Ritah Lowen

"You're so lucky," whispered Jim, pulling her into a farewell hug at the facility's terminal. She eagerly embraced him with a puzzled smile. "Why do you say that? she asked curiously. He stepped back, holding her at arms length and offered her that boyish grin he was so well known for. She couldn't get over how he never seemed to age. He was eleven years her senior but looked the same as he did as a teenager. "Because," her brother replied with a soft chuckle. "You're about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Think of the all the awesome exploits you're going to experience." Ritah never imagined how right her brother had been. Until now, she'd dismissed his parting remarks as little more than encouraging words. But she had seriously underestimated what was in store for her once she joined the Manticore. There had been numerous exploits but this one topped them all. Every muscle in her body ached, especially when she tried to move. But the nausea and dizziness gradually disappeared leaving her relatively clear headed. It was still dark but faint pools of sunlight were beginning to filter through the leafy ceiling above her. Dawn had arrived on this alien world and Ritah was still alive to see it. It had been a harrowing night, not just for her but for the entire away team. They'd been attacked. She was fairly certain at least one of the team had been seriously injured if not killed. Then, while retreating to the shuttle, Ritah made a terribly stupid mistake. She couldn't resist cataloging a beautifully iridescent amphibian she spotted on a nearby tree. Unfortunately, she got too close before conducting a proper analysis. The startled frog attacked, sinking it's tiny claws into Ritah's neck and depositing a virulent poison that dropped her in less than a heartbeat. But all of that paled in comparison to what was happening right now. Ritah was sitting in a tree talking to an ape like hominid who was every bit as intelligent as she was.....probably more so. And she was fairly certain she was the first of her kind to chat with a "Qin." This definitely fell into the 'awesome' category. This particular Qin was called Vai. She was female and, by her own admission, she was a healer. What's more, she knew Ritah was a healer as well. They were kindred spirits in an odd sense of the word. They shared a common calling....to heal the sick and injured. Perhaps that was the reason this Qin was so willing to chat with her. The natives called their world Qin-a. Vai claimed they were simple creatures who had lived on the planet for thousands of 'cycles.' Ritah wasn't sure about the length of a 'cycle.' But it was apparent the Qin had called this place home for eons. As the fog lifted and she was better able to think straight, Ritah's training kicked in. She wondered how they knew she was a healer. The obvious answer was....surveillance. The Qin were probably watching the new arrivals. For how long? That was anyone's guess but Ritah suspected the Qin had been observing the away teams since shortly after their arrival. She was dubious of Vai's assertion the Qin were "simple creatures." They were definitely intelligent. One could tell by simply observing them. They may have chosen to live in trees but they were highly sophisticated....sophisticated enough to have developed powerful medicines.....and universal translators. Who knew what other technologies they possessed. There was more to the Qin than Vai was willing to admit but Ritah couldn't really blame the healer. The 'Travelers,' as Vai called them, were alien strangers on this world. The Qin had every right to be cautious. As for her own doubts about the natives, Ritah thought it best to keep them to herself....at least for the time being. For now, she would content herself with "shop talk." She asked about the frog. Vai called it a "Hopper," a small but deadly creature. The poison could kill in a matter of minutes. Fortunately for Ritah, one of the Qin witnessed her encounter with the Hopper. That confirmed Ritah's suspicions. They did have the away teams under surveillance. It was both interesting and unnerving that the Qin were so close yet they were never detected. Vai went on to explain that the Hopper wasn't all bad. The poison was routinely used to treat an assortment of illnesses among the Qin. But only those well trained in the art were permitted to trap the amphibian and extract the venom. She also described a number of other creatures, large and small, that were both beautiful and deadly. Among them was a terrifying depiction of a huge avian predator called the "lintu-saal.'" Ritah pretty much knew why Vai told her about the lintu-saal. It hunts at night, paralyzing its victims while airborne then landing to pick up and carry off its chosen prey. It perches high in the rocks to feed. Even the Qin avoid those areas where the lintu-saal are known to inhabit. Vai confirmed the away teams were attacked by a lintu-saal. It did, in fact, carry off one of the Travelers. She already knew the answer but Ritah had to ask if the Qin knew the fate of the lost crewman. They had saved her from certain death. Perhaps they'd been able to rescue whoever it was who fell victim to the lintu-saal. Vai sighed deeply and shook her head. They didn't know where the lintu-saal took the Traveler but they were certain he or she was dead. Ritah grew quiet as she wondered who had been lost. Was it Dr. Mele? Or Vilanne? Her thoughts soon returned to the present and her crewmates. As grateful as she was to the Qin and Vai in particular, she needed to get back to the shuttle....if it was still there. Qin-a was far more dangerous than any of them realized. She needed to share this new information with the others before anyone else was lost. After that, she would gladly accept the dressing down she was sure to get from Dr. Mele for totally ignoring the protocols for cataloging alien animals. It was now shortly after dawn. Ritah knew she was very high up in a huge tree. It was unlikely she could make it all the way to the ground without help from one of the Qin. She spotted her tricorder sitting on a large bough a few meters away but her comm badge was nowhere to be found. Vai seemed to sense the human's restlessness. There was a flurry of high pitched clicks that were quickly converted into Federation standard by the small universal translator barely visible under Vai's fur. "Is something wrong?" Ritah looked at her hostess and nodded slightly. "I need to get back. Can you help me down to the ground?" Vai leaned back and appeared to smile. "You can not travel yet. For now, you must stay here." "I feel okay," replied Ritah with a forced smile. "My....friends will be worried. We've already lost one. I don't want them to think I've been killed as well." "Be patient." The words translated as both tender yet firm, much like a parent offering advice to a child. "For now, you must stay here." Ritah opened her mouth to speak but before she could say anything, Vai quietly stood up and moved toward another room in the extraordinary tree house, picking up the tricorder as she left. Just before she disappeared from sight, the Qin turned once again to glance at the Traveler. "You are safe here. Stay and be patient." Then she was gone. "Safe?" thought Ritah silently. "No comm badge....no tricorder....nobody knows I'm still alive...I don't call that safe." She waited a couple of minutes before carefully crawling out of the moss and bark lined bed she'd been in since her arrival. Cautiously working her way to one of the massive branches supporting the tree house, she hazard a peek over the edge. Squeezing her eyes shut, she quickly pulled back. She couldn't begin to guess how high up she was but she knew she would never get down without help. As awesome as it had been chatting with a new alien species, Ritah now felt a knot growing in her stomach. She had been treated with compassion and respect but she was also a prisoner of sorts. She gingerly made her way back to the large nest and installed herself in the middle of it, a stark realization settling over her. She had no choice but to do as Vai instructed.....stay and be patient.

Happy Birthday Jami! Hope you have a wonderful day and an even better year!

