Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Sovan (Medical Officer) in Sickbay

Posted by Captain Kastarak (Commanding Officer) in Sickbay

Posted by Lieutenant Mykl Najjar (Chief Medical Officer) in Sickbay
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Down in Sickbay…

Bio-monitor displays rippled with brief diagnostic noise as the ship’s internal sensors adjusted to the changing subspace conditions. For a fraction of a second, several patient readouts jittered—heart rates duplicating themselves, neural patterns echoing like a reflection in water—before the medical systems recalibrated and smoothed the data back into clean, readable lines.

The ambient lighting dimmed a half-shade as power was quietly rerouted elsewhere in the ship. Life-support compensated instantly, increasing atmospheric buffering and micro-filter cycling. The air took on a faint metallic tang, subtle enough most wouldn’t consciously notice, but familiar to anyone who’d spent time aboard ships pushing into unstable regions of space.

A low vibration passed through the biobeds, not violent, but uneven. Medical scanners emitted a soft harmonic whine as their sensor arrays compensated for background chroniton interference bleeding in from the rift’s direction. Tricorders resting on nearby carts chirped in mild protest before updating their calibration tables.

Sickbay’s computer voiced a calm advisory tone:

“Medical systems adjusting for external subspace variance. All bio-support functions nominal.”

Even so, the automated trauma units ran a quiet self-check. Hypospray pressure regulators tightened tolerances. Surgical field generators increased stabilization margins. The Merrimack’s medical systems prepared the way they were designed to—assuming the next few hours might demand more than routine care.

Somewhere deeper in the ship, the engines surged, and Sickbay felt it as a subtle pull, like gravity leaning sideways for a heartbeat. The inertial dampers compensated a moment later, but not before a few loose instruments trembled against their restraints.

The rift was close now.

The displays steadied, the alarms remained silent, and Sickbay returned to its controlled calm—sterile, ready, and watchful. Every system stood alert, quietly braced for injuries that had not yet happened, trusting the Merrimack to keep her crew whole as she pressed toward whatever awaited beyond the veil of distorted space.

Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

“Dr. Najjar did you notice that?” Sovan asked, looking up from the records he was updating from the crew check-ups.

Doctor Sovan

Mykl, headed to her office, turned back to the bay as the moniters flickered. “That felt like we passed through something, didn’t it?”She walked closer to Sovan, then hit a button that opened an intership comminication device. =/\=Bridge, this is Lt Najjar, are you experiencing any anomalies over there? It feels like Sickbay was either just scanned or that we passed through something that affected our instruments. They have adjusted, but are we in for more?=/\=

Lieutenant Mykl Najjar
Chief Medical Officer USS Chernov

=/\=Understood, Lieutenant,=/\= he replied evenly. =/\=We are operating within a reactive region. Minor sensor interference will be expected even as we go forward. Inform Bridge if systems in Sickbay are affected, or if crew report effects. Do you have enough staff?=/\=

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer

=/\=Yes, Sir, there is enough for now. I will keep you updated on our systems and the need for more personnel. Najjar, out.=/\=

Sovan listened and nodded. It was logical to expect power and sensor disruptions in Sickbay but how would this region affect the humanoid personnel? Would the shields be enough to protect them he wondered. “Doctor Najjar, can you ask the Captain if I might have access to the science readings of the area? I’d like to run simulations to see that shield protection will be enough to protect the crew from any radiation or other energy forms?”

Doctor Sovan

Mykl frowned, having already closed the channel with the bridge, but Sovan’s request was valid. “Sure, no problem.” She hit the communication button again. =/\=Najjar to bridge again. Ensign Sovan has requested access to any science readings in order to run simulations on possible radiation contamination. Please grant him access here in sickbay.=/\=

Lieutenant Mykl Najjar
Chief Medical Officer USS Chernov

Dr. Sovan reviews the incoming data from the bridge with practiced efficiency, isolating the radiation and energy-readout bands most relevant to crew health. Initial results show no immediately lethal radiation spikes, but the environment is far from benign.

Background radiation fluctuates in slow pulses, unevenly distributed through the expanse. While current levels remain within tolerances for a shielded vessel, prolonged exposure could lead to cellular stress, fatigue, and neurological irritation, particularly if the pulses intensify or synchronize.

No exotic particles or mutagenic signatures are detected at this time, and there is no evidence of airborne or spaceborne pathogens. However, several low-level exotic energy traces register as unknown, warranting continued monitoring.

“Dr. Najjir, after assessing the data from the bridge I deem that there is only moderate risk to the crew at this time. I recommend limiting unnecessary exposure, maintaining shield modulation, and keeping medical sensors tied directly into the probe feed should conditions shift rapidly. You will need to request the last from the bridge.”

Doctor Sovan

Mykl listened to Sovan’s findings, and agreed that they were in no danger at the moment. But it could still happen. “Fine, I’ll contact the Captain about it. Why don’t you take a break and get something to eat while things are still alright. We have no idea what might happen in the next hour.”

=/\=Lt Najjar to Captain Kastarak. Sir, we would like to keep our medical sensors tied into the probe feed just in case the rate of radiation changes quickly. We also want to keep current on a few exotic energy traces that are registering as unknown. I know you are busy there and this might give us here in medical enough of an early warning to catch whatever comes through before it takes a life.=/\=

Lieutenant Mykl Najjar
Chief Medical Officer USS Chernov

=/\=Lt Najjar, this is the captain. I agree with your suggestion. Work with Mssrs Grey and Forster on this matter. The priority ought first to ensure the safety of the ship and its people, then the mission itself. =/\=

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer

Sovan nodded as he set his padd down. “Aye, Doctor. I have completed the records updates as well as an updated inventory check. I have brought out the emergency medical packs with medications for radiation exposure. I will return within 30 minutes.”

Doctor Sovan

Once he left, Mykl got a cup of coffee and made her way to the office. At the moment, sickbay was slow but that could change at any time. During the lull, she finished what she could with charting, and sent a short message to Pic who she assumed was in their quarters. %We are heading into unfamiliar territory. It is likely we will run into some kind of trouble as this area has not been mapped before. You should either stay in our quarters or come here to sickbay if you just want to be with other people. I wouldn’t suggest you go anywhere else on the ship until we know more.%

Lieutenant Mykl Najjar
Chief Medical Officer USS Chernov