Sit rep

Posted on Tue Mar 12th, 2024 @ 2:14pm by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Commander Benjamin Jamesson & Ensign Alexandra 'Lexi' O'Connery & Commander William Gerhard & Chief Petty Officer Manishie Karalo & Petty Officer, 3rd Class Kiyara de Vos

Mission: Contagion
Location: Bridge
Timeline: MD 366 pM
1373 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Beth could not lie that as the hours ticked down and with O’Connery not being able to raise anyone made the Captain sick to her stomach. She needed to know that the people that she had sent over to the base were okay. She nearly propelled herself out of the chair as she heard the familiar tone of incoming communication.

“Let’s hear it Ensign.” The Captain declared as the Bridge personnel held their breath.

"Gerhard to Atlantis, are you receiving us," Beth could hear the familiar tone of her Executive Officer. She was not the only person who visibly relaxed at the voice coming through.

“Commander you are reaching us,” Beth responded.

"We had trouble getting a signal out of the station," William said in response. "Captain, we have a bit of a situation over here," he said before he made eye contact with Avira across the way.

Well wasn’t that great? Thought Beth to herself already feeling like there was going to be very little sleep coming up. “Let’s hear it then Commander,” Beth said deciding to sit back down.

“We made contact with the station inhabitants, the Luminari. They have informed us that there is some sort of…contagion that has been killing the inhabitants at an alarming rate. Lieutenant Darru and Dr. Avira are analyzing any pertinent data right now, but at this point the away team has been exposed. Until the doctor can determine our risks, I’d recommend following standard quarantine procedures,” William said into his communicator.

With most of the armoury out on 'expedition' it fell to Manishie to man the tactical console on the bridge. If she had to be in charge of actually fighting another vessel she'd be much more inclined to call for a retreat. Then the call came through that there was something else entirely going to occupy their time and minds, and her thoughts immediately fell on Avira. The Chief Medical Officer was a very capable trauma surgeon, but her expertise didn't lay with identifying and combating contagions. She was able to keep a cool head outwardly, but the fact was she and the doctor were getting closer in a non-professional capacity and the news that she was stuck there, in a risky situation, got to her a lot more than it should've.

Lexi’s eyes went wide as she took in everyone’s reaction to the news that there was a contagion where their friends were. She could not hear any fear in William’s voice but she wished she could have a moment with him to reassure that it would all be okay. “Which means you are all stuck over there and then decon chamber on return once information is established,” Beth said quietly reminding the man of exactly what the quarantine procedure was. Then they would have to use decontamination chamber on their return. It was not something they had used consistently due to other factors the ship now had with upgrades but there would be no way to ignore it now.

"Yes ma'am. There are a few pressure suits back in the shuttle pod that Doctor Avira want's us to utilize to begin quarantine procedures, but it's just playing catchup at this point. The shuttlepod will also have to be decontaminated since it's been exposed to the station's air," William spoke from his communicator.

"I'll make sure the decon chamber is up to spec." Kiyara chimed in. Every since Sloan had stayed behind the Engineering department had been rotating through shifts to try and keep all the stations manned. It had put them on bridge duty in this particular moment. "I think we might need to replace the filters." They were going to do that either way, just to make sure.

Lexi glanced back and Kiyara and offered a grateful smile to them as the Captain nodded. "Replace it Petty Officer either way. Commander Jamesson can help you once he is aware. O'Connery contact him to the bridge." She said in a whisper to the comms operator to distract her from what she was sure going through her mind there and then. "Is the Doctor there?" Beth asked quietly.

"Yes, she is here with me," William said before offering his communicator to Avira. He held it out so they could both hear and speak into the device as they reported the situation.

The damage control specialist gave a quick salute to indicate they'd understood the instructions and bounded off towards the lift. They were much more comfortable elbowdeep in an accesspanel than behind a console on the bridge. Even though the Engineering department was spread thin, they'd do anything to avoid that particular duty.

"I am right here, Commander." Avira responded over the open line, wondering if her CO had something specific she wanted to know.

Beth watched the Petty Officer leave before she looked at the communication console again. “What are the options you have over there right now doctor?” She wondered thinking if they were already sick and got worse before they got back what was available to preserve life.

"We've not had access to their medical bays yet, so it's difficult to say at the moment." Avira admitted they were still quite blind in the situation, "however seeing the development of their technology, I assume the basics will be available to us. We also have our medical packs and we were prepared for an undisclosed medical emergency, which means we packed extra." If they were already contaminated there was no knowing what the progression would be, there were three different species in their group and the pathogen had originated in another species altogether. "I advise we implement an air-gap between the ship and ourselves. No direct contact between the two groups. We can use the matter transporters to send us supplies. At least until we know more about this pathogen, Commander."

Beth nodded thinking that was a wise option and something she had not considered personally as the matter transporters were still very basic to her and only for emergencies but this sounded like an emergency to say the least if she had ever heard of one. “I want you to get access to their sickbay Doctor.” The base looked far more advanced than anything they had seen outside of Ralea and the Caelestis. There had to be more to all of this and who better to look into it other than the Doctor and Darru. “I will arrange more supplies after speaking to Hughes and Jamesson and once you have more information.”

"I don't know how much help we will be able to offer them captain," William said lowering his voice and looking over at Avira before looking back to the communicator. "The Luminari appear to have advanced technology that pales in comparison to our own, yet from what they've told us this pathogen has devastated the station population," he said before trailing off. What William left unsaid was the belief that given their limited resources should they spend them on helping a more advanced species with something they potential had no hope of curing.

Beth did not need to know what was being left unsaid by William. She could read easily between the lines of it all and what he was implying. “Do what you can for now and get an understanding of the situation first before we decide our next step.” Beth was not giving up on the situation just yet. They might have more advanced but that didn’t necessarily mean that they had the spark that this crew had of thinking outside the box.

"Understood. I'll report back once we know more," William offered before looking closing the communicator and looking to Avira. "Well Avira, I'll follow your lead here," he said waiting for her instructions.

The Andorian doctor nodded and motioned at the Luminari, "let's have a look at the sick people then. That's why we're here after all."

Beth let the call connection drop and sighed. Nothing could ever just be simple at all could it? “Send a message to all senior officers still onboard I want them in the Situation room within 20 minutes lieutenant.” Beth requested as she already started in the direction.