S4 E6: 20,000 Leagues

[Peter Dannenberg]

[USS Shran - Sickbay - Microscope]

Sickbay

"Our pleasure Captain, in the case of Kestra I think she misses her nieces and nephews, sooner we get her married off to someone nice and she has some kiddos of her own she'll be in her element!" Lawrie jested, eager to have something less horrific to talk about.

"As for after, well Bash is always asking to play with either Elanii or Steve so...." he shrugged elaborately.  "I don't think it'll be a hardship and if it comes to mealtimes so long as we have a list of anything she doesn't or isn't allowed to eat as well as a huge bowl of Cookies and Cream ice cream I think we'll be fine!!" he grinned over his shoulder as he assisted T'Aco into the Sickbay.

"Gelatinous... hmm... let's see if we can find any of that on you..." the doctor commented.

"Yeah... well... I don't in one sense as in I'm sorry that we have to do it but in order to get to the bottom of this, yes I'm glad to take that one on, Alec.  I'll try to get separate samples of both this gelatinous stuff and the blood.  Lieutenant... do you hurt anywhere other than directly around the scratches?"

He took a small tool and got samples from around the wound, blood and other 'gunk' and put them on microscope slides.  "I'll leave the rest to you, Dr. Trenzal.  Lt. T'Aco, please try to rest a little."

Under the microscope among the obvious gunk, bacteria and other organisms Lawrie would make an unexpected discovery. He would find hundreds of thousands unicellar organisms, as yet unknown to the world. Scurrying about under the lens, they seemed to be very active, almost restless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PO1 Peter Dannenberg
[Earth-like waterplanet - Peninsula]

[Earth-like waterplanet - Peninsula]

The last month had been a whirlwind of activity for Stratton. He had been assigned to USS Shran, and rendezvoused with her at Starbase Columbus only two weeks ago. He had barely gotten over the awe of actually being in space, when he was assigned to the Away Team. Experiencing space had been his dream for as long as he could remember, and now he was living it.

To say he was surprised to be assigned to the team this early in assignment, was an understatement. However, though he wasn't the highest scoring in his class, in his class exit interview he did assert strongly that he was open to new experiences and challenges. No, he welcomed them. Now he stood on a foreign planet, making all his hard work worth it. He tried not to let the auspiciousness of his 'first time on an alien planet' show on his face as he studied the signals his instrument was giving off.

Stratton glanced at the Petty Officer briefly before looking back at his instrument, "No sir." He frowned. His voice held a hint of confusion as he explained. "Nothing."

[Earth-like Water Planet - Peninsula]

Jenna felt the same feeling she did when she first landed on the planet, but it was a different feeling. She sighed lightly when she heard Peter. Her mind thought back to the look on Miller's face. She shook it off for the moment. "Peter do you think we should move like last time in pairs or are do you think we should all move together?" Jenna had a valid concern in her voice. She had never been afraid of a body of water, but this was different.

Peter picked up on the rather wary expression the new Ensign wore on his face. He gave him a small smile and nodded at his report. It was strange. Miller was on the planet's surface, why didn't they have any readings from him? Yes, he'd been considered dead, but apparently he wasn't. He didn't believe in dead men walking.

At Jenna's question, Peter looked over to his superior officer. "I would recommend for us staying together, Commander", he replied. Letting his gaze wander about the shore that lay ahead of them, just where they had dragged poor Miller out of the water earlier that day. The ocean was calm, the sun moving slowly towards the horizon to set. He hoped Ensign Stratton continued to scan. But at visual inspection alone, there was nothing here. Just nothing.

As if on cue, there was movement in the shallow water. Something white moving and when it finally emerged from the water, it reveled itself as an animal. He remembered that it had been reported that animal life solely existed in the oceans on this planet. And now they really got to see one!

Admittedly, the crab looked strange. It lacked color of any kind. Its shell seemed almost transparent at certain spots. It moved towards them and then stopped, sitting on the dry warm sand. The nippers were opening and closing very slowly, but apart from that the thing didn't move.

[Thomas Jett]

[Shubble – Nemo]

"Jett?"

"Well I couldn't fly her, Cap'n, and ye seemed in some haste to get her in the air, so I didn't reckon there was time to raise Anders from his night-cycle sleep. Jett is a pilot. He is qualified, Ma'am."

"I know what he is." Felicity pinched the bridge of her nose and inhaled through her mouth, taking a moment to acclimatise to the new situation. Thomas Jett was sitting in the pilot seat, having already made himself at home by affixing various photographs to a console. She straightened and moved to take the co-pilot's chair. "Status," she barked, logging in with her credentials at record speed.

