Post Number 28 Solving A Mystery

Posted on Mon Feb 2nd, 2026 @ 6:12pm by Lieutenant Tabatha O'Neil & Lieutenant Commander Kristian Long

Mission: Healing Touch-3
Location: Solaria
Timeline: Current

::ON::

Lieutenant O'Neil exited the hut and proceeded to a nearby stream to freshen up. When finished she headed back towards the hut as she saw a familiar face approaching. With a smile "Good morning Doctor Long" she commented "Maybe we could see if we can figure out what's causing the baby's spots after breakfast."

"My thoughts exactly, I'm wondering if it's only babies or does it include older kids," Kristian commented.

Thinking for a few moments "I really haven't seen any of the older children with spots but perhaps their natural immunity kicks in as they get older preventing them from getting whatever this is" Tabitha offered basically just grabbing at straws.

"You know Lieutenant Sabbath said something about deaf children being shunned and I wonder if the spots on the babies could have caused the older children to be deaf. That too is something to think about" Kristian said. "I wish I dared to scan them with my tri-coder but that would violate the prime directive."

"Unfortunately it would" then she paused a brief moment "Looks like the only option is to do a good old fashioned diagnosis" she replied with a grin. And yes your theory on the deaf children might be spot on."

"I can do an exam old school, sometimes the old ways are better. We won't know until we can examine the deaf children and I see the spots on the babies," Kristian replied "And depending on what we find there are plenty of herbs and other plants I can use."

"One suggestion if I may. The term doctor may be beyond their understanding so you may want to tell them you are a Healer; that I think they'll understand" she commented trying to bridge the gap between primitive and technological.


Funny you should say that, Zora asked me when we got here if I was a healer and I told her I was, What make her ask me I don't know," Kristian said.

"I have experienced the same thing from some of my past assignments; sometimes primitive peoples have a 'sixth sense' about such things" then Tabitha paused "That may work to your advantage treating their infants and children since they generally trust Healers."

"As far as I'm concerned your a healer as well," Kristian commented "You treat mental health and solve those kind of issues. Let's try to locate the deaf children so I can look at them. One of the women is due to deliver anytime and I want to deliver that baby so I can see what is going on and what the spots are."

"Thank you Kristian, but I mostly help talk people with their problems. I believe if we go a short distance east of here that's where the deaf children are located. Lieutenant Sabbath spent some time in that area" she commented.

"Then let's go see the children and see what if anything I can do for them," Kristian said.

"Right behind you" Tabitha replied with a grin as the two officers went off.

"It took a few minutes to locate the deaf children. They ranged in various ages. A young boy about 8 or 9 walked up to them, he waved at them and pointed to his ears and shook his head. Kristian nodded and knelt in front of him and pointed to her hears and nodded. She hoped he could read lips "I'm a healer I want to try to help you hear. This is a friend of mine she's a different kind of healer, My name is Kris and this is Tabatha but you can call her Tabby," Kristian said pointing to herself and then to Tabatha.

Tabitha knelt down to get at the child's level "Hi. How long not hear" she inquired speaking slowly so the child could see her lips move and speaking like one of the natives.

The boy showed three fingers and pointed again to his ears.

"Can I look in your ears? I want to try to make you hear. Will you trust me?" Kristian asked sitting on the ground in front of him. She patted her lap so he could sit on her lap.

Nodding the boy walked over and sat on Kristian's lap.

Taking his head she carefully turned it so she could see better into his ears. Looking at Tabatha "I think I can fix it. They use a lot of furs for clothes, warmth and dividers between rooms. I see a lot of fur debris in his ears. I believe a simple flushing of the ears will work. I can do it in the water and that won't violate the Prime Directive." Turning the boy so he could see her "You have fur from blanket in your ears. I need to make okay with elders."

Thinking a moment "If that's the reason he can't hear, assuming flushing works, then the parents can easily do that themselves when we're not here any longer" Tabitha stated hoping it was that simple to save the hearing loss problem for the rest of the children.

"I'm sure it will work. It also looks like it's a couple pieces that have fallen off. Flushing should work and I'll show the parents how to do it and tell them not to use old furs on kids," Kristian said. I'll flush them before we leave and I'll show the parents how to do it."

"Now, hopefully figuring out the spots on babies and curing them will be that simple" Tabitha replied with a grin.

"I agree and I cannot help but wonder if the spots are some form of chickenpox or another childhood disease," Kristian commented.

Thinking a moment "That's entirely possible but I have to ask; why would babies contract something like that soon after birth. Are they still not under the mother's immunity" Tabitha inquired.

"They should be," Kristian admitted "It only affects babies and that's what has me puzzled, Doing things old school is something I can do but I'd love to get my tri-coder out and scan the babies. It could also be something they're allergic to as well. We have a lot of work to do. Get the deaf kids ears flushed and cure spots on babies."

"I'll assist you any way I can; just let me know what I can do" she answered more than ready to help with the children.

