Planet of Silence
Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen
Chapter Thirteen
Mriana Troi's chime to her quarters rung at 0750 hours. The lights flashed to let her know someone was at her door, but she sensed instantly that it was Deanna.
"Come in." She sent.
"It's almost 0800." Deanna sent then suddenly realized that Geordi was present. "Am I interrupting something?" She asked with a rather surprised look on her face.
"Oh, no. It's fine and yes I'm ready." Mriana sent back as she anticipated Deanna's question.
Mriana walked over to her console, then she had the computer summon Ms. Paula Sohn for her.
"Paula Sohn here." Came her voice as the computer printed out what she responded with on the screen.
"Please meet me in Captain Picard's Ready Room in about five minutes." Mriana punched into the computer and the computer again voiced what she said into Paula's quarters.
"Aye, Sir."
"Mriana out." Then she, Deanna and Geordi exited to meet with Captain Picard.
Once they were in the Turbolift, Deanna had a smile on her face. She sent to Mriana, "I take it you and Geordi had a nice night?"
Mriana did not smile back at her cousin. "Yes and no."
"OK. Tell me what happen."
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"We just talked all night."
"Just talked?"
"Yes, he spent the night, but nothing happened."
"You're kidding!"
"No, I'm not. All that happened is that we slept in the same bed, but nothing more."
"You're serious, aren't you?" Deanna asked telepathically and had a look of shock on her face.
"Yes."
"Unbelievable!"
Geordi began to feel uncomfortable. He knew Deanna and Mriana were talking silently between themselves. He just had this feeling it was about him.
"It is." Mriana sent to him with a playful smile.
"You're unbelievable, Geordi." Deanna said to him with a smile. "I can't wait to tell Will about all of this."
"What did she say to you?" Geordi asked, then he grin mischievously. "If she said I was good, it's true."
"Oh, she did, Geordi. She did." Deanna replied back with a smile as they exited the Turbolift.
"Now I really wonder what they said to each other." He thought to himself as they took their places on the Bridge.
Mriana waited a few seconds for Paula to arrive. When she did, the two of them approached Picard's Ready Room. Paula rang the bell to his Ready Room.
"Come." Was his response and the door opened.
"Ah, Mriana! Glad you could make it." He said happily. Paula fell into step as she signed for Mriana. "Have a seat." He gestured.
Once they were seated, he continued. "I have news for you, that I think you will like. You have been appointed to be Ship's Counselor for the deaf community aboard the Enterprise."
She was very surprised as she signed, "I'm honoured."
"Your duties will include." Just as he was about to tell her, Riker's voice came over the comm.
*Bridge to Picard.*
"Picard here."
*Sorry to interrupt you, Sir, but there is a Cardassian shuttle portside with seven people aboard. They are sending a distress signal.*
"Very well, Commander. Please send an appropriate response." The captain replied with irritation.
*Ah, Sir?*
"What is it, Number One?"
*I think you should see this for yourself.*
"Can't it wait?"
*No, Sir. They are sending a continuous distress call.*
Picard sighed. "I'm on my way, Number One." Then he turned to Mriana. "I'm afraid we will have to finish this later."
Mriana nodded. Then she and Paula followed Picard out to the Bridge.
"What is it, Number One?"
"Worf." Riker commanded.
Worf turned the visual on as well as the message. "Enterprise, please help us. We are deaf and are requesting assylum. We can not respond to any verbal responses. So, please respond as you see fit." Then the message repeated.
"Well, it seems we have stumbled across the Cardassian fugitives." Stated Picard. "Lock on to their ship with a tractor beam and then beam them aboard. Mriana, I guess this will be your first assignment. Number One, go with her to meet them in transporter room three. See if you two can find out anything more about them."
"Aye, Sir." Will replied.
Will and Mriana entered the turbolift with Paula Sohn in tow. "You and Geordi seem to be doing better."
"It's better." Mriana replied.
"Just better?"
"Yes."
"Why do I get the feeling you don't want to talk about it?"
"Because I don't. Deanna will fill you in with details, I'm sure."
"Oh, so that's how it is. Girl talk and the guys get to hear news second hand."
"Yes." Mriana smiled.
"OK. Well, this should be interesting."
"Which? The Cardies or my love life?"
"Both." Will smiled.
They finally reached Transporter Room Three and immediately one of the Cardassians yelled, "Will you please help us?"
"We'll try, but you need to tell us more about your situation." Mriana signed, but sensed only confussion. It was then she realized they had no way to comprehend what was said to them. She sensed fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolatedness.
She looked at Will helplessly.
"We have a problem." Will sighed.
