Posted by Lieutenant Commander Arun Onuru (Chief of Staff/2O) in Lab - Specimen arrival and examination (Main Sim)

The screening would come up negative with anything that could pose a problem. Additionally, the structure of the creature showed that while it had a thick exterior, it was limited to the topside of the creature, and did not extend to the underside. Mobility seemed to be controlled by sets of muscles on the soft underside that contained an intense network of sensory nerves that travelled to a central location. It wasn’t a brain in the traditional sense, but it was clearly a processing centre.

The other concern right now was that the mother was in a dormant state still, probably to conserve energy and whatever life force it still had. The ‘eggs’ were still early in development and it was hard to say how much they would mature before ‘hatching’. It was also hard to say for certain how they got the nutrients necessary for development and growth.

~Mischief Maker

Arun wondered silently what difference a psi training made to having to touch the creature for a mind melt. Last he checked that was still how Vulcans did it, but who was he to argue. Both he and Anisha felt the mind of the creature anyhow and even without making mental contact, they still felt its emotions.
The poor thing is suffering Anisha thought, watching it through Arun’s eyes. I know, but for now there’s nothing I can do Anish, it’s still an alien intruder he thought and felt Anisha’s annoyance with Starfleet protocol.

• Arun Onuru

Tressex finished the screening and said “No known biological contaminants or toxins detected. The mother is in need of nutrients, but I don’t see how she feeds. Did anyone see the specimen actually feeding? Or do you have a vid of the relay she was taking power from? Maybe there is some indication of how she was… ‘interfacing’… with the equipment. We need to know that as soon as possible if we are to help it feed.”

Tressex, Science JO

OOC: Linds were there actually holes in the relays that it was feeding from? Or did it seem to absorb them through its skin or something?

Krys

OOC: No holes. Absorption would be a reasonable hypothesis. Don’t forget the underside does not have the same thick protective layer the ‘top’ does. :) ~Linds

=/\=Kree to Science. Make the creature’s biosignature available and we will scan the ship for signs of any others. Do you know yet if it is a threat?=/\=

—Kree, XO
(crossposting from the bridge)

“It is my hypothesis that, as other gastropods, this one more then likely ‘absorbs’ the energy from the relays through its skin. If we were to find a way to duplicate the process we could replace the missing energy in a less harmful way to the ship.” T’Pris offered.

T’Pris Psychobiologist

=/\= Understood and will do, Sir. And it is unlikely the creature poses a threat, at least at this time. No bilogical conatminants or toxins detected. Biosignature has been sent to the Science console on the Bridge… now. =/\= Tressex looked at T’Pris and said “You have more biology experience that I do. Why don’t you work on finding out what specific energy it feeds off of, and I will try to find an appropriate source and then we can design a feeding apparatus. Right now I am thinking a simple flat contact attached to the energy generator would suffice.”

Tressex, Science JO

T’Pris nodded in agreement as she made her way over to the clear sided container that held the gastropod and her young. She activated her tricorder again and tapped in some queries from the readings she had taken at the relays. She was trying to pin down the actual composition of energy that the creature had been trying to absorb from the relays. She was assuming it was the plasma but was it plasma in it’s pure form or would another type of energy suffice?

T’Pris Psychobiologist

A closer look at the internal systems of the creature showed that it’s circulatory system was controlled by magnetic induction and that the creature was likely trying to take in the hydrogen from the plasma. Wherever it was from, it likely lived in an area with magnetized rock and bodies of water rich in hydrogen. It was also possible or even likely that the atmosphere had a higher hydrogen content as well.

~Mischief Maker

“Fascinating. Tressex, come have a look at this. It would appear that the creature is most likely feeding off the hydrogen in the plasma rather then the plasma in its entirety. I will use the breakdown of the hydrogen here and we can synthesize it. I postulate that it can more then likely absorb it from many surfaces as it would have come from a planet with a high degree of hydrogen in the atmosphere, planet and water. ” T’Pris said as she moved over to a console and transferred her findings to the screen there so they could get an actual molecular breakdown. “We can easily modify its habitat with rocks and water infused in it as well.”

T’Pris Psychobiologist

Tressex looked at the readings and said “Incredible! That it can separate the hydrogen from plasma and extract it from almost anything in it’s surroundings? I haven’t seen anything like it. Until we can get the habitat set up, lets increase hydrogen levels in the chamber by 2% every five minutes. Monitor it’s metabolic rate, and we can establish the ideal saturation level as we move up. Once our guest is out of danger from being malnourished, we can make their apartment more cozy.” he said with a grin to T’Pris.

Tressex, Science JO

“Agreed.” T’Pris said as she made Tressex’s suggested modifications then looked around to see if Arun was still present. “Commander? We should have the creature stabilized in a few minutes, would you like to attempt to make contact with it then?” She asked.

T’Pris Psychobiologist

Willow watched carefully taking in the information as the science team worked. “Stabilise it and then we need to make contact,” she said and looked at the chief of staff. “We need to find out if there are more on board but more importantly how it got here in the first place.”

Willow Taylor
CO

Arun nodded and looked at T’Pris. “Let me know when its stabilised and I’ll make telepathical contact.” He would feel it anyhow as soon as the creature was feeling better, but he didn’t want to seem disrespectful to the scientist.

“Aye Ma’am.” T’Pris said as she worked though to herself she wondered how they could tell how it got onboard. Would it have come onboard with some of the supplies? Like a stowaway. “It may have come aboard with the supplies.” She mused as she worked.

T’Pris Psychobiologist

Willow tilted her head then tapped her badge, =^= Taylor to Kree…T’Pris is wondering if the creature came on board with the supplies. Can you check to see the supplies list and where they came from exactly at the starbase. See if anything is there that isn’t catalogued and contact the starbase and find out if they are missing a Gastropod. All stop in the meantime.=^=

Taylor
CO

“I would also suggest to take care of the eggs. If we de facto make first contact with a new sentient species it would not look good on us if the first thing that happens to it on a Federation medical Starship if its children would be left to die.”
My thoughts exactly Anisha thought and Arun couldn’t help but roll his eyes and smile slightly Don’t I know it he thought back.

• Arun Onuru

Willow nodded. =^= Taylor to Security. We think there are eggs or a nest located somewhere these need to be found as priority and returned to the mother as carefully as possible. =^= she ran her hand through her hair and looked at Arun then T’Pris

“I’m going to the bridge, contact me as soon as we know anything,” she turned and left,

Willow Taylor
CO