CH02: S [D06|0020] Tendrils From the Past

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CH02: S [D06|0020] Tendrils From the Past

October 09, 2018, 11:11:07 AM

Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

[ Dr Amelya Rez | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Doc M. @lisavw @Triage @TWilkins

After showing T'Panu the essentials in Sickbay and having freshened up lightly to remove the stained uniform and some of the smeared out remnants of Klingon blood. It had been a shock to have seen the casualties the Klingon boarder had further done to Theurgy's Sickbay. Some casualites were being processed to the morgue while some more light injuries were being dealt with after the vicious attack of the Rotarran.

Amelya's attention was required in the Primary Surgical Suite as she got wind of the injured fighter pilot called Krystal Tancredi. One of the Tacc Conn pilots had informed her of the tumor inside of her head and about its sentience. A gift from the past trouble the Resolve had gotten into during their trip. Imaging and several scans had already been made by Jovela and Thorne as they had stripped the pilot from her exosuit and sized her up with a surgical gown. They had administered a few shots of drugs into her system to make her more pain free and to prepare her for the impending surgery.

"Doctor T'panu... Would you care to check the initial imaging we've done? I could use a second opinion about this tumor." Amelya started as she looked at the redheaded pilot "If I recall correctly, Vulcans have the most steady hands in the fleet right?" she smiled as she made sure nurse Thorne would go and collect the other Vulcan doctor known as Maya. She was one of the ship's only viable brain surgeons considering the fate of the infested doctor Nicander.

As the two doctors looked at the scans and size of the tumor Amelya remembered that hey had another qualified doctor on call that could bounce some ideas around as well. As they were waiting for Maya in any case before beginning with the complex procedure Amelya called out "Computer. Please notify Doctor Kobol to join u in the Primary Surgical Suite." after that she looked at T'Panu as she sighed when having looked over at the scans "Have you seen anything like this?" she asked T'Panu as she shifted her weight in her stance and looked concerned at the images of the tumor.

It looked like a single body tumor yet it had tendrils of sorts that reached into various parts of the pilots brain. The imaging was sharp, yet it was hard to tell if the tendrils had hooks or spikes of sorts that latched onto the parts of the brain. Furthermore, there had been warnings about the 'active state' the tumor was in. Lieutenant Havenborn had informed her of the tumor being sentient, a sort of a bioweapon. This wasn't part of Amelya's specialty and she hoped Maya could come up with a good way to remove the tumor without turning the redheaded pilot into a vegetable plant.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #1 – October 09, 2018, 11:00:15 PM

[ Maya & Evelyn Rawley | Counselor’s Office | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] A Joint Post by Doc M. and Multificionado Attn: @Auctor Lucan, @BZ, @ Firefox013 , @ lisavw , @Nolan, @ TWilkins, and anyone else who has a character in sickbay, or is going to have a character in sickbay very soon.

In the primary surgical unit Maya was standing up and taking a few experimental steps. “Thank you Nurse, the synaptizine and the neural transducers seem to working. Hopefully they will allow me to return to duty.”

“Is that a good idea Doctor?” Nurse Riley Patterson asked in concern.

“Probably not, but given the number of casualties we can expect and that we don’t seem to have any emergency medical holograms working in this section it seems necessary…”

"Doctor Maya? This is Lieutenant Rawley. If yeh have a mo' I need some work done on me hooter."

“This is Maya. I have a moment. Meet me in the counselor’s officer and I shall be right with you,” the little Vulcan replied as tapped her combadge. She looked at Patterson. “Surely I am fit to handle diagnoses and pharmaceutical treatments, but I must agree that it is not advisable for me to handle a scalpel.”

“If you say so Doctor,” Nurse Patterson nodded uncertainly.

The Counselor’s Office made a good examination room, particularly when sickbay was busy and the counselor was absent. A few minutes later, Maya tottered into the the room and Rawley could tell from Maya's uncoordinated and unsteady gait that something was wrong. If her mind had been mucked with...had the puppet master sought to reclaim her? Rawley felt sorry for Maya if Nicander tried to.

"Maya? Are yeh alright?”

“There is no need to concern yourself with my condition,” Maya retorted as she waved the question aside and began scanning. The greenblooded physician’s long spidery fingers fumbled with her medical tricorder. Perhaps it was because Maya seldom used a tricorder.

To Rawley’s memory, Maya had an unfortunate tendency to make a medical scan by touching the back of her patient’s neck and diagnosing the subject by using data gleaned directly from the subject’s nervous system. The procedure seemed highly invasive and disoriented the patient by momentarily giving the impression she was in Doctor Maya’s body; feeling one’s heart beating in the wrong place was not a sensation one desires when one is in sickbay. Many of her regular patients went out of their way to remind her that they preferred a conventional scan to a "Vulcan Body Touch" as the procedure had been nicknamed. But Maya wasn’t doing that now, and didn’t seem to need reminding this time.

“The trauma to your face should be easily repairable,” the greenblooded physician commented. “The strain on your cervical vertebrae, on the other hand, is the perfect excuse to place you on light duty to allow you the time to properly recover from your recent surgery. From the looks of things, your piloting skills overtaxed your fighter’s inertial compensators.”

"Well, sod hoo I'm fit to fly,” retorted Rawley, scoffing at Maya when she was questioning her flying performance. "I would wonder how yeh be fit for duty with Nicander mucking with yehr head.”

Maya looked up from her readings to gaze to Rawley with her large hazel eyes. Her blank expression was similar to that of a surprised cat.

"Oh, aye, I know aboot it, Maya,” Rawley continued, "I know Nicander mucked with your mind, made you his puppet....” Maya listened to it all without comment.

“I’ve personally discovered that...” the little Vulcan began but Rawley cut her off.

"But if I ever have the chance, I'd pay him oot, and as for yeh, I'd be surprised if yeh weren't inclined for revenge yehrself inside, even for a Vulcan,” Rawley finished.

“I assure you Doctor Nicander’s torment is greater than the two of us will ever know,” Maya assured her as she made an attempt at a facial expression. She apparently wasn’t getting it right for she raisied her eyebrows over and over again but rather than appearing concerned or sincere her action was reminiscent of a bad Groucho Marx impression.

"Good,” muttered Rawley. "Let's hope the bugger suffers.”

“In any case, vengeance is often counterproductive and sets a bad example for others,” she added as she set down her tricorder and did finger stretching exercises with both hands.

