Return To Sender

Posted on Tue Jan 29th, 2019 @ 1:06pm by Lieutenant Asa Dael & Captain Enalia Telvan & Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Commander Thex sh'Zoarhi & Lieutenant Commander Mnhei'sahe Dox & Lieutenant Commander Sonak & Lieutenant Samuel Clemens XV & Death

Mission: Section 31-B
Location: USS Hera, Deck 1, the Bridge
Timeline: 2396

Commander Rita Paris' log, January 23rd, 2396. Translates into stardate... 73062.3, apparently. Having destroyed the Section 31 base, 'Castilo De Muerte', the USS Hera is swinging out of her way to drop off an inadvertent stowaway that we may not quite know how to return. We've arranged to rendezvous with the USS Amaterasu, which has been using the algorithm created by Lieutenant Vaemyn to running scans and monitor the development of the dark matter ion storm we now suspect to be the slumbering body of a titan. A fragment of which we believe to be trapped in our holographic system, though apparently limited to Holodeck 7.


"So, have we figured out how to pull off this particular miracle, people?" Paris addressed the bridge. "Captain's due on deck any moment, and we're how many minutes from rendezvous, Miss Dox? Mister Sonak, I believe your people found mostly ionization traces; have we found a way to detect and or affect our ethereal passenger?"

Glancing briefly at the helm controls in front of her, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox turned her head slightly towards the golden uniformed First Officer. "At current velocity, 27 minutes Commander."

"Outstanding, plenty of time to work this out. What's the good word, Mister Sonak?" Paris stood to took a pace forward, hands clasped behind her back.

The Vulcan looked at her with his customary impassivity.

"Basically, this should not present any problem. Our transporter technology transmute any form of matter into energy and then back to it's original form somewhere else. Once we lock onto our subject, the rest is rather routine. As for something made out of energy or anything in-between matter and energy, like plasma, we need to adjust scanners accordingly to turn it the same way into a cohesive beam. This has been done since the early days of using transporters aboard the twenty-second century NX series of starships. And until we complete the process, the subject can be maintained in this form in stasis. It has been applied even for quite extended periods of time; seventy-eight years in the now famous incident of the retrieval of Captain Montgommery Scott aboard the USS Genolan."

He paused before changing subject.

"As for detecting our stoweway; anything existing in our universe, even if intermittently, has to manifest itself like some form of matter or energy, which means made of atomic particles. Thus, the moment it exists in our reality, it interacts with at least one known form of matter or energy in the universe. We only have to look either to this newly manifested atomic trace or the effect of it's presence on mundane atoms to pinpoint it's location. At worse, it would be just like Starfleet once used a tachyon grid to locate cloaked Romulan ships during the Klingon Civil War."

“Mmmm, so given that the trace is subtle and seemingly undetected until now, would it benefit from me drawing it out of hiding, so to speak, so that we could detect and lock on to the energies in question?” Paris posed, interpreting the data as it was presented and forming a plan of action.

"Affirmative," Sonak answered. "Although there should be alternatives to risking our Executive officer directly."

Having shared the experiences in the holodeck with Commander Paris and Doctor Dael that led them to where they were now, Dox turned from her position at the Helm towards Paris. "Commander, are you thinking... going back into the holodeck to try and communicate with the entity?"

“So long as our chief science officer agrees, that is precisely my plan, Miss Dox,” the curvaceous commander confirmed. “As we’ve visited and maintained contact with the entity, it seems reasonable to seek to draw them out so as to render them detectable, then inform them of the plan so that they will know to comply rather than resist our efforts, fearing for their safety. Do I take it from your tone you wish to accompany me, Lieutenant? Assuming Mr. Sonak approves?”

"I do, Commander." Dox replied.

"Risking two officers would be even less acceptable when an alternative could offer itself," the Vulcan insisted. "It would be useful to identify first what specifically calls out this entity and use a convincing facsimile to bring it out."

