No rest for the weary
Posted on Wed Sep 3rd, 2025 @ 9:39am by Captain Daegan Baas & Lieutenant JG V'Laros & Petty Officer 2nd Class Sizia Sh'velihr [Baas] & Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome
Edited on on Wed Sep 3rd, 2025 @ 11:14am
2,664 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
What was Lost is Found
Timeline: MD 2 1700 & MD 4 1330
Following the staff meeting both Sizia and V'Laros headed to the medical center to pay Yaotome a visit. She had been in quarantine until just before the meeting of the senior staff so this was their first opportunity to get to see her face to face.
They had presented the Captain a preliminary report and there was still more analysis to do. V'Laros had been up since this all began, but could go another 48 hours. Sizia was looking tired and the Captain had ordered he to get some rest but wanted to stop in to see Yaotome prior to going to sleep.
Having been clear for visitation so they were able to enter the recovery area directly from the corridor without have to work their way through medical.
As they entered Sizia perked up see her finishing up her dinner. "How the food in this place?"
"Pretty standard." Urushi replied. "Standard replicator food as per usual. Although I'm getting O'Riley to look at the replicator in here, I'm pretty sure it's programmed deliberately to make things taste bland."
Smiling Sizia handed her a padd. "Well this should give you something to do while you're stuck here."
V'Laros interjected, "Indeed, we just cam from a meeting of the senior staff. While we were unable to provide a full report on the make up of the Defiled we we able to provide a preliminary report as well as provide an approximate path taken by the asteroid that brought the Defiled contagion to the Pricari world."
"So it's been identified as a contagion. That's a good start," Urushi responded. "Perhaps we can utilize the sickbay's lab. Its got more specialist equipment we can use."
"Well an exact classification has yet to be made as the analysis is still on going, but contagion seemed to be to most accurate for the time being. If we were able to acquire a sample of testing..."
"I'd rather you didn't." Urushi said sternly. "Those things overwhelmed and entire planet. We're safe as long as they're not on the ship." She warned. "Please, don't bring one on board."
V'Laros nodded, even though she was not officially back on duty there was no need to create friction, "Understood. In the meantime I will continue my analysis. I would recommend the Petty Officer Sh'velihr here be ordered to her quarters. I do not believe she has slept since her return to the ship."
"There's only one person that can do that..." Urushi said. She simply pointed to the doctors office. "And he's in there..."
Sizia jumped, "Fiiine. I will go to bed. No need to loose the Doctor's on me."
Urushi chuckled. "Don't worry about me. Just carry on as usual. I'm in good hands here. But don't overdo it, you need to look after yourselves too."
[Bridge - MD 4 1330 hours]
It had been a few days now since Urushi had been injured, submitted to sickbay, operated upon and finally released. A lot had happened and she was now ready to return to duty. At least, that was the plan for the young Trill Science Officer. During her recovery time in sickbay, she had kept herself distracted by writing a very detailed and intensive report and her own analysis of what the team had discovered. She had even written condolence letters to those who sadly lost their lives under her command (a task that weighed heavy on her heart).
Finding herself outside the captains ready room, a PADD in her hands she rang the chime. She hoped that Captain Baas wouldn't be angry or annoyed at her absolute failure of leading an away team.
[Ready Room]
Daegan didn't look up from the holo-monitor as the chime sounded but still acknowledged it. "Enter" Seeing who was standing at the door he closed out and stood. "Good to see you back on your feet. How are you feeling?"
"I could be better, but nothing a little time won't fix," Urushi smiled. "Plus, I'm suck of sitting around doing nothing. So I've put together a full report on the away mission for you... I erm..." she paused. "I apologize for screwing it up."
Taking the padd with the full report. "Thank you." He set it aside and leaned back. "Just how did you 'screw it up'?"
Urushi swayed slightly on her feet. "I should have been more observant. We knew there were potential hostiles and it was an enclosed space." She explained. "Tactically that set us at a disadvantage from the start. Looking back we shouldn't have even considered going deeper, but the idea of finding out what happened was far too appeasing."
She took a deep breath. "Also, I should have ordered a retreat immediately. However it was a stray phaser shot that caused the cave in. That resulted in the deaths of a teammate and on top of that I was also injured."
