Poisons

Posted on Wed Oct 3rd, 2018 @ 11:35pm by

Mission: Run Afoul
Location: Starfleet Academy
Timeline: Approximately 16 years ago
1709 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

"Lhaes! Wait for me!"

The Romulan turned slowly, looking to see who had called his name, while pressing the stack of books he was carrying to his chest. Many students would just carry PADDs, but Lhaes was one of few who actually preferred bound books. The effort of having to page through something substantial made him feel as accomplising more, than just type in something on a PADD and just have the required information at hand. Plus, when paging through a book one could stop and look at other entries, allowing oneself to be distracted on occasion.

He'd been in a hurry to get to class, having been looking forward to this one for several days now. Except he was feeling a little sluggish today, and had almost called in sick. Except, he didn't want to miss this particular class. As a amateur biologist, he was very interested in the workings of poisons, and how to recognise them. This particular class would expand his already working knowledge of them.

A young woman walked up to him, carrying a single padd. "Why the rush?" she queried, sizing him up as if he were prize cattle. "You don't look so good, ate something wrong at lunch?"

"I don't know," Lhaes replied slowly. At age 20, he was at an age where he ought to start looking at girls, but beyond appreciating natural beauty, he didn't really fancy any dating at the moment. Not until he graduated the academy, he figured. Yet, the girl walking with him was strikingly beautiful and it was obvious that she was trying to flirt with him. "I'm late for class."

"Ah. You're going to Commander Brown's masterclass, aren't you?" The girl smiled. "So am I." She held out her hand. "Cadet Jennifer Carter. Only fair you know my name as I obviously knew yours. I'm in tactics with you, you know, Lieutenant Sokan's class?"

The Romulan nodded, finally placing the memory of her face with the name it belonged to. "I remember," he aknowledged.

"So, are you looking forward to this class? I've heard several horror stories about it. I heard Brown tests on his students." She shuddered. "I really hope I don't have to. I just want the knowledge, not the sensation."

The two walked into the classroom, quietly discussing their views on the upcoming class. "Sommers, Carter, take your seats and be quiet," Brown's voice boomed across the silent room before starting his lecture.

The lecture progressed steadily and soon Lhaes had assumed his usual dreamy posture, even though his complexion had turned a little waxen. He wasn't feeling very well, and for some reason, he dreaded being tested on. Usually, he was one of the first to volunteer and study the opportunities. But not today. He watched as several classmates went through the procedure of either inhaling, swallowing or be injected with a poison of their choice. He watched their responses with an unusual detachement, as if he were distracted.

"Sommers!"

Lhaes looked up to see Brown stand beside his desk, peering down on him with a scowl on his face. "Sir?" A little unsteady, he rose to his feet.

"Been drinking cadet?" the commander asked disdainfully, observing the young man's behaviour. "Surely you knew you had to be sober for this class?"

"I don't drink sir," the Romulan replied calmly, steadying himself as he walked forward. "I can't stand alcohol or synthehol, for some reason, makes me very ill."

Brown nodded, knowing the cadet was being truthful. "Take your pick cadet," he encouraged, nodding towards the stack of coloured flasks on his desk. "Once you've chosen, hand it to me so I'll measure out a safe dose. I know you cadet, and I know you're eager to learn, but this is something you'll have me measure out for you. I've no desire to send you home in a box boy, unlike some of your teachers. Oh I'm not blind son, but you can trust me."

Lhaes merely nodded, keeping his eyes on the flasks. He pulled out his tricorder, picked up several of the flasks in turn and sniffed at the contents. So far, he was the only one to have done so, and not randomly choose, which earned him a nod of approval from Commander Brown. After a while, and after having examined each flask in turn, he finally handed a deep amber coloured one to his teacher. "This one," he explained, "I believe it will render me incapable of clear thought for several minutes, and pretty much senseless. It is the ideal tool if you want to question someone while on assignment, without having them remember you all too clearly. The odour is not too prominent, so it could be mixed with the victim's food. From the contents of the poison, I gather that it may taste of either almonds, or honey, or maybe a combination thereof. However, while I indicate ingestion, injection is also an option."