"Of course, yeh wouldn't get some revenge, knowing yeh,” the pilot muttered. "It's jes business as usual, aye? Mucking with your mind...it's like being raped in yehr head, my opinion. Believe me. But, again, there's nothing the wee lasses we are can do aboot it.”

Maya gave Rawley her full attention after that remark. Her left eyebrow raised a millimeter and she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the right. “Do you require counseling Lieutenant?” she asked in a clinical tone. “The counselors we have on board are currently in another stardrive section but I am medically qualified and consider myself a good listener. In the meantime I believe I shall place you on light duty…”

"Light duty I can understand. Dinnae know how soon we'll fly again, what with our numbers being so whittled doon to size; more than half our bloody pack gone,” Rawley interrupted in order to squelch that topic.

Maya’s left eyebrow rose an entire millimeter, and she narrowed her eyes for a moment before setting down her tricorder and awkwardly reaching for a PADD.

Rawley let out a sigh to calm herself, and, to spare herself ranting.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #2 – October 10, 2018, 02:20:21 AM

Rawley considered what Maya said earlier before she changed the subjects.

“I dinnae mind counseling if yeh would like,” she said. “I’ve felt aggression at Nicander noo that I know he was pulling the strings. What adds to me frustration is that it’s oot of my hands. I dinnae belong up with the lads and lasses in yellow when there are plenty to guard him and me place is with me pack.

“On top of that, I dinnae know if yeh know yet, or if Doctor Rez told yeh, but the Allegiant arrived, the Captain’s Yacht, with a bloody Borg drone. I dinnae care what she’s doing here or if she’s a member of the crew as she claims to be. We already have a backstabbing git locked up in Security, someone we know intimately well, and we’ve got a second potential showing up. I dinnae know whether or not she’ll stab us in the back and let the Borg have our arses, considering we foond their points of origin.”

She clenched her fists and let out a breath.

“I dinnae know me temper as of late. I may be me way of hoo I’m taking the anxiety about the Borg and the possibility of assimilation. The Wolves feel such anxiety, but I may be showing me anxiety in a different way, not to mention how much we lost. I dinnae know what the Allegiant was doing oot and aboot, but… ah, shite, there’s been so much going on, the tenseness and what’s going on. It’s been a hard night on all of us. What a drone slut is doing here, I’d like to know, and what the Allegiant was doing flying around.

“Yeh may not have time at the moment, but if yeh will be able to see it there sometime. I think they’ve also picked up a few new folk. Bonkers, innit? This vector finds the crew of a destroyed ship and the yacht has probably picked up a few more. Makes me wonder what the Helmet’s foond. Hopefully nothing worse than Borg and Klingons.”

She was almost ranting herself hoarse, and that was saying something with her husky voice. She didn't know when the last time it was when she talked this much, let alone ranted. Anybody else, even Tom Ravon, and she would've been looked at like a madwoman. But Maya, besides being a Vulcan, was a good listener, and she mentioned counseling experience.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #3 – October 11, 2018, 06:17:29 PM

[Lieutenant Elro Kobol | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Nolan @Triage @Doc M. @lisavw

Elro took a moment to adjust his hair before entering the surgical bay, trying to appear a little less disheveled when he entered the central room. Whilst he still felt composed, he was aware that he had been running around in Sickbay for a fair while now and that he probably didn't look his sharpest. He also admittedly felt a slight stabbing of anxiety in his gut as he approached the door; he didn't know who was summoning him, or for what purpose. He was still an outsider on the Theurgy and he still had a nagging in his gut reminding him to remain hesitant.

The door slid back without a sound as Elro stepped through into the clinically white walled surgical bay, greeted with the sight of Dr Rez and an atypically long-haired Vulcan woman whom he didn't recognise. She at least hadn't been in Sickbay when he had first arrived on board, and he was sure that either Maya or Jovelia would have mentioned something to him if there were other members of the medical team on this vector.

Apparently he wasn't the new guy any more.

"Dr Rez, I'm glad to see you well." He politely greeted, noting that he hadn't seen her since she'd transported from Sickbay just at the start of the Klingon attack. As he greeted her, he glanced curiously around the room, noting a female patient lying on the surgical bed wearing a gown. "You summoned me?" He questioned, his brow furrowing as he noted that the patient didn't appear to have any external injuries that he could observe.

"Yes, Doctor Kobol , this is Doctor T'Panu..." The blonde Trill introduced, gesturing to the Vulcan. "And this is something of a medical mystery." She added, passing a PADD to Elro which he took with a nod, glancing down to it with a slightly perplexed look overcoming his face.

He wasn't anything close to an expert on neurological imaging, but the scans looked as though some sort of tumor was pressing on the patient's brain. And whilst a tumour on the brain was treatable by the right physician, there was something particularly suspect about this one... It looked as though set of, what could only be described as tendrils, were snaking down from the main body of the growth, potentially latching onto various sites around the brain. Elro had never seen anything close to it before. It almost resembled a life form rather than a tumor.

"We were hoping you might have some insight on how to go about treating this..." Rez asked him softly, making him glance up back from the PADD, noting that T'Panu was inquisitively looking over the patient. "Perhaps a specialisation in unusual sentient tumors... Or you'd have an option to weaken the tumor by use of certain medicine?"

"I guess using the transporter is out of the question..." He muttered in response, looking back down to the scans with a furrowed brow, before he realised what the Trill had said. "I'm sorry, did you say this is sentient?" Elro asked, watching the Blonde nod slightly in response. "Wow..." He breathed. "This is a little out of my area of expertise, but any assistance I can offer..." He glanced back down at the PADD and paused, before changing his line of thought, suddenly changing his mind about feeling all-so-tired.

"I graduated as a toxicologist so I might be able to synthesise some sort of toxin that could weaken the growth without killing the patient..." He began pondering aloud, before he grimaced about the Starfleet regulations surrounding what he was suggesting and the oath he had taken as a Medical Officer. "But I have to say, if this tumor is in fact sentient..." He returned the PADD to the Trill with a grim expression. "We have a very big ethical decision to make regarding the what we're about to do here..."

A special thank you to @Nolan for writing Rez's dialogue

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #4 – October 14, 2018, 06:57:24 AM

[ Maya | Counselor’s Office | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan, @BZ, @ Firefox013 , @ lisavw , @Nolan, @ TWilkins, and anyone else who has a character in sickbay, or is going to have a character in sickbay very soon.