“As near as we could tell from our research, the entity seems to feed on memories of the past, reproducing them holographically within the Holodeck environment,” Paris responded, her tone continuing toward the clinical rather than her traditional speech pattern peppered with slang and abbreviations. ”For example, the entity replicated my office on the Exeter precisely as I recall it, with a level of detail that bespoke of more your level of mental discipline than my own. So it is my belief that the entity would benefit from contact, as well as an explanation of what is to transpire. If we must limit the personnel, I understand, but I am uncertain how we might draw the thus far non-violent entity without live memories as a lure to it, which is a risk I willingly undertake. Thoughts, Mr. Sonak?”

The Vulcan scientist stood hands at his back.

"If the non-belligerent nature of the entity has been established, then communication would indeed be beneficial for us and said entity. After all, seeking out new life is our primary goal."

His grey eyes then focused on Rita.

"That being said, caution is the mother of wisdom. Precautions must be taken to extract anyone in contact with this entity as quickly and as safely as possible in case of any problem occuring. A transporter lock and open comm channel should be active during the entire encounter. Holodeck safety protocols should be hardwired to stay in full effect and deactivate the entire holodeck if tampered with. I can make the appropriate program to ensure this safety measure. Following Starfleet regulations regarding first contact, it should of course be directly monitored by the chief engineer and the Captain while a volunteer team of security and science officers makes contact before the ship's exec is safely cleared to join in."

"All excellent points, Mr. Sonak," Paris smiled, offering a nod. "Save that first contact is a foregone conclusion at this point, as we've been building a relationship with the entity. That makes me the ranking diplomat and point of contact, I believe. I do have faith in the benevolence of the entity, and I will cheerfully acquiesce to open comms and transporter locks. Let's not lock the holodeck down- it has been existing in there without them and it never harmed us. Shutting it down if tampered with might shut down the entity we're trying to release, I'd think. We don't want to hinder it's exit either, aye?"

Even though she felt somewhat out of her place as the ships pilot, she felt it important to add her piece to Rita's statements. "They've had every opportunity to harm us in there and has only ever tried communicating. I've been back every week since the initial incident and they've gotten more adept at using the holodeck to talk with me."

Then the young officer hesitated for a second before finishing her thought. "We asked them to trust us to help and they did."

"I'll bring them round so that you can detect and lock on," Paris continued, "and I'll explain to them what's going to happen. We'll bid them goodbye, and trust in our scientists and technicians to accomplish a victory for compassion using science. At least, assuming the Captain approves," Paris added, because it was never a bad idea to give the captain her due on her own bridge, whether she was standing on it or not.

"Agreed; this is a remarkable opportunity to advance our knowledge and understanding while building relations with a new form of sentience," Sonak said with a nod.

Asa had been quiet through most of the exchange, trusting the science officer to best understand how to accomplish returning this bit of consciousness to where it came from. They felt they owed more than that though to a being they had interacted with, one that had shown understanding and had been patient with circumstances beyond its control. Stepping forward, Asa spoke in a calm voice.

"I can also return to the Holodeck, if you prefer. If emergency transport is needed, I'm less likely to have an adverse reaction, and the being knows me. Or I can monitor the vitals of our primary contact, if you prefer."

“I propose a bit of both, Doctor,” Commander Paris replied, turning to face the ship’s surgeon. “You, Miss Dox and I were the point of contact, and we should probably all be there as the emissaries of the United Federation. While I recognize and acknowledge the necessity of precaution, if we reach the point where beam out is necessary, we’re already in trouble and we’ve lost control of the situation. I feel monitoring our vitals is essential, as are the open comms and transporter locks, because the safety of our officers is paramount- even in a diplomatic situation such as this.”

“After all, they made a leap of faith to reach out to us. Now we’ll be asking for a much larger leap so that we can get them home, so all three of us coming to explain it to them couldn’t hurt- despite that putting three of their senior staff at risk,” the gold-clad commander acquiesced the safety point to the studious science officer, whom she knew would have that point in mind as protocol and regulations dictated.

