292: Condition: Critical

By O'Sullivan and Breaux
80518.19
Immediately following Desperate Times

-=Medical Complex, Stra II=-

"These people are already showing clear, clinical signs of withdrawal." Dr. Breaux informed the rest of the team. "The only thing standing between them and their drug of choice is a flimsy fence and a couple hundred nervous soldiers," Avery shook his head, worry evident in his voice. "This could end in bloodshed." Avery considered his own personal demons when addressing his concerns...it only served to heighten his concern for this group.

"It is our job to see that does not happen." Salvek replied evenly. "Is there any way that we could perhaps buy some time, appease the crowds outside, to keep them at bay a little longer?"

"What if we allocated just enough power to run the giant vid screen that we passed in the square coming in," Dane offered. "Give them something to watch, maybe divert their attention? It could be a news feed, information on where to go and how to get food and water, split with a screen with a sporting event or some sort of other recorded entertainment that might pacify them."

Avery, Keiran, Hok, and Breaux all stared at Dane, blinking slowly.

"What?" Cristiane folded his arms defiantly. "What did I say?"

"What you said, Ensign, may just buy us a little more of the time we so badly need." Salvek nodded approvingly.

"I am Dret, Commander General of the Strasa Planetary Guard." A man in uniform approached the Away Team. "Commander Salvek, I presume?" He nodded toward the Vulcan.

"I am. Commander General, the situation out in front is becoming quite volatile," Salvek warned. "One of our team just suggested that if perhaps we could make use of the audio visual equipment in the square by rerouting just enough power from the medical center's supply to run it that,"

"Impossible." Dret responded, dismissing the suggestion with a wave of his hand. "We are operating under an absolute power conservation order. That means that only the medical equipment for the most critical of patients is allowed to consume power, until the main grid can be restored to full."

"But all of the computers here are operating." Breaux chimed in, indicating a large bank of terminals, each with a line of people, presumably doctors, nurses, soldiers, and even some patients queuing up for a chance to use them.

"Those are necessary." Dret replied with a roll of his eyes, as if stating the obvious.

"Are they?" Keiran stepped forward. "Pardon me, General Dret, I'm Keiran O'Sullivan, Chief of Security of the USS Serendipity. What our First Officer is saying here makes sense, and as one officer of law enforcement to another, I'm askin' ya, please listen to him. Take the power needed to run two of those terminals and power the large screen outside with it- otherwise all hell is shortly goin'ta break loose and you will have more trouble than you know how to deal with."

"The people will not have to wait much longer," Dret replied. "I have full confidence in the system in place, and trust that soon all will be right again."

"Ask him what a MIM is." Dane whispered, as he noticed that several of the patients who were ambulatory seemed to have gotten Hok away from the group and were attempting, it seemed, to get him to give up his tricorder to them. "And somebody might have to help the Ferengi, he seems in a bit of a jam."

Dret gestured to two of his men, and they moved toward Hok, shooing the would-be technology thieves away.

"What was your question, young man?" Dret asked, turning back toward Dane.

Dane's eyes questioned Salvek, and Salvek nodded to him slowly.

"Well, I for one am dying to know, what's a MIM?"

Dret's otherwise pleasant features turned sour. "Where did you hear that term?"

"From a man. On the street, on our way into the complex." Dane replied.

Dret blinked several times in quick succession. "I'm afraid that man was speaking nonsense to you, Ensign. I have never heard the name before in my life."

Dane nodded, and waited for Dret to turn away before leaning closer to Keiran. "I never said it was a name." Dane whispered.

"We need to get into contact with our engineering Away Team," Salvek spoke up. "We must restore the weather modification net if we are to beam the needed equipment down to the surface to truly help your people."

Dret shook his head. "They will not be allowed access to the Weather Net."

"Why not?" Avery's senses told him that something was very wrong here. "Forgive me for saying so, but we are here to extend a helping hand, and to run into bureaucratic obstacles really isn't in the best interest of these people."

"All of the components that run it are classified. I am certain that the engineering teams would be asked to perform repairs to. . .less sensitive equipment."

"Why do I get the feeling that these people don't really want our help?" Keiran whispered to Avery.

Breaux, nodded to Keiran, "Commander General...perhaps it would be easier for all of us, if you told us what we...would...be able to access...and at the very least the department heads that we could work with to make things happen...surely they would be cognizant of your edicts and we would avoid any political gaffes."

Breaux had only so much patience for diplomacy.

