Planet of Silence
Chapters Seventeen and Eighteen
Chapter Seventeen
Mriana had just settled into her quarters to relax for a few minutes when her lights flickered for the door. "Oh, great! It's Aunt Lwaxana." She groaned to herself mentally.
"I heard that!" Lwaxana sent.
Mriana rolled her eyes. "Oh then, well, do please come in, since you know I know you're here."
Lwaxana entered Mriana's quarters and as she did she sent, "I'm so glad you're getting more practice in sending your thoughts. I guess there's a little good in everything. You and Deanna get so little practice at sending your thoughts living among these humans, you know."
"Aunt Lwaxana, why did you come here?" Mriana asked as she leaned back against her seat and crossed her arms.
"Oh, don't worry dear, I didn't come here to talk you into returning to Betazed. I can see you have your mind made up to continue to live among these humans even though you can't hear them anymore."
"Aunt Lwaxana, please."
"Although I do wish you would come back and so does your mother. It would be so much easier for you." Lwaxana pleaded.
"You said you didn't come here to convence me to move back. If so, what did you come here for?"
"I came here to tell you I'm amazed at your abilities to overcome this. I don't think I would be so adapting as you are."
"Why thank you, Aunt Lwaxana."
A light flickered again, only this time it came from her combadge. Mriana was begining to be thankful for Geordi's abilities to adapt things to people's needs, but Lwaxana was not so greatful.
*Riker to Counselor Mriana.*
"These damn lights!" Lwaxana exclaimed mentally. "I don't see how you put up with it! I never would be able to get use to such things happening with the lights."
Ignoring her aunt's comment, Mriana went to her comm panel and typed, "Mriana here."
She stared at the comm screen, which translated Riker's voice into written word. "Please meet Captain Picard, Targe, and myself in the Captain's Ready Room."
"Not again!" She thought. "What did I do this time?"
She could still hear Riker's voice in her mind as he shook her down a few notches earlier in the day. As hard as she tried to help others accept her loss, she had not quite accepted her own, regardless of what her aunt thought. It sometimes bothered her, even made her feel like a hypocrit because of it. Riker had just reminded her of it and told her that before she could truly help others in a similar condition, she would have to get the mote out of her own eye.
Trying to ignore her pain, she finally acknowledged him by pressing a few buttons on the panel. The computer replied, "Aye, Sir.", which startled Riker. He too had to get use to a few new things on the ship now. Even so, he replied with, "Riker out."
Mriana was about to call her interpreter, when she noticed her aunt was about to beat up the replicator. It was not too unusual for her when she became frustrated with technology. Regardless, Mriana walked over to where her aunt stood.
"Oh, I give up!" Lwaxana exclaimed. "I never can get these damn things to work for me!"
Sensing her aunt's frustration, Mriana offered her assistance. "May I help?"
"Yes." Lwaxana sent. "I'd like some grapes. You know the purple ones? That is, if the computer wouldn't mind."
Mriana called for them and then she called for Paula Sohn. Once Paula had acknowledged her, she prepared to leave for the Captain's Ready Room. As she walked out of her quarters she sent, "Just make yourself at home, Aunty Dear." She only half meant it though.
"Thanks, Dear. I'll do that." Lwaxana called after her. "And if you see my Little One, tell her I'll be by to see her later." Then added, "Damn! When will I start remembering that she can't hear!"
Ms. Sohn and Mriana entered the Captain's Ready Room. The second time for the day. Mriana wondered if she would ever get out from under the Captain and First Officer's watchful eyes again.
"Number One, would you like to start?" Picard asked.
"Thank you, Sir. So, the captain tells me your name is Targe. Lieutenant on a Cardassian ship." Ms. Sohn interpreted his words for Mriana as usual.
"Yes, Sir. I am and you must be his first officer?"
"Yes, Commander William Riker. So, what made you decide to help our crew member?" Will asked with some suspicion.
"My brother is one of the fugitives. I provided them with a shuttle to escape when I heard about Mriana and her abilities. I felt that maybe our laws are now wrong. Maybe at one time they were the right thing to do, but now I have my doubts about them. I've begun to feel that we shouldn't kill or sentence our people to death because of a physical loss. When I heard we had her as a hostage aboard our ship, I felt I should help her too. Now, I am also a fugitive. Wanted for aiding and abetting people who are now considered criminals. Therefore, I am requesting assylum. If I am returned, I will be charged with aiding in their escape and sentenced to death."
