Planet of Silence
Final Chapters
Chapter Thirty-one
A few days later Doctor Crusher landed with a shuttlecraft on Betazed with Lydia and Laura. She had not anticipated being invited to Linda's testing, but if Human physiology was what they needed, she was not about to deny assistance.
It was not long after she landed with the girls that she arrived at the institute.
"Doctor Crusher, it's so nice to see you in person." Senon greeted.
"Like wise I'm sure."
"Are these the compliment to Linda?"
"If you mean the rest of the triplets, yes." Crusher affirmed.
"Tell me something. Mriana said they are identical triplets." Sonen began to inquire. "How can they be identical if they all three inherited different senses or that is not inherit?"
"I believe she means what I said the day they were born." Beverly began to explain. "On the surface, they appeared to look alike, but when I scanned them, they were different. The average person would take one look at them and think of them as identical. That is, until they discovered one is deaf, one is blind, and the other is both deaf and blind."
"I think I understand." He said. "Even so, why would she say to a doctor they are identical?"
"She's been under a lot of stress lately." Beverly informed. "My guess is, she did not want to go into details at the time."
"Alike, but yet not alike. It gives new meaning to identical children, doesn't it?"
Beverly was not sure how to answer him.
"It's alright, Doctor Crusher if you do not have an answer to my question." Sonen replied. "It was more of an observation than a real question."
"You mean, a rhetorical question?"
"Yes. Please forgive me. My Federation Standard is not what it should be."
"It's alright."
Sonen sensed that she did mean it was alright and Beverly hid no negative feelings about his use of Federation Standard.
"So, how can I help you?" Beverly finally asked after a brief pause in the conversation.
"Well, we could use some medical history on Mriana and Geordi, as well as their children." He stated. "As well as help evaluating some scans of the parents, grandmother, and the other siblings, because we have no training in Human physiology."
"Geordi's parents are dead, but I believe I can still assist you. What is it you are looking for?"
"We are looking for the answers on how a quarter Betazoid, can be telepathic."
She turned to the man. "It may seem like a weird flook to you, but knowing the family as I do and the Human brain's ability to compensate in anyway it can, I can assure you it is not a flook."
"Maybe so, Doctor, but with all due respect, we want to find an answer." He informed her. "And we need your help to find our answers. We can't help someone if we don't have all or most of the answers, now can we."
Beverly conceded. "I guess not."
Laura tugged at Beverly's pant leg. "We go see mama and daddy now?"
Beverly turned towards Sonen.
"Oh! Yes. By all means, Doctor Crusher. Let the children see their parents and then all of you can return here at fifteen hundred hours."
"Alright, but first, may we look in on Linda? I hear you are keeping her here for observation and further tests."
"Yes, of course." He replied. "You'll find the child in good spirits, if you call her tempermental disposition good."
"I'm not worried you would harm her. I just want to see her."
He sensed she was forthcoming with her thoughts. "I understand."
Sonen lead the three of them down the hall to Linda's room. He proceeded to unlock the child's door. Linda seemed the most peaceful and quiet as Beverly had ever seen her, until the door cracked opened slightly. Then Linda began to scream.
"Why is the door locked?"
"For protection."
"I don't understand. The other children are able to come out of their rooms, but not Linda?"
"We wanted to try beta blockers, but we were concerned that the child would get upset about not sensing anything and we thought sedation would interfer with our tests." Sonen began to explain. "So, in order to protect the other children and staff of flying objects, biting, and alike, we thought it best that the less she was able to sense the better. She seems more calm in her room and isolated."
"She's never been a threat to anyone. Just uncontrollable when she throws her fits."
"Madam, we have thirty children and ten to twenty staff members at a given time. We do not have the time for children who are out of control. We either sedate them or give them beta blockers. If neither are suitable then we isolate them so they can not sense as much."
"Where is your CMO?" Beverly asked irately.
"If you feel you must talk to him, I will inform him you wish to speak to him, but I doubt it will change anything in how we control our patients." Sonen told her.
"I do feel I should speak to him. In the meantime, while I wait for him to talk to me, I'd like to visit with her."
"As you wish, but I will warn you she's very volatile."
"I know this child and I can hear her throwing a fit as we stand here." Beverly stated. "Now get me your CMO!"
"As you wish." Sonen left and Beverly stepped into the room. Lydia and Laura followed causiously behind her.
