The horror that is the Phoenix Plague begins to hit home as patients began dying at the hospital here in Omega Prime and across the river in the Village. This horror will serve forever as a reminder of the tragic choice of Vice Admiral Nicole Branson to use the viral weapon in desparation at Omega Prime.
Nicole lay attached to every feeding tube and every piece of monitoring equipment designed to keep her body functioning as its ability to metabolize oxygen continued to deteriorate. Vincent looked through the glass, somehow immuned to the tragic events and saw his protege laying there dying. The scene was somehow justice, somehow punishment for her sins.
Vincent thought of conversations Nicole spoke about involving Admiral Hunt and responsibility for her behavior, for her choice. Dr. Greene walked by.
"The Viral Mutation is attributed to modifications made here by me and Miss Leffler, Commodore. We did not want the Romulans to have the ability to treat themselves. The viral mutation was to be slow but the attempt by the USS Yang Liwei to save the Romulans only served to accelerate the mutation. I am responsible, Commodore.", Skylight looked at Vincent.
Vincent looked at her, "Star Fleet regulations forbid the use of biological weaponry. This has been an Earth tradition since the 1980s. Here we are 500 years later and still forced to learn the hard way. Others have made this mistake. We should have known better, Skye. Now we have to pay the price."
The code alarm began going off. Skye and Vincent ran down the hallway to find Miss Leffler vomiting into her breathing equipment. Vincent stood on in terror as they feverishly tried to keep the engineer alive.
Captain Leo walked into the hospital. He looked at the Commodore, "The war is over. Both sides have seen tremendous loses now. The Antican Defence League has withdrawn to the suburbs. Their loses are also large. Robotic cleanup has begun and further clean up sweeps are planned. The Plague is worse than we could have imagined."
Robert looked in to see Lisa covered in green vomit and barely breathing. Robert and Vincent stood in silence.
Lt. Commander Laaker Teero entered the room, "We have word from the Liwei, they have synthacized another vaccine. I am having it brought here to the Teaching Hospital."
The damage control specialist looked at the pair, "Are we too late?"
Vincent rubbed his face, "Time will tell."
The USS Yang Liwei beamed a supply of the vaccine to the hospital. The staff were frantically cleaning up the hospital, the front courtyard and even the street to make certain the environment was perfect to begin sythacizing the vaccine.
Vincent watched as Dr. Greene and the amazing Dr. Orchid Coren worked feverishly and literally on minutes of sleep an hour to get the vaccine up and ready. Dr. Powers, an archeologist had been enlisted to help. He screamed that he was not a real doctor. Skye did not care. He understood science and that was all that mattered in this case.
Dr. Greene made Vice Admiral Branson her test subject. In a matter of hours, she was alert. She still looked hideous.
She was alive. She almost immediately began calling for Lisa. Skye took her to see Lisa. She was near death. Skye left Nicole with Vincent. She began crying and tilted her head into her benefactor. Vincent looked on as nurse administered the vaccine. The vaccine had been a preliminary success.
Almost immediately after synthases, many patients were beginning to be cured. Dr. Orchid Coren, a betazoid looked to the stars as she administered the vaccine and thanked the Liwei, "Bless you, Orbiting Angel."
Nicole looked on, "We should not have done it."
Vincent looked at her, "No, Nicole. We should not have done it."
Nicole stepped beyond the quarantine, went in and held the hand of Lisa. Her lips quivered as she spoke, "My darling Lisa, you are a victim of my shadow. I have had three great loves in my life; all of whom have died because of poor decisions made by me. This is the worst. I never intended to turn my colony into a graveyard. I thought I was protecting the colony; protecting you and my students. Instead, I have sentenced you to death. For that, you will never know my sorrow. You will never know my pain. I love you..."
Nicole's whole body started to shake in sheer terror as the instruments played the awful beep. The tone has been known across too many generations, across too many wars and across too many lives. Lisa Leffler died holding hands with her lover. Lisa Leffler died as a message to all of us.
Biological weapons are the scourge of the universe and should never, ever be used. This is not Star Fleet. This is not even the Romulan Star Empire. This was a decision made by a desperate person; blind to her own desperation and in a rage rarely seen.
Hopefully, this is a lesson learned.
Posted by:
Commodore Vincent Viceroy
Mayor: Omega Prime
Territory Omega
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Fleet
Vice Admiral Nicole Branson
Governor: Territory Omega
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Fleet
Captain Robert E. Leo
Emergency Services Commanding Officer
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Fleet
