Questions Upon Questions

Posted on Thu Apr 16th, 2020 @ 3:07pm by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Ensign Michael Sloan & Lieutenant Aurelius Davis & Lieutenant Min Seong
Edited on on Fri Apr 17th, 2020 @ 1:22pm

Mission: Mission 2 - Fallout
Location: Sickbay, Deck E
Timeline: Day 8, Month 1, Year 0 09:30
1544 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

The faces around him were different. Michael did not recognize anyone, but the uniform. It matched his. He must warn them. But, his forehead hurt so badly that he could barely see. His ears felt like they had been ripped off and poorly re-attached. On top of that, his whole body felt like he had acid in his veins.

With a groan, he looked to the nearest face. It was soft, round ears, red hair. "You, we can't take their food," he called out as a warning. To the female with black hair, he added, " War is coming to Earth. The raptors are circling their prey." Sloan's comment to Min sounded more like he was proud of it.

Beth haad rushed down as soon as she had heard that her Executive Officer was back on board but the confusion and works he was speaking were making her wish for the colder and more aloof man he had been before. "Who is 'their'?" She asked softly leaning over the man a little to look at him carefully to try and settle him.

With eyes narrowing a bit in suspicion, Michael said, "The Vrav. They made the algae." As another round of pain wracked his body, the man made only a grimace. "You'll never understand. They're monsters. Our empire will crush them."

Aurelius entered sickbay in confusion. "What's going on?" Seeing Michael on the bed his mouth dropped open in surprise and relief but it didn't take him long to realize that not all was well. "What's wrong with him?" He asked Beth who was standing over the man.

"I don't know, but I can find out if everyone would take three large steps back and let me work." Min gave each and every bystander a severe look. "We can get our answers after I can return him to normal." She made one last hesitant look, before turning back toward Micheal. "The medical scans are indicating he has had a run-in with some severe genetic... splicing? ... I need a nurse for this. Aurelius, congratulations, you're now my nurse." She didn't look up, instead diverting her attention to the console while she was hard at work. "I need you to procure one of the hypos from the crate labeled 'emergency.' One of the blue ones, that should at least ease the pain and potentially settle him while I sort this out."

Beth attempted to take a step back and listen to the doctor but her hand was gripped tightly by her Executive Officer making it impossible to do so. "I know... We know about the algae. The other team sent to find you worked it out." Beth soothed softly. looking over her shoulder at Aurelius.

"Save them," Michael replied in a moment of clarity. His head fell back to the bed as he closed his eyes from pain. He knew that relief was coming, but his entire body felt like it was on fire.

"The Vrav? Is that what they are called Michael?" Beth asked using his first name. She barely acknowledged that he had a first name, rather using Sloan. "You can let go I know now," Beth said quickly trying to get him to let her go.

Aurelius caught Beth's look but he didn't understand it any more than she did. "Good, keep talking to him," Aurelius suggested, "it might help him focus if one person is there." He blinked at Min, having just been recruited apparently. He did as she asked, getting her a blue hypo, he awkwardly handed it to her since is fingers had a hard time straightening now.

Min took the hypo with a nod. "Stay here." Her tone was stern as she turned to Sloan on the table. "Sir, with all due respect, we can talk about The Vrav all you want later," she stated, a little more gently, as she pressed the hypo to his neck. "Hopefully this calms him down. The scanners are having a difficult time with tracing what exactly happened to his DNA."

Aurelius made a gesture with his hand to confirm he understood, not that he did. But he remained where he was.

Sitting a little more relaxed, a bit of Michael began to come back. He was still fairly out of it, so he would probably miss a bit of context and detail. "Vrav, yes," he replied. "The last clan of a species, using the oasis as their farm. Very last of their supplies."

"Okay," Beth said understanding what he was trying to convey to her just about. "But you need to let me go now Michael or I cannot help." She whispered looking at his hands gripped her own.

Realizing that he was still gripping Beth's arm, Michael let go and nodded slightly. "They did something to me," the man almost whispered. "They said they were fixing me."

Beth did not understand what they were fixing but was pleased that his grip on her had stopped. "What is going on with him?" Beth asked when she was finally free and could have a quiet conversation with the Doctor. This was not the man she knew from the last six months or so, he was not scattered and he did not raise his voice like that.

Min let out an intensely deep sigh. Typically she would be on about privacy of the patient and all that, but this was... an odd case. And this was far from a normal situation. "... He's been tortured." She stated, setting the empty hypo aside. Her eyes flickered to the console nearby. "Genetically and... likely mentally as well. I cannot tell the full extent of his injuries, but they're not going to be easy for me to fix - doable, but not easy."

Beth glanced back at the man at the words of torture. Who would have done that? Was that what this new part of the universe had to offer? Was this all she was going to face with keeping her crew safe. "Bring up the genetic stuff on the screen please." The Officer in Charge demanded moving to the screen nearest. She wanted to see what had been changed and what damage had been done.

At this, Min stood her ground. "I understand that we're under mental duress, Ma'am, but with respect to the privacy of my patient, the exact specifics of this chart are going to have to wait till he wakes up and gives consent." Min was quick to shut down Sloan's file, crossing her arms against her chest in front of the screen. Enough was enough. "i understand you're after this for the safety of the crew, but everyone is on the ship, which is far enough away from those who inflicted this torture upon Commander Sloan. I do not foresee any damage becoming outwardly painful to those on the ship, either. Once I have the Commander upright and coherent, we can ask then. But until then, I have much work to do if I'm going to undo the severe damage that has been done - and I've not many supplies to do that with. I'll need the time."

Being only sedated, not unconscious, Sloan groaned a bit as he tried to listen to what Beth and the doctor were saying. In his present condition, it was all above his head. It was like two natures were fighting over his brain. "I give consent," he stated, his voice a bit weak and raspy. "The rest of them will be back soon."

There was a pause as Min looked to the man on the bed, medical debate bubbling. There was no telling how coherent Michael was, considering his circumstances. But eventually she looked to the Commander, before turning to display the man's files, specifically the genetic alterations that were requested. And only those. "He's suffered a severe amount of damage, and I'll need a clear medical bay to repair them. Or a mostly clear one."

"Can I help in any way?" Aurelius asked, he'd remained quiet for most of this ordeal and Min had deputized him as a nurse temporarily but he'd been paying attention to all that had been said.

The woman took the information and looked at the familiar strands of genetic information that was taught in school, Beth stayed very quiet as she looked at the information for a long time before she looked up at the man who was pretty much hovering there. "You will not be able to do anything yet with the genetics stuff please Lieutenant. Davis I need you to get me Sovar and Darru." She instructed her manners gone for a moment before she softened. "Please." She added as an afterthought as she looked at Sloan and a sickening feeling rising in her as the security issue she now had and how she needed to keep that in check until she had spoken to the Vulcans.

"Yes, Ma'am," Aurelius said, not even thinking of arguing, he hurried off.

OFF::

Commander Bethsabee Leroux
Officer In Charge/Chief Communications Officer
NX Atlantis

Lt. Commander Michael Sloan
Acting First Officer/Chief Armory Officer
NX Atlantis

Lieutenant Aurelius Davis
Morale Officer
NX-05 Atlantis

Lieutenant Min Seong
Medical Officer
NC-05 Atlantis