Ad Astra

Your training, of course, Professors. I apologize if that wasn't clear.

The captain respects your knowledge, but your biology is definitely a part of it, too, whether she wants to admit it or not.

Again, we have a shipment of "Redjuice" - Hyper-Neutrated Iodine, which we will be able to leverage for our first return shipment of Antimony. We enter the trade agreements, make gestures of good faith as appropriate, trade goods, and come home to process any more complicated pieces of the treaty - infrastructure, scanner codes, and the like. In the event the Grel'lix have allies that we would also benefit from trading with, we are authorized to open discussion with them as well.

The problem is, there are Earth-Beryllium organizations that would benefit handsomely if their artificial synthesis of Antimony became viable, and the Grel'lix take a neutral stance towards certain nations that have less-than-favorable views of the Treaty. There have been no open hostilities, but this may be seen as an opportunity to send a message to the Treaty.

As for traitors on the ship, we believe we've rooted everyone out, but these corporations pay well. We need to be cautious.

Everything is...fine, actually. The trip to the council goes without a hitch. Trade negotiations go far better than anyone expected. You secure enough antimony to help Earth-Beryllium for the three astronomical cycles it'll take to establish well-organized trade routes. Nobody sabotages the redjuice. And the Treaty is able to open venues for other civilizations as well.

It's when you hear a bloodcurdling scream from the medbay that you know something is wrong.

As you round the corner, you hear CMO Davis' voice call out. He's stressed, and trying to be heard over the screaming, with a poor attempt at maintaining medical professionalism, stammering in his flustered state.

Doctor Bale - Doctors - You! Please! I need extra hands!

He barely notices you had your weapon drawn.

One of the lower-level officers writhes on the table as crystalline spikes seem to grow and push underneath his skin. None of the protrusions have burst, the skin instead going white over hardened points. They're worst on his hands, up his arms, a few on the soles of his feet, but you see some smaller pieces starting to push out of his chest. Davis tosses you the medical scanner.

See what you can find out. He doesn't seem to be internally bleeding, but I fear that's only because the spikes are holding his wounds shut. I'm trying a level two comatose trigger to try to stop the progress.

Not that I am aware of. I had an uptick in rash cases since leaving talks with the Grel'lix. Only three, but all security. I'll need them called down immediately.

He glances sideways and swipes a few pieces on his data pad before continuing. While your scan continues you see the patient's body temperature drop to precisely 274K - a breath above freezing.

You see abnormally high levels of phi-radiation exposure in his system. It's a poorly-understood yet fairly common principle that allows for faster-than-light travel. Unlike normal electromagnetic waves, it impacts spacetime as a unit, even under observation. It seems to be having a strange reaction to trace elements in his body.

His hands and feet, his chest....that's when it hits you. All four potential patients worked security, meaning all of them would have had contact with the Antimony shipment. If this particular isotope is strong in phi-radiation-emitters, then of course they would have been impacted through gloves, shoes, even breathing nearby.

Meanwhile, Daniel's comm badge buzzes softly. A pre-recorded message summons him to the medbay, at Dr. Davis' request.....

274. Perfect. Comatose trigger successful. I'll have to biopsy one of these spikes and see the extent of his internal damage.

His voice trails off as he processes your other observations.

Phi-radiation? But antimony is a relatively stable element. They had gloves and masks. That should have been enough.

Jonh slides into the medbay about when the Sisters make their recommendation. One of the members of security is lying comatose on the table, with unnatural spike-shaped growths pushing out of their body. The doctor continues.

The Quartermaster is outfitted for standard radiation and contaminants. If anyone had the proper gear to check, it'd be someone who worked on the engines....

He glances at Jonh, the unspoken question hanging in the air.

At least neither of you interacted with the shipment directly. But if this is a contaminant, then you may have been exposed during the talks. The Captain as well. Can I scan you?