DISCALIMER: Not mine - never will be.
NOTE: OK, my medical knowledge is VERY limited. (I barely know how to put a plaster on). I don't even know if what's wrong with Trip is possible, but Star Trek is SCIENCE FICTION. Think about those two words for a minute, and you'll realise it doesn't matter if what I've written is complete rubbish. Oh, the joys of Science Fiction!! ;)
TRIP'S WAR - Chapter Six
Phlox had met them in the launch bay and Trip, Malcolm and Pete had accompanied him back to sickbay. Hoshi had gone to her quarters and Archer had gone to inform T'Pol of what was happening, even though he wasn't entirely sure himself.
After telling T'Pol what had happened, he had gone to his quarters and changed into his uniform. He was about to record his log when Phlox called him over the comm. Archer turned of the computer and left for sickbay.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Archer saw Phlox standing next to the bio-bed in which Trip was lying. "Doctor?" he asked, walking towards the bed. "You wanted to see me?"
"Indeed, Captain." Phlox said, turning away from the bed.
"Where's Pete?" Archer asked, noticing the Vulcan wasn't in the room.
"He had assisted me all he could. Mr Reed escorted him to the Mess Hall, I believe."
Archer nodded. "Did you find anything?"
"Commander Tucker seems to be suffering from a genetic disorder," Phlox said, walking over to his work surface. He motioned for Archer to follow him. "It seems to be primarily effecting the Adenine and Thiamine base pair within the DNA structure." He indicated for Archer to look through the microscope. Archer did so. "In turn the mRNA is being prevented form carrying out............."
"Doctor," Archer interrupted. "Is there a simpler way of explaining this?"
"Of course." Phlox said, smiling. "To put it simply, Mr Tucker's DNA isn't replicating itself. This basically means his body is shutting down."
"Shutting down?" Archer asked.
Phlox nodded. "The human body cannot survive unless transcription takes place."
"Can you do anything?" Archer asked.
"It'll take time." Phlox said. "I think I may be able to come up with a prohibiter. That should work while I try and find a more permanent solution."
Archer nodded his thanks to the doctor and turned to leave.
"Captain?" Phlox called after him.
Archer turned to face the doctor.
"I strongly believe in doctor-patient confidentiality. However, there is something I think you should see."
"What?" Archer asked, walking back to where Phlox was standing.
"Before you arrived, I was examining Mr Tucker." He said, walking over to the bio-bed.
Archer followed. Now closer, he could see that Trip wasn't wearing a shirt, and was lying on his side.
Archer stood so he was facing Trip's back. Phlox walked around and stood opposite Archer. He pulled the sheet down to Trip's waist level.
Archer was too shocked to say anything. Across Trip's back was a criss- cross pattern of scars. Not knowing what to say, he simply looked at the doctor.
Phlox gently rolled Trip onto his back. Archer saw numerous scars on Trip's chest, but not like the ones on his back. "Can you tell where they came from?" he asked.
"I can hazard a guess." Phlox said, pulling the sheet up to cover Trip. "But I suspect you already have a good idea."
Archer nodded. "Thank you, Doctor." He said.
Phlox nodded and Archer left to find some answers.
A/N: Wow. That's the shortest chapter I ever written (I think.....).
Anyways - sorry about all the technical crap. Like I said before, I'm rubbish a medical stuff (shoulda thought of that BEFORE I started the story - DOH!).
LYL, Jen.
PS - Some people have emailed me about the title. No, it's not about Trip getting better. There's a whole lotta complex plot coming up people - joy!! (Murder, kidnap, violence etc - the whole shebang!)
NOTE: OK, my medical knowledge is VERY limited. (I barely know how to put a plaster on). I don't even know if what's wrong with Trip is possible, but Star Trek is SCIENCE FICTION. Think about those two words for a minute, and you'll realise it doesn't matter if what I've written is complete rubbish. Oh, the joys of Science Fiction!! ;)
TRIP'S WAR - Chapter Six
Phlox had met them in the launch bay and Trip, Malcolm and Pete had accompanied him back to sickbay. Hoshi had gone to her quarters and Archer had gone to inform T'Pol of what was happening, even though he wasn't entirely sure himself.
After telling T'Pol what had happened, he had gone to his quarters and changed into his uniform. He was about to record his log when Phlox called him over the comm. Archer turned of the computer and left for sickbay.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Archer saw Phlox standing next to the bio-bed in which Trip was lying. "Doctor?" he asked, walking towards the bed. "You wanted to see me?"
"Indeed, Captain." Phlox said, turning away from the bed.
"Where's Pete?" Archer asked, noticing the Vulcan wasn't in the room.
"He had assisted me all he could. Mr Reed escorted him to the Mess Hall, I believe."
Archer nodded. "Did you find anything?"
"Commander Tucker seems to be suffering from a genetic disorder," Phlox said, walking over to his work surface. He motioned for Archer to follow him. "It seems to be primarily effecting the Adenine and Thiamine base pair within the DNA structure." He indicated for Archer to look through the microscope. Archer did so. "In turn the mRNA is being prevented form carrying out............."
"Doctor," Archer interrupted. "Is there a simpler way of explaining this?"
"Of course." Phlox said, smiling. "To put it simply, Mr Tucker's DNA isn't replicating itself. This basically means his body is shutting down."
"Shutting down?" Archer asked.
Phlox nodded. "The human body cannot survive unless transcription takes place."
"Can you do anything?" Archer asked.
"It'll take time." Phlox said. "I think I may be able to come up with a prohibiter. That should work while I try and find a more permanent solution."
Archer nodded his thanks to the doctor and turned to leave.
"Captain?" Phlox called after him.
Archer turned to face the doctor.
"I strongly believe in doctor-patient confidentiality. However, there is something I think you should see."
"What?" Archer asked, walking back to where Phlox was standing.
"Before you arrived, I was examining Mr Tucker." He said, walking over to the bio-bed.
Archer followed. Now closer, he could see that Trip wasn't wearing a shirt, and was lying on his side.
Archer stood so he was facing Trip's back. Phlox walked around and stood opposite Archer. He pulled the sheet down to Trip's waist level.
Archer was too shocked to say anything. Across Trip's back was a criss- cross pattern of scars. Not knowing what to say, he simply looked at the doctor.
Phlox gently rolled Trip onto his back. Archer saw numerous scars on Trip's chest, but not like the ones on his back. "Can you tell where they came from?" he asked.
"I can hazard a guess." Phlox said, pulling the sheet up to cover Trip. "But I suspect you already have a good idea."
Archer nodded. "Thank you, Doctor." He said.
Phlox nodded and Archer left to find some answers.
A/N: Wow. That's the shortest chapter I ever written (I think.....).
Anyways - sorry about all the technical crap. Like I said before, I'm rubbish a medical stuff (shoulda thought of that BEFORE I started the story - DOH!).
LYL, Jen.
PS - Some people have emailed me about the title. No, it's not about Trip getting better. There's a whole lotta complex plot coming up people - joy!! (Murder, kidnap, violence etc - the whole shebang!)