Cutting The Puppet Master's Strings

Posted on Tuesday 2 April 2019 @ 19:40 by Commander Caroline Miller & Lieutenant Michael Ki MD

Mission: The New Collective
Location: Sick Bay
Timeline: Immidiately Following "This Brain's Not Big Enough for Both of Us!"
2155 words - 4.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Michael beamed into Sick Bay with Stephanie. His patient was unconcious and laid out on the surgical bed. He knew that Caroline Miller would be along soon to assist.

The issue at hand was that Michael had a theory on how to be rid of the Puppet Master but he needed to be sure before he risked Stephanie's life. He turned to the on duty nurse. "Prepare the patient for immediate brain and neurological surgery. Prepare the surgical bay for the same. If the patient so much as flutters I want you to put her back under. She is under no circumstances to wake up. I will be scrubbing up." Michael's orders came fast and furious. His team was used to the way he ran the Sick Bay. Not chaotic but succinct. Everyone had a job to do and he expected them to do it perfectly.

"I'll be scrubbing up too," Caroline nodded at the nurse as she entered the room and followed Doctor Ki. "Colonel Bayushi is now under guard and observation in one of the medical rooms. I have already had a communique from Starfleet insisting on an immediate report of her experiences. They don't waste any time do they?" She asked as they entered a decom chamber.

Michael smiled and nodded to acknowledge that Caroline would be joining him for the surgery. He was happy for the help. "No they don't waste any time at all. However, they are going to have to wait until the patient is in recuperation." He smiled.

Caroline turned away as she undressed out of her uniform and started pulling on the appropriate sterile wear. The sense of familiarity of being in a decom cycle brought back several memories. She had been promoted to Commander right here half dressed in front of the Captain.

"I took the Captains suggestion and had some neural inhibitors attached to her. Although going by how powerful a telepath shes supposed to be I'm not sure how effective they will be."

"Good choice. I believe the main issue here is that the personality known as the puppet master took residence in her cortical implant. It needs to be removed. The sooner the better, and in truth I am not sure even why it was put there to begin with." Michael averted his eyes and turned his back to the woman as she changed her clothes and he did the same.

"I guess we are doing more than one surgery then," Caroline mused. "How come we seem to have so many senior staff with implants that we are not really sure what they are required for?"

Michael chuckled and was glad that Caroline was able to lighten the mood. When she indicated that she was ready. Michael began the surgery. "Computer initiate a sterile field around the surgical bay. Within the restraining field please keep Lieutenant O'hara anesthetized modulate the gas as needed." The computer chimed it's response to the orders. "Well here we go. Laser scalpel please." He spoke as he held out his hand toward Caroline.

Caroline smiled and handed over the small instrument. "Laser scapel doctor."

Michael started by creating a small circular incision around the current implant. The minute the laser touched her skin the blood began to gush forth. Head wounds always bled and bled fast. "Caroline get on the suction..." As the blood began to clear Michael saw the connections from the implant into her nervous system. As he took a breath he began to sever the connections of the implant.

Caroline held the appropiate instrument allowing it to take away blood and other fluids. She made sure to keep checking levels. It would not do to have the patient bleed out on the table. "Thats seriously imbedded in her nervous system. Why does she have this? What is its offical purpose?" she asked him. He had to know from O'Hara's medical file.

"According to her file it is a simple augmentation to her brain power. It allows for enhanced computations. The implant also slightly heightens her senses. But you are correct in that she does not really need it. One wonders why it was installed to begin with." Michael replied as he began to sever the initial nural receptors.

It was fun to watch the older man, his hands nimble and quick. He was clearly as skilled in real life as she had seen on paper. Caroline kept monitoring O'Hara's vitals and handing the relevant instruments required. It was like being back at the academy in her surgical modules. Time seemed to be passing fast as they worked at uncoupling this strange implant from her tissues and nerves.

Michael's eyes darted to the vital sign readouts as they began to plummet. He wasn't sure what was going on, he needed time. However, if the readout was to be believed he did not have time. "We are going to have to transfer her vital functions to the computer so that we can acertain what is happening here. Please prepare the computer." He asked Caroline as calmly as he could, but there was a decided edge in his voice.

Caroline nodded. "Computer ready transfer of Biobed vitals to you. We need a readout on the monitor in this theatre immeditaely. Please notify alarms if blood pressure drops below 60 mm Hg and if it goes higher than what is safe for Lieutenant O'Hara's age. I want futher alarms if brain cognative function drops below purple level, a heart monitor and all lympthatic and blood systems in a L3 scan. Also all current scans on the bio bed displayed."

"You have got this doctor," Caroline said reassuringly, noting the slight tension in his voice. "We both have."

So far the surgery was going swimmingly there should not have been a single complication yet here we were. As the computer took over the job of keeping O'Hara alive Michael brought up a scan of the patient's brain. The issue was in the brain stem. It was not taking over control of the bodily functions like it should be. After about five minutes of staring at the read out Michael had a workable theory, but he needed a second opinion. "Caroline have a look at this and let me know what you make of it."