This events in this log take place shortly before "The Nature of Man" by Commander Farrington The Traveler quickly drifted off to sleep but they both knew their patient would not rest easy. She would suffer through a fitful night in spite of the potent medication she had been given. But Vai was confident. She was almost certain the Traveler had arrived in time. One way or the other, they would know by dawn. Kree lifted the small wooden bowl and sniffed the few drops of liquid left in it. He grunted and quickly tossed it aside. "You added paifain to the elixir? His life long companion looked at him incredulously. 'Of course. Sleep is conducive to healing." "No wonder she didn't want to drink it," he snorted. "The sweetest of honey can not mask its foul taste." "She?" Vai knew her mate had physically observed the Travelers. But she had only heard about them. The information she had obtained was very general...few if any specifics on such details as gender and appearances. Vai had always been fascinated by the details. "So this one is a female. I assumed as much." The Shaman nodded slowly in response. "Yes, and fairly young as well." He reached out to stroke their patient's cheek. "The males are larger but they are all bare skinned." "Except for their heads," noted Vai. She couldn't resist running her slender fingers through the Traveler's tousled blonde curls. "And this color....do they all look like this?" "No," replied Kree, wondering why such things mattered. "They have different colors. Some have none at all." He paused and sat back a little. "When do you think she will awaken?" His tone of voice captured Vai's attention. She studied him for a few seconds while carefully extracting her fingers from the Traveler's hair. "Before dawn....why? Are you concerned about Ne'e and the Council?" It was a rhetorical question. Of course he was concerned. So was she. News traveled quickly through their tightly knit community. Even though it was the middle of the night, they both knew the word had already spread. It was young Kai who had given the order to assist the injured Traveler. She felt obligated. One of them had inadvertently saved her life. It was only right that she repay the debt. Kree and Vai never questioned the Prime Sentry's decision. They accepted the Traveler into their home and administered the necessary aid. It was the proper thing to do. But they had all violated the Council's mandate. There could very well be repercussions. "These are intelligent beings," insisted Vai. "And they are naive to the ways of our world." She waved a hand toward the Traveler. "It is wrong to refuse aid when one so desperately needs it." The Shaman smiled at his mate and reached over their sleeping patient to gently stroke her weary face. "I agree," he replied quietly. "They appear intelligent and they certainly are naive." He dropped his hand and squeezed her arm reassuringly. "Get some rest. I will keep the first watch." She decided not to argue. He had good reason to keep the first watch. Ne'e would probably arrive shortly and he would not be pleased. It would be Kree's responsibility to calm the First Elder...to convince him it was right to assist the Travelers. Vai wasn't looking forward to that conversation. But it was now inevitable. Slowly standing, she moved toward an opening in the back of the room that led to another sleeping area. "Rouse me if she awakens," Vai called over her shoulder. "Or if anyone else suddenly shows up." "I will call you if the Traveler wakes up," promised Kree. "But that won't be necessary when Ne'e arrives. I'm sure the whole forest will know he's here."

She knew she was in trouble....big trouble. But Ritah was too ill to be frightened. Besides, there was no reason to waste what time she had left on fear. And she was pretty sure she didn't have much time left. At first, her lucid moments came and went but she had enough of them to figure out what was going on. She'd been poisoned. On a couple of occasions since her assignment to Manticore, she'd given serious thought to how she might die in the line of duty. She and Stefen once had a long conversation on the subject. Never, in her wildest dreams, did she expect her demise would be from poisoning...by a tree frog....no bigger than her thumb. Ritah silently chided herself for her stupidity. Why did she get so close before starting the scan? She should have known better than to walk up on something like that without first determining if it was dangerous. She was vaguely familiar with a few of the poisons from various amphibian species in her home galaxy. Some of them were positively lethal unless treated within a few minutes. She was confident the toxin from this alien frog was among them. She could tell by the decidedly uncomfortable effects as it quickly spread throughout her system. She resigned herself to her fate....she had no chance for survival. To begin with, she wasn't sure they had a drug to counteract the poison. But even if they did, it was a moot point because she was nowhere near her companions on the away team. To add insult to injury, Ritah had been spirited away from the campsite by someone or.....something. She distinctly remembered the frog's surprise attack and a sharp stinging pain in her neck. After that....nothing. When she started regaining consciousness, she was dizzy and nauseous. She was also in an awkward position....slung over something's shoulder....something large and powerful....and covered with soft fur. She bounced and wobbled as the creature ran through the pitch black forest without even rustling a leaf, her cheek rhythmically bumping against the animal's powerful pectorals with each step. Although she couldn't see or hear anything, she somehow sensed she'd been taken by more than one of the furry beasts. The young physician wondered if her captors knew she'd been contaminated by the frog's potent toxins. Would they still want to eat her? She decided it didn't matter one way or the other. She would never know because she would soon be dead. Ritah drifted in and out of consciousness, only vaguely aware of her journey through the forest. At one point, she realized they had stopped running. Now, they were climbing. The furry creatures were probably apes of some kind. They was taking her to their tree top lair. She recalled most apes were vegetarians. But even in her home galaxy, there were exceptions. Again, it didn't matter. The frog's toxin was proving both quick and effective. A strong wave of nausea ripped through her and she started to wretch. Her chauffeur stopped and quickly slid her off its shoulder, holding her away from itself until after she stopped vomiting. Her head was spinning as she was carefully returned to the creature's shoulder and they continued the long climb. Ritah cried out as sharp pains shot through her torso and down both legs. The climbing stopped. She heard strange sounds....like the distant strains of a song....but she decided she was hallucinating. A moment later, they were again climbing, much faster than before. She could still hear the song...more than one song and the notes seemed a little frantic. Now Ritah was absolutely certain she was hallucinating. Maybe this entire drama was nothing more than an elaborate illusion...a figment of her dying brain's imagination. They stopped climbing. She was handed off to another of the creatures. This one cradled her like a small child as it gently laid her in a bed of some kind. It was soft and remarkably comfortable. Ritah dug her fingers into the spongy material. It smelled and felt like moss and tree bark. They had put her in their nest. She shivered and was quickly covered by a blanket of sorts. Someone was beside her, pressing a warm, fragrant paste into the wounds on her neck. Another of the creatures knelt down on the opposite side of the bed or nest or whatever they chose to call it. A strong arm cautiously lifted Ritah to a sitting position and put a small wooden bowl to her lips. Her host insisted she take a sip. She had little choice but to comply. The taste of the warm, pungent liquid made her gag and she turned her head away. Again, she heard the soft melody of an unusual song. It was similar to the one she heard earlier while they were climbing up to wherever this was. But this one was a little different. There was no rhyme or rhythm to it but she was pretty sure the song was meant for her. She pulled away slightly and looked directly at the creature holding the bowl. There was virtually no light but they were so close to each other, she could see the face, especially the eyes....large and dark and....intelligent....very intelligent. The bowl was placed against her lips again. Although unable to communicate, Ritah understood that her host was insisting she drink the remainder of the nasty tasting liquid. She hesitated for a long moment, staring into the creature's expressive eyes. In spite of her diminished mental faculties, she knew these were sentient beings....and they were trying to take care of her. Ritah had no idea what it was they had given her to drink. But these creatures were obviously natives to this world. They might very well posses the cure for what ailed her. "Here's to first contact," she whispered as she held her breath and emptied the bowl of its contents. She was lowered back into the bed and the blanket tucked up under her chin. She turned her head slightly to look at the one treating her wounds. It was a bit further away but she could still make out its eyes.....large and dark and definitely intelligent. She was now very sleepy. The acrid liquid must have contained a sedative, among other things. She fought it for a few seconds, trying to make certain this was really happening and not some spectacular dream. She held the creature's gaze, listening to its quiet song as the herbal drugs worked their magic. Just before she closed her eyes, she managed a slight smile. "Thank you," she whispered softly and then drifted off to sleep still wondering if she would ever again see the light of day.

