Project - Prometheus Ch. 10

"What about Shazza?!?"

"Her vitals are linked to Korsa's now, and she is the one keeping them both alive! If you save Korsa, you will save them both!" Jaesa explained hurriedly.

Nodding, Taal'ani rushed to a nearby medical station and found the drug cabinet. Tearing the doors open, she searched, quickly finding the drug she needed. She grabbed the bottle, several blank syringes and several twenty gauge needles. Running back to the bedside, she put together the syringes and prepped four. She was in the middle of filling the third needle when a holocall came through.

"Talon! What's happened?!?" Nats' panicked face asked as it was rendered in the holoprojector.

"Korsa's vitals just spiked and she's close to a heart attack! I'm prepping a set of Ketamine injections to try to bring it down!" she responded while focusing on filling the fourth needle.

"Oh, God!" she cried. "I'm on my way down now! Keep her alive Taal'ani! Please!!!"

"That's the idea Nats! Working on it now!"

With that last statement, the holocall was terminated and Talon brought her focus to what she had to do. She knew that this would have to be done quickly and carefully. If she injected the Ketamine too fast, she risked dropping Korsa's heart rate to that of a comatose patient. Too slow and she risked the Ketamine burning through Korsa's system and having little, if any effect.

Taal'ani took a deep breath and set the filled syringes on a nearby tray table. After doing what she could to stabilize her right thigh, Talon took one needle and jabbed it into Korsa. Pressing the plunger, she filled her bloodstream with the drug. Once it was spent, she pulled the needle out and taped a cotton swab to the injection site.

She did a quick count to fifty before moving to Korsa's right shoulder and injecting her there. She wasted no time in taping up that site and moved to the left shoulder. Taal'ani looked at the monitors and saw that Korsa's vitals were dropping. It wasn't much, but it was a start and Talon then hit the left shoulder, praying and hoping that what she was doing was accurate.

She had just taped up the third site when Natalya burst into the room, running at full speed towards them. Both Inari and Priya were hot on her heels, with Alex, Kasumi and Luminia maybe several seconds behind them.

"Nats! Grab that fourth syringe and inject it in Korsa's left thigh when I say!" Talon ordered. Wasting no time arguing, Nats snatched it up and rushed to her mom's side, having removed the needle's protective covering. She waited anxiously as the monitor continued to display the slow decline of Korsa's vitals.

"Now!" Talon shouted. Without hesitation, Natalya plunged the needle into Korsa and emptied its contents into her. Her vitals continued to fall, but not fast enough and there were several small spikes of it going back up. Korsa's thrashing had lessened considerably, but they weren't sure if what they did was enough.

"Damn it! We need another batch of loaded needles ASAP!" Natalya cried out. She, Inari and Pree quickly went to work in setting up another set of syringes for use.

"Wait!" Taal'ani called out, as she watched the monitor. The spikes had stopped, and Korsa's BPM and blood pressure dropped faster. It slowed down, and it quickly passed the threshold of what was considered a normal range for Khontarans. Everyone breathed out a collective sigh of relief, Nats almost breaking down right there.

Alex walked over and in one swift motion, scooped her up in his arms and drew her close. Nats blubbered and cried into him as she clung on, need him close to her now. Without another word, he sat down in Talon's chair, keeping Natalya in his arms. Taal'ani looked like she was about to protest, but Alex cast his eyes on the other side of the Spock. Talon followed his gaze and saw other cozy armchairs not far away.

"Jaesa, you have the ship for now," Alex called out. Although he had a responsibility to the ship, he wanted and needed to be there for Natalya. Nats had finished crying and was breathing erratically, but steadily, dozing off in Alex's strong embrace. Kas, Inari and the others had all gone to grab something to sit or lie on, while they looked after Korsa.

Taal'ani hoped that the big woman would come out of her mindlink soon. She had been reading up on the Spock while everyone else had been occupied with their daily duties. Not only was the current use of it, unprecedented, but it was also dangerous. The longest the Spock had been deemed safe to use for was six hours and Korsa had already been in there for well over twice that length of time!

Korsa was certainly pushing her luck, staying in Shazza's mind. Seeing the big woman like this wasn't easy for any of them, Natalya most of all. Talon picked up the tablet Korsa had left behind and read through all the safety and emergency protocols. Though some of what she had been reading was dangerous, she knew that they may have to be enacted in order to save Korsa's life.

