Star Trek: Theurgy

Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

March 16, 2022, 04:03:55 PM

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DAY 05 [1900 HRS.] A GIFT TO THE SHUNNED

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[ Vigenary Model I-9 Surgical Android | En Route to the Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SarahBerry 
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The shift was coming to an end, with only one last patient to treat - someone not present in either of the ship's three sickbays.

V-Nine walked alongside Ensign Sarah Bjørge when they entered the Security Centre, and they had taken turns pushing the hover gurney that they'd need to treat this patient. Beside the medical instruments, inside a metal case, rested the replacement that Lietuenant Tyreke Okafor had helped them make. Since he'd made the original, he'd set aside time to make sure the new one would fit into the same socket as the old one. It was a bionic hand, and the new version had synthetic flesh grafted on top of the metal frame. While they moved towards the aide's desk in the lobby, V-Nine was briefing the Ensign about this last patient after a long shift.

"Yes, he is indeed the original Chief Medical Officer of this ship, and but he was also one of the Infested until his true nature was discovered." While V-Nine worked all shifts in sickbay, she had empathy for the organics that needed to rest, so she hoped the Human specimen beside her still retained full alertness. "When we enter the brig, you fill find a cannon mounted outside the forcefield of his holding cell. It is a transphasic light cannon, and that kind of light is the same kind that managed to repress the parasite's hold on the Doctor's mind. I was personally involved in the procedure to isolate the exact anyonic phase variance in which the parasites dwell, existing in a state of flux as they are, and based on my experience with this patient, I find no reason to doubt that he is - indeed - himself again. Since his true nature was revealed, he has done nothing else besides aiding the mission, with his research and volunteering to use his connection to the dimension from which the parasites come to learn what their next target might be."

At that point, they reached the Aide's desk in the Security Centre, and V-Nine turned her lens towards the young human male sitting there. "Oh, hello. We have made an appointment to see Doctor Nicander and replace his non-functional arm. He is not expecting us, I am afraid, since Tyrke Okafor just finish-"

"That's aw-right. T's right thouw there. Tell't to tha Brig Officer," said the Ensign with a thick accent, barely looking up but tapping his console to open then outer gate of the security checkpoint. From V-Nine's experience it was the Brig Officer who opened the inner gate.

"Very well, much obliged," she said and bobbed her cranial unit in the grateful fashion she'd picked up from the organics around her, and then led the way inside the square room to the right in the lobby. She continued briefing the nurse while they moved there and the door closed behind their backs.

"Using his abilities, Doctor Nicander managed to save the middle section of the Theurgy when it fought Chancellor Martok in the Azure Nebula. There was an Infested on the bridge of the IKC Rotarran, and seeing through her eyes, the Doctor could espy the Rotarran's shield harmonics, which allowed the Theurgy crew to deal a hard enough blow against the Klingon ship to allow for a tactical retreat. Nicander was also able to present the solution to use the Omega Device in the Azure Nebula, which he'd gleaned through his connection as well, and it allowed the Theurgy to seal the apertures which the Borg Invasion was coming through. He also made the suggestion to use anyonic subspace particle emitters in the airlocks and the transporter systems to kill any other Infested coming aboard the ship. Oh, and just before we reached Qo'noS, his insight helped keep the Breen from joining the coming war. All of this, from his voluntary confinement in the brig. Yet still, out of fear, some of the crew distrust him at every turn, even though whatever atrocities he's done before he'd done under the influence of the parasite."

The gate to the actual Brig slid open before them, and on the other side the burly Brig Officer inclined his head towards them from where he stood at his duty station. "You're here for him?"

"Indeed," V-Nine said, "we will require the..."

"The bloody bracelet, fine. I can't enter you biometrics into it because, well, you're..."

"I don't have bio readings, correct. Nurse Bjørge will wear the bracelet and she can enter the cell. I will advise from the outside, unless you are willing to lower the forcefield for me, if ever so briefly?"

"Hell no. Not taking any chances on my shift. Not with that bastard. Besides, just one visitor at the time in the holding cell. Sec policy. Don't like it? Take it up with Commander Akoni or the Deputy."

"Very well. Nurse?"

