S1E7 Under the Sea

[Lizzie Vaughan]

Observation Lounge

Bonnie sighed nodded her head. Sue didn't want to go to sickbay, normally she'd try and avoid being on that side of the table, if she was on the other side she was ok with it but she didnt want to get ill from other people if she could avoid it. "Ok, we can go down now. I have the free time." Bonnie stood up and looked out at the nebula one more time, giving it one last good luck before heading to the sickbay with Lizzie.

Sickbay

Bonnie walked into the sickbay and looked around, noting where all of the sick people where and choosing a spot away from them all. She was happy to do it if she was the doctor, it's what she trained to do after all, but if she wasn't on the doctors side she'd stay away to avoid getting ill.

Observation Lounge

Lizzie nodded, finished her drink and headed down to Sickbay with Bonnie.

Sickbay

On entering Sickbay, Lizzie noticed that Bonnie went over to the corner furthest away from the only patient being treated. She looked distinctly uncomfortable so Lizzie decided to deal with it as quickly as possible. She went over to a shelf and picked up a tricorder along with a hypospray and a selection of medication.

Once she had what she needed, she went over to Bonnie and, putting down the hypospray, opened the tricorder and began to scan her.

"Hmm. There does not appear to be anything physically wrong apart from the slight swelling I felt earlier. You certainly have no contusions nor any other signs that you have hit your head."

She paused as she put the tricorder down and picked up the hypospray and loaded it.

"I'm going to give you an anti-inflammatory for the swelling and a mild painkiller for the headache. If the symptoms persist, please return so I can examine you further." She finished.

[Catrin Maddux]

He reached the counselor's office and stood outside the door wavering and frozen for close to a minute, before he found the strength to enter the range of the door's sensors. He flinched as the doors swooshed open and stepped inside the office to find it personalized in a.... style he couldn't name. He paused for the sole occupant to turn and face him before half smiling and said.

"Lieutenant Maddux. I'm Lek, thank you for seeing me so promptly."

[Counselor's Office]

Catrin maneuvered past the plush, comfortable furniture placed tastefully around the room, and met the somewhat smaller man at the door. She smiled warmly and held her hand out to him for a friendly handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lek. Please just call me Catrin, or Cat. With all the rank and titles, half the time I feel like I should be polishing pips in case an admiral pops in." With a slight grin, she moved aside and allowed him entry. On her way to her desk, she stopped at the replicator.

"Is there anything I can get you to drink? Maybe a snack? I apologize in advance, my replicator only has the basics as I've not had a chance to program anything fancy yet. New office, new equipment." With a slightly sheepish look on her face, she gave him a little shrug. Truth told, she was a bit nervous. First day back on the job, and the Challenger was nothing much like the Athena. Hopefully she hadn't insulted the Ferengi officer with her informal manner. She hadn't had many encounters with others like him and being unable to read his emotions was unusual, but somewhat refreshing.

[Lek]

[Counselor's Office]

Catrin maneuvered past the plush, comfortable furniture placed tastefully around the room, and met the somewhat smaller man at the door. She smiled warmly and held her hand out to him for a friendly handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lek. Please just call me Catrin, or Cat. With all the rank and titles, half the time I feel like I should be polishing pips in case an admiral pops in." With a slight grin, she moved aside and allowed him entry. On her way to her desk, she stopped at the replicator.

"Is there anything I can get you to drink? Maybe a snack? I apologize in advance, my replicator only has the basics as I've not had a chance to program anything fancy yet. New office, new equipment." With a slightly sheepish look on her face, she gave him a little shrug. Truth told, she was a bit nervous. First day back on the job, and the Challenger was nothing much like the Athena. Hopefully she hadn't insulted the Ferengi officer with her informal manner. She hadn't had many encounters with others like him and being unable to read his emotions was unusual, but somewhat refreshing.

[Counselor's Office]

Lek shook hands and smiled nervously as he looked around the room feeling completely out of place.

"Okay Cat it will be, but no I'm not hungry. I... would like to get started, so how does this work?"

[Catrin Maddux]

[Counselor's Office]

Lek shook hands and smiled nervously as he looked around the room feeling completely out of place.

