By the time Tavok beamed aboard the Edison, Elena had already filled AJ in on the details of the Vulcan’s arrival. So, Commander Tindal was already prepped to greet him at the transporter room, arms crossed, his face seemed tired, exhausted.

“Doctor,” Tindal said curtly, eyeing him up and down. “I wasn’t expecting this sudden interest in my ship. You had all the facilities on Eos Station. Why the switch?”

Tavok stepped off the transporter pad, his posture composed. “Commander, I require firsthand exposure to the viral strains aboard this vessel. The environmental conditions here may provide crucial data we cannot obtain on the station.”

AJ narrowed his eyes. He didn’t like the sudden change and felt that the Doctor could do more from the facility on Eos.  However, if he could help, then the Edison would be available.  “Just go easy on my people. They’ve been through a lot.”

Tavok raised an eyebrow. “You have nothing to fear, Commander. My intent is only to cure your crew.”

AJ nodded, motioning to the door, “This way.”

As Tavok made his way through the Edison’s quarantine area, Doctor Andrews briefed him on the current state of the patients. The tension in her voice was apparent, though she attempted to maintain a professional demeanor.

“Two more cases since this morning,” Andrews said, leading Tavok past the containment units. “We’ve administered the partial cure, but the results are only temporary. It slows the virus, but it’s not a solution.”

Tavok glanced at the data on her PADD, his expression unreadable. “The partial cure was designed to stabilize the progression. A more comprehensive solution requires further analysis. Hence my presence here.” His voice was almost condescending.

Andrews nodded. “Why the Edison, though? What makes you think this ship holds the key? We’ve sent all data and details to the station to make this easier.”

Tavok turned to her, his tone neutral, “Environmental factors aboard the Edison may reveal variations in the viral strain that have not manifested on Eos Station. I must investigate those variables before I can proceed.”

As Tavok adjusted the scanning field, he muttered something under his breath: “Strain Delta is showing expected resistance.” 

Dr. Andrews frowned. “Strain Delta?” she repeated, flipping through her PADD. “We haven’t classified the virus mutations yet.” 

Tavok’s eyes flicked toward her, his neutral expression snapping back into place. “A… misstatement,” he corrected. But Andrews’ gaze lingered.

AJ, who had remained behind, chimed in. “Just remember, Doctor, these people are my crew, not experiments.”  AJ seemed unusually skeptical. He was starting to put some faith in Elena’s first impression.

“Noted, Commander,” Tavok replied, his voice calm. “I am here to assist, not to harm.”

In the Edison’s quarantine area, Tavok worked with Andrews and her team, deploying his equipment with Vulcan precision. His cold, efficient manner unsettled the crew. Something was too perfect about his movements, too deliberate. The Vulcan Doctor seemed too familiar with the virus. 

As Tavok scanned the infected, Krev exchanged a quiet word with his Captain. “Sir, I don’t like this guy. Feels like he knows more than he’s letting on.”

AJ nodded slightly. “You’re not the only one. Keep an eye on him. Don’t let him wander anywhere unsupervised.”

Krev smirked. “Understood, sir.”

Nearby, Dr. Andrews continued to observe Tavok’s methodical process. “Doctor,” she called, her voice tinged with suspicion. “These samples you’re collecting have already been collected? What exactly are you hoping to find?”

Tavok didn’t look up from his work. “Mutation patterns. The virus aboard the Edison is reacting differently than the strains I studied on Eos Station. There may be environmental triggers at play.”

Andrews folded her arms. “You seem remarkably familiar with the virus, Doctor. Almost as if… you anticipated these mutations.”

Tavok paused for the briefest of moments. Then he straightened and met her gaze, his expression impassive. “I have spent considerable time studying viruses with mutagenic properties, Doctor. It is my area of expertise.”

Andrews exchanged a glance with AJ, who scowled. “Expert or not, I don’t like coincidences,” AJ said. “And I don’t trust sudden changes in plans without a damn good explanation.”

Tavok raised an eyebrow, his voice unshaken. “As your human philosopher once said: ‘Trust, but verify.’ I would expect nothing less, Commander.”

AJ’s jaw tightened. “You bet I will.”

Hours passed, and the partial cure was administered to the Edison’s infected crew. The results were encouraging but far from definitive. The virus was halted in its tracks, but it hadn’t been eliminated.

Tavok observed the patient’s vital signs as the medical team ran diagnostics. “The virus is responding as anticipated,” Tavok remarked, glancing at the data streams. “However, as expected, the cure is incomplete. It will delay the virus, but without further refinement, it will not eliminate it.” Andrews noted that Tavok’s eyes lingered on one of the injected individuals just a bit too long.  Something was unsettling about Tavok’s appearance; it was as if he was searching for something specific, something he had already expected.

Dr. Andrews sighed, rubbing her temples. “So we’re back to square one. We’re buying time, but that’s about it.”

Tavok gave a curt nod. “Precisely. But time is valuable, Doctor. It allows us to continue refining the cure.”

Andrews’ hands tightened around her PADD. She had seen viruses before, but this one… and Tavok’s eerie calm… it didn’t sit right. Was she just being paranoid, or was something more at play?

AJ leaned against the bulkhead, his arms crossed. “We don’t have the luxury of waiting, Doctor. My crew’s lives are on the line. We need results—fast.”

Tavok turned to him, his expression as calm as ever. “I understand the urgency, Commander. Rest assured, I am doing everything within my power to ensure the survival of your crew.”

AJ’s eyes narrowed, “You better be.”

Later, as Tavok prepared to depart from the Edison, AJ escorted him back to the transporter room. The tension between the two was palpable.

“I will return to the station and continue my work,” Tavok said as they arrived at the transporter pad. “You have my findings. I advise close monitoring of the infected crew.”

AJ crossed his arms, staring Tavok down. “We’ll take it from here, Doctor. Thank you,” AJ said, his voice gruff, the words bitter on his tongue. Trusting Tavok was one thing; being in his debt was another.

Tavok stepped onto the pad, meeting AJ’s gaze. “Commander.”

As the transporter beam faded, AJ turned to Andrews. “Run another analysis on his samples,” he said quietly. 

Andrews raised an eyebrow. “Something didn’t sit right with you either, huh?” 

AJ crossed his arms. “No. And I intend to find out why. As he said, trust, but verify,” he repeated.