Posted by Ensign Kastarak (Doctor) in Sickbay – Is it Hot in Here? [TAG: Captain; CMO]

Posted by Captain Chris Taggart (Captain) in Sickbay – Is it Hot in Here? [TAG: Captain; CMO]

Posted by Ensign Kastarak (Doctor) in Sickbay – Is it Hot in Here? [TAG: Captain; CMO]
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(Snip!)

T’Aria wavered, concern breaching her trained expression before she moved to lend a supportive hand.

“Yes…” she struggled to regain her composure, “…the computer-rendered virion resemble the Earth H3N2 strain with distinct mutations in its glycoproteins.” Human hemagglutinins worked to agglutinate iron-based cells and, therefore, made it illogical to assume a Romulan-based virus would develop an exact protein, but that didn’t suggest the tactic was different. “Neuraminidase on its surface suggests those proteins may be a type of hemagglutinin that targets hemocyanin. If so, I expect the mechanism will be comparable.”

“Running the simumulation,” T’Aria snapped her gaze to the terminal and inputted a basic command, “now.”

She studied the simulation with monotonous and cough-interrupted narration. As the virion approached the epithelial cell, it adjusted its course and attached to a monosaccharide on its surface. NA damaged complementary inhibitors and the cell engulfed the virion. Encased in a clathrin-coated vessel, it soon detached from the surface and ventured into the cell. Naturally, the cell acidified to begin digesting the vessel and stripped the vessel of its coating. The mechanism was similar save for a few suspected differences. (OOC: feel free to add!)

As the pH dropped, the hemagglutinin-like molecule unfolded and released a spiny fusion peptide that snatched and invited itself closer to the endosomal membrane. Eventually, they fused and thereby confirmed this was a kind of influenza or something very similar.

“It is a type of flu,” T’Aria observed, “so we can begin running background simulations against other species’ cells.”

The next step lingered just out of reach, mocking her from the tip of her tongue. Inhibit the virus… she pinched her eyebrows in a pensive frown, receptors… glycoproteins. Stop the cell from engulfing the virion? Deter it? how? Frustration built in her chest until she lost the sensitivity to distinguish between emotion and illness. Was this how Kastarak felt? If they were both confused, perhaps they could piece the fragments of their thoughts into a plan. “I admit that I am conflicted,” T’Aria glanced at her colleague, “how do you suggest we proceed with our cases?”

— Dr. T’Aria

Kastarak listened carefully to every word coming from T’Aria. Had he functioned neuropsychologically and executively better at this point, he might have noticed the conflict of frustration and logic in T’Aria, though now Kastarak only noticed some neuropsychological dysfunction. It appeared to him thus that there were similar experiences between them as how the viral infection behaved.

“As you said, co–” (he was about to say “commander”), “–lleague, we have determined that the virus behaves like an influenza-like virus. We have determined how it binds itself to Vulcan cells and infects them. While we could easily use this information and device an antiviral treatment for you and me, or a vaccination for the other Vulcans on board, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few,” T’Aria muttered. Those words were her T’Kuht – her ‘north star’ – and served as a stark reminder of their commitment to logic. They centred her. When those words touched Kastarak’s lips, she expected to find some solace within them, but she sensed only a tightness swelling in her chest. Naturally, dismissed it as another symptom of their flu.

Kastarak paused.

“We must consider the safety of our non-Vulcan crewmembers. They outnumber us by far. Let us begin simulating the virus’s behaviour on cells from other species, beginnign with the largest one onboard, Humans, and then in order of magnitude. It should not take too long, provided we are able to function properly.”

“Of course…” T’Aria winced and seized the ledge, squeezing until her knuckles turned a sallow green. The dizziness came without warning. T’Aria urged the world into stillness, her breath trembling, but it resisted her commands. Focus. She screwed her eyes shut and concentrated on her thumping heart, slowing its rhythm until the dizziness subsided. Her body groaned in protest – self-preservation threatening her already dwindling energy reserved – but T’Aria turned to Kastarak and said: “I’ll begin simulations.”

Kastarak coughed. It was painful, and his mucus had a deep green hue to it. Could it be blood? Had he coughed that hard?

T’Aria caught the faint green hue in Kastarak’s mucus. Blood? Dead white blood cells washed out with the infection? There were deceivingly infinite possibilities. “Is your nose unusually dry?” She asked upon stepping closer to offer a swab to examine the substance.

“I have not received any reply from either the Chief Medical Officer or from the Captain. Surely the imposition of quarantine on this office cannot block out communications?”

– Dr/Ens Kastarak

“No—” her words were instantly cut off by a whistling comm panel.

Chris was on the bridge watching a solar nebula when he got the call. “Absolutely stunning!” Pressingthe com [O] Chris here. I’m fine Doctor Do you need me down there to assist? [O]

Captain Chris Taggart CO

Kastarak replied, [o] Thank you, captain. We will keep you advised of any developments, or if should we require extra staff or resources to aid us.[/o]

– Dr Kastarak

While Kastarak conferred with Taggart, T’Aria extrapolated a breakdown of the species aboard Chernov. She selected the most populous – humans – and ran simulations in decreasing order. Humans: negative. She continued down the list. Andorians: negative. Tellarites: negative. Caitians: negative. Eventually, the computer exhausted the manifest at the foot of their Orion crewmembers. And they, like those before, yielded a promising “negative” followed by a percentage so small that T’Aria thought it almost negligible.

“Aside from Vulcans,” T’Aria wandered over and extended a data-loaded PaDD to Kastarak, “there are no other species aboard Chernov who face an imminent threat from this virus. The data, of course, does not account for mutations; nevertheless, I suspect our isolation and the recency of our discovery have limited the possibility considerably. Have you checked your temperature recently?”

— Dr. T’Aria