The Sigournate Virus

- Chapter 5 -

They had been there for what seemed like forever, although in reality it had only been a few hours. The sounds of the Fangor Beast's menacing growls grew nearer to the little enclosure that sheltered Dr. Lazarus and Lt. Tawney Madison from the creature's view. Lazarus held Tawney's body close and couldn't help but feel how hot her flesh was becoming from the fever raging inside her. She was getting worse and needed medical attention.

He had come to the conclusion that more was wrong with Tawney than just the scratch on her side. Something had brought this fever on fast and hard, and no mere scratch could have ever done that. He was at a loss for what it could be though. He prayed it wasn't something too serious, but he was almost certain it was, and that scared him terribly. Scared that he might lose her before he had the chance to tell her how he felt for her. How precious she was to him. That he was almost certain that she was his life mate, and that he loved her with every fiber of his being. He could not lose her.

Tawney began to move against him, slightly moaning. The fever was getting to her. There was no telling what else was wrong, seeing as how the weather had scrambled his diagnosis scanner. He could do nothing else for her until they got to the ship. If they got to the ship. His grip tightened on her as he sensed other Fangors joining the one already outside the downfall. They were getting closer. He held Tawney's Nebulizer in his right hand, pointing it at the slight opening in the downfall. Taking in a steadying breath, he waited.

The storm was over. It was over and they were still stuck in this ridiculously small enclosure, all because the damned Fangors refused to leave the area. He could feel them out there, stalking, waiting to pounce. He knew that the Fangors sensed them as well, but could not find them due to the Stealth Haze he had performed. He was at a loss on what to do, but he needed to get Tawney out of there and soon.

The sound of Nebu-fire drew Lazarus' attention. Quickly but gently, he laid Tawney down and moved cautiously to the entrance, weapon at the ready. A few more blasts and the wounded howls of the Fangors were heard as he pushed aside the foliage that covered the opening. Looking out, Lazarus saw Commander Taggart along with Tech Sgt. Chen and a few more ensigns, Nebulizers drawn.

"Oh, thank Ipthar." He muttered to himself. To Taggart he said in a mock annoying tone, "It's about time you showed up."

"Lazarus, come on, we don't have time. Those Fangors will be back and more than likely pissed as hell." Taggart said as he approached his friend.

The ensigns and Chen made a perimeter around them, in case the creatures returned for round two. Lazarus' expression instantly became serious.

"Tawney's in here. She was injured when one of the Fangors attacked her and Ensign Smith. It killed Smith, but merely scratched her. But she's running a fever, Peter. She needs medical attention." He explained, making to go back into the shelter.

"What?!" Taggart shouted, alerting everyone to the seriousness of the situation.

Lazarus didn't answer him, simply entered back into the small haven and later re-emerged with Tawney held tightly in his arms. She was deathly still, barely breathing, and sweat had dampened her uniform. Her hair was slightly mussed and plastered to the sides of her flushed face.

"Lazarus, a Fangor scratched her?" Taggart inquired again in urgency. He had to know for sure.

Lazarus nodded once, wondering at the terrified look that swept over his Commander's face.

"How long? How long has it been since it scratched her?" Taggart asked, grasping Lazarus' shoulder in a tight grip and pulling him along, all the while motioning with his free hand for the rest of the rescue team to follow.

"A few hours now, since right before the storm started." Lazarus informed the stricken Commander. "What's wrong, Peter?"

"Fuck!" Taggart shouted. "Come on, we have to move. She needs to be up in the ship's infirmary now."

With that, the entire group swiftly made their way back to the designated spot to be conveyed onto the ship.

Once aboard, Lazarus never stopped moving until he had reached the Infirmary and had placed Tawney gently onto one of the beds. As soon as he had released her, he was pushed aside as the doctor assigned to the ship began attending to Tawney. Lazarus felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Taggart standing beside him.

"You need to be checked on too." He said, motioning to one of the empty beds.

Lazarus shook his head no, indicating that he was fine. He was more worried for Tawney at the moment. Turning fully to face the Commander, Lazarus voiced the question that had been on his mind since they had been rescued, having witnessed the sheer panic that had entered the Commander's eyes when he had informed him that Tawney had been scratched by the Fangor.

"What's wrong with her, Peter?"

Taggart bowed his head a minute, raising a hand to rub the weariness from his eyes. "The 'miners' that sent the distess call, weren't miners at all. They were a bunch of scientists doing some stupid experiment with a new virus."

The way that Taggart had sneered the word 'scientists' gave Lazarus a pretty good impression of what Taggart thought of the people who had issued the distress call. Then something else Taggart had said caught his attention.

"A virus? What kind of virus?" He said, dreading to ask but needing to know the answer.

Sighing, Taggart looked up to face Lazarus with a weary expression.

"The stupid idiots were experimenting with a virus they had discovered and they imported the Fangors as test animals. I found the lab, deserted and in shambles. I looked at the files that were scattered about and found the information on it. Apparently, the Fangors had a reaction to the virus in their system. It made them more advanced, that's why when we shot them with the Nebulizers it didn't kill them, just knocked them out."

At this revelation, Lazarus jolted. The Fangor he had shot had been dead, hadn't it? He had been so concerned over Tawney's well being, he hadn't went to check. He had just assumed that being that close to it when he fired, he hadn't missed. But obviously it wouldn't have mattered if he hadn't missed, it wouldn't have killed it. All because of some stupid race playing doctor and messing with their genetic make-up. He was so caught up in his despairing thoughs, Lazarus nearly missed what Taggart said next.

"The virus is communicable by simply being scratched or bitten. They realized that the virus' effects on a human were fatal, and they were trying to find a vaccine. Then, the Fangors got too smart for their own good and escaped. I'm assuming they killed all the scientists, because there was no sign of anybody in the lab. Lazurus, they hadn't suceeded in making a vaccine yet."

Taggart looked to Lazarus to see his face set, jaw clenched. He turned to Taggart with a look of determination.

"Where are the files." He simply said.

All night Lazarus poured over the information on the virus, hoping against hope that he would be able to find something, anything, that would cure Tawney.

He had yet to find anything, and time was running out.

tbc...