*** Med Advisors Office * SB Unity ***
It was late morning and Rangi had planned to work through
her lunch hour and finish early that afternoon, so it was
that instead of a light meal, she was nibbling her way
through five Ginger biscuits and sipping from a tall slim
glass of chilled Apple juice.
She signed a padd and set it neatly on top of the smaller of
the two stacks on the right hand side of her wide desk then
leaned back in her chair but she was feeling cramped and
stiff after sitting for so long and decided to take five
minutes for a change of scene so stood up and walked the
length of her office to the large view port at the end.
A shuttle sped past on its way to the planet, soon
disappearing from sight.
Rangi liked looking out at the world far below and never
tired of it. She often saw shuttles leaving or approaching
Unity, for the traffic was regular and frequent.
Aeran looked a peaceful place and her thoughts turned to the
recent outbreaks of seasonal flu which had caused a need for
some medical staff from Unity to spend over a week there
helping to cover shortages in the main hospital. They had
all returned once the hospitals own staff were fit for duty.
She thought too of the little holiday that she and Shane had
planned to take with Martin beside the Azur Sea. Horrible
circumstances had prevented it but perhaps, she thought,
they could try again at some point.
Staring out of viewports isnt a way to get work done, so she
returned to her desk, sat down and selected a Ginger biscuit
from the three lying on the plate. She took a bite and began
to crunch it, enjoying the taste.
After a sip of juice from her glass, she reached for the
next padd on top of the 'to do' pile and opened it.
She began to read, picking up her biscuit as she did so but
suddenly stopped, her hand suspended midway between plate
and lips and a frown clouding her face.
The news the report contained was not good and the title
itself had caused the frown.
Anything from the + Medical Research Intelligence. Biogenic
Unit + did not make good reading when eating biscuits and
the Ginger one was returned to the plate unfinished.
The subject referred to the six adults and one child rescued
from the Breen freighter.
They had initially been brought to Unity under strict
quarentine protocols but had been transferred to the MRI
unit based on Aphos, an isolated moon in orbit around
Aldebaran in the Alpha Tauri system.
The patients had died one by one in under thirty two hours
despite all efforts to help them.
The 'BFV/A1' virus remained a mystery and research continued
with as yet no conclusion but the report held worring news.
Three cases exhibiting the same symptoms ....fever and
respiratory problems then the dark lines appearing first in
the neck and upper torso...had been reported.
Two were crew of the USS Scavenger and the third from the
USS Wayfarer.All three were in isolation but worse was to
follow.
All three had been part of a medical team at the Aphos'
Biogenic Unit and the implications of that were chilling.
Rangi read the report and sat for a moment as various
scenarios ran through her mind then she pressed the comm
button.
+ Operations. Lieutenant Gee. How may I help you Commander?
+ came a voice in responce.
+ Lieutenant...This is a priority.+ Rangi said
+ I want you to trace three crewmen for me... Pickering and
Karel, currently CMO and CSO respectively on board the USS
Scavenger and Lieutenant Commander Whyles onboard the
Wayfarer.
They were all previously based at the MRI on Aphos. I want
to know the exact dates they joined their ships then I want
you to track the routes of the Scavenger and Wayfarer since
those days...where they've been, where they've docked and
which ship if any has been in contact with them.+
+ Yes ma'am+ came the reply.
+ Copy to be sent to Admiral Guzman. Thankyou.+
Rangi ended the conversation and immediately began another,
this time talking to Pakosii.
As she had feared, Pakosii stated that Shane was in a
meeting so she requested that he be told immediately she
needed to talk to him and stressed that it was of the utmost
importance.
Pakosii, an expert in fielding requests for Shanes time was
also accomplished in knowing when 'utmost importance' was
actually true or a just a ploy. He did not need to ask for
further details but simply requested with his unfailing
politeness, that she " Wait one moment please."
Rangi waited, her fingers tapping quickly on the desk as her
eyes glanced at the half eaten biscuit then back to the
screen as Pakosii announced he was connecting the call.
"Shane?" Rangi said calmly. " We have a potential problem."
*** End Log ***
Commander Rangi Summers
Med.Adv. 1st TF
CMO
SB Unity