**A Downward Spiral**

The rest of the day was a blur for Miles, as every attempt to replenish his energy ended in failure. Julian coaxed him into eating a few bites of plain rice, but it was short-lived, as Miles' stomach rebelled once again. The sickening feeling had become all too familiar, and Miles couldn't shake off the sense of unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach. As the hours ticked by, Miles' anxiety grew, his mind preoccupied with the mounting repairs that needed to be done on the station. He couldn't just sit around and do nothing, not when the station's systems were failing and lives were at risk. Julian, sensing his distress, tried to reassure him that the repairs could wait, that Miles' health was more important. But Miles couldn't shake off the feeling of responsibility, and he found himself growing more agitated by the minute. Julian, too, was getting frustrated, as every attempt to help Miles ended in failure. The usually stoic engineer was starting to look worried, and Miles knew that he had to get his act together. Just as Miles was starting to feel like he was going to collapse, the comms system beeped, and Commander Sisko's voice came through, his tone urgent. "Chief O'Brien, I need to speak with you immediately. It's regarding the station's plasma injector system." Julian hesitated, glancing at Miles, who was struggling to stay upright. "Commander, I don't think that's a good idea. Miles isn't feeling well at all." But Sisko didn't seem to be listening. "Julian, I need you to bring Chief O'Brien to my office now. It's urgent." Miles knew he had no choice, and with a heavy sigh, he stood up, his stomach churning in protest. Julian shot him a worried glance, but Miles just shook his head. "I'll be fine," he lied. As they made their way to Sisko's office, Miles couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. What was so urgent that it couldn't wait? And what would happen to the station's repairs if he wasn't there to oversee them? When they arrived at Sisko's office, the commander looked up from his console, his expression grave. "Ah, Chief O'Brien, thank you for coming. I've received a distress signal from a nearby planet, and I need you to assess the situation and determine the best course of action." Miles' eyes widened as Sisko handed him a PADD with the details of the signal. He felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, but he took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand. He was an engineer, and he had to do his job. But as he began to scan the data, Miles couldn't shake off the feeling that he was in over his head. His stomach was churning, and his head was spinning. He hoped he could make it through this meeting without embarrassing himself.