Planet of Silence
Chapters Five and Six
Chapter Five
Deanna had Bridge duty the next day and as she journeyed to the Bridge she thought of Mriana. She was not very sure how to help her, but Data was impressed how much she had learned during their first session of sign language.
Mriana had a knack for being a quick learner and learning sign was no exception. Geordi on the other hand was struggling somewhat. Mriana had learned several new words during the two hours Data taught his class to everyone who had recovered from the illness, while Geordi had only remembered two signs.
Deanna thought it funny that Geordi learned one word an hour and very few letters of the alphabet. Geordi replied to her giggles with "Hey, it's not easy relearning the alphabet." She was very glad he had a sense of humour to return to her remarks and did not take it too personally.
As she walked down to her seat after arriving on the Bridge, the captain was addressing a Cardassian officier on the view screen. Deanna could sense the tension in the air.
The Cardassian on the viewscreen was becoming very irrate. "We will not accept this! You contaminated our ship! We've lost ten of our crew members to this disease and we will not let you stop us from taking this planet!"
"I'm not sure I understand. One, we did not contaminate your ship with anything and two, my chief medical officer has not lost anyone due to the illness from this planet." Picard declared. "In fact, the only loss was hearing and very profound at that."
"When a Cardassian is deformed he must either kill himself or be killed." Captain Tomalak informed them.
"That is an abhorence!" Riker exclaimed in shock. He restrained himself from saying more when he realized that he said it aloud.
"That is the way it is. Now you stop this pathetic disease or you will die! Now, help us with this disease and remove yourselves from this planet, for we claim it as ours. Tomalak out."
"Well, Number One, Counselor. What do you think about what he has to say?"
Deanna went first. "He is telling the truth, but I feel he is looking for a way out of this mess. An escape goat if you like."
"Someone to pin the blame on if they fail to get this planet?" Commented Commander Riker.
"Precisely." Responded Deanna.
"Well, I say he's bluffing, Captain." Riker informed the captain.
"That maybe so Number One, but we can't take chances. Captain to Doctor Crusher."
*Crusher, here.*
"How are you coming along with finding a cure for this illness?"
*I'm no closer than I was three days ago.*
"All senior officers meet me in the Observation Lounge. Picard out."
"The Cardassians are arming themselves. They seem to want this planet despite evidence that they shouldn't." Picard stated.
"I say we should let them have the planet and leave." Worf growled.
"Without more samples from the planet, that are not contaminated by anything, I can not find even an inoculant. We must stay." Stated Doctor Crusher.
"We shouldn't take more risks." Worf growled again.
"We'll stay here until we can settle all of this." Picard insisted. "How are the crew and their families getting along with this illness?"
"They're very scared for their families and their futures." Deanna informed. "Those that are recovered and their families are uncertain about their futures."
"And Mriana?" Asked Picard.
"About as well as can be expected. She's starting to accept the fact she's lost her hearing, but she's still depressed. The anger is gone for the moment."
"Doctor Crusher, status report on the people who have the illness?" Captain Picard inquired.
"Altogether almost a hundred people have come down with this thing. Less than half have recovered and they are all deaf, just as Mriana is. The only thing I can come up with is that the planet carries a bacterial/virus that enters through the nose and some how affects the hearing sense. Eardrums, nerves, the Wernicke's area of the brain and all by going through the eustation tubes. It spreads through prolonged contact with the planet and it's components." She informed.
"There are 153 possible contanimants on the planet." Data stated as he jumped into the conversation. "Three-fourths of those are irradicated through the decontamination process. A certain amount are harmless, but it is apparent this illness is one that is not. We must check these other thirty-nine contaminates. Whatever it is, we can find it by narrowing those contaminates."
"Very well. Make it so." Ordered Picard. "Now what about those who have recovered?"
"I've set the computer to flicker lights in different combinations in their quarters and offices so that they know when someone is at the door or calling them on the com-system." Geordi informed the captain. "And if it's the com then they can quote "type" into the computer, if they wish, what they want to say and the computer "types" out verbal responses for them and reads their "typed" responses. So far it's working great. I have also set their com badges to blink when they are being contacted outside their quarters."
Data jumps into the conversation. "I'm giving classes in Federation Sign during my off duty hours. Mriana should be able to counsole those who are deaf eventually. Starbase Thirty-nine is sending interpreters for those who wish to continue their work with Starfleet after their rehabilitation, however, Mriana Troi chooses to have her own interpreter, preferably a telepath from Betazed."
"Why necessarily a Betazoid?" Riker asked.
"She feels it is the best mode of communication for her." Data replied.
"I'll buy that." Riker responded in return.
"She is making very good progress." Data informed.
Mriana smacked the table a couple of times with the palm of her hand. "Hey, I am here! Why is everyone talking as though I'm not here? Just because I'm deaf doesn't mean I can't talk for myself."
Picard looked a little upset by Mriana's outburst at first, but then realized her frustration. They had been ignoring her the whole time the meeting had been going on, as though she were not there."You're quite right, Mriana." Deanna repeated telepathically word for word for her. "What are your wishes in continuing with Starfleet?"
Mriana thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, but I do not want to be talked about as though I am not here just because I'm deaf. I do know, that whatever I decide to do, I prefer a telepath to interpret what is being said to me if I am among non-telepaths who are not deaf. Deanna can not continue to do this job for me." She paused breifly. "Though I'm not sure, at this time, whether or not I can continue my duties with Starfleet. I feel I would not be of much use to Starfleet. Just a hinderance and someone to take special consideration."
"Noted." Picard stated. "We can discuss this further in my Ready Room. Is there anything else that anyone wants to add?"
Everyone shook their heads. "Very well." Picard continued. "Keep up the good work. In the meantime, we must convince the Cardassians that this planet is the source of the illness, but what they do with their recoveries is their business, not ours. We must at least find a vaccine, if nothing else."
There was a brief pause in the meeting. Picard was unsure how to address Mriana with what he wanted to say next, then he remembered Riva's words and turned to her to speak to her directly. "Counsoler, you have my continued support, however, I would like to see you in my Ready Room at 1400 hours."
Once Deanna finished interpreting what Picard said Mriana finally replied. "Thank you, Sir. I will be there."
"Very well. Everyone is dismissed."
Everyone rose to leave as Picard stood and turned to the portal. Mriana turned long enough to glance at Picard and frowned. Deanna saw the brief glance and knew Mriana had picked up on at least Picard's feelings.
Once Mriana had left, Deanna turned to face Picard as he continued to look out the portal. "Captain, Mriana doesn't want your sympathy. However, your encouragement is appreciated."
"I know. I try to be encouraging without sympathy, but is that humanly possible? I have almost a hundred people who maybe permenantly deaf, just because we tried to explore a planet."
"It's not your fault, Captain. We all know exploration has it's risks."
"Yes, Counselor, but still, I can't help thinking I should not have allowed that secondary mission."
"Don't punish yourself. It's not worth it. Besides, your crew members would not agree it was your fault."
"You're right." He nodded as he turned towards Deanna.
"Mriana does have one advantage over the others. She still has her empathic sense. That will help her in the long run. It can help her communicate with other empaths and telepaths. She has that in her favour, so she's not totally helpless. Now, if she were to lose that." She did not have to finish the statement. They both knew and they also knew the pain Deanna went through those few days without her empathic sense.
Deanna gently touched his shoulder. "Who knows. She may surprise you at how well she manages, with her heritage and all."
Picard nodded. "You're right. A part of me wishes we could get Riva here to show our newly deaf crew members that anything is still possible."
Deanna walked over to the portal. "Yes, that would be nice, but it isn't possible at this time. Captain, I assure you, they will figure things out for themselves. If not, then others who are deaf and have achieved a high position in something maybe of help, but for now, let them adjust the best they can with what we have given them and see what happens."
"Yes." Picard nodded. "In about a month we have the trade conferences on Betazed. Hopefully, there will be plenty to assign Counselor Mriana to that will encourage her to stay with Starfleet."
"And if not, she can always stay and continue what her mother had trained her for."
"And what's that?"
"To be a daughter of the Sixth House. To represent Betazed much like my mother does."
Picard cringed at the thought of two Lwaxana Trois. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
As they turned to go back to the Bridge, Deanna chuckled. "I agree."
Chapter Six
A few nights later, Deanna and Mriana were entering Ten-Forward. "I wish I knew how the rest of the crew will react after this illness passes with them." Mriana sent to Deanna.
"That's where you will come in." Deanna sent back as they sat down at a table. "After you have learned sign you'll counsole the other deaf people on the ship and possibly their families."
Mriana looked at her quizzically. "Who said that was what I wanted to do? At this moment, I don't know what I want anymore."
"Mriana, you don't really want to go back to Betazed and represent us. You've wanted to help others for a long time. Well, here's your chance. You'll still be Counselor Mriana so they can tell us apart, but you will get the patients I can't work as well with because they have experienced what you have. Already you have something in common with them."
"I don't think others will go for a crash course in Federation Sign Language." Mriana said aloud. Louder than she had meant to say it.
"No, but I hear you are a fast learner." Guinan chimed into the conversation.
Deanna looked up and Mriana sensed something was said. "Guinan." Deanna said with a smile.
"May I?" Guinan gestured to sit. They both nodded, so she proceeded to sit. "I believe your career will flourish within Starfleet, if you stay."
"Guinan, I'm sorry, but my lipreading is not that good yet."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Deanna responded as she also apologized to Mriana silently. "I keep forgetting."
Mriana gave her a dirty look. "Is it really that hard to remember that I can't hear anymore? I don't think if you bang your mother's gong I'd hear it."
"I'm sorry." Deanna sent back insistantly. The frustration of having to be an interpreter was getting to Deanna just as much as not hearing was frustrating to Mriana.
"Are you stating that as a fact or as...." Mriana finally replied to Guinan's statement after Deanna finally interpreted to her.
"I'm stating it as a belief." Guinan interupted. "I really believe that if you continue your career with Starfleet, they can find many things for you to achieve at, if you only try and not give up to return to Betazed."
"I don't know." Mriana replied as she shook her head.
"You think about it. Now, what would you two ladies like?"
"I would like chocolate, chocolate chip ice cream with hot fudge topping, chocolate whip cream and chocolate sprinkles." Mriana replied aloud.
"Mmmm! That sounds good. I'll have the same." Deanna said.
Guinan smiled and rose to get them their sundaes as the two Troi cousins continued to talk telepathically. Guinan soon returned with their sundaes and left them to talk silently between themselves.
"Normally I would not speak telepathically when non-telepaths are present." Deanna sent as she sighed audibly. "But I guess now we'll have to change some things in certain instances."
"You can't accept that I'm deaf." Mriana sent as though insulted.
"No, that's not what I meant. I just meant, under normal circumstances, I would be talking aloud."
"Normal circumstances. So, now I'm not normal?"
Deanna sighed. "Let's not do this. You know as well as any other Betazoid, that I did not mean any of what I just said the way it sounded."
"Do I?"
Deanna gave her a sideways glance with a frown. "All I'm saying is, I have to start remembering that there's certain things I have to change. I meant nothing more."
Mriana looked around Ten-Forward. She saw faces with moving lips, but no words. She saw people laughing, but no sound. She could feel the rhythmic beat of music that was playing and the vibration of the ship's engines through her body, but not a single noise came to her ears.
"I guess you're right." Mriana sent sadly. There was a brief pause in their silent communication. Deanna could sense her sadness.
"Mriana, talk to me."
"It's so damn frustrating!"
Deanna reached over and touched Mriana's hand sympathically. "It will get better soon. You'll learn other means to communicate and to hear things that people say. You'll eventually get use to it and hopefully it will just be a part of your life."
Just then Commander Riker walked up to their table. "Oh, no! Not both of you!" Pointing at the sundaes. "I'd really hate to see both of you depressed at the same time."
"No, just her." Deanna replied with a smile. "I thought it looked good and decided to have one myself."
"Good, that was one thing I really did not want to see." Riker said with his famous grin. "Still, I can't see how you two can stand all that chocolate at once."
"It's good. Are you sure you don't want a bite?" Deanna teased.
"No, no." Will said as he raised his hand to wave off her offer and turned his head slightly. "I couldn't handle it."
Will looked at Mriana for moment. He wanted to talk to her so badly, but did not want to put a further stress on Deanna. He so desperately wanted to ask her what it was like. He decided to test the waters and thought, "What's it like?"
Deanna picked up his thought. "Will, I really don't think that is appropriate to ask just yet and she can't hear you."
"Actually, I did and it's quite alright."
Deanna looked at her in shock. Will was not her Imzadi and she was not telepathic. Deanna did not have a clue how her cousin did that.
"I need to talk about it, Deanna, and people need to stop pussy-footing around me." She glared at Deanna as she spoke aloud, but before Deanna could respond to her glare she continued. Mriana signed her next thought in hopes of emphasizing her point. "It's like someone turned the sound off and broke the button to it, so you can't turn it back on.
Deanna finally understood that she needed to repeat Mriana's thoughts to Will. "Oh, I'm sorry, Will. She's trying to make some sort of point." Then, being somewhat perplexed, she told Will what Mriana was saying.
"No birds." Deanna continued. "In the holodeck or on planets, no voices, no music, no children's laughter. Nothing. Nothing except silence. Much like the void of sound in space."
Riker got the message after a long thoughtful pause. "I.. I'm sorry." He sent sadly.
"Don't be." Mriana said aloud. "I'll live."
"Mriana, are you really reading his thoughts?" Deanna asked in surprise.
Mriana shrugged. "I'm sensing what he wants to say to me."
"Will Riker are you? No, you can't. That's impossible."
"I'm just thinking what I would like to say and she's picking some of it up. I'm just as puzzled as you are. I did think about testing the waters and seeing if I could get around you having to thought send to her so much and it just worked."
"Guys, it's just as puzzling to me." Mriana said aloud. "I can't sense every thought, but I have been able to pick some things up from you, Will, and the captain, Geordi and Beverly. I don't know what I'm doing, but it has happened every now and then all day today."
"One sense compensating for the other?" Will questioned.
Deanna shook her head. "No, that's just a myth." She studied Mriana for a moment. "Then again, given how much she's been using her empathic sense to handle this situation."
"We'll have to ask Doctor Crusher in the morning." Will stated.
"Hey, guys. You're doing it again." Mriana said aloud.
"Doing." Deanna stopped to send to her instead. "Doing what?"
"Talking as though I'm not here. I'm rather enjoying picking up bits and pieces of everyone's thoughts. It's not their full thoughts of course, but it's better than nothing and could keep you from having to send to me so much until I get my terp."
"Terp?" Will asked.
Deanna shook her head. "It's short for interpreter. It's a term going around our new deaf community, so to speak. I'm not sure where it originated."
"I see."
Geordy walked into Ten-Forward and Mriana sensed him. She looked up to verify what her senses told her. Then her eyes comfirmed what her empathic sense told her. She had been avoiding him, except for Data's classes.
"I have to go." She suddenly said aloud.
"What and not finish your sundae? Now I know you're depressed." Will stated. Mriana never heard what he said.
"Mriana." Deanna sent. "Give him a chance. Listen to your empathic senses. You know he cares and could very well understand what you are going through."
Mriana shook her head as Geordi approached. "Hi!" He said aloud and in sign. It was sort of a salute, but he had the word in sign down and was not afraid to use it for Mriana's benefit.
"I really do have to go." Mriana signed and departed quickly.
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear she is avoiding me." Geordi said as he took a seat.
Sensing Geordi's pain Deanna responded, "Give her time. Be patient with her. She'll come around."
"I hope so. I'm awfully worried about her."
"I know you are." Deanna replied sympathetically. "Maybe you have enough in common that she has to get over that hurdle by herself or maybe she doesn't want to believe her empathic sense. That you really do understand what she maybe going through."
Geordi sighed. "Maybe. I just wish I could reach her and tell her I want to be there for her."
"Then don't give up. Keep trying to get her to talk to you. Go to her, even if it seems she doesn't want to talk to you. Continue to make yourself available for her." Will added.
"Maybe you're right." Geordi said rising from his seat. "I need to practice my signing anyway."
Deanna smiled at Geordi as he started to leave. "Good luck."
"Thanks. I'm going to need it. Last time I tried to talk to her, I nearly had a book hurled at me."
Geordi walked out of Ten-Forward and paused long enough to ask the computer where Counselor Mriana Troi was.
"Counselor Mriana Troi is in the arbouritum."
Geordi headed to the arbouritum. As he entered he saw Mriana crying. She was sitting on the ground beside one of her favourite plants. Muktuk.
"What's wrong?" Geordi signed as he spoke. It was a simple one handed gesture, but his concern imminated to her empathic senses.
"Nothing." She signed back to him. She did not speak. Only signed what she wanted to say.
"What? We aren't talking anymore?" He asked as he signed what he said.
She wiped the tears from her face as she stood and walked away from him in anger. "Oh, so that's it." He said aloud to himself. Then he trotted to catch up with her.
"So, would you like to talk about it?"
"No." She signed and continued to walk on past him.
"Mriana!" He shouted.
"Yelling at a deaf person's back, Geordi?" Beverly asked as though it was the silliest thing she ever seen.
"Oh. Hi, Doc." He replied to her. "I was. I was just." He shook his head. "It's nothing."
"Geordi, I'm sorry Mriana is putting you through so much. She's having a hard time. You may just have to give her some time until she decides to come to you."
"I get so much advice on how to deal with her that I don't know what to do anymore. First Counselor Troi and Commander Riker. Now you. She doesn't want to talk to me and I'm not sure why I'm bothering anymore." He stated as he walked away.
Beverly felt for both of them. Even she knew that they had a relationship not unlike Deanna and Will's and she hated to see it being ripped apart.
Geordi finally caught up with Mriana and touched her shoulder. When she turned to face him, she started to sign something. He put his right hand sideways into his left hand as though he were chopping something in his left hand. "Stop. All I want to do is talk to you. Help you deal with this."
"I don't need your help!" She screamed and started to walk away.
"Oh, now we're talking." Geordi said aloud to himself again. "Imzadi, please!" He sent in desparation. Mriana stopped, but did not turn around. "Oh, you heard that." He sent again with irritation.
Then he walked around in front of her so she could see what he was trying to communicate, even if he had to fingerspell some of it. "All I want to do is talk to you. Listen to what's bothering you, and see how I can help you through this. Mriana, I know it must be difficult for you. To hear one day and not the next must be devasting."
"What do you know?" She signed. "How could you know?"
"I may know a lot more than you think. If you would just give me the chance."
"I'm what? Not deaf." He repeated to himself what she was signing. He was perplexed. "What does this sign mean?" He repeated her gesture with two fingers up to his eyes, as though he were scratching them out of his face.
"Think about it." She signed and walked off again.
He quickly realized what she was signing and hurried to step in front of her. He stopped her in her tracks, but she tried to walk around him. "Oh, no! Not this time. I maybe blind, but I know when someone is trying to push." He stopped signing for a moment and thought aloud, "What's the sign for push?"
"Your signing is so slow." She signed as rolled her eyes. "If you want to talk to me so badly, I can see we are going to be here all night."
"Look, Mriana. Maybe I fingerspell a lot, but I'm trying to learn a new language. For you. You won't even speak to me."
"It's easier to talk." She herself suddenly stopped and started fingerspelling. "T-e-l-e-p-a-t-h-i-c-a-l-l-y."
"Oh, so I'm not good enough anymore, because I can't thought send?"
She stared at him.
"You know, that is the most rediculous thing I've ever heard of! That's. That's like saying, someone is not good enough because they can't see what I see."
"That's not what I meant." She signed.
"Isn't it?" He signed to her questioningly. "What is it? You're deaf now and think the only people you should talk to should be t-e-l-e."
Her hands started to fly in anger. None of which Geordi could understand. "Hey! Hey! You are a fast learner! Slow down! I can't understand you."
She raised one finger to her mouth with an angry expression on her face. Then she turned to walk the other direction.
"Shut up? What did I say now?" He thought to himself. "She either is taking everything personally or she is so very angry and is taking it out on me. I give up!"
Geordi walked out of the arbouritum in frustration. He decided to call it a night and returned to his quarters to retire until morning.