Suddenly, Mriana had an idea. She gestured for everyone to follow her. "Where is she going?" Will asked a little confused.
"I would assume to her office." Ms. Sohn offered. "That's where all her communication needs are, excluding her quarters."
"I sense some concern, Will." Mriana sent to him. Will was a bit surprised by the voice in his mind. He had become use to hearing Deanna, but not Mriana.
Then as Paula interpreted, Mriana signed, "I realize it is not standard procedure, but my office is better equipped for such instances as these. Thanks to Geordi."
"Proceed." Will replied with a nod.
There was a lot of confusion among the deaf Cardassians. Will thought to himself, "It must be terrible to all of a sudden have no communication skills and not be taught any new ones." He looked at Mriana. "She still had her empathic sense and could also communicate with her cousin. Maybe that's why she managed to cope better than others. I have to say I admire her determination. I guess I shouldn't have been so concerned about her being suggested for this new position."
"Why thank you, Will. Nice to know my cousin's Imzadi feels that way." Mriana sent.
Will was shocked every time she read his thoughts. He was not sure what to think of it, but thought he would mention it to Deanna later.
They finally arrived at Mriana's office. Once inside, Mriana pulled out a PADD and imputted her thoughts into it. She explained on the PADD, what it was used for and had them read it.
They smiled and using the handheld device, Mriana and Will found out the Cardassian fugitives were running for their lives. They heard about Mriana Troi and how the Federation was dealing with deaf people. They admitted they were honoured by her presence and since their people did not believe people who were deaf should live, they left everyone they knew so they could live. They admitted to not being taught any new means of communication and they felt very lost.
Mriana shared this information with Will and told him by way of Paula Sohn, that she sensed a lot of fear from these Cardassians and they seemed to be being very honest about their circumstances.
Suddenly, Mriana sensed her aunt's presence, but tried to ignore it. Instead she turned back to the Cardassians and reassured them that they still had knowledge of their individual skills. All they needed was to regain confidence and new means of communicating.
"Can you help us?"
Mriana looked at Paula for interpretation. "I."
Will tapped his combadge. "Riker to Data."
*Data here.*
"We'll see what we can do." Mriana told the Cardassians on a PADD.
*Will you meet Mriana with the Cardassians in Sickbay?*
"Aye, Sir."
"Mriana, I have to get back to the Bridge with a report to the captain, so he can make a decision about giving them assylum. Can you manage to escort them to Sickbay?"
She nodded. "We'll be fine."
Riker was about to leave when he noticed Lwaxana Troi. "Mrs. Troi. How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to be impressed by my niece. I didn't realize her abilities."
Suddenly, Commander Riker's communicator bleeped. *Bridge to Riker.* Came the captain's voice, while Ms Sohn volunteered to go ahead and take the Cardassians to Sickbay.
"Riker here."
*You're needed on the Bridge immediately.*
"I'm on my way." Riker answered. Then he turned to Mriana. "I guess I'll leave you two alone."
Will departed for the Bridge and Lwaxana sent to Mriana. "Mriana, I'm sorry I doubted you."
"Aunt Lwaxana, I have to go."
"Well, Wh. Where?" Lwaxana said aloud. "Oh, damn! She can't hear me. This is going to take some getting use to. Now she hears me well telepathically, but not when a speak with my voice. It used to be the other way around."
Mriana changed her mind about going to Sickbay. She had to find out why the illness did what it did to people. She could not let things go as they were. She had to have answers and she was going to find them.
She was heading to Shuttlebay three, where she knew that particular officer was away from his post. She had watched him long enough to know when he took his breaks and when there was someone to fill in for him or not. This time no one was there.
She did not sense any danger at this time, so she decided this was her chance to go back to the planet and get her answers. The captain and the others were busy with the Cardassians on board.
She knew it would take her about two days to get back to Syrina. That she was not very concerned about at the moment. At the moment, she hoped she could manage to get to a shuttle craft and leave the Enterprise, without being spotted.
She boarded a craft, started the engine, and prepared the shuttlebay doors to open. As the doors opened, she made her way off the ship before the officer returned and flew back towards Syrina.
Chapter Fourteen
Riker walked onto the Bridge and saw immediately that Picard was talking to more Cardassians on screen. They did not seem very happy.
"We understand you have boarded the seven Cardassian fugitives. We request their return immediately."
Captain Picard cut the sound in his usual manner with his hand making a cutting motion acrossed his neck. Then he turned to Riker. "What have we learned about our guests?"
Riker briefed him on what he and Mriana had founded out about the deaf Cardassians. When he was finished, Picard turned back to the screen to address the Cardassians again.
