Creeping Death, Part I

Anomaly TrekMUX Episode (#02-001)

Infirmary - Station 419 - [IC]

Throughout this room, the sound of forced air and the electric hiss of Level Three Containment Fields can be heard. The light blue fabric which covers the walls does little to disguise the severe sterility of the place. Eight medi-beds lie side by side down one wall. Above them, the monitors blink softly as they display appropriate medical information. On another wall, the extensive Medical Library computer's display screen shows tests in progress, simulations being run, and station monitoring information. Along the other wall, a series of small examining rooms sit with identical sets of medical testing equipment. Moving through all this is the quiet and efficient staff of the Chief Medical Officer, whose office is opposite of the infirmary's entrance.

T'sal looks up from her work as the Doctor enters. "I greet you, Doctor."

Holliday chuckles. "Can't get anything by you, can I, T'sal? Salutations." He smiles. "How're you doing here?" He looks around the IR as if that would answer the question..

T'sal states coldly, "It has been rather quiet today. Quite a change from the wounded and dead of several days ago." Leave it to T'sal to mark the assault on the Dark Aegis as merely a 'busy day'.

Holliday nods. "Quiet's good, so long as it's not completely .. dead." He says dryly.

T'sal actually blinks at that one. "That was by far one of your more tasteless jokes." She's not laughing, however.

Holliday nods again. "I thought so. I passed on 'Quiet as a morgue' though." His patter seems to be functioning at a high level today, which, to those who know him, usually comes out more when he's under stress..

T'sal queries, "Are you feeling all right, Doctor?" She turns toward a utility cart, picks up her tricorder and flips it open. She takes a step toward him as if about to start running a medical scan.

Holliday says, "The doctor say's I'll make it, Nurse." He chuckles. "Guess I'm just a still a little shook up from the last couple days. Speaking of which, how are those cases coming along?" He steps towards the central console and calls up a data display..

T'sal follows behind him, running the scanner up and down the area behind his back. "Your stress levels are indeed high, Doctor. Perhaps you need to take leave?" she asks. At that moment, the doors slide open. Dragging himself into sickbay, looking haggard and worn out, steps in a Chief with a yellow collar. His eyes are bloodshot. "Doc?" he croaks. "I don't feel so good." It takes a moment to place the face - but Holliday recognizes him as St. James, the member of the security team who accompanied him to the Aegis to rescue Tyler. The same St. James who had some sort of 'goo' spill on him during a firefight.

Holliday chuckles. "I've considered it, T'sal, but they'd find me and drag me back sooner or later." He turns at St. James' croak. "I can tell that just by looking at you. Must be a matched set." He nods to T'sal, and gestures towards one of the biobeds, picking up a hand sensor as he steps towards the man. "Well, have a sit, and we'll see if we can't figure out -why-.."

St. James is led to the biobed by T'sal, and she starts preliminary diagnostics.

Holliday leaves the standard battery of scans to T'sal, though he's running some extension scans. "When did this start to show up, .." Realizes he only knows the man as 'St. James', doesn't append a nomer. "?"

St. James croaks dryly, "An hour or so ago. I started feeling dizzy in holo training. Oberlin sent me to my quarters to rest."

Holliday mouths a swear word. "T'sal, there should be a recent scan of Mr. St. James on record. From a couple days ago- Day of the away mission to the other Aegis to be exact. Can you pull that up and cross reference it with our biofilter specs? See if there was anything there that -should- have been filtered out."

Holliday says "Ok. What were you doing specifically? No symptoms at all before then?"

T'sal does so quickly, without even acknowledging response.

The security chief shakes his head. "No.. Just some assault training exercises on the holosuite.." It's obviously painful for him to talk.

T'sal looks toward Holliday. "Cross reference complete, Doctor. Curious." That word's always precluding disaster. "They match across the board."

Holliday turns, opens a drawer on the central console, takes out a vachypo - the device used for taking blood samples in changling tests- and quickly draws a sample. "Ok. Just sit tight while we see what this is and what to give you for it." He puts the sample into a scanner and sets the machine to scanning.. "Excuse us a moment." He gestures to T'sal and steps into his office..

You enter the Chief Medical Officer's office.
CMO's Office - Station 419 - [IC]

The light grey and soft blues of this office are clearly intended to have a calming effect. In the center of the room is a large desk with a complex computer console on one side. Before it is a collection of chairs for visitors. On one wall is a series of display screens which show the current state of the station's life support and medical monitoring systems. A small view port gives a stunning view of the space surrounding the station.

Obvious exits:
Out <O>
T'sal comes in from the Infirmary.

T'sal has arrived.

T'sal steps through and clasps her hands before her. "Yes, Doctor?"

Holliday says "Matched across the board.. Elaborate?"

