#93 The Hardest Decisions

Posted on Sun Dec 18th, 2022 @ 12:50pm by Captain Rogue Green {Meji} & Captain Sean Silk

Mission: BUGS OH NO!!
Location: USS Euphrates
Timeline: current/somewhere in between

ON:

It had been three days. Three long days while Kirk and Resch had watched both Silk and Green work tenaciously to resolve the illness afflicting the Tuuran. Green, for her part, had a PHD in Emergency Medicine, but it was something she had not practiced for a few years now. She had kept up on her reading and the newest discoveries, but hands-on had not been done for spell. But, not to be deterred, and seeing how much Silk was driving himself into the ground, Ro had stepped in to be his assistant, an extra set of hands, eyes, and a body to do the minor things while he focused on the illness itself.

Sitting in the Bridge on the Euphrates Commander Ro Green leaned back in the SCI chair, sipping a thermomug of hot coffee from Kirk's own Rigo IV program. Sky Mountain Coffee Company was a damn fine cup of java. She heard the door leading to the aft section open and she turned her chair enough to see who it was. Sean Silk stood there, his face somewhat crestfallen, his demeanor that of someone who was in thought on how to proceed. Searching her feelings Green could tell he was at odds with himself. "Good morning, Doctor. I've been on the horn with the Tuura Council all morning and they want to know if we have a cure yet. Well, do we?"

Silk's mouth made as if to speak a few times and then it would close and she could see him thinking before trying again. Once more, he stopped, glancing occasionally at the PADD he held.

"What do I tell them, Doctor?"

Finally, realizing that standing and contemplating would get them nowhere, Silk found his voice. "There may be more than an illness going on here, Commander. Things that go beyond my pervue as a physician."

Green gave a look. "Such as?"

"Ethics," he said, plain and simple.

Ro could see that whatever he had been thinking about was bothering him deeply, but his proud Marine mindset would not allow him to side-step protocol. "Ethics? In what way?"

Nothing for it, Silk decided to explain. "The Tuuran are not suffering from some virus or disease. The proteins that bind their chromosomes are deteriorating at the genetic level, and from what I can tell, has been going on for roughly 2,000 years during their development. Only recently, say the last century, has it started to affect whole populations."

Green stood up at that, her face as crestfallen as the Doctor's. "Is it reversible? Can we save the Tuuran?"

"I'm not sure that we should, Sir," Silk said. "The Kuudae, though primitive by many standards, are up and coming, to put it simply. They learn at a phenominal rate, they do not have any signs of this genetic malfunction, and with research I have discovered that they have aided the Tuuran for generations. When a Tuuran becomes ill it is very easy for a Kuudae to step in and replace them. Again, an advanced intellect that is growing with each successive generation. In my medical opinion the Kuudae are evolving to become the dominant species on this planet."

Listening through it all Green could not believe what she was hearing. "So, we do nothing? Is that what you're suggesting, Sean?"

Silk gave a curt, but solemn nod. "Yes."

"How can we do that," asked Green. "It is our job to aid those in need, and the Tuuran are in need. Is there any way to reverse this condition? To find a cure? That's what you do, Doctor, and you swore an oath."

Sean's eyes hardened when she said that last part. "As an officer in Starfleet, I also swore an oath to uphold General Order 1, Commander. The Prime Directive. I can reverse the condiotion, absolutely, but if I do then the Kuudae will have no chance to become who they are supposed to be. The Tuuran will continue to see them as pets until one day, without warning, the Kuudae will rise up. That means that I, through my actions, allowed a species to live that should have died, and that decision will bring war and death."

At first, Green wanted to argue with him, to shout in frustration. But, as he went on her anger disappeared and she realized he was right. The Kuudae were a kind, peaceful people but if they were pushed into a corner she knew that that that would not last. So, she went another angle as she released a breath in a long sigh. "You're sure of your findings?"

"I am," Silk responded. "It kills me to do so, Commander. But, I have no choice. My own morals and ethics, and that of my oath as a Starfleet Marine, prevent me from doing anything further for the Tuuran. We must tell them that we could not find a way to cure the illness and be on our way. The longer we are here the more strained our relations will be when they realize we can't help them. The first thought in their minds will be to capture Euphrates and learn its secrets. Once they have access to the data files then they will know the truth, and have a cure."

Green's brain went into XO mode. "Speak with Resch and Kirk, quietly, and have them collect any of our equipment and devices that may be lying around. I'll contact their Council and let them know that we fell short of finding a cure. Keep it quiet."

"Aye, Sir." Silk turned and left the Bridge. Once in the aft section, alone with no one else around, Sean reached a hand out to steady himself on a wall, his body wracked with sobs as he let it all out. For over five minutes he just stood their crying, letting the tears course down his face and relinquishing all his pent up anguish and frustration; the sorrow. Getting his mind right again he sucked in several breaths to get back in control and cleaned his face, even putting in some eye drops to get rid of the redness. Once himself, Sean Silk went to see to the Commander's orders.

***

It had taken six hours to collect everything they had taken from the ship and into the hospital. Not one item was left behind. The Bridge of the runabout was quiet, no one really feeling like talking as they reached orbit over Tuura. As the small starship broke orbit into free space Kirk finally spoke up. "I think we really need a side trip to Rigo IV, now. We could all use it."

Everyone agreed. Silk did not say anything he just nodded agreement. Jamie Kirk set the coordinates and jumped to warp 5, heading for her home planet.

OFF: