Mission 1.3: Internal Medicine

[Constance Lafayette]

[Bridge]

"What is the source of the disturbance Ensign Scott?" She asked passively, a hint of curiosity in her voice. Then Ms. Black chimed in and Constance was silent for a long moment. What WAS going on with this planet?

"Confirmed Ms. Black. Continue scanning. I want to know everything about this Á¢â,¬Ëœjerking'. Mr. Scott- please keep us at a safe distance. Mr. Stafford, I don't want a Yellow Alert yet but please activate one the moment we see any signs of hostility."

When the Ops report finally came in Constance herself, a former communications officer, adjusted the frequencies and did a little techno-magic to translate it into a spectrum the ship could understand. There was a long delay while the system translated it. Whatever the ship was being bombarded with it was sonic in nature and appeared to have structures that resembled language. The words only came though in rough translations with many alternate options. It was displayed as the following text:

Phrase 1: [Greeting Noise / Salutation / Goodbye] [small fish / boat]
Phrase 2: [Self-identifying personal designation] [Request for aid / intent to injure / threat]
[Inquiry about a following term] [Musician / Doctor] [Present / "Is Here" / Time] [Indication that the following statement was a question]
Phrase 3: [Self-identifying personal designation] [Terminal / very old / very large] [Request for aid / intent to injure / threat] [unknown, possibly slang or specific word] [Coins / Value / Friendship]
Phrase 4: [Greeting Noise / Salutation / Goodbye] [small fish / boat]

Constance had never seen the automatic translators working so hard. Even with very non-humanoid species it was never this hard. This was more akin to getting the "jist of it" when an animal spoke but there was a greater flow of logic behind it. It was clear that there was something trying to communicate with them.

Was it someone on the surface? Someone from another dimension? Was this related to time travel? Constance's mind percolated with ideas but none seemed to fit. There was a piece for this puzzle that was missing.

[Leonard T. Scott]

[Bridge]

"What is the source of the disturbance Ensign Scott?" She asked passively, a hint of curiosity in her voice. Then Ms. Black chimed in and Constance was silent for a long moment. What WAS going on with this planet?

"Confirmed Ms. Black. Continue scanning. I want to know everything about this Á¢â,¬Ëœjerking'. Mr. Scott- please keep us at a safe distance. Mr. Stafford, I don't want a Yellow Alert yet but please activate one the moment we see any signs of hostility."

When the Ops report finally came in Constance herself, a former communications officer, adjusted the frequencies and did a little techno-magic to translate it into a spectrum the ship could understand. There was a long delay while the system translated it. Whatever the ship was being bombarded with it was sonic in nature and appeared to have structures that resembled language. The words only came though in rough translations with many alternate options. It was displayed as the following text:

Phrase 1: [Greeting Noise / Salutation / Goodbye] [small fish / boat]
Phrase 2: [Self-identifying personal designation] [Request for aid / intent to injure / threat]
[Inquiry about a following term] [Musician / Doctor] [Present / "Is Here" / Time] [Indication that the following statement was a question]
Phrase 3: [Self-identifying personal designation] [Terminal / very old / very large] [Request for aid / intent to injure / threat] [unknown, possibly slang or specific word] [Coins / Value / Friendship]
Phrase 4: [Greeting Noise / Salutation / Goodbye] [small fish / boat]

Constance had never seen the automatic translators working so hard. Even with very non-humanoid species it was never this hard. This was more akin to getting the "jist of it" when an animal spoke but there was a greater flow of logic behind it. It was clear that there was something trying to communicate with them.

Was it someone on the surface? Someone from another dimension? Was this related to time travel? Constance's mind percolated with ideas but none seemed to fit. There was a piece for this puzzle that was missing.

"I'll move us away," Scott replied as he tapped the console and plotted the course adjustment. "I've set a parallel course with matching speed on impulse."

