Chief Medical Officer and her team, "and right now I think David may be in need of all the friends he has."
"He is not dead," the Chief Medical Officer said having overheard the conversation between the Commanding Officer and Oltharian, "at least not yet. His bio-signs are extremely weak and he seems to be suffering from hypothermia, the cause of which I have yet to determine."
"Healer," Elan began, ignoring the coldness emanating from the woman standing next to him, "I am confident that you will be able to encourage the spark of life which remains in David grow into a blinding fire."
The Chief Medical Officer took a brief moment to look at the Oltharian to smile, still finding it hard to believe that such a large being could be so gentle or devoted to her simply because she had decided to practice the art of medicine. As Ensign Summers resumed her efforts to save the ANUBIS' Chief Engineering Officer, Elan recalled the words spoken to him by his uncle as the giant offered a silent prayer to the man he had grown to considered as a friend.
**Life in all of its shapes and forms is a force that constantly struggles to adapt and survive. As long as a single aspect of this life is still present, there is hope, and with hope an entire universe can be reshaped or even created.**
As the Oltharian gazed upon the still frost-bitten form of the Chief Engineer, Elan allowed his silent prayer to be said for another soul who had left them, hoping that somewhere in this universe there had been a spark of life left that had belonged to the Intelligence Liaison Officer and which would somehow find its way back home.
--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette {f_charette@hotmail.com}
Lieutenant Junior Grade Elan Talak Fairborn 2005 post #460
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA
