From: SMM130@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Curing the Problem Pt. 1
Date: 4 Nov 92 16:45:42 GMT
Organization: Penn State University


                          Curing the Problem
                                 by
                            Scott M. Macek

     "Captain's Log: Stardate: 8207.9.  Six hours after receiving a distress
call from Elrova II, the Constitution has arrived in orbit.  Doctor Abigail
Schlesinger is preparing a medical team to examine members of the populous who
have exhibited symptoms of Alkerian syndrome, a rare disease that has strangely
affected a significant portion of the Eloravan colony."  I stated, turning the
log recorder over to yeoman Polly Wanzie.
     "Doctor Schlesinger says that she has made all possible preparations and
is ready to beam down to the planet's surface."  Lieutenant Karen Brown
informed from the communications station.
     "Thank you, Lieutenant Brown.  Patch me through to her, please."  I
ordered, waiting for Karen's nod before continuing, "Doctor Schlesinger, have
you taken precautions to prevent the contamination of your team?"
     "Alkerian syndrome is very much like the AIDS virus of Earth's twentieth
century.  Unfortunately, that includes the amount of study done to find a cure.
Until recently, Alkerian syndrome hasn't been considered a medical priority.
To answer your question, though, the disease can only be transmitted by the
passage of bodily fluids from the carrier to another and vice versa.  Blood,
semen, saliva, that sort of thing, and I don't really intend to get involved
with any of those right now."  Abby replied.
     "Understood, Doctor.  Good luck, then.  Bridge out."  I replied.

     Abby found herself unnerved by the transporter process.  She always felt
that anyone who would want to be torn apart into billions of tiny pieces was
crazy.  She also found that odd, considering the fact that she had probably cut
hundreds of people up into dozens of little pieces herself over the years and
hadn't thought much of it.  "It's different when you're the one who is under
the knife."  she thought as the transporter effect dissipated.
     When she fully materialized, Abby found that she and her team were in the
midst of a large group of moaning, helpless people, strewn on blankets that
littered the open clearing into which they had been transported.  Abby
immediately began pointing out to her team where she wished them to go and then
opened her medical kit to begin her own survey of the diseased.  "My God,"  she
thought, "there must be dozens of them here.  How could this have happened?"

     Somtime later, Abby's communicator beeped.  She cursed silently as she
reached into her uniform pocket to pull out the small box.  She flipped the
antenna back and spoke, "Schlesinger here."
     "Doctor, you know that I require an update every hour.  I know that you're
busy, but there are procedures that need to be followed."  I stated calmly.
     "There are still a lot of procedures down here that need to be performed,
Captain.  I can't waste my time with reports."  Abby replied, a little harsher
than she meant to.
     "I understand that, Doctor, but the sooner you stop arguing with me and
give me your report, the sooner you may continue your work."  I said, remaining
calm.
     Abby sighed lightly and began scanning yet another victim as she spoke,
"The disease is rather well spread down here, Captain and now I know why."
     "Go on." I said, listening intently.
     "The Elrovan colony is one based on religion.  Part of their religion
involves the use of acupuncture and other primitive but effective forms of
medicine.  Until now, those practices have worked quite well for them."
     "What happened to change that, Doctor?" I asked, becoming more intrigued.
     "It seems that they weren't very thorough in their cleaning of their
acupuncture needles.  The head physician began acupuncture treatment on an
Alkerian sufferer that he misdiagnosed as Laravian cancer.  Those needles, with
minute quantities of contaminated blood on them, were then reused on other
patients.  We have at least fifty-nine people who have been treated for various
other ailments with those acupuncture needles."  Abby reported.
     "Can you treat them, Doctor?" I inquired.
     "No.  In all honesty, I've never encountered the syndrome before this.
What I do know about it comes from updates that I've received from the
Telmonson Institute on Telmonson V.  They're the ones that have been doing the
most research into finding a cure for this disease.  I would like to request
that we beam the victims aboard the Constitution and proceed immediately to
Telmonson V."  Abby said.
     "Not yet, Doctor.  Finish your survey.  I want to be absolutely certain
that this disease won't get out of hand and contaminate the crew...." I began.
     "Captain, I can assure you...." Abby began to interject.
     "Doctor, you didn't let me finish.  I want to be sure that the disease
won't get out of hand and I need to inform Star Fleet of our intention to take
the victims to Telmonson V.  By the time we receive a reply, I am sure that you
will have finished your survey and we can have you and your patients beamed
aboard.  Understood?" I asked.
      "Yes, Captain." Abby replied, "Schlesinger out."
      Abby flipped the communicator closed and turned her attention back to the
moaning and groaning colonists lying beside her.  Suddenly, the man howled in
pain.  "Damn." Abby thought, "He's almost gone.  All I can do is give him a
sedative for the pain."
     As Abby began to prepare her hyposprayer, the colonist began thrashing
about as pain wracked his body.  Abby climbed on top of him and placed her
hands on the man's shoulders in an attempt to hold him down.  "Ann, help me
with this one!"  Abby called, looking for her head nurse.  A moment later, the
man screamed in pain.  Two moments later, the man's scream was muffled and Abby
was the one who screamed.  She looked back down at the man beneath her and saw
what the nerves in her hand were screaming at her.  In his anguish, the man had
bitten down on the closest thing at hand, namely Abby's hand.
     At first, the pain subsided as the logical, rational, physician side of
Abby's brain took prominence as she noted how easily a man's teeth could cut
into the flesh of another human being.  Then, realization sank in as Abby
realized that she could very well have contracted the disease from the man that
now lay still and silent beneath her.  And then the pain returned as her nerves
informed her of the damage that had been wrought as she pulled the man's mouth
away.  She felt faint, having realized that the man's teeth had reached bone.
In most instances, she would have looked at the injury as any doctor would, by
looking at what caused it and how to repair it.  Now, all that she knew was the
darkness that finally overwhelmed her.