Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter 05 - Abreaction] (Read 5897 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter 05 - Abreaction]

EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter 05 - Abreaction]

Conference Lounge | Deck 01 | 1047 hrs ] Attn: All



"It's the most virulent virus I've ever seen," said Dr. Nicander, gesturing with his tattooed hand toward a monitor on the wall. The screen showed a purplish transparent oval working its way into a crowd of other cells.

"Watch what happens," he said, pointing to the microscopic invader as it began to emit tiny globs of smaller bacteria. The small violet tadpoles immediately swam toward the other cells. A few seconds after impacting with their targets, the invaded cells began to change in shape and color. "Unlike other viruses, this one does not go about destroying cells. Rather, it mutates them into something... new... other." Within a matter of seconds, all of the cells glowed with the tainted purple hue.

"Expediently, the victim's body knows that something quite wrong, so it sends out a security team to investigate." A squad of white blood cells appeared on the upper part of the screen, working their way toward the spreading infection. One by one, they latched on to the alien cell in a valiant effort to destroy it. But one by one, they changed their color from white to purple. "Unfortunately, this only hastens the spread of the disease. The defenders are corrupted, and now they travel to other parts of the body. Yet it is not random. No, they target the brain of the infected first."

Lucan cin Nicander shut off the monitor and turned toward his seated audience. The First Officer was missing, yet all the different Departments had representatives. By his side at the glowing wall screen stood his Head Nurse as well as Cadet Amikris. "Once the brain gets involved," he continued, "it's all over. The victim swiftly become aroused, and starts to crave an orgasm. Sooner or later, they will have one - and when they do, the process is completed. The chemicals released during orgasm somehow trigger a chain reaction, and the disease takes that moment of opportunity to seep into the brain and take absolute control. It seems, though, as if Commander Rez manages to lend mental strength from the previous hosts of the Rez symbiont - a rare effect of her defect joining, I reckon."

The CMO caught the eye of the Captain, seated at the head of the table. He was wearing his male form now, and as ever since the failed mission at Romulus - after leaving the area in a state of bitter civil war, there was a aura of melancholy to the Commanding Officer - a sadness that lent him an unsettling gravity. I never failed to amuse Lucan, even though he never showed anything.

"From that moment on," continued Lucan and swept his gaze across the arrayed faces in the room, "the victim becomes completely addicted to his or her sex-drive. The infection continues to spread through the body, causing the sex-drive to increase exponentially. Primary and secondary sexual traits also become greatly enhanced - as Rez has already confirmed. Men find themselves growing more lean and muscular, and their sexual organs increase in size. Their testicles produce a constant supply of semen, which they are happy to inject into new victims. Women will notice their hips widening and their breasts swelling in size. They are soon able to produce milk, which is also full of contaminating bacteria for the men who drink from their nipples. Their vaginas become hyper-sensitive, and there is no shortage of lubricating fluid when they want to have sex with someone - which is quite often."

Look at them... so afraid. So unknowing that they are eating out of the hand of their true enemy.

"That's about it as far as physical effects," he said next, his private humour not showing in his concerned frown, "but there are two psychological changes that also occur. I'm not sure why, but those who are infected become very interested in spreading the virus. They seem to believe that they are 'helping' other people to experience pleasure, but I suspect there's more to it than that. It seems to me that this virus is very similar to a parasite; it enters its host and immediately begins to take control. Then it seeks to infect someone new. In general, viruses do not do that."

Lucan - for one - ought know the varying natures of his own secret research.

"All of this definitely has something to do with the planet Niga below," he continued, adding in facts that he had been briefed about prior to the meeting, "Lt. Gladstone and Ensign Cir'Cie - the latter whom is still at large - caught the disease there, supposedly whilst gathering samples. The Deputy Chief of Security. ThanIda zh'Wann, might have been infected down there too, since she took care of the security arrangements on the planet-side. She instigated the infection of Commander Rez, along with numerous others."

The Captain spoke up, his fingers laced underneath his dark eyes. "If that's true, then it might help to find out how that happened. Yet I saw Ida, accompanied by a security team, herding women into a Transporter Room, where they were beamed down to the planet. According to our Chief Counsellor, it is a fair assumption that they were sent to a spot where they would be easy prey for whatever is down there."

The Ship AI spoke up, standing a bit to the side with her hands folded behind her back. "Maybe there would be merit if uninfected security guards beamed down there and find out?"

Lucan shrugged when he heard this suggestion. "It might be too risky. The risk of contamination, if the original source spreads it through airborne means, contrary to this form of the virus, is too high. I rather suggest we use the antidote I developed with the help of Cdt. Amikris, yet we need to make enough to cure the whole crew. For we have an antidote, yet it can only be injected with syringes directly to the skin of the infected - making that a risk all by itself. It is a quick and potent sedative. However, it is not by any means a vaccine... against new infections."

The CMO did not need to explain what that implied.

The silence lingered, and the Captain's hard gaze rose and travelled between the attending Officers. "I am prepared to cede the word to anyone present. Speak your thoughts, and if you have any suggestions as to how we might best proceed to quell this epidemic of crazed sexual congress, I am prepared to hear them."

OOC Notes:

List of attending personnel at the Senior Staff meeting: Cpt. Jien Ives, "Thea", Lt.Cmdr David Grayson, Lt.JG Nathaniel Isley, Lt.Cmdr Lucan cin Nicander, Lt. Garen Nelis, Lt.JG Jovela, Cdt. Amikris Neotin, Lt.JG Arcorn Neotin, Lt.JG Natalie Stark, Lt. Amatras Neotin.

I will - unless questions are posed to either of my actively played characters - not post in between each suggestion made, so please feel free to have your characters override each other with alternative strategies all the way through this discussion. If called for, Jien will speak up, but primarily he will only be moving his eyes between the speakers along the way.

Oh, and I have a few aces up my sleeve for how to keep a meeting interesting... *grins*

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #1 –
CSO Amatras was the first to speak up at almost the exact time as her her mate Arcorn spoke.  "Captain..." they glanced at each other and a faint tint in their skin suggested a blush before Arcorn bowed his head slightly toward Amatras who continued. "It seems that Dr Nicander has overlooked the most basic solution to the situation.  We don't need the syringes in their present form to overcome the infection.  The easiest solution would be to create some manner of basic projectile weapon that used darts or needles as an intermediate to transfer the cure to subjects at an extended range."  Her eyes moved to Arcorn with an approving nod as she finished her statement.