He wasn't sure what was going on, but it certainly did keep everyone on the toes.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Sickbay]

James offered another warm smile before he finally spoke up again. "I'm James Carter, it's a pleasure to meet you both." He replied in a soft and kind tone. "My medical history might be up to date. I don't get a lot of free time to come round so...it is entirely possible I'm wrong." He added in a joking tone with a small smirk.

Sickbay

Listening to the two officers banter made Lizzie smile. She quickly pulled up the medical files on her PADD and quickly scanned for the Lieutenant's. Once she found it she smiled again.

"Yes you are all up to date so unless you have just come down with something, we will have no need for the Iron Lung in this case. You are are welcome to stay for a drink if you want. As my colleague says, we rarely get social callers. Most are here under duress and want to leave as soon as possible. It's a pleasure to meet you Lieutenant and I hope to be here a while." She replied extending her free hand.

[Christopher McIntyre]

[Quarters]

Back to being an Officer. That's what he had to go back to. Perhaps that was the reason for his particularly heavy night of drinking that left him unable to do anything besides lay on the floor of his quarters up until now.

After minutes of struggling he managed to focus on the chronometer and see the time.

"Computer, light" he groaned and was greeted with blinding light "In the name of all that is good and holy turn it back off!" He barked at the Computer which dropped the room back into darkness.

He managed to put on what he could identify as a uniform before trying to leave to do something about his hangover.

[Sickbay]
Chris found Sickbay mostly by help of the computer. He stepped inside and covered his eyes from the blinding light "Someone's been touching the damn brightness of these lights." He muttered to himself as he waited for a Doctor. "I should have gone back to bed." He groaned to himself. Maybe that prison was better.
NPC Ops - Ensign Berkhow
An Ensign, fresh from the Academy, stood in amazement at the data that was coming in. It was most peculiar how the planet seemed not conform to a predictable path. And the communication! "Fascinating!" the Ensign said "I've never seen the translator work this hard! And for nothing more then a vague idea of what is being transmitted!"

It was apparent that this was a fresh face brought onboard during the last crew rotation. The young Ensign looked like a kid in a candystore in comparison to the other experienced Officers.

[Paige Wardropper]

[Sickbay]

James offered another warm smile before he finally spoke up again. "I'm James Carter, it's a pleasure to meet you both." He replied in a soft and kind tone. "My medical history might be up to date. I don't get a lot of free time to come round so...it is entirely possible I'm wrong." He added in a joking tone with a small smirk.

Sickbay

Listening to the two officers banter made Lizzie smile. She quickly pulled up the medical files on her PADD and quickly scanned for the Lieutenant's. Once she found it she smiled again.

"Yes you are all up to date so unless you have just come down with something, we will have no need for the Iron Lung in this case. You are are welcome to stay for a drink if you want. As my colleague says, we rarely get social callers. Most are here under duress and want to leave as soon as possible. It's a pleasure to meet you Lieutenant and I hope to be here a while." She replied extending her free hand.

Sickbay

Paige grinned at Lizzie's comment about the Iron Lung, thinking that Lizzie must quite like this one or she could have threatened something a lot worse.

"So Ratkajino for you boss, what will you have Mr Carter?  I'll 'play Mum' for us!"

[Sickbay]
Chris found Sickbay mostly by help of the computer. He stepped inside and covered his eyes from the blinding light "Someone's been touching the damn brightness of these lights." He muttered to himself as he waited for a Doctor. "I should have gone back to bed." He groaned to himself. Maybe that prison was better.

Paige spotted McIntyre as she was crossing to the replicator.

"Why, Lt. McIntyre!  Quite the massing of the 'Old Guard' today.  What can we do for you?!"  Paige had half an idea already what they could do for him knowing Chris McIntyre from the Chin'Toka where she and Lizzie had served.  He had a history of drinking.  However, she didn't know if Lt. Carter was acquainted with him yet and thus steered him towards a biobed in the far corner of the room to give a little more privacy.

