Touch down
Posted on Wed Oct 2nd, 2024 @ 3:12am by Captain Qa'ada MD & Commander Naois Mercy MD & Lieutenant Faith Hawkins & Lieutenant Amelia Fox & Lieutenant JG René Rouen & Lieutenant JG Toareth Rouen (née Darqa) & Lieutenant JG Jasmine Brooks
2,674 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Fortuna
Location: Planet
Timeline: Current
Once the shuttle landed in the town square, the away team exited the shuttle. There was one thing Naois noticed straight away: "this place is deserted, one would expect someone to come greet.or brief us. Where is everyone?"
The Vulcan turned towards his team. "Start scans, as much as possible. I want to know where the colonists are, if any are still alive."
"Oh they are alive," said Toareth stepping up beside Naois. She reached out with her empathy and could feel the community's collective pain. She brought up a tricorder and scanned anyway. "Life signs are abound. Just inside." She looked behind her as the medical team started pulling equipment from the shuttle. "Leave those for the moment. Start your scans and assessments. I want reports and theories from each of you in 30 minutes."
Naois cast the CMO a sharp look which probably would be missed thanks to their suits. Hadn't he just ordered the same? "I will look for the governor. Doctor you should head for the hospital. I will join you there as soon as possible."
"Of course, sir. On my way." Turning, Toareth motioned for her team to FRAGO her previous order and to continue with the equipment retrieval. She shoulder her satchel and grabbed a pair of medical cases to help in moving the equipment. "Hospital is a quarter mile in that direction," she pointed. "Set your tricorders for continuous scan and move to central registration on the first floor. We will peruse scans and develop theories there." Toareth observed the security team emerging, the piloting crew doing their post flight checks. She nodded to her husband then she and her team started to move out.
René nodded to Toareth. He was double checking the seals on the two security guards hazmat suits. Once he was done and checked out himself, he stepped over to Naois. "Orders sir?"
As soon as they touched down, Amelia scanned the local vicinity with the shuttle's sensors. "Sir, I'm not picking up any life signs in the immediate area but..." she paused and frowned as she studied the readout "The shuttle's power reserves are being drained. It's slow but it started when we landed. I'd estimate we have about 5 hours before we have insufficient power to take off again."
Naois nodded. "Take all needed measures," he ordered before looking towards the security chief. "You are with me, we are going to meet with the governor. Doctor Rouen, keep an open comm and under no circumstances take off your suit. Take care it does not get damaged."
"Aye, sir," Toareth said as she was stepping away with her team. She instinctively placed her hand on the belt, ensuring it was there and powered on. "And, I will learn what I can."
Not far away from the arriving away team, Doctor Ihy Cysox was walking toward the colony hospital carrying a datapad that he was busily examining as he headed back to the duty station. The Deputy Director of Medicine at the colony, the Denobulan Doctor was still baffled by what was happening to the patients that they were treating. Typing on the PADD that he carried, he almost walked directly into the shuttle the away team had been using.
"This isn't supposed to be here!"
Naois turned at the sound of the voice, spotting the suit-less Denobulan. "Yes it is doctor," he answered quietly, "as this was the only place we could set down. We are here to help investigate you epidemic and hopefully develop a cure. Our chief medical officer has already headed towards the hospital." The Vulcan paused. "I am Commander Naois Mercy, first officer and chief counselor of the USS Britannic."
Faith would be with Toar, her task being to inspect the medical equipment at the colony's hospital. A second opinion would have been ideal, but the size of the team was limited. For good reason. Hennessy was in charge until she returned. Faith's anxiety from the journey led her to fear the worst. The equipment being responsible and the lives of so many people depending on her, her team to fix it all. Faith tried to convince herself to keep calm, not to worry until she knew what the situation was. There was an equal chance it wasn't to blame. She would soon find out.
The Denobulan Doctor looked around the group that had arrived, letting the words sink in as to what they had just said. Glancing at the datapad then back to the Executive Officer, Cysox continued, "I don't know what you all could do that we haven't already tried. We may be a small colony with not many doctors, but we know the people here. It just doesn't make sense that a cure could be causing so much death. In all the years that this treatment has been used its never before caused death as a side effect, well not typically at least."