She spun in the chair to fix a steely gaze on Niamh O'Leary. "Take your place on the Bridge. Dismissed."

Tom continued his pre-flight checklist when he overheard the Captain and her tone of obvious disapproval.  The man focused on the job at hand and could not help but to roll his eyes at the situation.  Jett knew he was and could be the best pilot on the ship and this shubble is going to be a nightmare to pilot in the atmosphere.

He double-checked the engine and increased the power to compensate for the added weight from the extra hull plating.  It was all a new balancing act that there was no manual on this.  Jett informed the Captain, "Pre Flight checks done, all systems goo.  We need a crew and the shuttle bays opened.  Unless you want me to Torpedo it? .  He stopped for a second and then remarked "I'm kidding".

He then continued pressing the consoles and informed 'I don't need tractor beams, so that might save power."  .  Tom informed the Captain as it was customary for Tractor beams to control shuttle inside the ship to avoid an accident.  However, pilots can also do it manually but it is more dangerous than the alternative.

For a moment they were alone in the shuble and he took a moment.  "Look, I know you don't like me or trust me.  But don't kick me out like Pluto, that got kicked out of the Solar System. I'm probably  the best pilot for this task.  For once just have some faith in me.  .  The man stated.  He knew she was not comfortable with him but for the sake of everyone she needs to at least show some trust on it's pilot.   Tom knew that the situation was complicated and the pilot needed to adjust power weight and aerodynamics on the fly.

He then looked at the Captain and suggested.  "I do recommend to put your seat belt one, the atmosphere is going to be a bumpy ride. .  The Captain would not know that the Shuble stabilizers were modified to help them feel less underwater.

[John Michael Kane]

[USS Shran - Deck 7]

John Michael took in the scene before him, the Vulcan, T'Aco apparently and a Lieutenant and the little Velorian girl. They said they had been assaulted by Miller, and his hawk-like eyes did not miss the ungual marks around her wrist.

... that dastardly little corpse.

He was with the other two medical professionals, helping Lieutenant T'Aco back into the now rather well-illuminated Sickbay. T'Aco almost collapsed, and as she was hoisted onto the biobed, John took a glance at the her displayed vitals and grabbed a hypospray from the trolley next to the biobed.

"I'm loading her with 0.5 milligrams of alprazolam and 250 of hydrocortisone; dose-adjusted for Vulcan hepatic metabolism, obviously. It should help her calm down, rest, and ward off any hypersensitivity reaction to whatever... 'gelatinous material' Miller... applied... to her wound, while you gentlemen carry on with your investigations. I'd also recommend a tox-screen and a renal and liver function panel, in addition to the FBC," he explained as he adjusted the vials into the hypospray and then tossed it over to the Nurse to administer.

"Stat, repeat thrice daily," he ordered the Nurse, and just then he heard his comm-badge beep.

"Ellis to Kane. Doctor, prep to go planetside. Meet me in Shuttle Bay 1 please, five minutes."

"... Planet-side?"

So, they were going zombie hunting it seemed. John of the Dead it was, then.

"On my way, Captain."

He faced Alec and Lawrie again, nodding. "I'd leave our patient in your care then. Do update me on your findings, Lawrie," he then glanced at T'Aco. "I hope I can help the Captain and the rest get to the bottom of this from down below. Until then, Lieutenant, I pray you 'live long, and prosper,'" he smiled, trying to put his patient at ease as best as he could.

[Shuttle Bay 1]

The turbolift doors swooshed open as Dr John Michael Kane swept into the shuttlebay, having taken a detour to his quarters before he had done so to grab his supplies. Over his head, he wore a surgical headlight, a remnant of his Otorhinolaryngology rotation. It had helped him navigate perfectly well in the darkness of the Shuttlebay. In his hand, he carried an old-school cricket bat, which he had also procured from his quarters, a relic of his childhood. He used to play cricket with the local kids whenever he visited his Granda and Grannie in Edinburgh.

No Zombie Miller and his zombie children would catch this John of the Dead with surprise, no sir-e Bob.

His eyes quickly fell on the... unconventional spacecraft before him. For a lack of a better description, it was... yellow.

"Hmm, now isn't that a pecuiliar design," John nodded to himself, placing the cricket bat on his shoulder and checking his cross-bag of scientific supplies and his emergency medkit one last time before boarding the shubble. On the way up, the surgeon's eyes did not fail to notice the periscope.

[Shubble Nemo]

John quietly found his way and arrived at the entrance of the cockpit. An unknown man was in the pilot seat, and co-piloting with him was the slender form of the Captain. He knocked the entrance doorsill with his left knuckles.