"We are going to grant them assylum." He informed them.
"Then prepare." The Cardasssian began, but was interrupted by one of his crew members. He whispered something in his ear and then the communication was severed.
About this same time Worf spoke. "Sir, a shuttle has left the ship. I can't detect who is on the shuttle. They must have discarded their combadge."
Deanna stiffened and she was noticably tense.
"Lock on to the shuttle and beam them back." Picard ordered.
"It's too late. The Cardassians have already locked onto the shuttle and beamed whomever it was aboard their ship."
Will noticed Deanna action. "Worf, open a channel to the Cardassian ship." Then he muttered, "What the hell were they thinking?"
The Cardassian who first spoke to them was on screen and sure enough they had the Enterpise's crew member. They did not seem to want to let her go either.
"Captain Picard." The Cardassian addressed. "It would seem we have one of your crew members now."
Picard and Riker were both standing in front of the view screen. "Return her at once!" Picard demanded.
"You're in no position to give us orders. Besides, she fine for now. Return our fugitives and we will return your precious crew member unharmed."
It was at that moment Lwaxana walked onto the Bridge. "They've taken my niece! Make them return her at once, Jean-Luc!" She ranted.
"Mrs. Troi, please." Jean-Luc began, but before he could continue Lwaxana interrupted him.
"She maybe my niece, but she's still family and if anything happens to her!" She threatened.
"Mother, we're doing everything we can to get her back. For now she is just a little."
"I know she's fine for now, but she won't be if they have their way with her! She's frightened and I don't blame her! I would be to if I were in her situation."
"Lwaxana, please. We are doing everything we can and if you would just let us do our jobs we can get her back sooner." Stated Picard.
"Why can't you just beam her back?"
"Mother, when she's back safely aboard we'll let you know. For now, please let us do our jobs like Captain Picard asked."
"Oh, alright!" Lwaxana said reluctantly and a little annoyed, but she refused to leave the bridge until her niece was safely back aboard the Enterprise. She remain silent for the time being, though.
Riker leaned over towards Deanna, so only she and the captain could hear him. "Is she really frightened?" He asked softly.
He could not believe Mriana was really frightened. He had never seen the woman truly scared of anyone and he could not see her starting to be now.
"Shakened yes, but not truly frightened. You know Mother has a tendency to exaggerate sometimes."
"I heard that, Deanna." Lwaxana announced.
Suddenly, Deanna and Lwaxana both stiffened. The look on their faces was that of concern and fear.
"Captain." Deanna said with much concern in her voice.
"Yes, Counselor?"
"They're." She paused for a moment as she winced with empathic pain. "Hurting her." Tears began to roll down Deanna's face.
"What!" Exclaimed Will.
"They're trying to scare the hell out of her!" Lwaxana said. "Jean-Luc, do something! Please! Before they really hurt her!"
"Worf, see if you can contact the Captain of the Cardassian ship again." Picard ordered.
"Aye, Sir."
"I want to make it clear to them that we will not tolerate any form of torture or any of this for that matter."
Aboard the Cardassian ship, the captain was taunting Mriana. "What's it like to be deaf and have no one to talk to or interpret for you? Do you feel helpless? What is that old Earth saying? Oh, yes! Deaf and Dumb!" He leered at her. "That's it. Is that what you feel? Must be bewildering, especially being away from those stupid Humans, who don't know better and take care of their crippled invalids."
"I'm Leiutenant Mriana Troi. A counselor aboard the USS Enterprise." Mriana stated as she followed Federation procedure. "My number is."
"That's not what I asked, you stupid Human!" He roared as he grabbed her by the collar and shoved his face up to hers. "I didn't ask you for your name, rank, and serial number. I asked if you felt helpless."
"I am Betazoid. An empath and I can read lips. I am not completely helpless." She said indignatly, hoping that she sounded more strong and confident than she actually felt. In reality, she could only lipread a few words and was relying mainly on her empathic abilities.
"Really?" Another exclaimed as he tried to strike her, but she sensed his intent and blocked him before he succeeded. She was immediately slammed against a wall by yet another.
"Enough!" The Cardassian captain shouted. "I don't want her harmed yet! So, you can defend yourself, huh?" He asked as he turned to face her. "We'll find your weakness yet. Take her to a cell!"
She had left her combadge behind, so she had no means of communicating with the Enterprise. Now she was feeling a great void.
They took her by the arms and began to take her away, when she began to jerk away and shrieked, "Unless you send me back to the Enterprise now, you will cause an intersteller incedent! Let me go! Now!"
