Bajor: We Have a Problem"
By: Clarice, Orphan , [RNPC]
Jonathan Wright, Executive Officer, [PC]
Lyrr , Sick Gang Leader , [NPC]
Margaret Rose MacAlister , Marine CO, [RNPC]
Sister Moira , Clinic Director , [NPC]

Stardate: 58207.07 1300

==Bajor - Kalkyra, Rakantha Province==

Wright paused to look out the front window of the clinic.  So far, it had been a pretty busy day.  Over the last couple of days more and more people were coming in with complaints of nausea and vomiting.  Wright assumed a virus and treated their symptoms so that they could have some comfort until they were over whatever it was that was making them sick.

Wright began re-assessing his medical opinion as he watched more and more people line up in line outside the clinic.  In addition to the increased business, the illness appeared to be getting worse.  The symptoms now included loss of fine motor skill and delirium, people were now requiring hospitalization.  The illness was progressing, not declining.  Deciding that he would need some help he turned and strode through the crowded waiting area, past the exam rooms, and into what he called, "His Office."  Sitting down at a desk he tried to open a communication link to the Bajorian Ministry of Medicine, but was not able to get a connection.  Wright tried to contact Doctor Kensington on QulTuq and even Dr. Dane, but to no avail.

Wright left his office and went to the main hospital where he found Clarice helping Sister Moira get a Bajorian into his bed, "Have you seen the Major?" asked Wright.

Sister Moira looked at Wright with a grim face and shook her head.

"She said something about scouting around," said Clarice, "She was concerned because she could not get in touch with her men."

"Can you go find her?" asked Wright, "We are in a spot of trouble."

Clarice nodded and headed for the door.  Sister Moira sighed, "We are running out of bed space," she said.

"Start putting them in my office," he said, "No room is off limits now.  Make them as comfortable as possible.  I need to go try to get to the bottom of this illness."  Wright turned and headed towards the clinic's lab. "Time to look deeper," he muttered under his breath as he picked up a tricorder and began scanning a sample.

***

Major Margaret MacAlister had been walking around in a concise pattern, pausing every now and then to attempt making contact with her men.  She had been moving in an ever-widening circle for hours now and no matter where she went, communications seemed to be simply down.  She couldn't explain it, and it was beginning to concern her more and more.  Her next step was a visit to the nearest Communications Array in an attempt to determine why.

It took Clarice, who knew the village very well, only a few minutes to locate Madge.  She appeared to be wandering.  Clarice wondered if she was starting to get sick as too.  Clarice approached her, "Are you ok?"

Madge stopped what she was doing to look up at Clarice. Her normal smile wasn't readily evident but she nodded. "Aye, lass... I cannae get the comms ta work nay matter where I go," she told the girl. "I want ta find the communications array ta see if I can fathom what the trouble is.."

"Doctor John asked me to come find you," she said. "He looks worried about something."

"Ach now... Well, lead the way, lass," Madge motioned as she put her comm. equipment away. "We best see what's worrying the doctor, hmm?"

Clarice did not hesitate, she turned around and led the way back toward the clinic.

***

Lyrr pulled the blanket tighter around himself to try and stop his shivering.  A coughing fit racked his lungs as blood flecked spittle dripped from his mouth.  He had been planning an attack on the good doctor's clinic now that he had some weapons, however, he had managed to get sick, so he put his plans on hold.  He could feel the frustration mounting in his whole gang. They were itching for a fight.

"You do not look so good," said Farl, one of his gang members.

Lyrr pulled himself together long enough to reply, "You don't say.  I hadn't noticed myself."  Lyrr then launched into another spell of coughing. "This is miserable!" he said between deep labored breaths.

"Maybe you should go see that doctor," suggested Varl.   Lyrr glared at the boy standing next to him, "No!" he said as he layed back down onto his bed., "It will pass."

Varl did not tell him that others were starting to talk about taking control of the gang away from Lyrr.  A sick leader, after all, was not one that could be trusted. He supposed he should warn Lyrr, however he had not decided who's side he was on yet.  He still had some time before he decided.

****

"Old outdated equipment!" yelled Wright as he slammed his fist down onto the countertop of the lab he was working in. So far, this was the only room that did not have a sick Bajoran in it. Wright had been in the lab trying to isolate the cause of the illness and he was not having much luck, between the mysterious nature of the pathogen, and the faulty equipment Wright had his work cut out for him.

Madge and Clarice stepped inside just in time to hear his yell and the thumping fist. Madge quirked a brow and leaned against the doorframe. "Anything I can help with, doctor?" she asked calmly.

Wright tried to hide his embarrassment as he turned to regard Madge, "I was just trying to fix this old equipment," he said. "We have a problem," he added. "The whole village is getting sick and I am not able to contact Maquis Medical or Bajorian authorities."

"That's because the comms are down," she told him as she stepped into the room and over to where he seemed to be having trouble. "I dinnae ken why yet, but it extends well past the clinic. Anything I can do?" she asks and points to the faulty equipment.

"I know this is not your area of expertise," said Wright, "But I am afraid that Sister Moira is going to collapse." Wright looked out the window of the lab they were in, "Could you help her out."

Madge followed his gaze and frowned as she watched the good sister for a few moments. "I dinnae ken what I can do," she said, still frowning. "But we Marines are adaptable if we're anything. I'll do what she'll instruct me ta..."

"Oh, one more thing," said Wright, "How do you feel? Do you feel sick?" Wright lifted his tricorder and scanned her.

Madge quirked a brow at him and lightly touched the back of his hand. "Doctor.. I feel fine. Dinnae worry about me. I have the constitution of a horse."

Wright looked at the tricorder readings, "Yes, I would have to agree with you there. It would appear that humans are not vulnerable to this illness."

"'Tis just Bajorans then?" Madge frowned and looked over at Clarice since she was half Bajoran after all.

Wright seemed to catch onto Madge's concern right away. "How about you," he said to Clarice, "How do you feel?"

"I had the sniffles yesterday, which is unusual for me," she said, "but today I feel fine." Wright scanned her with his tricorder. Wright read the readings with a certain amount of surprise, "According to this, you should be sick," he said. "I'd like to run a couple more test on you. If you would not mind."

A small amount of fear ran through her. She did not want to be sick, not after seeing what it did to the Bajorians. "Sure, whatever you need Doctor John."

"I'll be playing at being a nurse if ye need me," Madge told them and left the lab to go talk to Sister Moira.

****

Varl sat at a table next to Lyrr's bed, and thought about his options. The gang continued to grow restless; more and more of them were now also starting to show signs of sickness. Lyrr no longer was able to give any kind of directions. He appeared to be delirious. It was time to make a decision.

He was contemplating his next move when two of the gang member entered the abandoned old house that Lyrr has made his own. Varl tightened his grip on the Cardassian weapon that sat hidden in his lap. "Get out," he snapped.

The two of them stopped and laughed, "Lyrr is not able to help you now," said Korr, who was perhaps the oldest member of the group. "It's time for a new leader." Korr nodded at his friend, who made a move to Lyrr's bed.

Varl did not hesitate he raised the weapon from his lap and fired it at Korr, who dropped to the floor dead. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said now pointing the ugly weapon at Lyrr's would be attacker.

The Kid looked at the unexpected weapon with surprise. Not sure of what he should do next he just stood there and looked at Varl.

"Get outside and tell everyone to get ready. We are taking Lyrr to the doctor." Varl stood up and prepared to break out Lyrr's weapon cache.