"Um, reporting for duty, Captain," he said, a bit awkwardly. He really didn't want to answer any questions about why he was wearing a surgical headlight and carrying a cricket bat, but if prompted, he would answer without hesitation.

You couldn't kill zombies with conventional ammunition. They were already dead. Bats were useful for smashing them for pieces. It was simple, Vulcan-certified, logic.

[Felicity Ellis]

[Shubble – Nemo]

Tom continued his pre-flight checklist when he overheard the Captain and her tone of obvious disapproval.  The man focused on the job at hand and could not help but to roll his eyes at the situation.  Jett knew he was and could be the best pilot on the ship and this shubble is going to be a nightmare to pilot in the atmosphere.

He double-checked the engine and increased the power to compensate for the added weight from the extra hull plating.  It was all a new balancing act that there was no manual on this.  Jett informed the Captain, "Pre Flight checks done, all systems goo.  We need a crew and the shuttle bays opened.  Unless you want me to Torpedo it? .  He stopped for a second and then remarked "I'm kidding".

He then continued pressing the consoles and informed 'I don't need tractor beams, so that might save power."  .  Tom informed the Captain as it was customary for Tractor beams to control shuttle inside the ship to avoid an accident.  However, pilots can also do it manually but it is more dangerous than the alternative.

For a moment they were alone in the shuble and he took a moment.  "Look, I know you don't like me or trust me.  But don't kick me out like Pluto, that got kicked out of the Solar System. I'm probably  the best pilot for this task.  For once just have some faith in me.  .  The man stated.  He knew she was not comfortable with him but for the sake of everyone she needs to at least show some trust on it's pilot.   Tom knew that the situation was complicated and the pilot needed to adjust power weight and aerodynamics on the fly.

He then looked at the Captain and suggested.  "I do recommend to put your seat belt one, the atmosphere is going to be a bumpy ride. .  The Captain would not know that the Shuble stabilizers were modified to help them feel less underwater.

[Felicity Ellis - Shubble Nemo]

Felicity listened as Jett confirmed the pre-flight checks had been completed. She didn't respond to the comment on the crew; of course there was one coming. To his statement that he was "kidding" about blowing a hole in the hull, she merely gave him a sideways glance. She was in no mood for messing, and even less open to being treated like a moron.

Ah, but that was to continue, it seemed. Her hands stilled over her console, and she turned her body fully around to stare at him in disbelief as he proceeded to impart his orders. She raised a hand after a moment, hopefully staying any further remarks.

"Do not presume to tell me what I like, think or trust. And I'd particularly advise you not to tell me what to do." Felicity was sick to the back teeth of having to justify her decision to keep the pirate on the Shran. She'd gone out of her way to make sure that he was kept alive, she'd taken him at the behest of Section 31, and she'd asked personal favours of her crew not to break convention and harm him. She had reached the stage where she could no longer ignore the requests and feelings of her crew when it came to Thomas Jett; if she continued to defend him they'd continue to question her judgment. It didn't matter what she'd been through with him, or what he'd seen - it was time for the man to show up or literally, ship out.

"Continue to overstep, Tom, and I'll let you step right off this ship at Warp 9. Are we clear?"

[Shubble Nemo]

John quietly found his way and arrived at the entrance of the cockpit. An unknown man was in the pilot seat, and co-piloting with him was the slender form of the Captain. He knocked the entrance doorsill with his left knuckles.

"Um, reporting for duty, Captain," he said, a bit awkwardly. He really didn't want to answer any questions about why he was wearing a surgical headlight and carrying a cricket bat, but if prompted, he would answer without hesitation.

You couldn't kill zombies with conventional ammunition. They were already dead. Bats were useful for smashing them for pieces. It was simple, Vulcan-certified, logic.

At the sound of the knock and the voice of their new addition, Felicity turned in her chair. "Doctor, come in. Take a seat." She gestured toward one of the four seats in the modified shubble, this one located to the side and beside several consoles that would control sensors and allow them to monitor structural integrity closely. "Once everyone is here, I'll get you all up to speed." Kane knew more than Jett, Doug or Lyric would, but she decided to wait until they were all together and airborne to fill in the blanks for the group and save from repeating herself.

The next hurdle was actually getting out of the shuttle bay itself. "Ellis to Bridge. Commander Corliss, I am taking our modified shuttle and a small team to the planet for further investigation. If McKinson can arrange enough power to Main Bay to allow us a chance to exit, that would be much appreciated."

[Aryn Corliss]

[Felicity Ellis - Shubble Nemo]

Felicity listened as Jett confirmed the pre-flight checks had been completed. She didn't respond to the comment on the crew; of course there was one coming. To his statement that he was "kidding" about blowing a hole in the hull, she merely gave him a sideways glance. She was in no mood for messing, and even less open to being treated like a moron.