"I'll bring the drinks over soon as I've made Mr McIntyre comfortable!" She said to the CMO and Carter.

"Come and sit over here Mr McIntyre.  Usual problem? I heard you mention your eyes." Paige said prepping a hypo of mild painkillers and replicating a drink with electrolytes and two rounds of buttered toast.

"I'm assuming that you're due on duty soon and sleep is not an option unless Dr. Vaughan declares you unfit for duty, I'm also assuming that is something you really don't want to happen so..." she applied the hypo to McIntyre's cartoid and administered the painkilers.

"...that will help with the pain, eat up and drink that and keep drinking water or gatorade, anything not caffeinated..." she dropped her voice to a whisper, "...or alcoholic..."  for the next 8 hours at least.  You need to keep hydrated above all."

She patted him on the shoulder.  "You really shouldn't do this to yourself but I'm sure you have your reasons. But I should warn you, there's only so much Dr. Vaughan and I will cover for you.  Dr. Vaughan less than me!"

[Kyle Rennston]

[Science Department]

Kyle was deep in thought, trying to make heads AND tails of his current assignment. He was on his cadet cruise and they made sure he got his feet wet and his hands dirty. They had departed for their mission already and Kyle had been assigned to catalogue a series of plants. He wasn't a botanist, but he had the necessary skill set to get the job done, which is likely why he was selected for the project. Most sciences came fairly easily to him. It just clicked in his head. Today, however, he was going to meet something new. Only time would tell how he would figure it out.

Kyle had only met his immediate department head in passing, as there was a lot to do, but he knew what the Lieutenant looked like, for certain. She approached him, saying, "You, Cadet Renston! You're coming with me." He immediately stopped what he was doing and stood to accompany the Lieutenant.

[Bridge]

Kyle followed Black to her station, listening intently. It was nerve-wracking being on the bridge. Even knowing he was supposed to be there, it felt odd somehow. He looked over the Lieutenant's shoulder, eyeing the information she was analyzing. At the moment, there wasn't much he could do until he was told, but he hoped he'd catch something that might be able to help out.

[James Carter]

Sickbay

Listening to the two officers banter made Lizzie smile. She quickly pulled up the medical files on her PADD and quickly scanned for the Lieutenant's. Once she found it she smiled again.

"Yes you are all up to date so unless you have just come down with something, we will have no need for the Iron Lung in this case. You are are welcome to stay for a drink if you want. As my colleague says, we rarely get social callers. Most are here under duress and want to leave as soon as possible. It's a pleasure to meet you Lieutenant and I hope to be here a while." She replied extending her free hand.

[Quarters]

Back to being an Officer. That's what he had to go back to. Perhaps that was the reason for his particularly heavy night of drinking that left him unable to do anything besides lay on the floor of his quarters up until now.

After minutes of struggling he managed to focus on the chronometer and see the time.

"Computer, light" he groaned and was greeted with blinding light "In the name of all that is good and holy turn it back off!" He barked at the Computer which dropped the room back into darkness.

He managed to put on what he could identify as a uniform before trying to leave to do something about his hangover.

[Sickbay]
Chris found Sickbay mostly by help of the computer. He stepped inside and covered his eyes from the blinding light "Someone's been touching the damn brightness of these lights." He muttered to himself as he waited for a Doctor. "I should have gone back to bed." He groaned to himself. Maybe that prison was better.
NPC Ops - Ensign Berkhow
An Ensign, fresh from the Academy, stood in amazement at the data that was coming in. It was most peculiar how the planet seemed not conform to a predictable path. And the communication! "Fascinating!" the Ensign said "I've never seen the translator work this hard! And for nothing more then a vague idea of what is being transmitted!"

It was apparent that this was a fresh face brought onboard during the last crew rotation. The young Ensign looked like a kid in a candystore in comparison to the other experienced Officers.