Seeing Zora in the clearing "We'll tell her about the children," Kristian as as they walked up to Zora, "We found what make children not hear. I show you," the young boy had followed at a distance. Holding out her hand the boy took her hand. Picking him up, she tilted his head "Look in ear, he has fur chunks in it." pointing to Tabatha "We fix."

Walking over Tabitha smiled at Zora "Easy fix and make him hear again" she stated with a smile "We need flush ear with water....will clean out ear.....Ok?

"How fur get in ear?" Zora asked after looking into the boy's ear.

"Old furs, piece fell into ear. We can fix, heal all children, no more old furs for children." Kristian said setting the boy down and walked over to a barrel containing water, picking up the dipper she motioned for Zora and the boy to come to her. Sitting on a bench Kristian put the boy on her lap tipped his head and poured some water in his ear and turned his head to let the water run out and with it came the fur. Kristian repeated it on the second ear. Looking at Zora and Tabatha, "You want to try?"

Nodding Zora pointed to Tabatha "You help too?"

Smiling" Yes, I help too" quite pleased with Zora's openness for trying something new in her primitive world.

"We need show everyone how fix ears. Zora you go get others and other children who no hear. Bring them here and we show all how fix ears." Kristian said.

"I go," Zora said getting up and running off.

"It's nice to see Zora being so excited about helping the children. Maybe this will be a turning point for their society" Tabitha commented.

"I hope so, and hopefully we can find out what the spots on the babies are and fix that. I hope they understand not to use old furs on the children," Kristian commented.

"Once the children can hear once again, Zora strikes me as someone who will raise quite the stink if she catches anyone not doing what their supposed to be doing" Tabitha answered with sincerity and conviction.

"She reminds me of one of the elders. Once the children can hear and understand things will be different. Next issue is the spots on the babies and I have a theory on that too," Kristian said.

"So Kristian, what do you think's causing the infant's spots" she inquired interested in what the Doctor was thinking.

"Well, I was watching some of the women as they scrapped and tanned the furs and I didn't see them curing them, If my hunch is right they need to cure them. From what I've seen they just scrape the hides and hang them up for a couple of days. They're not cured and that could be what is causing the babies to have spots. I saw some plants they can use to cure them and I did pick some," Kristian said.

"That would certainly explain a lot as to why babies are contracting spots shortly after birth" Tabitha paused a moment thinking "Could those same plants be applied to the infected babies as a healing agent."

"They can, they'd need to be ground up into a gel like substance and rubbed on the babies.," Kristian commented "We can show them how to do it."

"Between treating the babies skin directly and curing the hides properly, that problem should be a thing of the past" Tabitha answered glad they could come up with a solution.

"I think so too, I'll in a way miss this place I love the simple life here. We've been here a few days and it makes you appreciate what we have and take for granted," Kristian said.

With a grin "I couldn't agree with you more; I especially miss my bed and yes it does show you what's important in life as well as what is not" Tabitha replied happy to have had this experience.

"I miss the shower," Kristian giggled as Zora and several of the villagers returned.

"Zora say you can fix children so they hear, that true? She said fur fell in ears and you show us how to fix so they hear,"

"Yes that true." Kristian said pointing to Tabatha "We can show you how and we can show a way to tan and cure hides so no more fur fall in ears. Might too know how to stop spots on babies."

Looking at the women assembled "Yes, we teach you then you can do after we leave to go back home" Tabitha interjected with a smile.

Kristian picked up another of the deaf children, this time a girl and carried her over to a bench, sat down with the child on her lap and explained how to flush the ears with water to let the chunks of fur from the girls ear. "Now you try."

Several of villagers did as Kristian and Tabatha showed them and shouted happily as the children could hear again.

Once the ears had been flushed and the children could hear Kristian showed them what plants to collect and how to grind them up into a paste so they could cure the hides to prevent the furs from falling into the children's ears again.

"Now hopefully I we can see a baby with spots and we can show them how to prevent that too," Kristian said to Tabatha.

"That would be ideal" as Tabitha turned the one of the nearby women "You know baby with spots" she inquired.

"Yes, my baby has spots" the woman replied "I go get her" as she turned and went to her hut. Minutes later the woman returned and handed the baby to Kristian "You heal?"

"I heal," Kristian said taking the baby. Removing the fur from it she showed the mother the gel, "Same I show you to cure furs, rub all over baby, do it everyday until spots go away. You use this to cure furs and once furs are cured there should be no more spots. But happen again we show yiu wgat plants to use to cure furs, same gel will cure babies." Kristian rubbed the gel on the baby and several of the spots started to fade. "Baby will be ok, you do what we show you."

Smiling at the mother as she placed her hand on her shoulder "Baby should be good after medicine works" Tabitha stated being quite pleased at the outcome.

Kristian motioned for Tabatha to follow her as they walked from the group of ladies and men. Their work was done.

::OFF::

Lieutenant Commander Kristian Long
Chief Medical Officer
USS Amandora

Lieutenant Tabatha O'Neil
Chief Counselor
USS Amandora