<USS Avalon> "Playing the Odds"

Playing the Odds
Keith Ketchum, Alexis Cazook,
and Elissabeth Marksbury

 

Alexis was sitting in her office trying once again to figure out what was going 
on with Cmdr Marksbury's scans and her recent onset of headaches. "I thought I 
had that all taken care of once Cmdr Skyler was back amongst the living." 
Damnation, she thought to herself. She was concentrating so hard that she 
didn't even hear Cmdr Marksbury arrive. 

"Though you had all of what taken care of?" Elissabeth asked, standing in the 
doorway. 

Looking up, Alexis realized that Cmdr Marksbury was standing there and must 
have heard what she said. "Oh, nothing really. What can I do for you 
Commander?" 

Stepping fully inside the office, Elissabeth leveled her gaze with the 
doctor's. "I was hoping you'd be able to tell me something. I'm... I'm in a 
great deal of pain and it's getting very hard for me to concentrate on my 
work." 

"Oh Dear, Oh My. Let me get you something a little stronger and perhaps that 
will help." Alexis hurriedly got up from her desk and walked into the main 
sickbay area, to the locked medicine cabinet. She pulled out a bottle and 
loaded a hypo with the proper dosage. She quickly returned to her office and 
pressed the hypo against the Cmdr's neck. "There that should help you." 

Lissi paused, letting the drugs do their work. Sure enough, within seconds, the 
pain had lessened considerably. "Thank you," she breathed. "So what did the 
latest scans say? Can we get rid of this once and for all?" 

Alexis was out of sorts. She didn't want to disappoint the Cmdr. but she 
deserved the truth. "What I have found is that with this latest scan there has 
been a change in your cerebral cortex, in an area that controls your short term 
memory. That would explain why you had trouble remembering what you were trying 
to say. There has also been a change in the scan itself. It's very 
complicated." 

"That part hasn't been an issue. It's the pain and the nosebleeds I'm concerned 
with. Memory, obviously, is all messed up. That's no surprise. I still see some 
of Skyler's memories and it takes me a second not to realize that they're not 
some implanted ones of mine." Elissabeth sighed and then continued. "That, I 
can live with. But the pain, I just can't. It's too encompassing. I've tried 
relaxation, drugs, and a combination of both. They're starting to fail me, 
Doctor." Her lower lip quivered. "And it's starting to scare me." 

"Now, Now, we'll have none of that. I know you are scared, to be honest, so am 
I. I am scared that as a doctor I have failed you in some way. That maybe I am 
just too old to be on a Starship treating people, with concerns like yours." 
Alexis felt so bad for Elissabeth, yet she had no idea what was going on. 
Granted she had her suspicions but that is all they were, just suspicions. 

"Do I need to get back to see Dr. Brookman?" 

"Honestly dear,there is a chance that Dr. Brookman would know and it probably 
wouldn't hurt. From what I can decipher from comparing all your scans, one on 
top of the other, is that each time there has been a slight change. Each change 
is getting bigger to where now you are having the severe headaches and 
nosebleeds. What I suspect is that comparing the scans, reading your file and 
hearing bits and pieces of conversation's you have had with Cmdr Skyler, is 
that there appear to be 2 personalities within your brain, each fighting for 
control. Skyler has called you both Lyryn and Elissabeth, when you were helping 
her out, she called you Lyryn, that's when the nose bleeds first started. Your 
brain wipe, as well as Cmdr Skyler's both failed. I think what is going on is 
much bigger than myself or Dr. Brookman. I was hoping that things would clear 
up on their own, but that doesn't seem to be the case." 

Nodding solemnly, Elissabeth took in the information. "Is this going to kill 
me?" 

Alexis was now almost as distraught as Elissabeth. She walked over and put her 
arms around Elissabeth and held her tight. "No dear, it is not going to kill 
you. I won't let it and neither will you or Cmdr Skyler if she knew. No, we are 
going to get to the bottom of this no matter what the cost. You look at me 
young lady, you are not going to die." 

"As much as I appreciate the sentiment, Doctor," she lightly shrugged off the 
older woman's embrace. "If you don't understand this, I want to see someone who 
does, and I want the truth. If this could kill me, I need to know." 

Alexis was torn, she again had her suspicions but she really didn't want to be 
the bearer of bad news. "Come into my office where we can talk." Once they were 
settled in her office, Alexis pulled her chair in front of Elissabeth's. 

"You want me to tell you what I suspect I will. I don't have to like it but you 
have a right to know. Right now I am not certain what is actually going on, but 
it doesn't appear to be hopeful." This was killing Alexis to have to tell 
Elissabeth this news. "If we can''t figure out what is going on there is a 25% 
chance that you could die. Now that figure is only a maybe, not a certainty. 
What I am going to do is put you on a Medical Leave of Absence effective 
immediately, and then we are going to Dr. Brookman or higher if needed to find 
out what is going on. You are also not going alone, I am going with you. We are 
going to deal with this together." 