Sickbay

Paige grinned at Lizzie's comment about the Iron Lung, thinking that Lizzie must quite like this one or she could have threatened something a lot worse.

"So Ratkajino for you boss, what will you have Mr Carter?  I'll 'play Mum' for us!"

Paige spotted McIntyre as she was crossing to the replicator.

"Why, Lt. McIntyre!  Quite the massing of the 'Old Guard' today.  What can we do for you?!"  Paige had half an idea already what they could do for him knowing Chris McIntyre from the Chin'Toka where she and Lizzie had served.  He had a history of drinking.  However, she didn't know if Lt. Carter was acquainted with him yet and thus steered him towards a biobed in the far corner of the room to give a little more privacy.

"I'll bring the drinks over soon as I've made Mr McIntyre comfortable!" She said to the CMO and Carter.

"Come and sit over here Mr McIntyre.  Usual problem? I heard you mention your eyes." Paige said prepping a hypo of mild painkillers and replicating a drink with electrolytes and two rounds of buttered toast.

"I'm assuming that you're due on duty soon and sleep is not an option unless Dr. Vaughan declares you unfit for duty, I'm also assuming that is something you really don't want to happen so..." she applied the hypo to McIntyre's cartoid and administered the painkilers.

"...that will help with the pain, eat up and drink that and keep drinking water or gatorade, anything not caffeinated..." she dropped her voice to a whisper, "...or alcoholic..."  for the next 8 hours at least.  You need to keep hydrated above all."

She patted him on the shoulder.  "You really shouldn't do this to yourself but I'm sure you have your reasons. But I should warn you, there's only so much Dr. Vaughan and I will cover for you.  Dr. Vaughan less than me!"

[Sickbay]

After Chris entered the room, James slipped over to the replicators to grab drinks for everyone. After grabbing Elizabeth drink it quickly dawned on him that Paige had never said what she wanted. Just was Elizabeth would want. Quickly the young man spun around and walked over to where Lizzie was stood and handed her the drink before finally speaking up. "What might she want?" He asked quietly so not to disturb Paige and Chris. He knew the sickbay was a professional work environment and he certainly didn't want to stand in anyone's way. He always tried to be as polite a guest as humanly possible, he knew how annoying intrusive and disruptive guest could be...and he never wanted to be that person.

[Levinia Black]

[Bridge]

"Confirmed Ms. Black. Continue scanning. I want to know everything about this Á¢â,¬Ëœjerking'. Mr. Scott- please keep us at a safe distance. Mr. Stafford, I don't want a Yellow Alert yet but please activate one the moment we see any signs of hostility."

Bridge

Levinia tapped her wedding ring on the smooth console top as she summarized her thoughts.  "The rate of change of acceleration, is technically called a jerk."  She began, knowing most of the bridge crew would know this, but thinking it best to just review it again.  She hoped she didn't cause anyone to lapse into evil physics classes again.

She stood up, and continued explaining, "When a small body like ours jerks it's very easy to see, when we stop, when we start, but when a larger body such as the rogue planet does it it's a slower rate but still, compared to its size to manage to record it, it's amazing."

[Bridge]

Kyle followed Black to her station, listening intently. It was nerve-wracking being on the bridge. Even knowing he was supposed to be there, it felt odd somehow. He looked over the Lieutenant's shoulder, eyeing the information she was analyzing. At the moment, there wasn't much he could do until he was told, but he hoped he'd catch something that might be able to help out.

Dr. Black turned to the cadet and pointed at the console, "Keep monitoring the rate of change, Mr. Rennston, and let me know if there's a change."  She then turned her eyes back to the captain.

"So now that we are all in the know about the Á¢â,¬Ëœjerk', we need to figure out why it's jerking."  Levinia continued, "We jerk for several reasons, such as, we reached our destination, but mostly because something got in our way and we jerk to avoid collision."  She turned to the viewscreen and furrowed her forehead in thought, "Another important thing we need to figure out."  The science officer hugged herself, "Jerking takes intelligence or instinct."  She smiled ironically, "And last time I checked, planets don't think."

