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Planet of Silence
Chapters Twenty-five and Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-five
Beverly and Deanna were near by watching the scene take place with great anticipation. They could not wait to see Mriana's answer.
Beverly could not help but smile. "What is her answer going to be?"
"Beverly!" Deanna exclaimed. "You know I can't eaves drop on her thoughts. It would be rude. You'll have to wait and see. That's what I'm going to do at least."
Beverly sighed with disappointment as they continued to wait for an answer. It seemed like Mriana was really dragging this out for all it was worth and all Beverly wanted to do was see her answer.
"You remember the question. Surely you do." Geordi signed.
"Yes, but I want to see you ask me again."
"Ah!" He exclaimed aloud. Then he signed, "I understand. You just want to see it again to give me a hard time."
"Maybe." She smiled playfully.
"Alright. I'll ask it again." Geordi sighed.
Just outside her room, Beverly jumped up and headed for her office. She was getting something that was very important.
"What are you doing, Beverly?"
"You'll see."
"Beverly, you can't eaves drop!" Deanna insisted.
"Well, you may not be probing their minds, but you do know what Mriana's answer will be. Besides that I'm helping, not eaves dropping."
Beverly entered Mriana's room. "Sorry to interrupt, but I thought I would let her try on the outer part and see how it works for her."
"I thought she had to wait forty-eight hours before you could do that?" Geordi asked.
"Well, she's doing so well, that I thought I would let her give it a try."
Beverly was really hoping Mriana could hear Geordi as he tried to ask the most important question of their lives. She really wanted this moment to be really special for Mriana.
She connected the outer parts of the audio implant. Then turned the device to a setting she hoped would produce sound for Mriana.
"Can you hear anything now?" Beverly asked behind Mriana, so she could not read her lips.
No response from Mriana. Beverly frowned and turned it up another notch.
"Can you hear anything now?"
Nothing. This time Beverly sighed. "I have this thing almost up to the highest setting. I was really hoping it would work."
She turned it to the highest setting. "Mriana, can you hear anything at all?"
Mriana smiled. "I can hear your voice, Beverly, or at least, I think it's you. I sense your emotions and you're really hoping I hear something, so I can only guess it's your voice."
Beverly sighed. "Well, it's something." Beverly walked back in front of Mriana and continued as she faced her. "Can you make out anything I am saying?"
Mriana looked at Beverly. "All I can tell is it is your voice, but I can't understand a word you are saying. I'm sorry, Beverly. I know you were hoping for more of a success, but just hearing the sound of your voice makes me happy."
Beverly was disappointed. She was hoping for more, but if knowing someone is talking and being able to distinguish sound was all Mriana could hope for, it was better than nothing.
"I'll leave you two alone." She said sadly. She was disappointed that Mriana would not hear Geordi's exact words.
She walked out of Mriana's private room and stood outside listening with Deanna.
"We really shouldn't be eaves dropping." Deanna told her.
"Maybe not, but I have to know what her answer is going to be."
"We'll find out soon. I'm sure they will tell us."
"I can't wait though."
Inside the room Geordi looked at Mriana. "Guess I still need to sign."
"It doesn't bother me." She signed back. "I've gotten use to it."
"Just as I have gotten use to not seeing like seeing people see."
"Yes, I guess it is about like that."
"Mriana." He signed.
"So, are you going to let me see the question again?"
"If it will make you happy." He signed with a smile.
"Only." She paused in her signing. "Don't just sign the question. I want to hear your voice too. Even if I can't make out a single word you say."
"OK" He replied aloud as well as signed. "Mriana, will you marry me?"
She smiled at the tenor sounds that were coming from his mouth. She thought the sound alone was beautiful and wanted to hear more.
When she did not answer right away, Geordi continued. "When you were in surgery and almost died, I realized I could not stand a universe without you. I need you in my life forever. I love you, Mriana."
She still had a big grin on her face.
He looked at her with puzzlement. "Does that smile mean yes or are you trying to hold back a laugh?"
"Oh, Geordi! Your voice is so beautiful to hear." She replied. "It's been so long since I've heard it! It doesn't matter if I can't understand your words. It's still wonderful!" A tear rolled down her face.
Geordi did not have a clue what to say next. He did not anticipate her being wrapped up in the sound of his voice. He waited a few seconds to see if she would get around to answering his question.
"And." She paused, but continued to smile. "In answer to your question. Yes! I will marry you, Geordi."
