To Storm Heaven - Esther Friesner [53]
“A lesson that will only be of use to him should anyone ever give his son a hamster.” Worf wheeled about and strode out of sickbay. Dr. Crusher did him the courtesy of waiting until the door hissed shut behind him before she gave way to laughter.
The shimmer of a transporter beam cut through the poorly thatched roof of Sekol’s inn, depositing the wooden box of medical supplies at Ambassador Lelys’s feet. The Orakisan flung herself on the package as soon as it was solid and began distributing the contents to Riker and Data. She had a reed basket beside her, which she filled with a double portion of the supplies before rising to her feet and straightening her pilgrim’s robes.
“There. I will take these to Counsellor Troi in the village. You two would do well to slip your shares into the keeping of the healer downstairs.” Commander Riker looked doubtful. “Ambassador Lelys, your heart’s in the right place, but this is too risky. The village healer doesn’t have the training of the local oberyin, but she taught herself her skill by being observant. She probably knows what’s in her own kit down to the last bottle, and besides, she’ll notice that the color of some of these powders is radically different from what she’s been using to try and bring down the fever.” “The fever, the cough, all the symptoms that are killing these people,” Lelys muttered. “The sickness itself that keeps on killing them while their healer and their oberyin try in vain to stop it. With what? Herbs that give a little relief but do nothing more than make the dying easier—herbs and prayers.” “They do appear to take a great deal of comfort from their religious observances,” Mr. Data remarked. “Their conception of the link between their world and the afterlife—” “Evramur,” Lelys said bitterly. “A promise of paradise while their children die. Die needlessly! You yourself said that this disease could be prevented by a simple vaccine.” “It does bear a striking similarity to certain historic Earth ailments that were effectively eradicated by widespread innoculation programs,” Data admitted.
“It bears an even more striking resemblance to Talossa fever,” Lelys said. “A sickness that we on Orakisa know.” “I am not surprised to hear that,” Data said. “Since Orakisans and Ashkaarians are in effect the same people, it is to be expected that your common ancestors would have transported the same microbes with them when they left Skerris IV.” “If you know this ailment for what it is, maybe you could help the local healer use the most effective means to cure it,” Riker suggested.
“If I knew that, I would,” Lelys replied. “But there is no one left on Orakisa who has ever had to treat Talossa fever. I was immunized against it when I was an infant; all our children are. Our scientists believe that soon it will be extinct.” Her eyes blazed as she added, “Do you think the Ne’elatians allow their children to die of something so simply prevented?” “I can’t defend what the Ne’elatians have done here,” Riker said. “They’ve held the progress of an entire culture hostage to their own wants.” “Then do not help them further by holding back something that might help their victims.” Lelys jerked a small vial of medicine out of her basket and thrust it inches from Riker’s face. “Say whatever you must to make the healer use this.” Riker took out one of the vials that he had already hidden inside his robes and contemplated it. “I suppose I could say that we brought our own medicines with us for our journey and that this is what they use for fevers in our home village.” “Good, good.” Lelys nodded. Suddenly her whole face lit up. “Ah! But I have an idea that is even better.
If it works, we will not even need to persuade the healer or the oberyin to use this.” She turned the vial in her fingers. “They will not dare to refuse!
Commander Riker, will you allow Mr. Data to accompany me?” “Where are you going?” “To make a miracle.”
The downstairs portion