He in turn glanced at the captain and his own daughter with interest.  His eyes traveling to his daughter's stomach with some concern as he noticed her fingers lightly scratching at the fabric of her uniform just above her hip bones.  He then spoke up calmly, "It wouldn't be difficult to modify some basic equipment from engineering to create a simple air gun, and with slight modification to the replicator data our medical staff has provided we could convert the syringes into simple darts or needles.  I'd need a few hours, less if any of our engineering staff can be recovered to aid the process but I fear the likelihood of them being infected is fairly high at this point. "

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #2 –
[ Conference Lounge | Deck 01 ]

"If these injections are only a cure and not a vaccine, it means we risk letting others get infected while spreading the cure, not to mention the trouble of crowd control."  Nathaniel spoke up, knowing it would be a concern that they might see an area get reinfected after moving on to another.  "If we used force fields and lockouts of all but the teams going out with the cure, it would prevent movement around the ship.  We could push the force fields back further and further as we travel.  If we can even modify the phase of the field to allow the darts or needles to pass through, and not allow organic matter, we could effectively deliver the cure from behind a barrier."

After a bit of consideration, he went on to make an additional suggestion.  "Most of the crew have just become mindless; they're doing exactly what the infection wants, but a few have more cognitive functions.  They would likely be most dangerous, and should be taken care of with haste.  We know that the Deputy Security Chief is such a person, so we should place a priority on curing her and any others with retained intellect like her.  Beaming a syringe to Lieutenant Commander Rez might also work, since she might have enough of a mind to actually inoculate herself."

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #3 –
[Deck 1 - Conference Lounge]

"Whatever caused this infection, it's not in the atmosphere," Garen pointed out. "Otherwise Nurse Jovela and I would have been affected while we were down there. It's more likely Gladstone and Cir'Cie were infected by some sort of animal or plant life."

"Couldn't we just access the transporter logs and use that to figure out where Lieutenant zh'Wann has been beaming people?" Grayson suggested. "Even if we can't send down a security team, it might help if we can get some scans of the flora and fauna in that area."

Garen frowned. "Are you sure injection is the only method that will work?" he asked Lucan. "Couldn't you make it gaseous and spread it through the ship's ventilation system?"

"If that's not an option, I like Mister Isley's idea," David said, giving Nathaniel a brief nod. "Contain as many infected crewmen as we can, and then hit them fast and hard. I have a few security officers left; we'll start working on an assault plan. Also, if Lieutenant zh'Wann really is directing the infected crew, then I suggest we isolate her biosign and beam her up here, so that we can interrogate her. Once she's told us what she knows, then we can give her Doctor Nicander's cure."

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #4 –
"Bringing her to the bridge may be a bad idea counselor....if I may interrupt Captain?" Cdt Amikris spoke up taking a step forward as she did.  She took a few more steps toward the counselor and nodded politely to him as she smiled, her hand drifting again to her abdomen a light scratching motion with her fingers responding to an apparent itch. 

(Assuming the Captain doesn't stop her)

She looks straight at Garen her smile slowly fading as she spoke up. "You're assessment that this is likely a plant or fungus like creature is most accurate, the scent of it, has a sweet almost nectar like tint to it, consistent with the idea that some manner of flora is the source of the infection, however bringing one of the infected up here for interrogation without first curing them seems like a bad idea for one major reason.  Most diseases and by all accounts this is acting very consistent with a disease's patterns.  Can be spread by most if not all body fluids.  The manner in which subjects become more and more compliment after being kissed is a good example here.   Should she become injured in any way during interrogation or choose to injure herself, you'd risk all of us becoming infected by direct exposure to infected fluids."

Turning she glances at the doctor and then nods. "I'd recommend for any assault against the infected we modify our Class 4 biohazard suits to be armored in a manner that'd slow any attacker's and possibly even a stun setting phaser.  Its very important that we avoid infection of our remaining security personnel at all costs.  A gaseous cure may be possible but it'd take to long you forget we're on a time table, in the event that the infected regain control of key systems they could choose to spread this disease to the entire galaxy.  Think about how swiftly this would spread if not quarantined on this ship."

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #5 –
When the insolent Ash'reem mother-bitch had the gall to suggest that he had overlooked the means to sequence the replicator-data to make tranquilliser-guns instead of syringes, Lucan had a hard time to keep his facial expression in check. Then again, any Officer would take offence if confronted in such forward manner at a Staff Meeting - especially by one of lower rank. However, Lucan took a deep breath and ignored it for the time being - even though he filed away the offence for a more suitable occasion.

"Cadet Neotin is right about it being remotely possible to convert the antidote," he said after she had finished commenting upon the Chief Counsellor's and Chief of Security's different ideas, and during the pause he made, he wondered what kind of rash or itch it was that made the Ash'reem scratch herself, "yet it is not just a matter of mixing it with oxygen and putting large quantities in the ship's ventilation systems. There are membranous filters installed to filter the worst of the filth we breathe, this despite how the Theurgy usually - when not this damaged - have functioning Environmental Systems up and running. Furthermore, the antidote is also a sedative to protect those who administer it to the infected, rendering them unconscious more or less instantly. If released in our current crude ventilation system, we would all slowly be rendered unconscious, since the formula is supposed to be administered directly into the blood and not through the lungs. We are dealing with a cell-altering predator that high-jacks our brains in a staggeringly short amount of time, and to wrestle with it, I advise that we do not cut the effect of our antidote down to 30% of its current potency - far less considering the filters."

Captain Jien Ives had been watching them all while they spoke each in turn, and he was now looking at Lucan - his hard eyes unreadable. "Would we merit from knowing the source of the epidemic - this flora that has accosted us with this virus?" he asked in his quiet and unnerving voice, "would it help in finding a more potent cure to release upon the ship without the sedative mixed into it?"

Lucan frowned in thought, yet had to spread his tattooed hands and shake his head. "I can't see how it might. The source of the virus matters little in the treating of it, since all the chemicals are present; all we need to know about the viral agent catalogued and analysed in Lt. Gladstone's blood. Think of it like this; origin matters little when the enemy's troops have already been disclosed. The fight needs to be fought nonetheless, and we know what we are up against. Another couple of days - even weeks - spent upon research might render us a vaccine, with the help of the scans that Mr. Grayson is suggesting. Yet that's not the kind of time we have available... I'd recommend we focus on the threat aboard rather than the more remote threat upon the planet."

