Star Trek Voyager: Season 1

Cathexis

Marie Roberts' personal log, stardate 48734.2. Sometimes, it's good to get away from my role as ship's counsellor, diplomatic officer and occasional medic. To that end, I've started a new holonovel. The setting is based on a 21st century book trilogy I found in the database.

"You need to focus in order to bring out your animare abilities. Clear your mind and focus on the thing you want to draw." Vaughn said.

I nodded, closed my eyes and cleared my head of any and all thought that would distract me. My focus was now completely on the tools in front of me and the item I would draw- a rose. I put my pencil on the paper and began to draw. In my head, I pictured the rose.

"That's it. The rose is coming to life. Keep going."

Before the flower could completely form, my combadge crackled to life.

"Janeway to Counsellor Roberts."

I sighed and said "Computer, freeze programme."

Everything around me froze, so I got up and said "I'm here Captain."

"Please report to sickbay."

"I'm on my way Captain. Roberts out."

I walked out of the holodeck, deactivated the programme and made my way to sickbay. The Captain was pacing, looking very worried. I looked over and saw Chakotay lying on a biobed, unconscious. I walked over and stood next to him. The doc and Kes grabbed several instruments and began working on him.

"How is he?" I asked.

"Not good at all. All of the bioneural energy has been extracted from his brain."

"Extracted?"

"Yes. From the looks of it, someone drained the energy from every single axon and dendrite right down to the synapses. I can keep his heart beating and I can keep him breathing, but other than that there's nothing I can do. He's brain dead." he said.

I gasped and looked down at Chakotay. He'd come to me a lot for advice over the past few weeks and I considered us to be good friends. I put my hand on his shoulder and leaned into his ear.

"Chakotay, I don't know if you can hear me, but you need to fight. You need to come back to us. This crew needs you." I said.

I straightened up a little, leaned in and kissed his cheek before walking out of sickbay.

****

I was back in sickbay following my duty shift. When I walked in, I saw B'Elanna using his medicine wheel. He taught me how to use it one day in case of an emergency.

"You might have asked before adorning my Sickbay with animal remains." The doc said.

I walked forwards as I said "It's a medicine wheel, a talisman used by Chakotay's tribe. He said if anything ever happened to him, it should be used so a special healing ritual can be performed."

"How do you know that?" B'Elanna asked.

"Chakotay showed me how to use it during one of our counselling sessions following an away mission." I said.

"What does it accomplish?" the doc asked.

She looked at him and said "The wheel represents both the universe outside and the universe inside our minds as well. They believe each is a reflection of the other. When a person is sleeping, or on a vision quest, it's said that his soul is walking the wheel. But if he's in a coma or near death, it means that he's gotten lost. These stones are signposts to help point the way back. Not exactly standard medical procedure, I know, but..."