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Sickbay]

After Chris entered the room, James slipped over to the replicators to grab drinks for everyone. After grabbing Elizabeth drink it quickly dawned on him that Paige had never said what she wanted. Just was Elizabeth would want. Quickly the young man spun around and walked over to where Lizzie was stood and handed her the drink before finally speaking up. "What might she want?" He asked quietly so not to disturb Paige and Chris. He knew the sickbay was a professional work environment and he certainly didn't want to stand in anyone's way. He always tried to be as polite a guest as humanly possible, he knew how annoying intrusive and disruptive guest could be...and he never wanted to be that person.

Sickbay

Lizzie turned to Carter and lowered her voice.

"She usually drinks coffee too, though not as strong as mine. Though if you know of any food Betazoid drinks, she'll probably like that." She replied, smiling at him for being so thoughtful.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Bridge]

"Confirmed Ms. Black. Continue scanning. I want to know everything about this Á¢â,¬Ëœjerking'. Mr. Scott- please keep us at a safe distance. Mr. Stafford, I don't want a Yellow Alert yet but please activate one the moment we see any signs of hostility."

[Bridge]

"Aye, ma'am." Stafford kept a close eye on the XO's console for signs of anything unusual. They were flying into the unknown, and the deeper they flew the more he was confused.

When the Ops report finally came in Constance herself, a former communications officer, adjusted the frequencies and did a little techno-magic to translate it into a spectrum the ship could understand. There was a long delay while the system translated it. Whatever the ship was being bombarded with it was sonic in nature and appeared to have structures that resembled language. The words only came though in rough translations with many alternate options. It was displayed as the following text:

Phrase 1: [Greeting Noise / Salutation / Goodbye] [small fish / boat]
Phrase 2: [Self-identifying personal designation] [Request for aid / intent to injure / threat]
[Inquiry about a following term] [Musician / Doctor] [Present / "Is Here" / Time] [Indication that the following statement was a question]
Phrase 3: [Self-identifying personal designation] [Terminal / very old / very large] [Request for aid / intent to injure / threat] [unknown, possibly slang or specific word] [Coins / Value / Friendship]
Phrase 4: [Greeting Noise / Salutation / Goodbye] [small fish / boat]

Constance had never seen the automatic translators working so hard. Even with very non-humanoid species it was never this hard. This was more akin to getting the "jist of it" when an animal spoke but there was a greater flow of logic behind it. It was clear that there was something trying to communicate with them.

Was it someone on the surface? Someone from another dimension? Was this related to time travel? Constance's mind percolated with ideas but none seemed to fit. There was a piece for this puzzle that was missing.

Stafford was no communications officer. He didn't know how to bounce a commlink signal off of a quantum fissure to reach the other side of the galaxy. His expertise was mostly limited to hailing frequencies open, captain.

But he did have an ear for languages, and though the text being displayed before him was still in the translation stages from the computer, he could follow the gist of the request.

A request. But from where? From whom? The bald man shook his head and said aloud:

"Captain, I believe what the computer is trying to translate is a request for medical aid." He met the captain's eyes and raised his black eyebrows, a kind of nonverbal shrug. "Don't ask me how I know. Just a feeling as a doctor and a lover of language."

I wish Commander Siggurdsdottir were here. Stafford thought. The Viking woman had a gift for languages, codes, and patterns that far surpassed his own amateur language skills, an ability verging on brilliance. Coupled with instinct, Stafford knew she'd have had the signal translated and rendered by now.

[Constance Lafayette]

[Bridge]

Constance acknowledged Mr. Scott's call out. HE was sharp and his flying was on point. This was one of those situations she was glad she didn't have some drone taking them in on auto-pilot. She'd rather have a flesh and blood person with intuition to make judgement calls like that. Leonard was only a fresh-faced Ensign but he had the makings of a good officer.