In the counselor’s office, Maya was sitting on the short side of L shaped couch listening to Evelyn Rawley share her anxieties. Facing the greenblooded physician at a ninety degree angle Evelyn was sitting on the longer part, pouring out her heart in a way which would be considered profanity on Vulcan, or be considered a mental illness on that planet. It was difficult to tell if Maya showed any distress at this outburst; the little Vulcan simply stared at the pilot with her large hazel eyes while massaging her hands and opening and closing her long spidery fingers. She seemed prepared to listen to Evelyn for as long as the pilot wished to speak, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the Sword had just been in a battle and that casualties with more serious injuries were incoming. If Maya’s face revealed anything, it would be concentration. Rawley jumped from one topic to another, but an underlying theme could be discerned if one listened closely.

“Your concerns are understandable Evelyn,” Maya assured her stiffly. “It would be no exaggeration to say that everyone on this ship is dealing with issues of trust. Looking back, it is something that has been taken from us ever since last November when Captain Ives revealed that Starfleet Command had been compromised by a nameless, rapacious, nefandus intelligence from beyond known space. The betrayal from the captain and first officer of the Harbinger to not only us but their own officers and crew only reinforces our isolation and paranoia. And the numerous times we have lost control of our own actions has made it difficult to trust each other, or even ourselves. It would be no exaggeration to say that trust aboard this ship has become as rare and as precious as water in the Shirakar Desert.”

Maya shook her head as if to clear it and blinked rapidly as if she was trying to stay awake. “Nevertheless I can only recommend an open mind when it comes to our guests, because with the casualties we are taking we are not at liberty to turn skilled personnel away. Yet after all we have endured I am reminded of that old Vulcan proverb, ‘trust but verify.’ I can only counsel acceptance, even though I'm forced to acknowledge that they are an unknown commodity. Despite our suspicions, we cannot allow ourselves to remain divided or we shall find ourselves alone. Personally speaking, I assure you that I for one, assuming that I’m alive and allowed to act on my own volition, will not abandon you.”

At that moment, the door to the counselor’s office slid open and Nurse Riley Patterson poked her head in before stepping awkwardly into the room. “Doctor Maya? Doctor Rez needs you in the Primary Surgical Bay. We need a consult on some brain surgery and you’re our only brain surgeon who isn’t in the brig.”

“I’m on my way Nurse,” the greenblooded neurosurgeon replied as she struggled to rise to her feet. “Give Lieutenant Rawley point two milliliters of anesthizine and have her call me in the morning,” she added as she tottered out the door.

Soon she was staggering drunkenly into the Primary Surgical Bay attached to the Chief Medical Officer’s office to join Amelya, Elro, and T'Panu. The expressionless mask of her Vulcan countenance made her appear to be a marionette rather than a living person. “Doctor Maya, reporting for duty,” she announced stiffly before stopping to narrow her large hazel eyes at T’Panu, the obvious newcomer. “What is the nature of the medical emergency?” she asked as she jerkily turned her gaze to the comatose patient.

OOC: Sorry to cut our counseling session so short, @Multificionado, but at least we snuck you in as a link!

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #5 – October 14, 2018, 07:48:56 PM

Rawley took in Maya’s words with as much concentration as it took to man the controls of a Valkyrie. Or perhaps that bird known as the Delta Flyer that was made and came all the way from the Delta Quadrant; she heard rumours that the Flyer had a unique set of controls.

When it boiled down to it, it seemed to be a matter of trust.

“It would be no exaggeration to say that trust aboard this ship has become as rare and as precious as water in the Shirakar Desert."

Rawley nodded in agreement. Bloody understatement it was. Though she’d like to know which desert on Vulcan was the Shirakar; because Vulcan was all desert. Hard to be meditative and contemplative in all that heat and bloody sand; bloody sand gets everywhere and it’s bloody uncomfortable. And it messes with any kind of system if it gets in them.

But what felt Rawley good the most was her words before Maya had to conduct surgery, nominally the proverb. “Trust and verify.” If she had any wise relations, they’d tell her the same thing. As well as:

“Despite our suspicions, we cannot allow ourselves to remain divided or we shall find ourselves alone. Personally speaking, I assure you that I for one, assuming that I'm alive and allowed to act on my own volition, will not abandon you."

Rawley smiled at those words. She gave Maya a smile of gratitude as she left.

Accepting the injection, she had to admit, she felt better, a little calmer. She definitely did feel aggravated before, news about Nicander, the battle, the anxiety that at any moment the Borg would come swooping down for their arses, and now a newcomer including a drone and another potential backstabber. She breathed, calm. She can, and she will, try to trust. She knew to trust plenty of people.

Of course, she didn’t feel her nose, but that was fine. She’ll be a lot better, and she be sure to drop by on Maya in the morning.

Granted, having taken some rest, a very comfortable few hours previously, not to mention having fought a battle, she was alert and attentive as ever. Sod the lateness of the hour. There could be something she should do. She decided to head for the lockers to change and report to Ravon. They were still on duty, after all.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #6 – October 15, 2018, 01:22:09 AM

[ Dr T'Panu | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] @Nolan @Doc M. @Multificionado @TWilkins

T'Panu had just been beamed to sickbay. She felt herself dematerialize as she entered, revealing a far more sophisticated room than she had been recently accustomed to. She was excited to see actual beds, other doctors, real medical equipment! She had to admit, it would be far nicer than the broom closet she had been working out of on the aft compartment. She spent a moment looking around, taking everything in. Her inner Betazoid was beginning to geek out, although her Vulcan side didn't let it show. She had to maintain her composure, especially in front of her new colleagues.

"Doctor T'panu... Would you care to check the initial imaging we've done? I could use a second opinion about this tumor," Doctor Amelya Rez mentioned. T'Panu took a closer look, noting the origins. At first glance, the tumor looked very intriguing. It was localized in the patients' brain, wrapping itself around the midbrain. It had long, unusual tendrils, which were stretching out further. It was as though it was actively spreading, attaching itself through the rest of the patients' brain and taking over.

"Have you seen anything like this?" Dr Rez asked. T'Panu had never seen anything like this. She had done tons of research at the Academy through her medical training: she spent most of her days reading research articles, writing reports and studying scans. But she had never seen anything like this.

"I wish I had. I haven't the first clue what this could be. The origin seems quite localized, but the way it has spread itself is going to make it quite the challenge to extract, if even possible. We'll need to be careful the rate we extract it. My suggestion would be to run some tests on it to see if we are able to extract a small section of it. If we are able to do that, we can see how fast it's growing and how it'll react to being operated on," T'Panu replied, concernedly.

