“Chief Medical Officer’s log, October 19, 2153. “It’s been two weeks since the incident between Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato, who is resting comfortably in her quarters yet unable to resume her duties at this time. She is still experiencing several side effects from the exposure to the contaminated decon gel – elevated estrogen and progesterone levels and nausea. Lieutenant Reed has been confined to the brig for the safety of himself and the crew. He remains fixated with …mating with Ensign Sato and has been sedated several time so I could treat him.”

“He has suffered numerous concussions from banging his head against the wall and has a xanographic splint on his left hand for a boxer’s fracture he received when he punched the wall. He is currently sedated so that splint may do its job and heal the fracture. He will remain sedated until I can come up with an antidote to counter the contaminated decon gel. Computer, pause.”

Sighing, Phlox measured a liquid substance into a container. “Computer, resume recording.”

“Since the event, I have had little time to document my findings regarding the catalyst, which led to the rape of Ensign Sato.” Phlox paused, not really taking any comfort in the scientific explanation.

“Ensign Sato’s decon gel was contaminated by the nearby droppings of my Denobulan bat due to a variety of factors. Number one, the gel was stored in a cabinet directly under the bat’s cage. Number two, the polyplastic fibers of the container were not up to medical storage regulation standards. I’m not sure how old the container is, but reasonably certain it is older than I am. The fumes are veritably undetectable unless you know you are looking for them. The fumes attached to Ensign Sato’s decon gel and acted as a hormonal agent to attract a mate.  The pheromones entered Lieutenant Reed’s system through his olfactory nerves. Essentially the pheromones did their job, attracting a mate through the sense of smell.”

“Lieutenant Reed’s response was within normal parameters … regarding the mating ritual for the Denobulan bat. It is often a violent coupling, which perpetuates the species most effectively. I’m uncertain when the effects of Ensign Sato’s heat will negate in his system. I have spoken with a colleague who is quite knowledgeable with the mating habits of several of our bird species on Denobula. He assures me that the heat should last only three and a half weeks. In the meantime, I am compelled to seek an antidote for Lieutenant Reed to cure him of his psychosis.”

Phlox stopped for a moment, forgetting to pause the recording as well. “I hold myself negligible for what happened. There is no excuse.  I submitted my findings, a request for a replacement and a request for a hearing to the interspecies medical exchange. The fate of my career is in their hands now. In all honesty, I find little enjoyment in my work. Through my carelessness, two lives have been altered irrevocably. Captain Archer still refuses my resignation, stating adamantly that Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato need my help more now than ever. He states that I was not negligible due to the contaminated gel, but the truth of the matter is that I didn’t check on their status, as I should have. Ten-minute increments are the established decon protocol, and the rape took place in fifteen minutes. End log.”

***

Hoshi jolted awaked, running to the bathroom for her ‘morning routine.’ She wretched into the basin, sweeping her hair to one side and closing her eyes, not paying much attention to the slight cramping.

She had woken up in sickbay, sore all over, like she had been in a car accident. Her head and shoulder throbbed painfully, as Phlox adjusted the monitor at the head of the bed, grimly. Captain Archer stood nearby, a grim expression marring his features as well.

---

“Did somebody die? Was she dead and having an out of body experience?”  “Am I dead?” she asked out loud, startling Phlox and the Captain.

“Thankfully, no, Ensign. I assure you, you are quite alive,” replied Phlox.

“What happened?”

Phlox looked at Captain Archer worriedly.

Captain Archer was the first to break the awkward silence as he cleared his throat. “What is the last thing you remember, Hoshi?”

She touched her head and grimaced. Images of decon – Trip, T’Pol and Malcolm flashed through her mind. Trip’s sunburn was a source of great amusement. They left – all but Malcolm. Phlox spoke to them through the window, handing them gel. Malcolm’s eyes were beautiful, and then they turned harsh with lust.

 As if trying to keep her head from exploding, Hoshi clutched her head and started to sob. Visions of decon…of Malcolm…of blood, flooded her mind.

