A Turn For The Worst.

Posted on Mon Sep 4th, 2017 @ 1:53pm by

800 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Unknown Life, Unknown Dangers
Location: Sickbay - Bio Contaminant Examination Room

Xavier wore a complete medical protective suit for what he was about to do. He took the sample that was collected out of stasis, if they were to combat what ever this was they needed to know how, which meant he needed to know what made it tick.

He placed the sample in a secure examination cubicle where he could work. Using mechanical arms he transferred the sample from the storage vessel to the cubicle and sealed off the entry point. Xavier started off from the basics and worked his way through a comprehensive list of measures to gauge and monitor responses both physical and at the molecular level. Some measures produced nothing, others very little and that was troubling so Xavier moved to the next stage of testing which would prove to be the start of problems to come. "So far nothing much has changed, energy output is next to zero, no apparent change. I'm going to try radiation."

"But this thing feeds off radiation Doctor."

"I know, but unless we determine what kind of radiation, we can't come up with anything to help. Phasers are energy, energy is radiation in effect. Shooting it works at that moment but where else does it grow?" Xavier replied.

Radiation. Most types of radiation had a cure, if he could find out what kind of radiation this thing fed off of, he could find a way to poison it, contaminate it in a way that would prove harmful to it. While radiation proved very responsive it seemed to grow and rapidly. Radiation at least most types had a cure, a treatment but monitors were already showing sharp rises in cell growth and mutation. Xavier had not given it much radiation at all, a few types of radiation but not much but it seemed what ever this was had stored what it had absorbed to a point and used it to grow...rapidly.

"Growth patterns are growing rapidly, cell multiplication is beyond anything I've ever seen. Membrane manipulation is extraordinary."

Trying several types of anti radiation treatments seemed to slow its growth only slightly. Already the small slice had grown to the size of a fist with wafer like limbs as it felt its way around the cubicle. At this stage the anti radiation treatments were having diminishing returns and yet the sample continued to grow. "I'm coming out." Xavier spoke as he headed to the vacuum doors. His fingers were just about to touch the panel when a crack was heard. Xavier rushed to the container to see the growing organism thrashing about the cubicle, the crack was caused by extream cold, frost had gathered around a corner of the cubicle. What ever it was, was capable of temperature fluctuations.

"You can't, the cubicle has been compromised, the doors are on lock down." His observing Nurse spoke over the intercom.

"Put a force field around the cubicle." Xavier spoke and watched it take hold around it. "How is it holding." The forcefield would not hold and he knew that.

"Integrity down to 87%, estimated breach in 6 minutes."

Xavier knew he was trapped unless he could verify that no contamination had escaped from the damage. "Verify my results as I take them."

"Quickly. If integrity gets too low you can't get out."

What ever it was, was reacting to his presence as Xavier ran his scans it leapt at him, flatting itself against the glass before pulling away. "Seems to be aware of me, did you see that?"

"Yeah, clear signs of intelligence. You better hurry, temperatures inside are dropping rapidly."

"Raise the internal temperature." Xavier knew that he could not activate the sterilisation protocols with a compromised cubicle. "Inform the Bridge that we may have a problem." Xavier knew it was just time, a matter of before the container holding what ever this thing was would fail.....and he was trapped in here with it.

"More time but not much." The Nurse called over the link. "73%. Hurry."

As Xavier worked the thing continued to grow, taking on form. It scurried about the vessel like an octopus searching for a way out. It repeatedly kept attacking the view window to get at Xavier. He knew that the doors would not open until the scans were completed, but time was against him. Then the news came in.

"It's no use." The Nurse spoke. "Doctor the cold has cracked a seal, you can't repair it. The doors wont open.

"Everyone evacuate Sickbay. Computer, erect a level 10 force field around this room." He took a few steps back. "And around myself. Inform the Bridge that Emergency Medical Quarantine protocols are in effect." Xavier was helpless now, all he could do was watch it grow, expand and develop until it broke free from the confines of its prison.

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