Chief Engineer's Log

[Dumbass 0]

Rhoz had previously ordered me to check out the biofilters on the Tyderium II's transporter pads, thinking the parasite infecting BcH and KBear might have been beamed aboard that way.  I was a bit suspicious of the order, having originally been told to check the main ship transporters and what turned out to be a fictitious power fluctuation in the MRF.  However, an order is an order.  I reluctantly obeyed, but not seriously expecting to find anything of note.

 

A comprehensive diagnostic found the Tyderium II's transporter systems to be operating at peak efficiency, biofilters and all.  If the shuttle transporters did beam up the parasites with the crew then the parasites must have been camoflaged as something as benign as digestive bacteria, common cold viruses, or any one of a number of microbes that the biofilters are programmed to disregard as a matter of routine.  We can program the biofilters to add this new...  thing...  to the list of "red flag" items.  To do this, however, we need a sample of the parasite's DNA and so far the MRF has been unable to extract this.

 

I'm not a doctor, or even a scientist, but it seems unlikely that a microscopic organism could grow into a parasite large enough to incapacitate an otherwise healthy Klingon in such a short span of time.  The most likely alternative is that it was beamed up with the beasts the hunting party killed. Animals living in the wild would be expected to have more diseases and other biological impurities than intelligent life so there are not as many safety protocols in place when beaming prey up as a matter of necessity.  BcH and Kawalas probably contracted the parasites when they inspected their prey on the ship but before the EMH/Cook had a chance to inspect the suitability of the meat for consumption.  I advised Rhoz of this possibility.  Without a sample of the parasites, however, no one can be sure.

 

::encodes next paragraph with encryption algorithim::

 

I had some work to do on the holodeck simulation project so I headed to Main Engineering to get started.  Narn seemed eager to discuss something with me and announced he was coming down.  He seemed particularly urgent.  Narn may be self-assured to the point of arrogance but he's not stupid.  He must know by now I suspect he and Rhoz and possibly Ramjep are conspiring on something and I think I'm about to find out what.