They Call Us Doctors...

Posted on 04/26/2020 @ 10:34pm by Captain Cian D'Anvers & Lieutenant JG S'Lace & Ensign Verek Vurkensh

Mission: S1E2: The Plomeek Soup Conundrum
Location: USS Blackwell, Brig
Timeline: Day 5 at 1430

Tahlin entered the brig, and almost ran into the new, and Vulcan she noted, chief medical officer. "Doctor, forgive me... Lieutenant Tahlin, Chief of Security." She held out her left hand in a fairly good approximation of the taal. "We ran into one another in the shuttlebay."

S'Lace had heard the lieutenant coming and stopped just short so the other woman did not run into her. At the sight of what was actually a pretty decent delivery of the taal S'Lace returned it with perhaps a slightly ironic greeting, "We come to serve. Doctor S'Lace, acting Chief Medical Officer, and yes, I remember you. This," she gave the slightest of nods over her right shoulder, "is nurse Vurkensh."

The squat Tellarite was carrying a pair of med kits and gave the Chief of Security a grunt.

S'Lace glanced at the door of the brig, "Are the prisoners still joined? I believe that physical contact is key to their survival."

"Yes--they're still joined. They're already looking a bit better... Its odd, though. They can cause severe psychic and physical pain if touched... Please don't try a mind meld--I do not want to think of the consequences." She turned her lips in an almost Vulcan smile, trying to communicate that it was a joke. "Trust me, I'm not happy we lost the fifth, but he's probably the most dangerous of the bunch... What about the two that... Died... Do you have any ideas?"

"I have a theory," S'Lace replied. The thought of the mind meld was...disquieting. It was difficult to recall the last time she had performed one. A poor student at best, it was not something she ever looked forward to. "These beings are...unusual. The files that were made available to me revealed little. Are you aware of their origin?"

"No, and that's only one thing that's got me worried." The woman winced and twitched her fingers. "I have a very, very bad feeling about all this. They are secure at least, and that's something." She winced again. "Still hurts."

S'Lace frowned slightly. From all accounts the lieutenant was not a "whiner". If she was complaining about pain then that implied a possibly serious condition. She motioned to Nurse Verkensh, who put on medical kit between his legs so he could free up his hands to open the other. S'Lace pulled out the medical tricorder and asked, "What, precisely, did you do, lieutenant? Did one of the prisoners attack you?"

"I just touched one of them to get her I think it was, moving... Severe pain, and some kind of telepathic contact... The pain is fading, but I also have... Training in pain resistance. You should probably scan everyone who was on the away team. Mac'Kensy and Jeffries, particularly, seemed impacted."

"I see," S'Lace murmured, "I sensed what could have been a telepathic presence. My theory is this species is telepathic in nature to such a degree that a lack of contact is traumatic to them. Unfortunately the only evidence that supports my theory are the two dead subjects. I am reluctant to perform autopsies at this time; if I violate some custom it could cause a diplomatic incident."

Cian entered the area just outside of the holding cells and walked up to where the ship's Chief Medical Officer seemed to be in conference with the, of all things, the ship's Chief of Security. His gaze went from the aliens to his officers as he said, "What's their status?"

"Alive, Captain," S'Lace replied. She hesitated, "Captain, I believe our best option is for me to attempt a mind meld. I have reviewed the ship's files and there are no Vulcans on board better qualified than I to attempt it." she left out the part that she was not very good at it to begin with, but omission was not a lie. Not in this case, at any rate.

"And the other two," Cian questioned. "Have you ascertained the cause of death?"

"Not yet, no," S'Lace replied, "We are currently conducting extensive scans on the bodies but we are keeping them intact. Thus far, there are no matches in any Starfleet database. It would be helpful if we could ascertain their origin. Are there any records the Blackwell may provide?"

"I've looked over what we were sent by Captain Burns... No information, other than its a planet in this region... Which is curious anyway..." The Bajoran frowned. "Honestly, I would not recommend a mind meld with them. I recognize that you may be the best qualified, Doctor, but as Chief of Security, considering the pain and disorientation that followed from touching them, I think a mind meld is too dangerous."

"Both of your opinions are noted," Cian said after a moment. "Doctor, I'll need more from you than ... they're alive. Let's start with something simple. Has their condition improved since we brought them on board? And if so, why?"

"Their condition has not improved," S'Lace replied, "They remain in a vegetative state and unless they have done so under lieutenant Lae'Or's watch they have remained unresponsive to any stimuli. The only instance where they were responsive is when they were physically touched by our crew with bare skin."

She regarded the pair soberly, "Make no mistake; I do not wish to conduct a mind meld; I have not participated in one in years and the last was under duress. If we can investigate this planet and possibly find members of their species that can aid them then yes, I would find that a preferable course of action."

"So, being connected is of limited use then," Cian said as he watched the two. It was odd, seeing them entwined as they were. It was hard to see where one ended and the other began, as though they had become one in a very real sense. And yet, at the same time, it was also clear that there were two of them. Odd indeed. "Perhaps, it takes longer seeing as how there are only two of them." He paused a second as a new thought occurred. "Doctor, if they need something from the connection that they can't get otherwise, would that put you at risk? Would they try then to draw from you even if its on some instinctive level?"

"An interesting hypothesis, Captain," S'Lace murmured thoughtfully, "The four were part of some possible familial unit, a possible symbiotic species, not unlike Binars," she took a breath, "There are too many unknowns to present a conclusive answer to your question, Captain. There is most certainly a risk. But as a great man once said, 'Risk is our business'. Perhaps a compromise; we wait four hours to see if there is any appreciable change in their condition. In that time I and the Science department make a further examination of the bodies."

"That seems logical," Tahlin commented.

"Four hours. Try to gather as much information as you can and if there is no change, then we'll revisit the idea of a meld."

S'Lace nodded, "Very well, Captain," she turned to the Chief of Security, "I suggest we leave Nurse Vurkensh here to monitor the patients."

"Indeed... I'll have two of my people here as well."

S'Lace nodded politely to Captain and lieutenant Lae'Or and departed the brig, her mind already on the autopsy

A post by

Commander Cian D'Anvers
Commanding Officer
USS Crazy Horse

and

Lt. jg S'Lace
Chief Medical Officer
USS Crazy Horse

and

Lieutenant (J.G) Lae'Or Tahlin
Chief of Security/Tactical
USS Crazy Horse

and

Ensign Verek Vurkensh
Nurse
USS Crazy Horse