What Lies Beneath (Part 3 of 4) [18+]

Posted on 27 May 2025 @ 4:09pm by Commander Morgan Tarin & EMH Mark X-C "Shirley" & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle & Lieutenant JG Nusien & Lieutenant JG Hovar Kov & Lieutenant JG Binea & Ensign Amanda Turell & Chief Petty Officer Katja Becker
Edited on on 27 May 2025 @ 4:24pm

2,777 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 21 - Helix
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 2, Transporter Room 1; Deck 3, Sickbay
Timeline: MD 07, 0557 hrs

Previously, on What Lies Beneath (Part 2)...

Becker tore her eyes on whatever the heck was fighting the Klingon--and giving him a run for his money--to the CMO and assisted him in getting the woman safely on the stretcher. "Go on ahead, sir - I'll bring up the rear - I'm not much of a first assist. You'll have to teach me that too when you get a chance." She responded quickly, with a brief smile at the end - it wasn't said to be contrary to Nusien's decree. The patient needed to get to sick bay - but given the uncertainty here...there may be more patients.

"I think we can find the time for some teaching." Nusien replied in an effort to lighten the mood. "Come." He led the way out of the Transporter Room with the antigrav bed and Becker following behind.

"Get them out of here!" Allyndra commanded. "Site to site if you have to." She turned back to where the chaplain was trying to deal with the creature or part of it.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

To say the entire scene was surreal would be the biggest understatement of Carlisle‘s lifetime. One moment she was bracing herself to cope with whatever injuries would be revealed in their patient when the transport particles finally coalesced, and the next moment, she and the rooms fellow occupants were being sprayed with blue blood, watching in horror as Hovar did battle with a creature, or at least part of a creature, she could only have conceived in her nightmares.

So many thoughts and emotions were swirling inside Delainey, she could not have said what came first, but she knew she had to do something. She was vaguely aware their primary patient had been rescued and was being attended to, which meant for now, she had the privilege, but also the agonizing task, of trying to figure out how to help her well meaning but very reckless subordinate.

Carlisle dove into her medical supplies, searching for any sort of hypo spray that might stop this creature‘s madness in its tracks, a thought she didn’t immediately realize was shared by Katja as well. The senior counselor had no other weapon at her disposal, so even if Hovar had followed instructions and waited for weaponry to be tried, she would not have been able to assist. Even now, however, she wasn’t sure she would be able to administer the medication as she watched the two continue to grapple, and as she began to scramble toward them, slipping in purpleish blood, a mix from the two sources, as she did so.

Katja dove into her jump bag and fished for a pre-loaded hypospray. "Alles-kla, kinders, here's hoping this Cthulhu reject's physiology reacts to ye goode olde B-52!" Bum leg or not, this was what dreams were made of. Gritting her teeth, She ran up onto the platform - her goal to hypospray the life out of that thing. Great bird but there was Andorian blood everywhere.

Allyndra grabbed the bag after and, with a jump, took to her wings. She could pretty much only get as high as the ceiling and the area wasn't a lot to maneuver. She whirled the bag and aimed it at the thing. She didn't know if anyone had called but she touched her comm badge. "By the Twins, Security in Transporter Room One stat! That means right now!"

More or less idly wandering deck 2 a surge of adrenaline shot through Amanda's body as the call for security to rush to the transporter room on the same deck came over the speakers. Though on the opposite side of the ship she was probably still the closest security officer so she drew the type II phaser from her waist and ran full pelt towards the transporter room.


Deck 3, Sickbay

When they arrived in Sick Bay Nusien rushed the patient into the surgical bay and onto the table. "Thirty ccs Morphenolog." Nusien called to the nearest nurse and in a moment the hypospray was in one of his hands. He administered the drug to ease some of the immediate pain. In the instant Nusien also realized that he is going to need more hands. "Computer activate the EMH and close the exam shield and scan the patient."

A soft shimmer of holographic particles quickly materialized within the center of the room and Shirley's distinctive blue-collared female form and ginger hair manifested. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency," she somewhat-nonchalantly spoke with an aura of mild annoyance.

"Our patient has been attacked by an unknown entity. Massive loss of blood and systemic damage. We are going to have to perform immediate surgery and repair the lung and circulatory systems. I am going to need you to assist." Nusien replied to the coalesced hologram. He was not fond of the EMH but knew that they would be useful in situations such as this.

Shirley turned to face the chief medical officer and the single surgical bed which was now occupied by a blue, bloody mess. A destroyed pressure suit worn by a humanoid adorned the mattress and was accompanied by small rivers of royal blue blood which flowed from several large and exposed wounds across its torso, down across their sides, then to the floor where it started to pool.

The holographic doctor stepped into action and swiftly moved to stabilize the patient's head. Her initial diagnostic subroutines estimated a 21.8-percent chance of survival for the non-photonic lifeform. Shirley grasped the patient's helmet in her hand then rotated the covering to port to release its locking mechanism. A strong hiss of air pressure ensued while she pulled the cranial contraption free and set it on the floor. Now she was able to look down on her patient in full clarity.

The face of a young Andorian woman lay underneath the helmet, a pained expression permanently etched into her blue skin, her eyes dilated unblinking and lifeless, her antennae sticking bolt upright and rigid. Though the movements of her body were barely perceptible, she was alive... barely.

Nusien glanced at the Andorian's face and noted all of the telltale signs of death approaching. This was something that he would not allow, not in his Sick Bay. Times like this Nusien was thankful for having three hands. One of his hands sought out the large open wound on the patient's torso and pressed hard. The pressure would stem the flow of blood and allow him to take stock of the situation. His second hand reached onto the surgical cart and plucked a laser suture up. He would begin to close the damage to the patient's lung. His third hand worked the console on the bed as he read out the status of the patient. "It seems that she has puncture wounds to her torso. Right lung pneumothorax. We are going to have to suture the lung and reinflate. There is considerable loss of blood."

Nusien turned to one of the nurses. "Synthesize six pints of Andorian blood." The nurse hurried away to do as ordered. Nusien knew that the Andorian homeworld was considerably colder. As such if they could get her body temperature as close to its home environment that would help slow the blood flow. "Ladies and gentlemen it is going to get considerably colder in here. So, bear with it. Computer lower the temperature in the surgical bay to five degrees Celsius." His eyes continued to focus on the readouts as his work seemed to be working the blood loss slowed.

Nusien turned to the EMH. "None of these injuries should result in this kind of rigormortis. This is total paralysis, despite the brain functioning and sending signals to where it needs. Theorize what could be the cause."

Postulating was a primary operational objective of the photonic life form which meant her rich internal database containing the entirety of Starfleet Medical's history and knowledge was quickly accessed then put to use. Shirley approached the distressed blue-skinned patient before intently studying her while processing the query. "A neurotoxin, perhaps - powerful enough to incapacitate this humanoid within minutes. Several Earth aquatic species utilize a similar form of venom and evolved to hunt prey by inhibiting the neuron cellular processes...thereby rendering their victim helpless." She paused and tilted her head while a succinct exemplar was accessed. "The blue-ringed octopus, for example, possesses salivary glands which produce tetrodotoxin."

Nusien cocked his head as if a light bulb had gone off. "An octopus on Earth, a tentacle lodged in this woman. This could be a TTX based neurotoxin. It is possible that they are treated the same. Right. Get the patient on respiratory and cardiac monitoring. We will also begin complete dialysis. The only way to be rid of the toxin is to help the body remove it." Nusien could see the bleeding was slowing. "I am re inflating the lung now." Right after he said that the computer registered that the patient's respiratory rate returned to normal."

As the patient stabilized Nusien looked up at the EMH with a broad smile. "Thank you for your assistance Shirley."

"Of course. I'm always here to serve - usually when a crew member is about to die," she rolled her eyes. Organics. She was capable of so much more independent thought and life but her existence continued to be relegated to these 'emergencies'.


Deck 2, Transporter Room 1

The Klingon's sharp and semi-crooked teeth bit down into the foreign life form's thick, leathery integument. Though unable to penetrate deeply, several punctures ensued which burst the tentacle's outer blood vessels and released a thick flow of lime green bioluminescent liquid into the chaplain's mouth. The severed limb thrashed wildly while it continued to roll its prey across the ground in retaliation. Still inching closer to consume the inferior object.

Then the sudden hiss of a hypospray forced uninvited chemicals into its circulatory and nervous system which it was not pleased by. The tentacle's base tore itself from Hovar's leg leaving a gaping wound then managed to re-coil itself and burst free from the Klingon's grip. It flapped itself over onto its back, fangs and eyes now set upon the medical officers in the room and the buzzing creature above it. A tempting insect.

The tentacle flexed its musculature and rose its tip in a cobra-like manner before snapping out with widened fangs toward the first officer's calf in order to drag the woman down. And consume her.

Katja's eyes widened as the thing moved in a manner dredged from the most heinous of 'trips.' "Gott, it's sentient auch?!" Apparently the psychiatric concoction strong enough to bring down a Klingon warrior was not enough...think think think...oh!

"Carlisle - try a neuromuscular blocking agent...Shiess!" Katja's exclamation of frustration as her brain fumbled to provide the name of the drug. "Ach, Succinylcholine...hit it with all the sucks!"

Water, blood, and other bodily fluids were everywhere, leaving multicolored, slippery lanes in each direction. Katja’s hail Mary suggestion of acetylcholine was well taken, and along with it, Delainey grabbed every hypospray she could reach, taking about five in each hand. She briefly glanced at the labels to make sure none of the medications would appear to counteract the others, but having no real understanding of the physiology of the creature, Carlisle knew it was a shot in the dark. She didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was saving her crewmates, including Hovar, someone she didn’t know whether to yell at or hug.

The counselor lurched forward and began stabbing hypo sprays left and right, aiming for areas that were already open, thanks to Hovar’s fangs. Somehow, she managed to keep her balance as she slipped and slid toward the creature, working hard not to fall headfirst. That would do no one any good.

Tapping on her own hypospray to bring up the entire stock of the paralytic drug and came in on one side of it while it hissed at the XO with flesh consuming promise.

Allyndra back hovered as the thing missed. She bared her own fangs. "You're not the only one with them." What was taking security so much time she wondered. She was definitely going to have a talk with them.

The flung Klingon impacted the wall with a feel, and an angry grunt escaped his lungs upon impact. Whatever this creature was, it was an absolute monster of a beast. Actually, that was not the only thing that had become an absolute beast. Hovar's looked like it had become what a beast normally looks like after a Klingon hunted it down. Bloody, in pain, and begging to be killed off with a merciful blow.

However, when his eyes looked up and became not so blurry, he saw that the medical crew was in the direct line of fire. Hovar grunted as he tried to get himself up, letting his fury overwhelm his priestly nature. The priest was not made clear, when he told them to get the patient out of there, he was also talking to them. Seeing that his First Officer was flying high above, becoming the next target, Hovar became furious.

Not because he wanted to protect the life of the First Officer, but because he did not want to hear the Captain's voice berate him.

And so, with its attention diverted, he saw that it did bleed, and the vile blood that was in his mouth had to be spat out. Looking down at it, it was a very cruel mixture, and the Klingon tried to not swallow anything. Then again, his priority was to save the crew, even if it was the cost of his life. And so, he did what any Klingon would do. He roared at the top of his lungs,

"I'm still alive!"

With that, Hovar made his attempt to jump on the creature again, opening up the wounds that he inflicted on it to get its attention, hoping to do more damage and to get his shipmates to safety.

"Save yourselves, for the love of God!"

“Not happening!“ Carlisle shot back. She continued to press the buttons on all her hyposprays, reflexively pressing them long after they were empty out of sheer determination, like someone who is determined to empty a gun in rapid succession.

The door to the transporter room opened and Amanda stepped in, she was immediately hit by the myriad of smells in the room, salt water, Andorian blood, weird sea creature blood. "What the...." She called out when she saw the tentacle and the chaotic scene before her. Quickly raising her phaser she waited a few moments for the right opportunity and hit it with a blast of heavy stun.

The high-pitched woosh from the burnt orange phaser beam echoed within the transporter bay and continued while the prolonged stream impacted the tentacle's outer flesh but was seemingly absorbed without the desired immediate placation. Instead, the large severed member recoiled then slithered back toward the nearest bulkhead where it coiled up in a defensive posture. Slowly and barely perceptibly, its tip drooped then re-raised several times while it internally battled the concoction of alien pharmaceuticals and weaponry effects.

Hovar's adrenaline was still in high phase as he gazed with fury upon the monster. It was wounded, and there was no point in Hovar going into going for the kill. The Klingon slowly but surely backed up off of the transporter pads, more appropriately, he was limping off of the area that...thing can be transported away from the ship. His breathing was heavy, and his heart was pumping in his chest. His warrior pose was also defensive, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Then again, he had no idea if he had anything left in his tanks.

"Will somebody please get this thing off the ship?"

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

CMDR Morgan Tarin
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo-A

CMDR Allyndra illm Warraquim
First Officer
USS Galileo-A

LTJG Hovar Kov
Chaplain
USS Galileo-A

CPO Katja Becker
Medical Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Becker]

LTJG Nusien
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo-A

LTJG Delainey Carlisle
Chief Counselor
USS Galileo-A

LTJG Binea
Researcher
Enus Station
[PNPC Mimi]

LTJG Amanda Turell
Security Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Mimi]

EMH Mark X-C "Shirley"
Medical Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Tarin]

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