Quick-Change ((T'Prise/t'Tamarak))

[Jaiysa t'Tamarak 0]

((This log is set directly after "In an Ordinary World."))

"I believe that the Commander would benefit from a neurological scan, to ascertain if he is suffering any side effects from a mind meld," T'Prise stated matter-of-factly, addressing the two physicians attending to Lieutenant Commander Escher.

 

Jaiysa's dark eyes flicked away from the drunken science chief, locking onto the yyaio still standing in the corner as if absolutely nothing was wrong with her having wandered off in the middle of neurological treatment. "A mind meld?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly in something like disbelief. Really, weren't Vulcans supposed to have preternatural intelligence? If so, this one wasn't showing it very clearly. Then again...she had been showing evidence of neurological damage, though that didn't seem to have stopped her from thinking she could go wantonly merging said damaged consciousness with unprepared others at will. "You have been mind-melding? Fvadt, rekkhai, you both require neurological scans, if you happened to forget, so please sit down before I have to place you there."

 

The Vulcan science officer raised an eyebrow at the Romulan doctor, who was obviously used to getting her way in everything and making snap judgements regarding both patients and medical treatments. "If you believe it to be important that I undergo an examination, I will submit to one. However, a dosage of lexorin was administered following the meld, which should negate any potential side effects."

 

Jaiysa gave her a tired look. "Indeed…I'm pleased that your great authority on board this ship now extends to the ability to freely self-medicate powerful neurological drugs. When last I tried to treat you for your condition, it merely extended to throwing me out of your sickbay."

 

The eyebrow rose higher upon T'Prise's forehead. "I do not recall ever having spoken to you regarding neurological scans, but I believe what humans would call your bedside manner is lacking in empathy, doctor. You may run your scans, I do not believe they will reveal any lasting damage."

 

"Amnesia..." Jaiysa muttered. "Yet again. Speak to your chief when he is...less indisposed and I think he will be happy to tell you of your own less-than-cordial behavior the last time you were here." She gestured T'Prise onto a biobed and reached for a medical tricorder, quickly tweaking it for Vulcan neurological scans as she glanced over to see that Vilanne was dealing with Escher's inebriation.

 

Sitting gingerly on the biobed, T'Prise glanced over at Dr. Chalice and Escher as well, before lying down. "Mind melds do not typically have risks for Vulcans. This examination is not necessary."

 

"It is in your case not the mind meld that concerns me, rekkhai," Jaiysa said a little absently as she began to run the scans. "You were suffering from the affects of neurological trauma combined with a certain amount of amateur reprogramming, but your chief removed you from sickbay before we were able to--" She paused, looking down at the scans.

 

They were different from those she had last seen from the yyaio -- considerably so. The last time T'Prise had undergone these scans, her brain had distinctly showed signs of internal rewiring in the neural pathways, along with obvious physical damage which had further traumatized the infrastructure. However, a large portion of that damage was conspicuously absent from the current scans; the Vulcan abilities which had caused the trouble in the first place had already made some progress in the way of rectifying it.

 

"Hta'Dva..." she muttered, looking at T'Prise with some aggravation; she couldn't help feeling that the Vulcan's neural quick-change artistry was somehow toying with her, consciously or no.

 

"Is something wrong?" T'Prise queried, looking up placidly at t'Tamarak.

 

"Nothing, apparently," Jaiysa said moodily, tapping the scanner off. "You have been busy in your absence; some of the most severe of the damage has apparently begun to retract itself. I will need to look closely at these scans."

 

"Vulcan neurology is very complex," T'Prise commented almost smugly. "Sometimes injuries which may appear to be severe to someone who is unfamiliar with Vulcan biology are in fact superficial. On Vulcan, residents wishing to specialize in neurology are place into a ten-year program in order to learn the intricicies of Vulcan neurological capabilities. The head trauma I sustained may have caused some temporary injuries, but I believe that it is no longer an issue. A well-ordered mind, founded in logic and control, is quite capable of anything."

 

"I wouldn't go that far," Jaiysa said, irritated at the smirking tone of the yyaio's voice. "The damage I saw earlier -- and its accompanying symptoms -- was relatively severe. Such a thing does not become fixed in a day, no matter how much 'control' you exert over it. This will need to be monitored for some time yet, and I would like to know what it was that you were hiding to cause the reprogramming in the first place." She fixed the other woman with a pointed look.

 

Her features a mask of indifference, T'Prise gave the Vulcan equivalent of a shrug. "There is nothing being hidden here, doctor. I merely sustained a head injury during a previous mission that caused some temporary memory loss."

 

"By which you mean it caused you to eventually revert to old neural pathways which, for reasons I can only guess at, you were unconsciously desperate to avoid using. Don't insult my intelligence, enarrain; I can read a neurological scan."

 

"My past is not pertinent to this examination. Is there any reason why I cannot return to duty at this time?" T'Prise queried.

 

"Your past is entirely pertinent to this examination, since it is apparently responsible for your tendency to turn your own brain inside out as an amateur pastime," Jaiysa responded with annoyance. The truth was that whatever the yyaio had done since Escher had removed her from sickbay seemed to have returned her to a level of stability that, if not normal, could at least be called functional. Jaiysa could not, reasonably, withhold her from duty, but T'Prise's stubborn determination to evade her interest as much as possible had roused Jaiysa's own determination -- along with her curiosity and a slight hint of suspicion. Perhaps there was no longer any need to sedate her or confine her, but Jaiysa had no intention of surrendering on all fronts. "Medical will need to keep an eye on you, enarrain, and it would make life easier for all of us if you would be a cooperative patient during that time."

 

"It would be illogical of me not to cooperate with your request," T'Prise replied offhandedly. "Although, I feel it necessary to point out that the issue has been addressed and is no longer of concern. I will submit to your wishes for follow-up examinations, given that it is your duty to see to the medical needs of the crew, but will once again state I believe them to be unnecessary."

 

"Ie, you have made that perfectly clear, rekkhai..." Jaiysa said tiredly.

 

******

 

Enarrain: Centurion (equiv. Lieutenant).

Fvadt: Mild expletive.

Hta'Dva: Expletive.

Ie: Yes.

Rekkhai: Sir.

Yyaio: Derogatory slang for Vulcans; lit. "dead one."