Chapter 4 What's inside matters

On the planet everything was as Britnaay had described it. Had it not been for the environmentalsuits and the fact that she knew three of her crewmembers were dying, Eleanor would have enjoyed a visit to this planet.

"Danar, start scanning for anything that could have caused this disease."

Danar started his scan and Eleanor took the time to take a look around. She could not understand how anything on this planet could be deadly, but she did know that this was not a place she would recommend for colonization now.

"Captain!"

"Yes."

"Come take a look at this."

"What have you got?"

"I scanned the air, since that is the most probable reason. They all breathed the air and we cannot assume that they all came in touch with exactly the same elements beyond that. Now a standard scan reveals nothing unusual in the air, but when you set it to scan on a micro cellular level this comes up."

Eleanor looked at his tricorder and saw some very small spots displayed, but she had no idea what it meant.

"What is that?"

"Micro organisms, they live in different semi-fluidic air environments and go directly into the bloodstream when a humanoid is near. Now usually we would be able to detect them, but these little monsters are just too small, there was no way to know."

"Well is there a cure?"

There was a long silent pause and Danar looked down at the earth.

"Danar?"

"I don't know, I've never seen or even heard of them this small. I just don't know, I'm sorry Captain."

"It's okay, at least we have the cause for this now. Let's just get back to the ship and maybe the doctor can find some answers."

"Yes Sir."

Danar got to his feet and just as he did a wild bird came souring down and attacked him. He struggled to get it of him but in the end Eleanor had to phaser it off. When she did they both heard the voice of the computer inside the suit.

"Warning, the confinements of the environmentalsuit have been breached, imminent danger."

"Ricards to Dynamo, get us out of here."

* * *

It only took seconds, but Danar had been infected. After they returned to the ship Danar, Eleanor and the doctor started working on a cure. Two hours later Danar fell into a coma. The task seemed hopeless, Eleanor and Matt searched everything in the medical database, but as Danar had pointed out, there was nothing about the creatures at this size.

"Why don't you take a break Captain?"

"No, we have to get to the bottom of this."

"You need rest, we've been at it for a long time now."

"I´ll take a break in half an hour, promise."

"Okay."

* * *

Eleanor had just checked on things on the bridge and now she was on her way back to sickbay. She had renewed hope; she had a feeling that they would find the cure very soon. When she entered sickbay Matt was standing at Britnaays bed looking down at her.

"How are they doing Matt?" He looked up at Eleanor, but his face was not hopeful, it was moist. Matt had been crying.

"I'm sorry, I did everything I could."

"What do you mean?"

"They went one after the other, Britnaay was the last to go. Their deaths were painless. There was nothing we could have done for them, they just shouldn't have gone down to that planet in the first place."

Eleanor pushed past Matt and went over to Britnaays side. It was as if she could not believe his words, she had to see it for herself. Britnaay was lying very still, her face was white as snow and her lips were blue. Very slowly the tears started to roll down Eleanors face. She picked up Britnaays motionless body in her arms and started rocking her back and forth while crying hysterically.

"NO. No, I killed them, It's my fault, I killed them."

"Captain."

"No, no."

"Captain, Captain wake up."

Suddenly a jolt went through Eleanors body and Britnaay was gone from her arms. Instead she was looking up at the concerned face of Matt. The dream was still fresh in her mind so she looked up at Matt with tears still in her eyes.

"I killed them."

"It was just a nightmare, they are all still alive. It was just a bad dream."

Matt very slowly put his arms around Eleanor and held her very close to him. It was kind of disregarding protocol, but at the moment Eleanor really didn't care.

"My God, you're shaking."

"They were all dead, it was horrible."

"It's okay, they are fine, it was just a dream."

Eleanor let Matt hold on to her a while longer until she had calmed down and her body stopped shaking. Then she gestured that she was fine and went over to stand by Britnaays side. Her face was pale but not white, and the lips were not blue. That made Eleanor feel a bit better. She picked up one of Britnaays hands and held it in her own. She just stood like that for a while without saying anything.

"Doctor, could you take a look at this."

The voice caught her attention. It was one of the nurses and she was standing at the monitor where Danar readings were displayed. Eleanor followed Matt over to the monitor and looked over his shoulder.

"What's wrong."

"I'm not exactly sure, I'm not really an expert in Trill physiology."

"Can I have a look?"

"Of course."

Matt stepped aside so Eleanor could access the panel. She looked at the readings and immediately recognized it.

"His Isoboramin levels have dropped to 73% of normal."

The nurse looked at Eleanor with a puzzled look on her face.

"Isoboramin?"

"It's a neuro transmitter that mediates the synaptic functions between the host and the symbiont."

