"Withdrawals"

[Avery Tynte 0]

Joint Log

 

Captain Lo'Ami

 

Lt. j.g. Dr. Avery Tynte

 

Captain Lo'Ami barely realized how long he'd been standing in sickbay. It only seemed like a few moments lost in thought. He could make out Tynte laughing, and Sema'J collapsing on the ground, and another engineer on a biobed. People walked in and out -- mostly in. There was commotion in sickbay. But, the Captain just stood, uttering a command here and there. Slowly, the fog lifted. He looked into his hand, but there was nothing there anymore.

 

Avery slowly regained control of himself and silenced the laughter; although he had to work hard to keep a small smile off his face. He looked around Sickbay and saw people he did not remember coming in. That was not a good sign. He looked up and saw the face of the captain looking at his hands. "Captain, I think we have a problem here."

 

The captain looked over at Avery, then looked around the newly crowded sickbay. Avery's voice snapped him out of the delirium that had come from the higher concentrations of root vapor in the atmosphere. "What happened in here?" He looked down at his empty hand again, then back to Avery.

 

Avery pointed to a root sample, "That is the problem."

 

Lo'Ami turned toward the root sample. "You're right. We have to get back to testing the samples to determine if they fit the Axrekravian specifications!"

 

 

 

"Captain, I have already tested the samples."

 

 

 

"That was an operation involving detailed scans from both science and engineering. How could you have possibly tested the samples yourself?" Lo’Ami asked

 

 

 

"Not that type of test, Captain. I did compositional tests to determine the make up of the root."

 

 

 

"And? The Axrekravian specifications gave us some detailed concentration limitations. We really should test more samples."

 

 

 

"Captain, are you telling me that multiple people have been exposed to this root?" Avery replied.

 

 

 

"As far as I know, myself, the entire science department, a few engineers,” he motioned towards an interior office as he spoke. "I think we should move somewhere," looks around sickbay to make sure the nurses have everything under control. "A bit more private"

 

 

 

"Your office?"

 

 

 

"Works for me," Avery said as he got up and moved towards the door. When they were both inside and the door had swished shut, he turned. "Captain have you noticed anything strange when you are around the root?"

 

 

 

"Well, the active form has a distinct smell." He then remembered what it did to Daena and Sema'J. "Some people have a severe reaction to it! That's why I'm in sickbay."

 

 

 

"Slight memory loss and loss of the ability to focus, definitely signs...." Avery seemed to be talking more to himself than Lo’Ami.

 

 

 

As the fog lifted further, the captain realized just how serious this might be. "Signs of what, doctor?"

 

 

 

As he sat at his desk Avery tried to decide how best to put it and decided straightforward was best. "It's a narcotic Captain."

 

 

 

The word hit like a ton of bricks. He repeated. "The Axrekravians made us deep sea dive for and transport a narcotic?"

 

"It has all the markers of a very potent drug captain. From what I can tell, it will affect individuals differently based on their species and chemical make up." Avery replied.

 

Putting it all together Lo’Ami said, "And sickbay is suddenly crowded because it was released into the atmosphere?"

 

 

 

"That is the best guess I can fathom Captain. I am afraid we have all been infected somehow."

 

 

 

"And I do not think all the effects are going to benign as laughter."

 

 

 

"So that's what happened to Daena and Sema'J? Will they be alright?"

 

 

 

"The drug does not really have any negatives other then the lack of focus and other odd side effects, at least none that I have seen yet. I think everyone will recover. But I have a feeling withdraws will set it." Avery knew that included himself, he was not looking forward to this.

 

The captain looked at his hand again, and then looked away. "Just how many of us were affected?"

 

 

 

"I will not know until I start treating patients."

 

 

 

"How many are in sickbay now?"

 

 

 

Avery tapped the desktop and read the number scrolling across it. "45 in Sickbay itself, calls are coming in from all over the ship though..."

 

 

 

"Then that means we're going to have a whole ship on our hands with withdrawal symptoms. And, we only released one, no, two active roots from containment."

 

 

 

"How many are in active containment?" Avery asked as he looked up from the screen.

 

"We have a few hundreds of tons." Lo'Ami remembered the difference in the root samples' smells. "But not all of them may be biologically active."

 

"Ok, I need to start treating patients. I would recommend that while I do that you start finding out how much of the stuff is active."

 

 

 

"I have a feeling that's what the Axrekravians want to know too."

 

 

 

Avery just nodded. "Captain, I have to ask you another question." He seemed a bit uncomfortable as he said it.

 

"Go ahead," the captain said; he was anxious to get back to surveying their root supply.

 

 

 

"How long have you been exposed to the root and how much have you been using since? I remind you that I am a doctor and whatever you say stays in this room."

 

 

 

The captain thought back. "I was there with Ensign Phoenix when we tested the first root. It exploded when we brought it out of containment. Then, the second set of tests in the hydroponics bay with Lts. Daena and Sema'J." He paused. "And I've been carrying around a sample with me since the first test."

 

 

 

"Why have you been carrying it?"

 

 

 

Lo'Ami thought about it for a few moments. "I don't know."

 

 

 

"This is going to be a hard time, captain...for us all."

 

 

 

"Then, we have very little time until withdrawal sets in to get a handle on it."

 

 

 

Avery just nodded and stood. "I better get started. I'll keep you informed."

 

 

 

Lo'Ami nodded and left sickbay for the hydroponics bay. The clock was ticking.