Cause and Effect

[Jaiysa t'Tamarak 0]

An entire wall of the main research lab in the Echo Facility was devoted to a large viewscreen, which researchers often used for consultations and lectures. Presently, a map of Ch'Rihan occupied the space, dynamically detailing all of the reported plague occurrences with statistics updated in real-time. Ehrie* indicated reported cases, while iesiy* was used for the beginning stages, isneih* for the middle stages, and khoey* for the advanced cases. Mneani* indicated fatalities. Entire portions of the screen were lit up in that offending color, mostly concentrated around the population centers of Brel'Kar, particularly Ra'tleihfi. However, large centers of reported infections where found throughout Umrika, Valcaria, and Novok as well.

Jaiysa t'Tamarak moved through the corridors of those research labs having regained much of her dignity; she had replaced the ripped uniform and healed the bruise that had appeared courtesy of Senator t'Bagg, and was back in control of herself. The dishevelment had proved useful at the time, as it had provided a convenient excuse not to give Lisia t'Mor'Talni further information on the nature of the new staff the base would probably be receiving, but it had unfortunately required some sacrifice of what little cachet she held with the epidemiologist, not that that was probably much anyway. She had hoped that said new staff would have arrived by now and made it worth the effort, but so far no call had come, so Jaiysa had done her best to temporarily leave off her concerns at the approaching infiltration – and her part in it – and slipped back into work mode, turning right through one of the doors and entering the main lab.

Dr. t'Mor'Talni glanced up from studying the situation map as t'Tamarak entered, a smirk forming at the corners of her lips as she took in the neurologist's appearance. "I see we tidied up a bit, Jaiysa."

"I didn't know we did anything at all," Jaiysa replied acerbically. "Unless you've taken to spying on my quarters." Perhaps not really entirely unlikely, given the circumstances, she reflected, but it was the sort of thing that passed for a joke these days. "Any word on the latest treatment yet?"

Lisia ignored the jibe and shook her head, still smirking at her colleague. "Not as yet. The drug has not had time to run its course. I have been studying the plague statistics, trying to determine rate of growth and spread." She waved a hand at the viewscreen. "All I have been able to see though is the mortality rates climbing."

Tell me something I don't already know... Jaiysa thought, and smiled faintly, appearing as unperturbed as possible at the expression on Lisia's face. She had a feeling the epidemiologist frankly enjoyed watching Jaiysa's fruitless efforts as director of this ill-fated hellhole. "It is a non-discriminatory disease...but then we already knew that."

"Yes, but can you explain why the rate of infection has increased in the Sath'har Archipelago? They have gone from a reported fifteen cases to two hundred and thirty-seven!" Lisia bit the words out caustically, her cool composure slipping slightly, revealing her underlying concern for the Romulan people. She mentally shook herself before continuing. "If we do not find the proper treatment soon, our enemies will soon be able to enter our world and take over, not having to bother conquering us at all. Everyone will be dead!"

Jaiysa cast Lisia a sidelong look, seeing the crack in her facade and having to restrain a derisive retort to her appraisal of the situation. This was no time for melodramatics. "I can explain it via any number of methods; poor hygiene, poor quarantine procedures, poor data reporting during the early stages of the disease, and, most likely, poor dissemination of information to the people on the actual extent of this fvadt thing!" Her voice rose slightly in volume and she quickly collared it. Alright, so maybe Lisia wasn't the only one showing the strain.

t'Mor'Talni cast her colleague a sidelong glance, gratified that she was not the only one overtly displaying any trepidation. "Yes, those would be common reasons for the plague to spread so rapidly," she replied acidly, "but as you are undoubtedly aware, the archipelago is comprised mostly of private islands, owned by the socially elite, many of whom fled there when the outbreak became more severe. I highly doubt poor sanitation would be the cause in this case.

Jaiysa's mouth tightened as she acknowledged this point with a curt nod. After a short pause, she said more calmly, "Yet another reason why the Echo model of epidemiology is clearly ineffective and wasteful; if they will allow us no time to obtain this sort of data it becomes much harder to contain its spread."

Lisia tightly nodded in agreement; the entire crisis was being mismanaged by feckless bureaucrats who had neither the slightest idea, nor the inclination to learn, how to cope with a medical catastrophe. Her clipped tones softened as she relayed the next bit of news. "There was a riot outside the medical center in Bareldak Trel this morning; three innocent children brought in by their parents for treatment were killed in the tumult. Something needs to be done to control the situation, before it happens again."

"That is out of our control now. I'm sure the Tal Shiar will find a way to manage things; you and I both know how easily control fall into their hands. As if our time pressure wasn't great enough."

Lisia turned back to the viewscreen, abstractly studying the colors as they flowed from ehrie to mneani. "If this next treatment doesn't work, we are going to have to return to the beginning. I am not sure what else can be done. We have run out of options and time is growing short. If I were religious, I would be praying for a miracle. It was so long ago in school that our instructors drilled into us that the creed of medicine is First Do No Harm. You and I have come such a long way from those teachings…duty has so often called us to turn our backs on those oaths we took. If I had to kill ten patients now, to save thousands from this plague, I would. Sacrifice the one for the good of the many."

"How very Vulcan of you," Jaiysa said bitingly; she was not in the mood for Lisia's flights of that misguided idealism which had once been hammered into both of them. "Yes, we have indeed come a long way. Unfortunate that this crisis did not provide us with the means to retrace our steps to some extent, as I had hoped it might. Here without intent, we kill with incompetence and inadequacy." Her tone had turned bitter. "Almost worse than killing ten to save a thousand; killing all because we simply cannot provide."

Yet again she wondered where their new Federation allies were. What was the delay? She was risking her career and her standing on the gamble of t'Bagg's that they would be able to provide the correct solution...that they would be able to balance that inadequacy. If they did not arrive...if they were caught...then it was all over.

"Is this what the glorious Romulan Empire is to become?" Lisia spat out scathingly, bringing Jaiysa out of her reverie. "Are we to die out in the prime of our existence, like so many other species?" The silence was bitter for a moment, t'Mor'Talni briefly reflecting on the shortcomings and failures that had led to the circumstances that now surrounded them. She turned toward the decon room where she would suit up before entering the hospital proper. "I must go check on the patients in ward nine and see how they are responding to the antiviral," she called over her shoulder in parting.

Jaiysa waited until the doors had shut and the vacuum seals recompressed behind Lisia, before turning around to look in the direction she had gone – towards the rooms full of dying Rihannsu slowly losing hope. "Indeed...is this what we are to become?" she muttered, her frustration finally breaking to the surface. "Dependent on the Federation? Pah..." Her hand snapped out to shut off the screen still glowing with the growing numbers of the dead.

She hoped to whatever gods were listening that the Federation made good on the promises t'Bagg thought he had from them. She hoped that the collaboration with the enemy into which she was about to enter was worth the risks it entailed, for them, and for her own honor – and perhaps her life – if they made it here only to be caught. The government had already proven that secrecy and security were the paramount concern here. Not survival. No, that would be far too wise.

* Ehrie – Green; Iesiy – White; Isneih – Yellow; Khoey – Orange; Mneani – Red