"Okay Cat it will be, but no I'm not hungry. I... would like to get started, so how does this work?"

[Counselor's Office]

Catrin perched on a soft chair, surreptitiously scooping up her tribble and placing him on the arm. The fluff gave a loud trill before settling into a quiet coo. She stroked the tribble with a fingertip.

"Sorry about that, he's a bit of an attention hog. If you like we can sit and talk, get to know each other a bit, or we can tackle your reason for visiting head on." She crossed her booted feet at the ankles, and rested her hands lightly on her knees as she looked up at the Ferengi. "Whatever you would like to talk about is fine, I myself am curious to know more about you and what things are like here on the Challenger. I haven't really met much of the crew yet."

Catrin liked for her guests to lead at their own pace, instead of trying to over-analyze patients like so many 'shrinks' tended to do. She found a relaxed environment helped many to open up, and steered away from cold, clinical questioning.

[Lek]

[Counselor's Office]

Catrin perched on a soft chair, surreptitiously scooping up her tribble and placing him on the arm. The fluff gave a loud trill before settling into a quiet coo. She stroked the tribble with a fingertip.

"Sorry about that, he's a bit of an attention hog. If you like we can sit and talk, get to know each other a bit, or we can tackle your reason for visiting head on." She crossed her booted feet at the ankles, and rested her hands lightly on her knees as she looked up at the Ferengi. "Whatever you would like to talk about is fine, I myself am curious to know more about you and what things are like here on the Challenger. I haven't really met much of the crew yet."

Catrin liked for her guests to lead at their own pace, instead of trying to over-analyze patients like so many 'shrinks' tended to do. She found a relaxed environment helped many to open up, and steered away from cold, clinical questioning.

Lek eyed the tribble suspiciously, knowing that they had become quite popular since their unexplained reappearance about 20 years ago. Lek had never really understood the concept of companion animals, but didn't dislike them. He sat down, took a deep breath to compose his thoughts, and started to explain his story.

"I am one of only two Ferengi serving in Starfleet. The other is the noted ship captain Nog. I'm five years out of the Academy and think I'm a decent engineer. I face, I guess you could call it discrimination, because of the general contempt most species have for Ferengi. However, I was sitting at my station in engineering a few minutes ago and I just realized the joy had gone out of my life.

"If I had to guess why, a month ago I was severely burned trying to break our ship out of a powerful tractor beam. I had to overload the warp core and hand tune the matter/anti-matter flow, it worked, but the console I was using exploded. Then, two weeks ago, the entire crew was taken prisoner by some ancient automated slave ship or something like that.

"Ever since then, the snide profit remarks and short jokes stopped being something I could ignore, but I found I had no strength to fight. I've avoided the crew, which is no great loss as I have no friends in the crew, and I have only now just realized, my life has become my work.

"I've wanted to be Starfleet since I first read about Ensign Nog serving during the Dominion War on Deep Space Nine with Captain Sisko, Major Kira, Chief O'Brien, and the others. I was just promoted to full lieutenant, which should make me happy, but it's like none of it matters. I'm an engineer. I fix things and I just don't know how to fix this."

Lek stopped speaking and looked at Cat with a beseeching gaze full of raw agony and confusion.

[Bonnie Moors]

Observation Lounge

Lizzie nodded, finished her drink and headed down to Sickbay with Bonnie.

Sickbay

On entering Sickbay, Lizzie noticed that Bonnie went over to the corner furthest away from the only patient being treated. She looked distinctly uncomfortable so Lizzie decided to deal with it as quickly as possible. She went over to a shelf and picked up a tricorder along with a hypospray and a selection of medication.

Once she had what she needed, she went over to Bonnie and, putting down the hypospray, opened the tricorder and began to scan her.

"Hmm. There does not appear to be anything physically wrong apart from the slight swelling I felt earlier. You certainly have no contusions nor any other signs that you have hit your head."

She paused as she put the tricorder down and picked up the hypospray and loaded it.

"I'm going to give you an anti-inflammatory for the swelling and a mild painkiller for the headache. If the symptoms persist, please return so I can examine you further." She finished.