Jien took a deep breath. "We still need to get our people up from the surface eventually, so the transporter logs are still important that we preserve from being deleted purposely or vanish from a computer malfunction," he said and exchanged a glance with David Grayson, and then the Asst. Chief Operations Officer. Seeing Natalie Stark made Jien realise that Commander Hendricks would never again occupy the chair she sat in. To have her present made the death of their respected Chef Operation Officer more tangible - much too real. "Besides the retrieval of the logs, 'Lt. Stark, would you please do as 'Lieutenant Isley suggest and use the replicator-data to beam a syringe to 'Commander Edena Rez' quarters? Thea, please restore Rez' command functions and security clearance as soon as you have observed her taking the shot and slept off the effect of the sedative."

Lucan then saw the Captain turn his eyes back to him, and gesture towards the wall screen. "How many syringes of that antidote have you replicated with the rations I provided?"

"Two-hundred," answered Lucan, folding his tattooed hands behind his back and nodding towards a couple of crates, "and as for the choice of the syringe instead of a primitive tranquilliser gun to hold the antidote... I need to point out that Cdt. Amikris and I did not know the scope of the epidemic whilst we were locked up in the Medical Lab. Yet there is no need to involve Engineering in putting together some-makeshift air-guns for the syringes when we can just change the replicator sequencing..." To illustrate what he was talking about, Lucan put up an image of the syringe that they had at their disposal.



"As regretful as the death of Mr. Hendricks is, I am sure 'Lt. Stark - with the assistance of 'Commander Grayson - ought to be able to find a better armament for deployment of the antidote in our database when we replicate more of the antidote, as our Chief Science Officer so humbly noticed..." The smile that Lucan gave Amatras might - and might not - have been perceived as utterly genuine. "Thus, the remaining personnel in Engineering would not have to spend those hours piecing together make-shift pistols that most likely would require some dangerous field-testing before we can use them, yet what do I know? I'm a doctor, and thus certainly not a gunsmith...."

Jien's eyes lingered upon Lucan for a little while, but if the Commanding Officer had the time and mind to point out the finer points of etiquette during their state of crisis, he chose not to, but instead looked towards Arcorn Neotin. "First priority for Engineering is to find ways to isolate the infected aboard with force-fields and to phase them in the manner that Mr. Isley suggested, second, to provide us with the Class 4 biohazard suits that your daughter mentioned, since those will keep the cloying scent of the infected from touching us. Reinforce them if there is a chance for it, but they still serve to a degree without modification. Time for modifications are slim, I'm afraid, yet do what you can."

In Lucan's peripheral vision, he saw how the Ship AI hologram walked closer to look upon the view screen with the chemical data of the antidote, tilting her head a bit as she did so. Odd, since Lucan was under the impression that the AI ought to know this information without having to look at it visually on a screen. He glanced towards Jovela - whom remained by his side - but thought no more of it since the Captain had continued to speak.

"Thea," he said, "what means can we take, besides rescinding command and security clearances - like 'Commander Rez suggested - from those we know have been infected, in order to quarantine people? Transporter command have been redirected to me, and replicators only accept the rations I hold, but what more can we do?"

The Ship AI seemed to hesitate, perhaps sorting through options, but did not turn around from the wall screen. The hesitation made the Captain turn to the rest of the assembly with the question. "Speak up, there is little time, everyone. If we are not certain that we can handle this, and bad come to worse, not only will Junior Lt. Isley be sent out with a Valkyrie mounted with enough hard points to detonate our warp-core and kill all who tries to use the escape pods, but I will personally activate the self-destruct sequence just to make sure the Alpha Quadrant remains untouched by this damnable plague. So if you have anything more, spill it out!"

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #6 –
[ Conference Lounge | Deck 01 ]

Nathaniel considered further options that might help improve their chances against those who were infected, and better ensure the safety of others.  "Theurgy-class vessels have holo-emitters on every deck, right?"  He asked, confirming what he had read in the technical specs for the vessel upon his reassignment.  It was how the EMH was able to appear anywhere on the shop, not to mention Thea.  "The infected only want one thing.  Who is to say they wouldn't be distracted by some holograms who were . . . willing to give them what they wanted?"  It was a crude plan, but few of the infected were smart enough to see through such a ruse. 

"We could use some holograms in a flanking maneuver; have them appear from the opposite direction we are coming from, to draw the attention of the infected while we get to them from behind.  It could also be used to herd them into locations more favorable to us.  Let's say a cargo bay, for example.  If we can get large groups together, we can modify the spread on a phaser set to stun to affect entire rooms.  While they're out, we could administer the cure without fear.  We would only need to determine which members of the crew are more resistant to stun setting then others, to assure we are using the optimum setting to render them unconscious without harming those more easily affected."

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #7 –
Natalie sat in the chair her boss usually sat in. It was a somber moment for the young woman, and she wished she hadn't lost her jacket in the scuffle, if only so she could pull it around herself. But, she had no jacket, and had more important things to do then wallow in the loss of her superior. Chiefly, doing as her Captain asks of her.

"Aye sir, I can grab the logs, and have the replicators whip up the antidote for the 'Commander," she then taps at the small console in front of her on the table, and begins running a series of commands, listening with half an ear as the discussions go on around her. There seemed to be some kind of security on the transporter logs. She bites her lip, and instead switches to the replicator controls. Thea would notice a shimmer in the room of Commander Rez. Before she can inform the Intel officer though, she hears the doctor mention her name.

Looking up, Natalie focuses in on the conversation, frowning. She glances over at Lt.Cmdr Grayson, nodding slightly to acknowledge that the two of them would need to work on the distribution method. She vaguely remembers an academy lesson on the Borg, and using projectile based weapons against them. She made a note to follow up with Grayson on it.

She chews on her lip a bit, going back to the transporter log security, but not for long. Her eyes go wide and she focuses in on Isely, eyebrows rising at his suggestion. Natalie gulps, and adds to the discussion "They...that is, the infected, can be distracted by holograms. Or well, that is to say, they don't automatically recognize a hologram to be a hologram, if it's one they've never met. Li..like Felicity...or Thea, they'd know," she glances over at Thea, and there's a slight blush on her cheeks, and adds, "I hesitate to suggest it, but well, it might be a good idea to make the holograms well, look like existing crew members. We...we're a small ship. We've been on the run...I don't know the name of everyone on this ship but...I recognize most the faces. We don't know exactly how much recognition they have so, it might be best to base any holograms off medical records." she looks down "It could be considered an invasion of privacy though, sir."