She felt Captain Archer’s comforting hand on her shoulder and startled away from it as though it burned her. “Don’t touch me!” she spat vehemently and crawled away from him.

Hoshi cried for what seemed like an eternity, making herself sick. Mercifully, sleep soon claimed her.

---

She hadn’t been out of her cabin for two weeks. Phlox, Liz Cutler and Em Gomez were the only visitors she received since the rape. She stared at herself in the mirror. The bruised scars on her forehead and shoulder stared back at her. Hatred for Malcolm pooled in the pit of her empty stomach. Phlox had tried explaining why he had attacked her, but the explanation didn’t ease the hurt and anger she felt toward him. His betrayal still twisted in her.

Her stomach growled, reminding her of the hunger she had felt ever since the…rape. Any and every smell made her nauseous, so she subsisted on water, crackers and plomeek soup. The horror that she may be pregnant crossed her mind briefly, but she was on birth control, which was ninety-nine point nine percent effective -- that and the fact that Phlox had administered a ‘morning after’ pill.  The hormonal warfare running throughout her body would run its course shortly, according to Phlox.

***

The beast stared at the pathetic being curled onto the bed.

Weakly, Malcolm stared back at the un-kept, disgustingly perverse version of himself as it paced the length of the cell. In reality, he was asleep on the bunk and curled into a little ball, fighting his way back to consciousness on the cusp of twilight.

Even though he had been cleaned up, the animal in Malcolm tormented him by remaining disheveled and covered in her blood. He craved her, ranting about his seed incessantly, cursing everybody who wasn’t her.

The beast waited, intently. He waited for the perfect time to escape and resume the mating cycle with Hoshi. Malcolm waited for the perfect time to end his life. In the inner recesses of his soul, he rejoiced in the knowledge he was occasionally able to overpower the beast, once though he broke his hand in the process.

“Others are mating with her right now, you weakling! Our genetics will not be passed on thanks to you!” the beast spat and continued to pace the cell, trying to provoke Malcolm. It would rather feel pain, than listen to the simpering fool talk about his guilt over what they had done.

The scent of Ensign Brooks and food woke him. Outwardly, he was calm. Inwardly, the beast plotted the escape and established its control.

“Good Afternoon, Lieutenant. It’s lunchtime. Please get up and put your hands against the wall while the steward brings the tray in,” Ensign Brooks instructed as he raised his phase pistol.

Malcolm smiled groggily and did what he was told.

“Dr. Phlox says you have about a week and a half to go before the toxin works its way of our system. Good news, huh?” Brooks stated.

He was unaware that the beast rolled his eyes at him mocking his attempts at idle chitchat. “I don’t feel well,” Malcolm said weakly and sank to the floor clutching his stomach.

Ensign Brooks reacted hesitantly, taking his communicator out of his pocket. “Brig to Sickbay.”

“Phlox here.”

“Lt. Reed is ill.” Brooks stated, as he lowered the phase pistol and moved to help Malcolm to the bunk.

Instinctively and without warning, the beast pounced, ramming his head into Brooks’ abdomen and knocking him off balance. The struggle only served to heighten the beast’s excitement and senses. Hands groped for the weapon, bringing it between the two bodies.

Ensign Brooks shuddered in shock as the weapon discharged at point blank range into his stomach. 

The beast wasted no time kicking his opponent aside and bolting out the door to freedom and to his mate. On his way, he silenced the steward.

***

Lt. Em Gomez stood just inside Hoshi’s quarters, well aware of the situation. All details regarding the ‘incident’ were encrypted, encoded and completely unavailable to anybody with exception to herself and the senior staff.

She wanted to force Hoshi out of her quarters, but stopped after she saw her friend’s sickly complexion. Hoshi shrugged, thankful for the company, yet still awkward.

Em cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably. “You know I’m here if you need to talk... about anything…somebody other than Phlox...” She neglected to tell Hoshi she had been raped, feeling that Hoshi was still too fragile to empathize with anybody at the moment.

Hoshi’s eyes misted over. “Thanks, Em. I really appreciate it.”

