Mission 2.1 Plague Lords

[Naira]

[Science Lab 1]

In a crisis situation, it was Star Fleet standard procedure to vaccinate medical and command staff first so that in the event that an outbreak should incur among the crew of a ship the medical officers would be able to care for the rest of the crew without worry of being incapacitated themselves and the commanding officers would be able to maintain order aboard the ship. From there, those who had been identified as having a compromised immune system due to age, health or other issues would be treated next. Then, the rest of the crew and any civilians would be seen to.

It was a way of maintaining order and preventing a panic.

"A bit unorthodox, but we must do as necessity dictates. Please proceed with caution, monitor the vital signs of those so inoculated and be alert for side effects. Activate the EMH if needed for further assistance."

=/\=Understood.

On the counter before them sat what remained of the vaccine they had made. A sample would need to be sent to Sickbay and from there they could replicate it and begin inoculating the crew.

=/\=Lt. Naira to Sickbay, we have what we believe to be a vaccine to the plague affecting Rigel III. Lt. Maddux has approved measures to have the crew vaccinated per standard procedure, but wants them closely monitored. I'll send it to you now.

[Sickbay]

A team of nurses and doctors made short work of replicating the vaccine and administering it among themselves. From there, medical staff who were not currently on duty were called in to sickbay so that they too could be vaccinated. Then, with a well coordinated effort, they broke off into teams and began making their way throughout the ship.

[Deck 3 - Crew Quarters]

Meanwhile, three scared young girls, oblivious to the current situation, huddled in the corner of the room. Random knickknacks had fallen off of high shelves and lay scattered on the floor. A vase had shattered. Pillows that had been carefully laid out to make the room feel more inviting now added to the feeling of chaos and uncertainty.

Lurels buried her face in her hands as she sobbed. Her thick hair clung to her wet skin. Her shoulders slumped as she leaned forward, pulling herself into a tight ball. Naniid, attempted to comfort girl half her age by patting her on the back but was unsure if she was actually helping the situation or not.

[Engineering]

Dylan rocked as another blast hit the ship. It seemed one ship had gotten off a spectacular shot that had busted through a layer of shielding and hit and vaporized a spot of ablative armor on the bow section... on the front section of deck two. Section 13 to be exact.

Aurua, who had been silently chewing off her fingernails, one by one, let out a loud scream as the room rocked again, this time harder than the others.

[Dylan Torngate]

Ash's head shot up as she heard a voice calling out from the mess hall. A familiar voice. Dylan. Pushing herself to her feet, she made to run into the sitting area, but hesitated at the kitchen exit. She hadn't seen Dylan since the before the Danny incident, and she had no way of knowing how he would react. Other than Cat and the Captain, every other crew member she had run across hadn't exactly viewed her warmly. Nor with hostility, to be fair. The general reaction was discomfort, visible caution in some. Ash couldn't blame them after what happened, of course... But she didn't think she'd be able to bear Dylan looking at her like that.

Taking a deep breath, Ash let out a shaky call to her friend as she moved into the entrance. "Dylan? I'm... I'm over here." She wanted to sprint over to him and jump into an overenthusiastic hug, but instead she found herself shyly holding back, waiting for him to react to her presence.

[Mess]

Dylan was starting to get a little scared when he didn't first hear his friend's name. The windows were sound and he had begun to look around, when she called out. He spun around quickly, and a wave of relief washed over his face. "Ash. Good, you're alright..." he said, putting two fingers to his forehead as he tried to order everything. "You are ok, right?" He asked, as he walked over to her. "I.. I'm sorry I haven't gotten to see you recently It's just I've been so worried about you and well... I haven't exactly been in the best state to see anyone..." He said, rambling as he tried to order his thoughts. "I just saw this place get hit on the MSD and I was worried and..." he trailed off, losing his way with words.

He looked over at her again, placing his tricorder back in his belt as everything seemed to be in order. "New ship, and they've already scratched the paint." he said with a small smile, trying to bring some if any levity to the situation. He intentionally, however, left out any comments about robots, Borg, Royalty, or the color green. Those could wait for another time.

[Ashlynn Ren Morgaine]

[Mess]

Dylan was starting to get a little scared when he didn't first hear his friend's name. The windows were sound and he had begun to look around, when she called out. He spun around quickly, and a wave of relief washed over his face. "Ash. Good, you're alright..." he said, putting two fingers to his forehead as he tried to order everything. "You are ok, right?" He asked, as he walked over to her. "I.. I'm sorry I haven't gotten to see you recently It's just I've been so worried about you and well... I haven't exactly been in the best state to see anyone..." He said, rambling as he tried to order his thoughts. "I just saw this place get hit on the MSD and I was worried and..." he trailed off, losing his way with words.

He looked over at her again, placing his tricorder back in his belt as everything seemed to be in order. "New ship, and they've already scratched the paint." he said with a small smile, trying to bring some if any levity to the situation. He intentionally, however, left out any comments about robots, Borg, Royalty, or the color green. Those could wait for another time.

[Mess Hall]

When Dylan spun around and Ash saw the worry and relief on his face, her previous worries faded. A shy smile grew on her face and she walked forward to meet him, not saying anything as he rambled on, her smile growing as he spoke. Reaching him, Ash fell against his chest and pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face in his uniform and mumbling, "I'm okay. I'm okay now... Everything's fine. I've just missed you." She wasn't sure that Dylan could understand what she was saying with her mouth buried in fabric, but she didn't care enough to pull back yet. "Are you alright?"

At Dylan's comment about the ship, Ash managed to bring herself back to the present and let go of her friend with a small smirk. "Woe to anyone who messes with your new ship." Glancing back down at his uniform, she did her best to brush off the powdered sugar smear that had ended up there. "After this, we'll catch up properly with a well-deserved pillow fight... But for now, what in the world is going on??

[Christian Grix]

{Brig}

"Very good Mr. Black." Came the Captain's commands, though they were almost drowned out by a horrific, bestial, scream that was truly alien. It sounded like the dying cries of a storm mixed with the frustrated roar of some ancient predator, though it had a strange tinny echo. The agitated soup of corrosive acids and tiny creature settled, as much as it could, from frenzied movement to slow and deliberate pulsations. It seemed like rippling muscle now rather than a sea during a storm.

This was not the attack of some panicked beast who needed victory instantly or death would set in. This was a long game. The staccato hiss of acid eating at the floor punctuated the danger. Something had to be done about it.

{Bridge}

As their speed increased the Orion ship fell away, despite their best efforts to keep up, more and more. Their weapons fired but not quite as effectively. They seemed to be less and less accurate as the distance increased. However, a lucky shot still struck them. Internally, Constance cursed- something she'd never have even thought herself possible to do 6 months ago. It was so classless.

"Make it so Mr. Wu. We won't be of much use to Rigel if we are all infected and dying ourselves."

Then Race's suggestion cut in. It was a sound plan.

"That sounds reasonable Mr. Warez. Implement it immediately. Voluntary basis only." The Captain commanded. Once they had data, they could send it to Rigel.

"Mr. Scott... our speed is our greatest asset right now. It would behoove us to employ it more vigorously..." She said dryly, almost annoyed.

As the larvae settled down and seemed to just pulse as one Black saw the floor =A=Brig to the Captain Lafayette, The prisoner has split into several infants of himself and they are all over the brig floor in an acidic ooze, I have full containment around the cell but these things are eating through the deck,Permission to flood the cell with Anesthizine and we will need to find a way to clean up the acid=A= .

He wiped his hand over his brow and called out to Carter, "Go to the outer office and keep an eye on the monitors I want to know as soon as we see any weakness". He also wanted her out of the room in case the shields failed and the floor gave way.

