Stan's adjunct office: investigating a cold case

[Stan Bowen]

Stan had been in his office for a little while, turning on all the little scanners and probes and other toys. Although much smaller then the facility at the University, it was similar in scope. Stan did miss the army of grad students, though.

Running Natalya's scans and medical records obtained since she arrived,he overplayed it with his own extensive files on cryogenic-based mutants.

He fiddled with the data, focusing on the wounds Natalya had sustained.

[Narrator]

The major injury was definitely inflicted from behind, but she had suffered some blunt force trauma and cuts with something sharp, obviously a blade of some kind, prior to being stabbed through the back by a spike of ice. She seemed to be subconsciously maintaining the cryopreservation state, though a elemental kinetic's abilities responding to their subconscious wasn't exactly an earth shattering discovery.

[Stan Bowen]

"Her power was turned against her.." Stan said, muttering and paraphrasing Sam's thoughts on the matter.

He began looking through his research on cold-based mutants, looking for any way to induce healing in a cryogenic state. That, it seemed, was the most promising option at the moment...

[Narrator]

Unlike Bobby Drake, Natalya didn't turn into ice so that wasn't a concern or was a difficulty, depending on the approach one looked at. Several possibilities that involved forcing her to thaw out completely had already been discarded by the staff at Muir.

Consistent with her medical records in her Institute days, she still had two ice constructs slumbering inside her forearms, currently in a fragmented state. The records indicated that these constructs had some low grade autonomy almost functioning as extensions of her own mind, though it didn't actually approach sentience. If they could rouse those to life, those might be able to function in her system at the extreme temperature, but there was no immediate indication as to how they could help.

[Stan Bowen]

Anxious to find a feasible solution, Stan focused on the fragmented ice constructs, trying to rouse them using electrical probes and sonics, as well as slight fluctuations of temperature. He wanted to avoid surgery to reassemble them, if possible. The cryogenic state might make that nearly impossible.

[Narrator]

The constructs seemed to at least somewhat respond to a certain range of harmonics, at least reforming into a coherent serpentine form on the underside of her forearms as if to hide from the noise. Natalya's brain activity elevated slightly during their motion, but only slightly.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan continued, focusing on the effective harmonics, and directing them In a variety of ways, trying to determine the capabilities of them.

[Narrator]

After some experimenting, they seemed to be capable of merging back into her and moving around with a snake-like motion. Their responses to the harmonics seemed delayed or sluggish, though as before Natalya's brain activity registered slightly when they were active. A small sample of them indicated that they were, for the most part, normal ice although some of their fluid make-up indicated that they were as much a part of Natalya as any of her other body parts.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan began working on a harmonic wave emitter, able to be moved portably.

Working further, he attempted to direct the snakes to the damaged areas of her body, to determine if they would interact at all.

He also set up a brain wave micro enhancer/monitor, to get a better idea of what was happening with Natalya's brainwaves when the snakes were active.

[Narrator]

Getting them to move to the damaged areas was easy enough. They seemed to be lacking instructions in exactly what to do. Their posture seemed to indicate that they were waiting for some sort of instruction, looking up towards Natalya.

Natalya's brain activity indicated some low awareness, almost as if there was a part of it that monitored the activities of the constructs. The conscious areas of her mind stayed largely dormant.

After some additional frequency modulation, the snakes began to assume various shapes as the frequencies changed, maintaining what looked like a semi-liquid state. It might be possible to introduce some sort of liquid into them in that state and, if that state held, the liquid might remain liquid long enough to do whatever job it was supposed to do.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan rubbed his chin, observing the interaction. He then picked up the phone and dialed.

"Sterile stores? This is Doctor Bowen. Can you please send up sterile kit E-549nn? Yes, the nannite solution. To Ms. romanov's room. And page the attending physician."

Stan then turned back to his computer, and began writing a program to properly direct the nannites, once introduced to Natalya's unique constructs.

[Narrator]

Dr. Lingstrom arrived before the requested kit. "You've found something?" He was obviously trying not to look over Stan's shoulder, but really wanting to.

[Stan Bowen]

"I think so.. Natalya is displaying minimal brain activity, but it appears to be enough to maintain some ice constructs throughout her body. I don't want to alter her brain activity too much, for fear she might slip for. Her stable state. But through a combination of sonic frequencies, I can direct the constructs to differing parts of her body."

Stan paused a moment, rubbing his brow.

"I'm hoping the batch of nannites I requested, properly programmed, will be able to ride the ice constructs to where they are needed..."