"I see." Riker replied.
"Because of the situation." Picard began. "And the fact he helped with the safe return of Mriana Troi, I am granting him assylum. Picard then pushed his combadge. "Picard to Worf."
*Worf here.*
"Mr. Targe has been released from Sickbay. Would you please escort him to his quarters. I have assigned him to stay with his brother."
*Aye, Sir. I'm on my way.*
"Picard out."
Worf entered almost immediately. "Mr. Targe. This is our security officer, Mr. Worf. He will see you to your quarters with your brother."
Targe looked a little confused and somewhat frightened. "It's alright." Mriana assured him aloud. "No harm will come to you. You will be with your brother and you really are being granted assylum. So, don't worry."
He went with Worf cooperatively. Once they had departed, Picard turned to Mriana. "Mriana, how do you feel about Targe's statements?"
"I sense no malice or desception, if that's what you mean." She signed.
"No, I mean, is there any hope that Targe may get his wish? That this law the Cardassians have will ever change?"
"I seriously doubt one man can start a revolution."
"Never the less, history has shown it is possible."
"Maybe in Human culture."
"If you have read other cultural history, I think you will find that it has happened. Even in Betazoid society."
"With all due respect sir, please no more pep talks." Mriana requested in sign.
"Very well." He replied. "Will, you've met him. How do you feel?"
Will grinned. "Well, Sir, I believe, if things go well, he maintains good relations with us and establishes good relations with the Federation, we may have our first Cardassian serving with us one day."
Picard returned his smile. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see."
"Well." Mriana said aloud to get their attention, then she began to sign. "I need to see Doctor Crusher about my decision on the implant. That is, if I'm free to go."
"Yes, yes." Picard replied. "By all means go. You're dismissed and good luck with that."
"Thank you, sir." Mriana replied. "But, I."
Picard shook his head. "But what, Mriana?"
She too shook her head. "It's nothing." Then she departed for Sickbay with Ms. Sohn following her. Puzzled, Picard and Riker returned to the Bridge.
"I wonder what she meant by that?" Will inquired.
"I'm not sure, but we'll soon find out, Number One. I'm sure." Picard then inquired, "Mr. Data, How soon until we reach Starbase Ninty-three?"
"Seven hours, thirty-seven minutes and twenty-eight seconds."
"Very well. I'm going to check on our guests. You have the Bridge, Number One."
"Well." Riker began as he took his place in the command chair. "We're going to have new adventures, now that this illness has affected so many people. I'm anxious to see how it goes."
Will seemed enthused about the prospects, but there was also a sense of doubt. He also felt the possibility that it could cause an adverse effect on what was yet to come. Even so, most were willing to try and adapt to the changes.
Deanna responded with a reassuring smile. "As I'm sure everyone else is."
With that they soared through the vastness of space at warp six. The rest of the crew tried to adjust to the new situations and make decisions about their futures with Starfleet. These decisions were soon to follow. Some made them sooner than others.
Even Mriana was thinking about her decisions and her future as she exited the turbolift to head for Sickbay. She was very uncertain about her decision to stay and her decision about the implant as the doors to Sickbay swished opened.
Chapter Eighteen
Once inside Sickbay, one of the medical officers directed Mriana and Paula to Doctor Crusher's office. She was setting at her desk working at the computer as she greeted them.
"Oh, hi Mriana. Have you made a decision?" Beverly asked.
"I don't know." Mriana signed. "Can you assure me it will work?"
Beverly shook her head sadly. "No, I can't." She turned the computer screen so that Mriana could see. "Keep in mind that I have to build artificial eardrums and everything else. Now, if your hearing organs were intact still, I could by-pass the damaged nerve endings. Then I could assure you that it would work. You would definitely hear something, but as is, I can't promise anything. The computer simulation doesn't give much hope either. Now, there are nanoprobes."
"No, I don't want Borg technology inside my body." Mriana refused aloud.
"It's not quite like that. Nanoprobes."
"No, I've come to a decision." Mriana interrupted.
"You haven't heard what I have to say."
"I've made my decision, Beverly. For now, the answer is no, but that doesn't mean in the future I won't change my mind. If there comes a time when the chances of hearing something, anything, again, I'll give it some thought then. For now, I rather not have the operation or nanoprobes for that matter. Either way, you can't guarantee that I will hear anything after it's over."
Beverly looked down at the computer sadly. "No, I can't."