"Do what you have to do, Doctor. If you'll excuse me," she stood up and walked 
out of the room silently, the weight of the world upon her shoulders. 

***

Alexis was upset at the sight of Cmdr Marksbury leaving her office. She didn't 
want to be the one to tell her that she could die. Now she would have to tell 
the Captain. "Captain Ketchum, this is Dr. Cazook, I need to speak with you 
concerning a matter of utmost importance." 

Hearing the comm from his office, "Of course, Doctor, I'm free now, if you'd 
like." 

"I will be right up. Thank you." Alexis left sickbay and made her way to the 
Captain's office. She rang the chime and waited, dreading what she was going to 
tell him. 

Laying the PADD on the desk, he thought, 'that was quick,' "Enter." 

Alexis walked in and immediately started speaking. "Captain, I have come to 
inform you that I have put Commander Marksbury on a medical leave of absence 
effective immediately. I also need to requisition a shuttle to transport her 
and myself back to earth." 

"Well, first off, shuttle reqs go through Commander Shimbrodus. And if you feel 
you need to take her before we leave on a mission... well, I can't argue with a 
doctor, has the CMO signed off on it?" 
Taking a deep breath Alexis continued. "As you know I was assigned to the 
Avalon to watch over both Marksbury and Skyler. Recent events have been brought 
to my attention. I don't need the CMO to sign off on this request. I am only 
informing you out of courtesy. There?s a chance Cmdr Marksbury could be dying, 
and as a part of Intel, it is my job to make sure that everything that can be 
done is done. I need to take her back to earth immediately." 

"And I understand your tasks to observe Commanders Skyler and Marksbury, 
however you are a guest overseeing their treatment, on this ship, and both of 
them are under my command. If I ask to have the CMO sign off on this then that 
is what I want done. Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?"

"I understand you perfectly sir, however there is not enough time for that 
formality. If you would like to write me up then feel free to do so. I cannot 
stop you, however I will not allow anything to slow down any possible treatment 
that could help the Commander. As this is an Intel issue, sent down by someone 
higher up the food chain than you or I, I have to do what is best for my 
patient. The only thing I ask is that you have the CMO and your wife keep an 
eye on Commander Skyler. Right now I foresee no problem with her, however I 
would like someone to keep an eye on her." Alexis stood there waiting for the 
reaming she was sure to get, but she had to do what was best for her patient no 
matter what. 

He was clearly agitated, "If this is so important, I'd think you would have 
said, 'Yes, Sir' and went to req the shuttle. And taken the beating, if you 
return, for not following my orders. You've already used up precious minutes 
quibbling about formalities. Dismissed, Lieutenant." 

"Yes, Sir. We will be leaving immediately." Alexis turned and walked out of the 
captain's office, making her way back to sickbay where she would request the 
shuttle and inform Marksbury that they were leaving.

***

Elissabeth had went straight to her quarters and changed clothes. She moved 
slowly, in fog, yet perfect clarity at the same time. She was rational, she was 
stable. Cazook said only a possibility if they couldn?t figure out what was 
wrong with her. Of course Dr. Brookman would figure it out. He was Starfleet?s 
leading specialist on this sort of thing.

More than anything, she was upset over leaving right in the middle of this 
investigation. She wanted to be where she could keep her eye on things. Yet, 
getting back to Earth would give her a chance to talk to some people she needed 
to in private. So, in a way, this was an excellent cover.

Elissabeth smiled wryly and placed her forehead against the viewport. That?s 
when her combadge went off and Cazook?s voice nearly sent shivers down her back.

"Cmdr Marksbury, this is Dr. Cazook, I have requested a shuttle and we will be 
leaving for earth immediately. Pack your bag and meet me in Shuttle bay one."

"Right this moment?" she blinked. 

"Yes, the sooner the better. That way we can figure out what is going on and 
fix it."

"I understand that, Lieutenant, but surely a few hours won't make any 
difference. I can't just walk away. I have too many responsibilities that I 
need to account for first. We can leave in the morning." 

"Commander, I just argued with the Captain about this and I am not going to 
argue with you. You are officially on a medical leave of absence and we are 
going to earth." 

"In the morning, Marksbury out." She blew out a breath of frustration over 
Cazook's urgency. 18 more hours wasn't going to be the death of her. There were 
people to talk to and things to do. 

"There is no room for argument. Meet me in shuttle bay one in one hour. That?s 
an order."

Shaking her head, Elissabeth bit her lip and then replied, "Understood."


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