Matt looked surprised but he did have a smile on his face.

"You sure do know a lot about this."

"Well, an old friend of mine from the academy is a Trill, so I kindda took an interest in it. You need to put Danar on a Benso-syadic regement, that should stabilize the condition."

"Are you sure you shouldn't have been a doctor instead?"

"I'm not an expert on all subjects, just what I need to know to help my friends."

* * *

After some time Danars Isoboramin levels started to normalize again. Eleanor was monitoring the progress while Matt was checking on the other patients.

"How are his levels?"

"Almost normal now. But after this is all over Matt, you might want to brush up on your Trill physiology."

"Believe me, I will."

"Captain."

They heard a weak voice coming from behind them, and when they turned to look they saw Danar. Wide awake and trying to sit up. They both hurried over to help him.

"Danar. are you all right?"

"I think so, but how?"

Matt ran his medical tricorder over Danar and looked very flabbergasted.

"Amazing. The virus is completely gone from his body."

"But how is that possible? I was infected just like the others, and they are still in a coma."

"I might have a theory on that one."

"Another expert opinion Eleanor?"

"No, just a theory. Danar, while you were in the coma your Isoboramin levels dropped to 73% of normal."

"Really? That usually only happens when the host has tissue damage."

"Yes I know. But what if the symbiont reacted to the virus. You said it yourself, the organisms attack the humanoid bloodstream. Now since the symbionts physiology is a bit different it might not have been affected by the virus. And realizing that the host was not going to survive this virus over the long term."

". it activated the drop in Isoboramin to force a rejection and save itself."

"Exactly Matt, I see you do know something about it."

"I'm still not following here. You're saying that my symbiont intentionally tried to be rejected and put into a new host."

"The symbionts are very intelligent, even before they are joined to the first host. It was just trying to protect itself."

"But what healed me then?"

"I actually believe it was the Benso-syadic regement. Somehow this Trill medicine had what was needed to kill the virus. Matt, do you think this treatment will work on the others as well?"

"I don't know. But I do know that I can't possibly harm them, so I´d say it's worth a try."

"Well do it then."

* * *

After the Benso-syadic regement had been administered to the rest of the patients all they could do was monitor them and wait for the outcome. Eleanor was a bit nervous that it wouldn't work after all, but then.

"Eleanor!"

Matt was calling from Jesads bed, and when Eleanor turned to look she saw that Jesad was sitting up. She went over there with a smile on her face.

"Mr. Jesad, nice to see you again."

"The doctor was just telling me of the most cunning way you handled this situation, I am most impressed."

"Thank you Jesad. Doctor, is he okay again?"

"Healthy as a hoarse."

Matt smiled and went over to see to Tessa who was starting to wake up.

Eleanor went over to Britnaays bed. She took her hand and helped her to a sitting position. Then she gave her a big hug despite the fact that she knew people were watching. She held on to her a little while, just happy that she was alive, then she let go again.

"What happened?."

"It's a long story, I'll tell you later."

* * *

Captains log, Stardate 48315.0. The sick crewmembers have now fully recovered from their ordeal and I have sent a detailed report to Starfleet about the planet. We also launched a warning beacon around the planet, alerting all ship to stay of the surface. We are now back on course to explore the Gamma quadrant and I have called my senior staff together for a less than official event.

* * *

Britnaay was walking along the corridors of the Dynamo on her way to Eleanors quarters. She had been summoned a few minutes ago, but Eleanor had not said what it was about.

"Commander!"

She turned to see Jesad catching up to her.

"Mr. Jesad, are you also going to see the captain?"

"Indeed. I was summoned just a minute ago. Do you know what this is about?"

"Nope, not really. But if I know Eleanor I have a pretty good idea, but we will see when we get there."

A minute later Britnaay and Jesad arrived at Eleanors quarters and entered on command. Danar, Matt, Tessa and D`Anit were already there. Eleanor put on a big smile when she saw them.

"Good, we were only waiting for you. Please take a seat around the table all of you."

They all sat down around a big round, green table.

"I would like a certain closeness on this ship, as I feel it increases work efficiency. I know as well as anyone that it doesn't just appear out of nowhere. But I have a favored activity that helps to create closeness and I have heard that it works on other ships. I have called you all here to participate in this activity. I will of course teach you the game if it is not known to you."

"And what game would that be Captain?"

"Poker."

There were confused looks all around the table and Britnaay tried to hide a smile with one of her hands. Eleanor broke the silence and started shuffling a deck of cards she had hidden under the table.

"Okay, the game is five card stud, nothing wild, nothing fancy. And the sky is the limit."

The End.

Stand by for a new mission with the crew of the USS Dynamo.