CDR Naxell — Compounding
Naxell
((Bridge, Deck 1, USS Khitomer, returning to Hixoraan Orbit))
Against his better judgement, Commander Naxell ordered Khitomer to emerge from the safety of a shepherd moon’s shadow early. They weren't in any obvious danger—radiation levels were receding and Naxell figured the odds of a resurgence were low. But they weren't zero.
With much of the crew on the surface and very little of their observational data having made it to Hixoraa’s orbit before Khitomer was forced to retreat from it, his motivations for this risk-taking were mixed. On the one hand his crew could be in trouble. They'd beamed down with few provisions and limited equipment.
On the other hand, he could feel the urge to twiddle his thumbs rising. It turned out, his timing was fortuitous.
Dewitt: =/\=… Khtitomer, do …read? =/\=
Naxell: =/\= Good morning, Number One. Still a little hazy on our end but we're safe, I'm assured. Status report? =/\=
Dewitt: =/\= Good morning to you too, Sir. I’m … I have bad news. Ensign Yorke might be infected … causing the illness down here. I want her to be beamed to … treated under quarantine. =/\=
He didn't need a perfect connection in order to understand the development. One of his crew had contracted the illness Starfleet had told him would only affect Emisans. He winced. It was going to take a lot of work to learn to grow some healthier skepticism of Starfleet out on the frontier. Hopefully it wouldn't take many lives.
Naxell: =/\= Understood, Connor. We'll beam her up as soon as this radiation clears completely in a couple hours. Can you keep Ensign Yorke stable until then? =/\=
Dewitt: =/\= I would like to get her up … now, Sir. Something’s stirring up…. =/\=
Naxell turned around to look at Lieutenant Zerva at the tactical station. Something was stirring up? A storm? A smoothie perhaps.
Zerva: Response
Naxell: =/\= Repeat that? =/\=
Dewitt: =/\= Get Yorke out of here, Sir. Now. =/\=
Maybe it was the lack of interference on that last transmission, or maybe it was the sound of his First Officer’s voice just before the channel was closed from the other end. He held up a finger to Lieutenant Zerva, begging him to stand by for now.
Zerva: Response
Naxell: ::tapping combadge:: =/\= Bridge to sickbay. Prepare for emergency transport. One human, infected. Quarantine immediately. =/\=
Matthews / Melville-Kilpatrick: =/\= Response =/\=
Then he gave a nod to his Security Officer. With sickbay properly warned, they could handle the incoming transport.
Zerva: Response
Naxell: =/\= We're initiating transport now. Your guess is as good as mine, Ensign. But it sounds like this isn't our only problem. Keep me informed. =/\=
Matthews / Melville-Kilpatrick: =/\= Response =/\=
He tapped his combadge again, closing the channel. The Denobulan raised a hand to caress his beard contemplatively. The Emisan problem had just become Commander Naxell's problem, in more ways than one. With eyes still fixed on the image before him of Hixoraa, he addressed Lieutenant Zerva.
Naxell: Lieutenant, as soon as that radiation clears I want you to load up a shuttle with marines and as much kit as you all can carry, and reinforce our people. Set down beyond the outskirts, and coordinate with Commander Dewitt. Do not engage unless he requests it. Understood?
Zerva: Response
TBC
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Commander Nax-Ellarneii-Tellargo
Commanding Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
A240001NH3