Stardate: 70913:2100
Title: Tempests, Teapots and Turmoils
Author: Emma Smith
Time: After "It Figures.."
Scene: USS Horizon - Sickbay / Planet-Side


Have you ever noticed that it's when you're not looking for a thing, that you will inevitably find it.


=/\= Sickbay =/\=

The blue shimmer faded and Emma found herself staring down the business end of Dr. Matthews' medical scanner.

"Uh... I feel..."

"Shh!" He held up a finger, wanting to finish checking her over before taking down the data for his report.

"Hmm..." The CMO tapped the scanner lightly on the bio-bed. "Unless this thing is broken, I don't see anything wrong with you."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, Doc... I feel fine."

"Really." His look turned almost complacent. "Not 3 minutes ago you were writhing on the Rennas' floor in pain... now you're fine?"

Emma nodded. "As soon as we beamed back onto the ship, the pain stopped."

Ted pulled up a chair and sat down. "You caused quite a turmoil down there, Lieutenant. Care to explain what happened?"

"Well," she leaned her back against the biobed, "everyone was pretty much engaged in conversation. I was just kinda picking at my food and started talking to one of the Rennas who was sitting next to me. I don't remember his name... but I'm sure it was a Mel, Tel, or Sel, or something..."

Matthews nodded impatiently. "Yes, yes, go on. What did you talk about?"

"Nothing much, at first anyway. I was saying that it might not be that unusual that they don't have much history before a hundred years ago. Different cultures measure time in different ways. Like... a fruit fly lives its entire life in the span of a single Earth day.."

The CMO's eyes widened. "You compared our hosts to FRUIT FLIES????"

"No... er... well... yea... I guess... maybe?"

"No WONDER they were so upset..."

"No, Sir." Emma shook her head. "That's not when the problems started."

Ted sighed. "Go on."

"After that it got kind of quiet. I was looking around the room. Checking for any surveillance equipment, weaponry, stuff like that..."

"And did you see any?"

"No, Sir... not a thing."

"Okay, fine." He was slowly losing his patience. "Could you just get to the part where all Hell breaks loose?"

"Yes, Sir. I'm trying. So I'm looking around..."

"You said that."

"Right. So I didn't see any surveillance, weapons... and there was something else I haven't seen..."

He pursed his lips. "For the love of Kahless... WHAT?"

"Female Rennas."

"Huh?"

"I hadn't seen one since we beamed down. So I asked Mel/Tel/Sel..."

"What did he say...?"

"I have no idea."

"Egad."

"Well, he started screaming, my head started buzzing and the next thing I know I'm sitting here with you."

Ted shook his head. "I don't know, Smith. The only thing in your medical history that might be remotely connected is your sensitivity to insects."

"Nobody stung me, Sir."

"It doesn't always work that way. There are probably a hundred ways a person can be affected by an allergen. Sometimes just inhaling their spores can be enough to trigger a reaction.."

"Really?"

He nodded. "I'm not saying that's what happened to you. But it's a place to start."

"Can I go?"

"Better spend the night here. I want to run a few more tests after I contact the Captain."


=/\= Somewhere Deep Beneath the Crystalline Structure =/\=

Heata'Zan yawned then gingerly stretched her long legs ever so carefully as to not rub them together. "No use causing another stir," she smiled. Closing her eyes she pictured the banquet in her mind's eye. "Mmmm... our new friends look... delicious."


=================
Lt. (J.G.) Emma Smith
Security Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
=================