Having been sneakily listening in while standing in the short hall leading to the conference room, Enalia grinned and sipped at her latte. She had a good crew. Deciding it was time to step out of the shadows, she finished her latte and dropped it off into the bridge replicator on her way to the gelato machine where she took her time deciding on a flavor. "Personally, I'd like to show this entity the trust it's shown us. Starfleet's ultimate mission is one of peace and if we can relate that to the main body, the better of we'll be."

Finally, she decided on a green tea flavor and dispensed a small bowl before turning back to the bridge crew. "In which case, I don't think we have any better ambassadors aboard. As for safety, as long as the point gets across that we're trying to rejoin it with the main host, we should have nothing to fear. However... Have a direct path between sensor platform nine on the pod and holodeck seven cleared of all living matter just in case we need to crank the dark ion sensors up to full and irradiate the deck with metreon particles."

"I will see to the proper programming, Captain," Sonak stated with all his usual seriousness. "I will add the skeletal lock algorythm to the transporter system in case of interference with any emergency beaming. bringing in a transporter enhancer would further help and reduce even further this risk near zero."

It was clear the Vulcan was adamant in covering all possible risks despite his evident interest, a fascination even, with this contact mission.

A small pit in Dox's stomach formed. She didn't feel qualified to speak up in the presence of the other senior bridge officers thanks to her anxiety, but did so anyway. "Regarding the transporters, that would have to be an extreme last resort, correct?"

The nervous Romulan pilot glanced quickly at Rita Paris. She knew nobody would prepare for every possible contingency regarding her transporter history more than her husband, but she was still scared for her friend.

“Of course, Miss Dox, The Transporter-allergic executive allowed. “Just to be on the safe side, le’s have Doc and Dox going to another transport pad then my lock, just in case. Better they not have to deal with my usual transporter shenanigans,” Paris chuckled, a mirthless sound that was thoroughly unconvincing to everyone who heard it. “I’m sure we won’t need them though.. “

"I would beg to differ, Commander," Sonak then said. "Multiple transports requires more time, more energy and more operations, which in all logic we may not have the luxury of in case of an emergency. Having your lock with those of other more stable signals will help reinforce it."

he spoke from experience. This was exactly what had happened the last time they had lost her, back in their own original reality.

“Lieutenant Sonak, do you have the emergency transporter device available for the Commander? If there is a chance of a high-risk transport, I recommend Commander Paris have the device on her person, and also that Lieutenant Sonak man the controls, as he is most knowledgeable with her unique transporter signal,” Doctor Dael said.

"Affirmative," the Vulcan simply replied as if this was but a given.

The good doctor was a bit worried about all Rita being near a potentially dangerous transport with a small bit of celestial being whizzing by, and had started picking at their nails in obvious anxiety. Upon realizing what they were doing, the doctor put their hands clasped behind their back and stood at an approximation of parade rest.

"Regardless of any contingencies, I think our best backup is to not need one. To go in there with clear intention and focus on doing the right thing so we can shepherd them home as planned." Dox added, feeling a bit more confident speaking.

Enalia couldn't help but grin. Every day Dox proved to be the person the starship captain knew she was inside. "Exactly. The best plans are ones that survive use and the best backup plans are the ones that go untested. As such, let's hope that the entity will be able to perform the transfer on its own somehow. If not, we'll assist it in any way possible without causing it harm."

"Well said, Captain. So, Lieutenant Dox, Doctor Dael, you're with me. Let's go work out how to get a friend home, shall we?" Paris was already marching off the bridge to the turbolift as she spoke, a silent glance passing between herself and Sonak. If anyone had seen the expressions, they would not have seen any change in the stoic scientist's features, but to Rita they said I will watch over you. In return, her expression in that brief glance said I'll be careful and return to you.

