Relieved and Required

Posted on Fri Mar 19th, 2021 @ 6:34pm by Commodore Ledeya ‘Ed’ Ehestri (*) & Commander Christopher Mitchell & Major Levi Drake

Mission: Cosmos
Location: New Rixx
Timeline: 2396
1196 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Ledeya was impatient to get back to sickbay but she needed to speak to the surface and find out how they were all faring. The Betazoid flu had somehow mutated for non-betazoid’s and been brought onboard despite the strict biofilters they had in place for shuttles and transporter. She had people looking at how it had gotten on board and looking after the new telepaths who were slowly having their brains rewired but she wanted to know how the people on the surface was fairing as it had to be affecting them as well.

She was relieved when the screen finally came to life and she saw her Executive Officer and Marine Commanding Officer appear on the screen. “Commander… Major… what is happening down there?” She demanded.

Christopher had been nursing a mild headache for the last twenty minutes. He was massaging his temples, hoping it would go away soon.

"Commodore. It's not ideal down here but certainly not the worst medical emergency we've ever seen. The main problem is keeping the sick comfortable while we work out how to treat them all. We're not really equipped to deal with this sort of emergency." He shook his head, taking a moment to catch his breath in spite of himself.

Seeing the Commander's momentary loss of focus, Levi stepped-in.

"We're using inhibitors to block out the worst of it, but almost everyone down here is affected. I'd recommend we restrict all telepaths to the ship for now, keep them away from trouble. As a precaution I'm stripping the marines down to non-lethal gear, just in case things get worse and we end up with someone really losing control."

Ledeya watched Christopher carefully for a moment before she looked at Levi listening to his words. She bit her cheek hard wanting to interrupt and just tell him the ship's status. She glanced to her left instructing her yeoman to take note of things. The first thing they need was more medication. It was just like a traditional flu it needed time and rest to recover.

“It is just like a human flu but the telepathic abilities are not controllable so inhibitors are the only option in how many Betazoids you have there. But keeping telepaths here is an issue, Major. No one can return to the ship so anyone telepathic needs to stay there with inhibitors if they need them. The Cosmos is affected with a mutation of the Betazed flu. This flu seems to have mutated in non telepaths turning them telepathic.” She admitted with a frown sending a file to them with everything they had on the issue so far. “Everyone there is almost already affected.”

"That sounds like what we're dealing with down here," Levi nodded. "I must admit, Commodore...I don't feel the effects myself, though I've seen it in others."

"Lucky..." Christopher grunted with a shake of his head. "Sorry. That wasn't really-"

"Understandable," Levi replied, allowing the Commander some levity given the situation. "What are your orders, ma'am?"

"That is good to hear that you are clear-headed. My orders are you guys need to work in shifts get the worst effected to rest and then switch in a few hours. Get all weapons secure. We do not know the ongoing effects of telepathy in non prepared species, it has been known to cause delusions and paranoia." Ledeya would work out why he seemed to be immune but at the moment she needed that clearheadedness to get to the task at hand. Her crew were at risk and they still needed to help others.

"Understood," Levi brought a hand up in salute.

"Christopher?" Ledeya wondered softly waiting for the man to look at her clearly before she carried on speaking. "I want the Major to take over the leadership of this mission. You won't be much help for much longer you know that as well as I do. You need to get an inhibitor on yourself but that will not be able to block all it out." She said softly. "How is Agrax doing?" She wondered thinking that the woman was the only telepath on the surface of the planet now.

"I'll...do my best," Christopher replied. He looked across the makeshift encampment. "She was unsettled. I haven't seen her in a while - do you think I should pull her? Send her back to the ship?"

Ledeya shook her head leaning back in her chair to reveal that she was wearing scrubs. Alexis could not come back to the ship with quarantine. “She cannot come back to the ship. The quarantine will not allow biosignatures in or out. We can only send you down equipment now that the weather system is repaired. I am really sorry you are having a bad week.” Ledeya pursued her lips together. “She should be immune to a point as she is vaccinated but keep an eye on her as best you can. We just don’t know much about this mutation yet.”

"Right. Right." Christopher shook his head. This was a confusing mess. When had it become so confusing? Whatever was going on was playing with his head. "We'll have to keep using blockers and inhibitors, but do we know whether we can do anything else? No cure?"

“Get some rest first Christopher. It will seem a bit clearer after it,” Ledeya prompted before she thought about what they could do around creating a cure. That question made Ledeya look at Levi hard before she finally spoke up. “It’s like Human flu but I would like to know why the Major here is not showing signed or symptoms as its mutated and seems to hit humans harder than Trills, even Bolians are experiencing some symptoms for it.” Ledeya would have loved to have investigated it herself but she was going to have to leave it to every one on the surface.

"Not sure how to explain it myself," Levi admitted. "Have to admit it was a little disconcerting to see everyone else acting strange. At any rate, you can trust me to handle the situation down here, Commodore. If we're looking at a few days I'll set up rotations and make sure reports are regular. Are we expecting any other medical assistance will be required?"

"I want reports every four hours. The USS Hippocrates and USS Jenna are two days away. Starfleet does not have any medical ships fitted with Quantum Slipstream Drive. Major if it gets bad let me know. I will break quarantine." Ledeya almost said in a whisper knowing it went against everything but she also took an oath as a doctor.

"It won't get worse, ma'am. I'll see to it." Levi responded as any military man would. He'd not be shown-up in this situation, especially when it was his own people in the mix as well. Although not necessarily a guarantee he could give, it would take a hell of a lot for him to fail.

Ledeya nodded. "Fine. Ehestri out." Ledeya cut the call and took a deep breath in. This was something out of her control. She just had to trust that she had enough people down there.