"Impressive," Brown answered, while measuring out a small quantity and loading a vial up into the hypospray. He noticed his student wait calmly, though clearly something was amiss. The Romulan stood to face him, tilting his head slightly to expose his throat in a gesture of trust.

"Care must be taken, in combination with other potions," Lhaes continued, while waiting to be injected, "it can either act as agonist, or antagonist, rendering another poison useless, or too potent, thereby risking the death of your intended victim."

The commander stared at him in wonder. The boy obviously knew what he was talking about, and had clearly done his homework despite his general appearance of disinterest. Either that, or there was more going on than Brown could fathom. Was the boy trying to make a point? The instructor knew that several students, and even other instructors, loathed the presence of this young man, and knew of several attempts on his life. Clearly, the youth was unimpressed by the attempts and adamant on showing his worth and loyalty. He checked the dosage a final time, before pressing the medical device against his student's throat.

Lhaes stood rigid, his eyes unfocusing as the poison coursed through his veins. He felt it burn and his eyes widened in surprise and then terror. "Commander," he started, before he doubled over and fell down to his knees, striking the edge of the desk hard with his side as he tried to catch himself. He was breathing hard as he fell over, the poison doing it's expected work, and more. He couldn't think straight and he felt disembodied, but something was wrong. He wasn't supposed to be in this much agony, was he?

He tried to focus, fighting the effect of the poison; he heard the gasps of his classmates, Jennifer's frightened cry. Brown's face loomed in his peripheral vision, eyes worried, brow creased into a frown. Someone slapped his face, while others were holding him down. He fought them, growls ripping from his throat. They wouldn't get him, no, they wouldn't. But why? Confusion nagged at his conscious mind, while agony ripped through his abdomen. Then it dawned on him; he already had been poisoned, and his selected poison showed exactly the antagonistic effect he'd described earlier.

Another hiss filled his ears, as the antidote was injected into his system. "..infirmary.." he caught someone saying as he lay writhing on the floor. Someone locked his head in a vice grip, and something was shoved between his jaws, locking them in place. He was forcibly held down, but he couldn't tell who was friend and who was foe. He was senseless, his thoughts chaotic. Then everything went black even as his body went limp in the grasps of those that had sought to help him and keep him from hurting himself, and others.

When he woke, he found himself lying in an infirmary bed, fully restrained. He couldn't tear the monitors from his body or the respirator from his face. Surely, the restrains were for his safety, not the nurses. He turned his head and found his instructor sitting next to the bed. "Sir?" His query sounded muffled, even in his own ears.

Commander Brown sighed in relief. "You gave us quite a scare boy," he chided gently, "your description of what the poison would do to you was quite accurate, but when your response was different from your description, I alerted the infirmary immediately. You fought off those who wanted to help. Cadet Langly had to report here with a broken nose; he'll not hold it against you though. You're strong, when you fight for our own survival, it took ten students to keep you down until you passed out."

"I'm sorry sir," the young Romulan replied ruefully, "what was I poisoned with? Other than what you injected me with." He paused, bright eyes fixed on the instructor. "I knew," he confessed, "that's why I selected the amber. And I trusted you, I still do. You're one of few sir, who do not try to make me fail."

Anger touched the instructor's eyes. "You knew? Yes, I figured there was something. You were the only one to clarify your choice, and explain the workings of the selection you made. I should have known...you're not rash, or stupid. You're calculating and thoughtful." He squeezed the young man's shoulder. "You're a dangerous man, Lhaes Sommers, and woe your opponent when you get out in the field. Rest now, and report to me when you're released from the infirmary. Together we'll search for the one who did this, and make sure that person is expelled from the academy."

A nurse walked up and pressed a hypo against her patient's throat, watching him intently as his eyes closed while the sleeping agent took effect. "He'll be fine, no lasting effects," she reported to the worried instructor, "security has been alerted to the incident, a full investigation will ensue."

Brown nodded thoughtfully as he left. The boy had promise, and he'd be damned if he'd allow the kid to be harmed. He had no children of his own to protect, but protect his promising (and even the not so promising) students was something he would do. At all cost.

---

Lieutenant Commander Lhaes Sommers
CIO