'C'mon Korsa! Finish up what you need to in there and come back to us,' Taal'ani mentally urged. 'Nats is worried sick! Don't you dare leave her behind like this!'

******************************

Korsa felt nothing but pain and horror as she writhed and fought against the blackness. Wordless nightmares clawed at her, trying to blacken her soul, but she fought them, pushing them away from her. Relentlessly, they continued to come at her, wanting nothing more than to see her broken. On and on Korsa fought, meeting them stroke for stroke, but failing to keep them back for long.

It seemed like Korsa fought for hours, each nightmare trying to dim her spirit. They geared up for another attack, only to be driven back inexplicably. Behind her, a dull light formed, chasing away the shadowy creatures. Seeing this as a form of reprieve, Korsa raced towards the light, seeking its solace. The moment she was close enough, she was pulled into it and out of the shadow realm.

Suddenly, Korsa was now standing in a Doctor's office, with various surgical equipment around her. She then did a double take, scrutinizing the environment she found herself in. She wasn't in some random clinic or trauma center, this was Sunta Khardagzh Medical Center on Khontara! The last time she was here was when... the memory of that day flooded back to her and it was not one she wished to revisit.

She was sitting on one bed, wearing a Khontaran style of a short kilt and a short shirt which made Korsa look both modest and sexy at the same time. Both Garments clung to her form like a second skin, but they kept her cool in the heat. It was always warm on Khontara and summers could get blazingly hot. Korsa almost lost herself as she remembered the home she'd left behind all those years ago, but shook her head and focused.

Just as she stood up is when Doctor Nahntera walked in. She had many fond memories of the gentle and caring woman, who to her, seemed like a giant. Possessed of the same bearing as her mother had, the Doctor walked in, all poise, elegance and command. The Doctor also had red skin, like Korsa did, but it was more a burgundy in tone than Korsa's brighter hue. She was taller than Korsa by a couple of inches, smaller in chest, wider in the hips. Her hair, unlike the bright orange hers was, was a glowing, flowing silvery hue.

"Korsa, you might want to sit back down," she said in a motherly tone. "I'm afraid that I have some terrible news." Her naturally warm face, was etched in sorrow though and Korsa knew why. Though she already knew what the news was, it always hurt to be reminded of it.

"Auntie Tera, I know what you're going to tell me, and I don't want to hear it. I already..." but then, all memory of what she was about to say, eluded her. Korsa blinked several times, like she wanted to remember something important, but couldn't. Like something had robbed all memory from her.

"Korsa, please," the elder Khontaran woman gestured. Not knowing what else to do, Korsa took a seat. Nahntera blew out a breath and spoke with a heavy heart.

"Korsa, there is no easy way to tell you this, but... there is no way you be able to have children of your own," her aunt told her.

"What? How is that possible?? My reproductive system is working just fine, so I don't understand why I can't have children! I am dropping eggs, am I not?" she asked, disbelieving of the news.

"Yes, you are, but for the oddest reason, a protective shell, almost like a cocoon forms around your eggs when they are released. We know that it's Dahkrel's Syndrome," Tera explained to her.

Korsa's heart sank at this news. Dahkrel's Syndrome was a rare reproductive disease that manifested as sporadically as the symptoms did. There had been no known cause for the disease because it manifested in the oddest conditions. Because of this, there was no known cure or any drugs that could be developed to treat it. The news of this sank in and Korsa broke down, crying.

No one knew where it came from or how it started, but what was known is that it only affected women. Men were somehow unaffected by the disease as they suffered no ill effects if they carried it. Korsa had always wanted to start a family of her own someday, but now that possibility was ripped away from her in the worst way imaginable. She cried her eyes raw, refusing to believe that it was over this easily.

"Korsa?"

She continued to weep, crushed by what she had been told. The thought of being barren like this broke her heart! She wanted to become a mother, to give her mother and father grandchildren and now she couldn't! Despair threatened to overwhelm her, and sorrow was ready to drown her in its depths.

Just then, a small spark lit in Korsa's heart. Though the sadness tried to snuff it out, it wouldn't be denied. Korsa was raised better than this! She was better than this! She would not let some pithy disease defeat her and her dream! Now, the spark and drive to overcome this obstacle lit a fire in her that could not be quenched and damn anything or anyone that got in her way!

