The Garden - Melissa Scott [2]
Janeway glanced at her wrist again, her annoyance fading as the implications of the doctor's words began to sink in. "And yet, Doctor, I know I have been following the recommended diet. I shouldn't be getting scurvy."
"I agree." The doctor looked up from his screen at last. "And the same thing seems to be true of Imbro and Renehan. All three of you are getting plenty of ascorbic acid, but nonetheless you show signs of deficiency."
"What's your explanation?"
"At the moment, I have none." The doctor's lips were compressed into a tight line, his eyebrows raised to crumple the skin of his forehead. "I'm in the process of creating a test protocol, which, with your permission, I'd like to implement for the entire crew. Once I've determined whether or not this is an isolated problem, I'll have an easier time finding the cause. In the meantime, Captain, I would like to begin by giving you supplemental vitamin C-a fairly high dose, I think we're better off treating this aggressively-and ask you to return for further tests in, say, three days' time."
"All right," Janeway said. "Go ahead with the test protocol, and keep me informed of your results. And let me know if there are any new cases."
"Of course." The doctor walked to a storage shelf, studied the containers for a moment, and then selected a flat box from among them. "Take two of these tablets twice a day, preferably with a meal."
Janeway nodded. "How are your supplies?"
"We can synthesize more in the replicators, or conceivably extract it from some of the foodstuffs we have on board," the doctor answered. "Though of course the latter would eventually affect our overall supply levels."
"Right," Janeway said. Neither option was particularly appealing-one consumed power, the other the food supplies, both of which were limited-but as short-term solutions, both would work. In the long term- She cut off that thought. The only acceptable long-term solution was to find the cause of the deficiency. "Keep me informed," she said briskly, and left the sickbay.
Ensign Harry Kim considered the plate in front of him, and the bland round grains that substituted for rice, and was glad he'd accepted an extra spoonful of Neelix's vegetable curry. It was bright green, almost the color of a cheap, sour-lime flavored candy he'd been fond of as a boy, but at least it tasted of turmeric and ginger. Those flavors came naturally from the bright-yellow fruit they'd gathered on the unnamed, uninhabited planet where they'd last stopped for supplies, and for a moment he could almost feel the touch of the cool breeze that had swept across the grassy plain. It had been a beautiful world, rich in vegetation, and almost completely lacking in animal life as Janeway had said, a perfect place to restock
their larder without having to worry about upsetting the natives, especially once they'd run the tests and discovered that the fruits and grains not only met their nutritional needs but almost certainly tasted good as well. Kim closed his eyes, conjuring up the headland where his landing party had done their survey. The air had smelled of the sea's alien salt; the plain had swept down from the headland until it met a low line of trees laden with the yellow fruits. A perfect place, he thought, except for the silences. It had been odd to be so close to the sound of surf, and not hear seabirds. Their noise had always been part of the family's seaside holidays.
"Not up for the curry tonight, huh?" a familiar voice said, and Kim opened his eyes as Voyager's helmsman dropped into the seat opposite him. "Can't say I blame you, I'm getting a little tired of these gingered tomatoes myself."
"That must be why you took such a small helping," Kim said, dryly,