Ah, but that was to continue, it seemed. Her hands stilled over her console, and she turned her body fully around to stare at him in disbelief as he proceeded to impart his orders. She raised a hand after a moment, hopefully staying any further remarks.

"Do not presume to tell me what I like, think or trust. And I'd particularly advise you not to tell me what to do." Felicity was sick to the back teeth of having to justify her decision to keep the pirate on the Shran. She'd gone out of her way to make sure that he was kept alive, she'd taken him at the behest of Section 31, and she'd asked personal favours of her crew not to break convention and harm him. She had reached the stage where she could no longer ignore the requests and feelings of her crew when it came to Thomas Jett; if she continued to defend him they'd continue to question her judgment. It didn't matter what she'd been through with him, or what he'd seen - it was time for the man to show up or literally, ship out.

"Continue to overstep, Tom, and I'll let you step right off this ship at Warp 9. Are we clear?"

At the sound of the knock and the voice of their new addition, Felicity turned in her chair. "Doctor, come in. Take a seat." She gestured toward one of the four seats in the modified shubble, this one located to the side and beside several consoles that would control sensors and allow them to monitor structural integrity closely. "Once everyone is here, I'll get you all up to speed." Kane knew more than Jett, Doug or Lyric would, but she decided to wait until they were all together and airborne to fill in the blanks for the group and save from repeating herself.

The next hurdle was actually getting out of the shuttle bay itself. "Ellis to Bridge. Commander Corliss, I am taking our modified shuttle and a small team to the planet for further investigation. If McKinson can arrange enough power to Main Bay to allow us a chance to exit, that would be much appreciated."

[Bridge]

Aryn had been sitting and waiting for something to happen. She wondered if this was how captains usually felt being left behind on the ship while something major was going on.

=A= Aye, Captain. Commander McKinnson joined the away team that beamed down to the planet's surface, but I'll get engineering on it immediately. =A=

As she spoke, Aryn gestured at the officer at the engineering station who nodded and began tapping away at his console feverishly. I'll have to reroute power from secondary systems, but I can transfer power to the shuttle bay temporarily.

How temporarily?

I'd suggest they have the engines fired up and be ready to exit as soon as the doors open. He shrugged as Aryn raised a brow at him.

=A= Captain, we can transfer power for a short time from secondary systems. Engineering recommends getting the shuttle fired up and ready to go as soon as the doors open. Apparently, the power won't last long. =A=

[Charles Stratton]

[Earth-like water planet - Peninsula]

It was beyond odd. The team was supposed to be tracking an Ensign Miller who beamed down. But there was nothing. No sign of him. There should have been bio-readings, even if they were faint. There should have been something, but there wasn't.

Stratton ran a diagnostic on the handheld device. It returned a reading of one hundred percent performance with no need to optimize. It did not make sense. 'This is wonderful,' his thoughts were sarcastic, '..first assignment off ship and it will most likely be my last because I cannot seem to locate a simple life sign..'

He continued to scan and test the instrument, even as the officers were conversing. There should be a sign of Ensign Miller somewhere. Perhaps the scanning field was too narrow. Perhaps this planet's atmosphere, though a Class M, did not filter bio-signs in the same manner. That could possibly account for the lack of readings. It was possible, but not likely. Someone would have recorded this type of anomaly before..

As if on cue, there was movement in the shallow water. Something white moving and when it finally emerged from the water, it reveled itself as an animal. He remembered that it had been reported that animal life solely existed in the oceans on this planet. And now they really got to see one!

Admittedly, the crab looked strange. It lacked color of any kind. Its shell seemed almost transparent at certain spots. It moved towards them and then stopped, sitting on the dry warm sand. The nippers were opening and closing very slowly, but apart from that the thing didn't move.

Stratton was broken from his thoughts as he noticed peripherally that everyone's attention had turned toward the surf. Half turning he saw what had caught their attention. Stratton now turned toward the surf fully, and aimed the handheld at the creature. If nothing else, he could scan the creature and, if it hadn't been documented in the libraries before, he might be able to salvage his first fiasco of an away mission.

The scan of the crab-like creature resulted in no reading of any bio-signs. Frowning, he scanned on a different wavelength. Nothing. "Sir." He called the officers, but he did not take his attention from the ..thing that resembled a crab. "This creature is not registering my instruments. No bio-signature. No sign of life." 

