MEDICAL LOGS

ASHES TO ASHES
Season 6 : Episode 138

 

MORGUE RECORD:

On stardate 51563, before the events of  [#84 Prey], Ensign Lyndsay Ballard was killed on an away mission to a class-M planet but it was a trap set by a Hirogen hunting party which had reconfigured power cells to give off the false readings. Ballard was hit by a neural disruptor and did not survive. Kim buried her in space. Those events are recalled verbally by Kim in  [#138 Ashes To Ashes]. See MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION.

MEDICAL REPORT:

Ballard does not remain dead. She woke up in a stasis chamber on an unfamiliar ship, having been "re-animated" by the Kobali, a species which procreates this way. After the re-animation process, the Kobali spent months altering her DNA, gave her a Kobali family and a Kobali name. A genetic pathogen in Ballard's bloodstream converted most of her DNA into a Kobali protein structure. The biochemical changes have affected every system in her body. The Kobali have a multispheric brain (with six lobes) and a binary cardiovascular system. Although she wishes to be restored to her human biology, the Doctor says that there is not enough of her human DNA left to make her human again, but he does make cosmetic changes using an inaprovaline compound. The pathogen proves to be very strong, however, which would mean she would have to see the Doctor twice a day to keep up with the cosmetic treatments. The treatments become unnecessary when Ballard reluctantly decides to return to her Kobali family.

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION:

Presumably Ballard's medical record has to be retrieved and made into an active file again, and presumably it is updated as per events in the episode.

BARYONS:

Baryon particles are any member of a class of heavy fundamental particles. Baryons build up on starship superstructures as a result of warp travel, requiring periodic decontamination, as noted in [TNG: Starship Mine]. An increase in baryon particles was detected with the malfunction of the metaphasic shield test of 2369 and the increase in cabin baryons was believed to be partially responsible for the death of Jo'Bril, in [TNG: Suspicions]. Highly energetic baryons were present in great abundance at the beginning of the universe, as observed by the Voyager crew in  [#34 Death Wish]. A baryon sweep is a high-frequency plasma field used in order to remove baryon particle contamination from starships. The process is dangerous to living tissue and requires complete evacuation of starship personnel, ref. [TNG: Starship Mine], and in this episode Kim and Ballard discuss in banter her untidiness, a possible reason why Kim, who lived across from Ballard at Starfleet Academy, used to request baryon sweeps of the dorm.

STAR TREK CONTEXTUAL MEDICAL GLOSSARY:

Inaprovaline.

DOCTOR'S QUOTE:

To Ballard: "Hair is one of my specialties, despite evidence to the contrary."