So much for paradise..... The day had gone fairly well, considering their circumstances. They'd found a habitable planet only four days after being unceremoniously deposited into the Andromeda Galaxy. It was a pristine world, beautiful and lush with abundant water, edible vegetation and game. So far, there had been no signs of sentient life but they had only explored a tiny area of the planet. Although loathe to admit it, Ritah was hoping they would find nothing more advanced than a few lower primates. It would be hard enough adapting to life on this alien world. Having to share it with sentient natives would only make the adjustment more difficult. Then it happened.....and it happened so quickly. One moment, she was cautiously optimistic. But in the blink of an eye, all of her positive thoughts evaporated, replaced by the certainty that death was imminent. Ritah couldn't move. She was suffering from some type of paralysis yet she could still breathe and was in control of her mental faculties. Well, maybe not in control but she could still think, see and hear. The first sixty seconds were the longest.....they seemed to go on for hours. And her panic grew exponentially. It's funny how the human brain reacts when convinced it's about to die. Time slowed down. Ritah took notice of each passing second as though it would be her last. Irrational as it seemed, it was critical she remember every detail of every moment.... the gentle caresses of the nighttime breeze lightly brushing against her face....the aromatic fragrance of wood burning in the fire pit intermixed with the lingering scent of roasted meat.... the different sounds filtering through the air....leaves rustling as they somersaulted across the open field....the crackling of the burning embers in the nearby fire ...a distant scream. She fixated on the scream or at least it sounded like a scream. It was so faint...she couldn't be sure. But if it was as she suspected, she knew it was no animal shrieking in the night. It was humanoid and it probably came from the other camp site....the camp site where Dr. Mele and Vilanne were bivouaced. For some reason, the faint echo of that distant scream infuriated her. They were under attack and it was quite likely someone had been killed. There was nothing like a heavy dose of anger to chase away fear. How dare they..... It was painfully dark. There was no moon. Heck, she wasn't sure this planet even had a moon. The only light came from the still robust campfire. Unfortunately, it provided very little illumination beyond its immediate perimeter. She collapsed several feet away from it with her back to the flames. From where she laid, Ritah could see a few other members of the away team. It appeared they were all in the same predicament. It seemed likely the other away team had fallen victim as well Ritah quickly deduced the paralysis was probably temporary but when would it pass? And what type of agent had been used to so thoroughly incapacitate the away teams? She hadn't seen, heard or smelled anything. Whatever it was, it came upon them with great stealth....and their security protocols had failed miserably. She forced herself to think. Just before the attack, she was scanning for life signs. It had gone eerily still as though someone had smothered the forest in a blanket of silence. During her youth back home, her family spent a good deal of time camping out. She'd been taught early on that such absolute quiet usually meant a predator was nearby. Her hands and feet began to tingle and Ritah breathed a sigh of relief. A moment later, she was able to move her arms and legs. From around the campsite, she could hear voices calling out. Almost as quickly as it struck them down, the paralysis released them. Ritah laid where she was for another minute before attempting to sit up. Her first endeavor was met with a wave of dizziness and nausea. She struggled to keep the contents of her stomach where it belonged regretting she'd eaten any dinner. She tried again half a minute or so later with much better results. The nausea dissipated along with the dizziness. But the headache was a lullapalooza. She was the medical officer for this away team. She knew there would be others feeling as badly if not worse than she did. Ritah looked around for her medical bag. It was just a few feet away. She tried to stand but her legs refused to cooperate. She had no idea how long it would take before she could walk and she desperately needed relief. So she slowly crawled over to the bag. Sitting down beside it, she picked it up and dropped it into her lap. By the soft light of the campfire, she was able to locate a container of asinolyathin. She quickly popped a couple of the small green tablets into her mouth and swallowed them dry. Hopefully, they would quiet the throbbing in her head so she would be able to think straight. Ritah hazard a glance around the campsite. Hand held lights bobbed here and there as a few others were now up and moving about. Many seemed to have survived the attack with few if any side affects. A few others were stumbling around as though drunk. She concluded she might not be the only one with a major headache. Speaking of that......where was Commander Farrington? The Commander had complained of a headache before dinner. After chatting with her, Ritah strongly suspected Farrington was highly sensitive to sound waves most humans couldn't even hear. The Commander was already feeling lousy. How had she reacted to an assault of this magnitude? Ritah turned slightly and peered into the darkness at the tents set up nearby. The Commander had gone into one of them with Mr. Faldek to discuss the Cardassian officer's penchant for shooting first and asking questions later. Farrington was this away team's lead officer. At least she'd been inside when they were attacked and a security officer had been with her. The young physician closed her medical bag and confirmed her tricorder was still hanging from her neck. The asinolyathin had kicked in and she was feeling much better. Slowly, she stood up, turned on her wrist lamp and walked toward the tent where she believed the Commander would be, making sure to bring her bag with her. And then she had an epiphany. Ritah hesitated and swallowed hard. Although she couldn't prove it, she knew why they didn't hear or see or smell anything just prior to the attack. "Ultrasonic sound waves," she muttered to the tiny flying insects attracted to her small lamp. She had no idea what creature was responsible or how the sound waves were capable of paralyzing full grown humanoids. She reasoned it would have to be an awfully large animal. She would let the others figure out the details. For now, she had a more pressing concern. .

"Did I hear him right?" Ritah glanced at Patti Holland and then quickly returned her attention to their seriously injured patient. She and Patti were about the same age. They'd been assigned to Manticore within weeks of each other so both were fairly new to the ship. On a personal level, Ritah didn't know Patti very well. But professionally, she couldn't have chosen a better nurse to work with. She was grateful to have Patti's assistance with this particular patient. At the moment, they were struggling the stabilize the middle aged male who had suffered a major brain injury. To make matters worse, he was badly burned over 90% of his body. For now, he was in a deep coma, blessedly unaware of his pain. His chances for survival were slim and none but if, by some miracle, he managed to live, he would definitely lose both legs. "That depends on what you heard," replied Ritah, a little more brusquely than she intended. Patti was referring to Dr. Mele's brief comment made just a few moments earlier....a comment that left Ritah both shocked and angry. "We're leaving....and we're taking these people with us?" "It appears you heard him correctly." "That's crazy!" Patti shook her head as she continued scanning their patient's burned flesh. "There may only be fourteen of them, but most are just as bad off as this poor man." She paused and looked at Ritah once again. "And they're all civilians! Heck, we don't even know their names!" Ritah literally bit her tongue to keep from saying something she might later regret. She happened to agree with Patti so she understood the nurse's frustration. When Dr. Mele stopped by to tell them the Manticore was leaving orbit, Ritah tried to ask him about the critically injured civilians now undergoing treatment in Sickbay. But he cut her off before she could speak. He made it clear they couldn't wait for the hospital ship....they had to leave immediately and the only alternative was to take the civilian patients with them. "Word has it the McCoy is on the way," said Patti, clearly annoyed. "What difference would another hour make?" "We don't know when the McCoy will arrive," snapped Ritah. "And we're not privy to the intelligence information available to the Admiral and his command staff." She made eye contact with Patti for a brief second. "If I was in charge, I might do things differently," she continued, lowering her voice. "But I'm not the one calling the shots around here." "I didn't think you approved." "It isn't up to us to approve or disapprove," sighed Ritah. "We're here to follow orders and take care of these patients." They continued the battle to stabilize their hapless patient for several minutes before Patti again broke the silence. "Have you noticed anything familiar about the radiation signature?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Dr. Lowen glanced at the nurse and nodded. "Yeah. But it's too early to jump to any conclusions." "Do you think he knows?" questioned Patti, nodding toward the CMO's office. "I'd bet real money it," quipped Ritah. "That may be one reason we're leaving in such a hurry. Their "John Doe" chose that moment to crash. They'd run a complete inner nucial series, including a hyper-encephalogram about two hours earlier. They kept repeating the encephalogram every ten minutes to monitor his brainwave activity. It had been gradually deteriorating from the beginning but now, it abruptly stopped. Within seconds, he was gone. The alarm took Ritah by surprise. Considering the rate of decline, she didn't anticipated such a sudden end to this man's battle for life. From the expression on Patti's face, she wasn't expecting it either. Although they hadn't bothered to discuss it, both women knew there would be no heroic efforts made to revive this patient. Instead, they both took one step back from the biobed and allowed themselves a moment to grasp the reality of what had just happened and wonder about what was to come. Five minutes later, Ritah approached Dr. Mele's office. The door was open. She stopped just outside and waited until the CMO looked up from the padd he was reviewing. She smiled sadly and shrugged her shoulders. "Just wanted to let you know, we're down to thirteen."