The Brig Officer flippantly threw the bracelet onto his console for Sarah to pick up, while he scanned her with a tricorder and uploaded the biometrics to both the bracelet and the security system that managed the harmonics of the forcefield of Doctor Nicander's cell. "There. Farthest cell on the left. If he makes any sudden moves, I'll come over and blast him with the cannon."

Pushing the hover gurney down the holding cells, V-Nine leaned towards the Nurse a bit and lowered the decibel count for her comment. "I have read in reports that, at one point when the parasite had control of the Doctor's mind, he killed several Security officers. This ought to explain the Brig officer's attitude...."

With each step, the holding cell came more into view, and inside it, Doctor Nicander was reading something from a PADD, sitting on top of his bunkbed. His feet were bare, and he was wearing uniform trousers and the teal undershirt - loose and unzipped at the collar. His right arm, half of it bionic below the elbow, was a damaged mess, so he was holding the PADD in one hand. His hair was unkempt, and he raised his pale grey eyes to look at his visitors - one eyebrow rising. "By the winds... V-Nine."

"Doctor Nicander," V-Nine said in greeting, and then turned her lens towards the human beside her, "this is Ensign Sarah Bjørge."

Re: Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

Reply #1 – March 22, 2022, 09:25:32 PM

Ens. Sarah Bjørge | En Route to the Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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It had been a long shift already, but she'd be remiss if she gave up now when they'd moved onto something of a celebrity patient. Prior to V-Nine's explanation, she'd heard some interesting rumors and whispers about the infamous Dr. Nicander. Some good, mostly bad, but overall quite heartbreaking. Sarah considered herself a quite practical and intelligent woman despite the life she'd lived before Starfleet, and it had been hard enough for her to get through the academy's nursing program, it had been absolutely grueling! And to have done double, triple the school time, interning, all the testing and- well, everything else that went into being a Starfleet doctor and to have it all practically stripped from him? And from how people come to be infested, it certainly hadn't been by choice. Having been relatively quiet outside of his unfortunate 'episodes' was a compliment to his extreme constitution in her eyes.

"I understand, but if you believe he is truly himself again- why does he need to remain in the brig? Surely the Theurgy would benefit from the Chief medical officer being back into the fray, no?"

Sarah otherwise nodded agreeably to V-Nine's instructions, the knowledge that she would have a top-of-the-line surgical android with a first-hand experience filled her with a sense of security and calm- there was no way V-Nine would allow her to mess up. Medical mechanics and engineering wasn't her forte, but she'd made sure to mention on more than one occasion that she was willing to step up and learn and do anything the medical staff of the Theurgy needed of her. It was equally terrifying and thrilling that they took her up on her word, however.

As they approached the Aide's desk and were given the officers' subsequent explanation, Sarah gave an awkward, tense smile and a quick nod to the Aide at his words- though it was less because she agreed, but more so that she hadn't understood a word that'd come out of the young man's mouth other than 'Brig Officer.' Thankfully V-Nine seemed to understand the thick, syrupy drawl just fine and proceeded to guide the way towards the lobby, veering to the right and allowing the door to close behind them. Only once they were alone did Sarah quickly look to V-Nine and grimace.

"What an inflection. Do you have an audio-processing variable for Terran accents?" She asked though it was mostly a joke. The android went on to explain at some length the rest of the details she may or may not need to know but was amazing all the same. "Oh, I did not realize his confinement was voluntary." She murmured softly in response, though she supposed she could ascertain why he might choose to distance himself if his crew were still distrustful. A pang of sentimentality shot through her as blonde brows furrowed. He had done so much to help this ship and his crew and he was still treated as such? A frown appeared across pink lips, though their edges tipped downwards as her melodramatic nature tinted her otherwise soft, pretty features. She did not have time to dwell on it for much longer as they crossed the threshold into the brig, the large, meaty officer that stood before them already scowling at the idea that the Doctor would receive visitors, medical or not.

Sarah's expression morphed quickly from one of concern and mild upset to one of surprise and a slight outrage that he would talk to V-Nine that way. his tone condescending at best and outright rude at its worst. An appalled expression settled on her features quickly, though V-Nine did not seem to even mind the effrontery, still effortlessly polite at her behest. Oh, how Sarah envied her at that moment, having been ready to snap right back at the guard for throwing the bracelet at them like they were doing him a personal disservice. Glaring seafoam-green eyes regarded the Brig officer as she took the thrown bracelet off of the counter and slipped it on wordlessly as the other officer began to scan her. Once he'd finished and made his flippant threat, Sarah only nodded in an attempt to appear agreeable as herself and V-Nine began to make the trek down the hall.

