[USS Chimera] SD 241001.20: SB Unity: Duty Log: Major Cortez / Cmdr Summers (part 1)

"rangi.summers@mojwap.sk" <rangi.summers@mojwap.sk> wrote to chimera@ucip.org:

*** Isolation Unit 1B1 ***

Security was tight and that was putting it mildly.
Rangi entered the quarantined zone with a view to talking to
Major Cortez. In her hand she carried a two padds, a
transcript of his report and the photographs he had brought
back with him from Aeran III.

She both looked and felt tense because the last six hours
had been some of the most challenging in her professional
life.
Passing through the security stages, she came at last to
the isolation room that Cortez occupied.

When she entered it gave the appearance that he was able to
meet her freely but in fact there was a force field between
him and her. It was partly for medical reasons but partly
because of a security measure as Cortez had recently set
foot on Aeran.

Rangi knew that the man she had come to see would not be
best pleased to find himself in such a setting but she
needed to talk to him and only hoped he would be reasonable.
This was not something she expected.

Richard sat on the floor against the wall furthest from the
force field that was keeping him confined. He understood the
necessity of it all but he still didn't like it. But what
really angered him was the idea that he had been betrayed.
The parting words of the operators who had escorted him into
his new quarters were quite simply very revealing.
His mind sped a hundred miles a minute seeing conspiracy's
at every turn. He wondered if his suspicions were indeed
correct and if they were, were Guzman and Rangi both in on
it?

No matter how he figured it, there just wasn't any way
around the possibility that the Federation was trying to, or
perhaps already had used this virus as a biological weapon.
Perhaps it wasn't even natural at all.

Cortez leaned his head back and took a deep breath and as if
on cue the door leading to the outside walkway in front of
his containment cell swished open revealing Commander
Summers. Richard pretended not to notice.

Rangi walked into the room, glanced back at the door sealed
itself behind her and then transferred her attention to the
figure seated on the floor. She stepped towards the force
field and stopped, waiting for him to look up. He didnt.

" I really hope you're not going to sulk." she said. " I
need to talk to you...about this."
She held out the padd for him to see should he raise his
head.

"So talk", Richard said simply without looking up.

An audible sigh escaped her lips, her hand holding the padds
dropped to her side and she glanced away from him.

" Look.." she said. " I know this isnt ideal but I have to
talk to you. Things have happened since you went away and
you can help me...probably." she added for she wasnt
entirely sure that he could although the chances were high.

"In case you hadn't noticed Commander", Richard said
looking up, "I'm not really in a position to help anybody.
In fact, I'm quite content to sit in this cell, I have
dinner coming shortly and I'm very hungry."

" Dinner can wait." she replied and immediately regretted
her words for she saw the slight frown between his eyes.
" I'm sorry." she said. " I didnt mean it to sound
uncaring. Im sure you 'are' hungry...but I really need to
know a few things."
She raised the padds again indicating what she wanted to
talk about. " Would you?" she asked.

Richard sighed and stood up.
"Fine, send it through."
He watched as Summers pushed the padds through the slot and
then watched as they reappeared in his cell.
"OK, what am I looking for?" he added as he thumbed through
the info front of him.

"The photos.." she said. " Particularly of the woman with
the blonde hair. In the first one you can see the blue lines
quite clearly but in the last I can't see them at all." She
paused as he located the ones she referred to.
"Doesnt that remind you of something?"

Cortez flipped to the images she was talking about.
"I don't know", he said somewhat confused, "I haven't seen
this picture...she wasn't a patient when I arrived."
He paused and looked up at Rangi, "Must have been admitted
before I got there", looking back down at the screen, "It
says here shes dead, why do you ask?".

"Because that's what happened to Georgia Pegg." Rangi
replied. "There were no signs of the lines on her body when
it was found, none at all. In the time you were away fifteen
more people developed the symptoms.... Fifteen." she
stressed.