Sickbay

Bonnie nodded at Lizzie in acknowledgement. "Thank you doctor." Bonnie took the anti-inflamatory and smiled at the commander. "Thank you commander, I'll be on my way now. Thank you for all the help." Bonnie walked over to the counsellor's office and tapped on the wall console. "Computer, what is the status of the counsellor?" The computer beeped in acknowledgement before replying.

'Lieutenant Maddux is currently in a meeting. Would you like to arrange an appointment?'

"Yes, arrange one for as soon as possible." The computer beeped in acknowledgement and booked her request. Bonnie stopped by the door and sighed to herself, leaning against the wall next to the door of the office. For a moment she thought about cancelling the appointment, but a vision of her adoptive father Skavak came through, telling her it'd be illogical to not see the counsellor. Bonnie walked away from the console and headed for the mess hall to get something to eat.

Mess Hall

Bonnie walked into the mess hall and ordered a drink. A water was enough for her. She sat down and smiled slightly at the thought of Skavak earlier. His ramblings about some things being logical and some illogical always made her laugh; he was too level headed, Bonnie thought. Bonnie took a small PADD out of her pocket and started to read the contents of it in the corner; she could get some food later.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

Sickbay

Bonnie nodded at Lizzie in acknowledgement. "Thank you doctor." Bonnie took the anti-inflamatory and smiled at the commander. "Thank you commander, I'll be on my way now. Thank you for all the help." Bonnie walked over to the counsellor's office and tapped on the wall console. "Computer, what is the status of the counsellor?" The computer beeped in acknowledgement before replying.

'Lieutenant Maddux is currently in a meeting. Would you like to arrange an appointment?'

"Yes, arrange one for as soon as possible." The computer beeped in acknowledgement and booked her request. Bonnie stopped by the door and sighed to herself, leaning against the wall next to the door of the office. For a moment she thought about cancelling the appointment, but a vision of her adoptive father Skavak came through, telling her it'd be illogical to not see the counsellor. Bonnie walked away from the console and headed for the mess hall to get something to eat.

Sickbay

After Bonnie left, Lizzie cleaned up after herself and went back to the never ending paperwork. She began to look over the Sickbay systems when she realised an anomaly.

The newly installed EMH looked to be functional but it needed to draw a huge amount of extra power to activate it. Doing some simple sums, she realised that to generate that amount of power would require the Warp drive to be inactive and almost the full output directed to the EMH systems. Not good, but workable if push came to shove. Then she looked at the computing power required. While the EMH was a standalone system, to activate it required the use of the ships computer. But as the Challenger had old dutronic systems, the computer access required would almost cripple the ship. Almost all other systems would need to be taken offline to get the runtime needed. So in short, to use the EMH shy would need to be dead in the water and blind. No way the Captain would agree to that. She would have to make sure both Dylan and Kyle new the score. She tapped her combadge.

Vaughan to Torngate and Briggs. Something has come up that I believe you both need to be aware of. Is it possible I meet with you both as soon as possible.

[Kyle Briggs]

He nodded. "I'm glad you understand. Too many commanders have ignored the local talent or ideas from the people, and ran themselves the worse for it," he said. He didn't care who the best ideas came from, all he cared was that they came from somewhere. Besides, it seemed the man was aware of the Petty Officer Underground.

"Indeed... it seems in Engineering they always knew what drills I wanted to run before I did. Damn good crew." he said, omitting what ship he worked on, partially on accident, and partially to see if Kyle knew his previous service history aboard the Athena. Tough ship, but Dylan belonged to Challenger now.

Dylan pursed his lips as he replied. "This planet is basically the same size as Earth. Now, hurricanes on Earth never get as big these because once they hit the shore, the brakes get put on. Without as much landmass to slow it down here, it's just, uh, gaining momentum." he said, imagining. "This is probably the extreme end of oceanic weather. Better bring an umbrella."

He mulled it over himself. "Truth be told, I have never been in a hurricane, or know how to swim. Not in my history, but there's no time like the present to learn."

"I think it gives the Challenger an advantage having former Engineers in charge. She's in good hands." Kyle said.

They sat there a few more moments as the Captain seemed to pause in deep thought before mentioning he couldn't swim.

