=/\= T'Shen monastery, Shi'Al province =/\=
His hands hidden in the long, flowing sleeves of his robe, the old monk turned to the human who had followed the exchange with what for his race qualified as remarkable composure "A worthy cause, yes?"
Brent looked between the two of them for a moment. What exactly where they arguing about. Why wouldn't Sakarra's grandmother want her to live what was the... Then it hit him like a ton of bricks and he sat up, looking between the two of them again. The way they fought made him briefly wonder if they at one point had been lovers, or were now. The time for such thoughts would come later. "Wait. You're telling me that you can do something for her? You can save her?" he asked looking at the healer and then back at Sejet. "If there's anything you can do for her let's do it. If I can help some way then tell me how. What can we do for her?"
"We can." Ignoring the minute look of disapproval on Sehayel's face, the monk nodded. "It is, as your race would refer to it an … all or nothing … shot, I believe. I must emphasize there are risks, the greatest of which is that we may not only lose your beloved but her Katra as well. You have seen the two meditating outside, yes?"
This time, the woman's face was actually close to an expression and once more, Sejet only returned it with a patient gaze. "In absence of the Matriarch whose duties currently require her to put the welfare of her Clan above … personal concerns, it falls to a Vulcan's t'hy'la, or ne`ki'ne in this case, to decide. What they need to decide is hard to one of our kind, Brent Warren. Attempt to preserve the Katra of one they love, that which you would call the living spirit, or soul … at the price of her death. Or risk losing both body and spirit in an attempt to return her to us. The … odds were not good. Now, they are, according to the best mind-healer this monastery has seen in five hundred years, at least … even. Fifty-fifty, yes?"
"Ish-veh komihn."
"Ha, Ohassu. He is human. And declared Companion who has heeded the call to Challenge. Do you wish to debate the law?"
Apparently, Sihayel did not, though her silver-white braid was once more tossed with a decidedly impatient tilt of her head.
"It was their decision, Brent Warren." Sejet continued as patiently, calmly, as if his best healer were not silently fuming and giving him Looks that would send a lesser man racing for cover. "It is your right to take the weight from them, if you so desire. Your word will be considered hers. She knows you are here. Her Katra is at peace. Will you risk it … or let her go?"
Brent thought about it for only a moment. He had a chance to save her, even at the risk of her soul. Souls were something that Brent wasn't quite sure he believed in, even if it seemed that the Vulcans clearly did. He sighed, looking up at Sejet before nodding. "Well I don't think they liked me very much when I was walking in. Might as well stick with that. I'll make the call. We try to get her back. And since time is of the essence we should do it now," he said. Whatever this was, Brent knew that it was her only choice. He would never be able to live with himself if he did not try to bring her back. No mirror would show anything other than disgust. "You made it sound like since I was here, that the chances were better?" he said looking between the two. "What does that mean," he asked looking at them.
"Ri-fai'hytor. Ri-ketahr." The woman's protest barely elicited a quirked brow from Sejet before he spread his arms slightly, nodding at the unmoving figure stretched out on the bed.
"It means, Brent Warren, that the t'sai Sakarra has already responded to you without a healer attempting to help you reach her. And even though Sihayel …" he cast an indulgent, wise glance at the woman who seemed quietly incensed but was fast on the track to acceptance, if not grudging affection "is convinced you do not know what you are speaking of, nor understand the … importance of the issue, the woman in question seems to … think otherwise. Despite the healer's … objections to my trusting an outworlder in this Vulcan matter, do not believe I take this lightly. But I have had the privilege of knowing this young woman quite well and must conclude …" the smile seemed to be back, fleeting, warm, even mischievous, and dispersed to leave nothing but dignity and calm, serene features " ... you may know her better than any of us ever did. If she will hear anyone in the tight coil of her mind, she will hear you. Will you help us try?"
Brent cast a glance of annoyance for the briefest of moments towards the healer. He knew exactly what he was thinking of. They could preserve her soul, whatever it was that Vulcans did. That was something to be taken into consideration by most people. By all Vulcans. For Brent though there was no choice. He would either lose her and everything he knew about her, or he would try to save her. Perhaps this would fail... And her spirit would be lost. Brent knew that he had to take that chance though. "Tell me what to do then. I'll call to her as best I can. Evoke memories, good times that we have had? Something like that would work best?" it was more in the form of a question, since he was unsure just what to do.
Sejet nodded, that brief flicker of humor gone to be replaced by a deeply thoughtful, serious expression. Of course the abbot was above anything so distasteful as giving Sihayel a 'told you so' look after the young man seemed to grasp intuitively what others had to painstakingly learn, but he noted the healer's quirked brow all the same.
"Yes, Brent Warren. Although, and please understand we would not ask you to delve into such an intimate experience without dire need…"
"Sahrafel, Sejet."
This time it was the old monk who could not hide the flicker of surprise when Sihayel held out her hand to the young human and gently placed the other over her patient's temples.
"He is human. And he has decided. Spare him the ceremony, I think we have more important issues than tradition."
Ancient eyes, lit with compassion despite the still smoldering flames of annoyance settled on the remarkable dark blue gaze and the healer made a small, inviting gesture with her fingers "She will hear. But pulling her back will kill her, right now. We must help her find another trance, less deep, more soothing. The place of healing. You know of it?"
Brent sat up straighter, taking the healers hand into his own still keeping his grasp on Sakarra unless ordered otherwise. Even then he would have to be told twice to let her go. He let out a deep sigh as if trying to clear his mind. "Yes. She went into one when very hurt on an away mission. It was before we were together," he said with another smile on his face. "I watched over her to make sure she didn't go too far in she said. I had to threaten to drench her in ice cold water before she finally reacted." he said reliving the memory in front of him. Yes that would do.
Ice cold … well, now, that would about do it for certain. Experiencing curiosity and a most inappropriate desire to chuckle at the flicker of a mental image floating at the uppermost levels of the human's mind, Sihayel settled into stilling her mind with the practice of an experienced healer. It was not him she needed to reach, though with them touching a certain level of ... sharing would be unavoidable. But he likely knew that … no, knew it perfectly well ... and had not hesitated, not for a heartbeat.
And that, too, explained quite a few things.
"Yes. Keep this memory close, live it, breathe it into you … and go deeper. It is her Katra we need to reach first." Once more she nearly experienced humor under Sejet's perplexed glance before she put that aside, too. So what if she was being … direct with the young human. It wasn't as if she had time to spare for silly things here.
"You know who she is … and I can see you know what she is. You've held that soul in your hands, offered freely. This time, you must reach for it. Remember. Reach."
It hardly took Sihayel to amplify the human's thoughts. Already, something was … stirring. Too fast? But there was no turning back now.
Brent gave her a brief look of disbelief. Hadn't the other one already warned him not to share too intimate of thoughts... He shook his head and closed his eyes to concentrate on the task at hand. He started with the first memory of when he had first touched her soul. With an exhale he began to remember....
[To be continued …]
Lt Cmdr Sakarra Tyrax
Executive Officer
Brevet 1st Lieutenant Brent Warren
Marine Commander
USS Charon
Sejet
Abbot
&
Sihayel
Senior Healer
T'Shen Monastery