Not only did Geordi let out a yell of excitement and give her a big hug, but there were two more voices whooping with joy. Mriana and Geordi slowly pulled apart and turned towards the sound of Deanna and Beverly's voices.
They knew they had been caught so they walked in sheepishly. "We're sorry for eaves dropping." Beverly apologized. "But we just had to know what Mriana was going to answer. I just wish she could have heard your actual words."
"It's OK, Beverly." Mriana signed as she spoked. "Just hearing the sound of his voice was very nice and hearing your excitement was also enough for me. Sensing your excitement is good, but hearing joyful sounds is even nicer."
Beverly smiled back at Mriana and then hugged her. Deanna hugged Geordi and then congratulated him. Then Beverly hugged Geordi.
"I thought she was never going to give me an answer." Geordi teased.
"Well, it's hard to do both when you haven't heard your Imzadi's voice in ages." Mriana stated.
"I almost thought she wasn't going to give you an answer." Beverly said seriously. "You sure had everyone going. Maybe I shouldn't have put the outer part on you just yet."
"Really? And miss the handsome tenor sounds coming from that voluptuous mouth of his?"
The three women giggled.
"Well, at least I know my voice is well liked by women." Geordi replied to their giggles.
"So." Beverly began to ask. "Are you going to have a Betazoid wedding or an Earth wedding?"
"Earth."
"Betazoid."
They said the words in unison and then looked at each other.
"Geordi, would you rather strip off all your clothes, be in your birthday suit and be a symbol of the openness between us?"
"Um, actually."
"Why don't you two discuss this later." Deanna suggested. "And then if you still can't work it out, come see me. I'm sure you two can come to a compromise."
"Yes, maybe she's right, Mriana." Geordi responded.
"I think he would look very sexy in his birthday suit." Beverly stated with a giggle.
"He probably would." Deanna replied.
"I know he would." Mriana said with a playful smile.
"OK. You three are scaring me, so why don't I just depart now, before it gets to warm in here for all of you." Geordi said as he slowly made his way to the door.
"Geordi?"
He stopped for a moment.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Beverly asked.
"No, I don't think so."
"What about Mriana. Aren't you going to take her home?" She asked.
"Well, is she ready to leave Sickbay?"
"Yes. She just can't return to duty for another day or two. I'd like to see her tomorrow morning and then we'll go from there."
"OK." He said. He did not know whether he was excited or scared that he would be attacked because of his so called tenor voice.
Mriana jumped down from the biobed. "Oh, don't worry, Geordi." She signed. "I'm not going to attack you between here and my quarters. Now, in my quarters, that's another story."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
As they walked out, Mriana suddenly felt a sharp pain in her ears. "AW!" She screamed as she grabbed her ears. The pain pasted quickly, though.
Even so, Beverly was at her side with a tricorder immediately. "There's elevated levels of white blood cells, but nothing too sever to worry about at this time." She closed the tricorder. "Hopefully, the elevated count is just because you're healing from the surgery. I want to keep an eye on it, so I'll check on you every now and then tonight and tomorrow."
"OK." Mriana signed and nodded. There was still a small reminder of the sharp pain she had just felt in her ears, but it was subsiding quickly. "I'll be in my quarters. I promise. I'm getting a little tired anyway."
"Geordi, take her home." Beverly ordered happily.
Chapter Twenty-Six
It was two days later and Mriana was not feeling her best. Doctor Crusher had come by many times to check on her in the last two days and frowned more and more each time. She was not happy with her progress.
It was morning and Geordi had come by to check on her before going on duty. "So, when do you think Doctor Crusher will let you go back to duty?" He signed.
Mriana shook her head. "I don't know." She grabbed her ears in pain. Her eyes began to water from the pain. "I don't know. The pain is getting worse and I sense Beverly is not telling me something." She sobbed.
"Are you alright?"
"I don't know." She signed. "If I put the sound device on, the pain gets worse. It doesn't make any sense. I just wish I knew what she's not telling me."
The chime rang and Mriana sensed immediately that it was Doctor Crusher and this time she was not alone. Her cousin was with her.
"Come in." Mriana ordered.
Beverly and Deanna entered. They both took one look at Mriana and knew she was not doing well.
Beverly quickly scanned her, frowned, and shook her head. "These readings aren't getting any better."
"What's wrong, Doctor?" Geordi asked with concern.
"Deanna, stay with her and see if you can explain to her what's happening. I'm afraid if I do it, I may sign it wrong or worse yet, upset her more."