"This isn't the end for me," Korsa stated. "I'm going to find a way around this!"

"There is no known treatment or cure for Dahkrel's Syndrome," Tera told her gently. "Our greatest minds are still having issues finding a way around it. What makes you think you can find solve this problem?"

"Because the answer to it isn't here, but out there," Korsa told her.

"Where?"

"In the galaxy. There is so much that we don't know about it! We need to explore and find out what's out there! I have over six hundred years of life in me and I'm not going to spend it here, pining over something that people tell me can't be cured! I will find a cure myself!" she told her aunt, the new fire roaring inside of her. She got up and marched for the exit.

"I had hoped that you would find your way to absolute despair, but it seems that more must be done to keep you here," Tera growled, her voice taking on a menacing timbre.

Korsa whipped around and her aunt was no longer in her traditional doctor's uniform, but in Khontaran battle armor! In her hands, was her Thuun'tara blade, glinting in the light. Her face was no longer kindly, but a mask of anger and hatred, her eyes glowing like blazing coals. She quickly shifted her stance, breaking down her blade into four and assuming a ready position. Shocked to see her aunt as such, Korsa was at a loss of what to do.

"You should have broken down and been lost in your grief! Why didn't you wallow in it?!?" her aunt fumed.

"Because that's not the way I was raised or taught! You are not my aunt, otherwise you'd know that!" Korsa shot back, adopting a ready stance herself.

"I will fix that next time!" the impostor promised.

"There won't be a next time!" Korsa hissed.

"You're right! There won't!"

With that declaration, she charged Korsa, intent on running her through. Such a sloppy and brazen attack was nothing like her aunt would have executed and Korsa quickly batted away the blades. Shocked that her attack failed, the impostor backed away to take up a defensive stance, but not before Korsa launched several punches at her. Each hit connected and rang like a gong against the armor that her fake aunt wore.

Despite wearing the armor, the impostor staggered like each hit had hurt. She rushed back at Korsa, wasting no time to let her get her bearings. Remembering her training, she grabbed her aunt's arms at the wrists, halting the attack. Digging her feet in and leaning forward, she pushed back at Tera, using her strength to topple her. She was again surprised that it was being done so easily, as it was Nahntera herself, who had overseen Korsa's training.

"Who are you? TELL ME!" she screamed.

"You're a bright girl! Figure it out!"

Korsa was beside herself as to why this was happening, and she couldn't believe it, she refused to believe it. For a split second, her aunt's form blinked, almost as though it wasn't real. The apparition started as though it wasn't expecting this and tried to push back against Korsa. Seeing a moment of opportunity, Korsa kept her stance, closed her eyes and focused on refusing to believe this.

Almost immediately, a wordless scream erupted from Nahntera, almost like she was in true anguish. Opening her eyes, Korsa witnessed her aunt smoking and disappearing, like she was made of nothing but imagination. Out of the blue, memories of what had transpired previously came flooding back to her. Everything that had happened since she had decided to leave Khontara was now burned into her mind.

"My name is Korsa Taran'Khontahk and I remember everything!" she spat at the phantasm before her. She threw back the imitation of her aunt and unleashed a scream of primal rage, throwing her arms up and smashing them down onto the ground. The very fabric of the nightmare she was in rippled, with small tears forming in the furthest corners.

"This is not real! This is only a nightmare, one that will never hold me!" Korsa raged and she slammed the ground again. The tears in reality expanded, further distorting and dissolving it.

"Stop! You will destroy us both! Stay here if you want to live!" the apparition threatened.

"Stay in a nightmare that is meant to try to hold me? NEVER!" Korsa spat as smashed the ground once more, golden energy blasting out of her fists. The waves of energy washed over the reality and the construct of Nahntera, burning it up like dry paper in a bonfire.

Looking around, Korsa saw she was back in the desert landscape from where she was taken. Of Innocence, there was no sign and that worried Korsa. As strong as she was, Innocence would likely be trapped in a nightmare that would be almost impossible to break out of. The only way she could break free was because the nightmare missed key details about who she was, which is what allowed her to see through it.

