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unhumanrights · 1 year ago

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"Crisis Variable," Chapter 1, by UnhumanRights

Just in case you don't want to go to AO3 to read it, here's the first chapter of my fic. Although, if you would like to do me a kindness, you could go to my work on AO3 and leave kudos/comments. Just saying!

Teaser:

"Tendi, I have witnessed your combat prowess firsthand. Mariner, I have...read about your combat prowess in your file, and I am certain I will see it someday. I must know. In your expert opinions, what did I do wrong here? What should I have done differently?" T'Lyn asks Mariner and Tendi to analyze her combat performance after her encounter with the Betazoid Intelligence operatives.

Notes:

This story takes place a week after the events of Lower Decks S04e05, "Empathological Fallacies." It's the first real fanfiction I've written in a very long time, so please be kind. One last note: I decided to write it as a script because I was trying to emulate the feel of the show as closely as I could. Call it an experiment in style. Sorry if you don't like reading scripts!

Okay, story under the cut!

[Aboard the Cerritos. Tendi and Mariner enter the holodeck, where T'Lyn is already waiting, a cup with a straw in her hand and a PADD tucked under her arm. The room is empty except for three chairs to the side of the arch]

T'Lyn: I thank you both for coming.

Mariner: Anything for our girl, right, Tendi?

Tendi: You bet! You didn't tell us what this is about, and the mystery's been killing me.

T'Lyn: I require external input on a project I'm working on. You two are ideal candidates for objective third parties.

Mariner: Stop, you're making me blush.

T'Lyn: Please have a seat. Computer, load T'Lyn program "Betazoid Combat Simulation, iteration 342."

[The three women sit, T'Lyn between the other two, as the scene unfolds: the sickbay of the Cerritos. Present are holograms of Mariner, Captain Freeman, T'Lyn, T'Ana, and the three Betazoid intelligence operatives who were passengers during T'Lyn's episode of emotional projection. Mariner recognizes it immediately]

Mariner: Ooo, really? We're gonna revisit this?

T'Lyn: "Revisit" implies a span of time between this event and the creation of the program. I made this on the same day.

Tendi: Wait, did you say 342 iterations? You've been working on this all week?

T'Lyn : Correct.

Tendi: And...how much time do you spend on it each day?

T'Lyn: Only the time I am not sleeping, performing necessary hygiene, or working. [A pause] Correction...most of the time I am working. You would be intrigued to discover how many spare seconds you can reclaim between tasks. The time has been worthwhile and not excessive. Computer, begin program.

[The program begins. Dr. T'Ana discusses the results of the medical scans performed on the Betazoids, the volume muted as the focus is on the three women observing]

T'Lyn: [She sips from her cup as she watches] I have been able to devote more time to the project since discovering this nutrient shake recipe in the replicator. It provides all the nourishment I need without wasting time with mastication.

Mariner: Damn, girl, you don't have an off switch. Do you run simulations in your sleep, too?

[T'Lyn pauses mid-nutrient-sip. She looks away from the holograms long enough to peer at Mariner from the corner of her eye]

T'Lyn: I had not considered that possibility. Very efficient. Thank you for the excellent suggestion, Mariner.

Tendi: Oh boy.

T'Lyn: [She leans forward, attention back to the simulation] This is the portion that requires your utmost attention. I've reset all the variables I've added over the iterations, so your observations will be untainted by my experimentation.

[Mariner and Tendi glance at each other, but say nothing. The combat between the Betazoids and the crew begins, and Mariner's and T'Ana's holograms are knocked out in short order. Soon after, the Betazoids overpower holo-T'Lyn]

T'Lyn: Computer, freeze program.

[The program freezes. T'Lyn puts her nutrient shake down on the floor beside her and begins tapping away on her PADD]

T'Lyn: I have a questionnaire for you both. Please be as detailed as possible. It should not take you more than an hour to answer every question to my satisfaction.

Mariner: Look, Tee-Lye, babe, as much as I love the idea of taking a full-ass exam right now, maybe we can start with something more...informal?

T'Lyn: I suppose we can try it.

Mariner: Great, beautiful. First of all, I kind of thought we were done with this whole thing a week ago? Heartfelt moment of self-acceptance? Ring a bell?

T'Lyn: Ah. You misunderstand, Mariner. That was a crisis of faith regarding my racial identity. This is a different matter.

Tendi: Which is...?

T'Lyn: A crisis of faith regarding my combat skill. I will explain. Computer, please rewind simulation to marker two and resume program.

[The simulation returns to the point after the Betazoids have knocked out Mariner and T'Ana, leaving T'Lyn to face them on her own]

T'Lyn: As you can clearly see from my stance, I have trained in Suus Mahna. I do not claim mastery, having only taken enough to satisfy certain requirements for joining the Vulcan Fleet, but I am by no means defenseless. In addition, Vulcans are naturally faster and stronger than Betazoids. And yet...