“I mean it too. Anytime at all…”

Both women startled as a ship wide tactical alert sounded. “Attention! Security breach in cell A. The perpetrator is armed and dangerous!”

Em pushed Hoshi into her bathroom and shut the door. “Don’t come out until we come get you!”

Hoshi stumbled into the shower and sank to the floor trembling.

***

A security team ran past her as she stood outside Hoshi’s quarters, her back pressed against Ensign Archibald’s. He would not get past them.

Footsteps sounded in the corridor perpendicular to theirs and she tensed, drawing her phase pistol.

A security team ran by.

Her communicator was opened, ready for any sighting of Malcolm. Eerily, it remained silent as though he had vanished.

Finally security teams started reporting in, clearing sections of the ship painstakingly slow.

She waited.

***

 Hoshi waited, crouching in her shower stall, trying to stop the vomit from rising in her throat. She gagged and didn’t notice the vent above her sink lift from the ceiling.

***

The beast lowered himself from the ceiling, salivating at the prospect of mating. Her scent was pungent and still receptive.

He started to undress, quickly taking his shirt off. “Mmmm, shower sex,” leered the beast as it approached Hoshi running his hand along the glass making an eerie squeaking sound.

***

Her gaze locked with his, unable to move or scream. She sat there and trembled with fear. She opened her mouth, trying to scream, but nothing came out.

***

“She’s speechless!” goaded the beast.

Malcolm looked at Hoshi as she cowered before him and stopped in his tracks.

The beast pushed at Malcolm’s chest trying to move him in the action he craved. “Move weakling. You know you want her. Look at her. She wants you too. She’s trembling with desire for us.”

Malcolm couldn’t speak. He dare not waste the effort as he was focused on his right hand – the one that held the phase pistol.

The beast glared at him. “You wouldn’t dare!”

Malcolm closed his eyes, focusing on his hand and arm, struggling with the beast for control.

***

Hoshi could only stare at her attacker as he loomed over her. Her voice was lost.

Malcolm mumbled to himself, shaking. “You will never hurt her, again.”

She watched in horror and relief as he turned the phase pistol toward his chest and fired, crumpling against the glass.

A scream filled her ears.

***

“The ventilation system!” Em yelled as she sprang through Hoshi’s door wishing she could put her phase pistol on kill.

She stopped dead, looking at the scene in front of her – Hoshi curled into a ball, sobbing and Malcolm’s half naked torso slumped onto the floor.

She rushed to take his pulse gasping, as she found none. “Archibald, get in here,” she yelled as she laid Malcolm out and started CPR.

She paused as she noticed the burn on his chest. “Get Phlox! Tell him Malcolm has been shot point blank in the chest. The phase pistol was on…” she tore the weapon out of Malcolm’s hand “…stun.”

Em pumped on Malcolm’s chest, alternating with breathing. She continued this rhythm for what seemed like an eternity. Somebody pulled her away and she watched in horror as Dr. Phlox worked on Malcolm, injecting him with epinephrine.

He pounded on Malcolm, frustrated that he wasn’t in sickbay. Finally the equipment arrived. Placing the stimulators in a circular pattern, he sat back and yelled, “Everybody, stand clear!”

He continued shocking Malcolm, alternately pounding on his chest and injecting him with more epinephrine.

Hoshi watched numbly.

Em watched in shock, silently praying for Malcolm to pull through. He had shot himself rather than harm Hoshi again. She should have stayed next to Hoshi at all times. She should have known he would get to her no matter what. She should have known …she just should have known everything.

Phlox’s PADD beeped in steady rhythm, mimicking Malcolm’s heartbeat as it started up.

She didn’t realize she had been holding her breath until she let it out, relieving the pressure on her lungs.

Hoshi reached out to touch Malcolm, tears streaming down her face. She stopped a mere centimeter away.

Stabilized, Malcolm was loaded onto a backboard and transported to sickbay for further testing and monitoring.

***

Glorious numbness surrounded Hoshi as she crushed the niggling feeling of gratitude she felt toward Malcolm grow.

The anguish on his face as he turned the phase pistol on himself gave her the first understanding since the rape of what Malcolm had been going through. Like her, yet unlike her, he had been raped as well.