"The problem might not be one related to medicine, Doctor." offered Faith, swapping her toolcase from her right hand to her left. She'd been gently swaying it side to side in her hand. A little like the 21st century contraptions known as fidget spinners. "I'm here to take a look at the equipment you use to manufacture the vaccine, if you're willing."
"Certainly! A second set of eyes... well," The Denobulan nodded, but then quickly paused midsentence as if he was absent mindedly thinking about other matters. Regaining his senses, "I wish I could authorize that, but the colony's Director of Medicine would have to give you that permission. She's at the main clinic. I was heading there now. Please," he motioned toward the large building behind him. Before any of them could start, he took off toward it himself.
"We are very happy to see you here. I'm sorry about earlier. We've tried a lot to fix this problem, but people keep dying. We just can't explain it!"
"Our chief medical officer has already headed to the hospital," Naois commented, furrowing slanted brows as he recounted the Denobulan's words. "One would almost think she has something to hide if she were to deny permission," he commented, feigning the lightness in his voice while watching the man closely. "How many have survived this illness? And how many have fallen I'll despite or because of your remedy? How many recovered without remedy? Any recovered or deceased with any other underlying issues?"
The Denobulan Doctor heard all the questions, but was far too frazzled to answer. "You can get all of that from the Director. I'm sorry, but I have to get back to my duties." He sped off toward the clinic, hurrying down one of the corridors.
"Charming fellow." Jasmine commented, probably a little louder than she intended.
"Indeed," Naois agreed as his gaze followed the retreating man. "Lieutenant Brooks and Rouen, I want you to follow him. I have a feeling he is trying to hide something from us. Engage him if you can and see what it is he may be hiding. I will try and speak with the director."
Amelia was still working on the backup power systems when she glanced up and caught sight of a figure outside their shuttle. Their skin was the colour of ash and it looked to be deteriorating. When it saw Amelia was watching, it ran around a corner surprisingly fast. It was only brief and for a moment she could have sworn she just imagined it but she redirected her tricorder and tapped her comm badge as she observed the readout and the hirs on the back of her neck rose.
"Fox to Commander Mercy. I just saw what I think was one of the colonists but I'm not sure. Their bio-signs are badly distorted, they're not reading as fully human. I can't explain it but, for some reason, It looks like it was watching us.
"Keep an eye on it lieutenant," Naois ordered. "I will be in the hospital. Lieutenant Hawkins please examine all equipment for contamination and report back."
Brooks glanced at the security officer and smiled. "Shall we?"
René turned to Jasmine and gave a nod and gesture. "After you Lieutenant." He keyed in the EVA suits internal tricorder system to scan for Denobulan life signs and display the data on the helmet's HUD.
HOSPITAL
The hospital of the Fortuna Colony was normally a boring place. It had patients, yes, but they were usually rather mundane situations no worse than a broken bone. Every so often a surgery was needed, but they too were routine affairs that required very little thought or effort. Then, abruptly, it all changed. It started off routine: a basic treatment for a viral infection caused by Melvaran mud fleas brought by a trading vessel. Then it became a nightmare when the time-honored treatment began killing the patient. There was no rhyme nor reason to it. No explanation. Just a lot of death. More than any of them were prepared for.
Standing amidst the sick and dying, Doctor Margot Devereaux stood carefully watching over the souls for whom she was responsible. Her purple, shoulder-length hair was braided to frame her strong, warm face. Fair skin complimented her hair and cheekbones, leaving an impression that was haunting when paired with her handsomely set small blue eyes. Looking away from the patients, she checked a readout on her datapad to get a feel for where to proceed next, but answers eluded her.
"It's going to get better," she reminded herself. "It has to."
Making her way to colonist Liana Mulder, Doctor Devereaux began a scan while noticing new arrivals.
Toareth was the first to enter the area. Already, a hospital orderly was pointing her and her team toward an area where they could set up. Toareth had an armful of equipment and stepped to a counter to place it down. A crewman on her team came along to replace it in their makeshift lab.
Toareth looked about the place with focused eyes; eyes that anyone could tell had seen many years of pain and suffering; eyes that were taking in every detail and calculating. "Crewman Chadwick," she called out.
A female enlisted, who had just stepped in and managed to place down her load of equipment without dropping it, stepped away hurriedly toward Toareth. "Yes, ma'am."
"You are trained in zoology and animal biology correct?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Then you are our subject matter expert on the topic. I want you to focus your scans on the wildlife, insects, animals. Look for anything communicable, mutable. I want an initial hypothesis in 30 minutes."