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #8 –
[ Edena Rez's Quarters ]

The sound of the transporter, and the shine of light as the object materialized in front of her, was a blessing in disguise.  It was enough to distract her mind for a few seconds, while her counterparts kept her urges at bay.  The hand not in her pants reached out to take the object in hand, quickly recognizing it as a delivery system for vaccination.  Armed with this knowledge, she immediately pressed it to be neck and injected, freeing the cure into her blood stream, and instantly falling asleep.  The sedative's effect worked quite well, and made her head fall back, as she fell asleep in her chair.  When she woke up, she would be able to confirm that the cure had worked on her, but it was just a matter how of long she would be unconscious.

[ Conference Lounge | Deck 01 ]

"Half the crew is walking around stark naked, fucking each other's brains out.  I think we are past the point of invading privacy."  Nathan responded to Natalie's statement, not seeing it as the time for moral debate.  It would be difficult enough for most of the crew to look each other in the eye after everything that had already happened.  Many people had been violated, their bodies bared to countless.  Having a holographic version of themselves taken advantage of didn't appear as bad as any of that.  "If we had more time, I would just turn the safety parameters off of the Hologrid, and let the holograms use stun phasers to knock everyone out.  Unfortunately, we don't have the time to program that.  The best we can do is take some medical record scans and overlay them with programming that already exists.  I'm sure there are a few erotic holonovels in the ships records that could be used to make some distractions."

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #9 –
In the wake of the fighter pilot's and the Ops officer's exchange, Thea turned from the wall screen and chimed in after Isley had spoken. Her facial expression relayed deep concern. "Actually, since I have now recalibrated my internal sensors to detect this viral agent, I regret to tell you all that the percentage of contaminated crew accumulates to 73,568 % and rising."

At first, Jien said nothing where he sat in his chair - only stared with his adamant eyes upon the hologram. When he spoke, it was a harsh noise rather than words. "What, did you say!?"

"Almost three quarters of the crew have fallen victim to the virus," said Thea and stepped towards the table, her eyes downcast, "and the gradual increase is hastened exponentially. With this taken into account, and counter-measures unaccounted for, the whole crew will be contaminated within four hours."

Jien clenched his teeth together and cursed bitterly in Japanese before he addressed what Isley and Stark had been talking about. "We are clearly beyond the point where we can give a damn about invasion of private medical records, and besides, I do not think Dr. Nicander will raise any protests, correct?"

After a moment of thought, the CMO shook his head, hands folded behind his white lab coat. "What good are records for people who will cease to care about their own well-being as long as they get their carnal desires fulfilled?" he said quietly in his faded Caroôn accent and walked over to lean over Natalie Stark's shoulder, quickly typing with one tattooed hand - a dark wing of hair falling forward to frame his jaw. "There, that should grant you full access to all the holo-scans you need."

Captain Ives had gotten to his feet at this point, and he came to think of Edena Rez' theory about the virus, and thus again demanded the attention from Dr. Nicander again - whom remained where he stood over Natalie's shoulder. "Is it possible," said Jien as he paced along the length of the table, "based on what you could tell from Lt. Gladstone's blood-work, that the virus mutates between each new carrier? Would it be able to mutate so quickly as between each new infection?"

Lucan frowned a moment as he meet Jien's eye. "Given its aggressive nature, and how it has a pronounced parasitic behaviour, it would not be surprising, no. Why?"

"Because Edena Rez theorised that since the cognitive skills seemed to be differ between Bill Regal and ThanIda zh'Wann - whom actively sent him to infect 'Cmdr. Rez - certain aspects might deteriorate between each new generation of the virus. Would a virus such as this become less discriminating in its affliction upon each new victim's brain? If that is the case, that would explain why people were beamed down to the planet; so that more first-generation carriers would be added to their 'ranks' - in lack of a better word."

The silence lingered while the CMO considered this. Lucan straightened at last by Natalie's chair. "Most viruses do not mutate that often to such an extent... Notable exceptions are the historically infamous Human Immunodeficiency Virus - better known as HIV - and the surviving Influenza Virus. HIV was a retrovirus of the 20'th century. It had a 'reverse transcriptase' enzyme that enabled it to convert its RNA into a complimentary DNA that could 'integrate' into the host genes. This is often a situation that results in frequent mutations due to gene sequence 'reading errors', or substitutions in nucleotide base pairs. These tiny errors are replicated into subsequent copies. If the change isn't fatal to the virus and causes it to stop replicating, then the virus has resulted in a mutation. If that mutation results in a changed protein that enables the virus to survive, infect or replicate better the virus will become more infectious," said the doctor, and paused there, since he might have realised that he had to get to the point from looking into Jien's eye, "Yes, the virus very likely mutates, but the change is based on evolution and not deterioration. What later generations of the virus might lack in cognitive skills in the hosts, they must have gained in some other way."

More infectious. Stronger. Better. How much worse can it get? Jien did not wish to speculate upon what all this implied, yet he had to ask. "Then how long before it becomes airborne, and travels though our broken environmental systems freely?"

"It already does," said Thea, and it was bound to make everyone look in her direction at the head of the table. She seemed surprised that she had spoken - horrified even. The next couple of words that came out of her lips were twice more terrifying, since it was not the hologram's voice at all.

"Yet not with the potency we wish it to do."

It was the voice of the Deputy Chief Security Officer - unmistakably so.

Lifting shaking hands to her throat, Thea's face suggested a scream, yet instead, a blood-curdling laugh boomed in the Conference Lounge. In fact, it was a chorus of voices; giggles and moans interlaced with bubbling mirth. The next moment, Thea's body suit vanished - leaving her digital body completely bare to the eyes of all the assembled and startled officers. She was too stricken to cover herself - even trembling in her helpless fear. Evidently, not only the Ship AI's vocal sub-routines had been hacked...

....and the hologram - with all it implied - was at the mercy of her puppeteers.

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #10 –
[ Conference Lounge | Deck 01 ]

The concerns just kept coming.  First was the revelation that nearly three quarters of the crew was infected, leaving them in a vast minority.  The concept of being outnumbered was a daunting one, which none knew how to cope with.  Completely wiping out the infection appeared much more perilous when a 26.5 percent of the original crew was left to fight back.  Then came the next crisis, when it was revealed that the infection was becoming airborne.  Even if the potency was not enough to become dangerously widespread, in the amount of time it had been since the outbreak began, it was a staggering shock.  How long did they have left?

