The Benzite Problem

Posted on 01 Dec 2025 @ 10:00pm by Ensign Ryan Collingway & Lieutenant Commander Riah Amberlyn XMD
Edited on on 01 Dec 2025 @ 10:11pm

1,812 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Displaced
Timeline: Morning

// Benzar & Arawyn //

A few days after his initial meeting, Counselor Barda started his day with a fresh pot of tea. His private clinic was high up in the mountains. Admittedly it was difficult to get to for some, but the stunning view offered a comforting setting to those that visited him by shuttle. For now, though, it was quiet, and he continued the work Doctor Amberlyn requested. When it was finished, he released a sigh.

"I see," he said to no-one in particular.

This couldn't wait a week. He requested an urgent meeting with Doctor Amberlyn.

——Vid-Comm Call Between Benzar & Arawyn——

The next day he contacted the Arawyn, his face slightly concerned. "Hello, Doctor Aberlyn. Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, we are now speaking on a secure channel. It will become clear why after the briefing is concluded."

Emerson and Amberlyn were both on the vid-comm with Barda. “I took the liberty of asking Dr Emerson to join us today. She’s been brought up to date. Now, what do you have?”

"We have not been able to retrieve any new information since our last conversation. We have, however, gone through a detailed tree of all likely scenarios with the confrontation of Ensign Collingway and Lieutenant Mendon and and lined it up with statistical possibilities. Most of them were extremely low things, like the two of them arguing and having a fight, for example. That was a scenario with a 0.03% likelihood, as it didn't match the evidence. There is one statistical possibility, however, at 85%."

Barda released a breath through his respirator. "The stun setting from the phaser is the key, you see. Our data indicates it was likely Lieutenant Mendon attacked Ryan first, attempting to strangle him. Ryan fought him off with a stun setting. Then he fired a kill setting. The stun setting should have worked...unless Lieutenant Mendon was in the process of being assimilated. Which makes things...more complicated," he said uneasily.

“That sounds horrific but very plausible,” said Riah. “But I think you have more to add.”

"I do." Barda sent along a file of the generic sequence of a Benzite. "Benzites are...unique, in a way to assimilation. Every Borg nanobot has a generic blueprint of every species it has assimilated. Humans, for example, are assimilated fairly fast because it has been done many times. However, Benzites were genetically created to be different from each other...after the war," he said. "The assimilation process would have taken far longer. And he was very aware of what was happening."

"Two scenarios branch off from predicted path. The process itself would have been excruciating painful for Lieutenant Mendon. He could have begged Ensign Collingway to kill him. Knowing that it could be reversible, Ryan refused. So, Lieutenant Mendon attacked him. That is a 28% possibility. However," Barda sighed. "…there is another more likely scenario at 72%. Lieutenant Mendon wanted Ryan to kill him, because he didn't want the assimilation reversed."

“I’m following you, except why would Mendon not want his assimilation reversed?” asked Riah.

"You must know a great deal of Benzite history to understand this reasoning, you see. Our species is not natural. We were bioengineered to be similar. Until the organ wars, which was a heavy loss for our kind. And then Benzar was occupied by the Dominion, and all of us could see the results of genetic engineering once again." His face twisted in disgust briefly. "We have since changed our bioengineering to be uniquely different to each other. Tampering with this design is considered illegal. The highest offense possible, in fact. If Lieutenant Mendon genetically changed from the Borg and even if it was reversed...it would still be considered illegal among our kind. He would be investigated. As would his family to see if this was done intentionally. There would be rogue agents who would want their hands on Lieutenant Mendon, to see if there would be any trace of Borg nanobots. Even the mention of it would cause strife among our people. Those factions could potentially seek out the Borg themselves, if Lieutenant Mendon survived the encounter. As I said, Benzites look at every detail with a microscope. Sometimes not to our benefit."

“Wow. If Mendon could figure that out while in the pain and fear and chaos, it would be an amazing feat. Could he have choked Ryan out and turned the phase pistol on himself?”

"It is possible, but there is no sign of his fingerprints or Benzite DNA on the phase pistol. It also does not explain Ensign Collingway's fabricated story," Barda conceded, drumming in his fingers together. "If we accept this path of statistical possibility, then I do have to revise my earlier theory. Is trauma causing Ensign Collingway to misremember things? Perhaps he does remember events all too well, and the same trauma is making him silent. I suppose his therapy sessions could give some insight on this."

