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Iterum Nata: Act Two
#1
1

"She must have been so relieved to finally have been believed" Counselor Troi commented.  She sat with Captain Picard and Saigon Drake in a secluded area of Ten Forward enjoying their after dinner refreshments and discussing Leira Zaid.

"Yes, I believe she was.  There is no question that there is a certain "air" about her that breathes, shall we say royalty.  You can feel it emit from her at times, other times you sense that she is just like any other child."  Drake continues, "Imagine looking into a child's eyes and seeing more.  Eyes of fear, pain, and regret.  Knowing eyes"

"Eyes knowing too much" Jean Luc added with a sigh and hint of a smile, "Leira, so it seems was not offered the naivety of a normal childhood"  

Counselor Troi asked Saigon to recount his first meeting with her.  She was asked by the Captain to join them, and to note Mr. Drake's emotions and intentions and to tell him of anything that resembles deception to which she thought amusingly 'wasn't that what she always did?'  The Captain often used her empathic abilities to his advantage with friend and foe alike.  

"Well, Counselor, as you can imagine the city was ecstatic and Leira was the talk of the town, although, he added, not all of it was good. When I heard of her story I was skeptical and knew that I must see for myself this wonderous child, if she would allow it."

Saigon held young Leira in his arms as she recounted her tale to him.  Whether it was his healthy quiet demeanor, the aura of nobility or his fame it is uncertain, what is certain was that Leira warmed up to no one as quickly as she did Saigon Drake.  He was small, bald with round glasses. He always wore a grandfatherly smile on his kind face. It was as if Leira just knew he could be trusted.   While Drake was saying this last part of the story to his small audience he managed to direct a thoughtful, yet 'smiling' mental message to Troi saying

'...as such a powerful empath as yourself can appreciate...' 

Counselor Troi smiled brightly at this and she had to stifle a small vocal laugh that confounded her Captain for a brief second as he listened to the man, looking to both of them feeling somehow left out.

"When she had told me all she had to tell, I spoke with her parents and told them that they must not prevent the girl from fulfilling her destiny.  The laws of karma must be obeyed.  Karma is life."  


2

"It was settled.  Shortly before her 9th birthday there would be an investigation," Saigon looked to Picard and said, "After discussions with several colleagues, Dr. Kingsley included it was clear to me that I needed an outside, unaffiliated witness and that is where we now are. YOU will be that.  The unaffiliated voice to Leira and to Samara's claims as well."  To which Jean-Luc Picard vowed to do his best to be as professional and dutiful as he would with any official task.  

"The plan is to journey to Garnia, join Leira and her family, observe and record the areas specific to Samara's life as she visited them.  We will share and bear witness to the event. Her parents have asked their family friend, Samag Nigeb
 to join us.  They will be waiting for us when we arrive.  We will visit her childhood home, the home of Kedar Sym, the temple and we will note her interactions and reactions with those who knew Samara when she lived.  The girl's spontaneous reactions to these people she has never met would be crucial in determining once and for all whether the child speaks true or spins tales"


3


Materializing on the surface of Unax III, in the town of Garnia, Captain Picard and Saigon Drake stepped off the transporter pad observing what lay before them.  The village of Garnia bursting with men, women and children of all shapes and sizes, cattle and beasts of burden were rustled and among them many shops, merchant tents and vendors lined the dirt and sand paths that made up the street.  This street was one of many that spread on, each one resembling the next. Mixed with homes of various sizes, apartment complexes, and Jean-Luc noticed a cathedral off into the distance up a small hill.  He wondered if this was the temple from the report.    

Farmers sold their wares, women bartered over vegetables, cuts of meats and yards of cloth alongside men who were trading goods and services.   Couples dressed elegantly strolled along wooden walkways browsing various stores and cafes while young children ran and played.  Among this contained and yet vibrant hustle and bustle of this village stood a group of men and ladies looking the the men before the transporter station.  This must be the family they were there to meet.

4

Introductions were given, hands shook, nods and courtesies exchanged, hugs and kisses on the cheeks given as was common on this world.  Saigon asked Diaz about their journey from Vilno City and he shared the wonderous sights along the way.  None of them had ever been to this part of their planet before, and yet...was that a factual statement?  They spoke of the excitement to finally arrive in Garnia, the excitement was mixed with some fear, Ariel added to which Saigon assured them that there is nothing to fear.  

