Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Governor’s Home - TMODJ (PRISM)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in Governor’s Home - TMODJ (PRISM)

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Governor’s Home - TMODJ (PRISM)
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

With that point settled and that worry brushed to the side, Caridee nodded. “So the best way to describe what we’re going to do is with a metaphor. Consider the mind-body disconnect like a thick wall. Seemingly impossible to break through, and in my mother’s case, the usual flood of emotions we try with Kuskaaritz won’t work. We know this because we already attempted a smaller version earlier when she was awake and she could detect nothing. So each person will take a turn using the canar and you will essentially lob emotions, physical sensations and maybe even memories at the wall. That idea is that we are going to put holes in the wall and we can do so because she will be in a more receptive state via medication. We are basing this off a Haliian ritual where the participant ingests a sedating and slightly psychoactive substance that allows them to move past their conscious mind. For my mother, all that exists right now is the seemingly rational conscious mind. By making the disconnected space more permeable, our efforts stand a far greater chance of actually working.”

“So we will flood her with anything that will allow connection. They can be about her, but they don’t have to be. You can simply share things that you might with someone you are getting to know and want to connect with in some way. Like I said before it doesn’t have to be only positive, but choose what you share carefully. She might not be aware of it now but because of the canar, she will receive it once we break through. She will eventually remember whatever you’ve shared. The canar will see to that.”

“With each person we will hopefully start to create bigger and bigger holes in the wall until, finally, we create a doorway. At that point, she should have full access again. And whomever is connected to her at that time may be in the wake of that emotional flood, so there is a particular risk there, but there is an equal chance that she might be receptive with even a few holes in the wall and we might get tiny things from her as we go along. But don’t stop. A few holes won’t be enough to permanently take down the wall. And those are that more sensitive and less able to shield may want to ego earlier, especially if they are stronger senders as well, because you can do a great deal of work with less risk. Someone like myself who is a weaker receiver would be at less risk. I won’t say no risk, because there is always a risk that the her state could bleed. I haven’t seen or heard of that happening before, but this is the first time I’ve seen the canar used in this therapeutic context.”

“Whomever agrees to go ahead with this will need to have their baseline vitals recorded and I suggest someone will medical training always be in the room monitoring both Eela and whomever she is connected to. From within a canar connection each person can freely leave at any time. You have full function of your body and so you will just remove your hand from the base. The connection ends immediately. If something goes wrong and or your vitals show distress, whomever is monitoring can force an end to the connection by removing that person’s hands. It might be more difficult than you expect because there’s an energetic connection to the canar. It won’t be pleasant to experience but it shouldn’t be dangerous. I won’t say for sure there isn’t danger there, but we’ve ben using these devices for centuries and the overwhelming evidence is that it is safe and any ill effects fade soon after the disconnection.”

Caridee blew out a breath. “I think we should wait for her to shift out of deep sleep and then we can wake her. The more restorative sleep she can get right now, the better. And in the meantime we all should take some time to rest, do self care, and make sure we are each in a place to approach this with as much hope and confidence as we can. And we’ll need to discuss what order everyone wants to go it. It’s personal choice based on your knowledge of yourself, your abilities and the risk factor for you and her. Now, questions?”

~Caridee

Hyrushi looked at Fayth and said “Doctor, if you don’t mind, I would line a word with you… in private.” He gestured to the door and followed her into the hallway, closing the door behind them.

Caridee watched them leave and then focused on her mother. But it was the person next to her, whom hadn’t moved that drew her attention more. Caridee moved over and crouched next to Karilan, resting a hand on their shoulder. “I know she will be tremendously glad you came, but just remember that when you’re taking care of someone you can’t help them if you don’t take care of yourself first. Yeah?”

Sharah followed him out into the hallway. She had some concerns and ideas of her own. She could discuss it with Yavia. She knew, however, that the emotional connection between them was so strong that it would be hard for Sharah to ignore Yavia’s concerns. She needed a more unbiased sounding board.

“Dr. Fayth, I am going to volunteer to go first. You are one of the few people who are aware of the… extent… of my abilities. I am afraid that is not the entirety of what I capable of doing. Have you ever researched the concept of parasitic exponential empathy?”

Hyrushi, Governor

Sharah nodded. She was very concerned for him. The backlash to him could be fatal. “I’ve heard of it, but have never researched it. I’ve never encountered anyone that met the criteria. Until now.”

