The Romulan Strain

[Turris Morran 0]

The Romulan Strain

By

T'Prise Morran Escher

A quiet and reserved air permeated the laboratory, despite the fact that it was abuzz with activity. Various members of the Manticore crew, disguised as Romulans, milled around the cramped quarters, some shifting nervously and making jokes, others trying to find useful employment to occupy their time. News had spread that officials within the Romulan security forces were demanding the new medical team be subjected to rigorous physicals, in order to ensure they were fit for their assignments. The tension level among the crew had risen exponentially, only the smallest spark needed to ignite an already strained situation.

 

Under normal circumstances, Turris Morran would have been nervous, even somewhat claustrophobic surrounded as he was by various people and pieces of scientific equipment. However, with his undivided attention focused on the computer terminal in front of him, he had little time f or such trivialities as nerves. He was instead deeply bothered by the various incongruities in the data; worry evidenced by the ramrod stiff posture and lips moving furiously as he read over the information presented onscreen. Engrossed as he was in his task, it took several long minutes for his mind to register that someone was speaking to him.

 

"Ensign Morran?" questioned a voice, sounding somewhat perturbed at Morran’s lack of response.

 

Although he heard the query, it took several more moments for it to penetrate his consciousness. "Ah, yes...Commander?" Morran began, looking away from the voice to hide the frustration evident on his face.

 

"I'd like you and T'Prise to start working on the analysis of the tissue provided by Dr. t’Tamarak." Subdued noises, emanating from other members of the Manticore crew spread throughout the lab, somewhat muffled the sound of the voice, but Morran recognized it as that of his chief, Lieutenant Commander MC Escher, who currently sat at the main science station in the center of the lab, carefully studying a simulated pathology of the virus. T'Prise, who had been sitting opposite Morran at a separate console had already arisen and was patiently waiting for her colleague to do so as well.

 

"Aye, sir…" Morran acknowledged, coming to his feet.

 

“Proper protocol dictates that an analysis of this type be conducted in a sterile environment in order to minimize any risk of accidental exposure,” intoned the Vulcan science officer calmly, shifting her20gaze from Morran to Escher.

 

"Of course, Lieutenant, the Romulans were kind enough to grant us the use of their clean room," Escher responded, pointing to an airlock in the rear of the lab, somewhat obscured by a large piece of equipment resembling a mass spectrometer. "Make use of it." The commander gave Morran one more curious, puzzled look before shaking his head and returning his attention to the simulation. "There's something wrong with this pathology I just don't know what."

 

T'Prise eyed the clean room with superciliously, a skeptical gleam in her eye. After a moment, as if resigned, she went about collecting the samples before moving towards the airlock. Morran followed closely behind carrying a small stack of PADDs and various equipment.

 

"There are bioprotective suits in the storage lockers on the west wall, Ensign," the Vulcan said coolly, pointing to the back of the airlock. Morran’s eyes followed in the direction her finger indicated to a set of lockers built into the wall, and placed his burden on a shelf in order to don his protective gear. Washing his hands thoroughly, he procured a suit and helmet from one of the lockers and began to pull it on.

 

"I know, I know. It's all so very ambiguous," he mumbled to himself as he zipped up the jumpsuit.

 

His colleague frowned, somewhat puzzled by his comment. "Of what are you speaking, Ensign," she queried.

 

Unaware he had spoken aloud, Morran glanced at the Vulcan a slightly confused look playing across his features before he realized what she was referring to. "Huh? Oh yes. The information we've received from the Romulans, it's incomplete. Full of incongruities. Some of it appears to be outright false." He ended the monologue by slipping the helmet on and fastening it to his suit, startled by the sound made as the dedicated air system pressurized and pumped oxygen into his suit.

 

She joined him at the airlock’s inner door, weighing his statement for a moment and turning the possibilities over in her mind. "I agree with your conclusions, Ensign. Had the information received by Starfleet been more accurate, it would have contained live samples, and the serum they engineered would not have fostered the responses we are observing in the test simulations. The experience of Starfleet Medical staff with the picornavirus which causes Hepatitis A would have aided in the creation of a more stable treatment, one that would have not caused the mutation we are finding in our data."

