Locked Inside the Mind - Part I

Posted on Fri Sep 11th, 2026 @ 7:26pm by Lieutenant Commander Aaron Marcus & Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Lieutenant Endymion Tox

1,669 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Preservation Instinct
Location: Deck 07 | Sickbay | USS Ontario

ON:

Tox had finished his shift an hour ago but as he was confined to sickbay for exposing himself to Xavier against Marcus' orders he sat beside Xavier holding his hand. He was inside the quarantine field since Xavier was the one most affected. Xavier, so far, had not woken. He seemed to be slipping into his coma more and more and Tox felt as if his heart was shredding.

He didn't hear the main doors open nor did he notice anyone standing on the other side of the forcefield. Tox did leave the field to help with other patience but only ones affected by whatever was making them sick from the planet. There were other bio beds that were taken up but Xavier's corner was tucked away for privacy. Tox knew Xavier was a private person so he'd made sure that there was some space and that the nook was shielded.

Tox sighed and leaned back only to find Amanda on the other side of the forcefield. "Counselor. Are you ill as well?"

Amanda smiled at Tox and answered, "No. I am not." She looked down at Xavier, worry evident on her face. "I wish that he would have confided more in me. I was with him as he was experiencing symptoms, you know?"

She looked from the other side of the forcefield and asked, "How are you feeling Tox? Mentally and physically?"

He shook his head. "Moments ago I was better then this moment. It's like as he deteriorates I do. Doctor Marcus is mad that I broke quarantine but if he dies my life is not worth living and I was such an ass keeping him out. Maybe this was my punishment." He leaned down kissing Xavier's forehead. "Maybe this is my fault."

"As much as it pains me to say it, Doctor Marcus should be angry with you. Quarantine is an extreme measure and your breaking it could endanger much more than you." Amanda's voice softened as she said, "However, love is love. We all do silly things for it and in pursuit of it." She shrugged helplessly, knowing her love life had always ended in disaster.

Tox looked over at her and smiled. "You will find your mate one day. Just don't be as dumb as I am and let fear and anger stop you." He walked over to the force field. "So...you and doc Marcus agree. Do I sense unresolved tension?" He waggled his eyebrows.

Amanda shook her head. "I'm not on the market. Unrequited love is something that I am all too used to, Tox. I'm just going to help others and not worry about anything else."

She then laughed pleasantly. "Dr. Marcus is as prickly as a cactus. Oil and water have a better chance of meshing than we two, not for a lack of trying. Some people never want to be helped. He's one of them."

Tox's eyebrows rose. "Unrequited love? So you have a crush on the good Grumple?"

The Counselor stared at Tox, choked, and then started laughing. "Not even close. Why would you say something like that? He's a miserable human being."

"Well you hinted that you were into unrequited love I thought you pined for him." He laughed and shrugged. "Logical jump in my brain."

"I suppose that it could be," Amanda conceded. "But, no. Now, let's deal with you. How are you feeling? Tell me about your symptoms and I'll get them to Grumple."

"Well we speak daily. I'm one of the few nurses not fully affected so when I'm not sitting with Xavier I'm flitting about the infected wing helping out. So far thankfully I’m not as bas as everyone. The Commander is unconscious like Xavier, the Tactical Chief and Engineering Chief are both....down but not out. Whatever this is it’s spreading." He sat down on the floor in front of the forcefield. "I guess you could talk to me a bit. It's been...lonely."

"It has to be hard," Amanda started. "Seeing Xavier right there and not being able to talk to him and have him return a conversation. I know that you both were trying to start again with written communications. Was that working for you?"

He shrugged. "Sort of. Xavier was Pluto but I couldn't seem to be anything but scared that I wasn't good enough now that he knew who I was in person." He shrugged. "I did get to finally see his room. The Captain and I went to feed the demon birds and I snuck into his bedroom. Did you know he's a really good artist?"

"I did know that," Amanda told Tox. She did not reveal, however, that she caught the glimpse of it when Xavier left his notebook unguarded. "Why do you call Phobos and Deimos demon birds? They're quite sweet and intelligent."