"We are all here to share this glorious occasion" Semag added as young girl, dressed in a bright red obi stepped out from behind her father slowly.  Her brown eyes wide with wonder, she look upon the smiling man in the uniform as red as her obi quizzically as if sizing him up and her gaze relaxed before nodding and giving him a slight bow.  She drifted her gaze towards Saigon, let go of her father's hand as he scooped her up into his arms and laughed as he did. 

The feeling of joy shared by all on the streets of Garnia was evident to all who passed and the best was yet to come. 

5

Semag, Saigon and the Captain spoke among each other as Leira and her parents were looking at and petting small lambs penned nearby.  "We must three agree to be observant of not only Leira's actions and utterances but be wary of her parents as well, Saigon said.  "If they were somehow feeding her information it would not do well to their claims."

After mild protests at this line of talk by Semag they all three agreed to be skeptical, mindful and observant.  Saigon then said "Captain? Is there anything else you would like to add?"  Jean-Luc collected his thoughts, thought briefly that he wished he had Data and his encyclopedic brain by his side and said "Gentlemen, on Earth, there is a saying.  'Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting; the soul that rises with us, our life star, hath had elsewhere it's setting.  And came from afar'  Or something of that nature.  Whether that little girl over there did or did not forget...we shall see.    
    
 
6


The six of them said goodbye to the lambs and began their day, looking at the shops and vendors briefly, in the direction of Samara's childhood home.  As they walked, the Krynshaw temple came into view and Leira spoke saying how excited she was, but worried that they were close to the temple's daily closing time.  As they made their way a crowd was approaching them.  News of the girl from Vilno had traveled and as the small crowd approached the entourage, Leira picked out a man in the crowd, ran up to him and embraced him tightly, yelling his name "N'Tere"

N'Tere was Samara's Jinli, which is to say he was Samara's brother-in-law.  N'Tere called out in surprise after they hugged when little Leira asked him about the Sharnaka plant she had left him.  He laughed and explain the others that when Samara neared her due date she entrusted him with her Sharnaka plant, which requires much love and care.  N'Tere joined them on the rest of their journey, becoming a believer in Leira's story almost immediately.  

Pressing on, Picard and Saigon thought it best to try and isolate her from the ever growing crowds of on lookers that continued to arrive as news traveled of her arrival.  The seven of them, surrounded by teams of strangers, made there, more slowly now towards Samara's childhood home.  Passing a bazaar Leira looked at the vendor there and walked up to him and looked into his face and said "I know you. And I love you." She hugged him and told her mother who was standing next to her that this was her Jinti or her Father-in-Law.  She did not give his name, nor did he but he did concur that he was Kedar's father.  "Leira then thanked him for all he had done for her and Kedar after their marriage.  Here she did not go into great detail on what she was referring to and must not have felt the need to do so, because she bowed to the man, turned and left.  

7

Jean-Luc watched the girl and her family as they walked, it was clear to him that the parent truly had no idea where they were going, or what to expect.  They were, as we all were, being led by the nearly 9 year old girl, that too has technically never been to this town.  She spoke out loud about how excited she was because around this corner is where the yellow house in which she grew up in was.  Which it was here that they came across a snag in Leira's recollection.  The house they were now standing in front of was a white house.  Some members of the crowd overheard this  as the crowd whispered and there where groans and snickers heard, evidence that not all of the audience were there to support her, but to satisfy their own skepticism, or perhaps to see her fail..

Saigon, Semag and Picard side stepped the family to talk privately and decided to speak with the current resident.  Leira paid no attention to them as she looked at the familiar house frowning.  Had she been watching them she would have seen the joy in Saigon and Semag's face as the owner of the house's assurances that the house was indeed yellow when he purchased it and has only recently been painted white. After hearing the jeers from the crowds, Saigon decided that a small informal announcement was in order, reminding them that they are to mind their manners and keep their distance.  Semag then added that this was indeed the childhood home of Samara Devi and was in fact a yellow house until two seasons ago.  There was a small roar of applause at this from the crowd and another apparent mark in favor of Leira's claims.