[Narrator]

"If nothing else, perhaps they can repair enough of the damage to let us do proper surgery," Dr. Lingstrom nodded.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan nodded, going back to typing on his computer.

"The nannite program should be ready in 30 minutes. You'd best scrub up- we should do this in a sterile environment."

[Narrator]

"I'll have an operating room prepared," he nodded, going to get things ready and give orders.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan nodded, turning back to complete his work.

I'll move to the auilliary unsterile ops room once things are ready to go."

[Narrator]

After a little while, an orderly came back, dressed in what looked like the smaller cousin of a space suit. "Whenever you're ready, Dr. Bowen, we'll move her to the operating room," he said, his voice modulated by the speaker system in the insulated suit.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan finished up with his typing, hitting a key and sending the nannite program to the OR server.

"Ready to go. Transfer Ms. Romanov to the Operating room- I'll meet you there."

[Narrator]

Another orderly in a similar suit came in and they made some adjustments before wheeling Natalya out and down the hall to the OR. The process of opening up the environment regulation bed took longer than actually moving her. But eventually it was done and the area around Natalya was suitable for Dr. Lingstrom and his staff to work without risking frostbite.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan moved to the auxiliary room, and brought up the O server connection.

"I'm here, doctors. The nannite program appears good to go.. Indicate when you are ready to introduce the bots."

[Narrator]

"Let's see if we can deal with the major injury first. If we can't handle that, there won't be much point in dealing with the others," Lingstrom said. The ice constructs were coaxed into the wound and placed in their semi-liquid state. A couple of confirmation checks were made. "Alright, we're ready, Dr. Bowen."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan nodded, initiating the nannite repair program. The nannites were injected, pooling inside the ice constructs.

"This batch of nannites is designed for cold environments, but they could not move on their own through frozen solid matter. Hopefully thieves contstruction will provide a good delivery vehicle.."

Once they were in place, Stan initiated the repair section of the program, setting the nannites loose on the wounds.

[Narrator]

The constructs seemed to be providing the necessary medium. At least, Stan's readouts weren't reporting any issues. Dr. Lingstrom kept an eye on the injury, his eyes glued to a monitor showing an enhanced image of the damaged area. "So far so good. It's not a perfect repair, but if it keeps going like this, we'll be able to use surgery to correct any lingering issues."

[Stan Bowen]

"Easy does it... There's no rush."

[Narrator]

Natalya's vital signs, minimal as they were, stayed stable and the nanites did their work, reconstructing things as instructed. She'd have one hell of a scar, but at least she wouldn't bleed out.

[Stan Bowen]

"Things are clearing up a bit.. I'm going to start dialing back the nannites."

[Narrator]

"Things are looking good here," Dr. Lingstrom said, checking temperature readings and frowning. "Although she's still in her cryopreservative state."

[Stan Bowen]

"Now that the major damage is stemmed, can we risk raising her temperature slowly?"

[Narrator]

"We can certainly try, I think," he said, "As soon as you've shut the nanites down completely, we'll begin the process. I don't want to risk having one interfere with the other."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan nodded through the window, continuing to shut down the nannite swarm.

"Give me another three minutes, that should render the rest of the robots inert."

[Narrator]

Dr. Lingstrom went ahead and prepared for the thawing process, getting the necessary equipment into place. When Stan gave him the go ahead, he started the process. However, Natalya's temperature did not increase. Her brain activity did though.

[Stan Bowen]

"Increased brain activity... Hang on.."

Stan checked his readouts,looking to see if there was any effect on the ice constructs.

[Narrator]

The constructs, having been reabsorbed into her body during the repairs seemed slightly agitated, but most of the brain activity seemed to sit in the portions of her brain responsible for controlling her abilities.

[Stan Bowen]

"Her Lieber region is being stimulated.. Steady with the temperature rise, but be ready to shut down in a moment.."

Stan was hopeful, as her brain began kicking back into gear.

[Narrator]

"It's almost like her body is fighting the temperature increase," Dr. Lingstrom observed as he continued to try to increase her temperature.

[Stan Bowen]

"Hmm.. Dial it down, dial it down. Lets see the reaction."

[Narrator]

Lingstrom pulled back on the temperature increase and Natalya's readings settled. Though there was a distinct indication that her mind was more active than it was previously, there didn't seem to be much, if any, conscious activity.

[Stan Bowen]

"Ok, bring the temperature up again, slowly.."

[Narrator]

They did so and received the same reaction. Natalya's body started reinforcing the cold state as soon as her temperature began to rise.