Bennet’s eyelids fluttered open, and his vision swirled like a fog before gradually focusing on the dimly lit room around him. The sterile scent of antiseptic and medicine permeated the air, sharp and clean. Yet it was the sight of the woman peacefully sleeping beside him that truly captured his attention. Her features were soft and serene, framed by the gentle light, giving her an almost ethereal quality in the quiet confines of the sickbay.

Patterson sat curled up in a plush, reclining armchair, enveloped in a navy-blue Starfleet-issue blanket that had seen many missions. Her head rested at an awkward angle, indicating her deep slumber, and her breathing was slow and steady, creating a peaceful rhythm in the quiet room. On the nearby side table, an abandoned cold mug of coffee sat, its surface now covered in a thin film of condensation, while the faint aroma of burnt coffee lingered in the air. A well-worn book lay open on her lap, its pages slightly yellowed, revealing signs of her frequent reading. 

Even in his groggy state, Bennet immediately recognised the novel: a first edition of The Never-Ending Sacrifice, the Cardassian masterpiece he had painstakingly sought after learning it was one of her favourites. He had gone to great lengths to acquire it, determined to present it as a thoughtful gift when she was promoted to his first officer. He couldn’t help but admire how much she cherished literature from all walks of life, immersing herself in stories that both challenged and expanded her understanding of the universe.

His gaze lingered on the book, and suddenly, a surge of memories washed over him. But this wasn’t merely recollection—it was vivid and tangible. He was no longer in sickbay; he stood in his ready room, watching himself hand the book to Patterson. He could hear his own voice, feel the weight of the book as he passed it to her, and see how her eyes sparkled when she took it into her hands. It was more than remembering—it was reliving.

The sensation overwhelmed him, causing him to gasp and break the vision’s hold. What the hell was that? He shook his head, his heart pounding, yet the sickbay remained unchanged around him.

Bennet shifted, testing the strength in his limbs. He felt weak but intact. A deep thirst clawed at his throat, and he turned toward the replicator across the room, intending to get up and order a glass of water.

Before he could move, the replicator activated by itself. A glass materialised, and then, to his astonishment, it lifted into the air and floated across the room towards him. His hand reached out just in time to catch it.

At that moment, Patterson stirred. Her eyes flickered open, and she looked at him just as he took a sip of water. She blinked, her drowsiness dissipating in an instant. “Zack?” Her voice was hoarse with sleep, but the concern was immediate. “Are you okay?”

Bennet exhaled heavily, setting the glass down. He rubbed his face before finally meeting her gaze. “I feel like every molecule in my body is screaming in agony,” he admitted. “Like hot needles running through my skull.”

Patterson sat up straighter, concern deepening. She reached for his arm, her grip steady and grounding. “You need to hang in there a little longer,” she said softly. “We’re working on stopping whatever Eliatha has planned for you. You’re not alone in this.”

A weak chuckle escaped him. “When did you get so wise?”

She smiled, a flicker of warmth breaking through the tension. “Some of your influence must have rubbed off on me.”

Bennet sighed, shaking his head. “I should have encouraged you to take that command offer a few months ago.”

Patterson’s expression hardened with determination. “I’m exactly where I need to be. Right here, on Destiny, with you,” she declared, her voice carrying the weight of her resolve.

Bennet turned his head to look at her—and then, for a moment, he stopped moving entirely. His eyes went distant, his face frozen in place.

Patterson’s breath hitched. “Zack?”

No response. His pupils dilated slightly, and he remained eerily still.

Her stomach twisted. “Zack!”

He suddenly blinked and refocused on her, a small, strained smile forming on his lips. “It might be sooner rather than later when you get that fourth pip.”

Patterson scowled. “No.”

Before she could press him further, the room darkened slightly, and the air around them shimmered. A familiar, haunting presence took form before them.

Eliatha had arrived.

Patterson was on her feet in an instant and tapped her combadge. “Intruder alert!” she barked, stepping in front of Bennet. She squared her shoulders and glared at the Nacene woman. “Reverse what you’ve done to him. Now.”

Eliatha tilted her head, an unreadable expression on her luminous face. “You still misunderstand. He is becoming what he was meant to be.”

Bennet groaned suddenly, clutching his head. Patterson turned to him in alarm. He was muttering something under his breath; his voice layered as if coming from multiple versions of himself.

Patterson grabbed his shoulders. “Zack! Fight this. Stay with me.”

He looked up at her, but his gaze was unfocused, his voice distant. “I see everything—the past, the present, the infinite possibilities of what could be. I understand it all now, Demi. The universe… it’s so much more than we ever imagined.”

A shiver ran down Patterson’s spine. “You’re still you, Zack. Focus on me. On us. Ignore her.”

For a fleeting moment, his expression softened. His fingers twitched as if trying to grasp something familiar.

Eliatha’s eyes gleamed with intrigue. “He is almost ready. Soon, he will join me, as he was meant to.”

Patterson clenched her fists. “That is not happening.”

The doors to sickbay hissed open, and Doctor Rarta rushed in with a security team. Just as Patterson prepared to give an order, Eliatha smirked—and in a sudden swirl of energy, she was gone, leaving a tense silence in her wake.

Bennet’s body convulsed. He let out a choked gasp before collapsing back onto the biobed, unconscious.

“Captain!” Patterson’s voice cracked as she reached for him, but Doctor Rarta was already scanning him.

Rarta he checked the readings. “He’s deteriorating rapidly. Whatever changes are happening to him, they’re accelerating.”

Patterson gritted her teeth, watching in horror as Bennet’s skin seemed to shimmer faintly, his form flickering with an energy she couldn’t comprehend.

This wasn’t just a transformation.

They were losing him.