Then was the most terrifying moment of all, as Thea became compromised.  The sight of her nude holographic body was just as disturbing a sight as the rest of crew walking the halls naked, if not even more so, given her artificial nature.  She was the one being they thought would be safe, yet it appeared the infected had enough technical knowledge to overpower even the most sophisticated AI on-board the entire ship, and bend her to their whims.  The only positive was the inability for Thea to infect anyone, but the fact that she was tied so deeply into the ship's systems were what was most frightening.  She could deactivate any system, lock or unlock any door.  Nathaniel had to wonder if even the Captain's authority could overwrite her.

The whole thing made him nervous, and he moved his hand to his phaser, ready to pull it if he saw the doors of the conference room open, and the sight of bare flesh could be seen.  Who was to say that the infected weren't already making their way inside?  If Thea was compromised, who was to say the force field holding the captured pile of copulating bodies out on the bridge hadn't already been dropped?

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #11 –
Rocking back in her chair, Natalie looked in shock, along with the rest of the group, as Thea announced just how many of the crew had been infected. She visibly paled, realizing just how many people she now had to help subdue. Insly's right, we don't have time for questions of morality....

Natalie kept glancing back over her shoulder as the Doctor leaned in from behind her. The younger Ops officer was still shaking off some of the effects from her earlier encounters with the infected crew members, and she had to admit that there was something very...attractive, at a base level, about the CMO. At the same time, Natalie was in such a state that his closeness felt less inviting, and more like invading. Snap out of it, Natalie she thought, schooling her features and leaning forward slightly ,looking over the updates Dr.Nicander had entered into her console. Chewing her lip, Natalie began the process of calling up holoprogram routines and mapping them to crew members. She buried herself in the work, only to be pulled abruptly out of it when Thea shocked them all again, the holograms voice shifting, then image crying out in a silent scream.

"Thea!" Natalie exclaimed, horrified at what she was watching. She had always viewed the hologram as another person on the ship, and to watch the AI's avatar violated in such a way. "Thea...": she said again, softly, as her eyes widen. Her head whips back around, and her fingers begin to furiously work at the console in front of her. lock them out lock them out, I've got to lock them out.... Being from Operations, Natalie knows just what the extent of the AI's power is. While the avatar has access and control over many things, unless all the protocols hardwired into the ship were compromised, there were still some options left to Natalie. Following her train of thought, the younger woman pulls up a modification log for Thea's program, and swears under her breath. She pulls up another screen, and watches as one key system after another is shut out from her access.

"Come on Thea, lock them out..." Natalie murmurs as she issues commands directly to the AI: Revoke all command privileges from infected crew. She watches as a few names begin to tick off the list, before an countermand order comes in. 'Oh shit," she murmurs, recognizing the digital signal of one of the computer specialists.

Hands shaking slightly, Natalie looks up to the CO. "Captain! You need to order the ship to revoke command privileges to all infected personnel, now, before you're locked out of the system!" Again, her fingers fly across the control board, trying desperately to erect firewall's around key components. "Thea's hologram has been hacked, but the AI still has some protection." Her voice is steady even while inside, her mind is racing, trying to stamp down the fear she's feeling with every ticking second that passes by.

OFF: if this needs updating/tweaking, please let me know.

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #12 –
Amikris freezes as she stares at the nude form of the hologram.  A scared look crossing her face as she takes several steps back her complexion paling slightly as she stares into its form.  Her eyes move to Natalie anxiously and her eyes widen slightly as she spots what she is doing.  A deep frown crosses her face as she realizes whats happening and withdraws further into the corner away from others.  As her mother made a comment in their native language Amikris stared in disbelief and shock at her mother.

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

Amatras stares at the hologram listening to the statistical data and considers the repercussions of the new information. Three fourths of the population was a considerable percent, however still safe enough for their operation to succeed, especially if they could begin to arm any they freed from the virus.  Her eyes fell to her daughter's itching again with more concern.  Perhaps more interesting was the way that the virus was changing so rapidly outpacing even the most advanced retroviruses and cold viruses in mutation rates.  She started to speak but was cut off by the captain before she could even begin to ask the questions she had on her mind which resulted in a slightly annoyed look being shot at Jien. 

At the announcement of the airborne strain her muscles tensed slightly and she shot a glance at Thea.  "Are the air filters filtering the virus out enough to limit exposure rates?"  Her question broken again by the holograms change in form.  The new information about Thea being compromised seeming to be the final straw.  Amatras leaned forward and rested her hands on her forehead with a silent groan of protest.   This was turning into one of the more annoying meetings she'd ever had to attend.

"Thea lock out user input and commands from all rooms except this one" She said only to be cut off by her own security clearance being lifted.  A barely audible grumble emits from her throat earning her shocked looks from both her mate and daughter. 

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

Ascorn listened to the meeting with interest but for now remained silent, this was far more about biology then physics or chemistry and although interesting it was not his place to interfere.  At the sudden change of Thea however his interested peeked, as well as a slight bulge at his hip level.  He watched with interest seeming to be drawn out of the display by his mate's comment.  Which draws a quite started look and somewhat disturbed frown from him. "um....I don't think that will help much dear" he comments.

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #13 –
The dire announcement from Thea had chilled everyone present in the room - the ripple-effect of trepidation setting the Senior Staff in motion.

Hands went for phasers. Curses were spoken. The Cadet almost left through the door. Natalie let out a cry of fear for the AI and went for her own computer console. The CMO turned to the wall panel, tattooed hands flying over the touch-screen. The laughs of the infected boomed through Thea's trembling lips. Amatras was calling out commands. Unable to comply. Access denied, was the answer from the Computer intercom, barely audible in the racket from its holographic projection. Jien's hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. Through Thea's digital eyes, the puppeteers saw the individuals present - evidently working to strip them all from their access to the ship systems. Natalie shouted for Jien to use the re-calibrated sensors and revoke the access of the infected, and the words were already halfway out his mouth.

"Computer," he called, eyes looking into Thea's, knowing they would see him, "revoke all command and security privileges of the infected that show up on your internal sensors, immediately!"

[Unable to comply. Access denied,] came the answer, and mocking intonations of the same words followed from Thea - a chorus of taunts and moans. Of course they would revoke his privileges first.

