The Other Torres | A Star Trek Fanfiction *Book 1*

Emanations-Chapter 27

[Cenotaph room]

"You're saying there was a woman in here just before I arrived?" asked Amanda. "That's right. Her name was Ptera. She was dying of a tumourous lesion to her midbrain." said Neria. "Dying. So she wasn't dead yet?" asked Amanda confused. 

"No, of course not. She didn't die until the cenotaph was activated. That's the purpose of the cenotaph. It terminates a person's life just before the appearance of a spectral rupture and then it allows their body to be taken to the Next Emanation." said Neria. "Spectral rupture?" asked Amanda. "Well, I can show you." said Neria. He calls up a schematic on a monitor. 

"This looks like what we would call a subspace vacuole. Does the cenotaph create these ruptures?" asked Amanda. "No, they're natural occurrences, once every six hours. This entire complex was built on this site because a spectral rupture occurs here. There are thousands of such sites on our world. Forgive my curiosity, Amanda, but, you are the first person ever to come back from the afterlife. I have quite a few questions. You said that you saw dead bodies?" asked Neria.

"That's right. There were seven females, eleven males. Some of the bodies had been there for years, others just for a few days." said Amanda. "Are you saying that when we die we go to some asteroid and decompose?" asked Neria. "Well, that's what it looked liked to us. But that doesn't mean it's true." Amanda said hastily. "These bodies, did you perform any kind of bioscans on them? Was there any specific medical data that you can remember?" asked Neria. "Doctor, maybe I should just stop right there. This is what my people call a first contact situation, and we've learned to be very careful about how much we tell alien cultures we've just met." said Amanda.

"I would like to start a complete bioanalysis as soon as possible. If you'll just follow Doctor Renora." said Neria. "Bioanalysis? Look, all I want to do is get back to my ship. And I think there might be a way to use this spectral rupture of yours to-" Neria stopped Amanda mid-sentence, offending the half Klingon. "You're not going anywhere. You are our first glimpse into what lies beyond death. We are not going to let this opportunity pass us by." Neria said.

Amanda scowled at the man, she didn't belong on the planet or whatever it was that she was on, she belonged on Voyager.

[Bridge]

"We've completed our analysis of the ring system. Our sensors have detected over two hundred thousand alien bodies on various asteroids in the rings. From what we can tell, a subspace vacuole appears about every two hours, deposits a body and then disappears." said Chakotay. 

"We need to focus on those vacuoles. Concentrate on trying to probe them with a high resolution subspace scans. See if you can find any sign of Miss Torres." said Janeway.

"Sick bay to Captain Janeway." said the Doctor. "Go ahead" replied Janeway. "Our guest has regained consciousness, and she is a little calmer this time." said the Doctor. "I'm on my way. You have the Bridge." said Janeway to Chakotay.

[Sickbay]

"That's, that's all I know. I'm sorry. I can't tell you anything more." said Ptera. "You've told me quite a bit. At least now I have an idea of what might have happened to Miss Torres. Is there anything I can do for you?" asked Janeway.

"Well, I'd, I'd like some answers." admitted Ptera. "About what?" asked Janeway. "About what happens to my people when we die." said Ptera. "We're not sure exactly. But from what we do know, the vacuoles deposit the bodies on the asteroids in this ring system." said Janeway.  "And then what?" asked Ptera. "I'm not sure what you mean." said Janeway confused. "We're supposed to evolve into a higher level of consciousness when we die. We're supposed to gain a greater understanding of the universe. All of our questions are supposed to be answered." said Ptera.