"Is she alright, Aunt Beverly?" Laura asked.
"Yes, she looks as she always does."
"She sounds like it and Lydia agrees."
"Is she projecting?" Beverly asked, knowing Lydia could not hear.
"Just like mama and ganmama do, she says." Laura told Beverly as she interpreted Lydia's signs. "Only Laura hears her words. I can hear both if I pay attention."
"How do you do that?" Beverly had seen Laura hold Lydia's hand as she spoke into it, but never asked about it until now.
"Do what?" Laura asked.
"Can you really feel her signs in your hand?" Beverly asked.
"Yes, Daddy teach me." Laura informed. "Says it works good. When I get a visor, I can still do it."
Beverly assumed the child meant Geordi had taught her how to feel Lydia's hand gestures. Including it's usefulness with or without a visor.
"Daddy say I have to wait for visor now." Laura began to pout. "And it's all her fault!"
As Laura's emotions increased so did Linda's. Linda screamed louder and sent to Laura even stronger.
Laura grabbed her head. "Yes, it is!" She screamed back aloud. "I am not! You are!"
Linda threw her pillow across the room and started searching for Laura. Her hands groped as she screamed.
"Laura, listen to me." Beverly insisted.
"She being mean again!"
"Listen to me, don't listen to her."
"OUCH!" Laura screamed. "STOP!"
Beverly saw that Linda had found what she wanted and was hitting her from behind. Laura tripped trying to move away from her sister.
Beverly tried hard to grab Linda, but she could not. The child ducked out of her grasp before she had a chance to restrain her and kick Beverly instead. No matter how hard she tried she could not get a hold of the child.
"You might as well give up and try to get the other two out of the room."
Beverly turned to see who was addressing her, only to be bitten in the calf. "OW!"
The man sent to Laura and Lydia. "Go on out. Don't worry. I'll help your friend out."
Lydia grabbed Laura's arm and guided her out quickly. While two others came in to restrain Linda long enough for Beverly to get out of the room.
The man helped her up and they exited the room.
"Mr. Xerx, I didn't expect to meet you here." Beverly said.
"I work here. I'm the CMO."
"You're the CMO?"
"Yes, and trust me, I meant no harm in isolating Linda. It was for everyone's own good. Let me look at your leg."
"I give her a sedative when she's this bad." Beverly told him as she rolled her pant leg up to where she was bitten.
"That's one way to handle it, but it would defeat our purpose in finding out how and why she has Early Onset Telepathy."
"Yes, I can see that it would."
"It looks OK. No broken skin, just slight bruising."
Beverly nodded. "I have one question."
"She sensed your thoughts and therefore was able to anticipate your moves." Xerx informed her as he tried to mentally send to a nurse to get Beverly some ice.
"So, she is a true telepath?"
"Yes, but within limits." Xerx told her. He sensed she was confused. "Unlike Lwaxana, Breanna, or others who are full telepaths, and very strong ones at that, Linda can only sense the thoughts of those in the immediate vacinity."
"Then, how did she sense people all over the ship?" Beverly asked as she took an ice pack from a nurse. "Thank you."
"She didn't and couldn't."
"I don't understand." Beverly told him. "Not just Linda's situation, but why don't you have a dermo regenerator?"
"We keep medical supplies locked up for emergencies due to the patients we have here. As for Mriana and Deanna, they are half Betazoid and therefore have limited telepathy. For the most part they are empaths as you know."
"But Mriana."
"Has compensated for the loss of her hearing. Yes." Xerx agreed as he nodded his head. "Therefore, when Mriana and or or Deanna is in the room, there is a possibility she sensed what they are sensing from them. We don't have all the answers. At least not yet, but we hope to get the answers as soon as possible. Thus, wanting to get all family members together and run a few tests on them."
"It's all so complicated, but is it really necessary to isolate Linda?"
"You saw for yourself and have experienced for yourself how she can be." Xerx stated. "Do you really feel we should use drugs to keep her sedated and under control before we get our answers?"
"No." Beverly shook her head. "It would defeat the purpose. I just wish there was another way to keep her calm."
"I do too, but it seems isolation keeps her calm because of the type of telepathy she has." Xerx stated. "If you have any other suggestions that won't interfer with our tests, I would like to hear them."
"No, I don't." Beverly sighed.
