Hard To Concentrate. (Before Trappings of Hell)

Posted on Mon Dec 18th, 2017 @ 5:42pm by Commander Talia Varen

Mission: What Lies Beneath
Location: Station Operations

Leo was in Operations and the scene on the station was deteriorating at a steady and progressive rate. Ever since the EVA to the derelict took place fears and whispers spread throughout the station in belief that what ever transpired on the vessel was happening to the station. Security was doing what it could but unless some progress had been made things would spiral into chaos. The problem was he was having trouble keeping all the strong emotions he was sensing in check, with all the concentrating he'd been exerting in the line of his duties his own barriers were wearing a little thin on the onslaught of the emotional tsunami.

Gathering himself a Tea from the replicator he walked back to the table which showed orbiting vessels, docked both external and internal as well as manifests of supplies leaving for repairs and resupply of Federation starships.

As the minutes went past and a few sips of his Tea later the headache grew worse. He closed his eyes as if suffering from a migraine forcing his focus to keep the tide of emotions out of his head. This was a major step for him going from a starship of little over a thousand to a station of tens of thousands, it would take time to get used to especially with the large quantity of civilians on board. Service personnel had training and so an understanding of conduct during an emergency but for civilians they panicked and it was raw unfiltered fear, much like he was experiencing now.

He turned to look at the table again and hear something, he looked down and a drop of blood had dropped into his Tea, a wave of confusion followed by blurred pain, piercing, sudden, savage in its intensity. Another drop and then he slumped forward, spilling his Coffee upon the desk landing face first in the scolding hot liquid as the red fluid mixed with the black beverage.

A call was put into Sickbay.

Talia had been vaguely aware of the pain from Leo, and I've been siphoning off as much of it as she could in between patients however as busy as she had been her own stress level was probably contributing some to his state of mind. However when the call came down that Medics were needed in operations, her face went to sickly sort of white green.

"Sickbay here what is the situation?"

"Its Commander Luciano, hes unconscious and bleeding." A startled young officer replied as she looked on while closer offers gave aid. "He was fine a few moments ago when he went to the replicator."

"Understood. Get him down to me as soon as possible. Beam him over if necissary."

Leo was promptly beamed to Sickbay with one officer who was helping, as soon as they arrived in Sickbay he explained what happened which was no different than what the female officer had already informed. Leo's face was red and irritated from the Tea, blood dried around his nose and mouth and hair matted from the mix.

Leo? she whispered her eyes widening as she realized that not a hint on him was there to hear her. The Emptiness in her mind felt as if she were screaming into the void, terrifying in its scope. Was this how her father felt when Talia disappeared from his mind? Trying not to hyperventilate, she forced her mind into a state of calm with a Vulcan technique she'd pay for it later. She scanned him, her fingertips caressing his face, still lined with stress even in unconsciousness.

"Leo..." she choked out, her throat tight.

Her plea went unanswered by word nor action as Leo lay motionless on the bed. He knew taking the assignment would pose a challenge given the drastic change in population on board, he thought his meditations and techniques would have helped and to a point they were but the sudden change, the overwhelming one from just a slight lapse, a slip in his barriers was enough.

The emptiness in her mind had her nearly frantic and Talia had to close her eyes and grasp for calm with both hands. She couldnt lose her cool now, it would destroy her staffs confidence in her. Another slow deep breath before she peeled back an eyelid to look at his pupils. Taking up a cloth she cleaned the blood off his face to get a good look at the burn. Tears welled up bright in her violet eyes, in relief when she saw none of the markers for the virus in him.

Even as the emptiness consumed him it was as if he was in a dream state of hearing voices, mumbles but nothing clear. There was no pain, no discomfort, just....nothing.

"Leo, Wake up won't you?" She asked softly, near his ear as she did a neural scan. Wincing at the neurotransmitter levels she shook her head. "Leonardo." She whispered again as she pressed a painkiller to his throat.

Slowly reality tugged at him, the bond was able to speak again, he could sense her. His eyes pressed closed as the waking world became every more and more present to him.

Her knees went weak as he trickled back into the fringes of her mind, having to clutch the edge of the biobed to stay upright. Her fingers caressed his cheek as she spoke "Im going to give you a neuro blocker....to ease the psychic noise." Her hand slipped into his and squeezed as she pressed a hypo to his neck. A hiss sounded and she watched his neurotransmitters expectantly.

Leo felt the press against his neck, then a strange feeling befell him. Everything went quiet. It was unnerving, like a sense had been lost. When he came to open his eyes he saw he was in Sickbay and that Talia was there standing over him looking worried and upset. "What's the prognosis?"

"Exhaustion. Psycic overload." Her voice was quiet as she had the full vulcan mask on, except her eyes. Her violet eyes were almost black, to match the dark circles under hers and a single tear glittered on her eyelashes as she blinked.

His head felt hazy, vision was a little blurry too. "Always knew it would be a challenge, just not used to a crew compliment this large." He'd explain more tonight when Talia got home but no doubt she had similar feelings when she first joined the station of tens of thousands.

She bent to examine his pupils again and she breathed into his ear "I would prefer it if you didnt scare me half to death caro."

"Mi dispiace il mio caro." Leo replied. He didn't mean to scare her but everything got too much. The blocker was helping though. "Will this effect the bond?" He asked softly.

"I can still hear you. Just you cant hear me. It will wear off in 12 hours and i will give you more." Affection glowed in her eyes. "Go home...and sleep for a few hours. "

That was unnerving, he had become used to her constant presence, even drew strength from it at times but that was cut off from him now. "Alright."

"Do you need to be beamed there?" She asked softly offering him a hand to help him stand.

"Probably for the best." At least then he'd be able to rest straight away instead of be disorientated by walking past people and not sensing anything from them.

She raised his hand to her lips and brushed a kiss onto it. "Computer- site to site transport Commander Luciano to quarters and confine for 6 hours. Authorization Varen13Sarai."

From seeing Talia and Sickbay to his Quarters it was an uneasy moment. The bond was silent, everything was silent and for a Betazoid that could be traumatic. He unzipped his tunic and sat on the sofa as he thought about what had happened, what little he remembered.

A message pinged on the computer Padd by his elbow. It read "Go to sleep Leonardo. When you wake come back to sickbay. Love Talia"

Leo smiled seeing the message and typed out a quick reply. "As you wish Imzadi." Then sent it. Feeling the bed was a better option than the sofa he retired to the bedroom and lay upon its welcoming surface. Sleep however did not come easily as it felt empty, as Talia had said she could hear him but he was deaf to her while under the effects of the medication and he felt hollow for it. It was like a substantial part of him was missing, a part he couldn't do without and as much as he wanted to make her feel wanted to the fullest extent of his heart, part of him was now silent.