Happy Birthday Captain! Now, can we see you dance? B)

It was another "routine" day aboard the USS Manticore. Sickbay was a little busier than usual. Nothing dramatic but a steady stream of potential patients, most complaining of headaches or nausea or a combination of both. Ritah was the physician on call. She was only three hours into her shift and she'd personally examined all thirty-eight individuals who'd stepped through the door. They were scanned for every known virus, bacteria, fungus and mold known to man with a few alien bugs thrown in for good luck. So far, she'd been unable to determine exactly why so many of the crew were troubled by such similar problems. But, she strongly suspected the ship's latest encounter with an ion storm had a lot to do with it. On the positive side, there were a plethora of medications to handle these relatively minor symptoms. Everyone who was treated left Sickbay feeling much better....and no one had returned complaining the drugs had "worn off." Unfortunately, new patients kept straggling in, all presenting with the same symptoms without any signs of disease. It simply had to be the ion storm. There was no other possible explanation aside from some form of mass hysteria and that was highly unlikely. Dr. Lowen was busy updating her notes on the Manticore's most recent medical phenomenon when she heard the main doors swish open once again. She glanced in their direction, expecting to see yet another crewman either holding his head or stomach. But not this time.... Several of the medical staff actually giggled as an attractive young man hesitated in the open doorway, cradling his right arm while he anxiously looked around the room. He was a sight to behold but Ritah resisted the urge to laugh. That would have been very unprofessional. Especially when it was obvious this guy was in terrible pain. He was also quite wet....and wearing the tiniest bathing suit she'd ever seen on a human male's body....or on any male's body for that matter. The towel tossed around his neck did little to prevent the steady flow of water dripping from his dark hair...not to mention the rest of him. Ritah stepped forward and his gaze locked onto her like a torpedo tracking it's target. He walked briskly toward her leaving a trail of droplets behind him. As he drew closer, she noticed the pain reflected in his deep green eyes. She also took note of how pale he was as well as the blood oozing between the fingers he had tightly clamped around his elbow. Others in Sickbay picked up on it as well. The giggling stopped and a couple of the medical assistants were now hurrying to his side. "Doctor," he wheezed through gritted teeth. "My elbow...." Ritah was already trying to pry his hand away from the injured elbow. He was cold and clammy and shivering. "Just relax," she said soothingly. "And tell me what happened." "I fell," came the clipped reply. That much was obvious. He'd fallen okay.....and hard. He'd literally shattered his elbow. Ritah looked at the two assistants who had joined them and nodded for them to lead their new patient to a nearby bed. "Help the Lieutenant to a biobed," she ordered, briskly walking toward the med locker. "And bring a couple of towels....dry him off....and get a warm blanket on him as well." It was during her brief walk to the med cabinet that she realized what she'd just done. She'd referred to her new, scantily clad patient as "lieutenant." How did she know he was a lieutenant? Ritah racked her brain trying to figure out why she'd made such an assumption. She'd never laid eyes on the man until a few minutes ago. Maybe she was mistaken but she didn't think so. She was almost certain he was a full lieutenant. Besides, when she referred to him as such, he said nothing to contradict her. Ritah put the irritating thought our of her mind and hurried back. They were still drying him off when she returned and pressed a hypo against his right shoulder. A moment later, he sighed in relief as his arm went numb. "Thanks," he breathed softly, finally able to relax. He looked up at her anxiously. "Can you fix it?" "Of course," answered Ritah confidently. She was already scanning the injury to determine just how much damage there was. "But first of all, how did this happen? I know you fell, but where? You had to hit the ground hard to shatter bone like this?" The Lieutenant frowned and shook his head slightly. "It was stupid," he began, his tone indicating he was annoyed with himself. "We were playing water polo....the ball went out of the pool and it was my turn to fetch it." "Well," thought Ritah silently. "That explains the itsy bitsy bathing suit." She allowed him to keep talking while she reviewed the scan data, including his name, rank and serial number. Less than a minute later, she stepped back and looked down at her handsome patient who was indeed, a full lieutenant. "This will require a surgical repair," she stated matter of factly. She couldn't help smiling at the terrified expression on his face. "And there will be some rehab needed afterward. But don't worry, you won't feel a thing and you should be as good as new in a couple of weeks." "When are you going to do it?" he asked hesitantly. "Right now," replied Ritah with a slight smile. "The bones are fragmented. I have to go in and gather up all the little pieces and.....put them back together again. It will only take a few minutes." She almost told him it was no big deal. But one thing she learned early on was that all patients considered it a "big deal" when it was one of their body parts you were working on. That's how she would have felt had it been her elbow so, even though it was true, she kept that particular remark to herself. "We'll do it here," she said to the assistants. "Get Mr. Reid prepped and be sure that arm won't wake up for at least 24 hours. I'll be right back." Stefan Reid watched her curiously as she walked away. For some, inexplicable reason, he was relieved she was going to repair his damaged elbow. But why did he feel that way? She was young and definitely not as experienced as Dr. Mele or some of the other, long time members of the Manticore's medical staff. So why did he....trust her, for lack of a better word. He didn't know her from Adam's house cat. He was certain he'd never even seen her until ten minutes ago. And that was another thing. When he first staggered into Sickbay, he'd been downright relieved when he saw her. What was that all about? Thirty minutes later, it was all over. Lieutenant Reid's elbow had been reassembled and tightly bandaged. It would remain that way for at least a day to insure he didn't dislodge any of the newly knitted bone fragments. He'd been very quiet during the surgery. Ritah assumed he was nervous or maybe he was afraid conversation would distract her. For her part, she'd been far less talkative than usual, considering it was such a simple procedure. What was it about this guy? She'd never met him until an hour ago yet something about him seemed familiar. For one thing, she knew his name. Granted, the biobed's scanners automatically identified each patient. But somehow, she knew who he was before he went anywhere near a biobed. It was very puzzling and the more she thought about it, the closer she came to developing one of those headaches so many of the crew had been complaining about all day. Stefan Reid was sitting up, his right arm in a sling, his left hand rubbing his forehead. She was about to allow him to leave Sickbay with orders to report back the following afternoon. "Are you okay?" asked Ritah. He quickly dropped his hand to his lap and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little headache." "Could be side effect from the pain killer I gave you, replied Ritah and that was true. The drugs used to numb his arm had been quite potent. They sometimes caused mild headaches."I'll give you something for it. Then you can go to your quarters and rest. I'll see you back here tomorrow." He looked directly at her as he slung his towel over his shoulder. He started to say something but changed his mind at the last moment. Ritah gave him a mild analgesic designed specifically for headaches and helped him off the biobed. As they made their way toward the lobby area, he was greeted by several of his water polo buddies who promised to see to it he went directly to his quarters. Lieutenant Reid again looked at her as though he wanted to ask her something. Instead, he offered her a silly grin, thanked her and left with his friends. Stefan filed out of the Sickbay with his teammates, taking one last look over his shoulder as the big doors closed behind them. He was vaguely aware of his buddies questioning him about the injury....how long he'd be out of action and so on. He answered instinctively without much thought to what he was saying. They all piled into the nearest turbolift with Stefan entering first. He ended up wedged into a rear corner of the lift trying to protect his bandaged elbow from banging against the back wall of the car. The ride took no more than two minutes. When they arrived at their destination, the crowd poured out of the lift finally allowing Stefan a little breathing room. As he was moving toward the door, he made a quick decision. Instead of exiting the lift, he hit the override to manually close the doors and ordered it back to Sickbay. He had to laugh as leaned against the side wall. His buddies didn't even notice he was still on the lift. Five minutes later, Lieutenant Reid was back....still wearing the itsy bitsy bathing suit. She didn't notice him until he was almost to the work station where she was updating his medical file. "Dr. Lowen," he said softly, glancing around the room as though he was concerned about someone overhearing him. Ritah looked up but before she could answer, he cut her off. "I know this may be a strange question but.... I was wondering....." He lowered his voice even further. "I know we just met but you seem....familiar to me. I know it sounds crazy, but in a way, I feel like I've known you for a long time. Is it possible we bumped into each other somewhere....before?" "I don't think so," answered Ritah, a little too quickly. She'd been asking herself the same question for over an hour. But she was confident she would have remembered him had they met before...she would have remembered even if she'd only caught a glimpse of him. He cradled the injured elbow as he stepped a bit closer. "Then," he stammered. "How did you know I was a Lieutenant?" "Uh oh," thought Ritah silently. She shrugged her shoulders. "The biobed," she replied nonchalantly, hoping he would buy it. "The scanners identify the patients." "You knew my rank before I got onto that biobed, " he whispered, his tone a bit more intense. She swallowed hard before looking up at him. She was a little embarrassed by her attraction to this familiar stranger. His deep, emerald eyes stared back at her, framed by a profusion of soft, dark brown curls. He really was quite a specimen, especially in that little bathing suit. Nope, there was no way she would have forgotten had they met earlier. But they hadn't. So, how did she know he was a lieutenant? To her horror, she felt a warm blush crawling up her neck. She looked away just about the time it reached her cheeks, hoping he hadn't noticed. "I must have guessed," she quipped, pretending to focus on the report sitting on the desk in front of her. A moment later, Reid was actually kneeling beside her. Suddenly, she found herself face to face with an extremely handsome, bare chested man wearing a tiny bathing suit that revealed more than it covered...and there was no way she could ignore him. "Since I first came in here," he whispered, nodding toward the main doors, "I never heard anyone call you anything but Dr. Lowen. Isn't that right?" Ritah considered the question for half a second then nodded in agreement. "And you're not wearing any type of name badge....are you?" She never wore such a thing but instinctively checked her lab coat lapel anyway before silently shaking her head. "Then how do I know your first name is Ritah....spelled R i t a h?" he asked with a slight smile. She bit her lip and stared into his questioning eyes for a long moment. "I don't know," she whispered. "I honestly don't know." "Nor do I," came the immediate reply. "But I think we need to talk about this." "I'll bet you do." "Have dinner with me." "I'll be finished here around 1900 hours." "I'll be here. Do you want me to wait in the corridor?" "No, come on in." Stefan stood up and nodded. "Then I'll see you later...and thanks." "Thank you," she replied dumbly. He turned and walked toward the main doors with Ritah watching every step he took. He glanced over his shoulder as the doors opened and smiled warmly. She grinned impishly and waved at him as he stepped into the corridor and the doors closed behind him. Leaning back in the chair, Ritah dropped her hand into her lap. "What the hell just happened?" she whispered to the console in front of her. Never in her life had she experienced anything like this. And now she had a dinner date with a total stranger....who somehow, felt familiar. Ritah shook her head slightly and rubbed her temples, quietly wondering when the analgesic would kick in.

