Dr. Rhys Shannon

“That’s unfair. My equipment can help us to make or discover our own medicine at times, as shown by this flu. Not that it’s at all important but this does hurt us all. You should care on all fronts for what is being taken from us. It could hurt our people no matter what is gone,” Kenzi explained her voice strong for once. It wasn’t often she spoke up to others in such a manner and it was very rarely a confident thing. She felt comfortable enough to do so with Rhys which was in itself very pleasant. “We may not know what this person or people know how to do. We weren’t sent here for our lack of intelligence or lack of ability to adapt. Everyone here is capable in some way so we shouldn’t underestimate them,” she responded despite knowing his words were most likely just a hopeful thing. If the thief was unable to use the supplies it would bite them in the ass but it didn’t seem likely. “Oh well…I don’t know. Sometimes it’s just hard when people on the team display themselves with disinterest in others. It seems odd seeing as we are all meant to rely so heavily on one another.”

Rhys raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t frequently challenged, and when he was, often brushed it off with condescension. But Kenzi was right, of course, and had seized upon the egocentricity underlying an otherwise simply surly comment. He respected her opinion enough to be somewhat chastened. Somewhat. “Yes. Fine. Whatever.” He glanced towards the camp, with a quiet exhale. “Side effect of specialization, I suppose. And a bit of human nature. You have your work, interests, niche back on Earth, and keep them, even if you’re now only one or two of a kind. Speaking for myself, ‘course – it’s taken a while to find other ways to relate to people, or an interest in doing so. Give it time.”

“And I here I thought that you guys had forgiven us for somehow traveling here like its a crime.” The girl replied sarcastically. “I trust my crew members they know better.” She spoke with much confidence, “Can you trust yours?” 

“I don’t need to trust them,” Rhys replied flatly. “I rely on facts, and facts can change. Whether or not you’re right about your crew in this case, you may not always be.”

“Well they aren’t exactly focused on healthcare. They seem to just be stealing all around. Almost as if they plan to run off and make a camp of their own,” Kenzi mused aloud before realizing the conclusion she had come to a mere moment afterwords. “Yes perhaps that’s it. Someone who wants to go off on their own but doesn’t have the means. That’s something to consider. You’re right about people though. Sometimes even our own team is hard to understand.”

“Sure,” Rhys said. “I just don’t give a damn about anything else. My supplies are already strained as it is – we’re stranded light years away from new stock and can only work so fast to replace and replenish. I need to be able to take care of my people. I can’t–” He stopped himself, then nodded slowly. “That would make sense, good thinking. Tough luck if they run off with arms full of meds and tools without knowing how to use them properly.” Rhys quieted for a moment, considering her last statement. “Talking about anything in particular?”

“Team Exoplanet as well?” The girl gave the doctor an expression of dismissal before continuing, “No wonder we have been receiving dirty stares all day from your teammates. Let me just put it out there that it’s not my crew, it’s gotta be an inside job.”

“Thought you’d be used to that by now,” Rhys said coolly. “Won’t take your word for it, no way you could know. Do you really trust every one of your crew?” 

“We’ll find who did it. There aren’t many options after all.”

Glancing at Kenzi, Rhys managed half a smile. “I’m sure. Uniquely stupid thing to do in a place like this. I’d just assumed a basic respect for healthcare, especially given what we’ve all been through. Suppose I can’t expect much from people.”

“Some people here think they are so clever. Maybe it’s several crooks. I don’t know if one person could have stolen everything by themselves.” She knew she would not have been able to come up with an elaborate plan. “Is doctor sexy going to get angry ? That’d be kinda hot.” She teased.

“I hope it isn’t many; that’s a significant fraction of this planet’s population that’ll… Do we have a procedure for this? Is there a Supreme Court of Providencia?” He shook his head. That was a problem for later, and certainly wasn’t his. “I…” He glanced up, countering an involuntary grin with a sigh of exasperation. “I’m a professional,” he said evenly, with effort. “I have a job to do, and getting upset about this shi– this incident would only further inhibit my ability to do it.”

“Mhm,” Agnes furrowed her brow, pursing her lips. She would hate to admit it, but she almost found this thievery fascinating. Who could have done it? Why? Agnes was a sucker for mysteries.

Rhys took a breath. “Learned a lesson. Too trusting. No one comes near the med bay unless a doctor is present, until whoever this is gets caught. And beyond then.”

“I feel you mate. I still can’t believe  this crap is happening to us.” 

“I cannot understand the motivation. There are only so many people on this planet -- how do they think they could get away with this? Where do they think they could go? You know what, I don’t care. Line’s crossed.”

The man nodded to what the doctor had to say, of course it - it makes sense to study the planet first but it feels like a chicken and the egg theory, who will be able to study the planet and it’s elements if no humans were there to study or experiment it? You can’t prevent the virus even if we bought some anti-whatnots from earth. They were only meant to counter bacteria back on Earth and not on this exoplanet HD 40307G. “Good talk indeed, I guess we never talk because you always seem stuck up and I was always out looking for materials to build us a proper place to live in.” Joe walked a little faster as he was able to see their tent and as Rhys’s body got a little heavier due the doctor being unable to support himself he continued, “But its nice to finally have a chat with you.”

Rhys considered being offended for a moment, then shrugged. “What can I say,” he slurred. “I’m a god among men.” He was having increasing difficulty keeping upright or thinking straight, and a distant part of himself was frightened. He was used to being a problem solver, the cool head in a crisis. Now, he needed help. “Right, right. Friendship in time for the end of days.”

The random cry about her living state made Aella frown as she struggled to sit back up. A wave of dizziness washed over her as she felt her head begin to throb even harder. “Give me a few seconds. Wait…why are you out here?”

Rhys was content to wait around, as he wasn’t sure he could do anything else. If she needed support, they might both fall over. “I, uh... went walking,” he said, well aware that he looked in no condition to be mobile. He sighed. “Have started seeing things. Had to get away.” Added dryly, “Lucky for you. I’m exactly who you need right now.”

Joe took a few steps towards the doctor as he seemed to be unable to stand tall on his own, ready to hold him steady if he falls. “Don’t worry, a man’s reputation is not everything like how you imagine.” He told the doctor as Joe stood beside him, holding the man by his shoulders and leading him back to the tent. “Our whole base should be quarantined but yeah, the damage is done, whoever should fall ill, should have gotten the signs of the flu already. I just hope that we will be able to find the algae and get everyone back to tip top shape.”

Distantly aggrieved at requiring someone else’s help to get anywhere, Rhys nevertheless let himself be guided as an alternative to falling flat on his face. “Pfft.” Rhys shook his head, dismissing the man’s views on reputation out of hand. “If it were up to me - butofcourseitwouldn’tbeI'monlyadoctornotabureaucrat - we wouldn’t be walking about exposed to the elements until we had time to study what this planet… to prevent this completely preventable - is it so hard to learn from basic medicine or history - stash of meds as if antibiotics would do shit against a virus although didn'tanticipatethatparticularnastyturnofeventsmyself but antigens of course would not be…” He trailed off, losing his train of thought. “Joe. Builder. Very cool. Good talk. Why do we never talk?”

“A doctor who doesn’t know anything.” Joe repeated after the man. “Great.” The man sighed, “Well if its a tent you’re looking for I can help you out there, the least that I can do seeing how that we’re tent mates.”

Rhys had to laugh, albeit ruefully. “Great, fantastic, having the best time,” he said, swaying on his feet slightly as a wave of nausea hit. “If we all make it through this, I hope no one will have remembered anything I’ve said. Have an image to maintain. I’m very smart and important and respectable, y’know. Or was.” He blinked a couple of times, basic facts connecting. “Joe,” he said, happily. “A real person, that’s nice. Tent, yes. I’d quanti... quari... quarantined myself in medical, but at this point, can’t do any more damage than’s been done. Time to go home. Please lead.”

Eyelids flickered as the heavy black feeling devoured Aella. She couldn’t open her eyes. Something told her she needed to but all she did was groan aloud. She tried to focus on the sound as she heard the voice. Back and forth went her head until she finally managed to wrench open her eyes. “Rhys?”

“Alive! Excellent.” Once again, Rhys looked around helplessly. Trying in vain to shake the flu’s fog from his head, he searched for what his former self would know instinctively. Nothing occurred to him. “I’m sorry. I don’t... I don’t know what to do. Can you stand?”

“Ah the doctor.” Joe echoed after the man giving him a head bob as he knew at the odds were against them. “How is the find for the cure coming along, if you’re able to share the news to a regular builder.”

Rhys snorted. “I don’t know shit.” He paused for half a second, faintly aware that his usual professional facade had slipped somewhat, but any concern evaporated. “Flu’s demoted me to one of the peasants. Perfectly useless at the moment, can’t save the day. Can barely remember where my tent is.”