Once again she paused. "I understand it's was an ambush, but overall I feel responsible for what happened. If it had been my previous host Haruk leading that team it would have been different. I'm not a security or tactical officer, but even I know there was a chance we could have predicted that ambush and planned accordingly...." she pointed to the PADD. "Its all in the report as well, I ran the numbers." She looked down at the floor. "I also presume that this hurts my application and chances at the Second Officer position."
Before doing anything he gestured to the chair. "Please sit down, don't need you falling down from pushing yourself too hard."
Urushi sheepishly sat down in the chair as told.
"Now, You're mission was to gather as much information as possible on the Defiled, to include the possibility of recovering any part of the Pricari archive. According to the others there was no sign of the Defiled until you reached the lower levels just before the attack. So tactically, there was no reason to retreat was there?"
The Trill Science Officer pondered for a moment. "Thinking of it that way, then no. But I put everyone's safety at risk by proceeding into an area which showed signs of the Defiled being present." She paused . "The best way to describe it is... it was like some sort of nest. With biological matter growing on and around the walls." She looked away for a brief second. "I know we're recovered some information, I hope it helps with discovering what happened. But I know that I had an... uneasy 'feeling' about the place. Call it intuition, I knew that there was something down there. However I'm a science officer so coming to conclusions on anything but facts and evidence is not what we do." She looked at Baas. "I know differently now. I should trust my instincts more... After all they are part of us due to millions of years of evolution right? That's science too?"
Daegan shook his head. "If every officer turned around at the first hint of trouble humans would have never left their system and the Federation would have never been. I believe it was Admiral Kirk that said 'Risk is our business'."
He let that sink in a moment before continuing. "Accidents happen, people are injured...even killed. And to be honest, the only thing putting your appointment to second officer at risk is your self-doubt and second guessing of what had happened. And I also have a feeling Captain Haruk would agree with me."
Urushi smiled. "I guess you're right. But I can't help it..." she said her tone a little more cheerful. "You see, even though Haruks memories, knowledge and experiences are part of me now. I'm still Urushi." Once again she paused. "I'm still a science officer, so naturally I reflect on my actions. After an experiment has concluded, reflecting on the conclusions and discoveries is sometimes the most important part. Then when attempting the experiment again, or something similar you can use that reflection to come to better conclusions." Her gaze met Daegans. "Surely that can be applied to command? I wouldn't call it second guessing. I'd call it learning and developing from past mistakes and experiences. That's how we learn isn't it? How we develop as a species and culture..." she placed a hand on her belly. "We as Trill carry our symbiots to gain those experiences, to carry on the memories of previous hosts and pass them on. In turn we shouldn't ignore our past experiences, or those gifted to us by our symbiots. I don't know how many previous lives you've lived Captain, but I'm only young, in both host and symbiot. I still have a lot to learn about this universe we live in. However I also know I have a lot I can contribute, not just from Haruk. But also as myself, Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome."
"All true, but everyone needs to learn from their mistake in order to grow, regardless of who they are. However, while a scientific approach can be helpful it does always work for command. In science you experiment, look at the results and strive to prove or disprove a hypothesis. Command isn't an experiment. You make decisions, some times life and death decisions based on your experience and the information you have at hand. Something everything goes smoothly, other times things go to hell, and then there are time things go extremely bad. The thing is is you can make all the right decisions, dot every 'i' and cross every 't' and things can still go wrong.
"All you can, all we can do now is make sure we make the most of the information we collected and ensure that this type of thing doesn't happen to anyone else...or else the our people died in vein."
Urushi nodded. "I'm going to give it my all sir. I know not everything is an experiment... Its just my way of understanding it." She told him. "I do have one request..." she looked him dead straight in the eyes. "If you will allow it sir. I would like to be the one to write to the families of those we lost. I was the officer in command. It's a responsibility I must bear, one I need to do." She told him, the seriousness in her voice becoming more evident than ever. If she didn't look or sound like Urushi, one could easily say those words were coming from the deep experiences of Captain Haruk Leon, nestled amongst Urushi's compassion and guilt. "Please Captain. Let me take this burden. I should be the one."
