Chapter Text
Johannah lay down on a bed in sickbay whilst the EMH scanned her, Devoid & Breezie standing beside the bed.
“So, tell me Johannah, what do you last remember before arriving here?” The EMH asks.
“I had recently been promoted to full Lieutenant and Captain Sulu had me transferred here, to the Reliable. They said they needed a navigation officer there.” Johannah replies.
“Do you recall the stardate then?” Devoid asks, wondering if they could get a timeframe.
“I could never get the hang of stardates, I just know the regular date… August 21st, 2302. I transferred after about 4 years on the Excelsior.” Johannah replies.
“There must’ve been a transporter malfunction on the Excelsior. Locking Johannah in the pattern buffer until we came along.” Breezie states.
“Explains why she isn't any older. The constant refresh rates likely kept the pattern from degrading.” The EMH replies.
“How long has it been? What year is it?” Johannah asks, looking up at the people around her.
“It’s been 64 years since you beamed away from the Excelsior. The year is 2366.” Breezie states calmly.
Johannah is shocked. “64 years… That’s ages. Is the Excelsior ok?” She asks.
“It’s a museum exhibit now, I think it was retired… sometime 40 or so years ago.” The EMH states.
Devoid couldn’t say a word and calmly left sickbay.
Sally was just outside, leaning on a wall & drinking a slushie she got from the newly installed replicators. “So, who’s this Johannah?” Sally asks.
“Possibly someone I know… Let’s head to the TARDIS Historical Database. We might be able to find something there.” Devoid states.
The TARDIS Historical Database was large, a room with a large panoramic window viewing directly into the database, with computer terminals dotted around for easy access.
Devoid walked up to one of them and searched up ‘Johannah Jackson’.
“What is this? The Wikipedia room?” Sally asks, looking around.
“You could call it that, but it stretches across the past and future. Now, if I remember correctly, Johannah was part of a space program in the mid 2290s. Far before I was born.” Devoid says, as he scrolls down to ‘Adult life’ and there it was.
‘In 2295, Johannah Jackson was part of the SONIC Space Program, part of the first shuttle SONIC-01. Said shuttle was deemed lost after sensors lost track of it soon after launch’ the database said.
“They continued on for 5 more shuttles, but by the 6th, they had given up as the Warp Project began.” Devoid explained before shutting off the terminal.
“So you’re saying Johannah is another one of your kind?” Sally asks.
“Indeed, she’s likely part of the first Mobians in Starfleet.” Devoid replies. “And from a more civilised age too…” He mumbled before walking off.
Sally was quick to follow out of the TARDIS Historical Database.
“Well, according to the medical scans, you’re good and healthy. The holding hasn’t affected you one bit.” The EMH says, looking at the scans of Johannah’s body on a small monitor in sickbay.
“However, there is a slightly slower heart rate we may need to monitor and the brain is looking rather unique..” Johannah sat up.
“That’s normal. At least, the doctor on the Excelsior said it was normal…” Johannah states, looking at the EMH.
“We’ve progressed in medical technology in the over half a century you’ve been gone.” the EMH replies.
Johannah was uncertain, but just sighed. “Ok then.” She says, getting up. She begins to walk out, fear entering her veins while she believes she is the last member of the Excelsior’s crew. She walks into the hall, wondering what has changed over the decades she has been gone. Johannah’s head began pounding, a splitting headache hitting her like a wrecking ball. Her breath became unsteady. She would hear voices, conversations long past… she looks up to see Devoid coming down the hall, along with someone she hasn’t seen before.
A Mobian Coyote with cargo pants, a tank top, a denim jacket, and some hiking boots. He is right on Devoid’s heels, noticing Johannah as well as she begins to pass out due to hyperventilation. The coyote appears to tap on Devoid’s shoulder, making him look over and see Johannah.
“Oh god!” Devoid shouts in a panic, holding Johannah’s shoulders. “Are you alright? Do I need to get you a drink?” He asks.
Johannah’s eyes darted between Devoid & the coyote. “Wh-What is… Who…?” She asks before trying to catch her breath, seeing the coyote indicate to take deep breaths. She steadies her breathing, looking right at the Coyote, who seems translucent when she looks at his feet. Something isn’t right with this new guy. He looks at her confused before asking “Y-You can see me?” and pointing at himself.
“Johannah, what are you looking at?” Devoid asks, confused. She points at the person at Devoid’s side
“Th-there is someone-” Her hand goes through the Coyote’s chest, and he reacts in surprise.
“Holy crap, she can see me!” He cries in joy as Johannah screams bloody murder in fear falling onto her backside and crawling back.
“OK, we are getting you right back in there.” Devoid says, getting Johannah up and walking her back into sickbay.
“Something’s up with her, she’s seeing things that aren’t there.” Devoid states bluntly, as if he personally doesn’t believe it.
The EMH notices the two coming in again after Johannah just left, and he sighs “And what seems to be the problem?”
Devoid gets her into a chair, and looks at the doctor “She seems to be hallucinating, or something of that sort.”
The Hedgehog and The Hologram begin having a conversation, while the Coyote looks with concern “Well,” He states “This is awkward, you’re Johannah, right?”
Johannah nods, as the Coyote shrugs before giving her a small, nonchalant salute “Well, I’m Jacob, Jakob the Coyote” He states, a bit chill, a bit cheeky.
Johannah responds “Well, it’s nice to meet you Jacob.”
“It’s odd though, I can check the brain scans, but I don’t think any of them have any links to any symptoms that could cause hallucinations.” The EMH states, checking a computer terminal at his desk. As the scans of Johannah’s cranium appeared on the monitor, the EMH had an idea. “Computer, search for any abnormalities within these scans.” He states. With a few beeps, some analysis began.
The computer began looking through matches in Starfleet Medical databases, before coming up with a match. “Abnormality detected. Subject has symptoms of Exspiraloquisis.” The computer spoke.
“Exspira… what?” Devoid asks.
“Exspiraloquisis… The ability to communicate with spirits.” The EMH states, still looking at the computer terminal.
“So you’re saying Johannah saw a ghost over my shoulder?” Devoid asks.
Jacob then states “Did you know the scientific word for butt crack is ‘Intergluteal crease’?”.
Johannah looks at Jacob, confused about his statement. “Why… How is that relevant?”
Jacob shrugs with a “Big confusing word I guess.”
The EMH takes out a regular tricorder, this one adjusted to scan for noncomporal objects. He scanned throughout the sickbay before finding the ‘object’ near Johannah’s shoulder. “Of course… A ghost. We can’t see or hear them, but Johannah can!” The EMH states with wonder in his voice.
Jacob thinks. “Yeah, you can’t… so I can say all the out of pocket stuff I want.”
Johannah sits there, concerned “So, I can see ghosts now? That’s something I’m gonna have to get used to.” She states with a groan of irritation.
Breezie leans over to Johannah. “Perhaps we can test this power out… But we’ll need a familiar setting for you, like the Excelsior.” Breezie states.
“Are you saying we’re going back?” Johannah asks.
“Yes, I’m taking you back to the Excelsior to see how these powers might work, cause if they are how I think they are, they would’ve worked great at the Rainbow Factory…” Breezie states.
“The what?” Johannah asks.
“I’ll explain later, let’s just get to the Excelsior.” Breezie replies, leading Johannah to the transporter room.