After losing contact with the away team, Ensign Jonathan Pepsico, the Intrepid's current tactical officer, franticly tries to reestablish a lock on the away team. Unable to do so with the ship's scanner alone, Pepsico tries to combine his psychic abilities with the scans in order locate the missing team more quickly. As he struggles, his body begins to glow of a white light, and he begins tapping the console at an extremely fast pace. The more he struggles the brighter the glow gets. Finally, in a burst of light, he is thrown back, slamming into the wall, and the glow disappears. After the away team is finally recovered, he is sent to sickbay for a full evaluation. But the question remains… what really happened?

A week later… Captain Sybok and Dr. Truefriend sit in conference room 2 waiting for Ensign Pepsico to arrive.
Sybok places his PADD down on the table, "So doctor, have you been able to determine anything about what happened to Mr. Pepsico?"
The doctor places her PADD on the table as well, "I can't explain it. I have run scan after scan, after blasted scan, and still I can't explain it. However, I did find something strange. Although his physiology is extremely similar to that of a Betazoid, there are inconsistencies. He may claim to be of the Betazoid race, but he's not. This means that he committed fraud when entering Starfleet; but was he lied to about his origin growing up? Or has he simply been lying to everyone all along?"
With that comment, a stern look appears on Sybok's face. "I don't think he is telling a lie. I think I would know if he was."
"Actually, I doubt it." The doctor picks up her padd, "All the scans show that he has strong psychic abilities, much like a Betazoid would have, but much stronger. I believe he could easily hide things from you, even with your abilities. And from what I have been told about the event on the bridge, I am not sure just how powerful those abilities really are."

Just as that thought was completed, Ensign Pepsico walks into the conference room. "You asked to see me sir?"
"Yes," Sybok points to the closest chair, "please, take a seat ensign." Ensign Pepsico sits down, and Sybok continues. "We are here because we want to know what happened to you on the bridge a week ago. The doctor was unable to find anything unusual. Can you tell us anything about what might have happened?"
"Even I am unsure why it happens, but that was not the first time it happened." The ensign hands Sybok a PADD. "Those are some excerpts from my personal logs which tell about the various occurrences, including the stardates."
Sybok looks over the stardates, "So the first time it happened was when you were about 13 years of age. Is that correct?" Pepsico nods in agreement. "Your notes say that this power increases each time. Do you have any idea why this happens, or what could be causing it."
"As I said, I am not sure why they happen, but it seems to occur whenever I overexert my psychic abilities." Pointing to the PADD, "But if you check the last four entries, you'll notice that the increase seems to have come to a plateau."
"That may be true, but myself and the doctor feel that you should be removed from duty until we can figure out how we can prevent it from happening." Sybok shakes his head, "We can't afford for something like that to happen if we are in battle or another dangerous situation. Therefore, you are relieved of your duties until further notice."
With a sigh, "Of course sir. I will tell one of my assistants to take over my post."
As the three head out of the conference room, Dr. Tara Truefriend stops Ensign Pepsico in the corridor. "Can you stop by sickbay a little later for another test. Let's say 1300 hours."
"Yes, I will be there at 1300 doc." And Ensign Pepsico walks away.

Back on the bridge of the Intrepid, Pepsico's replacement, yeoman Willis, prepares for her shift. Lt. Commander Erickson sits at the science station running some scans on a nearby nebula. The gigantic Lt. Commander, XyberGate, stands looking over her shoulder. Captain Keri Chandra sits in the XO's chair sipping on her coffee. Sybok walks in and sits down, and Keri hands her husband a cup of coffee.

"It sure is peaceful between shifts." She places her coffee on the arm of the chair. "So how did it go with Ensign Pepsico?"
Sybok takes a sip. "Well, I relieved him from his duties. At least until we figure out what is going on with him. There seems to be a lot of strange things going on around him. Poor kid. This stuff could end his career before it even gets going, and he showed such promise. But if we cannot depend on him, he is no use to us."
"What a shame." She shakes her head. "Hey, where is our helm officer at?"

Some time passes and it is closing in on 1300 hours. The sickbay is being prepared for the test. Dr. Truefriend prepares the injections, while the EMH, Caeruleus Lumen, preps the equipment and clears a biobed. At 1300 sharp, Ensign Pepsico walks into sickbay.

"So where do you want me?" The EMH signalS to Pepsico, and he goes over to that biobed and lies down. "So what kind of test are we doing today?"
Dr. Truefriend picks up the first injection. "Since we cannot find out what is happening, we are going to try and prevent it from happening, at least while you are on duty. I have developed this 3 shot treatment, which should block your psychic abilities, without inhibiting your other normal functions. They used to use this treatment in prisons to keep psychic prisoners from tampering with the other prisoner's and the guard's minds. I think if you take the shot every day before your shift, you should be able to handle your shift without the problem happening again."
"What?" He sits up. "You want me to sacrifice my psychic abilities? I don't like the idea, but I do want to return to duty. Are you sure this will work?"
"Nothing is 100% sure." She makes the first injection. "But it should work. Or at least I hope so." She makes the other two injections. "There may be a few side effects since this is the first time you have had this treatment. So take it easy."
"Ok doc." Pepsico jumps up. "I'll take it easy. I think I will go do some meditation in a holodeck."

Ensign Pepsico heads for the holodeck. As he walks down the corridor he feels a little dizzy and falls to a knee just outside the holodeck.