"I think this procedure would better serve someone who hasn't had profound damage from the illness. I have and there's no guarantees and no promises. For them, there are better chances for them to hear again. Like I said though, I'm not ruling it out completely. Maybe in the future, when and if there are successes with helping those with profound loss like mine, I'll go through with it, but not until then."
"Very well." Beverly replied. Then she came around to the front of her desk and sat on the edge of it. "But I had hoped you would have at least tried the experimental procedure."
"You yourself have always said you hated to experiment with people until you knew more about a procedure."
"True. Maybe the nanoprobes."
"Thanks, but no, Beverly."
"I understand your reservations about the surgery. It is experimental and since we'd have to build a computerized eardrum it would take several hours and lots of concentration on the part of the surgeons involved. Even so, there is a greater possiblility it will fail."
"I understand that."
"I know you do." Beverly felt sorry that she could not give Mriana more hope.
"Thank you for your understanding, Beverly." Mriana signed.
"There is one thing you could do for me." Beverly informed.
"Yes?"
"As you know, I have several deaf patients now."
Mriana nods. "And you want to learn sign?"
"Yes." Beverly replied. She was amazed how Mriana caught on to her train of thought.
"There are many fine teachers on board now. You might be able to find one of them to teach you or you could join one of their classes." She signed. "I believe there is a class at 1700 hours."
"No, I want to learn from you." Beverly said shaking her head.
"Why me?" Mriana was puzzled by her request.
"Well, like a lot of people are particular about their doctor or psychologist, I am particular about my teacher."
"I think I understand."
"It wouldn't interfer with any of your duties, would it?"
"No, I'm sure we can arrange somthing. Just don't let it get out or I'll tell your dancing doctor stories that you've told me."
"OK, deal!" Beverly offered her hand to shake on the deal. "Thanks." She smiled as they shook on their agreement.
"If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment in about thirty minutes. I need to get some things done before my appointment comes."
"By all means. Let me know if you need anything."
"Talk to you later." Mriana signed before she departed.
Ms. Sohn and Mriana exchanged conversation as they walked down the corridor to Mriana's office. When they finally arrived, Mriana dismissed her for the time being.
Once Mriana was inside her office, she sat down to check her agenda for the next day. She had almost forgotten she had promised Sara she would see her at 1600, but a soft vibration from the padd she carried around reminded her when she was talking to Doctor Crusher.
She found the reminder mode very useful and one of the things she appreciated that Geordi sat up for her. In fact, she wished she had had something similar when she was hearing. It was a feature Geordi threw in her communication system just for her. He had not done it for too many other crew members.
She had the feeling he did it for her because he wanted to do something special for her, for she was the first to have such an adaptation. Then a few others requested it when they noticed hers, but he only set it for those who kept appointments.
Mriana sighed at the thought of Sara and her family arriving within a few minutes. She needed rest from all the things that had happened the last couple of days. It was not unusual for her to work long and hard, but today had been exceptionally gruelling for her.
She wanted to reschedule Sara for the next day, but her appointment had already been postpone once before due to the fact she had left the ship. Sara was very anxious to talk with her, so Mriana decided it was best to keep this appointment as scheduled.
Her lights flickered, bringing her back to the present. She looked at the chronometer and saw it was not quite time for Sara to arrive.
"What now!" She thought in frustration.
She sensed it was Geordi immediately. She had only ten minutes left until Sara's appointment.
"Come in." She said.
"Hi!" Geordi greeted with a smile. Suddenly he realized he had forgotten to sign. Continuing, he signed, "Glad you safe aboard again. You had us scared."
"You mean, you were scared."
Geordi let the statement pass. "You how?"
"Tired." Was her only response.
"Would you like to catch a bite to eat in Ten-Forward?"
She sighed once more with exhaustion. "I would love to, but I have to meet with a patient and her family in a few minutes."
"What about afterwards?"
"I think I'll turn in early tonight. What about tomorrow night?"
Geordi felt very disappointed as he signed, "That's fine."
The lights flickered for the door again. The chime was only heard by Geordi.
"That would be my patient." She replied. She and Deanna had already explained to Geordi about confidentiality. He knew if he ran into any patients when he came to visit that he could not tell anyone who he saw. So, far he had been very good about such things. Even so, it made Mriana very uneasy when a patient arrived while he was visiting her.
"I guess that's my que to leave. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and take it easy. You look exhausted."
Mriana nodded as he let Sara in before he departed. "Hello, Sara." Mriana signed. "Have a seat."
