Shoot for Earth: MedSci Missions 3

S6 investigator Amelia Jensen found Troy in a lab. That was not surprising; even though the scientist was a patient with no duties on board, he had free run of the ship. Any help he could give with the vital research mission was greatly appreciated. Like with most other pandemic patients on board, his infection was well managed for now, so he mostly felt fine and able to contribute. In a way, he was lucky. Millions of people on Earth were ticking time bombs – infected but not having the circulating alien guanine incorporated into their system. Any day, any hour, the mutagenic molecule could be triggered to multiply. It would then transform the affected body area into a non-functional alien hybrid. The guinea pigs on board were the lucky ones who had survived long enough for a management system to be found by the doctors. There currently was no way of getting rid of the infectious DNA known as the Pandora strand that was running rampant through many people’s systems on Earth. Once the DNA found its way into a body, it was sure to spread. Medicine had been found to decrease the possibility of symptoms arising, but a stressor or chance happening could render it useless.

            What was startling to Jensen was seeing Troy suddenly switch screens when he noticed her. What was he hiding? That wasn’t comics he’d brushed away, but complex biochemical equations.

            “Ah hah!” she said. “Bring that screen back!”

            “What? Why?”

            “Don’t ‘what why’ me. Bring it back,” she commanded.

            “Do you have a warrant?”

            “Actually, I do. From the Ambassador herself.”

            “I think she’s the only one on board who can grant warrants,” Troy said.

            “True.” Jensen proffered the document.

            Troy sighed and didn’t bother to examine it. “Here you go. Have fun.”

            “What in the galaxy? Why are you doing a paper on how to stop tail growth in humans from Fabarian alien infused DNA?”