USS Edinburgh – The Castle (bridge) – 1100

“Approaching the Rivax Colony and Planetary Operations.” The voice from the helm officer brought Thasaz’s mind back to the present as she sat in the center chair holding down the CONN.

She tapped the console on the chair, “Commander Harris to the bridge.”  She returned her attention to the helm, “Drop us out far enough away to let them know who we are, ensign.”  The ship slowed and the forward viewer displayed the planet ahead.  The doors behind her opened and the commander soon stood behind her as she relayed the report.  

Harris thanked her and remained standing.  “Helm, let’s get closer.  Open hailing frequencies.”  The sound of an open channel whistled through the bridge.  “This is Commander Ambrose Harris of the Federation starship USS Edinburgh.  We’ve been asked to offer your medical and engineering assistance.”  He waited for a response.  Moments passed.  He turned to his science chief, “Preliminary sensor reports?”.

Thasaz tapped at her console and found herself running the scans again, “I’m…not sure what I’m looking at, Commander.”  The CO left his chair and stood behind her at her station as she pointed to what long-range sensors were showing, “These life sign readings are…anomalous.”

Ambrose read through the readings several times before tapping his badge, “Harris to Sickbay – Dr. Reid to the bridge.  Need your eyes on something.”  He pointed to the various data points, “That looks like loss of life signs here…and here.”  She tapped through the sensors further and he pointed at the screen, ‘There…you see?  Something is happening to both the mammal life and plant life…in real-time.”

Reid stepped on the bridge and joined the two at the science station.  She glanced at the screen and frowned, “What in the hell…where is this from?”

The Romulan Science Chief was in shock, “The Rivax Colony.”  She switched to short-range sensors as the Edinburgh closed the distance.  She began running a rolling set of scans and several beeps started sounding on her station as the sensors began to take a closer look.  “Detecting multiple high casualty areas in the colony, industrial area, and outlying locations…”

Reid slid into the station next to her and quickly moved to assist, reporting as she reviewed, “There is a fading aerosol presence on the surface…it is registering at extraordinary levels of toxicity…”

Thasaz picked up with, “Life signs are limited and fading…there are no transports in the system…showing all ships are grounded…no, ships on the ground are reading disabled…computer is still cataloging…”

Reid turned to her CO, “Commander…”

Harris stepped away and spoke to the helm, “Go to Red Alert.  Notify all medical personnel to report to emergency stations and activate biohazard teams with protective precautions.  Power up the medical modules.  Dr. Reid…”  She was already on her way to the turbolift.  The lights on the bridge transitioned to ruby as the klaxon alerted all hands to the situation.  He returned his attention to his science chief, “Are we getting any communication signals from the colony, operations, or otherwise?”

She shook her head as she adjusted the earpiece, “I’m getting a lot of static.  There are some signals but they’re buried beneath the main channels…it’s going to take me a moment.”

“Helm, get me an open channel to the USS Polson, priority one.  Encrypted.”  A moment passed until the officer gave a nod and the screen shifted to Captain Rachel Harris on her bridge.

“Report, Commander.”  He related all that they knew so far and had their scans and reports sent to her.  She pulled them up on her console, her frown deepening.  She turned her attention to her son, “Proceed carefully.  This is likely something planned but quickly put in place.  We’ve had a report from Bravo regarding something similar…we’ll keep you updated.  Polson out.”

Harris stood in the center of the bridge, his mind spinning.  Justice was starting to feel harder and harder to attain.