After a moment, Xerx finally spoke. "Well, I'm glad you came to help us with this puzzle."
"It is unusual that a child that is only a quarter Betazoid to be telepathic."
"Yes, it is and that's the puzzle we want to solve." Xerx agreed. "We can't just settle for the heredity compensation theory. We want something we can test and find the answers to. However, the mind is a very complex thing and hard to study."
"Yes, it is." Beverly agreed.
"Aunt Bev?"
"Yes?" She said turning towards Laura and Lydia.
"Can we go see mama and daddy now?"
"Yes." Beverly stated. "We should go and at least let them know we are here."
"They already know." Xerx informed her.
Beverly looked puzzled.
"Lwaxana and Breanna sensed you and the girls. Then they told everyone else. Word travels quick on Betazed."
"I see." Beverly replied. "Well, until later today."
"Yes. See you then."
The children and Beverly left to see Mriana and the others.
"How is she?" Mriana asked as Beverly arrived at the Sixth House.
"Her usual." Beverly told her in sign. Her leg had started to bother her on the way over to the mansion and she was slightly limping.
"What happened to your leg?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
"Linda bit Aunt Bev." Lydia told her mother in sign. "She still mean."
"Bit you!" Mriana exclaimed aloud.
"It's nothing really." Beverly insisted in sign. "I'm fine."
"Hey, Doc!" Geordi greeted.
"Oh, hi, Geordi." Beverly replied. "I didn't know you were there."
"I wasn't until now."
"So where's Deanna and Will?" Beverly asked.
"They'll be here soon." Geordi informed her. "We'll leave shortly after they arrive."
"Great! That will give me time to freshen up a little before I have to return."
"Hey, we can postpone it until tomorrow if you're tired from the trip." Geordi offered.
"No, it's fine." Beverly reassured as she hobbled to the bathroom.
Once she was out of the room, Mriana signed to her husband. "We need to do something. We can't let Linda continue like this and besides that, Bev is hiding something. I don't know what, but she's not saying."
"Imzadi, we are trying to do something for Linda and as for the Doc, well." Geordi signed. "I'm sure she'll tell us when she gets ready."
"Maybe you're right." Mriana signed with a sigh.
"Hungry." Lydia signed, once she got her mother's attention.
"Yes. I guess it is lunchtime."
They prepared for lunch before they left for the institute. Mriana was begining to wonder if they would have to leave Linda on Betazed and brought her concern to her husband as she prepared lunch.
"Geordi, I'm begining to wonder if Linda should stay here."
"Mri, I know it's hard for you, but that may not be a bad idea." Geordi signed. "We have Lydia and Laura to think about too and they need our attention also."
"You're right, but I hate to leave our child in a facility."
"Well, it's not definite yet." Geordi tried to comfort. "We'll have to wait and see what happens once they finish all the testing."
"Yes, maybe you're right. We'll just have to wait and see."
However, Mriana was resigning herself to the possibility that one of her daughters was going to have to stay behind. It hurt her to think of the idea, but there might not be a choice. For the sake of the family, Linda might have to stay, but she would still have family on Betazed.
She continued to reassure herself that it would not be all that bad, but no matter what she did, it still felt painful to her. The thought hurt so bad inside her heart. All there was left to do was wait and see what happened next.
Chapter Thirty-two
Mriana sat forlorn in the back of the shuttle, looking out the portal. It had been a long two weeks for all of them. The results of the test showed it was a combination of things that caused Linda's problems. They said some of it seemed to be heretitary due to the strong telepathic abilities of her grandmother. Some of it was due to her body and mind compensating for for the senses it did not have.
The worse of it was, they did not believe the outlook for Linda was any better than for someone who was full Betazoid and had early onset telepathy. There was just no cure. Only ways to teach people how to cope with all the thoughts they heard.
With the news of no cure for their daughter, Mriana became silent and depressed. All she did was stare out the window from wherever they were. Her thoughts were distant from anything that was around her.
"Hey, we'll be back on the Enterprise before you know it." Geordi signed trying to look cheerful.
Mriana gave no response. With concern, Geordi turned from the navigation console to look at his wife.
Deanna was becoming concerned about Mriana, also. They all were. Doctor Crusher ran a few scans on her and all she could find were some low levels of serotonin and dopimine. Nothing else physically was amiss other wise.