As they walked further through town, Leira led them to the house Samara had shared with Kedar Sym, who was standing on his front stoop await her arrival with his new wife and his son, Laul.  Leira ran to the house  and jumped into Kedar's arms, clearly over joyed to be there.  While his wife stood by uncomfortably, Kedar followed Leira from room to room as she reminisced and explored the only other house Samara had ever know.  As she looked though it became evident that her joyful expression was beginning to fade.  Room after room Leira began to see that Samara's jewelry and her wardrobe were gone.  As was her favorite anklets, and even her image of Pumani was not there.  Leira's memories were simply lost to time, another person's time to be exact.  Kedar tried to console the girl, but it was no use.  

Leira told her mother and father that she had see enough and wished to leave the house.  The crowd outside the house made that idea unlikely at this time, so they ventured out into the back yard.  She was not angry, just uneasy as she expected everything to be just she has seen in it in her mind.  They all mingled outside as Ariel tried to cheer her daughter up, with Saigon reminding the girl of all that they have witnessed proves that she in being genuine.  Leira told him matter of factly that there was never any doubt about her honesty, why would I lie and put myself through such strife.  

After the crowds began to thin and it was apparent they can safely move on they asked Leira if there was anything else, just one more thing she can point out that can prove herself to them.  The look on her face was one of exasperation, Picard didn't have to be an empath to read that emotion, he thought as he watch her walk directly to a bare corner of the yard and say one word. 

"Well"

8

Everyone looked at the girl confused and then puzzlingly at Kedar who began laughing and joined the child at the spot where she stood.  Then he told them what was so funny, "You see, this was where the well was.  the water became contaminated years ago and had to be sealed off but when Samara was still a- he almost said alive and glanced at Leira as he said- here.  When she lived here, this was the well.  After a few moments of digging the team discovered a hatch, and under the hatch was indeed a well.  All three members of the commission had seen and heard enough and to them Leira was the "real deal".

After almost a full day of exploring they had to make their was back to the stations, Leira and her family were set to travel back to Vilno City, Leira was emotionally disheveled.  Pleased and still excited about her day, yet disappointed that closing time at the temple came and went.  She had missed her chance.     While walking, the crowds mostly gone as the excitement died off or they had just seen enough, there was one woman that accompanied them that finally caught Leira's eye and when the two locked eyes she froze.   She was Samara's mother.

9

Leira ran to the woman with tears running down her cheeks, both women were crying for that matter.  Ariel stood by Devi unable to move as she watched her daughter talking to yet another stranger, seeing them embraced and seeing the realization on the stranger's face that this girl is who she claims to be.  Except this stranger is Samara's own mother

Would Leira want to stay and live in Garnia now? More importantly could they stop her if she did?  Everyone keeps telling them to "Seek the truth" or that they need to "pay their debt to karma".  Even Saigon Drake told them they were "slaves to Karma" so what choice do they really have?  After a few scary moments, Leira went back to her true parents and told them that she would be returning to Vilno City.  

Someone ran up to the group and called Saigon over to him, who then made his way over to Leira beam, there was one more place to see.  He told her and her parents the good news, the Krynshaw temple has closed to the public, but has remained open for a private viewing for Leira and the team.


10

The child was once again elated and the team could not get to the temple fast enough.  Once there, they climbed the steps to the Krynshaw temple, as Samara Devi had since she was a little girl.  Leira entered the temple, her temple.  Once inside, the team took in the magnificent sight before them.  The temple was bright and vibrant,  with flowers lining the walls and the mighty altar in front of them.  In front of the altar was the tall statue of Pumani.  This was where Leira went, and fell to her knees before it.  She spoke out loud and told Pumani that she was Samara Devi reincarnated and that she was begging him for counsel and guidance.  

The team stood in the doorway soaking in the sight of the beautiful temple, with the kneeling little girl, kneeling before the glowing statue of Pumani.  Her Pumani, reverberating in the late afternoon light of the suns. 

On her way back to Vilno City, Leira swore to her parents that one day she would return and live in Garnia. 


11

Chief Medical Officers personal log
Stardate 79661.3
We have entered the Unax system.  When I read that the USS Lindt were scheduled to catalog anomalies in this system I immediately thought about Leira Zaid.  When I discovered her fabulous story at Starfleet Medical I found myself studying and reading about her as much as my assignments.  
I messaged her and am beside myself that she replied so quickly and has agreed to see me.  She has even agreed to my request.  To speak with her is one thing, but for her to agree to a session of hypno-therapeutic exploration of the possibly only living reincarnated mind, I just cannot wait....
  