Just as they were discussing the scans, T'Panu was glancing at the patient, trying to get a clear idea of what was going on. She was curious how this tumor began, how it was affecting the patient, if it was already causing any symptoms. Starting by answering these questions, they would be able to determine how long they have to operate, hopefully, successfully.

"Yes, Doctor Kobol , this is Doctor T'Panu. And this is something of a medical mystery." T'Panu turned, and noticed they weren't the only ones in the room anymore. She was lost in thought and surprised to hear more people entering. She was caught off guard and was trying to formulate words, but was too lost in her ideas for the surgery.

"Doctor Maya, reporting for duty, what is the nature of the medical emergency?"

T'Panu caught her gaze with Doctor Maya and noted her large, deep, hazel eyes glancing back at her. T'Panu was looking inquisitively at everyone, trying to remember all their names and specialties.

"It's been a while since I've been around other doctors, I'll have a lot of catching up to do!" T'Panu thought. She looked forward to their work and couldn't wait to delve deeper into finding a cure for this patient.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #7 – October 24, 2018, 11:34:42 PM

[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Doc M. @lisavw @Triage @TWilkins @Nolan
[Show/Hide]

Why did things always have to move at such speed? Silim Parnak paced quickly down the corridor towards the main sickbay with a couple of PADDs in hand. There was never enough time. It had only been two days since he had found out about Tancredi’s condition in any real volume and he was still in the initial phase of his testing. There was much to learn before they had reached this stage.

Who even falls ill at this time of night? It was typical of the human girl. As much as he enjoyed the time they had spent together, he concluded, thinking over past events; She certainly kept her schedule chaotic.

That was why, when he heard that the pilot had collapsed that he begrudgingly allowed the hybrid to continue to use his work space, gathered his research and headed off. Pushing and moving past any slow dawdlers in the walkways of the ship as he moved with alacrity.

When the doors parted and Silim stepped inside the medical facility, he scanned the room quickly before spotting the reception desk and striding towards it. It was clean, spartan and entirely Starfleet.

“I need to speak with the lead surgeon treating Ensign Tancredi immediately.” He ordered the officer without any pleasantries or his usual pomp and grace. This situation required him to be straight to the point. “I am Doctor Parnak and I have important information regarding her condition.”

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #8 – October 25, 2018, 11:24:18 AM

[ Dr Amelya Rez | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Doc M. @lisavw @Triage @TWilkins @Arista

T'Panu's initial idea to remove a bit of the tumor to see how it would grow and react to their actions sounded like a valid plan. The only concern Rez had was that the Tumor would feel threatened when being sampled at, causing for a cascade of deadly events which could cost the life of the pilot on the biobed. Alternatively, they had no clue what they were going to find once they opened up Krystal's head for that matter. The coil that was designed to keep the tumor in check had been breached according to the scans. "If the tumor wasn't sentient I would follow your advice T'Panu... Yet I fear it might increase the danger for our patient if we prod at it so to speak."

Rez's eyes glanced over at Kobol as he brought up the ethic part of what they were about to do. "The tumor needs to be removed, I rather not kill it so we can study it, yet not at the cost of the patient." Rez voiced out "Any help from a toxicologist point of view would help I imagine. I rather drug it or have it sedated so our jobs would become a whole lot easier. Though i'm no-" The doors of the primary surgical suite opened up and the familiar yet different face of Dr Maya presented herself as she reported herself in.

"Maya." Amelya smiled with some relief washing over her as the ship's brain surgeon showed up "I have a case that's written right up your expertise actually." she said as she walked over to the Vulcan physician "Please, meet our new guests and fellow doctors. Dr T'Panu and you've already met Dr Kobol , right?" she introduced her to the new faces before she looked over at Krystal "We have a fighter pilot with what seems to have a brain tumor that is sentient according to her fellow pilots. Something they picked up on the Resolve. We've got very little to go on, but I guess this should be your show."

Before Amelya could continue with brainstorming about a way to deal with the tumor a chirp came through the intercom "Doctors, I have a certain doctor Parnak here at reception. He claims to have vital information about miss Tancredi's condition. Shall I send him through?" the desk nurse reported and Amelya frowned slightly before nodding "Yes, please. Have mister Parnak brought to the primary surgical suite please."

Patterson had just finished up with Rawley as she got stopped by the nurse at reception. She got the instructions to bring the Cardassian doctor to the CMO office and she nodded as a few moments later she introduced Parnak to the collective of doctors "Doctors, I have doctor Parnak with me." she smiled as she let him in and the doors went shut behind them.

"Doctor Parnak, welcome. You've claimed to have vital information for us?" she asked inquisitively as she crossed her arms. Unsure why a non Starfleet doctor knew about the condition of the pilot while the medical staff themselves were probing in the dark. The eyes of Rez going to her fellow colleagues as she was eager tackle the problem of the tumor. Knowing that time was of the essence here.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #9 – November 10, 2018, 08:35:29 PM

[ Dr. Silim Parnak | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Doc M. @lisavw @Triage @TWilkins @Nolan
[Show/Hide]

With little in the way of welcome, Parnak was ushered into surgical area. The circular room was white and all together too bright, but that was a very Starfleet way of interior design.

In the room was a number of medical staff, many huddled around the pilot. A couple of Vulcans, a human and a Trill who seemed to be leading. Since she had spoken, he directed his attention towards her. It would have been nice for the doctor to introduce herself, but Parnak supposed he had to deal with the situation without appropriate pleasantries.

“Ensign Tancredi has been the victim of a deliberate invasive procedure where something was placed into her cranium.” He began, ensuring he had undivided attention. Because he was speaking with peers rather that students or lay-persons, the matter in which he spoke, and the tone was less lecturing than usual. “Though endo-parasitical in nature, this is not a living organism, but merely an alien growth of tissue. In order for this tumour to grow, it seeks out uninhibited nerve clusters to feed through multiplying in long tendril-like growths. By activating some areas of the victim’s brain and inhibiting others, it can obtain the sustenance it needs to increase its mass exponentially. Due to the fact that this tumour has no intelligence, its growth continues unabated until it causes complete and utter neural failure – Killing both the victim and the tumour itself.

Ensign Tancredi said that these tumours were placed in the heads of the victims by a species she called Illithids, or Mind-Flayers, as a torture and execution device. Though, not the primary purpose of the tumour itself, I can see why this is done, as cognitive disassociation and mental decay would be apparent side effects of the growth multiplying and spreading into all areas of the brain matter.”

Holding out the first of two PADD in his hands towards the Trill, he continued to explain what was on the device.