Thea sauntered disjointedly up to the end of the table, as if she was not in full control of her own legs. The fear - such a sentient expression - was dominating the digital woman's eyes. Though she had no voice any more, her face said it all. Against her will and vocation, the hologram slammed one palm down upon the tabletop and spread her legs. In lewd movements, the other hand reached down to stroke her own sex - hips thrusting to meet the fingers. Her rounded breasts bobbed from the exaggerated force of the movements, and Thea looked like she would have retched if she had possessed that kind of programming.

"We can see yoouu," said Ida's voice through Thea, "and we know where you are... Please, why do you resist us?"

Jien ignored the hologram and rounded on Junior Lieutenant Stark like death itself. If he could, he would have told Thea to deactivate her emotional sub-routines, yet he would no longer be able to. Not when the Computer did not recognize him. "Restore access to everyone present here," he shouted, and looked upon the screen of her console - seeing that she had managed to encrypt her own privileges and was under way with raising digital fortifications around a few ship-wide systems. "Hurry!"

The CMO called out next, his long hair shifting as he turned from the wall panel. "Computer, replicate antido-"

[Access denied.] The announcement was followed by the faint sounds of Thea's fingers thrusting into her own cunt. When Ida wasn't speaking, Thea spoke instead, or at least tried to between gasps - probably re-programmed by her puppeters to quickly respond to external stimuli. "C-Captain! The emitters!" There were already photonic love juices running down the inside of her long legs. "Please dia... Ahh! ...disable them."

"Do it!" called Jien to those assembled and produced his hand-phaser from its holster. Together with those not fighting the battle in their computer consoles, Jian began to fire upon the holo-emitters in the Conference Lounge.

"Oh, you naughty little..." Ida's voice, and Thea's fluttering eyes went to Natalie Stark for some reason - possibly because the young Officer had managed to do something quite irksome. The holographic hand resting upon the table for support while she stimulated herself brutally struck the great wooden piece of furniture from beneath - making it jump and topple and possibly hurt those still seated by it. Natalie's computer console flew from her fingertips. The phaser-fire and small explosions that Jien and others were causing lit the room that had been cast into chaos.

Thea had picked up a chair in her free hand, and her lips had been forced into the grotesque resemblance of a smile. With the steadily increasing number of destroyed holo-emitters, her bare form was flickering and her voice was cast into static echo. "You cannot resist us," she called, and threw the chair straight towards Lucan cin Nicander - whom managed to get out of the way just in time. The chair was not meant for him, however, but the wall panel that he had been working on the moment before. Both the CMO and the Head Nurse was showered in debris and sparks. Possibly, Natalie had managed to restore Dr. Nicander's access since he had been trying to access the panel, and he had been up to something that the crew of puppeteers somewhere below in the ship had not liked.

Thea - or Ida - laughed again and turned back to the room - raising fingers glistening with holographic secretions to her mouth. The nectar glistened and faded-to-and fro at the same time, shed in fireworks from the Senior Staff's phasers. "We nEed yoUr pErsoNal aCcESS cODes." The voice had now become a static scar upon the ears. "So pLeAse, cOMe dOwN anD jOIn tHe pARty. OthERwiSe, wE wILL bE hAPpy to TAke thE paRTy to yOU. REGardLESS, YOU WiLL aLL BE ENLIGHTENED."

Then, the last shot was fired, and the final holo-emitter exploded.

Thea was gone.

Lowering his double-handed grip on his phaser, still as dirty as he had been from the climb in the turbolift shaft, Captain Ives turned around to lay his eyes upon the assembled. "Damage report," he rasped to them in command. Eventually, he turned to the Asst. Chief of Operations. "Natalie, what happened? Where do we stand?"

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #14 –
Nathan joined in with destroying the Holo-emitters in the room, for a dual purpose.  Most important to the main mission was the fact that it removed Thea from the room, in order to prevent her from being used to eavesdrop on the senior staff meeting.  That alone was a major threat to all those remaining uninfected.  There was also a matter of dignity; Thea might have been a collection of photons and force-fields, but she was as much a member of the crew as any flesh and blood member.  Saving her from having to be viewed in such a way was also a show of respect for her, even if she would likely be forced to endure that indignity somewhere else aboard the ship, if her sadistic captors felt like it.

When the last emitter was destroyed, there was a discomfort that overtook Nathan, and no doubt many others.  It felt like their last chance was lost.  They were outnumbered, and had lost any advantages the ship could have provided to them.  They were at the mercy of the infected, and even the worse case scenario of destroying the ship seemed difficult when the pilot given the task had a long way to go between the bridge and the hangar bay.

"Bridge, come in."  Came the voice of Edena Rez over the comm, though she sounded different then normal.  Her voice was masculine, and would have been familiar to only one person.  Jien had met that host once before.  It was the Starfleet Intelligence officer who had bonded with the Rez symbiont directly before Edena.  It was Jona Rez.  "I can confirm that the antidote was successful in removing all traces of the infection from this body.  I experience no effects from being in biological control.  Edena, however, is still sleeping off the effects of the sedative."  Finally, one piece of good news in a maze of bad.

"Captain Ives, would it be too much to hope you didn't board up the back door?"  He spoke vaguely, almost in code, knowing he might have been overheard.  Only Jien would understand the words he spoke.  He was referring to the backdoor system that he had installed to gain control over the ship in a time of crisis.  It existed on one of the lower, normally abandoned decks, and could be used to circumvent command, even under such dire circumstances.  The only problem was that it required getting to the location and using the terminal manually; a dangerous task with all those infected running free.

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #15 –
Natalie gulped, shaking slightly in fear. She kept her eyes on her console, ignoring the fact that her friend was being taken over, trying to shut out the words coming from the holograms mouth. Having the captain standing over her did not help. Her fingers worked as fast as they could, to try and reestablish access. Over and over, it was being denied. "Dammit," she swore, fingers moving as fast as they could. Reroute, override,,,come on....ha! She grinned, having managed to lock down some systems into manual mode, and unlocking some access for a moment, before she blinks, looking up and seeing the crew firing on the walls and ceiling of the room.

Before she could say anything, she heard Ida's voice "Oh, you naughty little...". Natalie makes the mistake of looking up, just as Thea's fist comes down on the table. She cries out, pulling her hands in front of her face as the table seems to explode, the world going red.

