*The two enter Cole's Quarters. Soval gestures toward a chair in the room.*

Soval: May I?

Cole: of course. Would you like a drink. I har anything from water to Romulan ale.

*Soval sits down, resting his staff on the wall beside his chair.*

Soval: Vulcan Tomar Tea, please. At my age, I must be wary what I drink.

Amusing, seeing as I'm only 145. Starfleet Medical suggests it may be T'lak's syndrome.

But, we have more pressing matters than an aging Ambassador's health.

As you said, you know of what happened to me during the Shadow War. What you don't know, is that after the war, Siraga and then-Captain Allington placed a program inside my mind to prevent the Shadows grasping hold of my mind again. It worked. The program's been passed down to my children, and my grandchildren.

This presented no problem, but, T'mar is unique, as I suspect you've noticed.

Hands Soval his tea as cole pours a glass of Romulan ale.

Cole: yes I have read most of her medical record.

Soval: Thank you. *Takes a sip of his tea and holds it in both hands*

I believe her advanced telepathy may be making it easier for the Shadows to make contact with her mind.

The program doesn't just act as a firewall, but as a defence system. If a shadow tries to inhabit T'mar's body, the program tries to destroy it. Her mind and body are literally a battleground.

When the Shadow began to lose footing in her mind, it began attacking her body from outside.

Not only did it start damaging her body, but the battle in her mind intensified. She went catatonic, and her lower brain functions began to fail. With her Central Nervous System shutting down, she is dying.

Cole; so then I have two questions. One is there anything that can be done. Second does this mean the shadows are returning.

*Soval looks at Cole, questionably, before placing his tea on the coffee table in front of him.*

Soval: The latter? I am not sure.

The former; yes. I can initiate a mind meld with T'mar. By adding my own program to hers, we can overwhelm the Shadow inside her.

Cole: Soval I have to ask because with the Romulan situation we need to be ready if they decide to come back. I need to have time to prepare. For Tmar I can take you to her as soon as you are ready.

Soval: It shall take me several hours to prepare. In the meantime, have you heard anything about Samantha?

When her father died, she seemed - what's the human word? Vengeful.

I haven't had a chance to speak with her since.

Cole: very well. No I haven spoken to her for awhile now.