“As far as his medical records show, he is consistent in his story of what happened. He could be completely convinced that is exactly what happened. A version of a horror he /can/ accept. Or he’s keeping a secret for a good friend at great expense to himself. I’ve only had 2 sessions with him, and while I do have access to his past session records, I don’t feel like I’m in a position to make a finding one way or another. Dr Amberlyn, do you have anything to add?”

“If this is a real possibility, then Ensign Collingway is holding an extremely volatile secret, and he may or may not know consciously,” said Riah.

"If our theories are correct, this 'secret' is considerable, hence why this call is secured," Barda said. "We are still recovering from the Dominion War on Benzar. There are a great many of us who question being part of Starfleet. We are also not permitted to change our genetic sequence under Starfleet law. If news of this came out, it could cause more reason for some of our politicians to propose breaking away. There is a few elections coming soon. I don't delve into conspiracy theories often, but the timing of all of this is...convenient. A lieutenant who choose to end his own life rather than face Starfleet regulations and our personal law would certainly be useful tool to some."

“You suspect some element of Benzar is trying to sabotage the Benzite who are in Starfleet, scapegoats to give Benzar an excuse to retreat from the Federation?” asked Riah.

Barda smiled slightly, though there was no joy in it. "As I said, I try to stay out of politics. The idea of someone intentionally 'gifting' the USS Thysia to the Borg in order to convince Benzar that it is too dangerous to be in Starfleet? That is a very far-fetched idea, and a dangerous one at that. Currently, there is very little proof. All I can deal with are the facts we do have. These events happened. It seems that Ensign Collingway decided-either consciously or not-that an incompetent officer firing on a superior officer was far simpler and less damaging to Benzar than the actual events we have theorized."

He looked at the screen. "You asked me in our previous conversation what the consequences would be, based on statistical possibility. That is what I have provided. At the very worst scenario, Ensign Collingway has been lying over the past seven months. But that is a Starfleet issue related to discipline, nothing more. To Benzar...the truth might be far more complicated," he concluded.

“So we have a few options,” said Riah. "We let our officer spend the rest of his life hiding his truth, which he could at some point unintentionally or not, reveal, not realizing the consequences. Or we approach him with the issue and try to discover whether he realized what was at stake when he shot Lieutenant Mendon. Whatever the answer, it would seem to avoid some interstellar incident regarding Benzar, continued secrecy is imperative. Do you see any other options that do not cause catastrophic consequences?” She looked from Counselor Barda to Dr Emerson.

“There is no good way out of this,” admitted Emerson. “This is a classic case of the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one, or the few, as all three of us are also now compromised, responsible for any decision.”

Counselor Barda shrugged. "If you do tell him, perhaps Ensign Collingway can find some solace in the fact that he doesn't need to make any further decisions alone and more experienced people in these matters can assist him. Having a solid support structure is the best help in any therapy and being on a Starship. I realize most of this is bad news. But perhaps there is at least one silver lining in all of this."

"For my part, I've helped as best as I can and perhaps learned far more than I wanted to. But the information is safe with me. And if I can assist any further, then I will," he promised.

“Thank you. I hope you are able to sweep this clear of any complications on Benzar. We are grateful that you cared enough about both Lieutenant Mendon and Ensign Collingway to bring it to our attention and we will be able to support him,” said Riah.

“I thank you too, Counselor. We will not abandon Ensign Collingway, you can be assured of that,” finished Dr Emerson.

Counselor Belar nodded his head. "I regret that I never had the chance to meet the Ensign. But I will do my best to keep his version of events on Bezar."


// After the Vid-Comm Closed //

“Well that was interesting,” said Riah with a deep sigh. “We have our work cut out for us. Let’s let this simmer in our heads for a couple days, then get back together and discuss the path forward.”

“Sounds good. It’s a lot to digest. Is the record of the vid-comm safe?” asked Emerson.

“It’s encrypted in private medical files. It would take a Starfleet Judge's order to open it if you and I fought it to the end. I think a judge would think long and hard before forcing its release once he realized the situation. My concern is Ryan’s future. I don’t want him suffering the rest of his life with that twisted secret, if indeed the suspicions are the truth. It won’t be known unless we bring it up to him. Find out what he really does believe, what he really does know,” replied Riah.

OOC: to be continued after the away mission

~~~~~~
LtCmdr Riah Amberlyn, XMD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Arawyn
&
LT Kris Emerson, PhD
Counselor (npc apb Kate)
USS Arawyn

&
Counselor Barda

Benzite Counselor
Benzar Homeworld
(npc apb Natasha)

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