Alternative

Posted on Thursday November 24th, 2022 @ 3:40am by Lieutenant Commander Kicil Priadden & Commander Sam Perkins

1,588 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Concluding Affairs
Location: Science Lab , Sickbay

[ON]

-Science Lab-

Sam slowly poured some water around the plants base. A green tentacle patted his hand in thanks.

“ If only some humans had your manners Norman.” Sam said to the plant.

Another similar plant but with small pink flowers. Growing on its main body. Began waving some tentacles.

“ Ok Susan it’s your turn now.” Sam said pouring some water around her base. She too patted him with a tentacle in thanks.

Smiling he sat down. Just then his comm. badge chirped.

Lieutenant Kicil Priadden was at her wits end Cadet Shyann MacGilloway was suffering from an unknown poisoning and all the treatments she had tried so far had not worked. She was also unable to isolate the particular poison. Then to add insult to energy there was an unusual interphasic reading coming from Cadet MacGilloway's bio-scans. With frustration she slapped her combadge =^= Lieutenant Priadden to Lieutenant Commander Perkins, could you please report to sickbay; I am in need of assistance. =^= Sometimes it helped to bring in another brain to help.

=/\= Yes of course on my way.=/\= Sam said as he stood up.

-Sickbay-

For once it was nice going into sickbay without anything burnt or bleeding. Looking around he saw Doctor Priadden and walked over to her.

“ Hello Doctor you ask for assistance?” He asked

Kicil looked up from her latest medical scan of Cadet MacGilloway. "Thank you for coming commander. I am at a loss as how to proceed with a patient. Cadet Shyann MacGilloway came to sickbay yesterday on sick call with a complaint of abdominal pain. I performed an initial scan and received a reading of an unusual interphasic source, and it is making my diagnostic systems go haywire. I had the nurse draw some blood samples and it appears she is suffering from some form of biological poisoning. I know she is a cadet studying engineering, and I have run down all her previous assignments in engineering and have come up with nothing." She handed over a PaDD with data on it, "Normally I would call in another doctor to discuss this with, but my options are kind of short at the moment. I dare not involve a medical cadet, as this is way above their abilities, and to be frank I cannot stand the smugness of the EMH. So, I am requesting your help in solving this little mystery."

Sam nodded.

“ I agree the EMH does like to make us look like children sometime. I need to speak to Sharpe about the Science Lab one. So what do we have here? You say your diagnostic system goes haywire? That’s odd….that’s really odd? What about Stool and urine samples how did they fair?” Sam asked

"That is the oddest part of all, one stool sample shows what appear to be some eggs and proglottids, worm segments, yet when we go to further examine them, they appear to phase out. Urine specimen is inconclusive at this time. I am starting to think I am losing my mind." Kicil replied. "Any thoughts on your part would be appreciated."

Perkins looked at the bio bed readings.

“ Hmmm…..Everything points to a parasite. But never heard of this phasing out before. May I see a fresh stool sample please?” Sam asked

Kicil nodded, "Follow me." she said leading him into the medical lab. "Nurse Amber, where is the latest stool and blood samples on patient MacGilloway?" Kicil asked. Nurse Amber walked over to a refrigeration unit and pulled out a tray with a small cup and a small rack of vials, the tray had a flickering quality to it. Nurse Amber walked over to a heavily hooded cabinet with gloves set into a three-inch clear diuranium sheet. She opened the pressured cabinet and set the specimens into it and sealed the cabinet. Kicil turned to Commander Perkins "Out of an abundance of concern I had a small portable force 10 force field placed around her specimens. We will need to work with them in the isolation cabinet for safety reasons." With that Kicil walked over and slide her arms into the control gloves. "You are most correct by the way, when we get a glimpse of the segments, they appear parasitic."

Sam considered the information.

“ Parasitic yet but phasing out when examined.” Sam pondered

He looked into the cabinet.” If I did not know differently those look like tapeworm segments.But I have never heard of……” Perkins looked over the data they had and he looked over the cabinets main information display.” Interphasic…..that might explain the phasing out….but a tapeworm? What do you think?” Sam asked.