"There is likely no need, sir. But thank you." What a pig.

If anything, she was less scared of the potential dangerous contact she might have with the former CMO, but more an overwhelming sense of pity for the poor man. He had lost it all, was it truly necessary to demean him? Though V-Nine seemed to see Sarah's distaste of the other Humans' words and went on to explain the Brig officers' actions- and while her words made his actions a tint a little more to the side of understandable...it was not by much. It wasn't as if it had been purposeful, she thought with a salty undertone.

The view into the brig cell was a clean one, the Doctor seemed to keep himself and his quarters somewhat tidy despite him being underhanded- not that there was much allowed inside of a brig cell to begin with, she supposed. At first glance he was a tall, handsome man with shaggy cut hair and a bit of stubble but otherwise looked well put-together, his form languid and relaxed- he at least seemed to be in no pain. He noticed their arrival in quick order, startlingly grey eyes climbing up to meet them. She swallowed and held herself steady, her nervousness around men building a seeping well into her gut as he perused them with a dark, raised brow. She hadn't thought the former CMO would be so dramatic in his looks- but he at least had done the rumors a great service. At the subsequent introduction from the android next to her, Sarah gave a bright smile that split the pink of her lips to reveal straight white teeth, her expression soft but endearingly kind.

"Good evening Doctor, happy to meet you finally. I am a new nurse from the Oneida." Her accent lilted on the edge of her words as she regarded him, holding her bracelet up to the scanner against the brig forcefield in order to be let inside. "We will be replacing your arm tonight if that is agreeable to you, sir?"

Re: Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

Reply #2 – March 28, 2022, 03:09:39 PM

[ Vigenary Model I-9 Surgical Android | En Route to the Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SarahBerry 
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Her cranial unit darted towards the nurse when she introduced herself to the patient, alarmed at what information Sarah had divulged to the Doctor. She mentioned the Oneida! Examining the logs of her own instructions in her memory banks, V-Nine realised that she hadn't told the nurse that the Doctor had to be kept ignorant of mission critical information, lest the Infested would learn about it through the Doctor's connection with them - this dark void that seemed to function like a hive mind for them all. "Ahem, Nur-"

"It's all right, V-Nine, I already know about the Oneida," Doctor Nicander said with a small smile, waving off the concern in her audio output. He put his PADD aside and stood up, putting one hand on his hip while the damaged one just hung by his side. "At this point, half of Starfleet knows that the Oneida's distress call was fake, and that Captain Jackson has joined our mission. Needless to say, I learned about our new ally ship through them."

The pause, the emphasis, made it plain that the Doctor meant the Infested.

"I picked up on that while I made an attempt to learn what the Scions are planning. Not to worry, I was under supervision, and they used the cannon to pull me back. I also know that the Theurgy is orbiting Qo'noS, and that Chancellor Martok stands with Captain Ives and this crew, having exposed the Infested at long last with the real Simulcast. Not that everyone believes Martok's claims, of course, but I am glad I could help expose the Infested in the Klingon High Council. Hopefully, more ships than the Oneida might see through the veil of lies put across their eyes."

"A relief to hear," V-Nine said, having stopped wringing her metal hands.

The Doctor then glanced towards Ensign Bjørge. "Please, no harm done. Just... try to avoid revealing mission-sensitive things to me. I am kept ignorant as a necessity, only told as much as needed to help the mission." He stepped closer to the force field with his bare feet, looking at the Ensign - creased by the corners from his weary smile. "See, the enemy can see through my eyes, and judging from what I have learned about recent events, I believe they can hear this conversation too. I cannot stop them from hearing it if you tell me something they can use against the Theurgy. That's one of the reasons why I am better kept here instead of bearing witness to all manner of things that I shouldn't around the ship."

Having started to work on the replacement arm on the hover gurney, V-Nine spent a millisecond processing whether or not the human she worked with would be intimidated by the fact that the Infested might be looking right at her.