The thought of the nightmare had shaken her and Korsa fell to her knees, weeping. There were a couple grains of truth from the nightmare she had escaped from; Nahntera and the fact she had contracted Dahkrel's Syndrome. She wept for the children she would never bear, although she was still sexually and reproductively healthy.

She left Khontara, intending to find a cure, but had yet to find anything that would break the shell over every egg that she released. There were various drugs and such that she had hoped would make it possible, but she had only had minor, one time breakthroughs. When she tried the drug again, it was almost like the disease learned and adapted from what happened.

She shook away the feelings of self pity and focused back on the task of helping Shazza. When Korsa stood, she saw the doorway to the bridge was opened, and it almost invited her back into her own mind. Though tempted for a moment, she wouldn't abandon Shazza, not like this. Turning her back on the door, she walked over to the spot where Innocence had been captured.

When she stood there, she could almost feel the girl's essence, of everything that she was. She harnessed the power of her mind and focused, closing her eyes and envisioned everything that made Innocence what she was. All round her, the landscape blurred, as she was being transported to where Innocence had been taken. Korsa felt this shift and held her focus, waiting until the shift stopped.

Finally, it did and Korsa opened her eyes, standing before a dark mist, much like the one that had led to her nightmare. Korsa took a deep breath and steeled herself, not knowing what she'd find, but she knew that it wouldn't be pleasant. Willing her Thuun'tara blade into her hand, she stepped through the fog as she willed her battle armor on as well.

******************************

Korsa was in a cave, black rock surrounding her, everything pitch black. She looked on and saw some kind of glow ahead of her. Figuring that she'd find some sort answer there, she walked on; the glow getting brighter as she neared it. As Korsa closed the distance, she could hear voices raised in some chant. It wasn't in any language she'd heard before, but by the inflection, she could tell that it wasn't something that was joyous.

Hurrying her pace, she navigated the tunnel until she came to a large chamber, that was some sort of clearing in the tunnel. Stars shone out of a natural skylight in the cave's roof, but Korsa kept her gaze on what was happening in front of her. There was a massive, circular dais in the middle of the clearing, with a circular altar in the center. It was surrounded by no less than a dozen figures and they all wore black robes, signifying that this was some kind of ritual.

Since she was still standing in the tunnel's blackness, Korsa was being ignored for the moment, while the figures focused on the being in the center of the altar. It was Innocence, tied up to it and being offered up like some kind of sacrifice. There was one figure who was approaching her, and it held an elongated, wicked looking dagger. Innocence screamed and pleaded with them all, begging them to help her, but the figures just stood there, continuing their chant.

Screaming a Khontaran battle cry, Korsa charged in, Thuun'tara blade whirling as she raced to the altar. Some figures turned to try to intercept her. Try, being the operative word. As they tried to bar her way to Innocence, Korsa cut them down without slowing for a millisecond. She barely reached Innocence in time to shield her with her body as the figure with the dagger made to impale the little girl.

The blade flashed, trying to go through Korsa, but it wound up shattering into millions of tiny pieces. Despite the blade breaking so, the blow was a powerful one and threw Korsa back several feet. Landing on the flat of her back, the cowled figures rushed at her, seeking to restrain her. Using her agility, Korsa whirled her arms and legs, spinning them as she made her way to her feet. One figure ventured too close and had his arms cut off as a result.

Once Korsa was on her feet, she saw that the figure was a Xuul'khani female and she was quickly disintegrating into ash. Seconds later, she was dust at Korsa's feet, with the others looking at her as though she was a fearsome enemy. As one, they attacked her, hoping to overwhelm her with sheer numbers. But Korsa had been trained in scenarios like this and danced around each attack while cutting down each Xuul'khan who tried to end her.

She heard a scream behind her and saw that the figure, having been robbed of his weapon, was now trying to crush Innocence's head between his hands. Reacting, Korsa launched her blade at the figure which caught him directly in his center of mass. He flew back, landing awkwardly and still alive, though just barely. There were only two figures left and they though that Korsa was vulnerable, now that she was bereft of her weapon.

That assumption led to their doom, as Korsa, even without her Thuun'tara blade, was a living weapon. One leapt at her, drawing a hidden dagger, thinking to go for her neck. Korsa casually backhanded him, sending the dagger flying upwards. She then grabbed the second attacker, putting him in a hold with her lower arms, while she used her upper arms to snap his neck.