Would that anyone was watching, who knew the duo's dynamic and their visual shorthand, developed over the years of comporting themselves professionally on duty while still expressing their feelings to one another. Well, Rita's feelings, and Sonak's concerns and reassurances.

"I will input the programming from here then join with you shortly," Sonak stated simply as he returned to his bridge station.

Tapping instructions into the helm controls to call Ensign Gonadie to take over her station, Dox silently got up and followed behind Commander Paris and Doctor Dael into the turbolift.

In the turbolift, Asa turned and took quick vitals of the other occupants to get a baseline for their current medical state. After confirming each was within parameters they nodded briefly, satisfied with the results. The essentials out of the way, Asa asked the group, “So, does everyone have a person or image in mind that our friend can draw from to visualize home or rejoining?”

As they stepped into the turbolift for the ride to Deck 6, the First Officer considered the point. “That’s not a bad idea at all, Doc. I was just going to talk to talk to them and hope they understood. I suppose it would be images of home rather than family, particularly from we three. Images and thoughts of family would likely not be conducive to harmony or relaying what we’re attempting to accomplish in this transfer.”

Doctor Dael nodded and bounced slightly at the praise. “I had this tree growing up that I loved. I read under it, I liked to watch the stars through it at night, sometimes I even slept there. I was going to think about how whole I felt with that tree, how it comforted me and felt like where I belonged. Then I was going to think about how it felt to put on my uniform for the first time after graduating the Academy. How I felt whole….how I had accomplished something I longed for. Um…if you think that’s the right path?” they enthused.

For a moment while Doctor Dael spoke, Dox was lost in thought over their words. But there were no two people that she felt more comfortable with then the two officers in the turbolift, so she didn't keep her thoughts to herself. "Home... isn't something I think I have a positive memory to draw from."

Reaching over to give their friend a half hug in the privacy of the turbolift, Asa said, “The Hera is home too though, right? Maybe something positive from here? I….I hope we have made you feel at home too. Remember how proud you were to have your shelves? Or singing in 10-Forward? A nice relaxing shower after returning from a long day?”

Smiling, Dox replied. "This is the only place I've ever though of as a 'home'. And more then the ship itself, you. Commander Paris. The crew. This is home."

As the turbolift doors opened onto Deck 6, Paris strode out, that commanding stride of hers eating up ground as the two shorter-legged officers strove to keep up. “For me it’s Sonak. He’s always been my guiding star, my fixed point of navigation, no matter how far I get tossed by the universe. Sometimes the only thing that has kept me going was that I was determined to find my way back to him. Whenever we’re together, that’s my home. Although honestly I have been a bit homesick for Earth, so maybe that’s what I should think of instead, as a more abstract concept…”

Dox thought for a second. "Maybe. But... they seem to understand thoughts almost as... metaphors. If you think of Sonak as home, then that's your truth. I think they will understand that more clearly."

"Works for me- thanks, Myx Dael. All right folks, Holodeck 7 is waiting. Let's go be very convincing, and try to persuade our friend to make the leap home. Or prepare them for the boost home we're going to try. Another fine day in Starfleet. Mr. Sonak, do you read us, and do you have our telemetry?"

"Affirmative; computer monitoring and parameters nominal," came the reply. "I will join you and monitor directly from the holodeck terminal itself."

"Outstanding, thank you Please give us real-time long range sensor data to project a holographic representation of the storm in Holodeck 7, complete with Hera and the Amaterasu for scale."

"Acknowledged," came the reply.

As the doors of the holodeck opened, the trio strode in, to seemingly stand in space, with the primal chaos of the cosmic ionic dark matter storm roiling before them.

Looking around, Dox closed her eyes for a moment as the girl raised on ships felt the Hera drop out of warp through the deck plates, having arrived at their destination.

"We're here. We're at your home." She opened her eyes and spoke to the room.