"Beverly, she knows or at least she knows something is seriously wrong." Deanna informed her.
"Well, try to keep her calm and tell her exactly what's happening. I'm not sure if I can. I was hoping for better than this. I never dreamed this would happen."
Deanna placed a hand on Beverly's shoulder. "You couldn't have known. All you can do it try and that's all anyone ever expected."
"What's going on?" Geordi asked.
"Stay with her." Beverly told Deanna. Then she pulled Geordi over to the side and turned her back towards Mriana. "I'm not ready to tell her, but her white blood cells are off the scale and this morning she is running a fever. It seems her body is rejecting the implant."
"No!" Geordi exclaimed. "That can't be! We were really hoping this would work, no matter how minute the success was."
"I know." Beverly sympathised. "I was too, but the fact remains, this implant is not going to work for her. I have to get her to surgery as soon as possible."
"I." Geordi did not know what to say. "Just name the time and I'll help get her there."
"NO!" Mriana yelled.
Geordi and Beverly turned back to face Deanna and Mriana. Mriana was very upset.
"I went through all of this for nothing?" Mriana shouted and stood suddenly. Then she looked directly at Beverly. "Why did you encourage me? This is your fault! I would have been just fine if you had just left me alone! Now I have to go through another surgery? Well, I'm not! Not going to do it!"
"Mriana." Deanna sent."Sit down. It's alright. You'll be fine once she removes the implant."
"She doesn't know that!" Mriana shouted. Dizziness over took her and she fell back down in her chair.
Beverly scanned her again. "Her fever is rising. I don't know how much longer we can wait."
Deanna told Mriana what Beverly had said. "I'm not going! I'm staying right here! She's not touching me again!"
"You're acting like a petulant child, Mriana." Deanna sent.
"I am not!" Mriana shouted at Deanna. "She messed up and I don't want her touching me again!"
"You're upset. When you calm down you'll see that it's not."
"No! I won't! I want a different doctor. She's not touching me!"
Deanna looked at Beverly. The regret of Mriana's accusations and anger showed all over her face. "I'm sorry, Beverly."
"Don't be. She's upset right now and not feeling well." Beverly replied. She looked at Mriana and signed "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean for."
"Sorry doesn't help!" Mriana said with anger.
"Mriana!" Geordi said and signed. "Doctor Crusher is your friend. Our friend. She really didn't mean for this to happen."
"Maybe she didn't, but the fact is what she did." Mriana grabbed her ears and screamed in pain again. Her body lowered to the floor with the pain as she screamed.
Beverly rushed to her side to help her back into the chair, but Mriana pushed her away. "Leave me alone!"
Beverly looked hurt as she looked up to Deanna and Geordi. "I'll talk to Doctor Selar and see if she'll attend to her. Computer, monitor Mriana Troi's vital signs. I want reports sent to Sickbay every fifteen minutes."
The computer beeped out it's understanding and complied to her orders. Beverly left Mriana's quarters, she only turned once to look at Mriana with regret about what was happening before she disappeared. In her wake were Deanna and Geordi. Confused at what to do and how to help Mriana.
Geordi was the first to approach her. He tried to put an arm around her and hug her, but he too was pushed away. "GO! Just leave me alone! All of you!" She cried.
"I'll stay with her, Geordi."
"NO!" Mriana shouted. "Don't you get it, Deanna? I want to be left alone!"
Deanna touched Geordi's shoulder in sympathy. "Go on, it will be alright."
Geordi left reluctantly, but not with sending four words to Mriana. "I love you, Imzadi."
Mriana ignored him.
"You're just angry because the implant is being rejected by your body and you're taking it out on everyone else." Deanna sent.
"GET OUT!" Mriana shouted into Deanna's mind. Nearly knocking Deanna backwards. Then she fell back into the chair with exhaustion. The yelling and the rejection of the implant was taking it out of her body.
"OK. I'll leave. Your vitals are being monitored. There's nothing more I can do if you don't want to listen, but know this, if you don't go to Sickbay soon and get that implant removed, it's only going to get worse."
"I don't care!" Mriana sent back with anger. "Go! Just go!"
Mriana's words were starting to become weak in Deanna's mind. She was not sure if she really wanted to leave her cousin.
"I'll be fine. I'm just very tired and need to rest." Mriana sent tiredly.
"OK. If you're sure."
"Yes."