Doctors Lowen and Kane didn't wait for the torpedoes to launch. They headed back to Sickbay while the weapons officers were still confirming the exact coordinates. Just before they stepped into the corridor, Ritah happened to glance back at the two midshipmen as they hurried to complete their task. They were both quite young, probably no more than twenty years old. Although they hadn't been told what the payload was, they were bright enough to figure out it was probably deadly. They were more than a little anxious to be done with this particular task. Ritah sympathized with them. They weren't the only ones who wanted to be rid of this assignment. She was relieved her involvement with it was finally over. Now, all she would have to deal with were the nightmares. In a way, she envied the midshipmen. She doubted they would loose any sleep over this. In their cases, ignorance was bliss, not that annihilating an entire planet would have bothered them in the first place. Shortly before she and Dr. Kane arrived in Sickbay, one of the young men was kind enough to advise Ritah the torpedoes had been successfully launched. They would detonate in less than a minute at exactly 20 km above the surface. Ritah acknowledged the comm and even thanked the midshipman for updating her. She didn't bother telling him the torpedoes were originally set to detonate at an altitude of 15 km. She hadn't mentioned the change to anyone, not even Sean. There hadn't been time. The Admiral had given her ten minutes. She'd met the deadline and she was certain he would be pleased. Besides, the 5 km difference in altitude would have a positive effect on the payload's efficiency and Ritah had the data to prove it. Now, all Ritah wanted was to be alone. Unfortunately, she was in the middle of her duty shift and the prisoner was still in Sickbay. She was the attending physician in Dr. Mele's absence so she made her way to the biobed where the ill-fated patient lay. Crossing the room, she heard someone talking about how he had been forced to watch the extermination of his people. But now, one lone orderly stood guard. Ritah took a quick look at the data displayed on the bed's small screen and resisted the urge to frown. The "patient" was almost dead and in terrible pain. At least someone had started an IV....just saline and a mild analgesic but it was better than nothing. "You're dismissed," said Ritah flatly without looking at the orderly. She heard him walk away but waited a full minute before glancing up. There were a couple of people on the other end of the ward, near the main door to Sickbay. They were engaged in an animated conversation with one of the nurses who had just come in. Ritah picked up a hypo off the small table at the foot of the bed and emptied it into the IV. Taking the prisoner's chin in her hand, she slowly turned his head toward her. His dark eyes fluttered open but she wasn't sure he was coherent enough to comprehend anything. She leaned closer, pretending to examine one of his numerous facial wounds. "Go to your gods in peace," she whispered, so softly she doubted he could hear her. "And know that it wasn't as bad as it looked." For a second, she thought she caught a flicker of recognition in his desolate eyes. He might have understood but she couldn't be sure. Almost immediately, his eyes closed and he slipped quietly into a deep coma where nature would be allowed to take it's course. Dropping the empty hypo onto the table, she immediately retreated to the locker room, seeking a few minutes of solitude. She was there less than two minutes when the newly arrived nurse rounded the corner and opened her locker. "Did you hear?" she asked, her tone a mixture of excitement and dread. Ritah closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Was there nowhere she could hide for even a few minutes? She envied Dr. Mele. At least he had an office he could escape to for a while. Drawing a deep breath, she carefully schooled her expression and turned toward the young woman. For the life of her, Ritah couldn't remember her name. "Did I hear what?" she snapped, her raw nerves a bit more obvious than she intended. "About the Admiral?" "Now what?" thought Ritah silently. She canted her head slightly and met the other woman's gaze. "What about him?" The nurse pulled her lab coat out of the locker and closed it. Then stepping beside Ritah, she lowered her voice to a mere whisper. "He's dead....killed by mutineers." At that moment, Ritah remembered the woman's name. It was Victoria....everyone called her Vicki. She started to walk away but Ritah grabbed her by the forearm. "Are you sure?" she demanded sharply. "Or is this some harebrained rumor going around." Vicki glanced around the room nervously, as though talking about it would somehow imply she was involved. "It's true. It happened about half an hour ago. A group is already in the brig but I don't know who they are." Ritah stood in shocked silence as Vicki pulled her arm free and scurried away. A moment later, she sat down in one of the well worn chairs scattered around the locker room. As contentious as things already were on Manticore, she had a sick feeling they were about to get a lot worse.