Em lifted Hoshi to her feet after everyone had cleared out. She was torn between helping her and checking on Malcolm but knew in the long run that he was being well taken care of.

Hoshi stood there, holding on to Em as though her life depended on her. The cacophony of emotions twisting inside her made her light-headed and nauseous.

“Maybe we should get you to sickbay too,” suggested Em as she watched her friend turn an unusual shade of green.  

Luckily, Hoshi made it to the basin before she emptied the contents of her stomach, her abdominal muscles protesting at the effort.

Em could see Hoshi tremble with the effort and knew Hoshi needed something to help her, so she contacted sickbay as Hoshi continued to throw up.

Hoshi sat with her back against the wall, one arm slung across the toilet. “You will never hurt her again,” rang in her ears. Warmth spread throughout her chilled body as the healing process began. Her heart whispered his name yet her mind, filled with the hatred and betrayal, continued to ignore it. The part that had loved Malcolm flitted to life in the darkest recesses of her brain. That part mourned for their loss, worried for his well being, yet hoped for more.

The feel of a cool washcloth against the back of her neck brought her out of her musings and she shuddered. Em piled her hair off of her neck and clipped it into a precarious bun, placing the coolness against the heat of her skin. Hoshi looked up at her, questions burning in her eyes along with unshed tears. Fresh guilt inserted itself into Hoshi’s thoughts.

“My ma ma always put a cool cloth on the back of my neck whenever I was sick,” Em explained.

Human contact. Em had touched her and there hadn’t been any fear or revulsion.

The chime at Hoshi’s door startled both of them.

Em answered the door cautiously, relieved to find Ensign Archibald returned from sickbay with a hypo spray. “How is he?”

Visibly shaken, Archibald replied, “He crashed again, but they got him started up. He’s stable now. Ensign Cutler gave this to me for Ensign Sato.” He held out the hypo spray.

Hoshi overheard the conversation with mixed emotion – relief that Malcolm was alive and regret that he was still alive.

Em approached Hoshi and administered the medication for nausea. Helping Hoshi to her bunk she admitted to her what she had never admitted to anyone else. “I was raped too. If you need to talk, I’m here for you.”

Hoshi’s eyes drifted closed as the medication took effect.

***

“Chief Medical Officer’s log supplemental. Lt. Lieutenant Reed is resting comfortably now, his condition stabilized. I am keeping him sedated until Ensign Sato’s heat has run its course or I find something to negate the effects.”

Phlox stopped the recording as soon as an alarm went off. Rushing to Malcolm’s side he checked the monitor, sighing as he realized it was simply time to administer another sedative.

***

The beast lay panting on the ground in Malcolm’s mind, mortally wounded. Malcolm kept the phase pistol trained on him, in the event he made a comeback. Malcolm was in control now – control of what he had no idea though. He had been unable to focus enough to put the phase pistol on kill as he wanted to.

The fear radiating off of Hoshi had given Malcolm the strength he needed to overcome the beast – that, and the love he felt for her…a love that would never be reciprocated because of what he had done. He quelled that feeling for her, preferring the cold of the guilt he felt for betraying her.

The scent of her lingered in his mind and the beast stirred, coughing up blood. “She’ll always hate you. My job is done here. I can smell our young inside her womb.”  The beast laughed and then seized, blood sputtering from its mouth. He panted with great difficulty and finally succumbed to the grips of death.

***

Malcolm loomed over her in the shower, taking his pants off, growling how he was going to fuck her raw and enjoy it. Exhaustion disabled her. She was unable to move or make noise. She was naked and he took advantage of that as he carried her into the bedroom and spread her legs apart and pushed into her.

He grunted and came, but remained inside her, resting on top of her, whispering about what a great fuck she was. She could feel him harden inside her and knew it wasn’t over.

She closed her eyes, a single tear escaping through her lids. The humiliation and betrayal pierced her soul. The beast within Malcolm would not be persuaded as she pleaded with him to stop.

