Lieutenant Jack Kessler - Saved by the Coms

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Joel Cannistraro

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Jan 29, 2026, 9:14:36 AMJan 29

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((Ward A, Sickbay, Deck 10, USS Ronin))

Jack had been ordered to Sickbay following his unconscious spell aboard the shuttle. Given the unusual response to the light and sound show the unknown object had had on him, Jack did not put up a fight. He would be no use to V'Len and the Ronin if he was not at 100% and whatever had made him pass out had him feeling a bit worried about the rest of the mission and his ability to function as he should. So he was in sickbay getting checked out. It had been a little bit since the doc or the nurse had been back in the same room he was in so Jack laid back on the bio bed and closed his eyes. A moment to reflect and think about everything that had happened, to go over his security and tactical protocols and how his teams should be ready to respond.

The silence was broken as Rox jaunted over to the Biobed where Jack Kessler was lying and gave him a smack on the shoulder.

Rox: Wakey, wakey Lieutenant. There's work to be done, probably.

Kessler: ::eyes still closed:: Rox, you do not need to call me Lieutenant and at the moment I like it here. ::beat:: I am planning.

Rox: The Dr. Shortrith says you can go. All your reading are ::looking at the display on the biobed:: as normal as they ever are for you.

Kessler: :: opening his eyes and sitting up:: Of course I am. ::shaking his head lightly:: Nothing to indicate why I went unconscious when V'Len needed me. ::beat:: Alright, back to work it is.

Jack stood up from the bed and tugged down on his tunic, making sure he was as neat and presteine as he could be.

Rox: Oh, our chief surgeon wants a sample of ::glancing at Padd:: just about every liquid you have.

Jack looked over to Rox and locked eyes with her. She seemed to always carry some whimsical smile on her face as if she knew someone was about to tell a joke or let off a smart cheeked comment.

Kessler: Replicate a pot of coffee and give it to her. I pretty well mainline the stuff. ::beat:: Lets check on our guests before I leave.

Jack followed Rox and the two walked into the hall and headed to the isolation ward where a Suliban and a Kzinti were lying on biobeds. Neither looked good. Skin blistering was visible and Rox knew from reading the updates that the pair had incurred an extreme level of cellular damage. Waiting in the doorway they were joined by Counselor Dekas.

Rox: ::looking at the Counselor:: They're in bad shape.

Kessler: ::nodding to Dekas:: Counselor, good to see you again. ::turning to Rox:: Based on their current condition do they pose any threat to the ship or crew contamination wise that is? ::beat:: Are they well enough for us to talk to them?

Dekas: Response

Rox: I'm not sure how much you'll get out of them, but Dr. La Croix is doing what she can for them.

Jack watched for a moment as he crossed his arms over his chest. A Suliban and a Kzinti, as if things were not already weird enough. There were so many questions flying around in his head but none of them seemed like the best starting point and all of them lead to the same final question. How do we reverse what happened and get our command team back?

Kessler: Will they survive their injuries?

De La Croix: They will not. I'm mildly surprised they're still alive as is. They've each been exposed to lethal levels of several different types of radiation and some sort of temporal or quantum field that the ancient computers on this steamship are completely unable to identify. They were dead before we ever encountered them...all we're doing is prolonging the inevitable.

Dekas/Rox: Response

Jack was sure the Doctor was doing all she could but he needed more information to go on and that information to him was vital to the wellbeing of the Ronin and her crew.

Kessler: I do not doubt you are Doctor but you understand the importance of their survival?

De La Croix: Perhaps you'd care to explain that to their necrotic cellular membranes....the ones that haven't dissolved quite yet. Might want to hurry though.

Dekas/Rox: Response

Jacked eyed the Doctor for a moment and decided to bite his tongue. Now was not the time to lose his cool with her or anyone else. He felt more on edge though as if something was agitating him. Maybe it was still not knowing why he had gone unconscious or maybe it was still not knowing what truly happened to the Captain and their First officer. Questions he desperately wanted to shed some light on with these two laying before them. Unfortunately, he did not think they were going to get very far.

Kessler: ::turning to the others:: I feel like a fifth wheel here. This is more your area of expertise. What can we do?

Dekas/Rox: Response

De La Croix: Yes you're quite right, this is my area of expertise. So perhaps you'll believe me this time when I say there's nothing we can do aside from making their final agonizing hours slightly less agonizing. Fortunately for you, your prognosis is a bit less dire. Nurse, did you collect those samples I requested? I want to begin the analysis on his protein sheaths as soon as possible.

Jack eye'd De La Croix and then looked to Rox with a very unhappy look on his face.

Kessler: Isn't this fun?

Rox: Response

De La Croix: Then perhaps you should escort this patient back to bed and get them before he faints again. Speaking of, you seem to be unusually sensitive to radiation exposure Lieutenant. I don't suppose you have any idea why that might be?

Rox: Response

Kessler: Actually Doc, I have several ideas. Perhaps I could provide you a tactical report on what might be causing these unusual reactions based on the unknown we were in.

Jack's stare was firm and locked right on De La Croix. This woman was getting on his nerves and he was showing it. This was certainly not him or his normal self. He took a breath as she responded and tried to think his response through.

De La Croix: That's not exactly what I had in mind. I simply don't want you toppling over some torpedo and killing us all because you have an atypical thyroid gland. But I suppose I'm to continue toiling away in the dark.

Tucker: =/\= Greetings, Ronin’s will Lieutenants Kessler, Nemes, and Evinrud,e please report to the Runabout Sojourn immediately and bring your Hazardous Duty Environmental Suits, please. Tucker, out =/\=

oO Save by the coms. Thank you Tucker. Oo

Jack threw a smile ear to ear to both Rox and De La Croix. Freedom from this medical bay called and he was not hanging around any longer to banter with the Chief Surgeon.

Kessler: Sorry Doc. Duty calls. You can have that fluid check when I get back.

Rox/De La Croix: Response

Jack did not wait for the Doctor or Rox to fully rebuke his leaving without giving up samples to every body fluid he had. Tucker was calling for an away mission and that was all Jack needed to know to get out of the sickbay.