"By the winds, a new arm will make dressing far more easy," the Doctor said at last, stepping away from the forcefield to give some space if the nurse wished to enter the cell. "Where do you want me? Oh, and how is Okafor these days? That model does look like his handiwork."

Re: Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

Reply #3 – April 30, 2022, 10:38:25 PM

Ens. Sarah Bjørge | En Route to the Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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A hot, clammy sensation manifested itself across Sarah's forehead as she realized her blunder, V-Nine's voice echoing in her head as her career, in whimsical type imagery inside her head, spiraled down a drain only leaving a few watery dribbles left in the sink. Only one introduction into the conversation and she was already making poor V-Nine regret her choice in nurse for this venture, she was sure, as the androids' wringing hands caught her eye from the side. The motions finally ceased after Dr. Nicanders' explanation, but even so, lofty embarrassment piled high atop her high expectations for herself, so allowing a goof so early into a procedure- even if minor- was enough to give Sarah pause before she spoke in order to quickly collect herself with a subtle inhale and exhale of forced self-calm before looking over to V-Nine and giving a peppy gaze of assuredness.

She would be of very little use to Theurgy if she got shaken up over things not being perfect. Sometimes that was simply the medical field in a proverbial nutshell, she could not always do no wrong, though try as she might. But the fact she was doing so in front of the CMO, acting or not, was still unnerving. He might very well be overlooking her in medbay someday once he was…cured. Though there was a question if the good doctor could even be cured. That was questioning for another time, however.

"I am so sorry, Doctor. I will bear that very close in mind as we continue to speak." She replied in a tone that was softer than her normal speaking voice. Though the knowledge that the Infested were listening in was more of an afterthought as she looked up to the tall male, watching as he stood before the cell door in a towering sort of manner. "Though I suppose that is rather 'on me' for not perusing your medical chart a bit closer, no?" She hummed in reply, offering him a small quirk of her lips to one side and a slight tilt of her head to the other. "I had even wondered why, if you are not an active threat, why you were not in medical with the rest of us..suppose that answers that as well." She cooed, her smile a bit calmer as she stepped back and turned to take over the cart from V-Nine with a simple “Thank you~” as she wheeled the heavy-duty, white cart over to the barrier. Sarah then reached up to press her bracelet against the bio-reader next to the cell threshold in order for her to step in.

"Sitting down if you do not mind? You are a bit tall. Standing for the amount of time I need to work might be cumbersome for both my sight and your feet." She replied gently, stepping into the cell once her identity was confirmed, the subtle clack of her high heels against the metal floor giving an almost echo to the otherwise spartan cell. "Unfortunately, I have not seen Lieutenant Okafor in the flesh, so I could not give a terribly riveting story of his wellbeing or subsequent ventures- but he is well to the extent of my knowledge, sir." Sarah replied, watching as the tall Câroonian did as she bid of him.

“Would I stuff my mouth with my foot if I were to ask for the story of how you lost your arm in the first place, Commander?”

Re: Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

Reply #4 – May 11, 2022, 02:58:56 PM

[ Vigenary Model I-9 Surgical Android | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SarahBerry 
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V-Nine watched from outside the forcefield whilst Doctor Nicander smiled and nodded to the Nurse's request for him to sit down on the bunkbed. He obliged her, and whilst seated, he used his remaining hand to grab the hem of his undershirt and peel it off his torso, carefully removing it from the damaged arm lest it might snag on the damaged remains of his artificial forearm. Since the Nurse was going to remove the arm from the mechanical socket below his elbow, the former CMO had likely recognised the fact that the undershirt would be in the way. As for the question that Sarah Bjørge posed, he answered readily after chuckling lightly at her humour.

"You wouldn't. It happened in Sickbay, during the battle against the Versant in the Azure Nebula. The Savi had launched the attack, and during the commotion of the battle, a stray phaser beam caught me in the side. I think you can see the outline of how much of my torso I lost here," he said in his faded, alien accent, and gestured towards a nigh invisible seam running from below his armpit down to his hip-bone, which indicated that a lot of his internal organs must have been compromised by the phaser beam. "Tyreke Okafor worked with sickbay to restore me later on, but the injury was life-threatening enough that I wouldn't have survived... unassisted. In so many words, one might say that as my body was shutting down, and I was on the verge of death, the parasite took over. While I was unable to sustain control of my body in the state it was in, the parasite relished the pain, and kept me animated. Unfortunately, that also meant that I was no longer in control over my body, once again reduced to a helpless spectator through my own eyes."

