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By Invitation Only
by Eve Robinson
Captain's Log, Stardate 42639.4
The Enterprise is in the Mardalis sector, in orbit around the planet Bradar, following an emergency call from the planetary representative. The planet is not a member of the Federation, preferring to maintain a degree of isolation, and little is known of the specifics of the Bradari culture. However, I have been advised by Admiral Nakamura that the strategic placement of this system, and the fact that their world is unusually rich in jolium deposits, would make the Bradari a very welcome addition to the Federation.
The reaction to our arrival was somewhat mystifying. Commander Riker led an Away Team consisting of Lt Cdr Data and Lt Worf, and discovered that the reason for the distress call was a plague of an unusual kind which is devastating the inhabited continent's only city. Physical symptoms may include fever, a scarlet rash, and uncontrollable thirst, but more distressingly, all those affected suffer from hallucinations. It seems that the planetary representative who answered our hail, Speaker Jaren Deljardo, was uncertain whether she herself had fallen victim to the plague, hence her disconcertingly brief response to our queries.
Commander Data has returned to the planet in order to collect information on the plague.
"Doctor Pulaski, do you have any idea what this disease might be?"
"For a start, captain, I doubt it's a disease. It's possible, of course," the doctor continued, "there are certain diseases that involve hallucinations—Joycean fever, Dormeline plague, and so forth, but I'd be more inclined to look for anomalous chemical substances."
"Drugs?"
"Exactly. This problem seems to have affected a lot of people within a very short time frame. These people aren't primitives with sewage running through their streets and a superstitious approach to medicine. It's true that their technology is at a lower level than our own, but from what the Away Team has already seen it's clear that they shouldn't, in normal circumstances at any rate, be vulnerable to an actual plague. I think it's likely we're looking at a contaminant rather than an infection."
"Are you saying there's been deliberate sabotage, Doctor?" asked Riker in concern.
"Impossible to tell," she replied. "There may be some kind of industrial pollutant, maybe even a natural phenomenon involved. Of course, I might be wrong about this—it could be a virus of some kind."
"Perhaps Data will turn up something useful," Riker offered.
Dr Pulaski looked at him wearily. "I doubt it," she replied. "He'll probably make a list of symptoms a metre long, and a statistical analysis telling me what percentage of the victims have a cough and what percentage have a temperature more then two points above the norm. None of which is likely to tell us anything."
"Still, it'll be worth taking a look," Riker pursued.
"Naturally I'll want to see whatever information he's managed to gather," Pulaski said acerbically. "But in the end, Captain, I'll have to go down there and see for myself."
Picard considered arguing, but looked at the determined set of Dr Pulaski's chin, and decided it was not worth the bother. She was right, in any case. She would have to go down to the surface at some point.
"Not until you have examined Data's findings. And when you do beam down, Doctor, take all possible precautions," he instructed. "I don't want these delusions aboard the Enterprise."
* * *
"So, Data, let's have it. Whatever you've got on the Bradari disease," the doctor instructed him wearily. "Symptoms, progress, whatever."
"I do not believe the Bradari are suffering from a disease, Doctor," the android officer replied. "From the rapid onset of the hallucinatory symptoms and the fact that I found no evidence that these symptoms can be passed from one person to another, I would hypothesise that the problem is caused by an anomalous chemical substance." The captain kept his face grave, but rejoiced inwardly. Much as he respected Dr Pulaski's professional abilities, it was sweet to see her disconcerted once in a while.
"Moreover," Data continued, "I believe I have isolated the primary factor in these hallucinations. The tissue samples I took from several affected patients in the main infirmary were imbued with traces of job-ethyloselecybinamide, a substance I later discovered to be present in the circulatory systems of the sufferers. Persons unaffected by the hallucinations have no jobethyloselecybinamide in their bodies."
"Jobethyloselecybinamide—JBE—would certainly cause delusions," Dr Pulaski mused, "and the other symptoms, the rash, the fever, might be the result of an allergic reaction of some kind... I'll want to look over your analysis, Commander."
"Of course, Doctor. I will arrange to transfer the data immediately."
"I'll have to determine the exact differences in Bradari physiology before rushing in with a cure," Pulaski went on, taking no notice of his response. "Essentially they're humanoid, the most obvious differences being the ear flaps and the extra finger joints; assuming their circulatory systems are similar to the human model, we should be able to flush out the JBE with a course of saline thorcosamine."