He could understand that feeling, having made similar requests while he was on the Thunderbird and the Avalon. "Well I have already prepared my letters to the families, but I have sent them yet so go ahead and write yours as well. Just send them to Sizia and she can see that they are sent together."
"Yes sir." Urushi nodded. "Do you need anything else from me whilst I am here? I am due to return to duty today." She asked.
Standing he came around to sit on the corner of the desk next to her. "Just one thing, get some rest. The way you were swaying earlier I thought you were going to fall there for a minute."
"Oh... yeah... I do that when I think. Force of habit..." She replied. "I'll get plenty of rest before tomorrow. I'm more resilient than you think."
Baas smiled. "Of that I have no doubt, but still you and your symbiont have just had surgery. Take the rest of the day to rest and try to relax."
Urushi nodded. "Yes sir. If that's what you're telling me to do." She replied admitting defeat. "But seriously there's no need to worry about me. I'm still young and resilient."
He grinned, "Well since the Doctor released you and you obviously feel you're up to it, by all means resume your duties Lieutenant."
Urushi nodded. "Yes sir, and thankyou sir." She gave him a soft smile before turning and leaving the ready room.
After she had left he picked up the padd with the final report on the Defiled based on their current information.
Defiled - Final Analysis of current data
The Defiled lifeform/contagion is the result of a highly coded strain of recombinant DNA programming those infected to spread it kind via genetic memory.
The spread of the 'Defiled' is the result of a two stage process.
Stage 1: Exposure
1. Due to its complex nature, direct contact is needed to transfer the recombinant DNA. Based on statements of the surface away team and recovered video footage, impalement or biting are most likely the primary methods of transmission, but contact with and absorption of contaminated fluids could also lead to infection.
2. Once infected the subject is terminal. Computer simulations showed no known lifeform capable of resisting the virus's recombinant nature.
3. If the subject is not killed outright by one of the Defiled, the infection will first kill the subject within a few minutes or less. As parts of the subject begin to die the transformation process will being. This would be extraordinarily painful for the victim if the nervous system is even partially intact.
Stage 2: Transformation
1. Once the new host is dead the recombinant properties of the infection instantly take hold. The process is extraordinarily rapid, and violent. Cellular functions go into self-destructive overdrive, creating new biologically reactive compounds which are then metabolized by the newly reanimated flesh to fuel further mutations.
Bones are broken and put together in new configurations or reshaped into entirely new forms, organs are repurposed or broken down to be reshaped into a form more appropriate to their function within the outbreak.
The transformation can take place in a matter of seconds, and the process generates tremendous amounts of heat. The violently spasming corpse can become so hot that stagnant blood actually begin to cook with in the veins and arteries, rupturing the surface tissues. Formerly vital organs (such as brain, lungs, digestive system, etc.) that are no longer needed are broken down and turned into additional musculature, giving all Defiled variants increased physical strength.
Method of nutrition and metabolism: Current theory - Some form of self sustaining and hyper-efficient autophagy
Variants and Mega creatures: Specific purpose for the variants found in the Pricari records is unknown but each seems to aid in the spread of the contagion.
Method for the creation of the large scale variants reported by members of the surface away team is unknown. However, based on sensor scans, tricorder data, and given the mutational capabilities of the Defiled, it has been theorized that the various smaller types join together to form larger being and continue to be absorbed to form larger and larger versions. For what purpose - Unknown.
Other Observations: It should be noted that while the majority of the planet was being overgrown with plant life there was no such plant life in proximity to the mega form encountered by the surface team. Subsequent scans of the vicinity where the mega creature was encountered was devoid of any and all forms of life.
It is being theorized that these mega forms could be capable of absorbing the biomatter and energy from plant life and continue to enlarge itself until the surface is incapable of sustaining vegetation. The resulting mega-Defiled would of a size not ever before encountered.
Setting the padd aside he was curious as well as hesitant to see what one of these fully developed things would look like...if their theory pans out. He also saw the possibility of a few 'I told you so's from a few people. He forwarded the final report to the senior staff for their next meeting.
Captain Deagan Baas
CO
Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome
Chief Science Officer
Lieutenant JG V'Laros
Science Officer
Petty Officer 2 Sizia Sh'velihr
Yeoman / Science trainee
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