"Doctor, is it?" Dret sighed, observing the equipment Breaux carried and the color of his uniform, "I appreciate your concern for our people. But we have these safeguards in place for a reason, because they protect the very lifeblood of our society, which is our technology."

"And yet...here we are," countered Breaux. "Doctor, and fifteen years in Engineering...so my concern is not only for the people, but the inefficacy of the machinery you are counting on to rescue them. We're here on a mission of mercy...be that brokering of politicians, saving lives or restoring technology."

"The technology will be of no use to anyone if the people are dead." Keiran added impatiently. Diplomacy was not the Irishman's strongest suit. "Fine. We work on a short leash. Could you at least tell us what you want us to do for ya, then?"

"We will ask you to lend your expertise in organizing the security patrols and distribution of the supplies that are being dropped off by the shuttles from your base ship. Our forces are stretched a bit thin at the moment, especially in the streets."

"Reports of looting already coming in are they?" Keiran asked. Dret winced. Obviously, this man had experience in dealing with crowds in panic situations.

"Yes." Dret admitted reluctantly.

"We should begin without further delay." Salvek strode forward, approaching a computer terminal. "The priority for us is to reestablish a communications link with our ship, and with our other away teams so that we can truly assess the situation on each front; engineering progress, the integrity of current security measures, and so that we will know the moment that the weather net has been locked down and stabilized so that we can begin using the transporters once again. . ."

Hok finally rejoined the group, shaking his head. Breaux questioned him with a glance.

"These people were offering me their pain medications in exchange for the power cell in my tricorder." Hok grimaced. "They had no other currency to offer."

Avery was seething at the last comment, but restrained himself, "They needn't exchange anything, least of all their medications." He turned his attention to Salvek, "Sir...I'm going to need unlimited access to the sick and infirmed, and I'll want to be able to blanket those that aren't ill, to have them screened-this is preposterous-this has the earmarks of a third world nation more so than a technologically advanced civilization...trading their medical supplies...that's ludicrous."

"I agree. We must turn the momentum of this situation quickly, or the outcome will not be good for anyone. Give me a moment, and what ever I may say, please 'play along' as the human saying goes."

Salvek moved closer to Dret. "Commander General, I regret to inform you that we will not be able to help you, and will be returning to our ship immediately and recommending to our Captain that we break orbit."

"What? You can't do that!" Dret objected.

"I can, and I must. We are a team of only a few men. You do not have the situation adequately secured, and I feel that my team is at great risk. I will not willingly jeopardize their lives because you refuse to cooperate with us."

"Do you think I have a choice?" Dret was sweating profusely now. "My orders come from the Resident Overseer himself. He is the equal of your Federation President in the eyes of our people. You would have me go against his dictates?"

"The Overseer," Salvek said slowly, "is not here present. If you are truly in command of military operations on the ground, then you must be willing to make a judgment call and allow us to do our job in a way that will truly help you. If you are unwilling to even allow us access to communications with our other teams, we are powerless to help you and we are going to turn around, take our generators and go. The choice is yours."

Dret considered Overseer Lank. . .even now up above the chaos below on the luxurious Federation ship. . .and he looked over his shoulder at the people in the medical center around them. He knew he was dangerously close to losing control of the situation, and that the figureheads at the top had no idea how dangerous tech-addicts could become without their artificially induced biochemical high.

"Is there something you can give them. . .for the symptoms?" Dret turned to Breaux now.

"I may be able to take the edge off. If I know exactly what chemicals are at work here. But it's a stop-gap, not a cure."

"Commander Salvek, I will allow you access to a working communications array. We have. . .one or two which are powerful enough to cut through the interference of the malfunctioning weather net."

"Speaking of the weather net, you must see to it that Lt. Samson's team is allowed to stabilize it."

Now, Dret looked guilty.

"Is there a problem?"

"We already turned them away." Dret admitted. "Twice."

Salvek's voice conveyed that he was quickly losing the last of his patience, even with all of his Vulcan discipline. "You will not turn them away a third time, General. If you do, we will leave."

"What if we are not willing to let you leave?" Dret was growing desperate, and running out of options.

Breaux laughed aloud, his intent to irritate Dret.

"Then you will have to explain to the Federation why you are responsible for the deaths of the Away Teams," Salvek concluded, firmly standing his ground.

-------------------------------
Lt. Commander Keiran O'Sullivan
Chief of Security
USS Serendipity NCC-2012

and

Lt. Commander Avery Breaux
Chief Medical Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012