Fayth, SFCMO

Hyrushi nodded. Her having even heard of the term was a mild surprise. But with her own abilities, it made sense she had come across it… even though the vast majority of researchers thought is more of a ‘games theory’ concept when it came to empathy. “To be blunt, as we are somewhat pressed for time: my empathic abilities have a facet that is, to say the least, rare. I would go so far as to say I believe it to be unique.” He explained. “I can use the emotions of others as a kind of ‘fuel’ to increase the strength of my own empathic ability. precarious line to walk. Should I utilize that aspect of my ability too much, if my empathy becomes too powerful to control, I risk losing the ability to shut off the absorption. This could, potentially, create an almost literal vortex of emotional destruction that would continue to grow and grow and expand in power, fueling itself in a cycle. It would be utterly destructive to every living thing it touched. And the range of the power would grow as quickly as the increase in its intensity.” He paused and took a breath. It was very obvious that he did not share this information willingly, but out of necessity.

Sharah waited quietly, pure understanding on her face. She had heard of the theory, in relation to trying to understand her own telepathy, but there wasn’t much to go on research wise.

“I amacutely aware of the precariousness in the use of my abilities, Doctor Fayth.” he said firmly. “Hence my history of using it only sparingly outside of small, isolated instances. That is the primary reason I have never had an issue with it. Secondarily is the physiological response I experience when I uses the ability at higher levels of power… as you have seen before, I believe..” He gave her a moment to think before he said “The absorption causes my body to generate high levels of internal heat which is dissipated through my skin. Instances in the past show this heat can be capable of burning me… similar to radiation burns. There have been instances of severe burns in the past, so I would like you to be prepared for that. Additionally the parasitic aspect is only active if I am conscious. Therefore, if something should happen as we try and assist Eela… please ensure that I am not a threat to her. Or to anyone. Do whatever you must, Doctor. I trust you to make the best possible le choice for all involved.”

Hyrushi, Governor

“I will. You have my word.” She paused to gather her thoughts. “My telepathy has similar capabilities. It is something I have not ever tried to do on purpose until recently. In an attempt to control it.” Why she had waited so long, was a discussion for another time. “The consequences for myself are seizures and coma.” She glanced back at the door then returned her gaze to him. “We have such skills available but must be so careful with them. Dr Sevren has said it could take awhile, and it will take all of us in shifts.” She paused then pushed on. “The longer Eela stays this way, the more risk to everyone. Could it be possible to combine our skills? Using other to ground us, and focus the emotions and strength of them, to make one very solid push to take down that wall? I will feel them all regardless, and can focus that energy into myself, and then you in turn use that from me?” She touched the head band lightly, “I have no control over the amount of input I receive, but I am very adept at controlling my projections. I could cut you off if it becomes too much.”

It was a risk, she knew that, and it was one that should probably be left as a last resort, but it also might be the most likely option to work. Eela was very stubborn. And if it wa a last resort, they might all be too exhausted to attempt it safely.

Fayth, SFCMO

Hyrushi thought for a moment and then said “That will be a question for Dr. Sevren. Will you ask her to join us?”

Hyrushi, Governor

Sharah nodded and opened the door, “Dr. Sevren could you join us please?” Yavia looked at her and Sharah gave her a gentle smile, and stepped back out into the hallway.

“Of course,” Sevren said, moving away out of the bedroom.

When she did, Sharah took a deep breath. “Governor Hyrushi and I may have a suggestion. We both have very unique telepathic/empathic gifts. On Betazed my condition is called ‘super-sensitivity’. Basically it means that I receive all the input, telepathic and empathic from the world around me. I can’t shut it off or block it. It’s always there. In the case of Oed, we are talking millions of people, with varying degrees of intensity, based on the strength of the thoughts/emotions and distance.” She blew out a breath, “The risk with my connecting with your mother directly, is that she may get all of that input as well. It is certainly not something she has ever had to cope with, and it could cause damage. But it might break through the wall.”

She paused so that Hyrushi could explain his own gifts and their idea.

Fayth, SFCMO

Caridee nodded, digesting this information, but already her mind was working on the issue.