Holliday's keeping an eye on St. James thru the transparent panel that makes the wall of his office. He reaches over and flips the comswitch on his desk. "Lt. Holliday to.. ah, Sergeant Oberlin."

T'sal states, "They are almost exactly alike, aside from minor biological fluctuations that would be attributed to baseline. The scan that you made shows him in perfect health."

"Oberlin. Go ahead."

Holliday nods to T'sal, speaking into the intercom. "Ah, yeah. I've got St. James here in the Infirmary- says he's not feeling too well. Just wanted to check with you and see if anyone else has come down sick or what have you."

Oberlin's voice switches to immediate concern. "Is he okay?"

Holliday frowns. There is a brief pause before he replies. "Well, he's ill, but I haven't finished a diagnosis yet. Right now I'm just checking on possible contagions."

There is a pause over the comm. St. James shifts restlessly outside on the biobed. Oberlin speaks up, finally. "Well, no, Doc. Nobody else in my unit has taken sick. But I'll keep my eye on them."

Holliday nods to himself. "OK. If anyone does come down with something, let me know right away. I'd like to keep St. James here for observation for the time being. Thanks. Holliday out."

T'sal looks to the CMO with an arched eyebrow.

Holliday looks to T'sal, purses his lips. "Well. I don't think we need to initiate quarantine measures just yet.. Might be a good idea, but the station's just getting back into operation.." He sighs. "I'm inclined to think this may be an isolated case and related to something that happened on the other Aegis.." A pause, a moment's consideration. "Well, lets go look at the imaging on his blood screen."

You walk out of the CMO's office and into the infirmary.

Obvious exits:
CMO's Office <CMO> The Mall <O>

T'sal comes out of the CMO's office.

T'sal has arrived.

Itaani arrives from the mall, the infirmary's outer transparent aluminum doors sliding silently closed behind her.

Itaani has arrived.

Itaani walks on in...

Holliday steps to the console, calling up the display. He regards it, and says absently to St. James, "Ensign, you got some stains on your uniform the other day, remember? What did you do with the soiled uniform?

There's a rather sick looking officer sitting on one of the biobeds. Holliday and T'sal are looking at a display on one of the medical consoles. Holliday nods a little distractedly to Itaani, giving her a once-over for obvious injury..
Itaani nods, and stays back, seeing the sick officer, her brow furrowing briefly.

The man on the bed is recognizable as St. James, the security team member who had some sort of 'goo' spilled on him during the siege of the Aegis.

St. James looks to Holliday. "Re..Cycled.."

Holliday frowns. "Computer, magnify sector 12-B by a power of 20." A pause. "Again."

You mutter to T'sal, "We need to figure out something to buy some time to look at this thing."

Itaani approaches, slowly. "Mr. St. James, I hope you're not giving them too much trouble?

There is a chirrup as it does so. The section it displays is a terrible conflagration - almost the battle of Wolf 359 under a microscope. An overwhelming force is annihilating the man's red blood cells.

T'sal looks to Holliday. "I am at a loss." She looks to Holliday. "Perhaps we should remove his uniform - if he spilled it on himself, it could be more affected there."

Holliday says "The white count by itself shouldn't be such a problem. Secondary infection, maybe from innate pathogens?" He thinks out loud. He nods to T'sal. "Good idea. We'll want some gloves and a containment field, and a sonic sterilizer. Also, lets try some T-antigens.." He's already looking for these things in the equipment locker. "And I'd like a better look at that pathogen..""

T'sal nods to the Doctor's orders and immediately sets to work.

St. James looks toward Itaani. "Ngggggh..." He blinks.

St. James's eyes go wide. One of the monitors starts to wail - his breathing has stopped. He starts to clutch at his throat as his eyes start to bulge.

Itaani stays back a bit from the biobed, not sure she should be intruding. At the sound, she steps forward, and holds again, "Goddess of mercy!" she says, under her breath.

Holliday is pulling on a pair of gloves. He continues with this as he approaches, adjusting the hand sensor to give an internal image with the scan, and he passes this over St. James neck and chest..

Holliday says "Computer, analysis. Of viral, and bacteriological, and allergenic contaminants normally present in the human system, are any levels elevated in the patient's? If so, what are they?"

Itaani says "Oh, mothers, what did she say... Doctor, Sinclaire said something about.... Naag, I can't recall, but I think, I think they were growing or storing people in those tubes..."

The blood vessels, notably around St. James' cheeks, start to turn a deep yellow color, as if he were jaundiced. Several of them start to burst around his eyes as he seizes and clutches at his throat. The computer chirrups. "No contaminants normally present in the human system found."

Holliday looks to T'sal. "Get me a histemic. Ah.. 20 cc Atropine. And we need to get this fever down. Electrolytes and Tylene, 350 mg.. We'll start some cold packs while that kicks in."

