appreciations Dr. Solok: The Hornet's Nest

[Lael Rosek-Skyfire]

I loved this post by Solok from our last mission. It showcases his creativity and knowledge when dealing with a challenging situation. It was very well written and really added another layer to the story while also developing our fleet history in a unique way. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I did!

((Quarantine Ward-A, Shuttlebay 1, USS Montreal))

 

::Solok sat rigidly at the desk that constituted almost all by itself the "command center" in the quarantine ward he had designed. He was looking forward, at the screen on the computer console, but his thoughts were momentarily elsewhere. Or elsewhen.::

 

::After he had resigned his commission in the Vulcan Diplomatic Corps, many years ago when he was a much younger man, Solokhad chosen to pursue a career in Starfleet, and specifically, to hone his skills as a physician and xenovirologist in the multi-species environment that only Starfleet could provide. Having received extensive medical and scientific training on Vulcan, at both the Vulcan Science Academy and the Vulcan Medical Institute, he had nevertheless been required to continue his education as a part of his cadet studies. While most of the other medical cadets were conducting their studies in medical schools scattered throughout the quadrant, Solok's case had been a special one. Instead of medical school, which he had already attended, Solok had been assigned as a junior researcher at the Federation Institute for Advanced Immunology in San Francisco, on Earth. The FIAI was one of the most sophisticated facilities for immunological and virological research in the Federation, and after a brief period as an immunology resident and junior researcher, he had been promoted to Director of Research -- in which position he had learned and witnessed a great deal.::

 

((Flashback -- Stardate 237702.15))

 

((Office of the Director of Research, Federation Institute for Advanced Immunology, San Francisco, Terra))

 

::Solok had been interrupted in his work -- the filing of one of numerous reports required of him in his position as Director -- by the sound of the door chime. Ordinarily, he would have instructed whoever it was to return at a more auspicious time, but the sheer number of the reports before him had led Solok to welcome almost any intellectual distraction. So long, of course, as it was relevant to his and the Institute's work.::

 

Solok: Enter.

 

::The door slid open, and in stepped one of the least Vulcan colleagues Solok had ever known. The Bolian physician wore a labcoat that, owing to his rather diminutive size, near brushed the floor as he walked. The sleeves of the labcoat were rolled up to expose his aggressively blue hands, and in one of them, the he was carrying a sealed vial of some sort.::

 

Solok: Doctor Zand.

 

::The Bolian repressed a chuckle.::

 

Zand: Doctor Solok.

 

::A brief silence.::

 

Solok: What can I do for you, Doctor Zand?

 

::Zand smiled.::

 

Zand: Do you know what this is?

 

::He held the vial up to eye height, which was of course, relative to the short cyan man, not very high.::

 

::Solok looked from Zand to the vial, and then back to Zand. His impassive expression did not change.::

 

Solok: I do not.

 

::Zand laughed. Out loud. Solok chose not to address the breach of protocol.::

 

Zand: This ::he shook the vial, gently:: is something even you have never seen before. This is a plague cure.

 

::Solok paused, as if he did not understand.::

 

Solok: I am familiar with 398 distinct cures for diseases known popularly or in the scientific literature as "plagues," Doctor Zand.

 

Zand: You're not familiar with this one, Solok. This one is new.

 

::Solok raised a single eyebrow.::

 

Solok: I was unaware FIAI resources were being used in pursuit of the cure of an epidemic virus on any station or planet.

 

Zand: They -- we -- are not. This was made in the field, by that Enterprise doctor -- Crusher? -- and the researchers on Cor Caroli V. The specifications for the cure were just transmitted to us, and this is the first dose replicated by anyone but Crusher and the Carolians.

 

Solok: Why have I not been informed before now?

 

Zand: Ah, yes. Well, you will not be officially informed, and I recommend you forget everything I'm telling you now. Starfleet Medical has decided to classify the Cor Caroli virus -- they're calling it the "Phyrox plague" -- as secret. There won't be any record of it, anywhere, if Starfleet has its way.