 

"As soon as you guys find anything, let me know, okay? Time is not on our side." Escher's voice floated into the small enclosed spaced through the intercom.

 

"Understood, sir. I estimate we should have the results in 32.57 minutes," the Vulcan responded succinctly.

 

"Good, I'm going to try to see if I can reason out this pathology. Escher out."

 

The commander switched off the COM and returned to his station, mumbling epithets regarding Vulcan efficiency under his breath. Seating himself once again at the simulator, he began to study the data display with more intensity, desperately searching for answers he could not see. Manipulating the console controls, he studied the cells, looking for anything that might explain the path of the disease. "Hepatitis A....enters the liver…reaction with a measles vaccine...liver failure...massive organ failure." Throwing his hands into the air he let out an exasperated sigh. "This just doesn't make any sense!"

 

*****

 

"I'm fairly convinced at this point that there is something at work here that we're not noticing. Hopefully we'll get some issues after we get a look at this tissue," Morran stated conversationally as T'Prise attached her headpiece and sealed it to her suit.

 

Pressing the controls on the panel adjacent to the door, she initiated the decontamination sequence. A barrage of chemical agents followed by an outpouring of ultraviolet light filled the small airlock, cleansing the scientists. Moments later, the chemicals dissipated and the light faded as the inner door unsealed and opened into the clean room.

 

The chamber was little more than a small, spare version of the lab, littered with a few computer terminals and various pieces of equipment and two diminutive workspaces. White sterile walls were juxtaposed with a large green and black bird of prey, emblazoned across the rear panel, symbolizing the superiority of the Empire. "These Romulans have such poor taste in decoration," Morran thought, gazing at the emblem unblinkingly.

 

"We will need to run two separate analyses on each sample set and then compare results," T'Prise explained, setting the samples at the work stations.

 

He nodded in agreement, sliding into a terminal and beginning to input the samples for analysis. Steadily and patiently, the pair slowly processed the samples, following all the prescribed Starfleet protocols pertaining to their work, while in the main lab Escher paced back and forth, attempting to formulate a valid hypothesis.

 

Time slipped silently by as they worked, its passage unmarked. The lieutenant and ensign continued to work steadily, performing various tasks and entering results for processing and analysis by the computer. Completing his sample set, Morran studied the data feverishly, hoping to find the answers for which they searched.

 

"Woah, woah. Back up! Damnable machine!" Tapping randomly at the buttons on his console, he attempted halt the data analysis. "Take a look at this, uh…” he paused for a moment, thinking hard. “Sir,” he blurted out brightly, pointing at one of the displays.

 

She peered over his shoulder to examine the images. "Odd, the antigens of the picornavirus appear to be identical to those in the somatic liver cells of the host," she stated curiously, pondering the implications.

 

"It explains th e autoimmune response we're encountering perfectly!" Morran exclaimed. "Take a look at this protein." He switched the display again, and indicated to a complex protein displayed there. "I've seen something like this before, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

 

The Vulcan examined the protein he indicated, nodding once more in agreement. "I will send the results to the Commander while you store the tissue samples. We need to consult with him on this issue,” she ordered stoically, tapping on the terminal controls to route the data to Escher whilst simultaneously storing it on an isolinear chip.

 

Morran moved back to the work stations to begin carefully preparing the tissue samples for storage. Placing them inside their containers, he stepped into the airlock after the lieutenant and initiated the decontamination sequence.

 

Emerging from the other side of the airlock, he removed his helmet and strode to Escher's console, bringing up the details on newly discovered protein. T’Prise joined them scant seconds later, also having discarded her headpiece. She shared a significant look with the commander before nodding subtly to Morran.

 

"What do you make of this protein, Ensign?" Escher asked, a little perturbed by the El-Aurian’s proprietary manner, but eyeing his officers speculatively.