From the moment they materialized on the planet, Ritah was struck by the quaint and peaceful atmosphere of this small town. And that's all it was really....just a small, rural town complete with dirt roads and surrounded by kilometers of farmland and pastures. In a strange way, the place reminded her of home. The town itself was far more old fashioned but the open fields that lay beyond brought back memories of the countryside where she'd grown up. Ritah quickly dismissed such thoughts and forced herself to focus on her mission. She was a last minute addition to the away team, arriving just seconds before the beam down. The samples she was to gather were essential to the success of the project. But she could tell the others were less than pleased by her presence. They tolerated her but they considered her a handicap. She was determined to prove them wrong. It was Commander Precip who first spotted the building of interest. It was the only one around with communication antennae perched on the roof. Ritah was a little surprised when Mr. McFly scanned the two story structure and found most of the occupants on the ground floor were carrying rifles. Since their arrival, they'd seen several dozen people scurrying about but she hadn't noticed anyone with a weapon. Undoubtedly, this was an important place if those inside were armed. But that wasn't the only surprise. Mr. McFly seemed to think the building was rigged to explode. He was confident the away team could disable the occupants before anyone had time to activate the detonator. No one considered the possibility the flash grenade would save them the trouble. The entire building exploded within seconds after the grenade was tossed in. Doors and windows blew out, raining glass and debris on whoever was unfortunate enough to be on the street. Ritah was kneeling down at the time. She immediately hit the dirt and covered her head as best she could while the shock wave and it's contents passed over her. A moment later, she was back on her knees, looking up and down the street. She saw no one but the other members of the away team. Considering how close they were to the explosion, everyone appeared to have faired remarkably well. There were a few cuts from flying glass but nothing serious enough to warrant emergency medical treatment. The building, on the other hand, was a total loss. Flames shot through every window and door. The Commander moved forward slightly, attempting to enter the building but the roaring inferno quickly forced him back. Soon, there would be nothing left but charred bone fragments and maybe a few teeth....all buried underneath a smoldering pile of rubble. They were all disappointed but none more so than Ritah. This particular building suited their needs perfectly. The Commander was looking for important documents and other evidence of rebel activity. What better place to search for such trophies? And Lowen was convinced she would have found ideal specimens among the human occupants. She stood in the narrow dirt road, watching silently as the structure and it's contents burned....her dismay quickly morphing into anger. Ritah was fairly certain nobody expected this to happen. Still, the building's destruction was an atrocious mistake. She would bite her tongue for now but quietly vowed to make note of the blunder in her report to Dr. Mele. A sarcastic remark from a member of the security team only added to her irritation. The officer, a Caitian female, displayed an arrogant and disrespectful attitude. However, she made no overt threat so Ritah choose to let it slide...this time. If it happened again, she already knew how she would handle the situation. She didn't waste much time stewing over the Caitian. Right now, there were far more important concerns to focus on. Looking up and down the deserted street with its wood frame structures, Ritah remarked to no on in particular. "There must be other samples hiding in some of these buildings." She hadn't noticed the Commander's approach. He stepped up beside her and followed her gaze down the street. "This building is done," he conceded. Ritah looked up at him as he continued to inspect their surroundings. She gently patted her medkit with its precious cargo and waited....waited for the order to move out and continue the hunt.

"Tell me something...." Ritah looked up at the sound of his voice. Capricious shadows danced along the walls and ceiling of the darkened bed chamber but even in the dim candle light, Stefan Reid was an impressive figure....almost two meters tall, with wide shoulders and a broad chest....in exquisite physical condition....and extremely well endowed. She smiled seductively as he approached. He grinned, pleased that she approved of his physique as well as his sexual prowess. He stood beside the bed and offered her one of the pewter goblets he carried. She sat up, allowing the linens to fall to her waist as she accepted the wine. "Tell you what?" she asked softly as he took his place beside her. "Tell me how your family became Champions of the Empire," he replied evenly, slipping an arm over her shoulders and taking a sip of wine. Ritah paused and considered the question a bit apprehensively. Could it be Stefan found it difficult to believe her family held such a prominent place of honor in the Empire? She lifted the goblet without looking at him and slowly tasted the dark, aromatic beverage. She raised a brow, clearly surprised by the quality of the vintage. "Where did you get this?" she demanded with a note of concern. "I realize you have contacts, but this is an extremely fine wine. Well beyond anything available to all but the command staff....maybe not even to them." Stefan grinned mischievously. "Don't worry," he quipped, his hand drifting toward her waist. "I didn't steal it. You can purchase almost anything you want on the black market. It was expensive but...." He raised his goblet and tapping it against her's, smiled coyly. "We deserve it." His explanation was both a relief and a cause for mild distress. She would have been sorely disappointed had he stolen the wine. Such behavior was not only illegal but highly dangerous, especially aboard a ship of the line. To do such a thing would have demonstrated grossly poor judgement and would have permanently altered her opinion of him. Only a fool would incur such a risk for something so inconsequential. But she found herself mildly disturbed that he actually purchased it. There was nothing wrong with buying a bottle of good wine but this was more than good...it was a superior vintage. It must have cost him a fortune, especially on the black market. That he was willing to spend that kind of money to impress her was a bit concerning. She decided not to pursue the matter further choosing instead to address his question about her family with one of her own. "Do you doubt my family deserves the honor bestowed on us by the Emperor?" "No," came the prompt reply. "I was merely curious as to how......" "A family of farmers and herdsmen could attain such status?" Ritah shifted slightly to face him. She didn't care for his tone. His attitude bordered on condescending and her demeanor clearly reflected her annoyance. "Do you think only warriors and politicians are capable of outstanding service to the Empire?" Stefan's expression hardened as he reached over to set his goblet on the bedside table. "No," he answered firmly. "I never doubted your family deserved the honor." "You implied it," snapped Ritah, her eyes blazing. His expression toughened even more as he grabbed her firmly by both shoulders, "I .... did ... no ... such ... thing!" " In the short time she'd known him, Ritah had never seen Stefan angry.....until now. But there was something else in his eyes...something other than righteous indignation. He seemed genuinely offended. He tried to camouflage it behind his fury but he wasn't quick enough. She caught a glimpse of it, albeit for only a moment. She was stunned as something akin to regret suddenly pierced her heart. She'd expected his outrage...that didn't surprise her at all. But his pain and her reaction to it left her feeling unnerved. He released her with a slight shove causing a small amount of the burgundy liquid in her goblet to spill onto the crisp, white linen. Ritah studied him closely as he watched the dark stain expand. "Forgive me," he mumbled, rising from the bed. He gathered the soiled linen and walked away leaving her exposed in the most literal sense of the term. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply trying to calm her rattled nerves. After a couple of minutes, when Stefan failed to return, Ritah carefully placed her goblet beside his on the night table. She slipped out of the bed and started collecting her clothing. It was time to leave. Ritah had just started putting on her clothes when he returned. She glanced at him as he walked in then quickly looked away, fearful he would again notice how pleasing she found him. "Where are you going?" he demanded. "To my quarters," replied the young physician curtly. She continued dressing taking care not to look at him. "I think not." Stefan picked up the garments she had stacked on the foot of the bed and tossed them onto a chair across the room. Standing in front of her, he took her hands in his and scrutinized her. He towered over her and for a moment, Ritah considered how simple it would be for him to kill her. It would have required nothing more than one carefully placed blow from his impressive fists. But even in the Empire, gratuitous murder was frowned upon. Stefan Reid had no legitimate excuse for doing away with her. She was nothing more than a low ranking physician who posed no threat to him. Granted, she was female. He could easily claim she slighted him. But even outright rejection would not be accepted as a viable excuse for murder...especially on a starship, far out in space where replacement physicians were hard to come by. "No," she reasoned. "He would not resort to murder. That would certainly result in discipline, possibly even execution." Besides, he held her hands lightly. She could have easily pulled away, yet she chose not to. For almost a full minute, they simply stood there, staring at each other. "I meant no disrespect to you or your family," he said calmly, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I was merely curious as to how your family achieved such a great honor." He dropped her right hand while tightening his grip on her left and slowly pulling her back toward the bed. Once there, he released her and motioned for her to sit. He retrieved the goblets from the small bedside table and handed one to her. "You must admit," he added nonchalantly. "There can't be many farmers and ranchers who belong to the Order of the Champions of the Empire. Ritah raised the goblet to her lips and took a sip of the robust wine. "No," she replied quietly. "There is only one family." Stefan sat down beside her and placed a hand on her bare thigh. "All the more reason for you to take great pride in your family's accomplishments. Yet, you seem.....defensive." He was right. She was defensive. He wasn't the first to make that charge. But, in the past, whenever she was accused of such behavior, she always dismissed it. "I know," she whispered and then quickly took another sip of wine, not exactly sure why she chose to be so honest with him. "Why?" "Because," she began with a shrug. "There are many who were...and still are.... highly critical of the fact my family received the citation in the first place. They would never dream of expressing their reservations to the Emperor. But they are quick to point out to us that we really didn't deserve the honor." Stefan leaned over and kissed her above the ear while wrapping his heavily muscled arm around her shoulders. "Tell me, Ritah," he murmured. "Tell me about your family's great deeds." She was about to share the story with him when her comm badge interrupted. It was Dr. Mele ordering her back to Sickbay....immediately. Stefan grudgingly released her and Ritah quickly made her way to the chair where he'd tossed her clothes just moments earlier. She hastily rummaged through the garments until she located her comm badge. "This is Dr. Lowen," she replied calmly, casting a quick glance at Stefan. "I will be there momentarily." "What does he want with you at this hour" growled Stefan, clearly annoyed. He was on his feet even before she acknowledged the comm. Ritah was grateful he'd managed to hold his tongue until the channel was closed. "We are working on a...project," answered Ritah, quickly pulling on her clothes. "The final test results must be in. It is my responsibility to review them and help ascertain whether or not they meet the Admiral's requirements." Stefan followed her as she stepped in front of his full length mirror and carefully scrutinized her reflection. "And what are the Admiral's requirements," he purred, resting his hands on her shoulders while he leaned in to kiss the back of her neck. "A slow and painful death," she replied quickly, trying to ignore his warm breath against her sensitive skin. She cast a cursory glance at his image in the mirror while straightening her uniform blouse. He was looking down at her. A peculiar smile had formed on his lips and .... was that a sparkle in his eye? Was he anticipating the thrill of the hunt? Did he enjoy watching as the insidious poison seeped into the victim's bloodstream and slowly....painfully....disrupted biological functions at the cellular level? Did he crave the screams of the women as they held their dying children in their arms only to follow them to the grave within a few days? Was he just like all of the others...bloodthirsty and cold...immune to the suffering? And then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone. As he bent down to kiss her again, that peculiar expression had been replaced by a his familiar, nonchalant yet confident demeanor. A ripple of disappointment washed over her. She promptly looked away, hoping the incident was nothing more than a figment of her imagination. She tried to stay on guard whenever they were together. But now, she would have to be even more cautious. She turned to face him, lifting her hands to rest on the warm, bare skin of his chest. "I must go now," she whispered sensuously, endeavoring to mask her heightened concern. Stefan nodded and clasped her hands in his as he stepped back. "You look quite presentable," he remarked lightheartedly. "Your superior should not suspect where you've spent these past two hours." "There are few secrets on this ship," she quipped, pulling away and walking toward the door. "I'm sure he already knows where I am." She proceeded into the small living area and was about to leave when she caught sight of Stefan, standing in bedroom doorway, his hands planted on his bare hips. He stared at her intently, so much so that she paused and turned to face him. "Is something wrong?" she asked placidly. Stefan shook his head slightly, never breaking eye contact. "I need to ask you a question," he replied after a moments hesitation. He didn't wait for her to inquire about what was on his mind. "Do you consider yourself a....healer?" The question pierced her heart but she never flinched. She maintained a passive expression as she shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes," she replied and then immediately took her leave, not wanting anyone, especially Stefan, to see how conflicted she was about her role in Manticore's very dirty business.