Deanna found it curious how someone could go from a feeling of well-being to depression that was both physical and emotion in a short time, but she had seen it before. She figured it was a case of the depression was mild at first and then something traumatic, such as what Mriana was going through, made if far worse than it had begun.
Beverly had noticed a similar pattern, but did not think much of it in Mriana's situation due to the fact of all the daily stressors she was going through. She thought Mriana was handling it the best she could and was not surprise of slightly low levels of serotonin, but now it was worse than she had ever seen it to be with Mriana.
Will felt for Mriana. He did not know how he would take it if he had a child with problems. All he knew was it was sad to see any parent be told their child had an ailment that was not curable. Only treatable.
"Mriana?" Geordi tried again to get her attention.
No response.
Deanna did a gentle mind brush to see if she could get Mriana's attention, but that even failed. She sadly shook her head as she look back at Geordi.
"I'll take over if you want to go back there an talk to her." Will offered.
Geordi agreed and rose from his seat to go to the back of the shuttle to be with Mriana. He gently touched his wife's shoulder to get her attention. A tear slowly fell from one of Mriana's eyes as she looked at him.
"Hey, it'll be alright." Geordi signed assuringly. "You, yourself said it would be."
Nothing. Not even an acknowledgement. She just blankly stared at him for a moment and then looked away again.
Deanna moved to the front to sit beside Will. She was hoping Geordi would be able to get Mriana to talk to him.
"Well, at least Lydia and Laura are asleep." She sighed.
"You think she'll be alright?" Will asked.
"Eventually, yes." Deanna stated. "But for now, she is very sadden by the situation. Almost as sad as someone loosing a loved one and in a way she has."
"I guess so." Will replied. "I don't know how I would handle it to hear such news about our child."
"Our child?" Deanna questioned. The idea of marriage had not been discussed between them yet and it surprised her that he was thinking that far ahead.
"I mean." Will tried to cover his thoughts and feelings from Deanna, but could not. "I just mean. I mean. Do you think I don't think about a possible future between us? Well, I do sometimes."
"And one of our children is sick?" She played along.
"No! Gods no!" He exclaimed. "I'm just saying now that I think about that possiblity and I don't want to think about it."
"I see."
"Do you?"
"I'm sure almost everyone worries about that from time to time. I don't think that is so unusual. In fact, it's normal to think about such a possibility sometimes. It's when you become obsessed with the possibilty that it becomes a problem."
Will shook his head. "It's just this situation has made me think about it."
"I'm sure it has everyone."
Geordi moved so he could face her. "Mriana, please look at me. Tell me what you are thinking about." Geordi pleaded in sign and then he pushed back a stray hair from her face.
She did not say a word. In fact, she had not acknowledge his presence the whole time he had been sitting beside her. If she did look at him, she was looking through him and not really at him.
"Mriana, it will be alright." He stated in sign.
Feelings of anger rose through out her body. She felt herself about to erupt and tried to hold her feelings back, but to no avail.
"It's going to be alright!" She repeated. "How can you say that?"
"Well, it will be. She's getting the treatment she needs."
"She's going to be raised by other people!" Mriana stated. "Not us!"
"They can handle her. You and Deanna have said it's the only way your planet knows to treat these people."
"These people? Geordi, you're talking about our daughter!"
"Yes, I know. She also is being treated. By people who have studied the disorder and know what to do for her."
"What do they know that Deanna and I don't know?"
"The two of you are too close to Linda. You can't take care of Linda by yourself. You can't even take care of her with my help."
She quickly turned away from him. "Oh, please!"
"OK, what do you want to do?"
"I want Linda home with us."
"And do what? Deal with her like before. You also said you thought her staying was not such a bad idea."
She turns back to face him. "Now that we know for sure what is wrong with her, I'm sure Deanna and I could deal with her much better."
"Deanna and you?"
"We have the degrees in Psychology." She signed addimently
"Now, listen to yourself. You're acting like I would not be involved with this decision. You're acting like just because you and Deanna have delt with patients with this you can take care of your own family with it. Well, you can't."
"Really?"
"It's been shown that family members can't treat family members. They're too close."
"Really?"
"You know this already, Mriana." He stated in sign. "And have you asked Deanna about this?"
Mriana said nothing.
"I didn't think so." Geordi stated.
Tears slowly rolled down her face. "She's our daughter, Geordi."
Geordi pulled her close and embrased her. "I know, but we have two other children to think about."