[Katheryn Brighton]

As the larvae settled down and seemed to just pulse as one Black saw the floor =A=Brig to the Captain Lafayette, The prisoner has split into several infants of himself and they are all over the brig floor in an acidic ooze, I have full containment around the cell but these things are eating through the deck,Permission to flood the cell with Anesthizine and we will need to find a way to clean up the acid=A= .

He wiped his hand over his brow and called out to Carter, "Go to the outer office and keep an eye on the monitors I want to know as soon as we see any weakness". He also wanted her out of the room in case the shields failed and the floor gave way.

Katheryn still couldn't quite believe what she was seeing as the lifeforms squirmed in front of her, praying to Freya that they wouldn't escape from the containment field until she saw the acid eating through the deck floor and was almost transfixed to the spot. However her attention was soon back onto Black when he spoke to the Captain before ordering her to go to the outer office and keep an eye on the monitors. Part of her wanted to protest and refuse to leave unless he was going with her as deep down she didn't want anything to happen to him yet knew she couldn't ignore an order despite how much she cared for him as a friend. Reluctantly she turned away from where she had taken up position near the cell and looked at him for a moment " Understood Commander and be careful " she replied taking one last look at the cell before walking out to the outer office where she sat down in front of the monitors and started watching both Black and the lifeforms.

[Dylan Torngate]

[Mess Hall]

When Dylan spun around and Ash saw the worry and relief on his face, her previous worries faded. A shy smile grew on her face and she walked forward to meet him, not saying anything as he rambled on, her smile growing as he spoke. Reaching him, Ash fell against his chest and pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face in his uniform and mumbling, "I'm okay. I'm okay now... Everything's fine. I've just missed you." She wasn't sure that Dylan could understand what she was saying with her mouth buried in fabric, but she didn't care enough to pull back yet. "Are you alright?"

At Dylan's comment about the ship, Ash managed to bring herself back to the present and let go of her friend with a small smirk. "Woe to anyone who messes with your new ship." Glancing back down at his uniform, she did her best to brush off the powdered sugar smear that had ended up there. "After this, we'll catch up properly with a well-deserved pillow fight... But for now, what in the world is going on??

[Mess]

Dylan was not quite sure what was going on, when he (Finally) stopped talking and rambling on, and Ash just gave him a hug. He wrapped an arm around her as she mumbled... something?... into his uniform. To him it was too well muffled, especially among the red alert sirens that still were sounding in the bay. Dylan knew the ship would be fine, somehow. He didn't know how but he just felt that. He eventually made out her next comment. "I'm fine, so far the ship's holding out great." he said, as a PADD in his pocket buzzed.

When she separated, he looked back at her while he tried to sort out everything. "You've got me. From what I know we were sent to intercept some illicit activity, and busted up some people that some Orions had rather we'd left alone." he said, as more flashes of light from the ships continued to streak through space.

He looked at his PADD and frowned. Sealed message from Fleet Command. That was never good. He wondered what he did this time, as he showed Ash the message header. He spun the PADD around again a few seconds later, and tapped away at it, accessing it with his codes.

The message read,
Lieutenant Commander Dylan Torngate,
By order of Starfleet Command and the Admiralty, you are hereby on stardate 70540.06, requested, and required, to transfer to Challenger, NCC-40117 and assume duties of Executive Officer.
Signed,
Captain Zerrof Maexwel, on behalf of Starfleet Command

Dylan sat back stunned. He just looked over the message, hoping for some reason it was a joke. Being promoted to XO? That was great. But transferring? That was the hard part.

After almost two minutes of sitting, he looked up the Challenger. An old, decrepit Excelsior Class starship, but one with quite a long history. He began pouring over everything he could find, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there was a war going on outside.

"I'm being transferred." he said dully, a conflicting storm of emotion on his face.