 

"I'm not entirely sure, it's making me think of something else I've seen but I just can't place it." He faded off into silence for several moments before suddenly speaking again. "Computer, please cross-reference protein Echococcosis CW-12 with all known mammalian enzymes."

 

"Primary protein structure resembles that of lysosomal enzymes present in ninety-percent of mammalian macrophages." The computer chimed.

 

"Is this protein on the somatic cells themselves?" Escher asked quietly, mulling over the statement.

 

Morran shook his head slowly. "Strangely, no. It's part of the virus' capsomal structure. It's basically collecting and mimicking the somatic cell's antigens, presenting them as its own." o:p>

 

Escher let out a baffled sigh, his frustration showing. "How could such a wild mutation of Hep A occur?" He added after a pause, "Unless the vaccine they were talking about…"

 

"Was not a vaccine at all," T'Prise finished his thought placidly. "There is no indication that there was ever a vaccine in any of our tests. This indicates that the virus was not caused by the Adenoma Ta'Rax vaccine, and is not in fact related to anything specific in a host’s immunity to that virus. Our analysis indicates that in every one of these samples, the host's cells contained a specific gene which appears to react adversely with Hepatitis virus. I hypothesize that the vaccine the Romulan's received is not an inoculation at all; rather, it is a form of gene therapy."

 

"Gene therapy for what is r eally just the Romulan version of the measles? Seems kind of drastic, doesn't it? Well, deadly, now..." Escher trailed off, realizing the implications of her statement.

 

T'Prise inclined her head, considering for a moment. "I concur, such measures are not a rational course of action. If our suppositions are correct, the gene therapy is the cause of the mutations, which in turn causes the autoimmune response."

 

Morran’s head bobbed up and down enthusiastically, indicating his agreement as well. "It makes sense that they wouldn't want it widely known that they were experimenting with such a technology. Not only is it highly unethical, it could be used to engineer highly specific virions."

 

"It does not seem logical however for them to create bioweaponry and utilize it on their people," the Vulcan remarked, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

 

"It certainly doesn't, though the mere capability to manufacture such a biological weapon has implications that could shatter alliances," Morran said.

 

Escher nodded. "It's Romulans we're talking about here. We have no idea what they're capable of, or what they might do. But we need to focus on the task at hand - helping them. I still don't understand, though; how did these myriad of mutations get solidified into the deadly one we're seeing now?"

 

"The only solution that I can come up with is that this mutation is in some way highly selected for, which is odd, in and of itself. I can't quite piece it together, but I'm certain our investigation will shed some light on it," Morran replied.

 

"Or, perhaps," T'Prise interjected as she tapped the console to call up further data, “this might explain the selected mutation.” Escher and Morran leaned forward, curiously eyeing the display. "I believe the answer to that question may be found in the treatments administered by the Romulans to alleviate the vesicular rash caused by Echococcosis."

 

"You're right!" Malcolm exlaimed. "The exclusionary protocols on the standard treatment kept the harmless mutations from developing, but mistook the deadly version for friendly, effectively sealing the fate of anyone who got the treatment." :D>

 

Escher moved back from the screen and swore vehemently. "We need to stop that treatment, NOW!"

 

Morran nodded fervently. "I agree, commander. And it would make sense that the proper course of action at this point would be to administer immunosuppressants to all the cases before it causes any further problems."

 

T'Prise shot a disapproving glance towards Escher for his use of what she termed colorful metaphors, before turning to Morran. "I disagree with such a prognosis. If immunosuppression is administered, there is a possibility that the patient's entire immune system will collapse and be unable to respond to the virus' own destructive forces."

 

"But if they don't get immunosuppression, their own immune systems will end up killing them instead. There has to be some way to slow the growth of the virus!" Turris attested vehemently.

 

"What we need to do is begin reversing what the Romulans did with their gene therapy,” Escher cut in, attempting to forestall an argument. “We need to go through and use gene therapy of our own to remove their changes and stop the body from making more Hepatitis A from hell! Let's get to it!"