Sickbay was bathed in the soft glow of its nighttime lighting mode, a tranquil ambience that contrasted the general intensity of the past few weeks.
Aki blinked as his eyes adjusted to the gentle illumination, the vague haze of unconsciousness giving way to a slowly emerging clarity.
The memories inside his head were a jumble—like a fragmented dream—his mind struggling to piece together the puzzle of his recent experience.
He tried to move, but his body felt heavy, as if every muscle had been replaced by lead. Aki frowned, a hint of frustration tugging at his consciousness.
All he could manage for now was to turn his head. His gaze drifted sideways, landing on a figure slumped in a chair nearby.
Tom.
Recognition sparked in Aki's mind, the pieces of his memory slowly coalescing. He remembered the away mission, the sunny weather, the fruit picking, the overwhelming sensation of weakness, and then... nothing.
"Tom?" Aki's voice was barely more than a whispered croak, but it was enough.
Tom's eyes opened with a start.
The instant he saw Aki's gaze fixed on him, a mixture of shock and unadulterated joy washed over his face. "Aki?" His voice quivered with disbelief.
Aki managed a faint smile, his lips curving upward despite the effort it required. "Hey," he croaked, his throat dry.
Tom was on his feet in an instant, his hand cradling against Aki's cheek as if confirming his presence. "You're awake!" he gasped, his voice laced with a mixture of awe and immense relief.
Aki's brow furrowed as he looked at Tom, his mind searching for answers. "What happened? I... I don't remember." His eyes held a mix of confusion and concern.
Tom could feel a lump forming in his throat as the emotions swelled within him. He began stroking Aki's face affectionately with his palm, his gaze locked on the big blue sparkling eyes he feared he might never see again.
"You were... injured... poisoned," he began, the weight of the truth evident in his whispered voice. "The pink dust? Do you remember it? It was plant spores... they were toxic, you reacted... badly."
Aki's eyes widened as Tom's words sunk in, the gravity of the situation becoming clearer and his memories began returning in full disturbing detail.
He had a sudden flashback of the moment the pink dust was enveloping everyone back on the planet.
His eyes widened more at the sudden memory and his breathing quickened, as if starting to panic as he remembered that he was not the only one who'd been attacked.
"B'Elanna! the others! they were with me!'" he gasped in distress, "are they alright? are they safe?"
"Shhh! Calm down!" Tom was quick to respond, "It's okay, Aki, everyone is fine," he reassured, "they were all completely unharmed.
As it turned out, you were the only one affected by the poison."
Aki looked relieved, but then his expression turned to confusion, "I'm so glad they're okay, Tom... so, how come was it only me?"
"It's complicated, the doc said it had something to do with your feline side, don't worry yourself about the details for now, you just need to concentrate on getting your strength back, okay?"
Aki nodded, understanding.
"So, how... how long have I been lying here, Tom?"
Tom's gaze remained steady, his voice gentle and thick with emotion. "Almost three weeks," he whispered.
"Three weeks?!" The realization hit Aki with a staggering force, his mind grappling with the enormity of the time lost while he was unconscious.
"And... how did I...?"
YOU ARE READING
Star Trek Voyager: The Mylar Cat. (Complete) (+Audiobook Option) (PG-Rated)
Ciencia FicciónA cute little stray cat facing a grim future, and a starship captain in need of companionship. It felt like destiny had brought them together, but not all was as it seemed. Written as a heartwarming little tale to lift your spirits and bring comfort...