[Leonard T. Scott]

{Brig}

"Very good Mr. Black." Came the Captain's commands, though they were almost drowned out by a horrific, bestial, scream that was truly alien. It sounded like the dying cries of a storm mixed with the frustrated roar of some ancient predator, though it had a strange tinny echo. The agitated soup of corrosive acids and tiny creature settled, as much as it could, from frenzied movement to slow and deliberate pulsations. It seemed like rippling muscle now rather than a sea during a storm.

This was not the attack of some panicked beast who needed victory instantly or death would set in. This was a long game. The staccato hiss of acid eating at the floor punctuated the danger. Something had to be done about it.

{Bridge}

As their speed increased the Orion ship fell away, despite their best efforts to keep up, more and more. Their weapons fired but not quite as effectively. They seemed to be less and less accurate as the distance increased. However, a lucky shot still struck them. Internally, Constance cursed- something she'd never have even thought herself possible to do 6 months ago. It was so classless.

"Make it so Mr. Wu. We won't be of much use to Rigel if we are all infected and dying ourselves."

Then Race's suggestion cut in. It was a sound plan.

"That sounds reasonable Mr. Warez. Implement it immediately. Voluntary basis only." The Captain commanded. Once they had data, they could send it to Rigel.

"Mr. Scott... our speed is our greatest asset right now. It would behoove us to employ it more vigorously..." She said dryly, almost annoyed.

"Aye, increasing to Warp 8.6," Leo replied wryly. "That should get us ahead of these buggers for good."

He had an air of unseen pain in his voice. He was still dealing with the spat he and Cat were having.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Bridge]

Mahak had been working closely with the tactical officer, Lieutenant K'Shore. Predictably, the Andorian chose to speak first.

"Captain, Mahak and I can guarantee they won't follow us another parsec!" The Andorian seethed in his confident voice.

"I believe what the lieutenant means to say is that we have a working theory that we are ready to test," The Vulcan clarified.

"There's a weakness in the enemy shields over their primary engine wash recirculator," K'Shore said triumphantly. "We'll have to jack our phaser power up past the recommended levels but one shot will destroy their wash recycle system and cause their engines to overheat if they keep flying. Those bastards'll fry before they ever catch up to us!"

"He is blunt, but he has a point." Mahak told the bridge mildly. "This attack will also result in zero casualties. It is a logical course of action."

[Constance Lafayette]

{Bridge}

Constance paused mid scowl to try to fully absorb what what Steven was talking about. The life of a Starfleet officer was never dull... that much was for sure.

"Affirmative. If you think that will work employ it. However, creatures protected by a liquid ooze may not be able to absorb the anesthetize quickly enough. Perhaps coupling that with a base to counteract the acid could expose the aliens long enough to let them be exposed."

She was impressed that Lt. Commander Black hadn't just suggested destroying them all. It was a step in the right direction for him and she gave a little smile inside.

"Negative Mr. Scott. 9.9 emergency warp." She said sharpy. She wasn't the most empathetic person... she had all the emotional intelligence of an introverted bookworm but even she sensed something was up. Still, it didn't register as being more important than the current predicament so she filed it away in her brain. She had a person for all that talky-feely stuff. It was Catrin Maddux and she'd make a recommendation for Leo to go see her later.

"Quite logical Mr. Mahak. Make it so." Constance acknowledge flatly. She "got" Vulcans and liked them all the more for it. Why couldn't everyone just be as straightforward as them?

The Orion ship had ceased firing and had clearly put all of its energy into trying to keep up with the Athena, which had a sizable lead on them.

Down in the brig the acid was eating through the floor and if nothing was done it would burn through in about 5 minutes.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Bridge]

"That's the spirit!" K'Shore crowed.

Wordlessly, Mahak nodded. His callused and gnarled boxer's fingers moved over the console with zero flourish.

"Phaser power is at 105% of optimal."

"Crank it up, Mahak." K'Shore was arrogant, but he loved his duty...especially when his duty involved attacking an enemy. "We need to hit 110% of optimal."

"Acknowledged, sir." The Vulcan said steadily. "107%. 108. 109. 110%."