Lucan took a breath, looking down at his arm, which had once been whole before that event. "So, under parasitic control, I attacked the officers near me in Sickbay. I lost my arm to phaser fire from a security officer... but that didn't stop me. It took them quite a lot to subdue me and render my body unconscious. Multiple stun beams from several officers. Only once the injury to my side was treated, I could regain control of my body, since it no longer required to be animated by the parasite."

V-Nine listened to the brief story, marvelling at the medical implications of it all. It raised a host of questions about the manner in which the parasite forced the host body to move under its control, even when the body ought to die. It sounded as if the parasite puppeteered the host body, wearing it as a sleeve. She had already loaded the reports of the incident into her memory banks, but the data never implied the level of detail to the event that the Doctor described.

"Oh, dear," she merely said, having covered the bottom of her cranial unit with her hand when the Doctor had told the story. "This would suggest that, if that level of harm comes to you again, it might happen once more."

"Indeed," Doctor Nicander said, and turned to look at Sarah with a small smile. "No need to worry. You won't hurt me by detaching the damaged arm from the metal socket and replacing it with the new one. You are quite safe in my company."

Re: Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

Reply #5 – June 02, 2022, 06:54:51 AM

Ens. Sarah Bjørge | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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Sarah watched on as the Good Doctor began to shed his undershirt one-handedly, slipping the fabric over both heavily scarred skin, and also lusciously smooth skin. She had been told long ago while training in the academy to never look only skin-deep at a patient, or you might get distracted and not see what's right in front of you, but with Doctor Nicander's slow, intentional movements, it was..difficult..in the least to not appreciate the visuals. A quick inhale and exhale left her as she reigned it in. Focus. She had to focus. But as his deep rumbling voice broke the silence and the tension, Sarah quickly blinked and snapped out of her trance, going back to setting up the sanitation wipes and tools that would be needed for the attachment seamlessly as if she hadn't outright paused.

The story he told was enough to make Sarah stop to look at the Câroonian a few times, surprise etched into her normally soft features as he explained the horrific details..and as horrific as they were, she couldn't help but feel curious about how it worked. The parasite essentially had used Nicander as a sleeve for its nefarious pursuits, able to keep a Humanoid body alive even with an undoubtedly life-ending injury. The doctor was lucky to be alive, sans an arm or not. That was endlessly fascinating, and she wondered suddenly what the parasite even looked like..was it a worm? A bug? Something different altogether? Did it encompass his entire body itself or did it have eggs? Oh, what she wouldn't give to take a peek inside of Nicander and see what all was different, maybe even see the parasite itself. A glass jar and 99-proof alcohol would undoubtedly be its fate.

"Ah doctor, I had no fear! I am well protected and also am not even touching blood supply, hardly means for concern." She replied, her smile returning to her lips with a soft upwards tick. Taking up the specialized tool to gauge the power output that was running through the leftover tech, she gently slid her hand against his bicep and held him still as she ran the tool over the connections. "Though I do thank you for reassuring me. I am more intrigued by the idea of the parasite than fearful. But that can all at once be ignorance and naivety on my part. I mean in no way to disregard your experience, but do you mind more questions or are you content to leave the conversation as it is?"

She certainly didn't want to traumatize Nicander any further than she was sure she had so far, nor did she wish to seem like she thought it was 'cool' that he had had a parasite take him over and murder his shipmates..it was purely a medical fascination!

Re: Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

Reply #6 – June 09, 2022, 02:13:00 PM

[ Vigenary Model I-9 Surgical Android | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SarahBerry 
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Watching the nurse with her lens preforming her duties, V-Nine also listened to the exchange relating to the parasite after Nicander had answered her question about the risk remaining. Ensign Sarah Bjørge didn't seem fazed by the implications, which was a testament to her professionalism. In fact, if V-Nine were to judge the organic's reaction, it seemed she was rather pleased with the manner in which the Doctor had removed his undershirt. It puzzled her, since surely the Doctor would know that it was appropriate to give the nurse full access to his damaged arm?