Richards eyes narrowed and he held the padd down to his
side.
"You should have listened to me and killed her when you had
the chance. Now at least fifteen more people are going to
die", his voice was becoming louder, "You and Guzman both
messed up big time".
He paused and took a few steps to the side.

"How many more people are you going to let die?", he stopped
moving and turned to look back at Summers, "Or is that the
point, is this some sort of experiment, are you playing God
Rangi?"

He threw the padd against the force field causing small
sparks to fly,

"Or was this just Guzmans idea and you being the loyal
housewife just went along with it?", his accusations, though
erratic, had a point.

He watched her reaction carefully.

*** End Part 1 ***

Major Richard Cortez
CSEC
USS Chimera
&
Commander Rangi Summers
Med Adv 1st Task Force
CMO
SB Unity

[USS Chimera] SD 241001.20 ||SB 234: UNITY|| Joint Duty Log, Cpt Trent Rodgers and Cpt Tedros Chisulo

[Operations Center - Deck One - SB 234: UNITY]

Captain Tedros Chisulo loomed over the report and readouts from his station at

UNITY's control center. He received reports from all Starfleet vessels under UNITY

and Rear Admiral Guzman's jurisdiction and was responsible for their logistics

and proper deployment for Taskforce Operations. After LtCol Pont Brillant's

departure and reassignment back to Quantico, the TF Tactical Department and

TF Strategic Operations departments were merged, with Chisulo as the de facto

head.

Across the Bridge, UNITY personnel were busy at their stations coordinating traffic

and patrols, monitoring long range scans, relaying communications and the like.

Chisulo looked up as the turbolift doors hissed open and aside to see Captain

Rodgers enter the room.

"XO on deck!" He called out.

For a moment, a slight moment, Trent looked around, wondering who the XO in

question was. It was his normal reaction everytime he stepped foot in ops or other

key task force facilities. He was still not accustomed to such formalities. As captain

on the Lancelot, he put a quick end to these formalities. But here, he wasn't in

command. So, he'd just have to put up with it.

 

"At ease," Trent finally said. "Captain Chisulo, it's good to see everything is in 

capable hands here."

 

"Thank you for the compliment, Captain." Tedros replied.

 

"I need to speak with you. There's a situation that has developed," Trent said.

 

Chisulo closed the report he was reading so that he could give his entire attention

to Captain Rodgers. His demeanor was obviously warranting it. 

 

"The admiral has placed Aeran III under a planetwide quarantine for medicial reasons.

We will need all of our ships in the system to enforce it. I have already spoken their 

captains of the situation. This is no drill."

Chisulo rubbed at his chin. "What ships, Captain?"

"The Magellan has just returned from Padassa and will be available along with the

Quasar and Qashqai. The Magellan will be led ship in this effort. I want to keep the

Hindenburg and Valiant on stand-by just in case the Rommies pick this moment to

pay us a visit."

Chisulo nodded. "They should suffice, they are excellent commanders." The Captain

tapped on his console and pulled up a diagram of UNITY's squadrons. "Should I

scramble the squadrons to aide in the patrols, Captain?" Chisulo asked. "The

Valkyries should be fast enough to intercept any vessels within the gravity well."

"Very well. Fighters will be used to intercept with capital ships intervening just in case

someone decides they want to break quarantine. Work out a patrol schedule."

 

"Aye sir." Chisulo nodded while typing in a few notes on a padd. "I will notify the Wing

Commanders immediately and place all UNITY personnel on Alert status. I there

anything else, sir?"

"No. Except to keep a close eye on the planet. This may end up being nothing. But if

this is something more, then we can not allow one potentally infected person to spread

... whatever it is to another planet."

 

Chisulo nodded as Trent turned and exited ops.