Hyrushi said “My abilities are somewhat different. I am not telepathic, but my empathy has its own variation. In short, I can use the emotions of others to increase my own abilities. That has certain… ‘difficulties’… associated with it, but I have used it before.” He looked at Sharah and took a breath. Looking back at Sevren, he said “We propose you allow the two of us to combine our efforts. Simply, Dr. Fayth will be a battery, and I will be the device. We can channel the necessary levels of energy required through her; which I can then tap into to create one solid and steady push to reconnect with your mother. Once I am through, the others can step in and assuage the flow and start seeding her with different perspectives other than just my own.” He looked at her for a long moment and then said “What are your thoughts?”

Hyrushi, Governor

Intrigued was the first word that came to her mind. Hands on her hips, Caridee was quiet for a few moments as she thought through what that process might look like. Fingers tapping at her hips, she nodded. “That… is a very interesting idea. If the effort is something you both can manage and are willing to try, then it quite possibly makes this whole thing resolve faster. My mother is an adequate empath, as she will tell you herself, but her touch telepathy? Well above average for a Haliian. It’s part of the reason why she’s sometimes struggled living away from Halii and other touch telepaths. Few have truly understood how much it’s a part of her very being, how much touch is what sustains her.” She looked at Sharah. “You mentioned being able to channel all of Oed. And in fact I think that has the ability to do what we individually could not. Because my mother connects with places just as much as she does people. You only have to watch her in her garden to know that. But the other thing that is important here is just how much this planet and all its people mean to her. I’ve watched she from a distance and it wasn’t until I got here that I could feel how much of a positive chance this place has been for her. She is more vibrant and alive then I have ever known her, especially since her accident. There’s lots of reasons for that, but I do know a bit part of is is due to this place and the people she’s connected with. So if you can tap into that I thinks that’s your path in.”

Sharah shook her head, “I can’t tap into the planet, itself, like that. We’re talking millions of minds, the people. To inundate her with that amount of input could literally fry her brain. There are also ethical and moral implications to attempting that.” The foremost being consent of all those other minds. “It’s a delicate balance, and I’m not sure I can explain it. But there are many people thinking about your mother right now. Even though they are not aware that she is ill, they know Mr Jones died and they were very close. There are people who know she is ill, but not why, and are concerned for her well being. I can… draw those in, that focus and concern for her and bind it together in a manner.”

Caridee nodded. “Yes, I wasn’t suggesting you tap into the planet, but the collective feel of Oed’s people is a part of her. I don’t think she should have that full input either, but as you have suggested, a more attuned feeling would be useful. If that is something you feel okay attempting than I think it’s worth a try.”

Caridee looked at Kenzo and Sharah in turn. “You said there had been complications before. What precautions can or should we take to protect all three of you?”

~Caridee

“I will ask Lt Rox to stay telepathically apart. She has worked with super sensitives and knows the warning signs of burnout. She will keep telepathic inhibitors on hand to suppress those talents as a second line. The first will be a reminder to remove the person from the mental connections or their touch from the canar. Then the inhibitor, and if necessary sedation.”

“The most important thing for everyone to remain focused on the task. What the emotions are isn’t important, but focus is, so that the governor and I can remain focused as well.”

Fayth, SFCMO

“Well, I know we’re all motivated to see this work, that will help. I also think making sure everyone gets the time to ground themselves before hand, or whatever it is that would help each person, will be very important,” Caridee said. “Also, we were going to have to be prepared for the aftermath once the barrier came down. The physical toll will be a lot of her. We can expect nausea, vomiting, sometimes even tachycardia. I think given what we’re now wanting to attempt, the risk is higher, but if the rest of us can be more intentionally soothing in the input we give her it might help.”

~Caridee

“Then let us prepare.” Hyrushi said flatly and stepped towards the door so it slid open. “There are rooms along this hall if any of you wish to rest. The kitchen is down the stairs and to the left. You are welcome to enjoy the gardens as well, if you like. I do request that none of you speak of this place when you leave.” and he held up a hand to quell any questions. “This is my private residence. Purchased with my own funds and my own resources, I assure you. I simply do not believe that the Governor of the colony needs to be pampered by the residents, so I utilize the Governor’s residence for official occasions, nothing more.” He stepped inside and looked down at Eela. “Please, do make yourselves comfortable and we can begin when Dr. Sevren is ready.”

Hyrushi, Governor