[Peter Dannenberg]

PO1 Peter Dannenberg
[Earth-like water planet - Peninsula - Shore]

[Earth-like water planet - Peninsula]

It was beyond odd. The team was supposed to be tracking an Ensign Miller who beamed down. But there was nothing. No sign of him. There should have been bio-readings, even if they were faint. There should have been something, but there wasn't.

Stratton ran a diagnostic on the handheld device. It returned a reading of one hundred percent performance with no need to optimize. It did not make sense. 'This is wonderful,' his thoughts were sarcastic, '..first assignment off ship and it will most likely be my last because I cannot seem to locate a simple life sign..'

He continued to scan and test the instrument, even as the officers were conversing. There should be a sign of Ensign Miller somewhere. Perhaps the scanning field was too narrow. Perhaps this planet's atmosphere, though a Class M, did not filter bio-signs in the same manner. That could possibly account for the lack of readings. It was possible, but not likely. Someone would have recorded this type of anomaly before..

Stratton was broken from his thoughts as he noticed peripherally that everyone's attention had turned toward the surf. Half turning he saw what had caught their attention. Stratton now turned toward the surf fully, and aimed the handheld at the creature. If nothing else, he could scan the creature and, if it hadn't been documented in the libraries before, he might be able to salvage his first fiasco of an away mission.

The scan of the crab-like creature resulted in no reading of any bio-signs. Frowning, he scanned on a different wavelength. Nothing. "Sir." He called the officers, but he did not take his attention from the ..thing that resembled a crab. "This creature is not registering my instruments. No bio-signature. No sign of life." 

Of course Peter too had noticed the small creature approaching them. Briefly he recalled how Felicity had been so enthusiastic about an insect she had seen earlier. She probably would have found ways to appreciate a creature like this too.

Peter was inclined to not pay the small crab much more attention, when Charles spoke up, informing them that he couldn't get a reading on the creature. He fround and took a step towards Charles to join him and take a glance on the tricorder. "That's strange", he muttered, stunned. "I mean, the crab is not dead, we saw it moving."

Peter glanced to Jenna and then back to Charles. "What could be wrong with that thing? It seems to have the same issue that is making Miller running around but remaining undetected by any scans?"

While they were talking, a second crab, just like the first, emerged from the water. Then a third, forth, fifth ... over twenty pale crabs sat on the shore, facing them. Peter frowned. He wasn't a biologist but somehow it felt strange how those creatures were opposing them.

"Mr. Stratton ... getting any readings now from any of those crabs?"

[Charles Stratton]

[Earth-like water planet - Peninsula]

PO1 Peter Dannenberg
Peter was inclined to not pay the small crab much more attention, when Charles spoke up, informing them that he couldn't get a reading on the creature. He fround and took a step towards Charles to join him and take a glance on the tricorder. "That's strange", he muttered, stunned. "I mean, the crab is not dead, we saw it moving."

"Yes Sir, it is strange." Stratton tilted the device so that Dannenberg had a clear view. He wanted to describe chapter and verse just how strange it was, however, now was not the time nor place. Plus the fact, his entire life, it had been ingrained in him that his opinion, even if based on sound scientific fact would be questioned. Lastly, he was also a mere crewman and not at liberty to speak as freely as he wished.

Tapping on the instrument, Stratton quickly scanned the creature hoping to find the right parameters to get a reading. Any reading. Yet with every iteration and combination of scans, there was still no joy. Nothing was showing.

Peter glanced to Jenna and then back to Charles. "What could be wrong with that thing? It seems to have the same issue that is making Miller running around but remaining undetected by any scans?"

"The water? Miller had been in the water, yes? This thing had just come out of the water.. Perhaps there is a substance in the water that inhibits scanning? We need a sample of the water..."  His words broke off as the single creature was joined by another.

While they were talking, a second crab, just like the first, emerged from the water. Then a third, forth, fifth ... over twenty pale crabs sat on the shore, facing them. Peter frowned. He wasn't a biologist but somehow it felt strange how those creatures were opposing them.

"Mr. Stratton ... getting any readings now from any of those crabs?"

The sample would have to wait, as he turned his attention to the second, then third creature. Scanning each, then en masse and nothing. Not a goddamn thing. The puzzle the creatures were presenting was exciting. This was the type of thing a person could not experience on earth. And here he was, in the middle of scientific discovery.

The creatures now numbered about two dozen, give or take, and there were zero life signs. Stratton schooled his features so his grin of excitement did not show. But his voice may not have been so disguised as he replied to Dannenberg, "No Sir."

[Lawrie McGellen]

NPC Elanii of Veloria
[USS Shran - Deck 7 - Sickbay - CMO's office]

Elanii looked at Kestra with four big eyes as if trying to make out if the woman was telling the truth about T'Aco. Only a moment the little girl smiled at her, happy with that information.