Sara understood her gestures and sat down in a chair.
"You how?" Mriana asked.
"Fine." Sara finally signed, but Mriana sensed she really was not fine emotionally and looked at her with doubt.
"You know, if we're going to work together, you must be honest with me and yourself. I maybe Betazoid, but when I ask how you are, I'm not asking it out of social nicety. I'm asking because I really want to know in order to help you."
Sara stared at Mriana. She did not get everything Mriana had signed and looked at her questioningly.
Mriana sensed Sara's confussion and got a padd to type what they wanted to say to each other. "Why haven't you learned sign?"
"My father wants me to talk and read lips." Sara explained on the padd. "I feel so lonely and like." She paused suddenly in her typing. "I feel as though I'm looking through a vortex into another dimension."
The lights flickered. "Must be mom and dad." She typed quickly. She looked as though she wanted to flee.
Mriana walked to the door. When the door opened she asked them to come in and be seated. Sara's younger sister, Sharon, also accompanied them.
Mriana was sensing many emotions from the family. Denial, anger, blame and frustration were all present and all very strong. Sharon, however, seemed to have some acceptance of Sara's fate. Her anger appeared to be directed at their parents.
"Can you convence my daughter that lip reading is the only way to get along in this society? That she should give up this idea of talking with her hands." Sara's father began.
"What society?" Mriana asked aloud.
"Among the hearing!" He exclaimed in irritation.
Any other deaf person would not have noticed his irritation unless they saw it in his face, but Mriana sensed it very clearly.
"Lieutenant Conly, regardless of what you may think, I can't read lips very well. It would be a lot easier if you used the padd."
"You're Betazoid. Are you playing games with us or something? I mean surely you can sense thoughts." Sara's mother asked with surprise.
Mriana repeats what she said. "If you would not mind, it would be easier for us to communicate if you would use the padd from here on out."
"You're Betazoid. You should be able to read minds." Sara's mom typed.
"I sense you are shocked." Mriana said as she read what was typed. Then she looks at the parents. "I'm only half-Betazoid. An empath, not telepath. I can only read a few words and pick up random strong thoughts sometimes, but that's it."
Sara's mother and sister gave in and used the padd, but the father was a little reluctant.
"Sara and I were talking about her feelings." Mriana stated, then typed into the padd, "Why do you feel alone?"
"Because my parents want me to be normal."
"What's normal?" Mriana asked.
"Being hearing." Sara replied.
"And that's normal?"
"Yes."
"Carla, Jerred." Mriana turned to the parents. "What are you wanting?"
"We want what's best for Sara." Carla typed.
"And that is?"
"To go to Starfleet and do well." Jerred replied aloud.
"I'm sorry?" Mriana replied.
With frustration, Jerred picked up the padd and typed what he had said. Then Mriana read it and typed her replied for all to see.
"Wouldn't that include learning whatever means needed to communicate and understand others?"
There was a thoughtful pause.
"Sharon?" Mriana said aloud to get her attention. Then she typed, "You seem to be coping with Sara's loss, but at the same time, I sense anger. Why do you feel angry?"
"I just wish." Sharon typed. "They would let us communicate with Sara. She is with drawing from everyone and mom and dad aren't helping!!!!"
Sharon really wanted to help her big sister. She wanted to talk to her again, like sisters do, but she could not because their father would not allow them to learn sign.
Mriana touched Sara's hand to get her attention to sign to her. "What makes you feel so different?"
Sara seemed to understand. "I can't hear and everyone treats me like I'm not a person anymore because of it." Tears rolled down the young girl's eyes. Mriana could feel her pain greatly and knew what she had said, even if she had not heard her words.
"Everyone?" Mriana asked in sign.
"EVERYONE!" Sara screamed. The only ones who heard were her family, but Mriana had read every word very clearly. Then more calmly, Sara continued as she pointed at Mriana. "Except you."
"How would you like to be treated?" Mriana asked on the padd.
"Like." She paused for a moment. "Like everyone treats you."
"And how do they treat me?"
Sara was quietly thinking when her father stood and spoke with frustration. "Oh this is rediculous! We're getting no where with passing this damn padd around! It takes forever!"
"Lieutenant! Sit down!" Mriana said as firmly as she could. "I sense you are frustrated, but please be patient. I'm sure you will see where I'm going eventually if you're patient."
He reluctantly sat down as Mriana called Paula Sohn. It was not long before she arrived.
