Star Trek: Theurgy

Re: Day 11 [1130 hours] Live Research: Trill or not Trill?

Reply #25 – January 22, 2023, 06:34:17 PM

[MCWO Larrant | Xenobiology & Cybernetics Lab | Deck 17 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy]

Larrant had only briefly lowered his mental barrier, merely out of curiosity of what he might sense from the Trill symbiont. It was not a direct intrusion of the others' minds, simply a skimming of the waters akin to what most Betazoid empaths routinely did. However, the Medusan was not prepared for the onslaught of tense emotion he received from those around him. He was enough to set off some internal alarms in his POD.

By the time he had recalibrated his POD and returned his mental barrier to full strength, the procedure was over. The emotion he closely identified with feeling was disappointment. He had wanted to try and connect with the symbiont in some way to better understand how joined Trill and Symbionts managed to function with a host of memories from different lives. It was the only known parallel to what he experienced with his Diads. Larrant would have to attempt to get closer to Lt. Ryn.

Re: Day 11 [1130 hours] Live Research: Trill or not Trill?

Reply #26 – February 08, 2023, 01:18:47 PM

[ Hirek tr’Aimne | Xenobiology & Cybernetics Lab | D. 17 | V. 03 | USS Theurgy] | ATTN: @Eirual

The variety of personalities that had occupied the room up to recent moments had amused Hirek and given him further insight into the role he was to play while on board this ship. Some seemed far more keen on being upfront and “out there” with their opinions and application of orders, while others had kept their faces neutral and voices modulated—almost Romulan of them. As the “crowd” dissipated and Mia directed her attention to him, Hirek inwardly relaxed. Not that he’d been nervous before, but being asked to engage in something he enjoyed was always relaxing and discussing genetics with a beautiful woman was never a bad thing.

Raising an eyebrow in amusement at the Ensign’s use of “sir” when addressing him, Hirek moved past the formalities and straight into her suggestion. “If your purpose is to find potential matches between the Trill symbiote and the parasite, then I would concur that pulling up all known samples of Trill symbiote DNA you have on file, going as far back as possible, and feeding those samples into your computer with strict instructions to find correlations or distant connections with all our samples of the parasites. This correlation analysis may help to determine coexpression levels and to identify overrepresented annotation terms in correlated gene groups. I would be surprised if they had absolutely nothing in common, considering the manner in which they exist within a host, but as a scientist, I like surprises as much as I like confirmations.”

He nodded towards the numerous monitors along the wall, “Putting the samples through a series of stress tests could be another manner to determine similarities and differences. If there are noted stress tests on file that the Trill symbiote have undergone and the results already at hand, we could then subject the parasite’s sample to similar tests and note any similarities or differences therein.”

Re: Day 11 [1130 hours] Live Research: Trill or not Trill?

Reply #27 – February 09, 2023, 11:15:44 PM

[Ens. Mia Dunne | Xenobiology & Cybernetics Lab | Deck 17 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy]
ATTN: @rae @Pierce @Ellen Fitz @jreeves1701 @Auctor Lucan


Mia had briefly noticed that the Medusan had, well at least the holographic image he portrayed for them had, seemed to freeze and while it was only a moment or two, Mia had to wonder what had caused that to happen. Maybe after she finished with this little experiment she would check on him to see what had happened. He was after all one of those species of which she knew very little about and having a chat with Larrant would definitely be interesting.

She pushed those thoughts from her mind again as she studied the samples before her, debating the best way to test her theory. The Romulan stood next to her and made several suggestions. “Well,” she said slowly looking over and up at Hirek, “I’ll need to access the medical database for any trill symbiot DNA they might have.” She moved over to a terminal to begin accessing that information; however, her field of study made it difficult to gain access to anything regarding current crew. With a sigh she pulled up what data she could, “Sometimes I really hate this. I mean it’s not like I want to look at complete medical files or anything.”

She paused and fed in her requirements for comparison to the parasite sample and began the comparison program. “I have no idea how long this will take, but could you help with those stress tests you were mentioning. Would they actually work with the parasite sample, since that one is no longer ‘living’?”

---

OOC: Figured I’d let Hirek get in some experimenting too. 

Re: Day 11 [1130 hours] Live Research: Trill or not Trill?

Reply #28 – February 25, 2023, 11:15:22 AM

[ Hirek tr’Aimne | Xenobiology & Cybernetics Lab | D. 17 | V. 03 | USS Theurgy] | ATTN: @Eirual

Leaning down, he whispered conspiratorily, “You aren’t even slightly tempted to know some of the juicy details?” Winking, Hirek stood back to his full height, quirking an eyebrow at Mia’s complaint, a bemused smirk already pulling at his lips, “At least you have access. I am an interloper for many, untrustworthy because of my blood, something to be used for a time and then discarded.” He shrugged, tone of voice matter-of-fact and far from melancholy. “I’ll be happy to do what I can with the stress tests. I’ve been granted access up to a point without ‘overwatch’ stepping in to ‘escort’ me further into the system if necessary.”

Hirek didn’t fault Intelligence or the captain for the added measures. There was more stacked against him than for him in many ways, and it would take time and opportunity to prove his worth to the crew as an asset in their present mission—something he felt the need to do to garner their support in his desire to end the Tal Shiar. Considering the cruel organization was supporting Tal’Aura and not Donatra, and Theurgy seemed keen on lending their guns to Donatra’s side, it seemed to Hirek only a matter of time before his homeworld could be rid of the claws of the beast for good.