"Somethings upsetting her brain stem. Are we sure all that virus is isolated in the implant? Somethings not leaked over. Her stem should be allowing back regular function now. This is concerning," she answered.

Michael thought that Caroline had the right of it, but there was another possibility. "It could also be possible that the brain has become so reliant on the implant that it can no longer function without it. The more that I think about it the more that it could be either possibilities. The question is devising a test where we can figure out which one, and fast." Michael glanced at the computer it seemed for the time being that they were out of the woods. Stephanie O'Hara had kept the Merlin alive, and now it was the Merlin that kept the engineer alive.

"Perhaps replace it and see if a new implant allows things to go back to normal," Caroline suggested it. "Im not comfortable as I really don't think she needs that or we understand enough about it but if her life is on the line it may be your test. Computer bring up the schematics of Lieutenant O'Hara's implant. Can you replicate a copy of it?"

"Working" came the response back.

Michael nodded in acknowledgement of Caroline. Once again she had the right of it, it was the diagnostician in him that constantly sought confirmation on theories. They did not have enough time to construct a proper test and figure this out. Replacing the implant was the only way. "Well if we are going to do that, we might as well make sure that something like this cannot happen again. Let's give her some upgrades." Michael said as he began to look over the schematics and make changes as he went. He paused his work to look over at Caroline. "For the record I agree with you, there is no need for this contraption, however it may be the only way to keep O'Hara alive." The words did not match the expression, the expression on Ki's face simply read thanks for the helping hand.

"What sort of upgrades?" Caroline asked nervously. Something about that idea made her nervous. Was it going to feed into O'Hara's current belief that she was practically superhuman but giving her more abilities. Would it create a bigger gulf better the Irish woman and the rest of the engineering staff who clearly did not have the same opportunities.

Michael raised a hand to calm Caroline's unspoken protests, he could sense her objections. "Perhaps upgrades was the wrong word. The only thing that I would like to do is make sure that something like this cannot happen again. It would be best if a cybernetic entity could not weasel it's way into her head, I think you could agree with that. Other than that it would run exactly as the previous one did. As I said abhor having to put one of these in. However, unless you can see another otion it is either this or she dies."

"I don't know enough about that implant," Caroline stated. "But if you feel its the only way to keep her alive then I support you Doctor. I think your saying you intend to add some sort of "firewall" software to keep out further intrusions. Hopefully, again I don't know enough about programming to know if that would work but its worth a shot I guess," the blond told him.

Ki looked at the patient laying on the biobed and then at the readouts on the screen. He sighed heavily through his nose as he came to a decision. "Let's do it. I will take the fall for any fallout as Chief Medical Officer. Computer replicate the implant with new programming as follows." He began to input the data into the computer and in short order an implant appeared on the Sick Bay's replicator. "Now we must prep the patient for the new implant. What are her neurological readouts?"

"Like someone in deep shock to be honest," Caroline said looking at the readings. "Best get that in fast as shes deterioting."

His hands began to dance on the instruments, it has been said that when a surgeon performs surgery it is a lot like a conductor performing on stage with an orchestra. Ki did not disappoint with his performance. The look in his eye intensified as he zeroed in on Stephanie's brain stem. He had six very delicate connections to make as the implant connected to the autonomic center of the brain. "That is one..." He whispered as the first connection was made, this connection augmented her five senses. "Here goes two..." Ki whispered again within minutes of the first. The second connection, this one would act as data retrieval was made. He set to work on the third, this was one of the crucial ones. This connection would run her vital signs once they were transferred from the computer. Michael held his breath as he manipulated the connection into place. Within moment he let out the breath as he whispered "Three..." The last three connections all had to do with the 'firewall' that Ki was installing. In about five minutes he had connections four and five completed. "Dr Miller, please prepare to take the patient off of computer life support." Michael spoke in a cool even toned voice, if he was nervous he did not show it. About two minutes later he had the final connection established. "Now Dr Miller..."

"Yes Doctor," Caroline responded formally, impressed at his work. So many difficult connections. She was sure it would have taken her far longer to concentrate on.

"Her vitals are definitely heading back into normal and safe levels," she noted watching the readings. "Seems your hypothesis was well on the money."

"Well done," she smiled at him. "That was a difficult surgery."

Michael smiled as he breathed a small sigh of relief and wiped sweat from his brow. "Thank you Doctor you assistance here was invaluable. However, now the hard part begins the waiting. Of course Stephanie has to wake up on her own, and even then is not out of the woods for at least 24 hours. Tests on her autonomic system will have to be preformed to make sure that the implant is stable. Perhaps we should send the old implant down to engineering for evaluation. They might be able to suss this puppet master out. However, for now we bask in the glory that is another life saved." His smile broadened.

OFF:

Lt Michael Ki MD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin

Commander Caroline Miller
Chief Counselor
USS Merlin