“Hey Doc and Cynndle are you guys doing OK? How is it looking over there? Doc, Your vitals are spiking. I’m seeing an increased heart rate and an increase in your oxygen rates. You gotta calm down, Doc. Breath and focus. Cynndle what are you finding on your way to the bridge? Is anyone less affected? “

Cynndle just finished opening the access panel on the turbolift and activated the suit’s com unit to respond while he tried to manually force the doors open, “Not there yet but will be in a few minutes just forcing my way into the lift controls. The bridge is locked down….” Looking through the wires, he cursed, ‘Damn mess in here,’ he thought. “On my way to the bridge, we came across a few younger crew who were more mobile as well as women who seemed pretty normal though was infected. She is on her way to sickbay with a Telllarite who was pretty worked up. That’s it from me for now. I will send an update when I have one.”

“OK, Cynndle and Doc, we need to figure out someplace over there to separate the young and those showing signs of being less infected. Preferably in two different locations till we can figure this out.”

Longfellow tapped his comm badge, “I would say put our harder cases in sickbay and within a deck or two of sickbay – put our young and less infected on decks 1 through 3.”

S’ Atilen turned the comm link to mute “Neva, we need to figure out a way to protect everybody if we bring a sample over for testing. I’m thinking of a medical grade force field around the sample as soon as it materializes, followed up by a medical grade quarantine field. We have got to make sure there is no way that this even has a chance to spread on the station.”

Neva tapped her comm badge when she heard S’Atilen. Her usual jovial demeanor was gone. Her dark eyes were haunted with worry. “Lieutenant, we’ve isolated which cells were affected, but I’m not sure we can get them repaired well enough to work. Somehow, every time we get new ones transported over, they recontaminate.” Neva ran curled fingers rapidly through her already unraveling bun & sighed hard. “I’m running out of ideas. I think even the greatest engineer I know-Captain Scott-wouldn’t be able to salvage this.” She looked down a moment, then up with tears glistening in her eyes. “I wish I had better news.”

Cynndle’s voice came over the com to Neva, “Thanks for the heads up, Neva. It is worrying that the bio-neural gel packs have been infected. Can you tell if they were cleared and then recontaminated after transport, such as a latent carrier maybe, or do they come across, and the filters are unable to remove the contagion?”

“I’m scratching my head here too. I think you’re right; the gels ARE infected, as well as the people.” Neva sighed, grabbing her temple with one hand & squeezing in frustration before continuing. “When we’ve gotten the contaminated gels, we IMMEDIATELY transport them out into space. I don’t know if that’s the BEST way, but that’s the quickest one we could come up with in this situation.” Neva quickly scanned the bay & her panel. Nothing different. Damn…

“OK, let me think on this for a minute. Maybe the medical team can provide some insight. I am just stepping onto the bridge now and will try to run some scans from this end. It may provide some additional information.” Cynndle responded over the coms.

“Doc, don’t forget we need as much info as we can get for the system. Samples from different age groups, sexes, and races. Any info we can get now will only help us figure this out. “

Henry gave a nod to himself as he turned to the medical team with him, “Let’s get to work.  The sooner we have the samples, the sooner we have answers.”

Cynndle activated his coms e as he walked down the corridor after leaving the bridge, Lieutenant Locke in tow. “On my way back to sickbay, be there in a few minutes and can help to direct crew around. Neva, let’s put a hold on those bio-neural packs how until we have a better idea of what is happening. Maybe worth coming over here and examining them to remove any risk of exposure.”

Neva nodded. “I think that may be the only way left to us. I’ll get a couple of other engineers and we’ll be over.” She taps her comm to end the connection and looks around and waves over a couple of her comrades. Quickly Neva explains what has transpired and the current plan. They all exchange uneasy looks, but head for the EV suits lockers anyway. 

Once adorned, Neva taps her comm badge again. “Cordon to Oin’sun. We’re suited up and ready. Beam 3 up please.” Even in an emergency, Neva spoke with manners. ‘Mama didn’t raise no fool’ she thought with a smirk.

“Sounds good Ensign. Will see you over here when you arrive. I will be in sickbay when you arrive. Oin’sun out.” Cynndle said over the coms before clicking them off. Turning to look at Lieutenant Locke he put out an arm and caught him as he stumbled. “Almost there mate.”