Ensign Berkhow's words reached Constance as if though a haze. She nodded. The Ensign was correct... she knew computers and the translation software very well from her time as a communications officer (she was rather poor with languages so often relied on the the translation subroutines).

"Indeed. It'd have to be something far removed from conventional language to cause that kind of indecision within the computer. Keep working at it. See if you can improve our capacity. Use the cyphere we devised for the Cureian's language. It might be an energy being like them. Alternatively, Ensign Berkhow, we could try looking at languages from races with a low resonance."

As Kyle entered the bridge the Captain gave a differential nod to him.

Levina's words stopped her cold. An intelligent planet? That would explain the odd linguistics and the "jerking". It all fit. This was... a lifeform? She had to confirm and Luke's interpretation of the message clenched it.

She stood up, wide-eyed from her chair as if getting closer to the view screen would make her able to better understand it.

"Medical to the bridge. I... need a consult on a very... a-typical patient." She said offhandedly. This was a day for first.

"Mr. Stafford. I believe we can delay the need for a yellow alert. I believe this has just become a medical mission."

[Lizzie Vaughan]

"Medical to the bridge. I... need a consult on a very... a-typical patient." She said offhandedly. This was a day for first.

Sickbay

Lizzie had just taken her cup when the call from the Captain came through. She immediately tapped her com-badge.

=/\=Vaughan to the Bridge. On my way. Out. She turned to the others.

"Duty calls. Paige, please can you look after things down here." She said with a nod.

Getting up she took a medical kit from the shelf and exited Sickbay. She then made her way to the turbolift and took it to the Bridge.

Bridge

Lizzie stepped out of the turbolift onto the Bridge. She saw the Captain standing over by the viewscreen and made her way over to her.

"You called for a consult Captain" She enquired.

[Constance Lafayette]

[Bridge]

Constance turned to address the Doctor on the bridge.

"I will keep matters brief. It seems that what we have before us is a living planet, sentient and able to communicate with us. It has, just now, requested medical aid. I will admit that I am somewhat at a loss as to how to continue."

Constance, though clearly out of her depth, still projected the same clam as normal. There was even a hint of excitement at the unknown snuck in there somewhere.

[Paige Wardropper]

Sickbay

Lizzie had just taken her cup when the call from the Captain came through. She immediately tapped her com-badge.

=/\=Vaughan to the Bridge. On my way. Out. She turned to the others.

"Duty calls. Paige, please can you look after things down here." She said with a nod.

Getting up she took a medical kit from the shelf and exited Sickbay. She then made her way to the turbolift and took it to the Bridge.

Sickbay

Paige barely had time to nod to Lizzie when she exited.  But she knew that the CMO trusted her to look after things.  For all she was only an Ensign, that was merely her Starfleet rank, she was a fully trained doctor in her own right and Lizzie knew this.

"Feeling better now Mr McIntyre?" she asked of Chris, "You're free to go if you like but take it steady!"

She turned to Carter and said "I do apologise, it's either like a crypt or a Ferengi market where they've just announced free gold-pressed Latinum free for all!" she said with a wink.  "Ah you've got a drink, sorry I had to rush off."

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Bridge]

Constance turned to address the Doctor on the bridge.

"I will keep matters brief. It seems that what we have before us is a living planet, sentient and able to communicate with us. It has, just now, requested medical aid. I will admit that I am somewhat at a loss as to how to continue."

Constance, though clearly out of her depth, still projected the same clam as normal. There was even a hint of excitement at the unknown snuck in there somewhere.

Bridge

Lizzie listened in amazement at the Captain's words.

"A sentient planet!" She breathed, her brain working overtime. She turned to the science station and saw that Levinia was manning it.

"What sort of readings are we getting?" She asked Vinny, needing more information.