Loud sobs came from Mriana as she buried her face into Geordi's shoulder. "I don't want to give her up."
"I know, but we aren't giving up on her." Geordi tried to soothed as he tried to sign with one hand where she could see it. "We're getting her the help she needs."
She pulled away from him to sign, "I just wish it could be at home with us."
"We may not be able to see her every day, but she still has family there." Geordi tried hard to comfort her. "Your mother and Lwaxana said they would check on her every day."
"They can't. They are both ambassadors."
"True they are, but I'm sure they will work that out." He assured her. "They are rarely both gone at the same time."
"It's just not right!" She cried.
"No, but it will be. Linda will be alright, eventually." He signed, then he continued to hold his wife for several more minutes as they mourn the loss of their daughter's every day presence in their lives. They mourn the diagnosis and the new emptiness in their lives.
A few days later, the seven of them arrived back on the Enterprise. Their emotions were shot and their bodies were tired of travelling. The stress of the last days and weeks had come to an end and all they wanted was time to rest.
Picard greeted them in Shuttle Bay four. "Welcome back."
Will hopped off the shuttle. "Thank you, Captain."
"Where's Linda?" He asked.
They all fell silent.
"She had to stay behind at the hospital." Will finally answered.
Picard looked at Mriana and Geordi. "I'm sorry." He said sympathically.
"Sir." Mriana finally spoke. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take a few more days off from my duties."
He looked at the doctor for an response.
Beverly nodded. "I think another day or two off duty would be good for both them to recover from the long ordeal."
Picard nodded. "Agreed."
"Captain, I'd rather return to duty as soon as I get settled again." Geordi stated.
"You sure you don't need anymore time off?"
"I'd rather keep myself busy."
"Understood, but if your duties suffer in anyway, I am going to order you to take some time off."
"Understood, Sir."
A month later, Mriana was back to her duties as usual. It took a long stern talk from her cousin, Deanna, but she was counseling her patients again and things were back to normal.
She kept in contact with hospital staff that were working with her daughter. Not much progress had been made yet, but they were still working with her.
Mriana was hoping for miricles concerning her daughter, but none came. Geordi walked into their quarters once he had finished his shift and saw her finishing a communique with one of the nurses at the hospital.
"She how?" He asked in sign.
"Same almost." Mriana said sadly. "But she hasn't thrown her food in a couple days."
"What?"
"She hasn't thrown a fit at the dinner table."
"Oh, yeah. Right." He replied remembering the days when cleaning the dining area after meals was a chore in itself.
"What's wrong?" Mriana asked him.
"Nothing." He signed. "I was just thinking about when we had to do serious clean up duty here in our quarters. That's all."
"Oh."
He some how felt her sadness. It had been better than it had been, but he suddenly began to feel it very acutely again. Suddenly, he pulled her close to himself. He kissed her and hugged her.
Mriana sensed that he knew how she was feeling at that moment. As much as she wanted to stay in his loving arms she slightly pulled herself from him, but still held her arms around him. She smiled at him and again, she repeated the words she had said over a month ago. "It'll be alright." She paused for a moment and then added, "We'll get through this, Imzadi."
Geordi smiled and hugged her again, but this time it was not in sympathy, but with all the love in the world.
The next day Will inquired about Geordi and Mriana. "How are they holding up?"
"Well, Mriana is doing a lot better. Geordi is coping as well as she is, if not better, still."
"That's good."
"Will?"
"Yes?"
"Did you mean what you said? That you think about one day having a family with me?"
"Every day." He smiled at her.
Deanna walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Well, there's one problem with that, Imzadi."
"What's that?"
"You need to marry me first."
"Oh!" He said with a grin and raised eyebrows.
"Yes."
"I haven't asked the question." He replied teasingly.
"No, but you want to." She replied with a smile. "You're just too afraid."
"Am I?"
"Yes."
"Well, then. How do you propose I get over this fear, Counsoler?"
"I guess you won't. I guess I'm going to have to ask you."
"Really?"
"Maybe."
"I'll be waiting to hear your proposal." He smiled.
"You will, Imzadi. You will. And by the way."
"Yes?"
"You're not still worried about our children having some sort of medical problem are you?"
He pulls her close to himself. Then he looks her in the eyes and says with a smile, "I'll love them just the same, because they will be ours, Imzadi."