She continued to munch on the cookie as Kestra swang her to the left and right and when he gave her nudge and the chair spinned around once fully, Elanii giggled loudly, apparently having a good time.

When the chair stopped, Elanii looked up at Kestra. "Once more!"

[CMO's Office]

[As Nurse Kestra Dongahue]

Kestra chuckled.  "OK but I'm glad you don't get sick on sweet stuff but I'll still be careful not spinning you round too much.  OK hold onto the arms of the chair, here we go round again, one... two... threeeeeeeee!"

On three she spun the chair around so it did 3 full revolutions before stopping it.

"You know I think we might have to arrange a day to a funfair holotrip for the kids on this ship, you can bring all your favourite people, and run around with Bash and others.  How does that sound?!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Lieutenant T'Aco - Sickbay]

"It is not pain that I feel, Doctor," T'Aco told him, her eyes feeling hot, heavy, the darkness of sleep beckoning. "I believe that Ensign Miller's attack has negatively impacted on my motor skill."

Her tongue ran tentatively over her lips. "I am warm. I am thirsty."

She rolled her head away again, her movements slow, her eyelids sliding closed. "I believe I should rest now."

[Main Sickbay]
[As Lawrie, Grithaw Rag and Roger Maghouin]

Grithaw

Roger (mention only)

"Aye Sir,.." Grithaw answered since he was checking the temperature anyhow it was logical for him to take point on other vitals.  "Temperature 38.7C, heart currently 98bpm, Sir."

"Hmmm, I don't like the sound of that...Grithaw keep an eye on the Lieutenant's temperature and shout out if anything changes!"

"Yes, Sir." Grithaw replied crisply.

"Lieutenant I'm going to allow Grithaw to moisten your lips and give you a tiny sip but until I know what is causing this I'm putting you on a saline drip, but nil by mouth.  I don't want to risk giving you something that's going to make the condition worse."  Lawrie said motioning to Grithaw to give the Lieutenant a tiny amount of water and moving so that Roger could get an IV line in for the saline solution to keep her fluids up.

[Sickbay]

Alec's fist clenched as the Vulcan lieutenant appeared to fall asleep. He raised the hand with the tubes of blood and gestured a nurse over. Keep a close watch on her vital signs and be ready with a defibrillator and cortical stimulator. There is a high risk of cardiac arrest. I need to run these tests.

The nurse nodded and took up a position beside the biobed, watching the monitor above closely.

Alec headed into the lab and began spinning down two of the blood samples in the centrifuge. While he waited for that, the El-Aurian inverted one of the tubes of whole blood several times and loaded it into the blood-analyzer unit, scrolling through the menu of possible tests and choosing any that would detect foreign bodies in the fluid.

Once that was running, he stood in the doorway and stared at the prone body of Lieutenant T'Aco on the biobed, mentally running through everything extra he now felt he should have known to do before Miller was released from sickbay. He didn't even blame Lawrie or anyone else. He was over eight hundred bloody years old and should have known better. Should have ordered more tests, suggested they keep the young man in sickbay for observation. Anything.

[USS Shran - Sickbay - Microscope]

Under the microscope among the obvious gunk, bacteria and other organisms Lawrie would make an unexpected discovery. He would find hundreds of thousands unicellar organisms, as yet unknown to the world. Scurrying about under the lens, they seemed to be very active, almost restless.

Lawrie moved to the microscope and got his sample focused.  He nearly fell over at what he saw.

"Alec, can you come look at this.  I want to be sure that someone else is seeing what I am."

His eyes couldn't believe the little microscopic unicellular organisms. They were moving around quickly and seemed agitated.

"I'm wondering if these could be 're-animating' Ensign Miller, thousands of them, using him as a host to do things they can't do as individuals maybe..." the doctor said muttering aloud to himself.

[Thomas Jett]

[Shuble Nemo]

The former officer continued on his check and making sure everything was in order.  As he finished his Statement he heard the Captain speak back to him.

"Do not presume to tell me what I like, think or trust. And I'd particularly advise you not to tell me what to do."
"Continue to overstep, Tom, and I'll let you step right off this ship at Warp 9. Are we clear?"

As they remained alone Jett continued checking the controls and familiarizing himself the retrograde.  The former officer stop for a second and instead of working turned his seat to the Captain.  The next words came rought and hard for him.  As he had to stop and think about it. "I'm sorry, Captain".  Those words came with some hesitation as he was not used to apologizing.  The man stopped his work and instead of multi-tasking he wanted to make eye contact with the Captain.