Thinking of the grey-eyed Vulcan who would be outside momentarily and letting herself feel what he meant to her, how he was her constant, her family, her home, Rita spoke up. "This is where you came from.... this is where we are, you can see here, that's what's outside. Do you think if we get close enough you can jump back?"

There was no obvious response to that, which wasn't a positive sign.

"Have no fear. We have a very brilliant scientist coming to help," Rita continued. "We're going to find a way to get you back where you belong, okay? So I want you to have courage, because this might take a bit of faith. But we've gotten you here, and we're going to get you the rest of the way home."

The storm rumbled and turned a bit in the holographic representation, as if it were responding to them.

Looking down at the swirling mass in the holographic representation, Dox couldn't tell if it was a good sign or not as she struggled to think of a positive image of home. She thought of the small flame on the Vulcan brazier that Sonak had given her to aid in her meditations, and as she did, she pushed away the images of her past homes.

She imagined taking the flame away from an image of the Forager in her minds eye. The smuggling ship Dox grew up on wasn't home so she took her focus off of it. Instead, she pictured the corridor of Deck 8, outside of her quarters. In her minds eye, she stepped inside. But she realized this was also wrong.

In her mind, she raised that flame higher in the lonely quarters and it grew brighter and warmer. As the light grew, it illuminated figures in the room that seemed to materialize into clear focus for the anxious young pilot. The first figure was Rita Paris herself as she stepped into the light and into focus. Next to her, stepped Asa Dael.

Then Mona Gonadie appeared. And next to her, Enalia Telvan, then Sonak. And behind them all, remaining slightly out of focus appeared Thex, Schwein, Ila, and more as the figures seemed to fill far more space then the image of her quarters could contain.

It was like she suggested to Rita. This was Dox's home. Not a place, but these people who made her feel welcome and wanted somewhere for the first time in her life. They were the Hera.

As she opened her eyes back up, the image from her minds eye shimmered into the reality of the holodeck. As if lit by that unseen candle, the crew of the Hera became visible before Dox, Rita and Asa.

The image of Rita looked at Dox with a light smile and said a single word, asked with the tone of a question. "Home?"

Without thinking, Dox reached to her sides to take the real Rita and Asa's hands into her own as she choked out a soft, "Yes."

Then all but the image of Rita faded, as the reflection of the Amazonian First Officer sifted it's gaze towards it's real life counterpart as it's form shimmered and changed.

"Commander; there is a shift in the subatomic particles of the uncontrolled variable manifestation from a photonic base to a molecular base," Sonak informed her through her commbadge.

"Should... should we walk our friend out somehow?" Asa inquired, leaning in to Dox, as always unconsciously seeking contact. The doctor imagined their favorite tree from Bajor and envisioned walking Rita and Mnhei'sahe to the tree, Asa allowed their mind to imagine what it would be like show their tree to their adopted family, the joining in heart and mind of two homes, and a feeling of completeness this would engender.

The tree in the quarters in the storm the holodeck had produced vibrated for a second, then again for a few more. Then a few leaves fell off of the tree, as the crowd scene behind it faded a bit dimmer, and the rumble of thunder from the storm briefly cavitated the hull.

"It can't... it lacks a conduit to get out of our systems," Paris guessed, trying to interpret the situation. "Mister Sonak, does our friend have enough of a molecular signature to lock onto and site-to-site beam into the storm?"

It took a moment before the reply came.

"I have a lock on a molecular mass of sufficient size to attempt reintegration. but it is fluctuating, as if the Eisenberg compensator was offline. I checked the system and it is fully active; the problem of quantum instability must be at the source."

There was a pause before he finished.

"It needs a stronger anchor within our material dimension to stabilize."

"An... anchor." Dox muttered as she looked up. Her stomach twisted as she suspected what that and Sonak's pause meant. "Lieutenant Sonak. Do you mean one of us?"

"That would be the first logical option... and the riskiest," he admitted.