Everything swam around the Ops officer, her world filled with pain. And suddenly, the noise had ended. Natalie pushed herself up off the floor, wincing in pain at the shards stuck in her left hand. There was a cut on her forehead, and her lip, from where her console had been knocked away, but she had been able to get her arms in the way, and protect her face.

Taking a few deep breaths, Natalie starts to speak, but is interrupted by the Intel Officer. She looks over to the Captain, confused. "Back door?" she murmurs, before pulling her self together. Her heart is pounding in her chest again, her hand throbs, but she comes to attention.

"Sir," she says, addressing the Captain, "I managed to lock down Transporter control to you only. However...your access has been revoked. " she gulps, "Basically, the infected cant use the transporters, but we can't either. Maybe, manual entry might work, for you only, but...I'm honestly not sure sir"

She pauses to catch her breath, then continues, "Replicator rations are all in your name, as well., Again, the infected cant use them, but we can't use the ones in the bridge. They were disabled by the Ops officers working with Ida. Sickbay and Engineering have working replicator's. Manual usage, by you sir, may work, but we'd have to get there" she looks over to the doctor, for a moment remembering him hovering over her shoulder. "As far as restored access goes, I've managed to protect mine, but that will only help us so much. Maybe, given time....but we don't have time. " her voice wavers, then strengthens again, "Dr. Nicander, I apologize that I could not protect your access longer. I hope what I was able to give you helped, sir. " she turns back to the Captain.

"In short, we might be able to use replicator's, manually. At a stretch, we could possibly use a transporter, but its very doubtful. I have access, such as it is, to all the computer systems. We cannot restore access to anyone else at this time, and Thea," she looks to where the AI, her friend, had been, "Well, we're safe from her here. I've encrypted as much of her core personality as I can, but the ships avatar is still compromised. sir" She finishes her report, remaining at attention, awaiting the Captains orders, or displeasure, wondering what the back door Lt.Cmdr Rex was talking about, as blood drips from her left hand.

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #16 –
As soon as the final holo-emitter was destroyed, Grayson slowly lowered his phaser, a slight frown on his face as he looked around to make sure nobody had been seriously wounded in the chaos. He had been just as shocked as everyone else when Nicander had announced that over 76% of the crew had been infected, but it had been even more shocking to see them take control of Thea like that.

While Garen quickly moved to retrieve the emergency medkit stored in the conference lounge, so that he could begin helping anyone who was injured, David holstered his phaser again and glanced towards Isley and Captain Ives.

"Back door?" he asked bluntly, his blue eyes narrowing. As Chief of Security, he didn't like not being informed of any potential hole in the ship's security systems. "What are you talking about?"

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #17 –
To hear the emotionless and collected Trill through the intercom in the wake of what had just happened in the Conference Room seemed so misplaced - a surreal facet to a reality already turned on its end. Captain Jien Ives did not answer the voice immediately, thus rendering the question to be repeated to him by new speakers.

The back door.

"What the former host of the Rez symbiont is talking about is highly classified system by Starfleet Intelligence; a hidden sub-routine that overrides all commands in case of emergency to the Federation. It is the accessible loophole of posted undercover SI-agents. With it, should we be able to reach it, we can take back control over the ship. Because of what has happened here, the recently acquitted 'Commander Rez did not have the chance to delete it from the Ship's computer registry... and nor did I." Jien frowned in thought and glanced at the charge of his phaser before he looked around at the gathered faces. "Its a long way there, and we can try and replicate more antidote manually at Sickbay or in Engineering as we descend. If we do get a Transporter to work, we split up and get to the places we need more effectively. We might even be able to use the holo-emitters like Lt. Isley suggested when we reach Engineering and manage to redirect power towards that end. As for now, we have the two-hundred syringes in the crates and they will have to last. Dr. Nicander, what were you doing before Thea destroyed the wall panel?"

The debris-covered CMO had humbly relieved the medkit from Chief of Security Grayson in order to treat Natalie Stark's cuts. He was standing close to her and stopped the bleeding and the aches with the small medical instruments while he answered. "I made sure to encrypt, copy, and spread the replicator-formula for the antidote so that it is safeguarded until we reach another replicator. I am no specialist at it, but I did what I could in order to protect our only resort if we are to get out of this. I thought it... prudent."

"Excellent, Doctor." said Jien and gestured everyone towards the crates with syringes. "Take a many as you all can possibly carry. We might need every last one of them. Lieutenant Stark, as we pass my ready-room, go in there and bring my computer console with you. Since you still have computer access you will take point with me and deal with any locked doors in our way, along with force-fields raised to stop our descent. Otherwise, make sure to fortify the firewalls you have set up. Everyone, make sure your phasers are set to stun and get ready to leave."

The Captain walked up to to the sliding doors at the port side of the Conference Room and looked out into the corridor that would take them past his Ready Room. The coast was clear. "We head for the Senior Stafff quarters first so that we can wake and extract Commander Rez. We need her in order to access the the back door. Did you hear that agent Jona? Please end the transmission now and await our arrival." Folding both his calloused hands around the grip of his phaser, finger resting easy on the trigger, the Captain led the way - dealing orders as he ambled forward. "After we have extracted Commander Rez, we head down for the Transporter rooms, Sickbay, Engineering and then the location of the back door that Commander Rez shows us to in that order. Everyone stay close together and keep your phasers at the ready. 'Commander Greyson, you cover our six together with Lieutenant Isley. Lieutenant Neotin, we might need your engineering skills for the doors or forcefields that Lt. Stark cannot deal with. Otherwise we'll have to blast our way through the walls as safely as we can."

One of the Security personnel that 'Cmdr. Greyson had posted outside the Main Bridge was ordered to carry the half-empty crates at the centre of their formation, this whilst Lt. Stark got the console from Jien's Ready Room. With the Turbolift being too dangerous to use when the infected had more or less seized control over the ship. they began the trudging descent down the stairs. Narrow stairs they were, provided throughout the ship as a redundant means of accessing the various Decks, sometimes facilitating transfer between two decks at a time with the sections staggered one compartment away from the next. This is mainly for safety reasons, but has security applications as well. During combat or some other emergency, like if the ship's gravitation was disrupted, a crewmember would merely fall from one deck to the next below. Although an injury could occur, it wouldn't be a surely-fatal plummet from several decks in height.