Peculiar.....there it was again....that word.....unbidden but, for some inexplicable reason, frequently used during the past few hours. Ritah Lowen, MD was ordered to Manticore straight out of the Academy, much to the envy of many of her peers. She knew of the ship's distinguished reputation, most everyone did. But unlike the majority of her classmates, she didn't really care where she was assigned. There were others who would have literally killed for a position on one of the Empire's most prestigious vessels. Ritah was honored and accepted the posting confidently. She had no doubt she would be an impressive asset to the Manticore and was determined to prove her worth. In spite of the rigorous training at the Academy, Ritah wasn't totally prepared for all she'd been exposed to since joining the crew a few months earlier. Even though she was still relatively new, it had been quite awhile since she'd come across a situation she considered.....peculiar. But today....that word....for whatever reason....seemed ominously appropriate. At the moment, Ritah was sequestered in a small preparation unit adjacent to one of the secondary surgical suites. Lieutenant Stefan Reid was with her. The fact they were together was not at all peculiar. Neither was the venue. Stefan frequently made his way to Sickbay where the two inevitably found their way to a secluded spot for a few minutes of privacy. Ritah met the Lieutenant a few days after her arrival. He was quite handsome with stunning green eyes and dark, curly hair. He'd suffered a minor wound on his right forearm during an altercation with a subordinate. He considered it too insignificant to warrant proper medical attention.....until a very significant infection developed. More than one of the female members of the medical staff cast surreptitious glimpses at him as he paraded in, demanding immediate treatment. Ritah was the physician on call and he was her first real patient. What started off as a petty wound had evolved into an angry fissure. A cursory exam showed it should have healed on its own had the patient exercised an ounce of common sense. Ritah promptly chastised him for his negligence with no regard for his rank or status on the ship. Only after she'd spoken did she consider the consequences of questioning the mental acuity of a superior officer. Reid said nothing. He slowly lifted her chin with his left index finger, pulling her closer until she could feel the warmth of his breath against her neck. But there was no anger in his eyes. Instead, he nodded slightly as his lips formed a slight grin. "Have dinner with me," he whispered. "Tonight." Ritah took a small step back and continued cleansing the oozing wound. It wasn't an invitation as much as it was an order. Ordinarily, she would have manufactured an excuse but she was intrigued by this man. Still, her response was in keeping with her mother's training. "I'll check my schedule," she replied coyly, then quickly walked away. She had dinner with him that night, of course. By then, he'd done his homework. He knew about her family, their ranking among the elite and powerful and claimed he knew why she'd been assigned to Manticore. She, on the other hand, was at a disadvantage. Ritah didn't have access to the same data bases. She managed to sneak a peek at Stefan's medical files but learned precious little about him. She did find out he was fiercely loyal to the Admiral, having taken a blood oath to him in the presence of several witnesses. Yet, he was also ambitious and desirous of his own command. Stefan Reid was a complicated man as most were. Establishing a relationship with him was risky. But Ritah enjoyed his company. Apparently, the feeling was mutual. He continued to pursue her and she found herself spending more and more time with him. It was after their eighth evening together she finally allowed him to provide her with more than a good meal. Stefan showed his gratitude in numerous ways. For one thing, he arranged for her to move into larger quarters. They were far from palatial but definitely more spacious than the tiny box she'd been living in since her arrival. More importantly, he took on the role of guardian. Ritah didn't think she needed one....she was quite capable of taking care of herself. He'd just laughed and warned her to put away her naivete. It was a dangerous characteristic, especially on a ship such as Manticore. Ritah accepted Stefan's protection primarily to pacify him. She remained confident in her ability to look out for herself but she knew her limitations. She kept a low profile, preferring to remain close to Sickbay and surrounding areas. More than her safety, Ritah was concerned about a definite change in Stefan's attitude toward her. She had no doubt he was falling in love with her. She liked him but wasn't prepared for the type of commitment he was looking for. She suspected he sensed her reticence and she knew she had to be extremely careful. If she rejected him at this stage of their relationship, he might choose to retaliate. That could complicate her life in ways she didn't care to think about. Besides, she really wanted to continue seeing him. She enjoyed his company and took pleasure in his body as he did in hers. That's why this particular moment seemed so....peculiar. In the seclusion of this small room tucked away in a corner of Sickbay, as she leaned back against him, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and his lips pressed against the soft skin of her neck, she found it peculiar that she was so distracted. She usually relished these clandestine moments of self-indulgence. But not today....... Today her thoughts kept drifting back to McFly and the deep laceration across his chest, a somewhat common gift from the Admiral. It was a painful wound and Mele was less than gentle. The CMO's lack of concern bothered Ritah and that was peculiar. She, herself had displayed the same attitude toward many hapless patients. Then there was the rumor of a new bio-weapon, one designed to deliver a delayed and exceptionally painful death. Medical would supervise limited testing of the insidious new agent and she found it peculiar that she was bothered by that. Ritah reached down and clasped Stefan's hands, slightly loosening his grip on her waist. Pulling away a litle, she slowly turned to face him. As much as she wanted to confide in him, she knew it was far too dangerous. There was no one on this ship she could trust, not even Stefan. For a brief moment, she longed for the quiet of her home, for the safety of her father's library where she could speak freely and listen to the sage advice her parents had to offer. "You need to go," she said softly, resting her hands on his chest. "I have to get back before someone starts looking for me." He offered no argument. He never did. Sickbay was her area of expertise. He always left it to her to determine how long they could secret themselves away for these impromptu rendezvous. "Tonight then," he whispered, releasing her and stepping toward the door. "Yes," she replied seductively. "Definitely tonight." Stefan opened the door and prepared to leave. He abruptly stopped and turned toward her. For a long moment, he simply stood there, staring at her. Then, without warning, he crossed the small room and with the utmost care, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her ever so gently. "Until tonight," he breathed. A moment later, he was gone leaving Ritah staring after him, not quite sure what to think. She slowly raised her fingers to rest on her lips, still puzzled by Stefan's sudden display of tendernes. Stepping out of the cramped room, she made her way back to the main ward, still baffled by Reid's unexpected behavior and her reaction to it. "How....peculiar," she murmured. And there it was again....that word.....unbidden but, for some inexplicable reason, frequently used during the past few hours.