Transporter Room 3

"Energize"

The small, woman in a red robe appeared on the transporter pad.  Dr. Lindor held out her hand and welcomed her aboard the USS Lindt.  Beaming with joy, the woman smiled and hugged the young her tightly.

"The pleasure is mine, Doctor.  It isn't everyday I get to float above my world.  Thank you for inviting me."
"Mother Zaid, I have read so much about you over the years, I have so much I would love to ask you, but I am afraid our time is limited.  If you are still willing, I would love explore your mind hypnotically."  
She looked at the young woman told her that she has meditated and explored her mind for 40 years and during this time she feels she has fully reconciled the divide between herself and Samara Devi.  "If your methods can offer us both insight on how Samara may have came to be with me, I would love to know.  And if it were not for a Starfleet captain's decades ago, I'm not sure where I would be today.  So I do not mind aligning once again with an officer of Starfleet." 

"Well, I'm no Jean-Luc Picard, but I will do my best."

Holodeck 2


Sitting cross legged on the mats in the program created to Dr. Lindor's specifications, Dr. Lindor faced Leira Zaid and began

"I’ll guide you with some suggestions, but remember you are in control at every step of the way. I’m just a guide. If I make a suggestion which you believe is not right for you, you may adjust it in any way which seems appropriate. The process of relaxing  another stage of the souls journey is safe, smooth, and easy. All you have to do is to allow your imagination to do its best job to get you started.   Take a deep breath; exhale slowly. That’s good...make yourself comfortable...rest your hands on your thighs and allow your eyes to close...at this moment in time nothing matters...there is only the sound of my voice...and as you breathe normally, just become more aware of the rhythm of your breathing.
"

Dr. Lindor brought the woman to a state of hypnotic trance with very little effort.  This is the sign of a disciplined mind.

"Now Mother Zaid, I want you to travel back, to the time when Samara was alive and nearing death...when you are then I want you to tell me what you see"