"Firing!" Contained within the Andorian's voice was all of the fighting pride of his people and a Starfleet tactical officer, wrapped up in enough aggression to stop a charging rhinoceros.

Phaser fire, a hot orange red concentrated burst against the blackness of space, leaped from the Athena to the Plague Lord's ship. A small burst of flames erupted from a tiny port on its ventral section, but the ship didn't slow.

"Wait for it..." K'Shore said. "Wait for it."

"Captain, the temperature of the interior of the enemy vessel has risen from 20 degrees centigrade to 44 centigrade." Mahak reported. "They are breaking off pursuit."

[Ashlynn Ren Morgaine]

[Mess]

Dylan was not quite sure what was going on, when he (Finally) stopped talking and rambling on, and Ash just gave him a hug. He wrapped an arm around her as she mumbled... something?... into his uniform. To him it was too well muffled, especially among the red alert sirens that still were sounding in the bay. Dylan knew the ship would be fine, somehow. He didn't know how but he just felt that. He eventually made out her next comment. "I'm fine, so far the ship's holding out great." he said, as a PADD in his pocket buzzed.

When she separated, he looked back at her while he tried to sort out everything. "You've got me. From what I know we were sent to intercept some illicit activity, and busted up some people that some Orions had rather we'd left alone." he said, as more flashes of light from the ships continued to streak through space.

He looked at his PADD and frowned. Sealed message from Fleet Command. That was never good. He wondered what he did this time, as he showed Ash the message header. He spun the PADD around again a few seconds later, and tapped away at it, accessing it with his codes.

The message read,
Lieutenant Commander Dylan Torngate,
By order of Starfleet Command and the Admiralty, you are hereby on stardate 70540.06, requested, and required, to transfer to Challenger, NCC-40117 and assume duties of Executive Officer.
Signed,
Captain Zerrof Maexwel, on behalf of Starfleet Command

Dylan sat back stunned. He just looked over the message, hoping for some reason it was a joke. Being promoted to XO? That was great. But transferring? That was the hard part.

After almost two minutes of sitting, he looked up the Challenger. An old, decrepit Excelsior Class starship, but one with quite a long history. He began pouring over everything he could find, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there was a war going on outside.

"I'm being transferred." he said dully, a conflicting storm of emotion on his face.

[Mess Hall]

"The Orions? What exactly did-" Ash cut off and pulled away from Dylan as she felt his PADD go off between them. A frown appeared on his face as he read the heading, and Ash furrowed her forehead in concern, frowning herself as he flashed her the PADD to look at is as well. Fleet Command? Oh no...

Her worry grew as Dylan fell back into a seat with a stunned expression on his face. She held her breath as he read the message over and over, waiting for him to say something. When he finally did speak, however, she wished he hadn't. She fell back into a seat next to him as it sank in. "... You're leaving?" She felt her face fall and looked back at him, hoping it was a terrible mistake, a joke, anything.

[Dylan Torngate]

[Mess Hall]

"The Orions? What exactly did-" Ash cut off and pulled away from Dylan as she felt his PADD go off between them. A frown appeared on his face as he read the heading, and Ash furrowed her forehead in concern, frowning herself as he flashed her the PADD to look at is as well. Fleet Command? Oh no...

Her worry grew as Dylan fell back into a seat with a stunned expression on his face. She held her breath as he read the message over and over, waiting for him to say something. When he finally did speak, however, she wished he hadn't. She fell back into a seat next to him as it sank in. "... You're leaving?" She felt her face fall and looked back at him, hoping it was a terrible mistake, a joke, anything.

[Mess]

Dylan looked up to her as he pulled up in a second screen with details about his home-to-be. "83 year old hull, excelsior class..." he said, listing off stats dully. "I don't want to leave but I don't think I have much choice in the matter... I guess it's a promotion." He said, wistfully. They could have given him more than a few days notice- but what they had given him, they had given him.

