#9 Explanation

Posted on Tue Jan 31st, 2023 @ 9:10pm by Captain Rogue Green {Meji} & Captain Sean Silk & Lieutenant JG Jamie T. Kirk/AKA: "Jim" & Chief Warrant Officer Niraasha "Nira" Whisperwind & Commodore Cyndi Song & Lieutenant Commander Kristian Long

Mission: Vanished
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: current

ON:

Kirk was sitting up with her legs over the side of the bed. Silk came over from the replicator and handed her a hot apple cider with cinnamon. After being sick she needed to keep her sugar levels up. "Thanks," said Kirk, taking the steaming beverage in the thermomug and blowing on the vent/sip hole. She took timid sips.

"Long should be coming in any minute. Alpha shift is coming on as we speak. It's time to explain all this. Tell us what's going on, Jim. They...we deserve to know." Silk had put his ass on the line to help her, to try and reason with her and find out why she was acting odd.

"Then call them," said Kirk. She was feeling much better, the flu now having done what it needed to for her body. "I don't want to explain it twice, Sean. What was within me is gone, I beat it using the drugs and chemical mixes..."

Silk held a hand up. "Not yet, Kirk. When those who matter are here. I will bring Security in on this." He tapped his badge and called those he thought should know first, and a guard he knew could handle herself and the one authorized to open an investigation, if needed.

Kristian walked in and saw Kirk sitting on the edge the bio bed "Good morning,how are you feeling?"

Cyndi walked in just in time to her Long's question, walking over to where everyone was "Doctors what did you find wrong with her?"

Nira and Green came in together, arriving just as Kris and Cyndi asked their questions.

Silk took in a breath to align himself. "The list is long but distinguished." He saw Kirk squinting again and went to a cabinet, bringing back an eye dropper. "Use those, Lieutenant. They'll offset the glare." He looked back at all the top dogs. "Apparently, according to Jim here, she was possessed by some being."

Even as Silk spoke Kirk used the eye drops, then put on the slip on sneakers, hopping to her feet. She began to do isometric exercises and going through martial arts katas. She made no move to go any further, with Nira watching her closely.

"Last night she went through the computers and replicated a bunch of medical ingredients, created some type of injection, and used it on herself. As you can see," he chinned at the Lieutenant who was still doing katas, seemingly paying no attention to them. "She is back on her feet. The last thing she injected into herself was the human flu, and I am still trying to reason out why."

"The flu? Why in the galaxy would anyone want to go through that?" Kristian asked

"Better question is how did she get into the computers?" Cyndi asked "Doctors weren't the computers secured so that kind of thing cannot happen?" Cyndi asked

Kristian nodded "The one in my office was."

Kirk stopped her katas, her body now limber and prepared. Approaching Cyndi she then bowed her head, looking at her CO's feet. "You have my apologies, Commodore, for my actions as of late. A being from the Mirror Universe somehow possessed my mind and had a great amount of control over my being. She said she was me from her reality, and said that if I exposed her she would kill me. After a couple of rebellious tries on my part, and her demonstrating her ability to harm me, I went along with the ruse until I could find a way out. As for the computers, I am the Strategic Operations Chief. A few command overrides and I was in. I put my mind into mush and it has worked, and adding the virus increased my own suffering so she was forced to leave."

Green was using Sense to read Kirk, and found no duplicity she could recognize. Something still felt off but she would have to work through any subtle nuances. "So, she caused you pain?"

"Aye, Sir. Excruciating pain. Enough to topple me over as if I had razor blades in my guts working to get out through my chest. I kept getting flashes of thought, all the chemicals listed, and figured there had to be a connection. I took a chance and used them. As for the computers, if you look, none of what I replicated is off limits. There was no reason for the computer to stop me." Kirk stood before them, tall and proud, readily accepting their stares. "But, combined, those ingredients were what was needed."

"Apology accepted, but how do I know this will not happen again?" Cyndi commented "Doctors is there any sign of this mirror universe being in her now? That's a risk I'm not willing to take."

"I heard about this mirror universe that the beings there are the evil side of us,"Kristian commented.

Silk gave Cyndi a straight forward gaze. "As far as the scans show she is the same ole Kirk, aside from the eye thing. It seems that part of this Mirror counterpart did make its way through physically. Jim's eyes are now like theirs, as has been reported in logs regarding contact with them. They prefer more subdued lighting, can see better in low light. The dark side of us, in other words."

Kirk explained it the way she had thought about it last night while creating her serum. "So, let's say you want to change the human body. You want to fix a mistake. You want to repair something, improve something. Well, if you're going to reprogram human genetic material, you need a delivery system, and nothing works better than virus. It's like a suitcase. You pack in genetic mutation, infect the body and the vector unloads into the target cells. But getting it where you want it, how you want it, is the nightmare. Unless you have a map. I have mapped this process, or rather, my Mirror counterpart did. I used her knowledge to defeat her." She gave Song a direct gaze in the eyes. "I am under my own control, Commodore, the Mirror influence is gone."