Deanna turned to leave, but before she left she address the computer. "Computer, what are Mriana Troi's vital signs now?"
"Temperture is 39.72. Pulse rate is eighty beats per minute. Blood pressure is 100 over 60."
"Thank you." She did not like Mriana's temperture, but had to accept the fact that her vitals were being monitored and she wanted to be alone. She took one last look at Mriana and departed for the Bridge.
Mriana slowly rose from her chair and tried to make her way to the replicator. Dizziness over took her and she sat down on the floor to rest until it past.
Once it had, she tried to finish her way to the replicator. Once there, she leaned against the bulkhead. "Water, cold." She requested.
It appeared and she removed it from the replicator. Turning her back towards the bulkhead she slid down it to the floor. Then she sat there drinking her water and feeling completely exhausted.
In Sickbay, Doctor Crusher was talking to Doctor Selar. "She wants a different doctor. She believes I messed up the surgery and won't let me touch her even to remove it."
"I would think that her human response is kicking in and she is letting her anger take over."
"That maybe." Doctor Crusher replied. "But the fact is, we can't wait any longer to remove her implant. If we do she could die. Her fever is rising as we speak and her white blood cell count is off the wall."
"Off the wall?" Doctor Selar questioned.
"An old Earth saying."
"I see." Doctor Selar replied. "Did you try the standard medications to prevent rejection?"
"Yes and they didn't work."
"Antibodiotics?"
"Yes. Doctor, we don't have time to go over what I've done or not done. The fact is, my patient is in trouble and she won't let me help her. Insisting she wants a different doctor."
*Mriana Troi's temperture 40.5*
Doctor Crusher quit listening. "She's getting worse! If you won't help her, then I'll go in there with a phaser and stun her into Sickbay!"
"That may not be a wise course to take."
"It might not, but it could just save her life!"
Mriana rose from her position against the wall and stumbled towards her sleeping area. The room spun as she tried to walk. She felt as though she were about to feeze to death and wanted nothing more than to crawl under her blankets to get warm, even though her skin was hot, wet, and clamy.
The way there seemed to take forever as everything continued to revolve around her. Everything was a blur as though she were walking in a dream world. Nothing seemed real anymore.
Suddenly, she fell to the floor and laid there unconscious. Her dream world had become complete darkness.
Geordi was on the Bridge at one of the stations in the back when he felt a sudden break in his link with Mriana. He turned to face the command area.
"Commander?"
"Yes, Lieutenant?" Riker asked as he turned to face LaForge.
"Permission to leave the Bridge."
"Lieutenant?" Riker asked wondering what was wrong with his friend.
Deanna stood and faced Geordi. "It's alright. He just needs to check on some personnel, Commander."
Riker caught on quickly to what Deanna was trying to hint to him. "Problems?"
"Yes." Geordi replied, not knowing what else to say.
"There was some heated debate this morning on how to handle a critical situation. One that could worsen."
Riker nodded. "Permission granted."
"Thank you, Sir." He replied and then nodded towards Deanna. "Counselor." Then he left the Bridge.
"Counselor, can you give me more details on what that was all about?"
"Could we discuss this with the captain in his Ready Room?"
Riker stared at her briefly and then tapped his combadge. "Riker to Captain Picard."
*Picard here.*
"Could the counselor and I see you in your Ready Room for a minute?"
Picard could hear the urgency in Riker voice. *Can it wait or is it urgent?*
Deanna shook her head. "I don't think it should wait much longer."
"Captain, the counselor has informed me that it is urgent."
Picard sighed. He knew that if Deanna felt it was important enough to interrupt him in his Ready Room, it had to be serious. *Alright. Join me in my Ready Room.*
"Data." Riker addressed. "You have the Bridge."
It was not long until Picard heard the chime to his Ready Room. "Come."
Riker and Troi entered. Troi seemed very concerned about something and Picard immediately picked up on it. It was unlike Troi to be worried about something and it show on her face.
"Counselor?"
"Mriana's body is rejecting the implant."
Picard suddenly had a look of regret. "I'm sorry to hear that, but shouldn't Doctor Crusher be telling me this?"
"Mriana has refused treatment from her and she is very critical."
"Refused treatment?" Riker and Picard said in unison.
"She insists on a different doctor to remove the implant. Doctor Crusher is trying, but in the meantime she has gotten worse."
"So, that was what was wrong with Geordi." Riker said with sudden realization.