"Yes, ma'am," and she was off.
Toareth, having spotted who appeared to be in charge, stepped up to the doctor on duty. "Doctor Darqa," she introduced herself. "Doctor Rouen, I mean. Apologies. Recently married. I am from the U.S.S. Britannic, United Federation of Planets."
"If you're not helping, you're in the way," Margot shot back as she typed on the keypad of her older Medical Tricorder. The thought never crossed her mind that she was being rude or inconsiderate, she was just more worried about the patient she was working with. Liana Mulder was a younger member of the colony's population and had two children at home. She wanted to do everything she could to help her, and it wasn't looking good.
"Helping is exactly our intent here," Toareth said as she stepped to the other side of the bed and removed her satchel. From her satchel, she pulled a Federation medical tricorder. She also retrieved a Romulan tricorder-like scanning device and also an individual hypospray which she used to immediately hit herself with on the back of her neck, right in the jugular. Toareth flexed her neck back and forth working the medication forth. "I have been read into the situation you have here, Doctor. With our combined efforts, we should be able to find and eliminate the issue."
Margot shrugged as she tapped at the readings on the Tricorder, "I don't see how. We've been doing everything that we can and, so far, nothing's worked. There's no rhyme nor reason to why the patients who make it make it, and those who don't don't make it. Every member of my team has had a patient live, every member of my team has had a patient die."
"There is a reason, I assure you," Toareth said. "I brought a zoologist with me and we have a planetologist on board our vessel. Both have orders to maintain their focus on the situation at hand. I was read into the ecology of Xachara before coming down. I understand much of the vegetation and fungal life forms here can be indistinguishable from others without a deep scan. I feel the solution could be found there, or a pathway forward at the very least." Toareth looked around and took note; of the patients spread about the place, the varying levels of urgency needed, and of her team doing likewise and doing what they could. "Do you have any fungal cultures, spores, pollen samples anything stored for use in organic treatments?"
"Not that I know of," Devereaux answered as she snapped her Tricorder shut. She grabbed for a medication from the nearby tray and injected it into the patient, "You know medical science has made a few advances recently. We don't use scalpels or leeches anymore, nor do we use fungal cultures, spores, or pollen samples." Her irritation was evident in her words. "I'm not a fan of archaeological medicine." She typed on the control interface above the biobed and sighed as the patient's vitals stabilized. "This is becoming more and more of a zero sum game every day." She sighed again as she crossed her arms.
"You may not be a fan of archaeological medicine, but that may be helpful when practicing medicine on a planet in its own Phanerozoic Eon. Especially if you have found no rhyme or reason for this outbreak."
Letting out a long breath, "You know maybe you should work with Tukuk. He was working on investigating the saved medicinal pattern. He'd probably be the one to talk to." She looked around, "Where is he anyway? He was just right here," she sounded concerned as she said it. "Probably dealing with one of the patients. Anyway, let me know what you find out."
"I certainly will," said Toareth as she turned and started away looking for this Tukuk. She was getting nowhere with the doctor on hand. The woman appeared tired, impatient and irritated and Toareth understood those feelings all too well.
SHUTTLE
Back at the shuttle, the power loss continued and Amelia could not find the cause. It was as if there was something in the atmosphere that was draining power directly from the power reserves. Tricorder in hand, she opened the hatch and went outside, scanning the exterior of the shuttle. As she rounded the front, something moved out of the corner of her eye. She stopped and turned her head. What she saw made her skin crawl. There was not one but a small army. 10 or 20 all stood watching her. All with the same ashed skin. The same vacant look in their eyes. She directed the tricorder to their direction.
No life signs.
She slowly took a step backwards and tapped her comm badge. "Fox Mercy. I Ahhh." she screamed as the hoard suddenly started to run at her.
Naois was listening to the conversation between the chief medical officer and the colony doctor when the call came in. "Lieutenant Fox, report," he called, visibly alarmed when the call ended in a scream.
Amelia heard the comm but she was too distracted to answer. She took off running, desperate to get back into the shuttle. As she turned the corner, she lost her footing and slipped, hitting the ground hard. She could hear the hoard getting closer. Instinctively, she curled herself into a ball, paralysed in fear, awaiting the inevitable.
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