Lt. Cmdr. V'Len Kel - Dream it's over

[Don K]

((Transporter room, Deck 4, USS Compass Rose))

V'Len and Karrod nearly careened into each other as they both arrived at the transporter room.

Kel:  Captain.

Niac:  Commander.  Do we know the condition of the pilot?  The Ronin said they're not responding to comm but they came to a safe halt just inside of transporter range.  

Kel:  I've no idea.  I just got here myself.  

He carried with him several hypos of the new antidote suspension that he and Beck had worked out.  

Niac: Better over-prepared than under.  Although the universe seems to enjoy making a mockery of our plans.

Kel: It's been a day.  I'll say that much.  

A crewman pressed several buttons and a white light shimmered.  Slowly a body appeared and V'Len's eyes went wide.  It was covered in something. Given what he'd seen, V'Len was concerned it was perhaps someone. V'Len whipped open his tricorder.  

Kel: ::gasping::  Oh no.  

Niac: Hang on Ian, we've got you...you made it back...

V'Len swooped down next to the young Orion, his midsection and arms were covered in a thick layer of protoplastic material.  The smell was all too familiar.  

Kel:  Commander O'Connor?  Ian?  Can you hear me?  ::looking at Niac:: He's in shock.

Niac:  I don't think there's a word for what he is right now, V'Len.  Hit him with the anti-viral, there's no doubt he's been exposed in close proximity.  Ian...Commander.  We're going to help you.  Stay still..that's an order.  

Weakly,  O'Connor raised his arms.  V'Len pressed the hypo of antiviral to his neck and followed it with a strong sedative.  A moment later he fell back.  

Kel:  He's asleep ::beat::  for now.  

Niac:  Tucker said he beamed aboard the Salk because he knew the pilot.  Couldn't be talked out of it.  

Kel:  ::shaking his head::  Must have been someone special to take the risk.  

V'Len continued to scan Ian and then pulled out another hypo. His patient was actively infected with whatever plague they'd stumbled upon, that much was clear.  The snake oil he and Beck had put together would help that, but there was more.  He'd clearly experienced intense stress and that had complicated his body chemistry when the virus struck.  As such V'Len was giving him what medications he could to break down the cortisol in his system and move him back into a homeotic state.  He paused to think what might come next and glanced at Karrod.  

Niac:  We should...we should transport him back to the Ronin.  Better he wakes up in our sickbay...familiar surroundings.  For all the good that'll do.  

V'Len had rarely seen Karrod reduced to fear or frustration.  Even when he was forced to stay in sickbay for recovery he always seemed to remain defiant and jovial.  V'Len had earlier wondered if Niac was off on a lark as he'd worked to organize things on the Rose.  It was no lark, that much was clear.  V'Len tried to sound reassuring.  

Kel:  ::nodding:: We'll get him to the Ronin.  We'll make him comfortable.

It was all V'Len felt he could safely say.  The process they'd worked out was unproven and while models suggested it could be successful, models had limits.  He pushed his fingers through his hair taking one last opportunity to check Ian's condition and assure himself that their intrepid helmsman was stable.    

Niac:  I'm not sure what else we could do for him.  I've already asked Starfleet to get Division 14 involved...they're the only specialists even remotely set up to deal with something...on this scale.  But it'll be a while before they can mobilize.  
V'Len felt his antennae twist and turn with curiosity.  Division 14 was legendary in the medical world of the Federation.  He'd never even gotten invited to one of their conferences, though he'd managed to collaborate with them on some of his research.  The idea of collaborating with them was exciting, though given how he was still sweating it seemed more likely they'd be collaborating on him.  

Kel:  ::nodding to the crewman::  Beam him to the Ronin sickbay.  ::turning back to the Captain::  I won't say no to help.  

Niac: Response

The bloom of transporter light appeared around Ian and he was gone a moment later.   V'Len rose sluggishly to his feet.  His limbs seemed to fight the movement, but V'Len was not ready to punch out just yet.  

Kel:  I need to get back to the triage area.  People still need help, even Alyndra.  
Niac:  Response

V'Len headed out the door, the Captain walking beside him.  He had been on the Rose for nearly a day and was not completely up on current events.  He at least knew that the plague had a Tarellian origin, but it begged the question of how.  Every ship database in 2 quadrants knew what a Tarellian ship was and to stay away from one if it should turn up.

Kel:  Do we know how all this happened?  Who was dumb enough to board a Tarellian plague ship?

Niac:  Response

V'Len halted and turned and fixed his gaze on Karrod. Surely the man was joking.  The stern expression he gave back told V'Len he was not.  V'Len sharply turned and letting out something between a scream and a grunt yeeted the hypospray he held down the hall.  It broke into pieces against a bulkhead and the pieces bounced and clattered away.  He stood panting.  The amorality of it, poisoning a ship full of people, potentially an entire population was more than he could comprehend calmly.  

Kel: ::apologetically:: As I said, it's been a day.  

Niac:  Response

Tags/TBC

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Lieutenant Commander V'Len Kel

Chief Science Officer/Second Officer

USS Ronin NCC-34523

T239811VK2

He/Him (player/character)