[Backsim] Lt Solak - Solak Concerto in V major (4th movement)

[Wil Ukinix]

((Conference Room, Level x, Science & Research Center, Amity Outpost))

Kivik: ::Setting down a mug of coffee on the table:: Ikaia… Mr. Solak… I am very excited by what we’ve got here. ::Grinning:: Are you as excited as I am?

The Vulcan simply raised an eyebrow at his fellow science officer.

Wong: Aloha, Lieunetant. You better believe I’m excited about this. This has been an amazing discovery. First contact…. Who knew!

Evidently, Wong was so consumed by emotion that he mis-pronounced the word “Lieutenant.”

Solak: I believe no-one knew until most recently, as logic would dictate.

Lieutenant Kivik activated the holographic display.

Kivik: Here, we see Idrustix Major – the star in our region. Now, we’d already guessed that it had undergone rapid expansion into a Red Giant at some point in the last ten million years or so… and the core samples we collected support that hypothesis.

Solak: Affirmative.  Unremarkable in its natural development, aside for the unexplained levels of increased radiation from the colonist surveyors.

Kivik: Precisely. The geological records demonstrate a significant – though relatively-short – increase in radiation and carbon deposits. While the sun grew, the planet burned. However, some life managed to endure; primarily small creatures, like the ants we discovered, Ikaia. I believe this may also explain the ‘vision’ Commander Ukinix and Miss Polgonz were shown.

Wong: That means that these bacteria also have a very long collective memory! That’s really interesting that they could recall back that far…. ::Remembers himself:: Oh uh! Please go on, Lieutenant.

Kivik: Now that brings me to the most interesting finding! It seems that our little bacterial friends are to thank for the CME-radiation-shielding effect we’ve found. I’ll allow Wong to explain the biological process in more detail, however, the main point is that they absorb the solar radiation before it can penetrate the lower atmosphere.

Wong: Certainly. Due to coevolution between the bacteria on the planet and the animal life that resides there, both have evolved to best assist each other to survive on the planet. Animal life has evolved to being perfect hosts for the bacteria. Likewise, the bacteria protect their hosts by providing natural shielding to the radiation. Essentially, they’ve adapted to each other in a perfect balance. It’s really quite fascinating!

Solak, the Vulcan who didn’t normally experience many emotions in the first place to have to need to supress them, the Vulcan whose parents mused in a logically illogical way to close and trusted acquaintances that he was born having already attained Kolinahr, did something wild and almost “loose” by his standards.

He leaned forward ever so slightly in his seat.

Solak: Genuinely fascinating.

Kivik: There must have been a massive die-off immediately following the sun’s expansion. However, this allowed for the radiation-eating bacteria to thrive. As a fortunate by-product of their population explosion, the planet was shielded from much of the harmful radiation, rather than being completely sterilized.

Wong: Exactly. It accounts for all the life we saw when we were there. It’s thanks to these bacteria that the planet is far more of a hospitable place.

Solak: Bacteria is a normal part of an ecosystem, however it seems it has an elevated prominence on Idrustix.  Extraordinary.

Kivik: And that brings us to Lt. Wong’s findings. These bacteria, together, have developed a unique form of intelligence. Apparently, the suddenly excess of ‘nutritious’ radiation provided them with the resources to rapidly develop this cognitive ability. ::Sitting down and sipping nir coffee:: Lieutenant, would you like to take it from here?

Wong: Absolutely!

The hologram changed to that of well organised bacteria, that had formed a logical structure.

Wong: What we’re dealing with is essentially “smart” bacteria. While one bacterium by itself isn’t very intelligent; multiple bacteria have the capacity to rival the intelligence of the average adult humanoid. In other words - sentience. More than that, those with psionic abilities can talk to them.

Solak noticed Kivik glance at him with his head tilted.  He observed the J’naii for a moment, before sitting *back* in his seat.  Two in-seat movements in one meeting, things are getting wild everybody!

Solak: ::Raised eyebrow:: Indeed.  Although those that require touch to communicate telepathically would find it difficult to create a psionic connection.

Kivik: Well, not quite everyone with psionic abilities.

To coin a phrase used by some Terrans, Solak considered that Lieutenant Wong was “grinning like a Cheshire cat.” The Terran Klingon held up a finger to continue speaking, evidently he had more to say which Kivik also recognised.

Kivik: ::Grinning:: Sorry, I’ll wait my turn.

Wong: But more than that! They have the ability to protect their hosts from the radiation found on Idrustix as I’ve highlighted before. What’s happening is a symbiotic relationship between bacteria and host. The host offers protection and a home for the bacteria while the bacteria offers protection from the radiation. Actually, this is worth repeating because in the right hosts, it has the potential to eliminate the need to dose with hyroline-lectrazine compounds with the bacteria offering that sort of protection instead.

Kivik: It’s spectacular.

Solak moved slightly forward in his seat again.  Three seat movements!

Solak: Remarkably unique.

Wong: And that’s why this is a first contact situation instead of a straight forward medical one. Which brings me to the problem we’ve been trying to tackle - how to protect the bacteria from the body’s defenses. For Klingons, in my experience, their defenses are far too strong for the bacteria to take root within the body to offer the radiation protection. As for J’naii, it’s simply not compatible with copper based blood. Which is why we’re allowed to leave the Daintree. Which leaves those with Betazoid ancestry as the only suitable hosts.

Kivik: At least so far… But – that brings me back to my earlier point. Solak, I’m afraid you will likely not be able to speak with our newfound bacterium colony either, given your own copper-based hemocyanin.

Solak: That is acceptable.

Wong: I have been working on a means of an anti-rejection drug that offers protection from the body’s immune system to allow them to live peacefully within their hosts. Currently, anti-rejection medications used on non-Trill hosts to carry symbionts have proven effective in simulations in offering protection to out new bacterial friends.

Solak: ::Raised eyebrow:: That raises some ethical questions that will need to be considered.  For instance, what if the subject that is carrying the bacteria does not want to be a host?

Kivik: Nice work, Ikaia. Do you think it’s ready to administer or do we require further testing?

Solak’s fellow science officer Kivik in his excitement didn’t seem to notice Solak’s question regarding ethics.  To use another term used by several Federation species, the question seemed to go “straight over his head like a shuttle.”  Solak would ensure that he would perform a complete an ethics review and submit it to Wong and Kivik for their consideration.

Wong: And uh…. Hold on a moment….

Something on Wong’s PADD seemed to distract the Chief Medical Officer.  After a few moments, Wong showed another public display of emotion by pinching the bridge of his nose.  Then he dropped his hands from his face, as his expression changed to one that Solak could only interpret as “satisfied”.

Wong: Lieutenant Kivik, I’m going to need you with me while we speak to our quarantined friends. ::Winks::

Upon seeing Wong’s wink, Solak, you guessed it, raised an eyebrow.

Kivik: ::Blinking:: Uhh… Alright. I don’t think that should be a problem.

Solak: Very well.  I thank you for your presentation, Lieutenants, and I will submit an ethics review of your proposed treatment in the next two weeks.

Lieutenant Solak looked again at the holographic display of the bacteria, then shifted slightly in his seat….  For the fourth time!

[End Scene for Solak]

 

 

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Lieutenant Solak
Stellar Cartographer
Amity Outpost
V239511WU0