 

 

Captain Trent Rodgers
XO, 1st TF, SSF Command
XO, SB 234: UNITY

 

and

 

Captain Tedros Chisulo

Chief Strategic Operations Officer

1st TF, SB 234

---

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[USS Chimera] SD241001.19 | JL - COps, CHelm | MCapt Reese, Lt Dior | "Trapped in the Rubble"

= Andor =

Once outside Jade turned glad to feel that the pain in her head was gone enough that she could actually concentrate she then went to the business to make sure everyone was there. Doing a quick head count, "Jones (NPC) we're missing someone." Jade said spinning around and looking at the faces trying to figure out who they were missing.

"Where's Lt Dior?" Jones said also looking around, "she was right behind me when one of the pillars collapsed." Jones added remembering that he didn't look around to make sure everyone was still with them when the continued fighting their way out of the building.

"Damn't." Jade swore, "Jones I need you to get everyone to safety and then try and find out what the hell is going on I'm going to head back in." Jade said her Marine values kicking in.

Jones didn't like the idea but knew he wouldn't be able to convince her to wait for help, "ma'am at least allow me to stay and help you." Jones said.

"No I need someone I can trust to get these people to safety and help anyone else you might find." Jade said looking back at the building, "now go." Jade said as she turned and headed back into the burning building not sure how she was going to find the Lt but knowing that she would continue to look until she found her.

Jones had been five feet ahead of her when the loud snapped echoed through the corridor, but like they had several times amidst the chaos from the holosuite to the wreckage he kept marching forward through the thick smoke and flames toward the safe haven outside the building that was collapsing around them. Dior couldn't really blame him, but that didn't stop the slew of curse words he muttered beneath her breath.

A large wooden pylon had her pinned on her back to the stone floor. It's weight rested on her abdomen, crushing her pelvis in a slow agony. She pressed against it for several moments until her head fell back against the hard stone floor in exhaustion.

"Help!" She cried in futility.

Entering the building Jade started to cough immediately the smoke was very thick and she was having a hard time seeing just in front of her. "Dior." Jade called as loud as she could but then stopping to catch her breath from all the smoke that she was inhaling. {Damn't!} Jade said trying remember the path that they took out of the building. Jade moved down the corridor calling her name again and then stopping to listen hoping to hear something that would help her locate Dior.

The smoke was filling Dior's lungs now. She was growing week from the lack of oxygen, and the half ton, burning wooden pillar that was situated on her thorax. She could hear someone coughing and calling her name in the distance, but she could not for the life of her shout back in return.

Consciousness faded, and her head fell back onto the hard stone floor.

As Jade moved to the debris out of nowhere her vision went black and then a image appeared it was almost as if Jade was looking through Dior's eyes and then it was gone. Jade almost stumbled but was able to collect herself as she repositioned herself and started making her way to the pile of rubble. Once there she could spot a body but couldn't tell if it was Dior or not. A closer look did confirm that it was Dior Jade then shook the Lt trying to get her awake again.

Her eyes were glazed as she slipped slowly back into consciousness. "Captain?" She almost whispered. "Thank god." Dior winced in pain as she tried to sit up, Reese eased her back down.

Once she was awake, "Alright Lt you're going need to help me." Jade said grabbing a large piece of debris and positioning it so it could be used to lift the other debris off. "Alright on 3 I need you to push." Jade said getting ready to push down on her piece of debris. "Alright 1,2, and 3." Jade said as she pushed down on her piece of debris and she started feeling the beam laying across Dior to move a little.

Dior pushed hard with her hands on the large piece of rubble and it toppled off her to the side sending sparks and embers into the turbulent air. Dior moaned in pain as she looked down at her legs. One was twisted awkwardly inward. There was a compound fracture in the femur of her right leg, and blood was quickly pooling onto the floor beneath her. There was also a large gash beneath her abdomen that had soiled the lower half of her tunic. With all the blood loss it was no wonder she was getting drowsy.

"Okay hold on." Jade said ripping her uniform sleeve off so she could make a tunicate to help to stop or at least control the bleeding that was coming from her leg. She then tore off her other sleeve and used it as a something to soak up the blood and then also act as a clot for the abdomen wound.