Ritah Lowen was still the "new girl" in Sickbay. So far, she had managed to meet just about everyone on staff. She'd even socialized with a few of her coworkers after hours. But she hadn't made any real friends yet. There wasn't anyone on the ship she felt even remotely comfortable confiding in. Therefore, she determined it was in her best interest to keep certain opinions to herself. And her opinion of Admiral Atragon was at the top of that list. She vividly recalled the day he was shot (in the back....by Captain Sovak). Ritah had never witnessed such concern about any one particular patient. Of course, it was the Admiral lying in a huge pool of blood with his half his back blown away. And this crew was profoundly loyal to him. In a strange way, Ritah found it reassuring. It was obvious they would follow the man into hell, confident he'd lead them out again. As a member of this crew, she would be following him as well. His was a particularly nasty wound with life altering consequences. Ritah had been invited to join Dr. Mele's surgical team when he operated on the Admiral. The reconstruction of the Admiral's spine had been tedious and time consuming. But the surgery had been a complete success and Ritah was more than impressed. With a little physical therapy, the Admiral would soon forget most of his spine consisted of flexible titanium Atragon's recovery proceeded well....until he was allowed to wake up. At first, he behaved himself. But that didn't last long. Apparently, he had a great deal of experience with his ship's Sickbay. He'd figured out the most efficient way to drive the medical staff crazy and he was very good at it. Only Dr. Mele seemed to take it all in stride. Then again, he'd known the Admiral longer than any of them and he'd seen most of the Admiral's tricks...probably more than once. The final straw was the faked case of anaphylactic shock. If the Admiral was willing to go so far as to electrocute himself, then it was probably best he leave. Nobody in the medical department wanted to be responsible for what might happen to him should he attempt something even more extreme. As loyal as they were, Ritah was almost certain the entire staff breathed a collective sigh of relief when Commander Farrington escorted the Admiral out of Sickbay. Ritah spent a couple of hours following the Admiral's release updating his medical file and reviewing a few of the earlier entries he'd accumulated over the years. She had just sent the completed file to Dr. Mele when someone pointed out the ship had gone to yellow alert. Ritah got up from the console she'd been using, a half empty cup of iced coffee in her hand. As she started toward one of the many waste receptacles discreetly placed throughout the medical facility, she glanced up at the yellow alert beacon and casually wondered what was going on. A moment later, the ship shook violently, accompanied by a cacophony of sound echoing throughout the vast room. Everything that wasn't tied down hit the floor...including the personnel. Ritah landed hard on her posterior. The glass she'd been carrying flew out of her hand, dumping its contents all over her. She wiped the cold liquid off her face as she struggled to get to her feet. "Oh man," she thought, looking around at the mess. "I wonder if the Admiral escaped from his quarters?"

YES! It sure is!!!

Dr. Ritah Lowen watched silently as the Admiral/Entity led his entourage from Sickbay. Dr. Mele accompanied them which only made sense. The Admiral was definitely not himself and Ritah could testify to that. As the door closed behind the Admiral and his attendants, Ritah leaned against the biobed with its burnt out control panel. She would never have believed what happened had she not personally witnessed it. She vividly recalled the moment the Admiral and his new best buddy interfaced with the ship's computer through this small, innocuous piece of equipment. She could only imagine her own expression mirrored those of everyone else who saw what happened. It was, quite literally, a jaw dropping experience. With the exception of the Captain, everyone in the room was stunned. The Captain must have been surprised as well but, as with most Vulcans, he remained....unperturbed. They had already figured out they were dealing with a new life form....a potentially dangerous new life form. The silicone entity now controlled not only the Admiral, but the entire ship. The situation was deteriorating and there was no end in sight. The entity had managed to set a course to Bynaus in the Beta Magellan System, home to the Binars, the galaxy's premier computer programmers. Ritah casually wondered how they would be received by the Binars. Would they welcome the Manticore and its new life form? Or would the ship received a hostile reception. There was little, if anything, Ritah could do about the Admiral's condition and the resulting danger to ship. She was a lieutenant, jg...just about as low on the food chain as one could get. But Dr. Mele left her in charge and there were definitely a few things she could do in Sickbay. Ritah wrinkled her nose as the acrid smell of the fried console continued floating throughout the room. Looking around, she motioned for one of the medical assistants to join her. "See if you can get an engineer up here," she said as the young man approached. "This unit needs to be repaired or replaced or whatever." She was about to continue when the doors to Sickbay swished open and the sound of voices filtered in. It sounded like the Admiral and he was definitely agitated. Another voice quickly followed, far softer and subdued. Ritah glanced in the direction of the sound only to find a couple of nurses standing in the doorway staring at someone or something in the corridor. One of them looked in her direction and waved her over. For some inexplicable reason, Ritah literally ran across the room, arriving at the doorway just in time to hear.... One of the nurses screamed while the other stood, open mouthed, staring down the corridor in shock. "What happened?" demanded Ritah as she stepped through the doors and into the corridor. "Was that a phaser?" It was a stupid question. Of course it was a phaser....a phaser on a very high setting. Even if she hadn't recognized its distinctive sound, firing a phaser onboard a ship activated warning alarms and those alarms were now blaring. She looked down the corridor and was surprised to see the Captain, and Mr. Precip and Dr. Mele as well as a few others. They were just a few meters beyond Sickbay. She thought they would have been on the bridge by now. Ritah glanced at the nurses. "What just happened?" she asked in a loud whispered. "Who fired a phaser...and at what?" Both women looked at her, shock and dismay etched on their faces. One of them finally found her voice. "I'm not sure," she began haltingly. "But I think it was the Captain and Commander Precip." She glanced down the corridor and then back at Ritah. "And I think they were firing at the Admiral." For a moment, it was Ritah's turn to stand there, open mouthed, staring down the corridor. After a second or two, she slowly walked toward the small group. She noticed both the Captain and Commander Precip still had phasers in their hands and Dr. Mele looked positively sick. She had a good idea why this happened. The only question remaining was.....who shot the Admrial?