Making Hard Decisions

Posted on Fri Aug 23, 2019 @ 6:13am by Lieutenant Nicole Anderson

1,067 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Plaga Navis
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: After White King

Alec sat behind the desk, He had a meeting coming up with Professor Anderson about an update on the virus. He also was going to have Lieutenant T' Mira sit in on the meeting. His talk with Cass led him to realize he had an XO, as Miguel Torres had the rank and positing of acting XO, Alec wanted him to remain in engineering where his skills were best suited. Which led him to deciding on an acting second officer until this crisis was over and Rhea was returned safely to the Victory. Doctor Anderson had the seniority, but he knew she was needed to work on the virus. He hit his combadge, "Professor Anderson and Lieutenant T'Mira please report to the Captain's Ready Room."

A few moments later, the Professor rang the chime on the door and stood patiently.

Hearing the chime ring, Alec sighed. He wished this was all over and Rhea was safely back aboard the ship. However she wasn't at least not yet so he had to endure and continue in a role he never wanted.

As the doors opened, he stepped inside and came up to the desk. "Yes, Commander, you asked to see me?"

Alec looked up as the Professor entered. "Professor Anderson yes, please have a seat. I was wondering if you could give me an update on your work with the virus?"

Just as he finished speaking the chime rang again. T'Mira, as soon as she'd heard the call, had shut down her computers and walked to the bridge.

Hearing the chime ring for a second time, Alec again said "Enter."

As the door parted she entered giving a respectful nod to the acting captain and hesitating only a moment before giving a respectful nod to the doctor.

"T'Mira, thank you for coming so quickly. Please have a seat" Alec replied, "This is Professor Anderson, he is using his vast expertise in helping us find a cure for the virus we uncovered."

"Pleasure," Thomas said, standing and giving a polite Vulcan salute. "I don't think we've been formally introduced before."

"Lt. T'Mira has just recently joined the ship Professor." Alec explained before returning his attention to the professor.

Thomas sat back down and crossed his legs. "I'm happy to report we've had some success in transmuting the virus into workable prions. Using our previous models, I believe we can destroy a substantial stockpile of the virus if we find it."

"That is excellent news Professor. Excellent work by yourself, Dr. Anderson, as well as Lt. Levesque. How long before you can do tests and know for sure?" Alec asked.

"Well, once we've got a steady prion prepped we'll do some tests, but the more we do, the less of the virus we have to work with to build more prions, so we're going to have to go carefully, but I'm confident we can have a successful test in a day or two."

"Understood Professor." Alec relied. "Keep some of the virus, we may need it later." He looked across the desk at T'Mira, "Any questions T'Mira?"

"Yes," T'Mira said. "Once the Virus is eradicated, I do have a question. Will the hosts suffer down the line? What are the statistics that parts of it will remain dormant or seek dormancy to reactivate at another point? Also, should the hosts reproduce, will the virus be transmitted to the children and after that I do have some questions with respect to the colonists."

"All our research indicates that the virus' dormancy is at the start of its incubation," Thomas said. "Once it's active, it's active. This virus cannot replicate so it's entire function is geared towards producing the toxins that kill its host. It cannot function properly in parts. Reproduction is unclear and rather irrelevant, unless the hosts happen to conceive a child within the 40 hour incubation period, and even then, once the virus activates, they'll be dead long before children are conceived." He made a rather sour face. "Of course, your questions are based on the assumptions of the virus being in a host. Our next goal is to destroy the virus at its source, not wait for another attack. The colony here is being monitored carefully, and thus far our efforts to physically remove the virus have been successful. What are your question about the colonists?"

"We are using Borg technology to...rid the colonists of the virus," she said choosing her words wisely. "Once that is done, are you, as a doctor, sure that we can rid them of said technology." She would speak to the commander later about the Intelligence part of this.

"My specialty is genetics, rather than nanotechnology," he said. "But it's my understanding from the updates we've received over the last few hours that the nanoprobes are, in fact, removing themselves, and the colonists are fully recovered. Have you been told different?"

"No I just wished to make sure. Nanoprobes can be....unpredictable." She sat back feeling as if she'd monopolized the conversation. She'd keep her mouth shut for the moment.

Alec looked at T'Mira and the back to Professor Anderson. "Thank you the update Professor. I'll let you get back to your work." His gaze shifted to T'Mira. "T'Mira stay for a moment."

Thomas stood and and gave a slight nod to both of them, then turned and left the office to return to the lab.

T'Mira gave a nod to the professor and watched him go. She sat up straighter. "Commander?"

"Lieutenant, until such time as we can locate the Captain, I am going to have you act as Acting Second Officer, with Commander Torres as Acting XO."

"I see." She was silent. She resisted to say the word that burned in her mind Fascinating She looked around. "Are you sure sir?"

"Yes, Lieutenant."

"Absolutely sure you would like me to take the post?"

"I've already said yes twice," Alec warned.

She was silent..."Me, sir?"

"Lieutenant..."

"Final answer sir?"

"Nevermind. Lieutenant Naroot will cover the position," Alec said. "Dismissed."

She stood. "Alright sir." She hadn't thought he'd wanted her. It had been too good to have been true. It was what it was. She did feel a pang of disappointment but it had not been the first time something like this had happened. She began to wonder if her life would be a series of failures and false starts.

 

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