Jade then slowly lifted her up putting one arm around her waist and then Dior's arm around and over Jade's upper back, "alright we're almost out of danger." Jade said turning to look and give Dior a smile. It took about twice as long for them to get out of the burning building. Once out Jade looked around and then remembered that she sent Jones and Gustav to set-up a make shift triage center.

<<To be continued.......>>

Marine Captain Jade Reese

Chief Operations Officer

USS Chimera C

&

Lieutenant Rayna Dior

Chief Helm

USS Chimera C

--
Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.
William Faulkner

[USS Chimera] || AERAN III || SD 241001.19 || Duty Log || Part Three || Major Richard Cortez

Herman <herman.oliver@gmail.com> wrote to chimera@ucip.org:

=/-\= Aeran III, Evening =/-\=

"Get on the horn with the outpost", Marine Captain Remington said as
he sat down inside the vehicle, the rest of the Marines and Cortez
doing the same. "Tell them to lock down that hospital, no one in or
out, restrain any patient with dark lines on the face".

"Yes sir", the marine on the radio replied and immediately began
calling back to the outpost, "Oscar Papa this is Ghost Rider patrol do
you copy...".

Richards mind began to wander as the Marine spoke into the comm in the
background. What were the implications of what had just occurred he
wondered. He knew he still didn't have conclusive proof that whatever
had happened to that 'thing' that attacked him and killed all those
marines was linked to the illness that he was sent to investigate. He
knew that unless he brought back concrete evidence of a correlation,
his findings would just be brushed under the rug and explained all
away in typical bureaucrat fashion. He needed something more.

The trip back to the base, though bumpy, was uneventful as the six men
inside the vehicle remained quiet, all trying to wrap their minds
around what they had just experienced.

As they approached the outpost several red lights of a security
lock-down could be seen from the distance. Once inside the compound
Cortez immediately jumped out of the vehicle and began moving towards
the hospital, with Captain Remington not far behind.

The entrance was blocked by three heavily armed Marines who only let
Richard pass once Remington had caught up with him and gave
permission. Inside the building was utter chaos. Several civilians
were trying to leave but were being held back by a squad of men who
had their weapons drawn.

"Sergeant", Remingtons voice shot out, "What is going on here".

Turning around the sergeant looked back towards the Captain, "Sir,
something happened in the emergency room, spooked everyone real bad".

"I need to get in there", Cortez spoke up looking at Remington who
shook his head and rubbed his hand through his hair.

"Agreed", he replied, "We can't lose control of this situation again".

Richard nodded and watched as Remington ordered two men to follow. As
the group moved through the crowd and towards the back room they met
up with another pair of marines standing in front of a locked storage
room. One of them was bleeding.

"He just started attacking everyone", the guard spoke up as they
approached. "Went crazy, killed Beaumont and a couple nurses before
we could restrain him, bit Ace here".

"What! who", Richard managed to spat out.

"The kid", came the reply, "We tied him up and locked him in there,
didn't know what else to do Captain", the marine said looking back to
Remington.

"Open it up", Cortez ordered.

The marine looked at the Major like he was crazy.

"Do it", Remington added.

The door opened revealing the attacker. Richard recognized him as the
boy with the pulsating dark lines on his face from the emergency room
earlier. His wrists and feet were bound with plastic packing twine.
Although he'd rubbed off the skin around his bonds, there was no
blood, not on the gouges on his legs or arms, or from the large dry
gap where his right big toe had been but was now missing. He was
writhing like an animal; a gag muffled his growls.

Ignoring the warnings from the Marines around him, Richard moved in,
determined to examine him closer. The boy's skin was cold to the
touch and as gray as the cement on which he lay. His eyes were wild,
wide and sunken back in their sockets. Cortez felt down to check for a
pulse but hesitated when the boy reached out with bound hands and
snapped at him through his gag. Confident he was fully restrained,
Richard then felt for the boys heartbeat but found none.

"I need a blood sample", the Major said looking back towards the
marines standing behind him. Nobody budged.