"Being from Ireland, I've been on quite a few hurricanes. They aren't fun." Kyle replied. "And swimming isn't all that hard. I'd be happy to give you some lessons." he offered. "Unless you have someone else to help."

[Dylan Torngate]

"I think it gives the Challenger an advantage having former Engineers in charge. She's in good hands." Kyle said.

They sat there a few more moments as the Captain seemed to pause in deep thought before mentioning he couldn't swim.

"Being from Ireland, I've been on quite a few hurricanes. They aren't fun." Kyle replied. "And swimming isn't all that hard. I'd be happy to give you some lessons." he offered. "Unless you have someone else to help."

[Quarters]

Dylan nodded. "I guess it does, but even so her hull's 80 years old. She's not designed for this long of constant punishment. Every ship has it's breaking point, let's just hope we don't find hers."�

He spoke somberly but truthfully. No ship was designed for the punishment Challenger had been dished out, if even a casual look through the ship's history would tell one. "Truth be told, the Engineers found some stress shears in her structural members, portside aft. They managed to patch them, but that was one hell of a job."� he said. Maybe the Challenger's mantra as a dying ship wasn't so inaccurate as her Captain would like to believe.

"Really? You had hurricanes even with the weather control systems?"� he asked. There were few places on Earth, the crown jewel of the Federation, without extensive systems to make sure the perfect climate got delivered to each and every locale. He grinned, and shook his head. "Don't you worry about me, I'll figure it out."� he said, smiling. Just then Dylan's commbadge pinged.

Sickbay
Vaughan to Torngate and Briggs. Something has come up that I believe you both need to be aware of. Is it possible I meet with you both as soon as possible.

Dylan ignored the commbadge and pressed a wall control panel on the wall. Well, you're in luck, Doc. We're both in my quarters. Feel free to swing by. he said, obviously on an "off duty"� type of mood.

He looked to Kyle. "Looks like we're popular tonight."� he said, grinning.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Quarters]

Dylan nodded. "I guess it does, but even so her hull's 80 years old. She's not designed for this long of constant punishment. Every ship has it's breaking point, let's just hope we don't find hers."

He spoke somberly but truthfully. No ship was designed for the punishment Challenger had been dished out, if even a casual look through the ship's history would tell one. "Truth be told, the Engineers found some stress shears in her structural members, portside aft. They managed to patch them, but that was one hell of a job." he said. Maybe the Challenger's mantra as a dying ship wasn't so inaccurate as her Captain would like to believe.

"Really? You had hurricanes even with the weather control systems?" he asked. There were few places on Earth, the crown jewel of the Federation, without extensive systems to make sure the perfect climate got delivered to each and every locale. He grinned, and shook his head. "Don't you worry about me, I'll figure it out." he said, smiling. Just then Dylan's commbadge pinged.

Dylan ignored the commbadge and pressed a wall control panel on the wall. Well, you're in luck, Doc. We're both in my quarters. Feel free to swing by. he said, obviously on an "off duty" type of mood.

He looked to Kyle. "Looks like we're popular tonight." he said, grinning.

Sickbay

Lizzie smiled as Dylan got promptly back to her.

Thank you Captain. I'll head down now. Vaughan out.

Lizzie closed the channel and turned to the duty nurse.

"I'm going to see the Captain. Let me know if there is a problem."

"Yes Doctor." The nurse replied, shaking her head slightly.

Lizzie nodded and left Sickbay and headed towards the turbolift.

Deck 4 - Outside Captain Quarters

Lizzie exited the turbolift and headed to the Captains quarters. When she arrived, she pressed the door chime.

[Kyle Briggs]

[Captain's quarters]

Kyle had completely been distracted by the Doctors call. He scowled. "I've worked with Lizzie. She's probably after me for my New Join physical. She knows how much I had those things." he said. It wasn't too much longer when the door chimed someones arrival. "Wow. She isn't playing around." he joked as he awaited the Captain to grant her entry.

[Dylan Torngate]

Sickbay

Thank you Captain. I'll head down now. Vaughan out.
Deck 4 - Outside Captain Quarters

Lizzie exited the turbolift and headed to the Captains quarters. When she arrived, she pressed the door chime.

