The Power of Love This is for Kirsten, who made the Sim up.... and now.. the REAL plot (heaven forbid) and not just P/T begins! “Captain’s Log: One week after we completed the repairs,  we have  entered the Gamma Quadrant, and have encountered a new planet.  I am sending down a small away mission to collect readings.” “Seriin, this is a dumb mission,” Tyrana Ateki complained to her friend who was standing beside her. “Ty, just get over it,” the spunky Bajoran from Tactical shot back.  When Ceceliana said small, she meant small... only 2 people. They were silent for a few moments, then, a ribbon of pink storms started toward them. “Tyrana.... what’s that?” Taki Seriin asked, pointing at the swirling pink. Ateki stared at it for a moment, the screamed, as the colors engulfed them.... “Sydrie!! What’s going on down there!” Captain Ceceliana shouted at her officer at the helm. “I don’t know!” she shouted back. Turning to tap her comm badge, Ceceliana said, “Transporter, get them out of there... Sickbay, emergency in Transporter room one.” When they materialized in the transporter room, they were both unconscious. Taki was laying still, but Ateki was much worse off. She was shivering violently as the medical officers carried them to sickbay. “Can I go now, doctor?” B’Elanna Torres asked, now in sickbay for a check-up on her pregnancy. “Just a moment,”  Mur was running some final tests as the doors whisked open.  Dropping everything, she ran over to her two new patients. “What happened?” “One moment they were fine, the next, they were out cold,” one of Mur’s staff explained. “Damn,” she muttered, scanning Taki.  Taki was a lot easier to treat... Ateki on the other hand. “Whatever this is, it’s affecting her telepathically. I need to keep her in sickbay... Seriin, you’re free to go.” Lieutenant Commander Taki Seriin nodded, and scurried out of sickbay. “Ty, wake up,” Mur urged her patient. “Kavani?” she asked, dazed. “Do  you remember who you are? Where you are?” “I’m Tyrana Mael Ateki, Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Chief Engineer on the USS Infinity.” “Good, now, I need you to stay here for a while, okay?” “Okay,” she stopped, shut her eyes, as if they were hurting her deeply. “What’s wrong?” She let out a terrifying  scream, “HORRIBLE PINK!!!!” “Ty, what’s wrong?” She looked up at Mur with the innocence of a 2 year old, “Where’s Mommy... I need mommy.” “Your mother isn’t on the ship.” “I WANT MOMMY!!!” she shrieked, piercing both B’Elanna and Kavani’s ear drums. “Ty... what’s wrong?” B’Elanna called from the other side of sickbay, before Mur flashed a bone-chilling glare in her direction, telling her to be quiet. “Coming!! They’re coming!!” “Who’s coming?” She looked breathless at Kavani, “Termination.” To Be Continued :+) OhMyGod!!  A Plot! Copyright April 1997, Erin Alpert--Part 25