Leira sat calmly and emotionless with her eyes closed and spoke 
"A bed. Big and warm, the finest silk.  A nightstand bearing fresh cut flowers.  They are Tredaisials." 
Leira smiles at this and Lindor asked "Are Tredaisials special flowers to you?  
Still smiling she said "No, they are Samara's favorite, their scent pleases her"   The smile fades.
"Mother, where is this bed?"
"This is Samara's bed.  She sleeps, no she is dead.  I hear crying.  She has just given birth.  There is a woman coming to the bed, and she lays the baby, her son on her chest.  Samara's softly clutch the child and she says  'My Laul'.  The woman yells to someone in the next room but I hear nothing.  Another woman, older woman comes in a takes Laul away but everything is getting smaller.  I am floating backwards away and rising"
An uncomfortable look on Leira's face appears, the Dr. says "You are doing well. Now continue to move beyond that time."
She shakes her head slowly and her voice changes from the trace-like monotone woman she had been speaking as to that of an instructor or superior of some kind, with a different accent and dialect.  This enitiy says "As Laul was born, Samara could feel an 'an enormous weight lift from her body, this then laid to rest in her Heart chakra'. The act of holding her son was the very last thing she did with her last breath, you see."
"Am I still speaking to Mother Leira Zaid?" Lindor asked
"When the child was removed from her arms she slipped in the KashaVee, which is to say the first death," Leira continued in her scholarly tone as if teaching a class at the academy,  "She was heard repeating the name Pumani over and over, until she passed away.  Upon doing this Samara filled her consciousness with the mantra of Pumani." 
Mother Leira inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly and when doing so her facial expression relaxed and changed, appearing calm and relaxed again. Lindor was about the ask her next question when Leira spoke.  Once again she sounded like Mother Zaid, and yet slightly different somehow, she sounded under trance once again.
"Death starts at the bottom, and the cold creeps upward.  As Laul was removed from my arms, I felt my heart stop. And my life rose to my brain and filtered into my third eye.  The slowly, very very slowly I heard the name of Pumani.  Repeat again and again.  I stood over my body looked at myself.  i did not move, or breathe, I was left alone and yet I heard my voice say 'Pumani Pumani Pumani'.  It came soft at first like from a trickle, then louder as from a waterfall. My voice spoke in unison with another voice and repeated the name over and over until there was black."
Black from the black 
"Kedar Sym then was walking on the shore looking at the water.  He was dressed so very handsome, walking with his head held high, yet tears fall from his eyes.  He mourns.  I see my body floating on the pallet, in the water, dressed in fine silken red obi, my closed eyes and lips painted, my hair was clean and brushed and fashioned in the the style of Braleem nobility.  Around my body are the most beautiful flowers, of all colors and' Leira stops for a second, her lips quiver slightly before she says, 'in my folded hands Kedar places a single tredaisial."
 Leira's closed eyes stream tears from them as she stops speaking.  Her breathing waivers some and soon begins to breathe normally again.  "As with tradition, Kedar set Samara's body on fire and drifted the pallet out to sea and the priests spoke in prayer. "
Dr. Lindor then says "Mother, You are doing very good.  Tell me, do you see all this this or do you just know it?"  
The 'instructor' returned to answer this question "Samara's consciousness looked on from above. This is what Mother Zaid is seeing and feeling.  And now then as the body of Samara is burned away, her consciousness too went away."  
Mother Leira's voice and demeanor returned and said "Samara had no other perceptions other than eternal brightness.  She entered another form of awareness.  There was no light, there was no dark.  There was no day, there was no light.  There was no space, there was no time.'  Mother Leira now seeming to have the instructor persona speaking in tandem with her in this hypnotic state - 'yes, so it seems this is when Samara then entered the second stage of death.  Samara was in a realm of slow moving fluidness.  All the while conscious and aware of her surroundings, she began to feel movement and soon she heard a heart beating, then could feel her own heart beating."
Remarkable, Lindor thought, checking her time, it has been an hour so she began the process of bringing Leira back to consciousness.     "Mother, do you wish to remember everything that you have seen and felt?"  Leira nodded slowly and said that she did.  Lindor continued "Very well then in a moment, with a count from ten to one, you may reorient yourself completely to the present time and to the present day. Counting down from ten, you will be refreshed and feel great. Counting slowly, 10 - You are stepping firmly into the present 9 - You begin to feel total normalization 8 - feeling  the life energies returning to your extremities 7 - you may wish to move your hands, neck, or feet 6 - you remember now what you have seen and felt, 5 - realize that you have done well 4 - coming up to full strength now 3 - you are re-energized 2 - re-vitalized and 1 - Slowly, open your eyes. You are wide-awake, alert, feeling refreshed, and feeling great.
Mother Zaid opened her eyes, smiled at Dr. Lindor lovingly and said "So.  How did we do?"
Epilogue

Chief Medical Officers log supplemental

After successfully regressing the time in between Samara's death and Leira Zaid's birth it seems that by using an old trick recommended by yogis for thousands of years may actually work.  The Egyptian Book of  the Dead states that numbers of ancient, spiritually advanced cultures carefully trained people so they would know how to go through the process of death consciously.   The point in all these traditions is that if you don't want to lose yourself, if you want to attain the type of immortality that comes from the ability to hang on to your present identity from life to life, then during the process of death you must keep your presence of mind!
It is my new found belief that possible your next incarnation, or your last incarnation for that matter, may be happening right now. Your next life may actually occur in the past! This is because your innermost spirit exists outside of time and space, and can travel to wherever and to whenever it wants. So be kind.


  1. “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” – Amelia Earhart

 
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#2
Wow! That's an interesting take on a topic that we don't usually see in Trek (i.e., the spiritual of another species being aligned with something that's more spiritual than science.)

I love your writing - I was almost there with Samara (and I love that name!) - and could easily have been lost in a further study of her character, her culture and her marriage. I felt the same way about Leira - I could easily have read a book about her life and doming to understand what had happened from her POV about the reincarnation. If you had time and the inclination, you could almost have two parallel books, one about Samara, one about Leira, and maybe even one about everyone else and how they interacted with these two characters.

Lovely writing. I'd ask for more about them, but this was short, sweet, and beautifully done, and maybe asking for more would somehow reduce how lovely it was.

Mom
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