Cascading Echoes

Remembrance

After leaving the debriefing session, Michael made her way toward the med-labs, her thoughts focused on checking in on Ensign Thompson. She figured she'd kill two birds with one stone: get her own mandatory medical examination done and visit Kuma to see how his recovery was progressing.

Just as she reached the turbolift, Tilly appeared, hurrying toward her with that familiar burst of energy. "Michael! Commander Burnham, wait up!" Tilly called out, squeezing into the lift with her.

Michael smiled faintly; the heaviness of the day not entirely gone. "Hey, Tilly. What's going on?"

"I was hoping to catch up with you," Tilly replied, a little out of breath. "I missed breakfast, and I wanted to see how you're doing. You know, after everything."

"I'm alright," Michael said, although the weariness in her voice betrayed her. "I actuyally woke up late. Haven't even had time to eat." She laughed softly, more to ease the tension than anything.

Tilly, however, tilted her head. "Really? I thought maybe you and Commander Tyler would've made sure the other didn't oversleep." Her words were light, but there was something behind them, a slight edge that didn't go unnoticed.

Michael shot her a quick look. "No, we... didn't," she said carefully, sidestepping the clear trap in Tilly's words. "He's been busy. We both have."

Tilly nodded and then shifted the conversation abruptly, her voice quieter now, more reflective. "I've been thinking about Volthi. About everything that happened on the mission. Honestly, Michael, I don't know if I want to go on any more away missions. I used to think it would be exciting, but after seeing..." Her voice trailed off; her words heavy in the small space of the lift.

Michael regarded her for a moment, considering her response. "You handled yourself well, Tilly. You've been through a lot, and it's natural to feel that way. But don't shut down opportunities just yet. Volthi'Cha wouldn't want you to hold back, to stop living life fully. He valued the safety of his crewmates—especially you."

Tilly smiled, but it was fleeting. Her usual cheerfulness seemed dampened by the reality of loss. "I know you're right, but..." She sighed deeply. "It's just hard."

Michael, sensing the need for a change in subject, gently nudged the conversation. "Speaking of, I've been thinking about Kuma. I'm planning to check on him while I'm in the med-labs."

Tilly's reaction was immediate, and odd. "Does Commander Tyler know about this?" she asked, her tone strange.

Michael blinked, taken aback. "Why would Ash care about me checking on Kuma? What are you talking about?"

Tilly hesitated, her brow furrowing as she stared at Michael with confusion. "I just thought... Commander Tyler always struck me as the jealous type. You know, not someone many would want to compete with."

Michael, now thoroughly bewildered, frowned. "Tilly, what are you talking about? I'm just going to check on Kuma. I don't know why that would concern Ash."

Tilly shrugged awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I just... I've never heard you talk about this Kuma before. Is he an officer? Was he recently assigned to Discovery or something?"

The lift arrived at the med-labs, the doors sliding open with a soft hiss. Michael turned sharply to Tilly, her confusion giving way to frustration. "What do you mean, you've never heard of him? Ensign Kuma Thompson has been on board for months. He collapsed before the mission—right before we left for Galorndon Core."

Tilly's eyes widened. "Wait, are you serious? Michael, I've never met an Ensign Thompson. I don't even remember anyone mentioning him."

For a moment, Michael was frozen, staring at her friend as an unsettling feeling crawled up her spine. "Tilly," she said carefully, "Ensign Kuma Thompson has been on Discovery for months. You've definitely seen him before. He... he was your rival so to speak, and recently injured. Saru had to take him down. Why are you acting like you've never heard of him?"

Tilly looked even more confused now, genuine bewilderment on her face. "I swear, Michael, I have no idea who you're talking about. Are you sure... I mean, could he have been one of the new recruits from the space hub?"

Michael's stomach twisted at the suggestion, the pieces of the puzzle not fitting together. Kuma had been a part of their daily life on Discovery for months—hadn't he? The turbolift doors remained open, but neither of them moved as the implications of Tilly's words sank in. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Michael felt the adrenaline in her body spike. "No, Tilly," she said slowly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Kuma isn't new. He's been with us for a while. And now you're telling me you've never heard of him?"

The unsettling realization settled in her chest like a weight she couldn't shake. Something was happening aboard Discovery—something strange, something that made an entire crew forget about the existence of one of their own.

"We need to go to the med-labs," Michael said firmly. "Now."

Rushing into the observation labs of Discovery's Intensive Care Unit, Michael and Tilly entered without a hitch. No guards were posted outside, and the quiet hum of the advanced medical equipment was the only sound in the room. The sight of the medical team moving methodically around the lab filled Michael with a sudden sense of unease. Something felt off, but she couldn't place it. The crew inside, barely recognizable to Michael, seemed unfamiliar—two aliens and one human, their faces mere blurs in her memory.

Michael's gaze swept the room, scanning for any sign of Ensign Kuma Thompson. The feeling of dread gnawing at her grew with every passing second. She moved closer to a nearby med-tech, hoping for answers.

"Can I help you, Commander Burnham?" the young Efrosian med-tech asked politely, his deep cranial ridges shifting as he studied her intently. His ice-blue eyes glimmered with curiosity, perhaps even suspicion.

Michael swallowed, trying to keep her composure. "I'm here to see Ensign Kuma Thompson. He was injured recently, before we left on the mission."

The Efrosian's eyes flickered toward Tilly, then back to Michael, his brows furrowing deeper with every passing moment. Doubt clouded his expression. "I'm sorry, Commander, but Dr. Zarrell doesn't have a patient by that name in her care. Perhaps... you were misinformed about the severity of this person's condition?"

Michael's mind raced. Misinformed? No. She knew what she saw. Ensign Kuma had collapsed, had been sedated after attacking Saru. How could this be possible?

Tilly shifted uncomfortably beside her, the silence between them growing thick. "Michael..." she began, her voice uncertain, "are you sure...?"

Michael's heart pounded, her confusion mounting. She studied the room again, the sterile walls and the familiar sounds of the medical equipment doing nothing to reassure her. Tilly's questioning, the Efrosian's doubtful stare—it all started to feel surreal, like reality itself was bending in a way that left her unmoored.

Swallowing hard, she forced a calm smile. "It must've been a misunderstanding," Michael said, her voice tight with barely concealed frustration. "Thank you for your time." She turned on her heel, her face a mask of composure, even as her thoughts whirled in a chaotic frenzy.

Tilly hurried after her as Michael made her way back toward the turbolifts, her mind racing with questions. How could they forget Kuma? How could someone just disappear—vanish from everyone's memories as if they never existed?

"Michael, wait!" Tilly called, jogging to catch up. "What's going on? You're scaring me."

Michael stopped just before the turbolift doors, her chest tightening with a mixture of confusion and fear. Turning to Tilly, she met her friend's concerned gaze but felt the weight of something far more ominous pressing down on her.

"They've forgotten him, Tilly," Michael whispered, her voice low but trembling with a barely suppressed panic. "Kuma. It's like he never existed. How is that even possible?"