Holliday says "None!?"

Holliday's rummaging in the storage drawers, evidently finding what he needs and hitting St. James with a spray hypo, and then another one.

T'sal continues to busily rush to Holliday's orders. She places a cold pack on the man's arm. "Doctor!" It must be urgent if her voice is raised so. "His blood is actually crystallizing!"

T'sal turns and picks up the hypospray, quickly checking it for the required dosage, and administers it with a hiss.

Holliday curses. Itaani's comment has been forgotten for now. "Can you identify the crystal's form- chemical or structural?" He continues with the procedure he's begun, but he looks wildly around the room as if casting about for answers..

T'sal looks to the screen and double checks a reference. "Almost pure silicon, doctor."

Itaani steps back, again, she'd hoped to find things quiet, here, to see to injuries too minor to concern staff with all the injured. She turns to go... then stops... "Silicon? There's no silicon in humans, where's it coming from?

Holliday shakes his head dumbly. "Thank you computer. Besides the pathogen identified in the blood screen, are there any other contaminants in his system, not usually present in a healthy individual? If so, identify.. If you can. If not.. Just identify characteristics.."

Holliday says "Silicon? Ok.." He steps back for a moment, tugs at a moustache. "Basic chemistry.. Something to break down silicon crystals..""

T'sal's hands work at a furious pace, trying to lower St. James' body temperature. The man has started to convulse, and the bio-readings are starting to whine with protest.

The computer chimes. "Silicon. There are no other contaminants present in the patient."

Itaani looks to Holliday... "Doctor, the transporter...It should be able to filter out silicon as a contaminant....

Holliday nods. "Does he have enough blood and other fluids to survive that though?"

T'sal doesn't even look up from her work. "He's not stable enough for transport. It could kill him."

That doesn't matter though, as the bio-readings confirm the inevitable. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

Itaani says "I don't know, Doctor, but it seems he hasn't much chance either..."

Itaani taps her communicator. "Transporter room... Stand by for emergency transport from sickbay...
St. James' body goes limp, his arm falling to one side limply. His tongue, a horrible yellow color, has lolled out the side of his mouth through swollen parted lips.

Holliday nods. "We've got to get his system clear at least.. Then go with a trans.. *dammit* Ok, lets put him on full life support and I'll try resuscitation.."

Holliday looks to Itaani. "Belay that.. He's flat lined and about to core." *dammit*"

T'sal takes a step back. "Doctor. His body is now almost ninety percent silicon. This man is dead."

Holliday nods to T'sal. And he's not moving. An almost tangible energy of thought is evident from him as he runs thru options in his head for 'one more thing to try'..

T'sal turns toward the readouts of the event. "Fascinating," she says with quiet dispassion.

Itaani sighs. "Cancel that, transporter room. Itaani out." She takes a step back and taps her commbadge.

Holliday runs the imaging scanner again. "Ultrasonics?" He lifts one of St. James arms, examining the tissue..

Itaani settles back, murmuring, "I don't understand.

Now that the hubbub has quietened, as Doctor Holliday lifts the arm of St. James, it actually creaks in protest - like the sound of crunching ice.

Holliday says "That makes two of us. ..Computer, activate emergency quarantine seals on the crew quarters of Ensign St. James, authorization Holliday-Delta-5."

The image of the ultrasound is a terrible picture. All fluids in the body have been replaced with a crystalline lattice structure.

The computer chimes twice. "Emergency quarantine activated."

Itaani looks to a nurse, that approaches her. "I seem to have injured a shoulder in the other night's skirmish, I was hoping to have it looked at... Perhaps I have walked into a greater problem?

T'sal looks up from the scans of St. James and nods to the Andorian. She moves around the biobed and towards another across the room. She states, "You may sit here while I examine you."

Holliday carefully sets the arm back, trying not to do any needless damage. He activates a cryofield on St. James.. or St. James body. He purses his lips, sighs. "Well, I guess we have time to look at the bug now. T'sal, has his sample crystalized as well?" To Itaani, "Well, at least that problem we can deal with, I think." He smiles tiredly.

T'sal looks towards Holliday. "I have not checked his sample for crystallization. I will tend to Lt. Itaani, Doctor, to leave you free to study what just occurred with the other patient."

Itaani nods, obviously distressed by St. James' fate, and nods. "It's minor, I thought to let the wounded be treated first for a couple of days...

T'sal makes a diagnosis on Itaani.

T'sal picks up a medical scanner and tricorder from the cart, then moves back towards Itaani. She begins to run a scanner across her shoulder. "Minor muscle damage, Lt. It could become aggravated. I will administer a regenerative therapy." She straightens up and arches an eyebrow, trying out some of her own bedside manner. "Unless, of course, you prefer a massage at the Dream Factory." Maybe Doctor Holliday is rubbing off on her.