"Unfortunately we cannot tell how the jobetho—the JBE is getting into the Bradari's bodies," said the captain. "If you are able to cure the victims, Doctor, is there any way to prevent more people becoming sick?"
"There's no way to produce a prophylactic vaccine," Pulaski said. "The simple answer is, find out where the JBE is, and avoid it."
"Our top priority for non-medical personnel is therefore to locate the source of the JBE and neutralise it."
"Jobethyloselecybinamide is tasteless, odourless and colourless when in its liquid state," said the doctor. "And very potent. It would be simple enough to contaminate a food or water supply. But, Captain, the hallucinogen might be anywhere, possibly even airborne in certain forms. I strongly advise against sending anyone but Commander Data down to the planet until we know where the JBE is."
Picard scowled, but accepted the logic. He knew Pulaski would not let anything stand between her and her patients without very good cause. "Very well. Mr Data, you had better get back to the surface and start investigating the possible source of this phenomenon, as soon as the information transfer to the sick bay computer has been completed."
"Captain," Riker interrupted, "a full Away Team could make quicker progress than Commander Data on his own. Even at the risk of catching this 'plague', surely it's a priority to locate the source of the contamination."
"Agreed, Number One, but until Dr Pulaski can confirm we have an antidote to this problem I don't want to risk any of my... organic crew members starting to hallucinate. As soon as the medical staff have found a way to protect you I will authorise an Away Team. Until then, Mr Data will have to do what he can alone."
"Understood, sir."
"Doctor," Picard continued, "the ship's personnel and resources are at your disposal. Please use whatever you need to deal with this situation."
* * *
Speaker Deljardo's initial relief at discovering that the strangers in the sky were real, honest-to-goodness Federation Starfleet representatives rather than figments of a plague-ridden imagination, had dissolved back into gnawing worry for her people. So many were suffering, more every day, it seemed, and the emergency infirmaries which had been established in the centre of Valmar City were already overflowing. No-one had yet died of the plague itself, but there were reports of suicides, the victims terrorised by their own visions and pushed beyond the brink.
"Some of the plague-free are trying to leave the city," she told Data, "but many of the out-dwellers will not allow them to take refuge on the land. They claim the plague comes from the city and that in-dwellers should remain here. Other out-dwellers are arriving in Valmar to assist the physicians in caring for the sick, but we have nowhere for them to stay. The hostelries are already turned over to house plague victims."
"Are the people from outside the city unaffected by the plague?" Data inquired.
"Most are healthy, yes. Though not everyone in the city is affected, either. I myself—my family—we are unharmed, at least until now, as are most of the families of the Council. In fact, the apparent immunity of our most privileged citizens is causing no little resentment among the afflicted. I doubt it will last, though—if this plague continues much longer I fear every living being on Bradar will soon be a cringing lunatic."
"It is our belief, Speaker Deljardo, that what you describe as a plague is caused by a contaminating agent and is not, in fact, a disease."
"Wait—what?" The heavy-eyed Bradari was bewildered.
"The 'plague' does not appear to communicate itself from one individual to another, Speaker," said Data.
"But—but in the infirmaries, those who tend the sick often become ill themselves."
"That is true, Speaker, but you yourself have visited the infirmaries without succumbing, although you informed me that you made physical contact with many of the victims." Data went on to relate the conclusions which he and Dr Pulaski had separately drawn, and to explain that he had been instructed to locate the source of the contamination.
"Then—there is a cure?"
Data hesitated. "Our medical staff are attempting to develop a counteragent, Speaker. However, if the source of the hallucinogen is located, it should be possible to prevent further occurrences among the Bradari populace."
"Wonderful!" Deljardo beamed, and for a brief moment the lines of care smoothed away from her pale brown face, the delicate frills of her ear flaps flattened into a smooth line, and she was serene. Then she snapped back to business: "Can we help with your search? What do you need?"
* * *
The Enterprise's sensors were of less help than Data had hoped. They had detected jobethyloselecybinamide throughout the city, but it was impossible to determine exactly where the contaminant was present. Logically, a water or food source seemed the most likely.
Lacking the backup of trained crewmembers until Dr Pulaski had confirmed the effectiveness of her proposed course of treatment, Data was pleased to have at his disposal such of the local populace as could be spared.
Scarcely two hours later, teams of youthful Bradari from the upper echelons of the city's society (who were both plague-free and equipped with fast personal transport) were dispersing across the city, bearing analysis tubes and instructions to take samples from the air, food, water and medication supplies at locations throughout Valmar. The labelled samples would be collected centrally and beamed to the Enterprise for analysis.