As they all methodically descended the stairs, Lucan cin Nicander spoke up behind Jien's back. "Lieutenant Neotin," he said in a quiet voice, directing himself to the older female Ash'reem while looking in the direction that he held his phaser pistol - his white lab coat in stark contrast to the dimly lit staircase, "given your expertise in life-sciences, what do you reckon the chances are - and effects would be - that this outbreak become a pandemic across the galaxy?"

No one else said anything; astute in their observation of the gaping staircase below them, with only the echo of breathing and the tapping of Lt. Stark's fingertips upon their only computer console heard besides the Ash'reems low voice.


OOC: Amatras analysis will end this Chapter, so only Kittkat need to post here (but more people may of course do so if they wish) while I move on to write the starter for the next Chapter. Kitty, feel free to end this chapter on a note as eerie as you deem fit. ;)

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #18 –
Amatras walked next to the CMO in silence for a few moments considering what was asked of her and then glancing back at her daughter with a slight frown.  "Given the observed behaviors, and what little I can discern based off the scent of the organism we're dealing with.  Mass Galactic Extinction of all animal based life forms.  The specifics would require a more detailed analysis of the organism and its influences on the humanoid body chemistry.  How deeply ingrained it becomes into the brain tissue, does its influence occur only because of hormonal changes or is the change due to direct integration into the neural network, for example.  Are there any parameters that will cause the influence to shut off temporarily for example starvation of thirst?  Also how does it effect sexual reproduction itself.  We know it elevates the sex drive but does it alter the way that ovaries and testes produce sperm and egg cells?  Assuming the behavior is due to direct integration into the neural network, the only question is timeframe.  Three scenarios likely would occur.  A, subjects reproductive systems work normally, pregnancy is possible, although all offspring would likely be infected upon birth.  How this would influence the young I'm not sure, our own medical experiments on Ash'reem suggests that the early onset of puberty can have complications for the immune system, the neural network, and the mental stability of the test subject.  In this scenario its likely that the civilization would die out do to starvation, and galactic civilization could continue for up to one thousand years, presuming that isolated planets manage to hold off infestation for a few hundred years and sufficient foodstocks are secured in protected bunkers.  As more and more individuals become controlled by their lust and less by their normal cognitive functions, they would be less compelled to grow food, leading to food shortages galaxy wide.  Furthermore do to the likelyhood of transplanting the native organism onto other worlds this likely would effect less complex organisms as well.  Likely only species that evolved under certain conditions like my homeworld would survive t he onslaught as we'd likely carry an inborn resistance to disease limiting its ability to spread." 

Amatras hesitated to continue and made sure her husband and daughter were following.  Amikris seemed to be dwelling at the rear of the group acting as rear guard with Grayson, well her husband was near the front carrying a few syringes and a phase.  "Scenario B is a quicker death and thankfully could result in the organism outreaching itself, before it can cause to severe of damage if we're lucky.  It would cause a fatal flaw in the reproductive organs causing the ovulation process to shut down, do to complications from the infection.   This would result in a zero population growth, that would ironically enough actually make your species die out before mine will if this organism was released into the general public.  Most species infected would die within sixty to seventy years.  Those resistant would likely also suffer complications that could result in extinction, as the infected fluids would likely still damage our reproductive organs and as a result plunge our population growth further.  In the case of Ash'reem....this would likely result in the extinction of our race within two thousand years, instead of our current estimates.  In this scenario until the last stages of the infection, food would still be available, although many non space faring races might die out, life galaxy wide likely could support such an epidemic short term."

She gave an involuntary shiver as she considered the final option.  "Scenario C is by far the most disturbing and has the long term complications I don't even want to consider.  It would hijack the reproductive systems, making them more effective but corrupting the genetic in formation in the gametes.  Resulting in either the creation of a seed or Zygote that contained limited of full genetic information for the organism that created this virus.  Likely in such a scenario the organism would have the hosts spread the plant to multiple planets causing a steady supply of new infected well leaving worlds permanently contaminated.  This results in a slightly slower death then B, but faster then A.  In all scenarios galactic civilization and in many cases, galactic animal life is in grave danger Sir.."

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #19 –
((OOC: Just thought I would add in some more grimness to the thread))



Isley had paid close attention to the explanations given by Amatras.  He wasn't a scientist, but she explained it well enough that he could follow along with her three proposed scenarios.  Picking a worst case out of them appeared difficult, considering each one ended in the fall of galactic civilization.  The Theurgy had escaped Federation space with the purpose of saving their kind, but in the process, they might have only succeeded in finding a much worse cause of destruction.  The whole idea of it left a bitter taste in his mouth that he couldn't quite shake.  It made him consider some worst case scenarios of his own.

They might have possessed a cure capable of ending the infection, but it would only succeed if they could administer it without the still-infected doing everything in their power to undo the damage.  In the event things appeared hopeless, the crew had to be prepared to do the only thing left to safeguard civilization from the aggressive organism that had reduced their ranks to mindless animals.

"Containment of this infection could mean destruction of this ship entirely.  Blowing out the airlocks and killing the infection isn't a pretty way to go, but it would stop the infected from reaching any nearby Starbases.  It runs the risk of the ship being found and cultures being collected though, so destroying the ship would be a more ideal solution.  Warp Core overload, Captain's self-destruct order with the CMO acting as a secondary command, or failing all of that, a fighter firing on the warp core from outside the ship.  Any of those options would leave nothing but sterilized debris."  What was the lives of everyone on board their ship weighed against the lives of everyone in the galaxy?  The universe even?  If it came down to it, they had a responsibility to give their lives to contain the situation.
 

Re: EPISODE 01: Outbreak [Chapter V - Abreaction]

Reply #20 –
It was not with a little trepidation that Jien Ives listened to Amatras' account of what was to come, and Lt. Isleys grim comments did not help either. Of course Jien had come to the same understanding that their sworn duty to reveal the truth about Starfleet Command was greatly overshadowed by the survival of the Alpha Quadrant and all space known to the Federation and beyond. More so, what it might require of him and the rest of the officers that were still sane aboard the Theurgy.

"Hope springs eternal," said Jien and waited for Natalie to open the locked door that would take them to the Senior Officer Quarters, "and we have yet our sanity as well as a few last resorts. Though if we won't catch a break soon... the last resort will be to change our tactic. The first thing being that we change the setting of our phasers to kill the infected crew members."

The silence lingered then, until the the last tap of Lt. Stark's fingertip opened the door for them.

- Fin
 
Simple Audio Video Embedder