Stardate: 60808:1800
Title: Hazardous Promotions
Author: Chief of Operations Autumn Falls
Time: After "Promotions and Problems"
Scene: Tharan 3


Autumn smiled as she finished her break and headed out of the Horizon and back to the quarantine area. The second she realised that she was actually grinning from ear to ear the now official Chief of Operations felt guilty. Obviously she was over the moon about her promotion and permanent chief status, but it did seem to be in poor taste to smile so much when they were amidst so much death and now another outbreak.

The news that a large group of children had been found and survived the virus seemed to lighten the mood in the quarantine tents and someone had rigged up a sound system so that soft music could be played. Autumn checked in and found that since the outbreak of 14 no one had since fallen ill. All they could do was watch and wait and pray that they had isolated this latest outbreak.

The sound of elevated voices drew Autumn to the outer edge of the camp. There she found two security officers detaining a rather scruffy looking man.

"What seems to be the problem?" Autumn asked as she approached.

"This man claims to be part of the Horizon crew but he has no combadge or decontamination suit." The security officer stopped talking but with the look he gave the man it was obvious he was thinking that he was poorly attired for a Starfleet Officer.

"I am Simon Malloy, the ship's counsellor." The man drew himself up to his full height but couldn't disguise the dirty mud patch all over his clothes and scraggly beard.

"I recognise the name and I remember looking over your file before we felt Starbase 9, but you weren't on the ship when we left." The newly promoted Chief of Operations raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I had to take some time off for personal reasons and pure coincidence brought me here. The shuttle I was piloting crashed several miles away." The new counsellor had an open and honest face and Autumn was inclined to believe him.

"Okay, escort Counsellor Malloy to the screening quarantine tent and I will get Tammin to check him over. Then someone can show him to his quarters and I guess he best report to the Captain." As the security officer led Simon to the quarantine tent, Autumn called out after them.

"Welcome aboard, Counsellor."

Returning to the quarantine area the COO was immediately alerted to a problem. Someone else was sick and the crew hadn't been quick enough to catch it as several other people around them were also showing initial symptoms. Moving into the hub of the crisis Autumn was grabbed from behind and felt a sharp pointed object resting on the neck piece of her decontamination suit.

"You were here to help and instead you are killing us off whilst you swan around here in your safe decontamination suits" the man shouted. "I demand to see your Captain right now."

The Captain was apprised of the situation and said he was on his way. Autumn assessed her position but there was no way she could disarm the man without risking the integrity of her suit. She tried to reason with her captor whilst they waited for the Captain but he was beyond reason as the fear of death had gripped him.

The next few minutes seemed so surreal. The Captain entered the area with Dathan who had obviously heard what was going on as he had his phaser armed at his side. Before the Captain could speak Autumn's captor started yelling.

"You just don't care about us. Maybe you will care when it is one of you own." Without hesitation he slashed the COO's suit and pushed her onto the bed of the most recently diagnosed virus victim.


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Lt. Autumn Falls
Chief of Operations
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
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