Data himself was headed at top groundcar speed for the Tantene Water, a natural reservoir which supplied more than half the city's water. Sensor readings pertaining to this lake were difficult to interpret, possibly due to perturbations caused by the jolium deposits in the nearby rock (jolium was a component element of JBE); he would therefore attempt a more exact analysis from close quarters. His driver, proceeding with a singlemindedness and panache that would have rattled even Commander Riker, was Marlen Deljardo, the Speaker's elder daughter.
Hurtling over the rugged, thistle-strewn countryside, Data had to hold fast to the sidebars to avoid being thrown out of the bounding vehicle. After a particularly close call with a clump of thorn bushes and a jagged spear of rock, he was moved to recommend that a slight reduction in speed, with a commensurate increase in caution, would be the best means of getting them to their destination.
His driver, her cheeks darkening slightly, complied. "It's just that I so much want to do something," she told him earnestly, keeping her eyes on the route ahead. "This plague is so horrible, all those people in such pain, it seems wrong that we, my family, I mean, should have escaped. It just seems unfair. I know Mother would prefer to be ill herself than see so many of our people stricken like this."
"That would not help the sick," Data observed.
"No, it wouldn't, but maybe we will be able to. Help, I mean. Do you really think we'll find the contamination at Tantene Water?"
"It is a distinct possibility," Data said. "Either there is a single factor affecting many people in the city, or a great number of sources have been contaminated. The former appears more likely. Water from a single source would reach a large number of city-dwellers almost instantaneously, and I believe it would be a relatively simple matter for a single incident or individual to contaminate the reservoir. However, if we do not find jobethyloselecybinamide in the lake we shall investigate the water processing plant at Tantene Edge."
"It's hard to imagine that any Bradari would deliberately make other people sick," said Marlen with revulsion. "Could this contamination have occurred naturally?"
"It is possible," Data allowed. "When we locate the source we will be able to determine whether it is a natural phenomenon or artificial."
"There it is!" As the groundcar crested a small rise, the glittering expanse of Tantene Water was spread before them. Moments later they were at the shore. Marlen unloaded the analysis tubes from the groundcar while Data wielded his tricorder.
"I am detecting mendelevium, belactol and selenium trifluoride," he announced, "in far greater concentration than would naturally occur."
"What does that mean?"
"Although the tricorder does not register jobethyloselecybinamide itself, the substances mendelevium, belactol and selenium trifluoride are significant components of the hallucinogen."
Marlen's jaw dropped. "You mean—we've found it? This is the source?"
"I believe so," he said absently, dipping a tube into the water for a sample and aiming his tricorder at it. "However, we should investigate further. The matter does not appear straightforward."
"Is it natural?" Marlen asked, almost fearfully. "Or did someone..."
"I am not certain. The Enterprise's science lab will be able to determine the exact nature of the sample." The android tapped his comm badge and requested that the container be transported aboard.
How is your search proceeding, Commander? Picard's voice asked.
"Captain, there are elements of jobethylo-selecybinamide present in the reservoir which constitutes the main water supply to Valmar City."
Well done, Mr Data.
"Has JBE been found in samples from Valmar?"
Yes and no, Geordi's voice took over. Data, some of the water in the city is definitely contaminated, some is definitely clean, some... we're not sure.
"Thank you, Geordi." Data considered. "Captain, the readings from my tricorder do not correspond exactly to the jo—the JBE I detected in the lymphatic nodes of the plague victims. I am not certain of the reason, but the hallucinogen itself does not register on my tricorder. I request that the sample be transported immediately to the biochemical laboratory."
Have you any hypothesis?
"At present, I have not."
Hmm. Dr Pulaski has produced the first batch of saline thorcosamine, so she is eager to get to the planet and apply the cure. If the source of the contaminant is in the water, it should be reasonably safe for a medical Away Team to proceed.
"I recommend that in any case no member of the Away Team should drink or eat anything while on the planet, and that the Bradari government be advised to find other sources of water until we can confirm its safety. Captain, there is a single water processing plant through which all potable water is sent to the city. It should be possible to eliminate the JBE before the water leaves the plant."
I'll send Lieutenant LaForge to investigate straight away.
"Thank you, sir. I will make further investigations of this reservoir and attempt to determine whether the source of the contamination still exists."
Agreed. Keep me apprised, Mr Data. Picard out.