"This morning while delirious with flu, you said they are coming," Silk said. "Who is 'they'? The Mirror Universe?"

"Exactly," Kirk responded. "There are Mirror agents in this reality even as we speak. Ever since Kirk got that Spock to begin an alien revolt they have looked for ways to come over and destroy the UFP. To end a threat they never expected to face; an alternate reality." Her eyes went to Green. "Empress Rogue is relentless and unstoppable."

"Empress Rough? Now that's interesting Sean do you think she's a threat to the ship or the crew?" Cyndi asked "The lighting can be an issue. The bridge is not exactly dark or dim."

"The eye drops commodore should help," Kristian said.

Sean gave a few nods in thought before responding. "She's Kirk, like I remember. I little bit more intense, and streamlined by the looks of her new musculature. Other than that she is medically sound."

"As for my eyes," Said Kirk. "I can continue to use the drops, wear shades, or I can use contacts." She looked at Green again. "Master Ro, I'm not sure if it was, but I could swear the Force aided me somehow. I could access my subconscious and could keep my innermost thoughts private. They seemed shielded against invasion. If you'll have me I would like to learn more, to apprentice under you insofar as understanding the power."

"Once we know you are okay in the long run, I will consider it," said Ro. "Before that we must meet and speak on a great many things to see if you are of the right mindset."

Nira kept watching Kirk, saying nothing. She was very calm, very explanatory, something she was familiar with as an expert liar in her own right. Keeping an eye on Kirk would be a priority and she would do so from a distance.

Green, too, felt something nefarious, something scratching at the back of her mind. Kirk seemed to be speaking of herself now, and then she would cover that by saying the other one. Her gut told her this was the Mirror Kirk, and that the real Kirk was trapped somewhere in the recesses of her mind. Maybe accepting her to apprenticeship would reveal more. However, that in itself could prove dangerous. They did not need another Jynxza running around.

"Sean do you think she can return to duty or should she be kept off duty for a bit?" Cyndi asked.

"Honestly, there's nothing actually wrong with her. There is no proof of this invading sentience, and her physical form is healthier than ever. By Starfleet regulations there is no reason to keep her from her duties." Silk had to say what was true even if his gut told him there was more to this than they had discovered so far.

Green stepped in toe-to-toe with Kirk. "I want the truth, right here, right now. Are you the Jim we know, or are you the Jim from another reality?"

"I am both," admitted Kirk, explaining herself. "There is a lot still in there from the other conscience. I am sorting through it but I am the solid officer, and person, I am supposed to be. I mean, come on, I created a genomic serum from scratch and I am neither a scientist nor a medical officer. It was just in my head so I accessed and used the information."

"Doctors you two make the call. You said there is nothing wrong with her," Cyndi said looking at Kirk. "One thing I'd like to know will our Kirk ever return?"

Kirk quirked an eyebrow at Song when she said that, but stayed quiet.

Silk shrugged. "Hard to say. As she goes along, and settles down from the experience, anything is possible. But, with how Kirk described it the other self may have left an indelible mark on her personality. As it stands she seems pretty normal now." He motioned at Jim. "She asked for my help, I gave it, and she has been stellar since. I vote for her to go back to duty while we all keep an eye on her for a while. I'm sure Doctor Long would agree that further testing and exams will be needed in the near future, to see how things are going."

"I do agree,everything seems normal so yes commodore I see no reason why she cannot return to full duty. Doctor Silk and I will monitor her," Kristian said "What ever it was does seem to be gone

"Since your both in agreement that's all I needed to hear. Lieutenant as soon as they release you go change into your uniform and report to the bridge," Cyndi said.

Kirk smiled happily. "Absolutely, Commodore!" She looked at the doctors. "We good?"

Silk gave a positive nod. "I'm good. Just take it easy until you get a mental handle on all this. All I ask." Kirk gave him the same type of nod in return, then looked at Long.

"I'm good as well, you start to feel off again contact Doctor Silk or myself. Your good to go," Kristian said.

Jim gave a smile. "I love you lot. Thank you. No more antics, Commodore, I give my word."

Green had stood quietly the whole time, reaching out and around Kirk the entire time. That inkling in the back of her mind would not go away but she kept a good poker face. "Carry on, Lieutenant Kirk. Dismissed." Nodding to that Jim Kirk took off out of Sickbay.

"With babies on board," Ro patted her abdomen. "I'll make sure to keep a closer eye on her myself since I will be stuck on ship if anything comes up. But, for now, I'm late for hubby time."

"You go enjoy, hubby time is important. We all need that," Cyndi said.

The group broke apart to go see to their own needs.

OFF: