Eye for an Eye, Part 1

Posted on 14 Nov 2013 @ 11:36am by Lieutenant Lilou Zaren & Giada Basile M.D., Ph.D.

1,144 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 4, Sickbay
Timeline: MD07 - 0800 hrs

[ON]

Despite her eagerness to have something to do, the PADD... had been a bad idea. Trying to focus clearly without adrenaline pumping through her veins on anything visual was, frankly, nauseating; it was a matter of depth perception and inconsistent wavelength perspective. The implant turned half her vision green and, while the color was something she could get used to, the constant reminder of it blending into her normal vision was... less than wonderful. Even when she managed to forestall her fingers from itching around the implant's grip on her face, it was still there. Reminding her. Every moment. Of what she'd nearly become. Nearly.

Frustrated, she thumped the PADD with the captain's film library to the side and stared at the ceiling. She hated sickbay ceilings. All of them. Bland, boring white. For a wall that had so many people staring at it, the design was truly inconsiderate. A maze would be better. Or at least a pattern one could follow. Something, anything, to take her mind off of her face and her healing body and her still fluctuating isoboramine levels. At least those were leveling out. That was something. Soon, they would approve her transplant - as they had to - and when they were out of this. When all of them were out of this and away from this system... then she'd think about what to do with the Symbiosis Commission. She already knew that they were not going to be pleased.

As one of the doctors padded up to her, Zaren put on her sunniest smile despite the intense irritation and the fact that smiling pulled at the flesh marred by metal on her face. "How are we?" she asked.

Giada came over and smiled at the woman on the biobed. She glanced at the monitor on the wall. "Well, your oxygen levels are good. Your pulse is a bit high, your blood pressure is a bit low. You're not showing any signs of new mutagenic activity, so the changes to your body appear stable. That's good for Zaren. It looks like your isoboramine levels are not quite where we want them," she said and put her hands into the pockets of her labcoat as she considered the monitor. Giada looked down at the young woman. She couldn't imagine what she was going through.

"I'm Dr. Basile, but just call me Giada. Should I call you Lilou or Zaren?"

"You tell me," the Trill answered wryly. "Let's try Zaren. I don't seem to be fully one person anymore." She caught herself itching around the implant again, cursed under her breath, and scratched her arm instead. "Spirits know if I ever will be again. Probably not- How are the others? Any luck reversing the assimilations? Raifi? Holliday?"

"We got them back and quite a few others. It's a work in progress, but we are bringing people around," Giada said and leaned forward a bit to consider the implant when Zaren touched it. "We haven't really started talking about treatment plans for removing cybernetics and restoring function, but I bet that's on your mind right now," she said sympathetically.

"It's certainly on my face," Zaren returned with dry wit. "But I didn't go through the assimilation process. They'd just begun with me when they changed their minds. To have these... alterations and the memory of having been without thought- I imagine removing these implants is high on the order of restoring their senses of self. And I'd love to stop trying to peel my face off. If you want to experiment on me, you're welcome to it. The Borg certainly didn't seem to have any trouble doing so."

Giada smiled at Zaren's humour. "We're not rushing anything, or experimenting," she added with a smile. "But each case takes a lot of consideration. For instance, removing the ocular implant is not a problem, I can do that for you. The question is what next? That's where treatment plans come in."

Giada leaned against the edge of Zaren's bed. "If you keep the implant until we reach a starbase, we can harvest adult stem cells and grow you a new eye. But we can't do that on the ship. I can put in an artificial eye, carefully tuned to match the sensitivity of your natural eye. The risks are quite low, though you will obviously have one natural and one artificial eye. I'm sure you've seen them in other Starfleet personnel. Or of course, you can have both eyes replaced with artificial eyes and have the full range of the devices' spectra available to you. Big decisions though, not something to rush. I can freeze the skin around the implant you have though, that will make it more comfortable while you consider your options."

"Let's... leave the one that works just where it is," Zaren said dryly. "If I were to replace the implant with an artificial eye, would I be able to return to duty sooner?"

Giada's face softened. "I don't want to give you false hopes, Zaren. Replacing the eye would take care most of Lilou's problems, but there are still some concerns about Zaren's health and your integration. The eye would be one step, but there may be quite a few more... That's a conversation you need to have with the Chief. Still, it's a big step," Giada said reassuringly. "And you'll be more comfortable."

"We're the same, you know," Zaren wiggled her fingers. "Zaren and Lilou. It's all integrated in here. Poorly, maybe, but still. Being able to see straight would be an improvement. And might even allow me to concentrate well enough to help you with the less common elements of my case. I've some experience with these transitions, you know."

Giada smiled. "You would," she said. "If you'll forgive me struggling with how to talk about the one person, two bodies experience, I would love to hear about joining and symbiont health. As for the eye, we'll have one of the nurse do the testing to calibrate the prosthetic. Then I can have it replicated and you prepped for surgery this afternoon. How does that sound?"

"It sounds downright heavenly," the Trill answered. "And I'm happy to tell you as much as I'm free to disclose regarding Trill anatomy." She winked with her one good eye, which ended up looking like a hard blink. "Any time, any place."

"I know where to find you," Giada said, touching her shoulder. "I'll order your tests right away, and by tonight, you'll be seeing clearly again. And I'll have the chief stop by to talk with you about going back on duty."

"The sooner the better," Zaren smiled tiredly, letting her head fall back against the pillow.

[OFF]

Giada Basile, MD, PhD
Molecular Biologist
USS Galileo

LT JG Lilou Zaren
Assistant Chief Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

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