Chapter Four-

Nikki awoke four hours later, feeling somewhat refreshed. She staggered out of bed, straightened her uniform, and headed straight out to the bridge. Kate was barking orders when she got up there.

"How are you feeling Lieutenant?" Asked Dutchy.

"Alright. Still not feeling well, but well enough to do my duties," responded Nikki.

"Maybe we should get Flash to check you out," suggested Dutchy.

"I'm fine! Just back off," snapped Nikki. Kate heard Nikki's voice and crossed over to her.

"How are you feeling?" Asked Kate.

"I've got a bit of a headache, and I'm still a little nauseous, but I'm fine. Believe me," stated Nikki.

"Alright then. We just lost Ryan; he's not feeling well, and he's downstairs in the ward room with Flash," reported Kate. She felt her own stomach roll, and just assumed it was the lack of food she had eaten.

"You okay to take the bridge for a little while?" Asked Kate. Nikki nodded.

"XO has the bridge." Kate walked off, holding her stomach tenderly as she headed to the wardroom. As she knocked on the door, she realised Ryan was lying on one of the beds, pale and sweating. EK was being settled onto one of the other beds, a bucket held close to her chest. She grimaced and then threw up into it again.

"Please don't tell me you're feeling nauseous," said Flash. Kate nodded.

"I'd go with food poisoning, but that doesn't fit. Ryan's heart is racing, Emily's got a blinder of a headache; it all starts with nausea though," said Gordon, annoyed.

"I'll be right, it'll pass. I just wanted to see if you had any anti-nausea meds," said Kate. He tossed her a packet of them.

"Take one every four hours with water," he called, cleaning up Emily. Kate nodded and left, clutching the meds in her hand. She sat in the hallway for a moment.

Next thing she knew, Dutchy was standing over her, looking very concerned.

"Kate, are you alright?" He asked, disregarding rank.

"Still feeling a little unwell, but I think I'm fine. Why?" She asked.

"You were passed out in the corridor," replied Dutchy simply. Kate tried to sit up, and as she did, felt a wave of nausea overwhelm her. She tried to warn Dylan, but instead threw up over him. She burst into tears, and Dylan's heart went out to her. He scooped her up and took her to the wardroom.

"Fourth one!" Exclaimed Flash.

"Where do you want her?" Asked Dutchy.

"Senior Sailors Mess; also, see if you can grab Slinger and ask if she can help. This thing has taken down Giordano as well," said Flash.

"Any idea's what it is?" Asked Dutchy.

"No idea. I've thought of food poisoning, but it doesn't have this kind of adverse reaction. I was thinking virus, but there's no way it could be a virus, the incubation period would be too small. For now though, get changed, and we're declared in quarantine. Get us back to port, and we'll sort this out from there," said Flash. Dutchy nodded, and headed back to the bridge. He stopped at his quarters on the way past and changed into a clean uniform. As he headed to the bridge, he knocked on the ComCen door. Slinger opened it.

"Hey Dutchy. What can I do for you?" She asked.

"Can you help Flash down in the ward room?" He asked. Slinger ditched her headset and nodded.

"Sure." She never asked any questions anymore; she trusted Dutchy. He nodded at her, and then continued to the bridge.

"Nikki? Nikki," he heard. He sprinted up the last steps, and found Dodger hovering over Nikki's unconscious body. He raised his hands.

"I didn't do anything, I swear!"

Alex struggled to see where he was going, and fell to the deck, shivering. His only hope was that someone would come out to find him…

"We've got the FFV in our sights, and they haven't seen us yet. It gives us a little time to plan our boarding," said Mike. They were standing in the ships office, talking tactics. Charge was sitting across from Kelly, and Mike was poised over the map. He glanced up, and realised that Alex wasn't with them.

"Has anyone seen Taylor?" Asked Mike.

"Not since I was on deck with him a little while ago," responded Charge.

"Has anyone seen him?" Asked Mike. Kelly shook her head.

"I haven't seen him. I'll get RO to put a callout for him," said Kelly. She slipped past Mike and out the door. Lexie dodged past Kelly.

"Listen, you haven't seen Taylor, have you?" Asked Kelly.

"No ma'am," she responded.

"Right." Kelly knocked on the ComCen door. RO opened it carefully.

"Ma'am, what can I do for you?" Asked RO politely.

"Can't find Taylor. Can you pipe him, see if he responds?" Asked Kelly. RO nodded, and called Alex's name over the PA. After ten minutes, he didn't show.

"Right. Anderson, you're with me," ordered Kelly. Logan stood up and followed Kelly out into the corridor. She led him into the ships office.

"Still no response from Alex," she reported.

"Right. I'll continue monitoring the FFV, you organise a sweep of the ship. Charge, go with X, start a sweep of the engine rooms," said Mike.

"Aye sir." The group disbanded, and Kelly took charge.

"Logan, alert Bird, get her to keep her eyes peeled. I don't like this one bit. Charge, check the engine rooms, we can work our way up from there, okay?" Charge disappeared down the ladder into the engine room, and Logan headed off to talk to Bird. Kelly could feel something happening; she just wasn't sure what it was yet. She headed to the bridge for a moment to keep Mike informed.

"Charge is covering the engine rooms, Logan is alerting Bird. Who else is available?" Asked Kelly. 2Dads pulled out the roster.

"Ah, Romano and Jones are about to go on duty. They should be able to help," suggested 2Dads.

"Right. Round them up, get them here. We need to find Taylor," said Kelly.

"Yes ma'am, I'll be back in a moment," said 2Dads. He disappeared down the stairs and headed to Jones's quarters first.

"Wake up Chefo, you're needed on the bridge," sang 2Dads. He heard a crashing from inside the room. Spider appeared shortly after.

"What's going on in there?" He asked.

"Dunno," replied 2Dads. He pushed the door open carefully, and found Jones on his rack, seizing violently.

"Spider, run and get Bird, quick!" 2Dads pushed his way into the room and rolled Toby onto his side. Bird arrived shortly after.

"What happened?" Asked Bird.

"No idea, he was seizing when I got here," replied 2Dads. Bird waited for a few moments, and Toby stopped seizing.

"How did that…?" Asked 2Dads.

"No idea. Get him to the wardroom," said Bird. Spider and 2Dads carried him to the wardroom, and laid him down upon one of the beds.

"Will he be right with you?" Asked 2Dads.

"Of course he will. Now go find Alex!" 2Dads and Spider left.

"I've got to wake Romano up next; we need her to help search," said 2Dads.

"I'll do it," said Spider.

"Fine. See you both on the bridge," said 2Dads. He headed up to the bridge and was nearly bowled over by Charge racing up the steps.

"Charge? What is it?" Asked Kelly.

"What if he never left the deck?" Charge and Kelly slipped down the stairs and out onto the main deck.

"There!" Yelled Charge. Kelly turned to 2Dads.

"Get Bird; now!"