He shudders. "Nothing personal. I have a tiny fear of birds." He sighs. "The Phobos one doesn't seem that bad; the other one....well. No, just no." His nose scrunches us. "Crap. The feeding. Can you please ask the Captain to feed them for me since I'm kind of trapped here?"

"I can do that," Amanda confirmed. "On the other hand, I could also feed them." The Counselor smiled at Tox warmly.

"However, I will ask the Captain as you ask. It will give me an opportunity to check on her, as well. When you're feeling better, let's talk about that bird fear and see what we can do to help. Alright?"

"That would be..."

The monitors began to beep. Tox's gaze ran to them. He swore violently, something that was not a regular occurrence for him. He called the EMH but the computer told him it was dealing with an emergency and he knew the real Marcus would not break quarantine.

"No! This is not going to happen!" Tox loaded a hypo and pressed it to Xavier's neck.

"You should not be working on your boyfriend," Amanda replied. "I'm going to get Grumple."

=^= Doctor Marcus, we have a medical emergency with Lieutenant Xavier. =^=

"Amanda," he said using her name for the first time. "I need you to do two things. First. This beautiful man on the bio bed bought me a Fennec fox. He'll need taking care of." Tox rattled off his code. "Second...tell Grumple if I survive he can yell at me all he wants." Tox reached for the Cortical stimulator which he placed on Xavier's head. He then looked down at his abdomen speaking to the symbiont "Listen hear slug! I need you to fight. You owe me and you know it. Link us. I know you can. I'm going to zap him and you will create a mental link. Stimulate his mind with your impulse and link us or so help me I’ll tare you out myself and this will be the end of host and symbiont. You know I’ll do it!"

This was rarely done, only two in history and dangerous as hell. He turned to Amanda. "If we don't make it. Thank you for everything."

He dragged Xavier off the bio bed laying Xavier's head on the abdomen where his symbiont was. He hit the cortical stimulator causing Xavier's body to jerk. Xavier's eyes fluttered open for a moment and his hand raised to where the symbiont was, a dark voice calling him, penetrating the fog. The hand moved as a reflex.

The Symbiont did the rest. A telepathic link one that will keep the bodies and minds alive until Marcus found a way to save them, and Tox had no doubt that he would. If not then at least they would be together until the darkness.

Amanda screamed at Tox, "What in the hell do you think you're doing?!" However, it was too late. He did it. Now, she had to figure out what he had done, how to take care of a fox, and how to explain this to Grumple and the Captain.

So, this is love? Amanda considered for herself. What a mess.... she thought with an exasperated and dreamy smile.

The hologram that was Aaron walked into the main body of Sick Bay and froze. He took in the scene and truthfully was at a loss as to what was happening. He looked at Amanda. "Thorny, you have some splainin to do. So get to it."

Amanda was about to mention something about not being "Thorny," however in this instance, the Doctor was correct. They needed to act quickly. So, she retorted, "Now look here, Oscar, I had nothing to do with this. I called regarding the medical emergency with Xavier and then Tox said he was going to create a symbiotic link with his host to hopefully stabilize Xavier. Now they're both as you see them." She shrugged helplessly.

"So, do you have a miracle, Oscar?" Amanda asked the Doctor.

"No. If I did, I wouldn't be in Starfleet. What I have is a dying patient, a dozen bad ideas, and hopefully one good one before their organs start resigning." Aaron stood in silence for a moment and surveyed the scene. After a beat he spoke. "Thorny, you are the nurse now. Assist me in getting them separated." Aaron turned to Amanda and the look on his face was one that was mixed with both curiosity and consternation.

"I'm not certain that separating them is a good idea, Oscar." Amanda wondered about the link and whether it would continue. Ultimately, though, this was the doctor and this was his territory, not hers. "Just remember, if you don't save them, I shall be most displeased with you!"

"That is all the more reason to make sure that they die." Aaron said with his typical sarcastic tone, which changed to one that was all business. "Now, scrub up."

OFF:


Lieutenant Commander Aaron Marcus
Chief Medical Officer
USS Ontario

&

Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counselor
USS Ontario

&

Lieutenant Endymion Tox
Head Nurse (PNPC)
USS Ontario

 

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