 

::Solok was silent a moment.::

 

Solok: I see. ::He paused.:: It must be an especially dangerous pathogen, for Starfleet to authorize such an unusual classification.

 

Zand: Oh, it is. ::The Bolian's near-constant smile faded.:: The virus attacks the lung tissue of its host, destroying nearly everything in its path. People bleed to death internally. Their lungs fill with blood. Can you imagine if this got into the wrong hands? It's like nature's perfect bioweapon.

 

::The Vulcan nodded.::

 

Solok: So why are you telling me, now?

 

::Zand smiled.::

 

Zand: I don't know, Solok. I trust no Vulcan could ever logic themselves into becoming a bio-terrorist, for one. And I guess I was just too excited to keep it to myself. A new cure! Doesn't even just the idea of it -- salvation from certain death for a whole planet! -- thrill even your cold, Vulcan heart?

 

Solok: The Vulcan heart is not cold, Doctor Zand. The average Vulcan body temperature is approximately 32.7882 degrees Celsius. Relatively speaking, that is quite warm, indeed.

 

::Zand nodded, smiling to himself.::

 

Zand: Yes, of course, Solok. Of course.

 

((End Flashback))

 

((Quarantine Ward-A, Shuttlebay 1, USS Montreal))

 

::Solok activated the computer console before him.::

 

Solok: Computer, display public health history of Cor Caroli V. Stardate range 237501.02 to 237905.20.

 

::The computer bleeped, indicating it was working. Within a second, a great deal of text was displayed on Solok's screen. He adjusted the scroll rate to four times the Terran standard, the words flying by. But he read it all.::

 

::No mention of any plague.::

 

Solok: Computer, access popular media archives, news services, Cor Caroli V, Stardate range 237701.01 to 237712.31.

 

::Again, the computer bleeped. And then, again, it displayed a great deal of information on the screen -- although this was not just text, but was text interspersed with images and videos. He worked through the material until, about halfway through, he found what he had been looking for -- despite the fact that he had not known what he would find.::

 

::There, on the screen before him, was a news article announcing a medical breakthrough on Cor Caroli V. The image at the head of the story showed a group of Carolian scientists with broad smiles on their faces. They were celebrating their discovery, which apparently meant a great deal to them, since they looked both exhausted and exuberant. They had worked hard to achieve whatever it was they had achieved.::

 

::What fascinated Solok, however, was not the group of scientists in the foreground. It was the figure, half out of frame and somewhat blurred, as if she was caught in the attempt to avoid having her image captured, but unmistakably Starfleet, her uniform clearly medical teal, her hair a remarkable shade of orange. He knew her at a glance, despite the fact that they had never met. She was famous, of course, and well on her way to commanding her own Mercy vessel.::

 

::Doctor Beverly Crusher. Chief Medical Officer of the USS Enterprise-D. Solok checked, but according to the official logs, the Enterprise had not been anywhere near Cor Caroli V during this period.::

 

::Zand had been right. The Enterprise had helped the Carolians with some biomedical discovery that led to public rejoicing. They had cured a plague.::

 

::The Phyrox plague.::

 

Solok: Computer, access the Library of the Starfleet Medical Academy.

 

Computer: Accessing.

 

Solok: Display all information related to pandemic diseases of the twenty-fourth century on Cor Caroli V.

 

::It was silent a moment.::

 

Computer: There is no data to display.

 

Solok: Display all data related to the work of Doctor Beverly Crusher on Cor Caroli V.

 

::Silence.::

 

Computer: There is no data to display.

 

Solok: Access genetic profile of the pathogen referred to as "the Phyrox plague."

 

::More silence. Then the old familiar bleep, and the connection to the Starfleet Medical Academy library was lost. Before he could even raise an eyebrow or utter the words "curious" or "fascinating," however, the computer made another sound. The textual display on Solok's monitor made very clear what was happening.::

 

::INCOMING COMMUNICATION FROM STARFLEET MEDICAL. URGENT.::

 

TBC

 

===

Lieutenant Commander Solok

Medical Officer

USS Montreal

 

Writer ID: R237908S10