Tuvix Again Part II
Posted on Tue Aug 6th, 2019 @ 10:25pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Petty Officer 2nd Class Sofia Cipriani
Edited on on Tue Aug 6th, 2019 @ 10:31pm
1,463 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: Holodeck 1 - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD004 2000 hrs
Tyler approached the being. "Sir right this way." "What is happening?" Tuvix said. Tyler replied softly "I think it best for the Doctor to explain. Let's get to Sick Bay."
Sofia rubbed the arm of Tuvix in an attempt to reassure him everything was alright. "It will be alright sir. We are just going to get a check up and I know The Doctor will have some answers for us." She gave a smile for comfort and followed them out the room, down the corridor and into the turbolift and en route to Sickbay.
When the trio arrived in Sick Bay the Doctor was already waiting for them. "What in blazes happened?" the hologram asked of them. Tyler as Hogan replied as they helped Tuvix onto a bio bed. "Doctor we are not sure at the moment. All we know is that there was a transporter malfunction and instead of getting Tuvok and Neelix we got this." The Doctor began to scan Tuvix with a medical tricorder, the results of the scan were appearing above the bio bed.
Sofia's poker face was terrible, like she would lose all her money and the clothes off her back if she was to play a game, hell even a hand. She shifted uncomfortable and noticed Tuvix look at her with a standard raised Vulcan eyebrow but the interest of a Talaxian. "What seems to be the problem?" he asked.
Sofia twitched a little as he asked the question and looked over at Tyler, her innocent 'come help me' eyes staring into him. "Nothing Tuv--ix, eh I mean. I'm just feeling a little lightheaded." she lied. "The pregnancy and all." she rubbed her stomach a little and pretended to grab the side of the bed for support.
Tyler stepped toward Tuvix. "Everything will be fine sir. There was a transporter malfunction and we are all working the problem." It was remarkable to see both Tuvok and Neelix in there. "For the time being I think you should lay back and let the Doctor have a look." He turned toward Sofia and feigned concern. "Are you okay Ensign? Perhaps you should have a look at the scans with the Doc. Maybe there is something you can see."
Sofia nodded to Tyler as she thankfully moved away from Tuvix. She hadn't realized how flustered the situation would make her.
Holodeck tech had moved on in such a fashion that in the 2390's they improved sensory interaction with its occupants. Meaning you totally felt the affects of the environment you were occupying, and physical effects of certain characters you were playing if it was a historical program. As a result Sofia felt like this was what it must be like to be truly pregnant. Her back was sore, her feet; she felt like she was waddling.
Moving over to The Doctor she smiled a little. "You haven't been taking your pregnancy regimens have you?" he asked bluntly.
Sofia went to open her mouth, a somewhat stunned look as she didn't know what to say.
"Ensign, I'm a Doctor, not a babysitter. I shouldn't need to remind you a woman in your condition, and pregnancy type, should take what I tell you. Makes life easier for us all." he said with a little eye roll.
"I don't remember you being such an ass." she muttered under her breath, what breath she had. Obviously he was still his basest program and had not yet developed. He was much nicer when she met him on Earth.
"You know I have perfect hearing Ensign?" he asked rhetorically. Her heart stopped and he waved her closer. "No matter, I'm under appreciated anyway. Look at this." he said passing her the PADD. "It looks like we are looking at both Tuvok and Neelix. Both set of DNA have merged to form... well..." he turned and looked at Tuvix. "Him."
"How is that even possible? I mean the transporter would never have done anything like that. To merge patterns..." Tyler said as took a look at the readings. "Sir were you bringing anything aboard with you?" Tyler continued to call Tuvix sir, as he was one part Tuvok who technically outranked him. "Yes I was bringing a number of orchid samples aboard for examination." Tuvix replied.
Looking at the PADD in more detail and noticed some discrepancies in the scans. "Is it possible that these Orchids somehow merged with the DNA of Tuvok and Neelix?" Sofia said pointing at markers in the DNA. "If I remember my plant biology these look like lysosomal enzymes. They cause symbiogenesis, but for this to happen in a scale of this size is unheard of." she passed the PADD over. Tyler looked at her with an expression of 'how do you know that?'. Normally those that had been to the Academy had such in depth knowledge of plant genetics. She quietly whispered, "What? I read..."
Tyler mouthed the words "Will wonders never cease." Then he smiled. The Doctor looked up from the scanners with a beaming smile. "Yes Ensign precisely correct. It seems that the symbiogenetic gene in the orchids has melded the DNA of both Neelix and Tuvok into one being."
"Can this be undone?" Tuvix said sounding more like Neelix and less like Tuvok. "Well to be honest I do not know. This is something entirely new, and would make an excellent paper. For now my suggestion is return to your quarters there is no reason to hold you here and if I get any ideas I will let you know. However, I must warn you that you could remain like this for the remainder of your life." The Doctor spoke with the coldness of a hologram. It affirmed to Tyler that this was a point before the Doctor became more than his programming.
"I'm sure you'll come up with something Doctor." Sofia replied kindly before turning to Tyler. "Maybe we should go talk to the Captain? I'm sure she'll want an update on Mr. Tuvix." She said joining the names together, noting the slight head nod customary to Vulcans at the sound of the joined names. Maybe that's where he decided that would be it.
Tyler thought that they were lucky to be in a holodeck and not actually aboard Voyager. For if they were actually there Sofia would have just changed history. "Agreed I think we can help him to his quarters and then go see if we can find the Captain."
Tuvix stood up and straightened the tunic of his uniform. "Lieutenant Hogan, Ensign Wildman I appreciate your concern. However, as the Doctor has confirmed I am not dead. As such I believe I can contribute to my own recovery. Doctor I am one half Tuvok, and as such I am the ship's leading expert on Orchids. Would you agree to allowing me to work in my quarters with a sample of the flower. Perhaps I can discover something that would help."
"I don't see why not..." The Doctor replied as he prepared a specimen.
"Very well then that is where I shall be if you need me. Thank you Ensign & Lieutenant for all of your assistance." Tuvix took the flower and left.
Tyler whispered "What do you make of that?"
"It's strange to see him like that up close, little weird. Not going to lie I know Ensign Wildman didn't discover the lysosome enzymes but I couldn't help myself." Sofia replied. "Also I'm kind of nervous at meeting the Captain, although I don't know how much of it is this simulated pregnancy." She said placing her hands on her lower back for support.
"I am looking forward to meeting Janeway as well. As for the pregnancy consider it practice." Tyler quipped. The Doctor interrupted their secret chat. "The two of you better get going if we plan on getting to the bottom of this.
Her jaw dropped a little as she thought of a reply to his quip. "I don't see this in my future for a while thank you Captain." she said giving him a playful punch in the arm. "Let's go." She liked this fun side of the Captain, it was nice to see him in a different setting where they could just be Voyager fans.
A Joint Post by
Crewman Sofia Cipriani
Yeoman, USS Pioneer
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
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