The Light by Jeff D. Jacques Page B

woman, broke through the crowd and approached.
    â€œDo’meenik’a,” the woman said, mangling the pronunciation of Corsi’s given name.
    Corsi gestured toward the alcove. “Sage,” she said, then indicated the native. “Tey’sa.” She brought her hands together and clasped them tightly. “Sage.”
    Domenica, what are you doing? Pattie thought, but she knew exactly what Corsi was doing. They had taken the natives’ Sage, so she was giving them one back.
    The woman Tey’sa seemed uncertain, but Corsi led her toward the alcove with a reassuring smile and a gentle manner. Tentatively at first, then with increasing confidence, Tey’sa stepped into the vacant space. She let out a shout of alarm as the machine grabbed hold of her, and the outburst drew the immediate attention of the natives. There was a moment of anxiety as Tey’sa’s body adjusted to its new environs, then the woman fell still as her face paled and her eyes became that striking blue.
    â€œPower is life,” Sage-Tey’sa said. “The Light is all.”
    Pattie breathed a sigh of relief. It was over.

    Sonya Gomez struggled to open her eyes, but her lids felt as though they were made of lead, and she could only manage a few quick glimpses of the outside world before she gave up. But even had she not been able to open her eyes at all, she would have known she was in sickbay aboard the da Vinci . The sounds here were always so hushed, and there was that lingering scent of sterilization that screamed “doctor’s office.”
    â€œYou had us worried, Gomez,” came the voice of Captain Gold to her left.
    Gomez turned her head and tried to open her eyes to see Gold’s face, but she couldn’t do it. What the hell is going on with my eyes? “Sorry, sir. It took me by surprise. I should have been more careful.”
    â€œProbably true,” Gold said, “but that’s behind us now.”
    Gomez moved a hand to rub her right eye, but recoiled as she felt a slap on the back of her hand. “Captain!”
    â€œSorry, Sonya, that was me,” came the familiar voice of Sarjenka, their new deputy CMO. Gomez could almost hear a laugh in the Dreman’s tone. “Dr. Lense wanted me to make sure you didn’t rub your eyes. It’ll only make things worse.”
    Gomez sighed. “Thanks, Sarj. I’ll try to restrain myself.”
    â€œI’ll go let the doctor know you’re awake.” Sarjenka excused herself and once again Gomez was alone with Gold. At least, she thought she was.
    â€œCaptain?”
    â€œYes, I’m still here, Gomez,” Gold said.
    Despite what she’d been through on the planet, her primary concern was what they’d gone down there for in the first place. “What about the mission, sir?”
    â€œThe mission was a success,” Gold said, and Gomez smiled in relief. “Soloman was able to interface with the computer core and adjust the power signature of the cube. It no longer reads as Borg.”
    â€œThat’s excellent news, sir. And what about the native population? After everything that’s happened, have they banished us forever?” That was the last thing Gomez wanted, but she would certainly understand it. They’d caused their society a significant disruption, and it was possible they didn’t want to see another Starfleet officer again.
    Gold chuckled softly. “No, no. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. They’re very pleased with their new Sage—your former guide, Tey’sa, as it happens—and they’ve welcomed another away team down to explore their city. Abramowitz and Faulwell have been down there for six hours.”
    Sonya smiled. “Good. I was hoping Carol would get the chance to see the place.” The ship’s cultural specialist would be like a kid in a candy store down there.
    â€œNow, as for you,” Gold said, “effective