"Look, I'm not exactly the easiest person to work with.  Hell, I'm probably harder to work with to than a Diva on a Reality TV Show, On E. But....I wanted to thank you, Captain.  You gave me something to do, I have been for months not being able to do anything, which...is frustrating for me.  Thanks for the opportunity.  The man stopped and focused back on the controls.

It was not soon after that Tom, cleared his throat as he observed a person coming in.

[Shubble Nemo]

John quietly found his way and arrived at the entrance of the cockpit. An unknown man was in the pilot seat, and co-piloting with him was the slender form of the Captain. He knocked the entrance doorsill with his left knuckles.

"Um, reporting for duty, Captain," he said, a bit awkwardly. He really didn't want to answer any questions about why he was wearing a surgical headlight and carrying a cricket bat, but if prompted, he would answer without hesitation.

You couldn't kill zombies with conventional ammunition. They were already dead. Bats were useful for smashing them for pieces. It was simple, Vulcan-certified, logic.

Jett turned as he observed the person walking with nonstandard issued Starfleet Weapons.  The former observed and wondered.

What the frack is going on out there?  The man thought to himself as he reminded him that he was paired up with a weird crew.

At the sound of the knock and the voice of their new addition, Felicity turned in her chair. "Doctor, come in. Take a seat." She gestured toward one of the four seats in the modified shubble, this one located to the side and beside several consoles that would control sensors and allow them to monitor structural integrity closely. "Once everyone is here, I'll get you all up to speed." Kane knew more than Jett, Doug or Lyric would, but she decided to wait until they were all together and airborne to fill in the blanks for the group and save from repeating herself.

The next hurdle was actually getting out of the shuttle bay itself. "Ellis to Bridge. Commander Corliss, I am taking our modified shuttle and a small team to the planet for further investigation. If McKinson can arrange enough power to Main Bay to allow us a chance to exit, that would be much appreciated."

Jett remained silent for a second and waited until the Captain finished.  They knew each other.  She welcome the Doctor in.  And Jett turned his seat "Doctor,  my name is Thomas Jett, Starfleet Traitor...now I apologize if this comes out as rude but please fasten your seat belt, since it's going to be a bumpy ride.  .  Jett focused on the screen ahead as he waited orders.

[Bridge]

Aryn had been sitting and waiting for something to happen. She wondered if this was how captains usually felt being left behind on the ship while something major was going on.

=A= Aye, Captain. Commander McKinnson joined the away team that beamed down to the planet's surface, but I'll get engineering on it immediately. =A=

As she spoke, Aryn gestured at the officer at the engineering station who nodded and began tapping away at his console feverishly. I'll have to reroute power from secondary systems, but I can transfer power to the shuttle bay temporarily.

How temporarily?

I'd suggest they have the engines fired up and be ready to exit as soon as the doors open. He shrugged as Aryn raised a brow at him.

=A= Captain, we can transfer power for a short time from secondary systems. Engineering recommends getting the shuttle fired up and ready to go as soon as the doors open. Apparently, the power won't last long. =A=

=A= Captain, we can transfer power for a short time from secondary systems. Engineering recommends getting the shuttle fired up and ready to go as soon as the doors open. Apparently, the power won't last long. =A=

The pilot did not hesitate to begin the Start-Up procedures and to warm up the engines.  He knew they had to leave soon if they were going to leave.  "Beginning Star Up procedure....transferring additional power to the engines to account for the extra weight." .  Jett informed the Captain as would a regular helmsman keeping her informed of the major detail.

As the engine and power began he would feel the hum of the ship starting.  "If anyone wants to come in, now it's the time." .  As the officer finished he looked at Flick.  "On your orders, Ma'Am".  He stood on the ready as he was waiting for the doors to open and the Captain to give her orders.

[Dugris Zaman]

[Dr. Dugris "Doug" Zaman - Shubble Nemo]

After finishing with the panel, Doug took off running (well, a rather peculiar run with his left arm tucked in, right arm flailing, and small steps, but a run nonetheless), so that he could make it onboard their "Shubble" in time.

At last, he arrived.

"Thanks for waiting," he told the group, out-of-breath, as he adjusted his glasses and fixed his white hair. "Just had to fix that panel. I ran as fast as I could, but I'm not a spry young centenarian anymore."

Doug used "centenarian" almost as though it meant "teenager", almost relishing how that tended to confuse humans.

"What's the plan, y'all?"

"Y'all" was an expression he'd adopted from the American South, a regionalism that the language sorely needed.

[Aryn Corliss]

[Main Sickbay]
[As Lawrie, Grithaw Rag and Roger Maghouin]

Lawrie moved to the microscope and got his sample focused.  He nearly fell over at what he saw.