Dismissing the stray notion in her digital mind, V-Nine heard Nicander answering the nurse readily, remaining seated as he was on top of the bunk bed of his cell. After she began to touch his arm, the Doctor was looking at the nurse whilst she preformed her duties, his pale grey eyes lingering on her movements in what surely could be naught else than evaluation of her performance. "If you have further questions, I will answer them as best as I might," he said in his Câroon accent, turning his gaze to V-Nine momentarily. "That goes for you as well, V-Nine. It would be the least I can do to repay you for your assistance in isolating the phase variance in which the parasites dwell."

"Of course," V-Nine replied, pulling from her memory banks the incident in which she had assisted the late Chief Science Officer in his research about the enemy, and the effects of anyonic phase variances.

"Pray tell, Vael Kaeris used to frequent my humble abode... but he has not come by here for a week." The Doctor's tone was worried at this point, his brow creased. "Did anything happen to him?"

"You have not been informed? Oh dear," V-Nine said, and found how her platform was wringing its hands in expression of concern. "Commander Kaeris was killed in action during the Battle of the Houses, which is the name for the strife revolving around Gorka, son of Margon, in which he tried to usurp the Chancellery of the Klingon Empire. The same events in which you aided in the mission by naming Councilor Kopek, son of Nargor, as an Infested. I am surprised no one has informed you, Doctor."

For a few seconds, the silence permeated the brig.

"By the winds..." Nicander said, his gaze falling to the deck plating. His brow was creased in thought, or deep concern. V-Nine did not know how close Nicander and Kaeris had got during the weeks of research that the former Chief Science Officer had conducted, but it seemed like the Doctor had no means to take the news in stride. "What... What about his research. Did he have any other science officers working with him, or was he alone in his attempts to modify a transporter buffer to hold a different phase variance?"

"As far as I am aware... Commander Kaeris was alone in working on that solution. I am unaware as to whether or not someone else has succeeded him in that particular regard. The current Chief Science Officer is Lieutenant Vanya, who used to serve as the Chief Science Officer on the Cayuga."

"Yes... Anya Ziegler's ship. The Cayuga fought alongside us against the Borg in the Azure Nebula. By the winds, if no one takes over Kaeris' research..."

The Doctor may have trailed off, but V-Nine could make an educated guess about what he was about to say. "...then you may never be free of your parasite. I am sorry, Doctor."

Nicander fell silent then, staring upon the deck plating, seemingly lost in thought.

Or regret.

Re: Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

Reply #7 – July 08, 2022, 08:07:55 PM

Ens. Sarah Bjørge | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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While she wasn’t looking directly at either V-Nine or Dr. Nicander, she was listening aptly to the conversation at hand, picking up all the juicy tidbits of names and events as she gently untacked the panel backing of his robotic arm and accessed the release point with a subtle ‘click!’ of her sonic separator. She would be sure to ask V-Nine later, perhaps next shift, about her role in isolating the ‘phase variance.’ That sounded like an excellent shift story, and it would also help to get to know Dr. Nicander without having to ask too many gritty questions in front of him either. While he seemed all-too-pleased at the chance to explain his circumstances, it still felt a bit awkward all the same. As soon as the thought crossed her mind however, the good Doctor looked up to her only a few short inches away from her face as he spoke, as if he’d read her mind. Her bright green eyes flicked up from the mech of his arm to meet his own, offering him a kind, warm smile in return. She wanted to both laugh and crawl into herself under the intensity of his ice blue eyes, but she stood her ground firmly, trying to act unbothered as she looked back down ton continue her work.

“I would think you would get visitors and well-wishers often, how can you remember all their names? Or is Commander Kaeris an especially close friend?”

Sarah worked diligently as the conversation continued, disconnecting the arm fully after a few moments with a powering-off hiss from the battery. The arm, no longer lit up, was promptly, but gently, placed on the bed next to Dr. Nicander as she began to stage and prep the connections for the new arm, only stumbling slightly at V-Nine’s admission that the Commander had been killed in action, and not so subtly informing Dr. Nicander that he was, for the moment, without a light in the darkness of his parasite.

What did she even say to that?

She paused in her ministrations to look to the Câroonian Commander, her facial expression pinched into one of deep sympathy as her blonde brows furrowed together and her lips formed a thin line. What an unfortunate, no, it wasn’t even just unfortunate, it was disastrous, it was arguably hopeless. Her heart ached for the doctor in front of her, the silence between the three of them almost deafening.