[Captain's quarters]

Kyle had completely been distracted by the Doctors call. He scowled. "I've worked with Lizzie. She's probably after me for my New Join physical. She knows how much I had those things." he said. It wasn't too much longer when the door chimed someones arrival. "Wow. She isn't playing around." he joked as he awaited the Captain to grant her entry.

[Quarters]

Dylan nodded. He knew Lizzie well, and the Doctor was punctual. "Yeah, but what's this have to do with me?" he asked, rhetorically. In his mind, he was tracking Lizzie's movements mentally, trying to guess when she'd show up.

After only a few short minutes, he began counting with his fingers. Three... Two... One...... A pause... Zero. The door chimed. Dylan smiled. The doctor was almost... Vulcan in her punctuality.

"C'mon in." He said, not really bothering to stand. He felt comfortable in his own home, at least.

"What's up, Doc?" He asked as the doors slid open. "Come to drag us down to Sickbay?"

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Quarters]

Dylan nodded. He knew Lizzie well, and the Doctor was punctual. "Yeah, but what's this have to do with me?" he asked, rhetorically. In his mind, he was tracking Lizzie's movements mentally, trying to guess when she'd show up.

After only a few short minutes, he began counting with his fingers. Three... Two... One...... A pause... Zero. The door chimed. Dylan smiled. The doctor was almost... Vulcan in her punctuality.

"C'mon in." He said, not really bothering to stand. He felt comfortable in his own home, at least.

"What's up, Doc?" He asked as the doors slid open. "Come to drag us down to Sickbay?"

Captains Quarters

As Lizzie entered Dylans quarters, she laughed at his quip.

"Well not BOTH of you, just one of you!" She remarked, looking at Kyle, making sure he got the hint.

She sat herself down on the empty seat next to Kyle and looked at Dylan.

"Actually the reason I came to see you both is actually a rather serious issue with our EMH!" She said, addressing both of them.

[Kyle Briggs]

Captains Quarters

As Lizzie entered Dylans quarters, she laughed at his quip.

"Well not BOTH of you, just one of you!" She remarked, looking at Kyle, making sure he got the hint.

She sat herself down on the empty seat next to Kyle and looked at Dylan.

"Actually the reason I came to see you both is actually a rather serious issue with our EMH!" She said, addressing both of them.

Kyle blushed and tried to look away as he caught the Doctors hint well enough. But it was her last statement that caught his attention.

"You have an EMH on a vessel this old?" he asked out of astonishment.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

Kyle blushed and tried to look away as he caught the Doctors hint well enough. But it was her last statement that caught his attention.

"You have an EMH on a vessel this old?" he asked out of astonishment.

Captain's Quarters

Lizzie nodded.

"We do." She confirmed. "Actually it's a retrofit. During the mission before last, more than 75% of the crew was incapacitated by an unknown pathogen. It was not deadly, but it did hit us hard. As such I requested that we be fitted with an EMH to help counter situations like that. The Captain approved it and it was fitted just before the last mission." She paused. "While I did run full tests on it, I did so at the Starbase when few of the ships other systems were in operation. I have since done a more in depth analysis and the results concern me." She paused again.

She took out two PADDs and handed them to both Kyle and Dylan.

"As you can see, the power requirements for running the EMH are far in excess of anything that was predicted. If my calculations are correct, in order to operate the EMH at all the Warp drive would need to be offline and full power from the reactor going straight to the EMH systems. In addition, it seems like it would also be a huge drain on the ship's computing power. I wondered why this was not picked up by the technicians when I came up with a theory. The EMH that they installed is designed to run on Bio-Neural circuitry and would normally take up around 15% of the computers processing power. Substantial, but manageable. If the ship has isoliniar circuitry, then that would require about twice the computer power. Still manageable in an emergency. However, the Challenger has deuotronic circuitry running through all the Sickbay systems and the Sickbay connection to the main computer core. Now I'm no expert. I had to look a lot of this up. But if my figures are anything like accurate, it could use upwards of 90% of our central processing power to operate the EMH. I am not sure I'm right, but I felt it was my responsibility to let you both know about my findings. And as you are both engineers, you should be able to tell if I have got my figures wrong." Lizzie finished, not knowing whether she hoped to be right or wrong.