Lieutenant Nera Ay - A Tangled Mystery
Jonathan
((Transporter Room 1, Deck 1, USS Thor))
Tangle-itis?
It was a curious name, to say the least, if a little on the nose, with a series of vague symptoms that could be caused by a multitude of illnesses; some mild and easily overcome, others, not so much. The cause of Tangle-itis, as it had been reported, was prolonged exposure to the region of space known as The Tangle, something that the crew of the Thor had been tasked with reviewing upon their initial departure into the region.
Almost a full circle moment.
A remote science research outpost within the Vexilon system had requested aid, citing an outbreak of Tangleitis amongst its staff. It presented a mystery of sorts, that Ay, along with Saa and Vharo had been tasked with unravelling.
Was Tangleitis a true illness? Was it a combination? Was it hysteria? They wouldn’t know until they arrived on the planet and took some proper readings.
Saa: Are you both almost ready?
Stuffing a final few items into his medkit, not a stock kit, but his own personal one, he turned to face Saa. He’d had some adventures with the kit, from travelling through time to jumping off a cloaked Romulan ship.
Vharo: Prepared, Commander.
Nera: Ready and raring to go
The distress call had been decisively urgent, leaving Ay somewhat eager to get down there and set about the work.
A faint smile from the Head of Health aimed at himself and Vharo, which he returned.
Saa: Quick review, we’ll be transported to just outside the outpost’s designated quarantine zone, which includes not only their sickbay but overflow into several converted science labs in one wing of the outpost. ::Holding up her PADD:: We’ve been given access to the outpost’s medical files as well as security reports that might help with contract tracing or identify potential protocol breaches.
Vharo:I wo uldn't be surprised if their security reporting slacked off given the situation, though there should be enough for anything odd to stand out prior upon review. Remote research outposts do have a tendency to be less concerned about such things on average.
On that, he had to agree. The more remote and out of the way it was, the more likely it was that the administrative side had started to falter.
Looking at his own PADD, the amount of data contained within the outpost’s medical files seemed to be, well, curious was a word Ay would use for it. Information on the personnel, sure, but shockingly little about the illness that had overtaken the population.
Nera: Goes without saying, but in a case like this, with an unknown illness and a quarantine zone currently imposed, environmental suits are a must ::pausing:: I’d also recommend we each undergo a full scan before and after entering the quarantine zone.
On the off chance that whatever it was they were dealing with could pass through any of the suit seals. Until they knew exactly what they were dealing with, an abundance of caution was the best way to go.
Saa: Once we’re on the ground, I’ll start file reviews, and Dr. Nera I’d like you to start taking readings of the worst patients. We have a vague list of symptoms, but let's get our tricorder readings for confirmation. ::She turns to Vharo:: I want you to start with reviewing the security reports but also to keep on any officer keeping too close while we work, one symptom listed is agitation and our arrival could unintentionally escalate those early stage cases.
Ay nodded, adjusting the tricorder holstered at his hip.
A sealed outpost filled with agitated patients? Powderkeg was the way to describe it. They’d need to be very careful with how they approached things.
Saa: We need to figure out if this is an actual contagion or something else. Their medical staff were the first known cases and some of those in the worst shape, which means we’re all they have currently. ::She tilts her head:: Any questions before we’re on the ground? ::Pauses and turns to Vharo:: And Ensign, as you’re our security expert, anything you want us to be mindful of as well?
The fact that it started with the medical personnel was curious in its own right. An experiment gone wrong, or something that had been accidentally loosed? Who knew what could have been discovered on the planet's surface?
Vharo: Was there anything noted in the original request for assistance that would be of concern besides the agitation symptom?
Raising an eyebrow, he allowed himself a half smile.
Nera: Aside from the remoteness, agitation, and unknown contagion you mean? ::pausing, considering:: I would say that sums up the main cause for concern. A quarantine and mysterious illness are stressful enough for the people down there, without adding heightened agitation as an actual symptom. It’s…volatile.
Powderkeg was the phrase that came to mind.
Vharo: Understood. As for my security concerns, I did have a three part speech on CBRN and exposure protocol but it would be wasted on the pair of you given your professions so I'll hang onto that for the next group. As such, I'll keep it simple. Do try and limit exposure until we have something more then nothing, adhere to the marked biohazard signage and don't wander off with people we don't know without saying anything.
Nodding, he made a mental note of her advice. Despite his cautious approach, Ay’s initial desire was always to charge straight in. It had taken some years, and added responsibility to temper that. Having a level security mind on hand would be a boon.
Perhaps another time he’d be up for a lively discourse on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear materials in a weapons and disaster capacity.
Nera: Noted. We’ll be careful, and defer to your judgement on anything security related ::grinning:: Glad to have you with us
So far, he’d only spent a brief amount of time with Vharo, and that had been on the holodeck. Though even there, in a haunted house program, she’d seemed exceptionally diligent. They were in good hands, he felt.
Saa: Response
Turning his attention back to Saa, he posed his own question.
Nera: Has the outpost shared any files related to what they were studying? If so, it could be a good starting point.
This was a follow-up to his previous internal thoughts. Some clue as to what they’d been studying might point them in the right direction, as far as the sickness went.
Saa / Vharo: Response
The other thing that had him worried, was numbers. How many staff were assigned to the facility, how many had been affected by Tangleitis, and were the three of them really enough?
Well, a few good medics and some replicator technology could cover a lot of ground with the right motivation.
Nera: And what about numbers? Have they indicated how many afflicted there are, and how many people are assigned to the facility as a whole?
Saa / Vharo: Response
While having the information would help clarify the situation, it was plausible anything they had been given wasn’t completely correct. Agitation could very quickly become paranoia, and paranoid patients were generally not inclined to give much away.
Nera: And no recent supply ships either I imagine, not this far out…
He was more musing, than asking a direct question. Mysteries always got his brain in gear, and this one was no different.
Tightening his grip around his medkit, a physical way of steeling himself for the task ahead, he stepped onto the transporter pad.
Nera: Shall we?
Saa / Vharo: Response
Tags/TBC
Lieutenant Nera Ay
Acting Chief Medical Officer
USS Thor
G240106NA2
He/Him/His (Player/Character)