The Venga Star System
"How long until we reach the Venga star system, Cadet?" Paul looked up at the young man in front of him; a tall, thin guy, blonde with blue eyes – obviously his first adventure out into the cosmos.
"Ummm… about 4 days' time, captain,"
Sorek looked up at that statement, no doubt internally incensed at the inaccuracy and lack of precision of his human counterparts – well at least that's what Paul would have predicted he would have been feeling, as a matter of fact, Sorek only looked on, nothing passing his lips before he turned back to his station.
"Good – as you were," the captain jumped up from his chair and made his way towards the turbolift, but not before flashing a smile at the Engineering console. But she didn't turn around… 'just act like nothing happened…'and he continued on to Med Bay to check on the cargo hauled up there.
The ship's corridors were a hustle and bustle of mainly new cadets, fresh out of the academy and the excitement in the air was thick and heady. Many of them were tripping over themselves to make room for the captain, or salute him, to which Paul simply said: "Now, that's not necessary…"
Med Bay was quiet – as it always is at the start of any mission – with only the typing and computer whirring filling the air.
Paul made his way to walk into the CMO's office, when he realised – a bit too late – that someone else was actually in the doorway.
"Woah! Hey there, fancy seeing you down here" Brendan beamed at him and gestured to him to sit in his office.
Turns out the cargo was in a 'very safe place'…
"No, actually, where is it?"
"I'll show you," the Dr offered with a smile.
Dr O'Hara led Paul through the sick bay of empty beds to a room on the far reaches of the floor. Opening it with his fingerprints, he revealed the metal boxes upon boxes of vaccines and medical equipment destined to help the plague ridden people of Venga 4. The captain's gaze wove around the room, his hand resting on the crates as the Dr carried on talking.
"Nasty disease – it'll have you dead in days. Came out of nowhere and suddenly it takes up a whole planet. Virus based – easily spreads, I mean, obviously, or we wouldn't be in this position," and with that note Brendan simply looked at Paul, grimacing at the thought of the people on the planet suffering. Paul just nodded idly. His knowledge of medical sciences was lacklustre – he didn't feel he could add anything of any worth to the discussion. It wasn't really up for debate.
"Apparently it leaves the children alive, though. Bastard thing. Leaves the children to watch their families die," the room seemed to get even vaster at that point. Brendan suddenly went quiet, but not a positive 'we're going to sort this out' quiet, a more contemplative and emotional silence, his eyes glazing over, unfocused, cast down to the floor.
"Well, at least it won't hurt any more people once we get there, eh?" the Captain tried to lighten the mood.
Seemingly not coming out of his present state, Brendan simply walked out of the room and back to his office without another word. Paul soon followed him out of the door and strode back up to the bridge, trying not to think about his CMO.
The lights of the bridge seemed to gleam more so when he returned, whether or not that was because he'd left the sadness of the Med Bay behind, or simply because there was chatter here, he didn't know. But the bridge felt like the hub that it certainly should be. Settling back down into his chair, and sending both Ava and Sorek away for their breaks, he anticipated the next 3 and a half days to be fairly quiet. Well, one can always dream.
A crackle from the communications station: "Captain, we are receiving a message from Venga IV"
"Patch the audio and visual to the screen, cadet"
"Yes, sir"
The screen in front of the bridge lit up with the faces of the people of Venga IV. Paul certainly wasn't prepared for what he saw. The people hailing him were not the ambassadors, or the members of Starfleet, but a group of survivors.
"Time is running out faster than expected Captain Andrews. Our scientists are trying to work on delaying the onset, but it appears the virus has entered into its lytic cycle. People are succumbing to it much more quickly than anticipated. If there is anything you can do to get the medicine here sooner, please do so…" the video crackled out with the audio being silenced. The bridge looked at up at the captain, expectantly waiting.
"That's the end of the transmission, sir"
"Thank you, Cadet," he turned to her slowly, before quickly turning banging down on his intercom "All Chief officers to go to conference room 3, deck 4, immediately, repeat ALL chief officers to conference room 3, deck 4, Andrews out."
Jumping up from his chair, he ordered Du Potn to take the bridge and made his way down to the room, to find the officers around the table waiting for him.
"Thank you," they all sat down, whilst he took the head chair, "We need to discuss Venga IV – you've all seen the audio-visual?" Paul looked at Sorek and Ava for confirmation, as they were absent at the time. All nodded.
"If I may, captain, I think we should get to the system as quickly as possible, whilst the vaccination will provide help for the children at any time, the treatment measures should be put in place as soon as we can," Ava started the conversation after some uneasy glances between officers. She then continued, "However, I believe it is essential for the medical and scientific professionals to give their views," she gestured to the Vulcan and the Irishman.
Brendan took the invitation, "I agree with Commander Donnelly, we need to get help there as soon as possible, inform Starfleet as an afterthought, change course to make it quicker," he looked back at Ava, "would the engines be able to maintain a high speed without draining the crystals this early on in the ship's life?"
"It would be able to withstand up to WARP 8 for a long period of time, WARP 10 for short bursts – I can reroute the circuits so that impulse power is tied in with the matter-antimatter reactor power,"
"Sorek?" the captain looked up at the pale man at the far edge of the table.
"Although it is indeed logical to get the medical supplies to those who are in most need of them as soon and as efficiently as possible, the current route which we have plotted out is undoubtedly the safest route to reach the system. To stray from this route would put our ship in danger and would put the medical supplies on the ship in jeopardy," he looked up at the people surrounding him, their eyes filled with confusion.
"I believe Commander Sorek is referring to the spate of Romulan ships seen in this area as of late. The course we have plotted in goes past various Starbases, so we could get help easily – but Romulan ships have been sighted and attacks reported not even a day's travel away from the route we are taking," Ava offered, nodding at the Vulcan on her left side. He seemed pleasantly surprised at her knowledge and understanding of his suggestion.
"So we might get attacked?"
"There is always a statistical probability of being attacked, Captain" Sorek offered instantaneously.
"Yeah, I know that, but I mean, an actual likelihood,"
Sorek frowned at this, before Ava whispered to him about human nature. He nodded and sat quietly.
"The Enterprise is in this sector, are they not?"
"Not precisely in this sector, captain, but they are fairly close," one of the pilots chipped in to the discussion.
"We could call on them for help if we were to get trapped,"
"Probability of us being successful in a conflict where we are outnumbered is lower than the statistical likelihood ought to be, captain; and the probability that the Enterprise would be able to come to our aid in the relevant period of time is also very low,"
"We'd be dead already,"
"I did not necessarily say that, doctor,"
Dr O'Hara piped up, finally finding his flair, "We need to help those people as fast as humanly possible,"
"That would not be very fast, Dr O'Hara," Sorek added, to receive a glare from Brendan.
"So we should let more people die on that planet, have children watch their parents die needlessly because you want to play it safe, who ever said about Vulcan courage?" Brendan stood up, and gestured for Sorek to do the same.
"Sorek isn't saying that, Dr," Ava sat between them, before Paul ordered Brendan to stand down.
"I do not want squabbling between my crew, is that quite clear?"
"Vulcans do not 'squabble', captain,"
"Don't sass me, Sorek!" Paul gazed down at his Science Officer, who opened his mouth to retaliate, but was again, told to be understanding and yield to human nature by the Engineering Officer. Illogical although it was, if it would avoid conflict at a period of heightened anxiety, a worthwhile goal at this point in time.
"Instead of using the different route, we will simply increase our speed, is that clear with everyone?"
"A logical solution, captain," "And one that will cost people their lives," Brendan added to Sorek's input as they all rose from the table.