Commander Don Abbot sees him drop and goes over to help him out. "Are you OK ensign?" And he helps Pepsico to his feet. "Do you want me to help you to sickbay on my way to engineering?"
"Thanks for the offer sir. I am OK." Pepsico dusts himself off. "The doctor just put me on some meds, and I was just going to the holodeck to meditate."
"Well if you are ok, then proceed," and Don continues on to engineering.

Ensign Pepsico walks into the holodeck to find a program already running, and Commander Jimi fighting with a hologram. Feeling Pepsico's presence he spins around for the right hook, and stops his fist just inches from the ensign's face.

"What are you doing in here?" he says with an angry look on his face.
"Sorry commander. I didn't realize it was occupied." And he starts to back out of the holodeck.
"Wait a second." Pepsico stops and Jimi walks up and slap him on the back. "You're the guy with the strange powers. What are you doing down here?"
"I came down here to relax." He tries to leave again. "I didn't mean to disturb you."
"Hold on." Jimi takes a seat. "Computer initiate program Abbot 23." He motions to the newly formed rock. "Take a seat ensign. I was just about to start my relaxation period before I leave for duty. You are welcome to join me."
Pepsico sits down. "Thank you sir."

Commander Jimi and Ensign Pepsico sit there in complete silence with their eyes closed focusing on the sounds of nature around them. Unknown to them, the silence would soon be broken. As Pepsico's body begins to relax and the meds the doctor gave him start to kick in, he begins to glow. Feeling that there was something wrong he opens his eyes to find that the ensign is glowing. Jimi stands and tries to stir the ensign.

Unable to stir him, he taps on his commbadge, "Medical emergency to holodeck 4." Jimi tries to stir him by shaking him, but to Jimi's surprise there is a flash and Jimi is thrown back.

Pepsico rises to his feet. His body glows of a bright white light, and his eyes have become completely white as well. Jimi tries to subdue the ensign, but Pepsico simply knocks Jimi out of the way. Pepsico then approaches the holodeck doors. When they don't open he places his hand on the doors and blows a hole it them. The medical team arrives to find a battered and unconscious Commander Jimi.

Dr. Truefriend taps her commbadge, "Captain! We have a big problem down here. Jimi was attacked and something blew up holodeck doors." With that she hears another explosion and runs out into the corridor to see Ensign Pepsico. "Stop that!" She runs down the corridor after him, and when she grabs him arm she is thrown back. "Captain, its Pepsico. He is out of control."

Sybok stands. "Red alert. Gate, get a security team and stop Ensign Pepsico."

Commander Don Abbott hears the claxons and looks to see what is going on. As he opens the doors to engineering, he sees the glowing Pepsico pass. "Hey ensign. Stop." Don tries to grab him back is thrown back.. "Computer, engage a forcefield around Ensign Pepsico.
Enraged by this, the glow around Ensign Pepsico increases. There is a flash, which dissipates the forcefield, and burns Don. After which Pepsico continues down the corridor.

Gate and his security team come to a halt. "There he is. Maximum stun." The security team fires at Pepsico, but the beams seem to be absorbed by glowing essence. "It didn't work. Full power on kill." They fire on maximum kill, but again the beams are simply absorbed. Pepsico raises his hand and releases a pulse of light. Gate dodges it, but the rest of the security team get hit, and they all collapse.
Pepsico lets out a little laugh. "Fools." "You're the fool!" Gate jumps up and charges Pepsico. Gate gathers all his strength and punches Pepsico in the face.
Barely hurting the ensign, a little blood runs down from his mouth. He whips it away, "Pretty good, but not good enough." He swiftly punches Gate in the abdomen. His hand penetrates Gates abdomen and goes completely through, and out his back. And just a quickly, Pepsico pulls his hand out and shakes off the blood. Gate hits the ground, and Pepsico kicks him, and the kick causes him to slam into the wall, and he passes out. "You are a fool."
Suddenly, Bob jumps Pepsico's back and starts trying to claw him to death. Not making any progress it drops off and tries punching him.
Pepsico grabs the strange creatures arm with one hand and its throat with the other. Pepsico turns toward the wall, and with a swift swing, he punches through the wall with hand he has around Bob's neck. As Pepsico walks away, Bob lies battered and broken on the other side of the wall.

Back on the bridge…
"Gate come in." Chandra sighs, "What is going on down there."
The turbolift opens and everyone turns to see Pepsico walking out. Yeoman Willis draws her phaser, but Pepsico slaps her to the side and she slams into Lt. Commander Erickson.
Sybok and Keri jump up. Sybok steps in front of Keri, "Stop right now ensign." But he continues toward him. "Stop! Now!" Sybok steps up to attack, but is pushed aside.
He continues to approach Keri. With nothing else to do, she tries to establish a psychic link with him. "You must stop this. You have to stop." His body continues forward, yet she continues speaking with him telepathically. "I understand." She sends a psychic message to Sybok.
Sybok jumps up and grabs onto Pepsico's head. He quickly begins a mind meld. After a moment, there is a big flash of light, and both Pepsico and Sybok lay unconscious on the floor.

Pepsico wakes up sickbay. He was fully aware of what had happened. Although he was unable to stop it. He has a truly amazing, yet dangerous power. Maybe they can contain it one day. But there is no way in the universe that they will ever try that treatment again.