Solar Date: Wednesday, January 31 2198
Mission: Day 1578
Sloan convulsed on the medical bed as his mouth spewed a thick chunky onyx fluid, the dark juices spray painting the infirmary walls. Sparky stabbed a syringe deep in Sloan's arm, quickly sedating the chaotic body of the once strong and tall man. The sporadic movement ceased.
Sparky sealed off the room with a force field, initiating the quarantine alert. The lights dimmed as scarlet ones blinked on and off. The hallway door locked with an airtight seal. Only through the quarantine entrance could one enter and exit.
The droid washed himself with a bleach shower and a dose of UV rays. The ship had a potential epidemic of an unknown virus, and he had to take care of it.
* * *
Prill looked at the sample of vomit through the electron microscope. "This is bad Captain, very bad."
"What is it?"
"This is the Tregatin Flu. It jumped species to Terrans."
"How bad is the flu? Will he live?"
"The Tregatin Flu has a fifty percent mortality rate, at least for Nevrans. . . It may be more or less with Terrans. The retrovirus mutates quickly, which is why it did not take long to jump the species barrier."
"How did it get on here?"
"Quarantine works on the surface, not necessarily on the inside. We could have brought it in through traded items, or those who joined the crew. Roger, Tevra, myself, Keltalis, or even Sloan could have been a carrier. Keltalis is the most likely the transmitter since he did not go through quarantine and did not notice symptoms because all Kortarins are not a target species, at least for now."
"Can we vaccinate the crew?"
Prill looked down. "Unfortunately, there is no full cure, Captain. A vaccination can still cause death, as the sympoms are severely life threatening, even if we use host shifting or disable the virus. I would recommend quarantining those sick in the medical bay, and keep your children isolated in the cargo hold's quarantine chambers if they are not infected."
"What about those unaffected like Tevra and yourself?"
"We will try to stay isolated from both parties. I will work as quickly as possible to prepare vaccines and antibodies, but it will be trial and error with each patient."
"Do it."
* * *
Roger swiped his wrist comm at the infirmary entrance.
"ACCESS DENIED."
He swiped again.
"ACCESS DENIED. ACC-ACC-ACC-ACCESS DENIED."
Roger slammed his fist against the wall. "What the fuck is going on?"
"Sloan contracted the Tregatin Flu."
Roger turned, seeing Prill. "The what?"
"The Tregatin Flu. It is a deadly virus."
"How'd he get it?"
"Quarantine breach. Keltalis most likely. Although, Sloan could also have brought it. The virus could have been dormant since he crash-landed on Kotara."
The intercom chimed. "All crew, this is the captain. Due to a case with the Tregatin Flu, I'm suspending all duties until further notice. Everyone is to report to the infirmary quarantine chamber for screening immediately. Prill, you will run the ship since this does not effect you. Any crew members uninfected by the virus are to remain in their own quarters for the next few days until all public sections are sanitized. You will have food delivered to you by Toasty. If you feel any sickness or have any sort of symptom, immediately head to the infirmary and avoid any form of contact. Everyone put on gloves and masks. Drevwood out."
YOU ARE READING
Astray Among The Stars
Fiksi IlmiahNovember 17, 2197. Mission: Day 1503. The teen raced down the alien passage way, sizzling plasma bolts flying past him. He ducked and dodged, running like a wounded and hunted animal. He had to escape. He had to find the others before it was too lat...