“I am so sorry Commander.” She breathed, unsure of what else to say with no real grasp on the context outside of what had just been explained by himself and V-Nine. “Perhaps..someone on board will take up the mantle- research like that would not just be dropped.” She looked to V-Nine expectantly. “Right?” 

Re: Day 05 [1900 hrs.] A Gift to the Shunned

Reply #8 – July 11, 2022, 03:11:11 PM

[ Vigenary Model I-9 Surgical Android | Brig | Security Center | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SarahBerry 
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When the Ensign directed herself at her, V-Nine spread her metallic hands in a gesture which she understood the organics used to signal that she had no data on the topic at hand.

"Logically," she speculated aloud, "I would assume Captain Ives and the Senior Staff of this ship would have an interest in finding a new means to neutralise the threat of the parasites, and also to save the hosts."

V-Nine realised that her own guesswork had little value to the Doctor, so she continued after a moment of analysis. "According to my files on the Federation and Starfleet - at least prior to the current crisis - starships do not abandon their crew members." She realised she could venture even farther with her reasoning. "If a scientific means to save the hosts can be found, then the probability rate for that method to be used rather than killing the hosts in order to neutralise the threat is higher than it would be within most galactic factions. That being said... the stakes of the Theurgy's mission is rather high, and this crew is weary from fighting, more agitated because of being on the run from their own fleet for months. The future of the Federation, and even the Klingon and Romulan Empires, are riding on defeating this enemy. In fact, even the future of my makers - the Savi - ride on defeating the parasitically infested Scion High Council. In war... when desperation becomes too manifest in a culture or chain-of-command... the probability rates shift. Still, if I were to judge the actions of Captain Ives and this crew by what I have observed during my time aboard, I do not get the impression that the effort to liberate the hosts will be abandoned."

The silence settled once more, but eventually, Lucan took a deep breath. "I suppose you are right. Thank you," he said in his faded accent, and then his light grey eyes turned to Ensign Bjørge, "both of you."

Running his remaining, tattooed hand through his unkempt hair, Doctor Nicander frowned and shook his head. "Kaeris was becoming a close friend," he said in answer to Sarah's earlier question, looking at the metallic cuff that the Nurse was calibrating in preparation to receive its new forearm and hand. The new model that had yet to be attached had an artificial skin graft, which would likely be welcome for the organic since it would seem more like a limb of his own. V-Nine knew that it might lack the culturally significant tattoos that the original hand had displayed, but at least it would be a more pleasant experience to think the artificial nerve signals were actually his own when something touched the simulated skin. Nicander continued. "He would bring a musical instrument of his home world and play if for me, sometimes, when we weren't discussing his research. It was a welcome diversion... and a nice gesture. A sign of someone actually caring, rather than using my... what did he call it? My 'astral projected cognition' to spy on the enemy whenever the mission needed it."

V-Nine knew that Nicander was a divisive figure for the crew, given what he'd done when he wasn't himself. The fact that the Doctor had to wait for so long to get a new limb showed how prioritised he was in his own sickbay, whom he had once commanded. Her upgraded cognition and emotional awareness made her question this, and she wondered what could be done to rectify it somehow.

"At least you will have a new arm now," she said in as best of encouragement as she could give the Doctor, and inclined her head to Sarah that she was done with the calibrations on her own end, so the Nurse could collect the new arm from the hover gurney whenever she was finished. "And since there is a tactical advantage in dealing with the parasites, I am certain some other scientist will take up the task. If possible, perhaps my makers may be able to assist with this as well, unless it clashes with their Code."

"Here is hoping," Nicander said quietly.

"You, tin-lady! Come here!" called the Brig Officer from his station. "Are you sure it is safe to give him that arm? Can I see the specs of it?"

V-Nine did a double take, before excusing herself, making sure to bring the PADD that would show the Security Officer that the prosthetic arm had no augmented strength or capabilities than might be expected from an organic hand, as per safety parameters dictated prior to the making of it. She was sure the Nurse was quite safe in the Doctor's company while she spoke to the man.

"A pleasure making your acquaintance, Nurse Bjørge," V-Nine heard Nicander say inside the cell she left behind. "I wish it could have been under more fortunate circumstances."

- FIN