Pausing for the briefiest of seconds, Dox replied. "I've... I've spent the most time here with them. They've talked directly with me."

Her voice was slightly Shakey for a second before stabilizing as she spoke. "What would we have to do, Mr. Sonak?"

"Someone would have to get in direct contact... wearing an active commbadge."

"Speak from the heart, be pure of purpose, be brave," Rita Paris whispered to Dox as she backed away a bit. This was likely going to involve transporting, which meant they didn't need Rita's weirdness quirking it up. The El Aurian physician she let decide for themselves where to be in this unfolding drama.

Stepping up to stand by Mnhei'sahe's side, Asa stood resolute, ready to face whatever happened next with their friend. Quietly Asa glanced at Dox and said, "Once more into the breach?"

Turning to look at Rita and Asa, Dox smiled awkwardly and took several extremely deep breaths, suspecting what this plan meant. She closed her eyes as she breathed, picturing the flame of the Vulcan Brazier. In her minds eye, with each deep breath, she pictured the flame breathing with her until there was nothing but the flame.

After a full half a minute, the young Romulan pilot opened her eyes and exhaled long. Then she turned towards the center of the room. She began walking towards the projection of the tree Asa had conjured from her memory. That brought Dox a moment of comfort as she spoke with a steady voice. "We know how to get you home. And I promised that we would get you home, no... no matter what."

As Dox neared the tree, she saw a form appear in front of the tree. It was shadowy at first, but as she spoke, it became more clear. "But... I have to take you there. You need to come with me."

As the features of the form, Dox found herself looking at a mirror of herself, exactly as she was then. Her reflected face had a warm smile as the entity in Dox's form held out it's hands before Dox.

Pausing for a second, Dox and her reflection said one word at the exact same instant: "Home."

Reaching forward, Dox took the hands of her reflection and let all the air out of her chest. In an instant, the reflection stepped forward, shimmering as it disappeared into the young Romulan. There was a moment where time appeared to stand still before Mnhei'sahe shuddered in place as her eyes opened wide.

Standing on the holodeck, the very mortal young woman looked and saw not the projection, but the room..and through the room, the ship itself. And throughout the ship, orbs of colored light moving all around. Past the ship, she could see the vastness of space.

Turning around to the other end of the room, Dox looked back to Rita and Asa. And from their chests emitted the most brilliant, beautiful light she had ever seen. She looked up and spoke in a voice that echoed throughout the room and simply said, "Sonak. We're ready."

"Energizing."

With a shimmer, the image of the Hera before the eyes of both Dox and the Entity vanished. As it happened, it felt different than any transport she had ever experienced as she felt a strange pulling sensation back towards the ship. But she could also feet the entity within her holding them both together.

After what felt like a few too many seconds, the shimmering lights faded as she looked out onto the vastness of space and the looming chaos of the ion storm that seemed to fill her field of vision.

Instantly, she went rigid as she felt a sudden wave of impossible cold filled her from within. Her lungs, that she had emptied on the holodeck compressed as she felt as if a massive pressure was pushing in on her from all sides caused by the vacuum of the void. After a few seconds, she had lost all sensation in her fingers and toes as she struggled to form a coherent thought. After too many seconds, as her field of vision began to blacken in from the sides, it seemed like the lights of the ion storm had begun to flair with rainbows as she felt her eyes begin to freeze.

And while she couldn't speak, she thought as clearly as she could, ‘Home.’

Too many long seconds later, she felt a warm rush from the center of her being. It felt almost as if she were being pulled outside of herself for a moment as she could both see tendrils of bluish light flow from her shuddering form, and looked back at the same time to see her own as the tendrils disconnected.

