CIV Lt. Cmdr. Zio Jintaci

[ Moving towards the facility ]

Zio looked around one last time before moving towards the research facility. ’I hope I paid enough attention in my clandestine ops briefing to do this.’ Zio thought with some reluctance as he crept forward ever so slightly. He studied the bushes, and tried to find the path of least resistance through, and a quiet one at that. He didn’t want the sound of moving through the bushes to alert any of the creatures that were wandering around the compound.

After studying for a couple moments, Zio shifted to his right a couple steps, and began to slowly move through a thin part of the bushes towards the facility. His movements were deliberate, and quiet for the most part. As quiet as a Doctor with little clandestine training could be. Zio cringed as he heard a snap under his boot. ’A little bit softer there big foot.’ He thought as he stopped when one of the passing creatures stopped, and began looking around. Zio held his breath, and kept his eyes trained on the creature. After a moment, the creature continued its way down the path.

Zio wiped his brow, and slowly exhaled. He had one too many confrontations with them to desire getting into another especially with a broken tricorder, and a phaser at 13% power. Zio heard giggling behind him with no attempt to suppress the volume. Zio turned his head back to check on Doctor Spector.

What he saw made him gasp slightly. He saw the Doctor reaching into the air, and grabbing at nothing. Then he would look at the hand with the fingertips clenched together as if he was holding something. Then the Doctor lowered his hand to his side, and his other hand appeared to spread something that wasn’t there. He lowered his left hand down past the right land, and opened his fingertips. Then the Doctor let out another giggle, and repeated what he had just done.

“Henry.” Zio said in a heavy whisper that fell just short of a normal tone. “What are you doing?” Zio demanded as quietly as he could.

Doctor Spector turned towards him with a beaming smile on his face. “Collecting presents for the children of course Sire.” Doctor Spector said in a normal tone that seemed to carry beyond Zio’s comfort zone. “Aren’t these the most beautiful butterflies you have ever seen. This purple one is my favorite.” The Doctor says as he is beaming at his empty hand. “Louis will simply love it.” The Doctor says as he puts the invisible butterfly into the invisible bag.

Zio stared at the Doctor in disbelief. ’He’s getting worse, what am I going to do with him?’ Zio thought desperately. ’I can’t take him in there with me, and I can’t leave him here by himself either. Which option is the better one?’ Zio thought as he watched the Doctor continued to collect his presents.

’I’m going to have to take a chance.’ Zio thought as he crept back to the Doctor.

“Watch what you are doing Sire.” The Doctor said in a half demanding tone. “You are going to scare them away.” The Doctor finished.

Zio grabbed his right arm, and felt up the forearm until he reached a slightly protruding bump. Zio felt it, and pushed down on the bump. The Doctor pulled his arm away, and stared at Zio in disbelief. “What are you doing Sire?” the Doctor asked.

Zio ignored him and focused on the bump. After a moment, a dull white light pulsed twice under the skin. Zio breathed a sigh of relief. ’At least I can track him if there is an issue.’ Zio thought as he focused on the Doctor again. “I thought you had a bug bite, I was mistaken.” Zio said as he opened the flap to his medical pouch. He slid out a hypospray unit, and set it for a heavy sedative. He didn’t want to take the chance that the Doctor would wander away while he was exploring. Zio was convinced this was the only way to deal with the Doctor for the moment. There was plenty of ground cover to hide him, and Zio could move around without any impediments.

“You keep collecting the butterflies, the children will love them.” Zio said as he wrapped his arm around the Doctors shoulder, and injected him with the sedative in the left side of his neck.

The Doctor pulled away quickly, and looked in disbelief as he collapsed to the ground.

Zio breathed a sigh of relief. He gently pulled the Doctor away from the path, into a thick set of bushes. He tucked him is as far as he could to hide him. Once Zio was convinced the Doctor was safe, he turned towards the research facility again.

’Now it's your turn’ Zio thought as he once again began creeping towards the building he hoped held all of the answers to what happened here.

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DO Lieutenant T'Saylar
Valdivian Station / USS Trinity
Mike Schell
actd (at) mugatu (dot) com