Double Helix 03_ Red Sector - Diane Carey [60]
“Ripple-effect contamination,” Crusher breathed. “God, that’s a new twist….” “What’s that mean?” Riker asked.
Spock almost answered, but restrained himself. He was curious to hear Dr. McCoy’s analysis of what was happening to the Romulans, and forced himself to remember that his role on a starship was no longer to provide information and move events along.
“Means we can’t synthesize a cure without an uncontaminated family member. I need clear blood, and I can’t find anybody. Also means this is no accident. Somebody’s doing this on purpose. Somebody planned this plague in such a way as to make sure it can’t be cured. That’s why;’ McCoy added, now turning to Picard, “I arranged to have this rendezvous on board the Enterprise?’ “I beg your pardon?” Picard asked.
“Three years ago, Captain, you picked up a Romulan defector. He left the empire in disgrace after leading a coup against the empress. When that failed, he fled to the Federation and you offered sanctuary. Correct?”
“Oh… yes, a minor incident for us. We gave him sanctuary and resisted the extradition police on the planet where we found him. What was his name, Mr. Riker, do you remember?” “Uh… believe it was Renn something, wasn’t it, sir?” “Check on the man, would you, please?”
“Aye, sir.” Riker moved to the science station and looked over the android’s shoulder. “Check ship’s log and all ancillary documentations for Stardates 41099.1 through the ensuing six months. It’s in there somewhere.” “Checking, sir”
“Then link into the archivist’s computer at Starbase Ten. We’re still in range, aren’t we?”
While they worked, McCoy said, “Disgraced blood’s as good as any. This defector’s the third cousin to the empress on her mother’s side, so it’ll be undiluted blood and give us a strong base for immunological work.”
“That must be what the message means,” Picard said, glancing at Spock. “The admiralty gave me orders to cooperate with you both and transport you to any location in Federation space that you specified. They must mean for us to take you to this Rekk person, once we find where he is.”
Spock nodded. “Rather than risk transporting him from station to station, we hoped to use the starship, for safety and security reasons.” “We’re at your disposal, of course,” Picard assured.
“If I can’t find any uncontaminated plasma,” McCoy contemplated, “then it’s all over. Ninety-five percent of the infected people are going to die and there’s no way to stop it. You get this thing, you are dead.” His flat statement had a chilling effect. “The next trick,” McCoy added, “is getting us in there.”
“What?” Crusher asked. “Why don’t we just go in? They know why we’re coming, right?” ‘They’ll give special access to Dr. McCoy and to you,” Riker told her, “but not to the starship. Medical access is a little different from military access.”
“Correct’ Spock said. “If any starship moves through the Neutral Zone and into Romulan space, the imperial leadership will be forced to act against us. Their own people will stand for nothing less. The empress knows Federation medical science may be their only chance, no matter who concocted this attack, but she would be forced to respond against a ship of the line or she could lose power before she loses her life.”
“That’s why we’re not going” Picard explained. “At least, we are not.” And he looked worriedly at Beverly Crusher.
“Arrangements will be made” Spock assured her, and felt suddenly remiss in having delayed securing passage. In fact, permission for passage into Romulan space had been secured, but not the method of passage.
“It’s a problem;’ Captain Picard said. From the captain’s expression, Spock could tell that the blue-blooded