[Holo-T'Lyn is knocked out again after a brutal triple-attack from the Betazoids]

T'Lyn: ...I am the one on the ground. [stands up and walks over to her doppelganger's unconscious form, then turns to look at them both] Tendi, I have witnessed your combat prowess firsthand. Mariner, I have...read about your combat prowess in your file, and I am certain I will see it someday. I must know. In your expert opinions, what did I do wrong here? What should I have done differently?

Mariner: Seriously? Look, T'Lyn, you're being way too hard on yourself. I mean, check me out. Stone cold badass, but I was the first one down.

T'Lyn: You were compromised by my psychic influence. It was not a fair fight.

Mariner: [stands up, gesticulating wildly] It was never a fair fight! I know Betazoids aren't known as the galaxy's greatest warriors, but those three were Betazoid Intelligence, not some drunken socialites. Although they could really party. And you tried to take three of them on by yourself. And you lasted longer solo than I did with backup, if you can count my mom and the doctor as backup.

Tendi: [surreptitiously takes a sip of T'Lyn's nutrient shake, makes a face] I bet it's hard, fighting people when you're an empath. Every time you punch someone, you know it hurts. I mean, you'd know that already, duh, but you'd sense it. I'd hate if if it were me. I...don't think there was anything you could have done differently. Those ladies were just hardcore.

T'Lyn: [strokes her chin thoughtfully] Logically, I know what you say is true. Three to one odds were not in my favor, and they were not truly my enemies. However, this...feeling...that I failed my ship is disconcerting.

Tendi: You didn't fail, though. Everything turned out fine!

[T'Lyn says nothing, staring at her unconscious avatar for a few seconds]

T'Lyn: It could have ended differently. Computer, resume program.

[The events that follow mirror what happened after the sickbay encounter. The Betazoid intelligence agents take Captain Freeman to the bridge, where they alter the Cerritos's course to take them through the Neutral Zone]

T'Lyn: I misspoke earlier, when I said I had reset all the variables I had added. I left just this one.

[At this point, the security team should be showing up to retake the bridge from the Betazoid operatives. However, they never appear. Instead, the Cerritos crosses over into the Neutral Zone, where it is summarily destroyed by the Romulan Warbird that lurks cloaked within. T'Lyn stares at the explosion, the orange highlighting her impassive expression until the light fades. She blinks.]

T'Lyn: It could have ended like...this.

Tendi: But that's not what happened.

T'Lyn: Had events unfolded in a way that varied even slightly...my failure could have been final, and fatal. This modified timeline illustrates the possibilities we did not experience solely because of one variable. Had the security team not been isolated from my psychic influence, they would have been compromised like the rest of the crew, and would not have retaken the bridge. I dislike thinking about it, but I cannot stop myself. One variable.

[Mariner looks thoughtful, then her face lights up. She goes to T'Lyn, and puts a hand on her shoulder]

Mariner: Do you trust me?

T'Lyn: [an arch of one eyebrow] Yes.

Mariner: Let me take a crack at modifying your program. I have an idea. I think you'll find it...therapeutic.

T'Lyn: I see no harm in it. Very well. I look forward to it.

Tendi: [almost too stealthy for words, she is out of her chair and hooking an arm through T'Lyn's] You know, you started out great! Put them on the defensive so they had to respond to you, ducked that swing. Maybe we could spar sometime? Just a little, and I'd go easy on you. But first, let's go to the mess and get you some real food, okay? I know a few Orion dishes I bet you'd like...

[Tendi's words fade as we turn away from them and focus on Mariner, looking quite devious]

Mariner: [to herself] This is perfect. Boimler thinks he can write a sequel to MY movie? Well, boom, bitch, Crisis Point 2 just became the direct-to-video sequel that nobody cares about, [muttered] you know, besides all your important personal struggles with mortality or whatever.

[Close-up on Mariner's face, eyes narrowed]

Mariner: Coming to a holodeck near you...Crisis Point 1.5.

[END, CHAPTER 1]

End notes:

Well, I hope you enjoyed it! It started out as a much different idea: T'Lyn wanted to learn to fight, and Mariner wanted to learn the Vulcan nerve pinch, and they were basically doing a "cultural exchange." (Man, quotation marks makes that sound dirty). After the episode "Empathological Fallacies," though, it evolved into a new thing. Basically, the episode ruined a punchline I had in mind. I guess I should be happy because it's becoming something I like even better. Heck, Tendi even got involved, which I hadn't expected. Also, I had intended it to be a one-off story, but now I need to do at least one more chapter after that teaser at the end (and probably an epilogue with some nice fluff). I've written too much here, haven't I? I'll stop now.

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