"Shut up!" The captain yelled uselessly. Then he slapped her across the face. She fell back and reached up to the side of her face where she was strucked. Two crew members from the Cardassian ship grabbed on to her again.
She could taste blood where she was hit, but she persisted. "Return me now! The Federation and Betazed will not tolerate this! Let me go!" She growled.
He smacked her again across this face. This time it was even harder and stung even more considerably than before. She could not duck his blows to her, because the other Cardassians had restrained her. A trickle of blood ran down from her mouth. She winced with pain as his hand came back around to hit the other side of her face.
He stopped and began to leer at her again. She could sense his intent clearly. "I wonder. Are deaf women better in bed than hearing women? Take her to my quarters and restrain her there. I'll deal with her later."
"NO!" She screamed out in horror and tears rolled down her face.
"NO!" Lwaxana and Deanna recoiled when they sensed the pain and horror Mriana was experiencing. It was almost overpowering to both of them, but Lwaxana recovered quicker than Deanna.
"Deanna?" Will asked with concern as she started to fall backwards.
"I'm fine, but Mriana." She paused as she tried to hold back the tears that were about to form. "I felt pain and horror from her. Physical pain and emotional horror. She's in serious trouble over there!"
"They struck her!" Lwaxana shouted in anger. "I sensed her thoughts. They tried once before, but now it's certain, their captain wants to do unspeakable things to her!"
Deanna continued. "I lost my telepathic link with her. As far as I know, Mother is right. The last I sensed was pure horror from what she was sensing from their captain."
"I'm still sensing her thoughts." Lwaxana informed them. "They're random and slightly more distant, as though she is a bit dazed. I think they just drugged her or something!" This last from Lwaxana made Deanna feel her inadequities of her abilities. Her mother could do that to her, sometimes. It was unintential, but she still felt inadequit.
Doctor Crusher walked onto the Bridge. She approached the command area as she herself felt the stress on the Bridge.
"Doctor Crusher, what have you found out about the Cardassians requesting assylum?" Picard asked.
"All seven of them are as deaf as Mriana and the illness was not caught soon enough. All evidence of the illness has past. However, it was definitely the illness that caused their deafness."
"Well, regardless of the current situation, we will give them assylum." Stated Picard. "Counselor, can you sense how Mriana is doing now?"
"She's extremely terrified." Deanna informed. "But beyond that, I can't tell you anything more."
"She's doing her best to suppress her fear, so they don't know how scared she really is." Lwaxana informed them. "They're trying to find her weakness in order to do her harm, if not kill her. They will eventually you know?"
"Mrs. Troi, can you tell why they want to hurt her?"
"It's because you have their people." Lwaxana informed. "Beyond that, I don't know. Oh, this is so horrifing! You have to get her back!"
"So, they're still practicing terroristic tactics." Will commented as he tried to ignore Lwaxana's emotional outburst. "Their silence is not helping things either."
"No it's not, Number One. Suggestions?"
"We could fire phasers to convence them to release her." Worf suggested.
"No, too risky. She could be injured or killed." Geordi replied.
"I agree." Stated Doctor Crusher. "We could try to find her physical proximity by using her medical records. Then program the computer to sort out her from the Cardassians to beam her back."
Geordi shook his head. "No, that would take too long. I'd have to figure out how to get through their shields and reconfigure the transporter to get through the shields to beam her back. That could take time."
"Time we apparently do not have at the moment." Picard replied. "That appears to be our only option though. Geordi, do you think you can break through their shields in order to lock on to her?"
Geordi tilted his head to the side and back. "I could try, but it's going to take some time."
Picard pushed his invisible hair on top of his head back and then pulled down on his shirt. "Make it so."
"Wait!" Lwaxana exclaimed. Everyone looked at her in a way that said, "What the hell does she have to say now?" She continued regardless of the looks. "I've been in telepathic contact with her almost constantly." She continued without giving any thought to the stares she was receiving. "If I can re-establish a link with her, maybe I can get her to discribe where she is on the ship. Then maybe we could lock on to her that way."
"It might work." Geordi responded. "Then all I'll need to do is break through their shields."
"I can help. The only time I haven't sensed her was when she was drugged or something. Now she seems dazed, but I can sense her somewhat."
"I can barely sense her myself. I know she's still alive." Deanna added. "and lucid for now. Mother and I can work together to find out where she is."
"That could work and save time." Geordi said excitedly. "All I'll have to do is break through their shields without them noticing it."
"Well, then." Picard began as he thought, "For once she's making herself useful."
"I heard that Jean-Luc!" Lwaxana said allowed, reminding him again just how well aware she was of other people's thoughts.
"Make it so." Picard ordered.