* * *
Lieutenant LaForge took Wesley Crusher along with his engineering Away Team to the Bradari water processing plant at Tantene Edge. They materialised just south of the low grey dome, and paused for a few moments to admire the grandeur of the landscape. The rough hills were speckled with granite and dark scrubby trees, the ground covered with a sage-green grass and great bushes of purple-topped thistles a metre high. Below them the vast expanse of the lake gleamed like lapis lazuli under the vivid sky.
Someone was coming out to greet them. He introduced himself as Powla Venapes, a junior tech-leader in the hierarchy of the plant, but for the present acting leader, since all the senior staff—and most of the juniors, too—had been affected by the plague. The unaccustomed responsibility obviously weighed heavily on his shoulders, and his greeting was warm and tinged with relief.
Once inside the plant, Geordi was impressed by the clean economy of the Bradari machines, all deceptively simple, elegant pieces of engineering. It soon became obvious that they had been designed with such economy of purpose that it was not going to be easy to devise an extra filter to get rid of JBE without sacrificing some other necessary process.
But they ought to be able to come up with something.
* * *
In the city's main infirmary, Dr Pulaski and her team of medics were preparing their first volunteer patient for the saline treatment which would, they hoped, clear the JBE from his abused system. Counselor Troi was comforting the understandably twitchy Bradari male, sensing his panic as the hallucinations swept over him, calming his fears when she could. Speaker Deljardo, taut and anxious, stood watching with Commander Riker.
"Is your doctor certain that the treatment will cure my people?"
"Dr Pulaski has run every possible test she could complete in the time we had," Riker assured the Speaker. "There's every indication that this treatment will work, and she's quite certain it won't do any harm. Unfortunately, since we have no prior experience with the details of Bradari physiology, the only way to know whether it's a complete cure is to test it."
"If it works..." The Speaker was stroking her corrugated ear frills distractedly with one of those unexpectedly supple fingers, her eyes fixed on the little group of doctor, nurse and patient.
"I understand that fewer people are being affected by the hallucinations, Speaker," Riker said.
"Since the news went out that water from Tantene Edge is not to be trusted, there has been a considerable reduction in new cases. Water supplied from the Tantene is to be sent straight into the reprocessing system, and the personal wells in the Council acreage are supplying the infirmaries and the rest of the city, as best they can. Your people are being most helpful in organising water collections," she said, trying for an even tone but not altogether succeeding.
"I have every confidence that our engineers can help your water technicians to eliminate the contamination," Riker assured her. Speaker Deljardo agreed vaguely, but her real attention was focused on the medical team and their volunteer.
Pulaski watched vigilantly as the tubes were connected to the trembling patient, and the nurse proceeded with the treatment. Every few minutes the doctor consulted her tricorder, but it was her visual scan of her patient's appearance that made her smile quietly and nod her head. She beckoned Riker and Speaker Deljardo closer.
"The JBE is being flushed out of his system," she told them. "I estimate it will take fourteen hours to clear him completely, but the cure has begun. He should be well by mid-morning."
Deljardo seized Pulaski's hands and pressed them to her cheeks. "Thank you, Doctor. Thank you." Collecting herself, she straightened. "What must we do to administer this treatment to all the victims here?"
"We've managed to synthesize enough saline thorcosamine for the first fifty patients," Pulaski informed the Speaker. "I'll have it transported here at once, and my staff will instruct your physicians on how to administer it. Actually it's a fairly simple procedure. The difficulty will be in producing enough of the saline solution to treat all the victims. Thorcosamine isn't easy to replicate satisfactorily, and we've about used up the ship's supply. If you have local biochemical facilities that could manufacture more, and in greater quantities—"
"I'll see to it at once." The lines of worry around the Speaker's eyes no longer seemed so deep, and now that the end of the plague was in sight, her bearing was that of the authoritative planetary leader prepared to deal efficiently and effectively with the crisis. She nodded to Riker, and hastened out of the infirmary.
"How can I be of assistance, Doctor?" Riker asked.
"Not in here, Commander," Pulaski replied crisply. "Take your non-medical personnel and see how many unaffected Bradari you can locate. If they want to help in the infirmary, they can come to me or Nurse Ogawa for instructions. We'll need as much saline thorcosamine as you can supply, so get one of the Enterprise's biochemists to keep a check on how the local pharmacy is progressing. Oh, and tell Captain Picard what's happening."
"Aye aye, ma'am," said Riker, grinning, and did as he was told.