‘Mar Ley was dead, to begin with’.

It was strange to recall a memory of a place you’d never been to, but that’s how things felt for Alara right now.  This was a dream, but not her dream.  The water in the rock pool looked so still and peaceful, giving off its own faint illuminance; here in the cave she found herself.  Why was this all so familiar, if she couldn’t recall ever being in this place?  Why did it make her feel so calm and relaxed, when there was a part of her yelling and screaming?

She was not alone however, six figures stood in the shadows and swirling mist, almost formless, but clearly humanoid.  Alara had no idea who these individuals were, and yet there was a connection, a bond between each other and her.  They were one and yet separate, part of a bigger whole; but not like a Borg Collective, this was something very different, almost harmonious; beautiful even.

Presently one of the figures stepped forward, a man dressed in a simple robe.  His features slowly became more defined, as if his face and body were forming into something more than just an abstract form, before her.  The man was her husband of 7 years, Mar Ley.  She smiled at him, he was such a tall handsome man; with him here this was indeed a wonderful dream. At least it should have been, if only things didn’t seem off, somehow.

“What is this place?” Alara asked her husband softly. “And why am I here?”

“I think you know the answer to that question already.” He replied sincerely.

“Trill, the pool were the un-joined symbionts reside.” Her voice came out as a hesitant whisper. “But I’ve never been there.  You, y yyou have.”

He titled his head to one side, and smiled that impossible to resist smile of his, the one that always melted her heart. “Go on.” He encouraged her to continue the train of thought she was on.

“You went there to become the sixth host of Ley.” She continued. “You’d been selected.”

“That was such a proud and wonderful moment.” His eyes shone as he spoke.  “It was Ley who gave me the confidence to finally ask you to marry me.”

“Not for the first time, mind you. The looked of horror and dads face when a small skinny 7 year old boy asked him if they could marry his daughter!” A broad smile came to her lips, then faded just as quickly. “How could I remember that?  I wasn’t there; I was in my room crying.”

“Because I’d kissed you only a few moments before, out in the garden.” Mar added

“Why do I have your memories?” She asked feeling more frantic.  “What’s going on, tell me I beg you?”

“Because what was once mine; is now yours.” Her husband said tenderly.

“No, this isn’t happening.” Alara shouted at him. “I’m going to wake up and find myself in your arm. This is all just some crazy dream.

“Oh, you’ll wake up soon enough.  You are right about that much.” Mar assured her. “And I’ll be with you, but not as before.”

“What kind of a riddle is that?” His wife asked confused. Even as she spoke there was a part of her mind filling in the blanks and slowly reforming parts of the dream.  Alara watched; transfixed in shock, as a thin trace of blood appeared on Mar’s robe.  It was in the shape of an ‘x’, in the area of his chest.  She looked down at the own body to see the same tell-tale signs of the surgical procedure; the one performed during a ‘joining’. “No take him back! You’ll die without Ley inside you.”

“There is no hope for me.” Her husband told her. “I am beyond saving, I’m afraid to say.”

“I’m not ready for this.” Alara yelled at him. “I’m not ready to lose you.”

“This was the only option available.” Mar, sounded sad and a little apologetic as he spoke.  “You are Ley’s only hope now. He needs you.  I need you.”

“We weren’t the only Trill on board.” Alara protested; tears welling up in her eyes.

That statement was true; there were two other members of the Trill species currently serving aboard the USS Valparaiso; neither of which carried a symbiont of their own.  But their condition and fate was unknown to Ley; who could only assume time or circumstances had prevented them from being selected as his new host.  It was never easy getting used to a new body; a new mind and another set of feelings and emotions.  Usually though the recipient was prepared for the joining; rituals and meditation that help prepare and guide a Trill.  There had been none of that, this had all been a frantic rush; even the with six previous joining’s, this one felt a little disorientating, and he could feel the pain and anguish inside Alara’s mind.

‘How do you comfort a wife, when you know her husband is either dead or moments away from dying?  How do you begin to heel a wound like this?’  Mar the Trill, Ley the symbiont; two integral parts of a greater whole, both of which loved this woman and everything about her.  There was a reason for keeping old and new romantic situations apart.  Each time was meant to be a fresh start, another life, yet with the guidance and support of those that had gone before.

“There is a phase the Vulcan’s use when they are to be parted from a loved one.” Ley’s third host once dated a Vulcan for a few years; it had been an interesting experience. There had even been the possibility of taking things further at one point.  “Parted from me and never parted.”

They hugged each other as Alara cried her eyes out, head buried deep into her husband’s chest, as the dream and all around them dissolved into nothingness.

**********

It was several hours after the operation when Alara came round from the procedure.  She vaguely recalled agreeing to it when Doctor Sunny had sent a nurse to locate her.  There hadn’t been time to think or question things, it had been an emergency, with every ticking minute a vital one.

Did she regret saying yes?  Of course she did, by agreeing to it, she’d signed her own husband death warrant.  He’d looked so peaceful, lying there on the operating table; like he was just sleeping, as she held his hand.  But it was only the machines and equipment keeping him and the second life inside, alive.

There was a hint of what had happened to her husband, but Ley was shielding her from much of the trauma.  She did recall him being carried along several corridors by Grav the Tellarite security officer; who kept moaning about Mar being too heavy and that he couldn’t die yet as it would be him doing all the paperwork.  Grav also insisted that under no circumstances was he doing mouth to mouth!  A typical Tellarite, always finding some reason to complain about something.

Her eyes blinked a few times in an attempt to get used to the light of the recover suite, she’d been moved to.  Nurse Folland was there in the room to, and had noticed Alara’s eyes open. “How do you feel?” The nurse asked. “Anything I can get you?”

“We are a work in progress.” She replied groggily; thinking of herself as more than just one individual. “Some water would be lovely.”

Folland left the room and came back a moment or two later, a clear plastic cup half filled with water in one hand.  Placed it on the bedside table and used the control system to adjust the height and angle of the bed.  Before handing the cup to Alara. Taking a sip she thanked the nurse, but asked to be left alone with her thoughts for a bit.

Doctor Sunny came into the room around an hour later; he’d been monitoring her vital signs remotely, so knew Alara was ok.  He’d never had to conduct an emergency operation like the one he’d performed that day; few Starfleet doctors ever would.  So he was grateful that things had gone relatively smoothly, considering the situation.  He’d been perfectly fine during the whole operation.  It was only when the incision was finally sealed and he could relax, that Doctor Sunny’s hands had started shaking like mad.

A couple of hours later Alara was on her feet, despite the doctor’s strong objections. She was determined to see the body of her late husband, even if she had to crawl all the way to get there.  Her legs were unsteady, but she was stubborn and unwavering in her resolve.

He lay there on the bed looking just as peaceful has he had done, before the operation; the only difference now, was that the machines and monitors were silent.  She took hold of his hand once more, feeling how cold it had become.

“Parted from me and never parted.” She whispered softly, and yet in her mind she heard two distinct voices; her own and that of her husband. “Never parted.”