"I would agree that it most likely is a tapeworm; but I have never heard or seen literature of them being 'Interphasic'. This why I called you in, if it is a Eucestoda, or tapeworm, we have discovered a new species of it, and one that is going to be a hell of a lot harder to detect and treat. Any ideas for how to proceed, damn thing seems resistant to the normal treatments." Said Kicil, the frustration clear in voice.

“ That is because this has been artificially made.If it was a true Interphasic organism it would be more stable. The fact that it keeps vanishing means it’s not. But like your good self I have no idea on treatment. So as my tutor at the academy used to say. If the answer is unreachable look at the question another way. Instead of finding a cure let’s look at the life off this poor tapeworm. Now usualy they cause stomach distress and feed off the host. Depriving them of much valued nutrients. Hence the infected is always hungry. Eventually the strain shuts the body down. When did the infected fall sick?” Sam asked

"Cadet MacGilloway entered sickbay for sick call going on about thirty-six hours ago with a complaint of abdominal pain. Hard to say when the actual infection started." replied Kicil. "I was thinking of extracting one of the eggs and growing it in a Labatory setting, but it is damn hard to get one because of the phasing."

“ Unless we set up an Interphasic chamber. It’s as tricky as a Ferengi playing poker. But if we get it correct. It should help us. What concerns me is time. Interphasic or not the strain on the cadets system is going to be immense. Can you get a run down of where the cadet has been?” Sam asked

Kicil sighed, "We have been attempting to trace her patterns for the last seventy-two hours. We know she has been in engineering and such, but off duty hours have been trickier. Seems she is a rather private individual."

Sam was worried about this. The person who did this to her was probably still on board. Meaning they would wish her to die and not be to happy. If Kicil or Sam found a way to cure this. Why? Had the poor women seen something she should not of? No. That was Hirsch’s job. Sam and Dr Priaddens job was to heal.

“ Has anyone else come in with simular symptoms?” Sam asked

"Fortunately for us no. I have a priority one alert to all medical staff to alert me immediately if someone does." replied Kicil. She then sighed. "I am at the point I am going to have to report this to command and security if I cannot find a way to solve this mystery."

“ Well let’s collect as much data was we can. Where would be the best place to set up this Interphasic chamber? “ Sam asked

"Surgical bay one, if we are successful, we can then move the cadet into there and I can perform surgery to remove the damn thing." replied Kicil. It was obvious she was frustrated and upset she could not treat her patient.

Perkins nodded.

“ Very well. The first thing we need to do is set up the Interphasic chamber. Do you want me to pull some people from Science to help or would you like to use your medical staff?” Steven asked

Kicil smiled at Sam "Thank you for the help. I think it should be a combination of your people and mine. That way we ensure the best outcome with no mistakes. Do you have some people in mind?"

Sam looked down at a padd he was holding.

“Ensign Greenberg and T’Zee are the best. We should keep staff to a minimum until the culprit is found. Who do you have in mind?” Sam asked

"Chief Warrant Officer Amber, she is already involved, Petty Officer 2nd class Micha, he is the best Bio-Medical Engineer we have, and myself. All of us will wear a level one bio-hazard suits once we begin the procedure to gain samples. I do not want anyone exposed to the damn thing or its toxins." replied Kicil as she began gathering supplies, "Amber follow me and have Petty Officer Micha called to surgical bay one."

Tapping his comm badge Perkins spoke.

“ Ensign Greenberg and T’Zee please report to surgical bay one at once.” He said

“ Will level one bio-hazard suits be enough? We could use EVA suits.Their bio filters are much stronger.” Sam suggested.

Kicil thought a moment, "Perhaps your right, plus we get the added protection from any potential radiation caused by the phasing."

TBC

[OFF]

Lieutenant Kicil Priadden
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Poseidon NCC-42635

Lieutenant Commander Sam Perkins
Chief Science Officer
USS Poseidon NCC-42635

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