Outbreak

[Savros 0]

Lieutenant Savros stood at Science Station 1 manning the scanners. He had recently assigned Ensign Tarris to the landing party. A short time later, a ground car was spotted trying to leave the containment area. While Challenger had halted their advance, the situation would no doubt worsen in time.

This disease was likely the cause for the destruction of a town of more than 3500 humanoids, not including many members of the nearby animal population. It was obviously very adaptive and highly fatal. From what little he knew about disease causing organisms, he deduced it was extremely rare for a pathogen to cross humanoid and animal barriers AND cause death on such a wide scale. It was almost too pathogenic to believe.

 

Doctor Juno's assessment theorized it as a hemorrhagic fever virus. Certainly, a physician was far more qualified to make this assessment, but would not a toxin be more likely? Toxins are non selective, but usually the strong are more apt to survive. Although this pathogen may be non selective in its rate of infection, it also appeared to be non selective in its mortality. Certainly, this had the potential of creating wide spread panic among the colonists. The potency, if it was a virus, certainly left the possibility of an engineered organism. Although biologic war had been outlawed in the Federation, there were still some species who would consider it an option.

 

Absently, the Vulcan straightened his collar and moved to the adjacent science station. There he keyed in the database search "epidemic virus". The station suddenly came alive with the soft sound of computation.

 

"Working," came the synthetic voice of the computer terminal. "Detailed information is contained on 4354 known infectious viruses associated with epidemics."

 

Savros' ears twitched in interest. Out of hundreds of thousands of possible viruses, only some 4300 were known to be involved in epidemics. There were likely many thousands of possible viruses yet to be discovered.

 

"Computer, narrow search to highly fatal viruses."

 

"Working. There are 67 viruses with known fatalities in excess of 50%."

 

Savros pressed a few buttons and began scrolling through the list. This was at least a starting point. He pressed a button to access the information on the first virus, Anchilles Fever. The monitor filled with information on the disease which the Vulcan quickly digested. At the bottom of the screen, it indicated another 493 pages of information available.

 

"Computer," he began again. "Using previous results, narrow the list to viruses with the known ability to cross humanoid and animal species."

 

Again the computer churned out a response, "Working… there are 8 cases of known highly fatal epidemic viruses known to cross humanoid and animal species."

 

Savros looked at the newly reconstructed list:

Efrosian Encephalitis

 

Feline Protein Complex

 

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

 

Hutzel Hemorrhagic Fever

 

Legato Plague

 

Risan Smallpox

 

Spanish Flu

 

Ulcaric virus

The doctor would know if any of this information was helpful. There might also be additional information on engineered viruses that was not included in Challenger's databanks. For that, the request for information from Cold Station 12 or even the Grima Center would be needed.

 

Savros looked up from the terminal and noticed Commander Ba'alyo standing up. He had a look of concern and an urgency in his voice, "Savros, how many people are near the beam-down point in the capital?"

 

The Vulcan moved to Science station 1 and adjusted the sensor scope. "Several hundred," he announced dryly. He looked up, his voice slowing. "It would seem they are arriving at some kind of public gathering."

 

"Lessard, get the transporter room," ordered the executive officer.