Amelia's inner child

Posted on 03 Jan 2021 @ 10:55pm by Lieutenant C'Tora Kuroka & Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Commander Amelia Fox & Lieutenant Xu Chang Lau & Lieutenant JG Rosaline Belikov

Mission: Mission 5 - Season of the Witch?
Location: Meladoste colony
Timeline: MD4 1600
1574 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Amelia had recovered from the incident with the bear theif and now sat happily with her teddy. Every now and then, she got twinges from her swolen belly. Wow... I've really got a baby in there... she tought to herself. I wonder how it got in there? Now, interupting her thougths was some kind of cat person trying to scan her or something.

" Hello Amelia, are you alright?" Asked the cat person with pretty ribbons and bows tied into his hair. " I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to see if the baby is doing alright. This device is going to make some noise but you won't feel anything, ok?" The tricorder made it's soft humming noise and C'Tora smiled. " Good the baby is unharmed, though it's heart rate is a little elevated. May I give you a hypospray? It will help the baby and I promise it won't hurt. And if your a good girl we can go back for some tea and sweets."

Xu caught C'Tora's arm and guided him a few steps away so the two could discuss the situation out of earshot but still close enough that the pair could step in as acting Parents.
"Well Doc... What the hell is going on?"

C'Tora gave Xu a concerned look and spoke softly to her. " I am not certain what is going on right now. From what I've observed she is acting like she is eight to ten years of age. I have the standard medical field kit and I have no explanation for her or others behavior at this point. So the only two options that we really have is to get them back up to the Andromeda for a full work up and treatment or the engineers get the medical center up and running so we can try to work it out down here."

C'Tora held up a hand. " I know that sending them to the ship would be easier and faster, But.....What do we know about this Illness? Is it transmitted by touch? By air? Is it a virus? Will it spread to infect the rest of the ship if we bring someone back? I know transporter bio filters screen out most anything harmful but there are times some things have made it through. Is this one of them? We may have to quarantine ourselves to the planet until this is solved."

Amelia watched the conversation between the other two without much real interest. She had her teddy and that was good enough... for now. However, someone had mentioned sweets.

"I'm bored." she called out. "Can I have sweets now? Pleeeeease?"

"I can't get hold of the Captain... I'm worried that the same thing might be happening to the other team as well" Xu voiced a concern that she assumed would have been one the medical officer shared. "We may not be able to transport up and Andromeda is unable to transport equipment down... What if they could send a shuttle on Auto pilot with the medical equipment you need, we could easily convert the cargo compartment of a runabout into a suitable lab for you!"

" That is an excellent suggestion Xu!!" C'Tora exclaimed. " Wouldn't have to wait for the engineers to bring the medical center online and it has it's own enclosed environment." He looked at Xu and nodded in Amelia's direction and spoke loud enough for her to hear. " She has been a very well behaved young lady, I think we should take her back to where the others are and get her those sweets. Wouldn't you agree?"

Xu was moving towards Amelia, her hand out stretched as if to take the other women's hand and lead her someplace. "Come on sweetheart, if we go back to a runabout we can replicate your something, anything you want!"

Amelia smiled at her. "Ok." She said as she took the offered hand and skipped along with her to the Runabout holding onto her teddy with her other hand.

C'Tora walked along behind them and shook his head, wondering what was the cause of the unexplained behavior and making plans for getting a blood sample and a detailed brain scan to study the effects of the unknown ailment. He followed them into the runabout and continued to observe her behavior.

Xu passed Amelia's hand on to C'Tora before sliding down into the chair in front of the pilots console. "You go with the Doctor now Amelia and he'll show you the replicator, you can order whatever you want!"

C'Tora walked over to the replicator and turned to Amelia. "So how hungry are you?"

Amelia replied "I'm sooo hungry for some reason. Can I have a cheeseburger and chips and baked beans and fizzy pop please?"

" Of course you may." Said C'Tora. He programed the replicator. " Cheeseburger, Chips, Baked beans and a fizzy pop with burger fixings on the side. And I'll have a half kilo rare beef patty with cheese wrapped in lettuce and a large coffee." The machine hummed and delivered the requested items. " There you are." As he placed the plate on the table. C'Tora popped the Lettuce wrapped burger into his mouth and downed it in a few quick bites. " Ah..Nice snack." and sipped his coffee. " Is the burger to your liking?"

Amelia was already inhaling the burger and just nodded with a big grin on her face, then returned to eating.

Xu watched the two and waited for them to be far enough away so Amelia couldn't over hear what was being said on the communication channel.
"Chang-Lau to Andromeda".

“Andromeda here, go ahead” Rose replied, happy to be receiving a report finally

"We seem to have a bit of a situation here Lieutenant. Lieutenant Fox seems to have been struck with... I don't know what. Some kind of child like afflication, I can't say more than that. We need medical equipment sending down so the Doctor can start investigating but we need it brought down on a shuttle on auto pilot... We cannot risk this whatever it is, infection for lack of a better term getting loose up there!"
Xu she waited for a reply, biting her lower lip.

Rose thought over the request for a moment. They’d already sent two shuttles down and she understood Lieutenant Lau’s concerns over contamination of the ship. Taking a deep breath, Rose replied, “I cannot do that Lieutenant. However, I can send the medical equipment down to you packed into a probe. We will need to find an appropriate site for the probe to land. Any suggestions?” She asked, trying to think around her own concerns. She worried the whole away team may be infected by this condition or under some other influence.

"Our current landing site is the only suitable site for several miles... It should be large enough if you can have someone drop it as close to this location as possible!"
Xu looked back towards C'Tora and Amelia before addressing Rose again. "I will try and track down the Captain and report in and I will have the Doctor send up his required medical equipment list!"

"understood, we're standing by" Rose replied

Xu bid farewell knowing that Rose would send the supplies down timely, she just hoped this was timely enough. Next was to use the Runabouts communications array to try and reach the Captain.

"Chang-Lau to Captain Reynolds, can you read me?"

=^=Loud and clear Lieutenant and that's pretty impressive as we are climbing a hill. What's going on?=^= he asked.

"Captain, we have a slight problem. Lieutenant Fox seems to be... reverting to a childlike state, it mirrors the colonists we've seen. Doctor C'Tora and I are with her and we have spoken to Andromeda, full medical supplies are on the way down... The Doctor at this point cannot rule anything out!"
Her final statement weighed with implication and she hoped that the commlink to the Captain carried that same gravitas. All Xu could think about was the black death on Earth in the dark ages, the Talerian Plague, Centorious run in with the Symbaline Blood Burn... She could be over thinking and nothing would be concrete until Lieutenant Fox could be scanned in detail.

While Amelia ate, C'Tora quickly typed in the listing of items at the computer console and where he could keep an eye on Amelia at the same time. It wouldn't do to let her be unattended at this time. He transmitted the list of required items to the Andromeda and then transmitted it again with the added post. Back up list in case the first one was garbled in transmission.

=^=I take it the docs not found any coloration between it happening to Morgan too. Lieutenant I'm going to need you to keep an eye on both of them in the interim while we are visiting the natives. Make sure that Lieutenant Belikov also knows the situation and she ensures nothing further comes down now. I think until we know more we need to quarantine down here and not risk any further possible contamination with the ship.=^=

"Acknowledged sir. Lieutenant Belikov is aware and sending down the medial supplies on auto pilot so the Doctor can start his analysis!"
Had the Captain just put her in a Command position? She brushed it away knowing the situation was exceptional. "I will keep you posted sir!"

=^=Appreciated Lieutenant. Reynolds out.=^=