He looked up to her again. "I don't think this is a joke. This code seal is authentic- this really came from Starfleet."  he said, standing again. "You could always come with, if you wanted? I'm sure we could find you a place or..." he trailed off, both excited for a new ship and new sails, but not wanting to leave the comfortable reaches of his family on the Athena, all of the crew and people he had come to really love here. "I don't want to go..."

[Ashlynn Ren Morgaine]

[Mess]

Dylan looked up to her as he pulled up in a second screen with details about his home-to-be. "83 year old hull, excelsior class..." he said, listing off stats dully. "I don't want to leave but I don't think I have much choice in the matter... I guess it's a promotion." He said, wistfully. They could have given him more than a few days notice- but what they had given him, they had given him.

He looked up to her again. "I don't think this is a joke. This code seal is authentic- this really came from Starfleet."  he said, standing again. "You could always come with, if you wanted? I'm sure we could find you a place or..." he trailed off, both excited for a new ship and new sails, but not wanting to leave the comfortable reaches of his family on the Athena, all of the crew and people he had come to really love here. "I don't want to go..."

[Mess Hall]

"A promotion? That's... good... I guess..." Ash clasped her hands together in her lap and fiddled with her apron. She was trying to stay positive, but found it extraordinarily difficult to even meet his gaze. At his invitation to come with him, however, she managed to force a small smile onto her face, although it didn't reach her eyes. "Go? With you? I... I dunno, Dylan... The Athena has become my home... I don't want you to leave, either." Her voice cracked as she finished speaking, and her hands tightened in her lap, clenching the fabric as if it could bring her emotions under control. She leaned sideways, letting her head fall against Dylan's shoulder. She didn't know if she could keep her voice steady.

[Dylan Torngate]

[Mess Hall]

"A promotion? That's... good... I guess..." Ash clasped her hands together in her lap and fiddled with her apron. She was trying to stay positive, but found it extraordinarily difficult to even meet his gaze. At his invitation to come with him, however, she managed to force a small smile onto her face, although it didn't reach her eyes. "Go? With you? I... I dunno, Dylan... The Athena has become my home... I don't want you to leave, either." Her voice cracked as she finished speaking, and her hands tightened in her lap, clenching the fabric as if it could bring her emotions under control. She leaned sideways, letting her head fall against Dylan's shoulder. She didn't know if she could keep her voice steady.

Dylan put an arm around her, as he listened to her speak. "I mean if I recall right the Excelsior has a pretty nice galley area... and I don't know who else is gonna be there. It'd be nice to see someone that I like and know." He said, but knowing his speech likely fell on deaf ears. It appeared for the most part the Athena was well out of range, so the shaking had slowed down if not stopped. "I understand if you don't want to come along. You need to do what's best for you." he said, shrugging. Somehow his voice was also still level, but the thought of leaving all his friends behind was something that he was none too happy about. He supported her head as he sat, just thinking and pondering what he was going to do now.

[Ashlynn Ren Morgaine]

Dylan put an arm around her, as he listened to her speak. "I mean if I recall right the Excelsior has a pretty nice galley area... and I don't know who else is gonna be there. It'd be nice to see someone that I like and know." He said, but knowing his speech likely fell on deaf ears. It appeared for the most part the Athena was well out of range, so the shaking had slowed down if not stopped. "I understand if you don't want to come along. You need to do what's best for you." he said, shrugging. Somehow his voice was also still level, but the thought of leaving all his friends behind was something that he was none too happy about. He supported her head as he sat, just thinking and pondering what he was going to do now.

[Mess Hall]

"It's not that I don't want to go with you... You're my best friend; I'm sure we'd have fun... I just can't go right now - not without time to think things over first." They sat in silence for a while after that, and Ash watched the increasingly infrequent flashes of light through the window. At least one thing is going well today... After a few minutes lost in thought, Ash returned to the present and spoke up again. "You'll write, won't you? If you really have to leave, you'll keep in touch?" She was determined not to lose this friendship; it was far too precious.