With a rush, she was alone in her body again. The slight rush of warmth was gone and she felt herself beginning to drift away. As she did, her ever narrowing field of vision began to fill. First, with a brilliant golden light to the left in front of her, Dox saw the rippling image of a golden woman draped in flowing fabric that ran across her form like a fluid as she seemed to step forward. To the side of the golden woman, the darkness of space seemed to flow together as it took on a form. The dark ribbons folded onto themselves as Dox thought she could make out a shape. The shape of a pale, thin Romulan woman astride a great horse in space.

As the women approached, Dox's eyes began to close as she saw the pale face of Death smile at her. As she drifted away, the last thing she saw was a slight blue, shimmering light in the corners of her vision before everything went black.

-------------------

The first thing she saw was a faint, Amber light above her. After what felt like an hour if trying to focus on the single point of light, Mnhei'sahe Dox slowly began to open her eyes. For a few minutes the effort of doing so was exhausting.

As her eyes finally found focus, the young Romulan pilot realized it was the dim night light over the top of her bed. Groggily, she realized, she was in sick bay. Which, she assumed, meant she was alive.

But everything ached like her entire body was waking up from her having been numb. Slowly, she began to scooch up to try and prop herself up on an elbow. It was slow and a little painful to do so, but she was happy to be at least semi-upright.

On a chair next to her bed, she saw Asa Dael, curled up in a ball fast asleep. A faint readout on the wall said that it was 03:17 hours on the day AFTER she last remembered. In the bed next to hers, on the other side of Asa's chair, Dox could see the silver haired Baroness Schwein Von Alcott also fast asleep.

But Schwein was fully dressed and the bio readout displays on her bed were off. Confused, Dox slowly looked around to the otherwise empty room. Empty but for a single woman, sitting casually at the foot of her bed.

Looking up, Dox squinted weakly as her eyes struggled to focus on the pale, lean Romulan woman dressed all in black. It was Death.

"Hnave..." Dox cursed lightly in Rihan. Her voice was a hoarse whisper. "Did I not... uh... am I.. am I dead?"

"Heck no..." Death grinned happily and pressed one gloved finger to her lips to make sure Dox knew to speak softly. "You came close but while Asa worked, we made sure you weren't in any actual danger of parting ways. You should be fine and you'll live well past two hundred at the rate you're going."

For her part, Dox wasn't capable of much more than a whisper at the moment. Then she stopped to think for a moment. Dox felt somehow empty. As if something that was there was now gone as her memories began to fill I. "Did... did we do it? Get them home?"

"I heard that the mission was a success, so I assume so," confirmed the pale woman. "How do you feel?"

"Good..." Dox replied softly. "I'd hate to hurt this much and it didn't even work. Seriously, everything kinda hurts. I also feel... I don't know... a little empty. I know it was just for a minute or so, but when the entity was inside me it was... weird. But also comfortable."

Then she added, "I'm glad they got home, though."

Death tapped her lips in thought with one gloved finger. "Hmm... Being a corporeal being like yourself and temporarily bonding with even a shard of an energy being, I suppose you would feel rather empty after it left you."

"Yeah, I..." Dox paused mid sentence as the words 'energy being' spurred a memory that came out in the tone of a question. "When... When I saw you out there. There was someone else. A woman, glowing gold next to you who appeared after the entity had left."

"Glowing gold? Flowing robes? Probably Hera. She's on this ship too, you know." Death smiled brightly. "You should go meet her sometime. I hear she's been inadvertently putting crew in the family way since she came on board."

"H... Hera? I heard something about..." Dox had begun slumping back on her bed as she spoke, muttering as her exhaustion began to overtake her again. Trying to fight through it as her eyes slowly closed. "Why'r... How come you..."

Her body still recovering from the massive stress of almost dying in space, Dox's head fell back gently against the pillow of her bed as she fell back to sleep mumbling out the rest of her question as she faded off to a hard sleep again.

"Why are... why are you happy... to not take me?"

The pale woman moved up to tuck Dox in so she would stay warm as she slept. "Because being Death isn't just about taking life. It's about seeing how people live. I could never take that away from you."