"This is my interpreter, Ms. Sohn. Please talk to me as she interprets what you say to me."
Jerred made a face. He was not happy with how things were going.
"How do you see others treating me?" She asked Sara again.
"Like you are one of them. Like a hearing person." Sara finally replied. "They treat you like nothing ever happened, except now you have an interpreter and other devices to help you. I have nothing."
"I have good friends and family, but I also insisted I should be treated like nothing has changed. Plus, I had to prove myself just like before." Mriana typed.
"Oh, this is getting us no where!" Jerred exclaimed again. "We're still doing the same thing and this interpreter, Ms. Sohn is no help!"
Mriana sighed. "Jerred, what frustrates you the most about Sara being deaf?"
"Sara can't do anything now, except sit and feel sorry for herself!"
"If she could learn ways to get around this loss besides lipreading." Mriana signed. "Maybe she would stop feeling sorry for herself, especially if you were to learn sign also."
"NO!" Jerred shouted. "She will lipread!"
"Jerred, please!" Carla said as she touched his hand. "Please calm down." Then she turned to face Mriana. "How did you cope with your loss, without counseling?"
"On the contrary, my cousin and friends helped me, but even they weren't sure how to act around me at first. We learned how though. Everything about me is the same except I do not hear anymore."
"Doesn't it frustrate you?" Carla asked.
"Sometimes." Mriana nodded. "But I deal with it and so do my friends and family."
Mriana turned to Sharon again. "Sharon, would you like to communicate again with your sister?"
"Yes."
"Alright! That's it!" Jerred again stood. "She's not learning sign! She will read lips and talk all the time like everyone else!"
"She's not like everyone else." Mriana replied. "I'm not like everyone else. I sign and I still talk. Just because I use sign language to communicate and understand, does not mean I've lost my voice. I use it when I need to or feel a need, but I rely on my terp to understand others."
"Yes, but you choose to live in silence." Jerred returned. "She will hear! Therefore, she's getting an implant whether she wants it or not!"
"It won't work." Mriana informed.
"How do you know?"
"I inquired about one myself. Her loss is the same as mine, therefore, it will not work."
"We'll see about that! Come on, Sara!" He said as he pulled her by the hand. "You're getting that implant!"
"NO!" She screamed off key as she pulled away from him. "I won't have my skull drilled into!"
"You'll do as I tell you!" He said trying to grab for her hand again.
"NO!"
"Jerred, please!" Carla pleaded with her husband. "Let's not push it. She's only going to go kicking and screaming. Surely, it's not worth that?"
He stopped trying to drag her to Sickbay. "Maybe you're right, Carla." He finally relented. "Do whatever you want." Then he walked out of Mriana's office.
Mriana laid a hand on Carla's shoulder. "It'll be alright. Sara is sixteen. She may not be an adult yet, but maybe this is something you should let her think about. Let her learn sign language, if she wants, but don't push for her to be like hearing people."
Carla had tears rolling down her face as she nodded. "I know she will never be hearing again. I just wish Jerred would be more accepting. He thinks Sara can never be in Starfleet now, but if he would only take a real look at you and open his mind, maybe. Just maybe."
Carla left Mriana's office not finishing her statement, shaking her head, and sobbing.
"Sara." Then Mriana pointed to herself as she signed, "I sorry."
Sara understood the two simple signs, but gave no reply. Sharon pulled her sister close and hugged her. Then the two walked out of Mriana's office.
Mriana felt so bad for Sara. She was not sure how to help the family, but she knew for Sara's sake, she had to figure out something.
She then sensed Deanna sending to her."Jerred is very upset and wants me or someone else to counsel his family."
"I'm on my way."
Mriana explained her side of the story once she arrived at Deanna's office. Then Deanna spent an hour trying to convince Jerred that Mriana was the best choice for his daughter.
Eventually, he agreed he would let Sara see Mriana again, but he refuse to attend with his daughter again, unless there was a hearing counselor doing the session.
Mriana and Deanna felt for Jerred and were sorry he held so much anger and hurt inside him. Deanna finally agreed to see Jerred herself. She hoped that sessions with him would assist Mriana in helping Sara. They could only try and agreed to work as a team with this family.
Mriana went back to her quarters completely exhausted from the long day. She was so anxious to arrive at Betazed. She decided she really needed the R and R. She also looked forward to spending some time with Geordi on shoreleave and dealing with trying patients for a couple of days.