"SOMEBODY GET ME A DAMN SYRINGE", Richard yelled.

Remington spoke up, "Go", he said towards one of the guards and after
several long silent minutes he finally returned with the requested
item.

Taking the syringe Cortez kneeled back down in front of the boy, "OK,
hold him down".

Again, the marines stood by the doorway like baby rabbits.

"That's an order", Richard said loudly, getting two of the men to
hesitantly help. They knelt beside him, one held the boy's feet while
the other grasped his hands.

Cortez inserted the needle and withdrew his blood sample, as he was
pulling it out, the boy began another bout of violent struggling with
seemingly super strength. The man holding down the boys arms gave up
and instead just braced them against the floor with his knees. But
the boy jerked again and his left arm snapped causing jagged ends of
bone to stab through his gray flesh. It was if the child could feel
no pain as he didn't cry out, but the sight was enough for both of the
battle hardened marines to leap back and run out of the room.

Instinctively, Cortez also jumped back, almost embarrassed to do so
until he realized that he too was genuinely and nearly paralyzingly
scared of this frail child. As he stood their staring, the boy began
to twist in his direction, the arm ripping completely free. Flesh and
muscle tore from one another until there was nothing except the stump.
His now free right arm, still tied to the severed left hand, dragged
his body across the floor.

"Major". Remington's voice rang out as the creature began crawling
closer to Cortez. "MAJOR", he said again drawing his weapon.

It wasn't just the fear that kept Richard from responding, it was his
chest, the pain began creeping up again as his heartbeat raised, he
put his hand to his side and hunched over as the child crawled closer.

Remington fired his weapon, hitting the demon square in the face
causing it to vaporize instantly.

Seconds later the pain gradually went away and Richard controlled his
breathing again. Stepping out of the room he placed the vial of blood
he had collected into his leg pocket and leaned against a wall. From
the other side of the building screaming could be heard, cry's of fear
and pain, then phaser fire and silence. Several marines began running
towards the source of the noise.

"I need to get back to unity", Richard said as Remington stepped closer.

The Captain nodded. "I'll have your shuttle prepped right away, let
them know whats going on here, I need more men".

Ironically, Richard smiled for the first time all day, "What we need
is a miracle", he said, thinking about the infected patient back on
Unity.

=/***\= Thirty Minutes Later =/***\=

Richard strapped himself into the co-pilot seat and his shuttle began
to lift off. He glanced over at the pilot who had been napping the
entire day.

"What happened down their", he asked looking at all the lights and commotion.

Cortez stared straight ahead, "It's steak night at the chow hall".

The pilot chuckled and shook his head. "You know you look like shit",
he said glancing over at Richard, who made no attempt to answer.

Eventually the shuttle made it out of the planets atmosphere and began
its ascent towards Starbase Unity. Once docked Richard grabbed a case
filled with Remingtons reports as well as several photos and all the
medical records of the infected at the outpost, including the boy, the
vial of blood however was still in his pocket. Stepping off the ship
he began moving towards the exit only to find seven heavily armed men
all fully decked out in CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiological
Nuclear) gear blocking his path.

Before he could say anything one of the men spoke up. "Major Richard
Cortez, we are here to escort you to a decontamination chamber and
holding cell while your health status is determined"

Cortez looked at each of the men, knowing all too well how useless it
was to argue with what was obviously one of the several Delta teams on
station, but trying anyways. "I have important information that I
need to relay to Admiral Guzman immediately".

"You may make your report once you've reached the quarantine area",
the team leader spoke up signaling two of his soldiers to flank the
Major, one of them took the case from his hands.

"You don't understand", Cortez said looking back towards the men
behind him, "People are dying down there, they need immediate help".

"Don't worry about Aeran III", came the monotone response, "Command
has plans for it".

Richard shook his head and took a deep breath, anger filling his body.
"Those bastards", he muttered under his breath as he began moving
towards decontamination.

=/-\= END LOG =/-\=

Major Richard Cortez
CSEC
USS CHIMERA