Instead he raised her legs onto his shoulders and pushed deeper into her. She no longer had the power to close her eyes or turn her head as she watched the darkness in his eyes as he found his second release.

He rolled off of her then, closing his eyes for a brief second. When he opened his eyes again, they were a bright blue, brimming with tears. Looking down at the phase pistol in her hand he spoke, “Hurry, he’s stirring again. I can’t hold him back. Kill me now.”

Hoshi clasped the phase pistol, lifting it flush with Malcolm’s heart and fired.

***

“I think I’m going crazy,” Hoshi sighed as she took a sip of her raspberry tea, thankful she had found something other than water to drink.

“The nightmares will go away eventually and life will go on. I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you, though. Your life has changed and it is up to you what do with it at this point.” Em set her cup down on Hoshi’s desk and sat back, waiting for the other woman to say something.

She jumped when Hoshi threw the cup onto the deck plating and just stared at it. Her hands were closed in fists, her knuckles white. “I’m so angry,” she seethed with her teeth clenched.

Em remained silent.

“I couldn’t stop what was happening. I couldn’t protect myself. I couldn’t stop him. He didn’t stop it! I hated him! I hate myself!” Hoshi threw her arms in the air for emphasis then slumped over, putting her hands over her face, sobbing.

“I – I had the biggest crush on Malcolm, but never had the nerve to act on it. Right before the…rape…I had finally acted on it. I flirted with him. I think he actually blushed. I felt so empowered and backed off waiting for him to flirt back…” Hoshi stopped, unable to continue.

“It was all my fault,” she whispered and jumped when Em slammed her glass down and started yelling at her.

“It was not your fault! If anybody tells you differently, I’ll kill them. I have the right mind to slap you up side the head for uttering such an absurdity... I…I’m sorry,” panted Em as she sat down and smoothed the lines of her uniform.

“It’s just not your fault. And I never thought I would say this, but it wasn’t Malcolm’s fault either.” Em saw Hoshi tense, noticeably.

“Who knows?”

“The senior staff, excluding Travis, and me. No reports have been filed. Dr. Phlox’s inquiries are not naming names, but his transmissions are still encrypted,” Em said as she bent over and started picking up the glass.

“I was raped back at the academy,” Em volunteered, “by numerous attackers. They beat the shit out of me, telling me how I was worthless and that I had it coming to me.”

Her eyes glazed over at the memory as she relayed her rape to Hoshi. “They broke into my dorm room one night and roughed me up and …forced me to do things. They had a gun aimed at my head the whole time they fucked me, threatening me with death if I struggled or screamed. It seemed that I pissed some of my male counterparts off in class. It wasn’t until later, after I started piecing things together, when I figured who had been behind it all.”

“I believed every word they said, but finally went to seek medical help two days later due to rectal bleeding. Counselors came and went, spouting the rhetoric, but none of that made any difference. You’re going to have to work through it on your own and heal yourself. Nobody else is going to be able to do it for you. The only thing any of us can do is listen. But, I can tell you this much.” Em leaned over and took Hoshi’s hands in her own. “Don’t wade in the anger for too long, or it will eat you alive.”

Silent tears rolled down Hoshi’s cheeks and she nodded acknowledgement.

***

Malcolm was alone in his self-loathing, locked in the exhausted recesses of his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he could not stir. Even though the beast was dead, he still felt compelled to turn the phase pistol on himself. But, he hadn’t the strength. He had exhausted himself to protect her. She was safe, now and let himself rest, the darkness wrapping his soul with bitterness.

***

“Chief Medical Officer’s log. October 30, 2153. The heat cycle is complete and I am going to wake Lieutenant Reed up and hope for the best. Ensign Sato is still experiencing nausea and her estrogen and progestrogen levels are normalizing.” Phlox cut the log off and nodded to Captain Archer and Commander Tucker, who stood ready with phase pistols in the event Malcolm became violent. It had been several weeks, but they had come full circle, minus Hoshi.

Administering the hypo spray, they waited for Malcolm to wake.

Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, staring at the bright light overhead. “Lieutenant Reed?”

Malcolm turned his head in the direction the voice came, but that was the only response Phlox received.