"Alec, can you come look at this.  I want to be sure that someone else is seeing what I am."

His eyes couldn't believe the little microscopic unicellular organisms. They were moving around quickly and seemed agitated.

"I'm wondering if these could be 're-animating' Ensign Miller, thousands of them, using him as a host to do things they can't do as individuals maybe..." the doctor said muttering aloud to himself.

[Sickbay]

Alec was waiting for the machine to finish its tests on the blood, and he was just about to pull the spun down samples from the centrifuge when Lawrie called for his attention.

He quickly joined the other doctor and leaned over to peer at the magnified sample. It took him a moment to register what Lawrie was saying as he tried to make sense of what he was looking at. What the hell... Alec looked in horror toward the biobed where T'Aco was lying. And he...transferred...for lack of a better word, some to Lt. T'Aco. We've got to, I don't know, figure out a way to stop the process. What if we put her in stasis before they kill her? Or could we filter her blood somehow?

They couldn't detect them with any of their scanners, so would their other technology work? Alec had no idea, but they needed to try something quickly before the Vulcan died.

[Lyric McDaniels]

[Shubble Nemo]

After everyone left, Lyric took an additional moment to look at the conduits. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, other than the power having been drained. She would have liked to take more time to figure it out, when the lights flickered back on. Someone must have gotten minimal power restored. It'd likely have to do for now. Dr. Doug had managed to get to the shubble before her, despite his lack spry youthfulness.

The small engineer was unusually solemn as she was deep in thought, and after a nod to the captain, she quietly took a seat to the rear. They would likely only need her help if something went wrong, so that gave her plenty of time to puzzle out what could drain energy without leaving a trace. It was unusual to say the least.

[Mondo'li Nari]

Planetside - Peninsula

Having beamed down with the rest of the away team, Mondo eyed the crab-like water creature with suspicion.  An object that he could see, but which did not register on sensors, was worthy of much suspicion.  Stratton suggested that something in the water might be inhibiting scans, and that seemed as good a premise as any.

"It seems like a theory we can test without touching the water," Mondo remarked.

He bent down to find a stone on the ground, taking out his tricorder as he did so.  Mondo was the farthest thing from a science specialist, but the basic operation of a tricorder was a component of security training.  Security crewmen learned to scan for life-forms, as well as scanning for illicit materials and hidden explosives and weapons.  Fortunately, tricorders had handy functions that made the work easier.  Every tricorder was configured with hundreds of common items that one might wish to scan for, and more items could be scanned and added to the list.

Scanning the stone in detail, Mondo stored the scan data in the tricorder's databank.  Although one stone looked very much like another to Hupyrian eyes, the exact composition of silicates, minerals, organic deposits, density, and even shape and surface weathering patterns were like a fingerprint.  No two stones would be precisely the same.

Once the scan was complete, Mondo tossed the stone into the water a few meters away.   Then he tasked his tricorder to perform a pattern match to the recorded data in its memory banks.  At such a short distance, the stone should be readily detectable, just under the surface of the water.

If the tricorder could not detect the stone, it would prove Stratton's theory about something in the water creating interference.

If the tricorder did detect the stone, then something else would be the culprit.

Watching his tricorder carefully, he waited for the result.

[Jenna McKinson]

[ Earth-like water planet - Peninsula ]

"Yes Sir, it is strange." Stratton tilted the device so that Dannenberg had a clear view. He wanted to describe chapter and verse just how strange it was, however, now was not the time nor place. Plus the fact, his entire life, it had been ingrained in him that his opinion, even if based on sound scientific fact would be questioned. Lastly, he was also a mere crewman and not at liberty to speak as freely as he wished.

Tapping on the instrument, Stratton quickly scanned the creature hoping to find the right parameters to get a reading. Any reading. Yet with every iteration and combination of scans, there was still no joy. Nothing was showing.

"The water? Miller had been in the water, yes? This thing had just come out of the water.. Perhaps there is a substance in the water that inhibits scanning? We need a sample of the water..."  His words broke off as the single creature was joined by another.

"We've gotten enough samples and I doubt it would help to detect our new group of friends," When Jenna spoke she used the word friend sarcastically. She looked about slowly. She had never seen a crab be this aggressive. "If this were another place and time I would we pissed off a diety because some old dudes bound her soul to a body." She then clutched the necklace that had the photo of Lawrie in it. She moved close to whisper to Peter. "I would think that if this creature is what got to Mister Miller we should make ourselves scarce. I know when an animal has aggression in their eyes and there are way too many looking at us." She had some concern in her voice, but it was for the others around her. She knew that the ocean was not viable for an escape. They weren't cornered at least not yet.