At his assigned station, Hirek took the shared details of both the Trill and parasite DNA and programmed a number of tests into the computer. What his department head had told him, and what he’d been allowed to read in the files he had access to, made Hirek curious if they could turn the host’s body into an uninviting environment, much like one did in the archaic treatment of cancer, if that could be a catalyst to “dislodging” the parasite. If they could then follow up with a bioengineered expectorant, for lack of a better term, that would assist the body in expelling the parasitic remains, it could be possible that through a series of treatments, the host could be saved and the parasite destroyed. However, based on the preliminary test results, once they began showing up on the screen, showed that the dosages of the alkylating agents, nitrosoureas, and antimetabolites necessary for a type of success would be fatal to the host as well as the parasite. Interestingly, the tests using the mitotic inhibitors derived from the Mordoden plant family and a few other rare bacterial samples archived from a relic retrieved from the Gamma quadrant showed themselves promising. Alerting Mia, Hirek pointed to the console screen to walk her through his find.

“These samples show that the mitotic inhibitors derived from the samples we have on file of the Mordoden plant family stop the parasite cells from dividing to form new cells, but, as you can see here, it damages the healthy cells as well, and as you may know, mitotic inhibitors often cause nerve damage when used as treatment. However, these preliminary tests look far more promising than the other stress test results.” Hirek’s fingers moved quickly over the panel, calling up more information on the Mordoden plant family. “Further issues, this particular plant family prefers phasic environments, often found in the turmolic soil of planets near stars about to go supernova or planets on the outskirts of a black hole event. Although studying the development of the plant in its home environment has been impossible, lab studies have attributed the plant's unique characteristics to its preference for a chaotic environment, though not as much is known about how it spreads or what causes it to grow in the first place.”

His eyes moving away from the screen to settle on Mia, Hirek quirked his single eyebrow again, “Do you know if the ship has any of these plants on hand that we could use for physical testing?”

Re: Day 11 [1130 hours] Live Research: Trill or not Trill?

Reply #29 – March 08, 2023, 04:34:20 AM

[Ens. Mia Dunne | Xenobiology & Cybernetics Lab | Deck 17 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy]
ATTN:  @Ellen Fitz @Auctor Lucan

Mia had given Hirek a bit of a head shake at his question about looking at the crew files, mostly because she knew he was more than likely just trying to get a rise out of her. But she was also saddened to think that he was so resigned to being untrusted by the majority of the crew. She had no idea how he could willingly be here with that feeling every day.  “I’m sorry it had been difficult for you here, Sir,” she stated quietly before turning to work on her samples and program the comparisons for similar DNA strands.

She was so engrossed in trying to find similarities that she was startled when he got her attention, “Oh!” She listened to him speaking about the possible benefits, at least insofar as to fight the parasite, of a plant called Mordoden. She had not studied botany so it was a bit out of her knowledge base. But what he was saying, if accurate, would be a first step in treating those infested. But would they even have any of those plants on board, “That’s a good question for which I don’t have an answer. Hold on... maybe there is one listed in the data base.” She moved to another console and accessed the science inventory of plants, glancing at Hirek, “You know more what to look for, but here’s all the plants currently inventoried on the ship.”

She stepped back slightly and glanced at Tyreke, who was working diligently and quietly in the far corner of the lab. She felt bad that she had all but taken over his small domain, but it was the best place for what they had to do. She would have to find a way to make it up do him later, but for now she moved back to her own experiment, and frowned as result after result showed no similarities. She sighed heavily. In her mind the experiment had failed.

Re: Day 11 [1130 hours] Live Research: Trill or not Trill?

Reply #30 – June 19, 2023, 09:42:52 AM

[ Hirek tr’Aimne | Xenobiology & Cybernetics Lab | D. 17 | V. 03 | USS Theurgy] | ATTN: @Eirual

Hirek frowned, “Only one live specimen is listed in the databanks, but it is not onboard. It is at Starbase Omicron Two. Most of the data we have is hypothetical and extrapolated from a series of tests done on a half dozen live samples taken approximately twenty years ago. All those specimens were used to exhaustion, and now only inanimate cells remain. The live specimen at Omicron Two was collected about eight years ago from a phasic-environment on a moon orbiting a dark star on the edge of Typhon Expanse.” Hirek read further, his frown growing. “Apparently, up until a few months ago, there were other live specimens from this same moon held at a series of research starbases scattered across Federation space but what appears to be a series of accidents and mismanagement of transportation has led to the loss of these other specimens, leaving only the one at Omicron Two still viable for use in developing serums or treatments to fight off phasic parasites, like the ones we are coming up against.”

Stepping away from the console, Hirek raked his gaze over his shorter companion, facial features set into a look of mild amusement. “Seems rather coincidental that they lost only these specimens in those accidents, and only one is left. Though,” he shrugged, “there is not enough conclusive evidence to have more than presumptuous correlated theories. It is still worth relaying the information to the botany director and the higher-ups, in case they would like to explore the matter further.” Hirek gave another half-shrug and resumed his studies. “I will see if there are any other promising leads.”

FIN