The Problems of People

Posted on 14 Feb 2010 @ 11:59pm by Colonel Nelle Skykin & Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

1,251 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: M3: Shore Leave
Location: USS Freedom, Conference Room
Timeline: Current

Nigel paced the small conference room, awaiting the arrival of the two people he'd sent invitations to earlier. Out the starboard side of the ship, he could see the station's interior. People walked, passing through the windows, seemingly oblivious to the instrument of death orbiting the station. He was on a errand of mercy, Commander Ross had called it that anyway. He just hoped that these officers had learned something in their recent dealings with the Romulans. Specifically, he hoped they would be able to help with the dying Romulans, now in stasis, aboard Starbase 47.

Turning at the customary pneumatic hiss of doors, Nigel watched as the two women walked through. He was having a tough time deciding which of the two was more beautiful, but that wasn't his purpose here. As a short introduction, Nigel offered, "I'm Ensign Nigel Roseman, Chief Strategic Operations Officer aboard Starbase 47 and currently liaison to the Freedom. Doctor Skykin," he said, extending his hand in a very human gesture to the Trill doctor. Then repeating the gesture to the Orion, "Lieutenant Vanya, a pleasure to meet you both. I know you should be enjoying your shoreleave, but I've been sent here rather urgently by Commander Ross to appeal to you."

Vanya's eyebrow arched, "I'm sure you're very appealing, Ensign Roseman," she said with the twitch of a smile on her lips, "but I'm sure that's just me being flippant. I don't think it's you who is in need of medical attention, so perhaps you could tell us who is?"

Skykin smirked at Vanya's words and offered her hand, "That's what I would like to know."

"You see," Nigel started, thinking how best to explain the situation in terms he knew. He was neither a scientist nor a doctor. "It would seem a group of Romulan guests have just arrived on station. Their compatriots are lying, dying in our sickbay of an unknown cause. Doctor Parker has stabilized them within the stasis units, but as you both well know, we can't keep them there forever." Rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous habit he had developed during his childhood, Nigel pressed on, "I was wondering if there was anything you could do to assist Doctor Parker with this situation?"

Not being familiar with Doctor Parker, her analytical skills, or her diagnostic acumen Vanya started with the basics. "I assume she's run tests for typical Vulcanoid afflcitions and mutations thereof?" People, even doctors sometime tended to neglect the common origins of the Vulcan and Romulan species, "I'd like to see her findings. Additionally, have there been any distinct outbreaks of illness on the station in recent weeks?"

Nigel retrieved a PaDD from an interior jacket pocket, reading it aloud, "From the reports I've brought, their are a number of negative disease causing pathogens specific to either Vulcanoid lifeforms or copper-based blood abnormalities. Our understanding of Romulan genetics is minimal at best and we're putting a request in with the Romulan CO to have his medical team transfer to the station." Nigel paused, looking up at the two formidable women before him. "In relation to illnesses and outbreaks, Doctor Parker reports nothing unusual. A few cases of Andorian Influenza and one case of Morellan Mumps have occurred in the last four weeks. Both were contained relatively easily. The patients have been treated and released with no abnormalities in their follow-ups."

"What do you think, Doctor Skykin?" They may have arrrived together but they'd only met in the turbolift and had not yet formed any acquaintance beyond the basics. Vanya had a number of theories forming, but she did not wish to steal the show. "None of those afflictions would typically have a marked effect on a Vulcanoid, not in isolation anyway."

Skykin thought for a moment, "I'm no medical officer, I'm a scientist, but would you mind refreshing me on how they came to be on the station. I mean of course that during their ordeal there may have been something overlooked as in maybe the slightest bacterial difference in the air or the worst case scenario... foul play" Skykin noted.

Nigel referred to his notes. "I wasn't yet on station when the ship was tractored in, so I apologize for my secondhand knowledge. I say tractored because the station recieved a distress call seconds after Commander Wilson took command. Within eight hours, a Wallace class vessel had entered the Romulan Neutral Zone on a mission of mercy. Our crew found the entire Romulan crew comatose in various locations around the ship. Upon tranporting them to Starbase 47, Doctor Parker had them isolated to the secondary hospital facility and began monitoring their vital signs. As these things go, the Romulan Warbird decloaked on our doorstep about the same time as their compatriots started dying. We've found no biological cause, bacterial or viral, and the disease has been limited to the freighter crew only."

"That puts a different spin on it," Vanya said, with Romulans if there was not an obvious cause of injury like a knife between the shoulder blades or a protracted whispering campaign it was probably poison. "Is the freighter still here? I'd like to take a look."

"Yes as would I" Skykin noted thoughtfully.

Nigel considered the request. It wasn't so much that accessing the ship was a physical problem so much as a political problem now. He decided to be honest. "It might take more doing than I'm able to arrange before the Freedon leaves dock, Lieutenants. With the arrival of the S'Task, there's been more political red tape than I could wade through."

Seeing their crestfallen expressions, Nigel made another decision. "However, I think if we 'accidently' managed to wind up their on a tour of the Starbase, we might as well use that time to study the ship and download the crew logs. I'd take the blame and since I'm still new, they might accept that answer at face value."

"I only need half an hour," Vanya said, patting him on the shoulder, "and I can join you in the 'I didn't realise we shouldn't be there' protestations if we're caught - I have a background in viral mutation, and I could persuade a Vulcan that the excitement of investigating a potential incident was enough to make me overlook protocol."

Nigel visibly relaxed, now that the senior officers had taken his proposal. It was insubbordination, knowing the orders against intruding into the ship. Still, Nigel had often been told it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission. He decided to go with that concept now. "What about you Lieutenant Skykin. Do you think exploring the vessel would assist you at all?"

"Certainly, it would be a big contributor to finding the source of the problem. So when shall we be 'stumbling into this ship accidentally?'" Skykin smirked slightly.

Nigel looked at the shipwide chronometer. With a quick thought, he said, "The Starbase's security shift change is due in about twenty-five minutes. There should be about ten minutes between one shift's departure and the next's arrival. We should be able to slip onto the ship then. Shall we agree to Bay 214 in twenty-five minutes then?"

"Agreed, protective gear everyone, if there's something in the atmosphere we don't want to be breathing it in," Vanya said.

"Indeed, twenty-five minutes..." Nelle set her watch.

--------------------------------------

Ensign Nigel Roseman
Chief Strategic Operations Officer - Starbase 47
Ship's Liaison - USS Freedom

Lieutenant JG Nelle Skykin
Chief Science Officer

Lt. Vanya
CMO

 

RSS Feed