Holliday leans over for a closer look at the bloodscreen image. He rewinds the record, starts it playing back again. He keeps tightening the shot. He mutters, "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr DeMille." Then, "Computer, speculation as to what agent caused the crystalization of his bodily fluids. What was the action or mechanism of the silicon introduction?"

Itaani says "I have been using my holodeck time for fighting practice, Nurse T'sal. I've just become tired of the stiffness..."

T'sal nods and turns, picking up the regenerator. She starts to pass the 'knitter' over Itaani's shoulder.

Itaani looks across to the Doctor's late patient, eyes hollow as she tries to figure out what's beyond her knowledge...
The computer responds, "There is an 80% chance that the silicon is the byproduct of a chemical reaction."

Itaani murmurs, "How does one make elements with a chemical reaction? Nanites?

Holliday glances at the chonometer, sighs. "Computer, record time of clinical death: St. James, Ensign, O2:45 hours Station time, Stardate 51503.8." He nods, considering the information from the computer. Stepping back he rubs his moustaches with a thumb and forefinger. "Allright. Display theorectical reactions that could produce this result."

Buzz-buzz. "No theoretical chemical applications on file."

Holliday says "Nanites -are- capable of assembling and disassembling at a molecular level. I hadn't found any sign of nanites, but still... Computer, scan for nanites?"

"There are no nanites present in the victim."

Itaani says "Doctor, this may be similar to the crystalline phenomena that Lt Nevaren has been studying in the station's computer systems..."

Holliday says "Well. I'd almost say I see a signature in this structure." He nods. "The thought had crossed my mind.. I'll run a comparative scan between them.."

T'sal arches an eyebrow, but says nothing. Soon, Itaani's shoulder is knitted up just fine - with full movement returning to it. "Regeneration complete."

T'sal sets aside the knitter and clasps her hands before her. "I would say you're back to normal again, Lieutenant."

Itaani says "How to make silicon come from nowhere without either inputting or releasing a great deal of energy, I have no idea, however... I'm afraid I'll not be of much help there... " She tests her shoulder briefly, and says, "Thank you, Nurse T'sal. I shall get some rest, and hope this is he last of Sinclaire's victims..."

Itaani stands, and glances back once to St. James's frozen form, then walks out.

Itaani heads out and into the clamor of the Mall.

Itaani has left.

Holliday crosses his arms over his chest, occasionally lifting a hand to tug at his moustache. "Computer, freeze image. Increase magnification in exponential increments by a power of 10, refreshing resolution at each step." KlicKlicKlicKlicKlicK "Stop."

T'sal returns to Holliday's side. "Any progress, Doctor?"

Holliday purses his lips. "A little. Process of elimination anyway. It doesn't appear all that similar to the structure of those 'chips' Nev found. Makes me think this isn't a biological integration." He chuckles.

Holliday says "Computer, display periodic table of elements, including known and common theoretical isotopes."

<CONTEST> Holliday (claiming advantage) contests his Physical Sciences (Chemistry) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Holliday says "Just as a theory, I'd say we're looking at chemical addition. Something in the virus combines with electrolytes in free body fluids resulting in silicon. Computer, is a phasic signature of Lt. Nevaren's 'chip' available on file?""

"Affirmative."

Holliday says "Initiate a phasic scan of the viral silicate and compare it with that filed signature."
The computer displays the readout of the two phasic scans. They're different in wavelength, but one can see similarities between the two waveform patterns.

T'sal looks to Holliday. "I will take a sample of this down to Engineering and speak with Lt. Nevaren, Doctor?"

Holliday hmms. "Different wavelengths, but almost the same ratios in rate and rise." He nods. "Yeah, do that. Put it in a fielded container though, until we find out what the reactivity and lifespan of this viral entity is."

T'sal nods. "Understood, Doctor." She does so, then takes her leave of the infirmary to head down to Engineering, leaving the doctor alone with the computer and the remains of St. John.

Holliday leans back against the edge of an empty biobed, arms still folded across his chest. He speaks, thinking aloud, a habit probably partially ascribable to the when he gives dictation. "CMO's log. Imprint stardate. A puzzler. As far as a biogenetic weapon goes, it's lethal enough.. Fatal within a few hours of initial symptoms, by patient's response. Although the incubation period reduces its effectiveness as far as an anti-intrusion measure- I'm reminded of 'The Pharoah's Curse' and similar- if that's what it was meant for. The similarities between the silicon resulting from the virus' action and the iso-neural chips, ..and the Artifact itself? ..Strike that- Phrase following 'chips'.. ..Purpose of this remains unclear. Someone's being a -baad- biochemist?" He falls silent then, brooding almost..