“I have taken some scans two days ago. Assuming you have already conducted an initial assessment, we can compare the results to track the growth of the tumour over that period and ascertain the correct treatment.”

Before speaking again, Silim held up the other.

“I have also brought my analysis of the initial findings and my work on the subject to date.” Looking past the Trill, Parnak’s gaze couldn’t help but fall on the human on the bio-bed. “I had hoped to make further progress in this case, but it appears this tumour has robbed me of time.”

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #10 – November 11, 2018, 07:46:35 AM

[ Maya | Primary Surgical Unit | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista, @Auctor Lucan, @BZ, @ Firefox013 , @ lisavw , @Nolan, @Triage, @TWilkins

“Fascinating,” Maya’s cool mezzosoprano voice drifted across the room. "Illithids. I had assumed they were a myth. Doctor Parnek,” the little Vulcan continued as she staggered forward somewhat drunkenly. "Forgive me for interrupting; we have not met. I am Doctor Maya. It is an honor to meet you,” she added as she clasped her hands and gave a respectful nod. "Speaking of honor, I have the dubious honor of being the Theurgy’s remaining neurosurgeon since our chief…” she cut off her words midsentence as she unsteadily bobbed her head to glance at Amelya before turning her large hazel eyes back in the direction of the Cardassian in front of her. "Since our senior… neurosurgeon… is suffering from… a contagion and has been… placed… in quarantine...” she corrected herself as she tottered uncertainly and frowned in concentration.

Even a lie of omission could be a challenge for Maya if she hadn’t prepared ahead. It wasn’t a matter of keeping her voice steady or acting natural; it was the creativity to come up with the slightest deviations from the unbiased facts on the spur of the moment that she found challenging. Which could be one of the reasons why after serving aboard the Theurgy for almost a year she still didn’t have any close friends.

“It seems that this tumor was allowed to go untreated for too long,” Maya continued, using the simple expediency of changing the subject. “Removing the tumor seems impossible, and killing it would release toxins that would result in the death of the host. It would seem that the most efficacious solution would be to reprogram it. If Federation science is unable to create nanites that can reprogram the tumor’s DNA, there is one individual aboard the Theurgy who has nanoprobes in her body capable of aggressively reprogramming a cell’s function. Using the data that you have collected and a sample of the host’s cranial tissue, we may be able to reprogram the tumor to cease its growth and reverse its damage.”

She looked away from Silim to unsteadily address the others in the room. “We have used more invasive procedures to save a patient’s life in the past,” she explained. “And as Doctor Parnak has pointed out we are out of time.”

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #11 – November 30, 2018, 03:30:35 PM

[ Lieutenant Elro Kobol | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista, @Auctor Lucan, @BZ, @Doc M., @Firefox013, @lisavw, @Nolan, @Triage

“If I may…” Elro found himself interjecting, following a thorough session of being blown about in the gale of ideas coming from his fellow medical specialists. Several new faces had emerged consecutively, including a Cardassian, whom Elro immediately felt wary of. Though blatantly xenophobic, Elro had read enough reports following the occupation of Betazed to know that he would never trust a Cardassian claiming to be a Doctor.

Maya had been the only one to suggest a diagnosis so far, utilising Borg nanoprobes to rewrite the DNA of the tumor to reprogram it. Though a far less invasive form of treatment to be sure, Elro wasn’t sure how he felt about introducing nanoprobes into a sentient life form. Regardless of whether it was a non-intelligent torture device as the Cardassian had suggested, it would be a borderline violation of Starfleet protocol to forcibly rewrite the DNA of a sentient being with nanoprobes.

Since when did Borg nanoprobes become the new vogue anyway?

“If this is indeed a sentient life-form, we’re most certainly in a grey-area in terms of forcibly re-coding it with nanoprobes…” Elro began, his hand subconsciously moving up and scratching at the side of his head. “We also don’t know how the tumor would react if we were to introduce nanoprobes into it. If it were designed as a weapon, it may have some equivalent to an immune response or perhaps biological defences present that might completely reject the nanoprobes and harm the patient in the process.”

Elro did understand that to some extent he was not being particularly helpful by playing the Devil’s Advocate, especially considering how far-fetched his own plan was… But he’d studied multiple semesters of interspecies ethics at the Academy and he was well aware that even parasitic life forms, if sentient, should only be harmed only as the absolute last resort…

“I do, however, have an alternate idea…” Elro almost found himself embarrassed to present it to so many strange and new faces. But there was a risk to the patient if the tumor was exposed to nanoprobes; they had no way to test how the tumor would respond to them once introduced and Elro didn’t fancy using the patient as a guinea pig unless it was the absolute last option. Not to mention that none of them knew how self-aware the tumor was. If it was capable of emotion, of feeling pain, of experiencing fear… They could end up inflicting great suffering of a living being.

“If this life form is in fact sentient as suggested, we have a duty as Starfleet Officers to at least attempt to find some way to communicate with it…” Elro found himself turning slightly, as to not meet the eyes of anyone else in the room, almost embarrassed by what some of them might consider to be little more than over-ethical blithering. “Perhaps some focussed telepathy may give us a feel of exactly how self-aware the tumor is, or if it is even possible to communicate with it. If we manage that, we might be able to establish a dialogue with it, and better understand what action we can take in terms of treatment.”

“And even if truly isn’t possible to communicate, some focussed telepathy may prove useful as a distraction, which might give us a chance to conduct a core biopsy, which will allow us to test both Doctor T’Panu and Maya’s ideas without risking any harm to the patient. Then, if it truly isn’t sentient, I will happily work on a toxin to paralyse the growth and bide us more time to explore options to safely remove it.”

Elro took a small breath, realising his explanation had been done with minimal oxygen, his dark eyes moving over to rest on the patient on the biobed. Patients… The tumor was their responsibility too.

“But I don’t feel comfortable assisting in the rewriting of a sentient being without exploring all other avenues of possibility. I understand that the patient is our primary responsibility, but for all we know, this tumor is just as much a victim as the patient; it surely had this forced on itself as much as it was forced on our patient.”

Elro concluded his theory, turning to look back to Doctor Rez, having been in the decision making position for over a year and finding it unfamiliar to have to ask permission. But he didn't plan on using nanoprobes on a sentient being to 'reprogram' it unless it was the absolute bottom line. His asking was just a formality; he wasn't a member of the crew.

“Of course, if you do wish to proceed with the previous plan in the first instance, I understand. But I would kindly ask to be excused with my involvement in the procedure from this point onwards.”