“Lieutenant Reed, can you hear me?” Phlox asked, as he shook him.

“Y-yes,” he answered painfully, reality glaring at him.

“All of his readings are within normal parameters,” Phlox stated.

“Malcolm?” Archer questioned staunchly. “Is it safe to undo your restraints?”

Malcolm sighed, “Yes, sir. The beast is gone.”

Phlox and Trip undid the restraints slowly. Malcolm remained still.

“Sir, I’m prepared for disciplinary action to the highest extent of the Starfleet Military Protocol page IV-65: Article 120 - Rape and carnal knowledge. Any person subject to this chapter, who commits an act of sexual intercourse by force and without consent, is guilty of rape and shall be punished by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct. If you please sir, make it quick. She shouldn’t have to suffer any longer.” Malcolm stared straight ahead, his voice cracking slightly.

“Malcolm we’re aware of the contaminated gel and the…consequences. There will be no court martial. Depending on further developments the only thing that will happen is a reassignment. I'm not sure who at this point. I need to speak with Hoshi about it." Captain Archer informed Malcolm of the decision he had come to a few weeks ago.

"Ensign Sato to Sickbay," Hoshi's weak disembodied voice filled the air.

Phlox walked over to the comm panel and pressed the button. "Go ahead."

Hoshi sobbed in pain. "I'm bleeding and…" The comm went dead.

Phlox grabbed a med kit and headed out the door, followed by Captain Archer and Trip. Malcolm tried to get up and was stopped by the cold command in Trip's voice. "Stay."

***

Hoshi lay in a definitive pool of her own blood. Just where it came from was indeterminable until Phlox started running diagnostics. He gasped at his discovery. Hoshi's HCG levels were immeasurable as several zygotes had tried and failed to implant into her uterine wall. Even though she had ongoing birth control established in her system and had been given a morning after pill, fertilization had still taken place. It looked as though five zygotes were present. He hadn't considered the possibility that the gel had affected her reproductive system, causing her to release five mature eggs at once. Luckily for her, the morning after pill prevented implantation, for all but one. There was a viable embryo imbedded in her destabilizing uterine wall.

"Help me get her to sickbay," Phlox stated grimly, feeling the responsibility of more than Hoshi's life pressing upon him.

***

Malcolm's eyes flew to the woman on the stretcher as Trip and Captain Archer carried her in. Phlox followed at their side, making notations on his PADD and administering hypo sprays.

A privacy curtain was drawn as Phlox took care of Hoshi, occasionally barking orders to Captain Archer and Trip. Eventually, Ensign Cutler came to take their place.

***

“Chief Medical Officer’s log, supplemental. I stabilized Ensign Sato and the embryo within, utilizing a findial blocking inhibitor. I also performed a partial internal clanf of her uterus, eliminating the deformed zygotes and enabling her system to resume a normal pregnancy cycle. She lost a great deal of blood as her body tried to expel the zygotes, yet is resting comfortably in sickbay. She is weighing her decision carefully.”

“Lieutenant Reed has resumed his duties, suffering no physical side effects from the incident or his attempted suicide. He is aware of Ensign Sato’s condition yet does not make any attempt to contact her.”

“I’ve received a reprimand from the interspecies medical exchange stating a lax in medicinal protocol was at fault and that the procedure for decon should change. Visual confirmation of all parties in decon shall be maintained at all time.” 

***

She was well informed. Phlox made sure of that. All he had to do was remove the inhibitor and her system would spontaneously abort the…person, whose heartbeat she had already heard.

It wasn’t its fault. It wasn’t anybody’s fault. But her decision was made. She would not look back.

***

“Dr. Phlox,” Hoshi called from behind the curtain.

“Yes Hoshi,” he replied as he came to her side.

“Remove the inhibitor.”

“Very well.” He moved to do so, not questioning her decision. He had given her the knowledge and she made a decision.

He gave her an injection for the pain and pulled the curtain.

TBC

Back to Chapter 1

Possessed chapter listing

On to Chapter 3

To Cindy's page

To Main MEG Archive page