"Yes. He felt her loose consciousness, but what he felt and I sensed are two different things."
Riker nodded. "He felt her unconsciousness as a break in their connection." The next words Riker struggled to say. "Like she was gone."
"Yes." Deanna replied. "However, she only unconscious."
"I'm assuming Sickbay is monitoring her vital signs." Picard asked.
"Yes, otherwise I would be contacting Sickbay."
Picard nodded. He knew his counselor well enough to know she would do precisely that. "So, I guess what we do now is wait and see what Doctor Crusher is capable of doing to help her reluctant patient."
"Lieutentant LaForge?" Riker asked.
"What about him?" Picard asked in return.
"If he asks, should I allow him to stay with her until this crisis is over?"
Picard thought for a moment. He was begining to realize there was a unique and special bond between his engineer and his deaf counselor. One much like the two people in front of him and he knew when one was in serious condition, the other had difficulties performing at their best. No matter how hard they tried to continue with their duties at such a time.
In this situation, it was his Chief Engineer. He had to have LaForge functioning at his best and not be distracted.
"Granted. If he requests it or you see him unable to concentrate on his duties."
"Aye, Sir." Riker replied.
Doctor Selar and Doctor Crusher rushed into Mriana's quarters, only to see her laying unconscious on the floor. Selar immediately took her vitals.
"We have to get her to Sickbay and remove the implant immediately." Doctor Selar informed.
"Hopefully, it's not too late." Doctor Crusher replied.
Ignoring Crusher's emotionally packed statement, Selar hit her combadge. "Selar to Sickbay. We need one anti-grav in Counselor Mriana Troi's quarters, stat."
*Yes, Doctor.* Came Alyssa's voice. *It's on it's way.*
Geordi rushed into Mriana's quarters. "Is she going to be alright?"
"Geordi?" Crusher asked in shock as she rose from the floor. "How did? Never mind. Doctor Selar is going to attend to her."
"With Doctor Crusher's assistance." Selar informed. "She will assist me with the surgery, but since the counselor does not want Doctor Crusher as her doctor, I will be the main doctor on this case. The removal and treatment will be done by me."
"You make it sound like she's an object and not a human being!" Geordi accuse. "She's a human being!"
"Correction. She is Betazoid."
"Your point is, Doctor?"
Medical personnel entered with the anti-grav. and placed Mriana onto it. Then they rushed her off to Sickbay with the doctors following close behind.
"Lieutenant, we do not have time to discuss the difference." Selar informed him. "If you stay, stay out of our way so we can save her life."
Geordi stopped for a moment. Selar's last words sunk into his mind. He could not bare the thought of a life without Mriana.
Doctor Crusher had also heard Selar's words and knew without a doubt, Geordi had taken them hard. She also stopped and turned towards Geordi.
"Geordi, she'll be alright. Doctor Selar is a very good doctor." Beverly tried to reassure him. "I wouldn't have asked her to take care of Mriana, if she wasn't."
Geordi was still very worried. "Still, I wish you were the one doing this surgery."
"I know, but Mriana doesn't want me near her right now."
"No, but I do. You're a good doctor and I don't think it was fair of her to have treated you as she did."
"She was just angry."
"Even so."
"Geordi, I have to get back to Sickbay. You can come and wait there if you like."
Geordi nodded and they both headed to Sickbay. Once there, Selar was preparing to begin the surgery to remove Mriana's implant. The rest of the medical staff were working on trying to stabilize her vitals.
"Is there anything else I need to know, before I start, Doctor Crusher?"
"No, I believe I have informed you of everything."
"Very well."
"Excuse me." Geordi interrupted. "But have you done this surgery before?"
"It is a removal of a device. I have done that many times."
"Yes, but a removal of a rejected implant?"
"Geordi." Beverly addressed him. "She'll be fine. Doctor Selar is a very good doctor."
Geordi looked at the two doctors with uncertainty. "I'd feel better if you were doing the surgery, Doctor Crusher."
"I'll be there in case I'm needed, but since Mriana has stated she wants a different doctor, there's nothing more I can do."
Geordi nodded.
"You can wait outside of surgery. We'll let you know when we're done." Beverly said sympathetically.
Then Selar and Crusher left him to attend to Mriana.
"She's a tricky one, Doctor." Crusher informed. "Just when you think she's doing fine, she takes a turn for the worse."
"Noted. I'll keep a close eye on her vitals." Selar informed. Then began the removal of Mriana's rejected implant.