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #12 – December 04, 2018, 12:34:46 PM

[ Dr Amelya Rez | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Doc M. @lisavw @Triage @TWilkins @Arista

Hearing the various ideas and the additional information from the Cardassian doctor Silim Parnak, Amelya pinched the bridge of her nose as she let it all sink in. She looked at her peers and knew a decision had to be made in order to push through a course of action. Debating how to proceed further would not get them anywhere at this point and the life of Krystal Tancredi was on the line after all. That in the back of her mind Amelya spoke up.

"Okay. Doctor Kobol , I'm willing to give your idea a go, but you'll only have until morning to complete any sort of connection to this tumor. If it is even possible for that matter. As from what we've heard from doctor Parnak, it might just be a crude self aware torture device." she said, she turned to face Maya now "Maya, work on your plans to work with the nanoprobes. Make sure everything is set and ready to go in case Kobol 's efforts are in vain. We'll meet again at morning, say.. 09.00. Make sure you all get some rest and sleep. In the meantime Jovela, I want Krystal monitored 24/7 by staff. If there are any changes you can contact me."

"Doctor T'Panu, I hope some arrangements have been made for you to sleep. If not, you are always welcome to join me to my quarters." she smiled at the Vulcan medical officer, unsure if she'd have a place to sleep since the late arrival of the Allegiant.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #13 – December 16, 2018, 07:20:52 AM

[ Maya | Primary Surgical Unit | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Arista, @Auctor Lucan, @BZ, @ Firefox013 , @ lisavw , @Multificionado, @Nolan, @Triage, @TWilkins

"Maya, work on your plans to work with the nanoprobes. Make sure everything is set and ready to go in case Kobol 's efforts are in vain. We'll meet again at morning, say.. 09.00. Make sure you all get some rest and sleep. In the meantime Jovela, I want Krystal monitored 24/7 by staff. If there are any changes you can contact me."

”Yes Doctor,” Nurse Jovela acknowledged.

"I will begin extracting the nanoprobes right away," Maya said as she tilted her head to the right. She then staggered to the right and held out her arms in order to balance herself as she tottered in an almost comical, unVulcanlike manner. Narrowing her eyes and pursing her lips, she managed to regain her balance and stood up straight before carefully leaving the room. "Ensign Six, report to sickbay. Your assistance is required in a timely manner,” the little Vulcan said as she tapped her combage.

Despite the inconvenience, Maya had to admit that overstraining her nervous system had resulted in a significant benefit: If telepathy was to be used in the attempt to communicate with the tumor, Maya wasn’t going to be the one to make contact with it.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #14 – December 16, 2018, 06:29:10 PM

Six was jolted awake in surprise to hear the voice from her combadge. Fatigued as she was, if she was summoned to Sickbay, she’ll need to get moving. Perhaps she’ll return to the couches later; she had no other place to sleep she could think of. And she’ll have to bring a blanket.

Determining where Sickbay was, Six made her way alright, fatigued as she was. She wondered what was up. Most likely a physical examination; made sense, she never had one when she came aboard.

Entering the lobby of Sickbay, Six reported in.

“Ensign Six reporting. I’ve been summoned to Sickbay,” she said.

“Wait over there, ensign,” said the nurse at the duty station.

Six took a seat to wait. As she waited, she began to think to herself: Why was she so fatigued? After all, she had her booster pack charging up her systems, substituting for a regeneration alcove until she can return to hers, unless she made one.

She began to wonder if she had something on her that was draining her energy, making her fatigued, even with the booster pack. On the other hand, she didn’t have a moment to rest since 0800, but it didn’t make sense; her booster pack was powerful enough so she could keep going for days. No, it had to be something else…

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #15 – December 18, 2018, 06:37:56 AM

[ Maya | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Multificionado

“Ensign Six has arrived Doctor Maya,” Nurse Riley Patterson reported from the Nurse’s duty station.

[ Thank you Nurse; I shall be there shortly, ] Maya’s disembodied voice acknowledged.

Soon the greenblooded neurologist emerged from the hallway that led to the morgue, cryogenic stasis storage, and the medical labs. "Ensign Six, it is an honor to finally meet you,” Maya greeted coolly. "Your medical file makes interesting reading. If you’ll come this way,” she added as she stiffly raised an arm to indicate the corridor she had emerged from, "I will explain why you were summoned momentarily.”

Like Six, Doctor Maya was 5’2” (1.57 m) and had a slender petite build. Both women had onyx black hair that was cut short, although Maya had allowed her Vulcan style pageboy haircut to grow out slightly. But while Six had a warm complexion, Maya’s pallid face was almost colorless. In addition, the Vulcan’s pale hands seemed almost too large for her body.

Doctor Maya was apparently just as tired as Six was. Her eyes were narrowed and her mouth was clamped shut in a frown. Four motor assist bands decorated her uniform, one at each bicep and one at each thigh. She was walking stiffly and carefully. It appeared that someone other than Six needed to visit her regeneration chamber today.

Once they entered Medical Lab 02, Maya wasted no time awkwardly sitting on one of the two swivel chairs the room provided. She gestured to the other seat in a manner that would have made a twentieth century human think of Bela Lugosi. "One of our patients, Ensign Krystal Tancredi, is suffering from an artificial cancerous infection that she contracted in the Delta Quadrant.” Abruptly, the little Vulcan’s manner changed as her large hazel eyes widened in an attempt to create a sincere expression. "Yes, it’s true. The USS Voyager was not the only Starfleet vessel to become marooned in the Delta Quadrant. A similar thing happened to the crew of the Resolve as well,” she explained despite the fact that nearly everyone aboard was already aware of this. Since Maya had only recently been released from the brig, the news was still new to her.

"The tumors are resistant to every genetic nanite that Federation science has available, but Borg nanoprobes are, how shall we say, more aggressive than a standard medical nanite,” Maya added as she crouched in her chair, raised her left eyebrow, and cupped her hands before her allowing the fingertips of each of her hands to touch each other. "I am requesting a sample of the Borg nanoprobes that are infesting your body. This request is strictly voluntary; you are under no obligation to act as a donor, but given the condition of the patient it is unlikely that she will survive without permanent brain damage should you feel disinclined to acquiesce to our request. With your permission, may I extract a sample?”

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #16 – December 18, 2018, 01:49:54 PM

Six was certainly surprised at Doctor Maya, and not just because she was as small as the ex-drone. For one thing, it didn’t sound like a Vulcan name; most Vulcan females tend to go by T’Something, but Maya seemed to be an exception. For another, Maya seemed to be as tired as Six was, but something was off with her; she seemed to be tottering in her walk. Nonetheless, it wasn’t her place to voice her concerns.

