Pandora's Box #119&120 - "Hit Me!"

-={On}=- [Bridge, outside Ready Room, USS Pegasus]

Russell rushed out of the turbolift and headed towards the ready room of his CO. He had managed to create a cure for the infection that had been harassing the crew for a few days and wanted to discuss the further steps to be taken with Cmdr. LaBrie. <I think the Commander will be pleased. YES, I think! I'm not blurting out thoughts anymore.> he thought to himself.

He halted outside the ready room and pushed the door chime.

"If you're another crewmember with personal problems or paranoid ideas that some non existing organization has recruited you and now will probably want to end your life for betraying them... please... PLEASE... stay out!" Caelen just went on a ramble, the calmth Telek had somehow gotten over him now disappeared, he just wanted to be rid of this and go on shoreleave on Earth.

"It's the doctor making a house call." Russell answered. His good mood wasn't affected by the outburst of his CO. He was sure many people would be in a good mood very soon. "May I enter? I've found a cure for the disease." Russell said. He was sure that would get Caelen's attention.

Caelen shot up from his chair "What are you waiting for! Enter! ENTER!" this was the best news he had heard since Jennifer told him she would marry him... "not counting Alexandra's birth... or that one time that..." he stopped his thoughts as he watched the Doctor enter.

Russell stepped into the ready room and saw Caelen walking towards him. "I thought you'd never ask." he said with a smile on his face.

"You seem in a good mood... let me guess you tried it on yourself first?" Caelen somehow forgot all that happened earlier, Ryylar, Kris and Telek... all gone now "My thoughts back where they belong..." he smirked "...must be a relieve for you all"

"Oh, believe me, You won't know what hit you." Russell smirked. He opened his med kit and got a full hypo spray with the medice. "Want some?" he asked the rethorical question as he held up the hypo.

Caelen put out his arm "Hit me"

Russell smiled while putting the hypo to the arm of Caelen. Befor injecting it he warned him. "You might feel some sort of brain freeze." he said. "But as far as I can tell, that's the only side effect." Then the hypo hissed while injecting the medicine into Caelen's bloodstream.

A Similar shiver went down his spine that he had felt when he was infected, and the doc was right about the brain freeze "Hell yeah!" he exclaimed. Before turning to the CMO again "Well it seems to work..." he said <If it doesn't you're an incompetent Doc> "...yep... my thoughts are still in my head"

"Luckily it works almost instantly." Russell explained. "This will take some time to get used to again." he smiled. "I don't even want to know what you were thinking just yet." <Probably wasn't any good...> he thought.

"True enough..." Caelen smirked and put out a hand to the Doctor "...it seems that I have to thank you again... don't make a habit out of it Doc"

Russell shook Caelen's hand "I must admit there was some self- interest involved in developing this cure." he said smiling. "Like everybody else, I was pretty fed up with speaking my thoughts. But I have to thank you as well."

Caelen frowned a bit "Thank me? I didn't do anything but being obnoxious" he sighed a bit <which got real old real fast as well... I should see a counselor> he added in thought

"For bringing your daughter Alexandra along. She had the key elements of the cure in her." Russell explained. "Jennifer had translated some sort of poem or riddle from certain hieroglyphs on the cursed box. We had to look for the cure by those who cannot lie. Children seemed the logical conclusion. Alexandra proved to be immune to the disease. Some more research and voila!". he said while pointing at the hypo spray.

Caelen couldn't resist looking up slightly "Alex..." he grinned a bit and looked back at Russell "Well glad to be off service..." he winked "...it was a pleasure"

"Good." Russell said. "Now the way for this stuff to work is that everybody gets a shot of this medicine. Even those who were not yet affected. Although I kind of lost count." he said grinning a bit. "With your permission I'd like to start an inoculation program right away."

Caelen's Combadge chirped and the Helm officers was on the other side of the line =/\= Sir we have entered the Sol system, we'll be in orbit of earth in approximately fifteen minutes sir =/\= the officer stated before cutting the channel, as he was ordered earlier by his Superior.

Caelen his smile wouldn't faint "And not a minute to soon Doc, do what you have to do"

"Alright. I'll inform my crew to prepare a few doses." Russell said explaining his plan. "I trust you make it a clear order for everyone to report to sickbay asap." Then he laughed a bit. "That might not be necessary if the word gets out."

Caelen smirked and placed a hand on the Doc's shoulder "I will send an announcement over the PA in ten minutes... I hope you're ready for the work load by then" he slapped him on the shoulder and motioned him towards the door.

"No problem." Russell said. "And if it gets too much, I'll activate the EMH. He might have developed a few useful subroutines for crowd control with the help of Alexandra." he smirked while walking towards the exit.

"I'm a Doctor not a Policeman" Caelen impersonated the EMH right before he stepped outside to the bridge, it was good to be back, the past days he had been hiding in his ready room with as little contact as possible.

Russell laughed and greeted Caelen. It was good to see his CO in a good mood again. He walked towards the turbolift and headed back to sickbay to make preparations. <Soon the entire crew will be in a good mood again.> he thought. <Just in time for shore leave!>

-={Off}=-

The Wonder, the Wonder, the - NO!!! by:

Cmdr. Caelen LaBrie Commanding Officer USS Pegasus

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Lt. (jg) Russell D. Floyd (MD) Chief Medical Officer USS Pegasus