At a medical lab, Maya explained to Six:

"One of our patients, Ensign Krystal Tancredi, is suffering from an artificial cancerous infection that she contracted in the Delta Quadrant."

Six blinked and flinched in surprise at hearing that.

"Yes, it's true. The USS Voyager was not the only Starfleet vessel to become marooned in the Delta Quadrant. A similar thing happened to the crew of the Resolve as well."

“Well, I’ll be…how’d they get there, the Caretaker?” said Six. “I…sorry, please continue.”

She made a mental note to ask somebody from the Resolve later about how they got into the Delta Quadrant.

When Maya asked for a sample of nanoprobes, Six felt a rush of excitement.

“By all means, doctor,” she said with a smile. “After all, there’s a wide variety of uses for Borg nanotechnology, at least in the right hands. I’ve heard of one point when it was used to help cure one of the crew. So, yes, take a sample. I’m sure these nanoprobes will be useful to you.”

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #17 – December 18, 2018, 09:47:49 PM

[ Lieutenant Elro Kobol | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Doc M. , @Arista , @Auctor Lucan , @BZ , @Firefox013 , @lisavw , @Multificionado , @Nolan , @Triage

Elro inhaled softly as he settled down on a low white stool in the surgical bay, next to the head of the fiery-haired Ensign, rubbing the side of his temple in an effort to steel himself for the task he was preparing to undertake. Just minutes ago, when he had been alongside the rest of the Theurgy’s medical team, he had held no qualms about suggesting the telepathic venture, certain that it was the only ethical way to proceed with the treatment of the Ensign. But now that he was alone with the patient, he felt the cold caress of anxiety against his stomach.

If the tumour had indeed been designed as a weapon, as the Cardassian had suggested, with possible defences and countermeasures in place to prevent removal, the Doctor had no way to know how it would react to an attempt to establish telepathic communication. As far as Elro knew, he could be preparing to expose himself to some form of psionic feedback from the tumour, or an overload of his telepathic centers. On the other hand, there was an equal chance that he was about to establish a dialogue with the tumour that could lead to both it, and the patient, surviving the ordeal, and a great understanding of a new type of organism.

His apprehension wasn’t doing him any great favours.

Focussing his paracortex, he concentrated on the thoughts coming from within the Ensign, moving past her mind, and into the mind within. He felt cold as he burrowed through her consciousness, dividing her thoughts from those emanating from the growth; it wasn’t like anything he’d done before, to probe a mind within a mind. In fact, he didn’t know anyone who’d performed any telepathic endeavour like it. However, the Betazoid quickly discerned that establishing the differentiation between the thoughts of the Ensign and those belonging to the growth wouldn’t be particularly difficult. They had very different natures…

DEATH. GROWTH. CONSUMPTION.

The tumour’s consciousness hurled through Elro’s telepathic centers like a suffocating wave, the Betazoid struggling to hang on to the toxic thoughts that were presented to him. The Doctor had to fight, clinging on to them like trying to follow a feather through a hurricane. The emotions resonating with the thoughts singed at his mind as he sensed them, overloading his empathic centres with an emotion so reprehensibly sinister that he couldn’t comprehend any words to describe it. The Doctor even felt his head involuntarily twitch at the onslaught. He’d never felt something that agonised his paracortex to such an extent; never had he known any sentient being to possess such undiluted hatred for life.

Elro couldn’t even imagine how to best communicate with such a wrathful presence.

I am Doctor…

DEATH! YOU FEAR! YOU HURT! YOU ROT!

Elro grimaced as the thoughts barrelled through his mind again. He wasn’t sure as to whether the growth could differentiate between the Betazoid or the Ensign, but it certainly seemed to notice the new presence in it’s mind.

I am trying…

WILL GROW! WILL SUCCEED! WILL CONSUME!

Elro struggled to stay afloat in the miasma of pestilence hatred that the tumour was spouting at him. A lesser Betazoid might have withdrawn from the onslaught, but Elro needed to keep trying. If the Ensign could stand the entity yowling in her head, no doubt clawing at her sanity, Elro had no excuse to not endure. His empathic connection certainly gave him a vulnerability to the growth’s flawless loathing, but he couldn’t stop himself trying to understand what he was dealing with. To make it understand him.

If you continue to grow, if you kill this woman, you will have nothing to survive on. You will starve. Do you understand?

FEAR! LIFE WILL END. YOU WILL SUCCUMB. DEATH! DEATH, DEATH, DEATH!

Elro suddenly had a clear image in his mind, the undeniable sensation of crawling inside his skin, writhing and whipping through his nerves. He felt tendrils clawing at his brain, invading his paracortex, suffocating his will and consuming his thoughts. The Betazoid felt himself try to shout with a voiceless mouth. He flailed to escape from the creature, desperate to get away from it, its hatred, its disgust, its evil.

A gasp broke his concentration as he tumbled to the floor, his head smacking against the deck-plating of the surgical bay with a shrill hiss as he desperately scrambled to get his footing. It took him a few moments to realise that the creature had communicated its desires to Elro, and that any danger he may have been in had ceased when the mental connection to the tumour had been terminated.

He felt a cold sweat on his skin, slowly drawing himself to his unsteady feet. Aside from being considerably shaken, he seemed fine, his medical tricorder confirming that he hadn’t somehow been infected from the telepathic link he had shared. Aside from the tumour’s unquenchable desperation to extinguish life, it didn’t seem that it possessed any qualities that warranted any attempts to save it.

The growth did not seem to present the ability to experience emotion, nor sensation. It simply seemed to exist in a drowned state of anger and hatred, Elro didn’t feel anything else from the tumour, nor did the tumour seem to have the capacity to learn from information presented to it, nor even understand information present.

His ethical responsibility was done.

“Computer, please inform Doctors Rez and Maya that I have successfully made contact with the Ensign’s tumour…” Elro told the computer softly, looking down at the plain faced woman on the surgical bed, feeling great pity for her, to have been living with such an abhorrent thing inside of her. “I would recommend proceeding with the nanoprobes as soon as possible.”

Thank you to the glorious entity that is @Triage for proofreading the dialogue from the Tumour

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #18 – December 18, 2018, 10:23:15 PM

[ Doctor T'Panu | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]

"Doctor T'Panu, I hope some arrangements have been made for you to sleep. If not, you are always welcome to join me to my quarters."

T'Panu was still thinking about what the Trill had said. She was caught off guard, which was strange for her. She wasn't normally caught off guard by anything, as the Vulcan side of her was trained to always pay attention. She found Dr Amelya Rez to be quite attractive, with her long blonde hair and deep green eyes. Truth is, she had been so caught up in all the fighting, the makeshift medical bay in the aft compartment and the new ship to have really paid attention to much besides her duty. It had been even longer since she felt someone noticing her,

As she was so wrapped up in everything else going on, she decided she would answer her later. For now, she was waiting patiently to see how their plan was going to unfold. She was thankful to Six for allowing her nanoprobes to be used to fight this tumour, T'Panu still couldn't believe she was seeing a sentient tumour right in front of her. She hardly remembered studying them and never imagined actually seeing one,

T'Panu waited patiently, ready to jump in as needed. She hoped their idea was about to work out as well as it sounded it would.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #19 – December 21, 2018, 02:29:43 AM

[ Maya | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Multificionado

"By all means, doctor," Six smiled. "After all, there's a wide variety of uses for Borg nanotechnology, at least in the right hands. I've heard of one point when it was used to help cure one of the crew. So, yes, take a sample. I'm sure these nanoprobes will be useful to you."

"Why thank you Six, I am gratified,” the little Vulcan replied. "I agree. The medical possibilities are truly endless. They could completely change the way medicine is practiced. Of course, such progress is not without its risks. First we must discover just how difficult they are to reprogram.” Maya carefully rose from her chair in a manner of someone older than she appeared and turned and picked up a hyposyringe. "If you would roll up your sleeve,” she instructed. After Six complied, the greenblooded physician ran her thumb across the Brunali’s inner forearm until she found a vein and then extracted a blood sample. As she did so, Maya asked Six some questions. "Do you foresee any difficulties in reprogramming the nanoprobes? Is there any danger that they might shift back to their original programming on their own?”

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #20 – January 06, 2019, 04:00:39 AM

“I see no problems with reprogramming those nanoprobes,” said Six. “As I indicated, there’s a wide variety of uses for nanoprobes, at least in the right capabilities and moral fibers; I know some of Voyager’s systems were modified by Seven of Nine from time to time. You’d have to look up the details of their accounts later, of course.

“I highly doubt they would shift back to their original programming on their own,” she added, addressing Maya’s second question. “The entire time Seven of Nine had been on Voyager, none of her nanoprobes reverted. I knew her long enough to know that. Nor did it happen with another ex-drone I knew, Icheb. No, there’s no risk about it.”

Six continued to speak; this seemed like a doctor to be on friendly terms with. The more she saw of her, the more the drone was surprised with the little Vulcan. Something seemed to be off with Maya, and it wasn’t the fatigue. No, it seemed to be something more than that. Not to mention that Maya was the first Vulcan Six met without starting with T’Something.

Re: Chapter 02: Supplemental [ Day 06 | 0020 hrs. ] Tendrils From the Past

Reply #21 – January 07, 2019, 08:04:27 AM

[ Maya & Six | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] A joint post from @Doc M. & @Multificionado

"It sounds as though you have led a very interesting life," Maya commented as she took the sample. "Might I ask how long have you been aboard the Theurgy?" Although access to the medical records had given the greenblooded physician a substantial amount of information on her shipmates, Six had joined the crew when Maya had been relieved of duty and placed in the brig. For the orderly and somewhat obsessively organized Vulcan, Six was still an unknown commodity.

"Since the confrontation at Starbase 84,” Six replied. "I've been busy setting up a forensics lab the entire time; I wasn't sure if the Theurgy has one."

"Actually, it does," Maya informed her. "It's in the Security Centre."

"What?" Six snapped her head around in surprise. "You mean... I spent God knows how many days making a forensics lab when there was already one on this ship?!?"

"Your ignorance is quite understandable," Maya replied with clinical detachment. "I recommend some rest; sometimes our emotions can be more acute the more one is fatigued.”

"That I understand," said Six, too tired to comment on a Vulcan’s deadpan comment about emotions.

"Speaking of emotions, did you come across one of the Lone Wolf fighter pilots?" Maya asked as she drew the hypo away from Six’s arm in order hold it up and examine it closely. "One Evelyn Rawley, her callsign is 'Ghost?'"

"Met her alright," Six grunted. "Has she ever been so mean to newcomers and paranoid that they'd stab her in the back?"

"Why yes, she has," Maya replied placidly as she extracted a drop of blood from the hypo and placed it on a flat and tiny clear rectangle. "Although I cannot verify if her paranoia toward newcomers was the primary reason for her injury, I suspect it was a factor. I understand that since her injury she has mellowed somewhat. So I respectfully request that you not be offended too much by Lieutenant Rawley; it's her usual behavior, but even more so with... certain events."

"I can understand. With the threat of the parasites, and now the Borg, it certainly sets this crew on edge."

"Yes of course,” Maya murmured distractedly as she placed the slide in a depression on the workspace before her. She didn’t mention the treachery of the Harbinger or the Devoted of Morali. In the meantime, the screen on the wall lit up to display the magnified particles in Six’s blood, including the nanoprobes.

[Show/Hide]

"Thank you, Six,” Maya announced without taking her eyes off the screen. ”Your contribution is appreciated. If your additional assistance is required, we shall contact you.”

"Thanks, Doctor," said Six. "I'll be available if you need me. I wish you good luck... and live long and prosper."

Six felt it a fitting farewell to a Vulcan; she never forgot when Tuvok used it. And in any case, she needed to return to the lounge; she was too tired to seek out quarters. She grabbed a blanket on the way out and wrapped it around her, yawning as she went.

"Peace and long life,” Maya murmured absently as Six left. She tapped her combadge. "Lieutenant Tyreke Okafor, please report to Medical Lab One in Main Sickbay at your earliest convenience. Your scientific expertise is needed for an emergency medical procedure.” Anyone listening to Maya would have noted that she would have made a good computer voice. Anyone but Lieutenant Lieutenant Tyreke Okafor that is.

[ Unh… what is it Doctor? ] Tyreke’s weary and irritated voice retorted. [ Can it wait? I’ve got bridge duty in the morning! ]

"Apparently not Lieutenant, unless you do not wish to reprogram Borg nanoprobes in order to combat a bioweapon that resists conventional nanites and retroviruses.”

[ Did… did you say Borg nanoprobes? ] Tyreke’s voice sounded a little bit more awake. A sigh was heard. [ Very well, give me about twenty minutes. ]

~FIN