Subject: Grail: "Unexplored Spaces"- `Red Line'

<<Stardate: 47307.20- 10:30>>

<<Main Engineering>>

Epic exited the turbolift onto Deck 36. He proceeded directly to

Main Engineering. The activity level was high in this area and the

people in performance were a study in efficiency. Epic considered that

when he had looked at the roster for this crew, he had some reservations

about the incredible racial mix. He thought Security would be breaking

up fistfights as a daily routine.

He was pleased to find that this was not the case.

And he knew that Janice Hargen and Kaitlyn Brennan were responsible

for the success here. If only there was some meaningful way to reward

them for their effort. `Oh. I know.', Epic thought. `I'll lead them to

their dooms.'

With a mock nod of self-satisfaction, Epic searched for Lt.

Commander Janice Hargen. He went to her office and found her working on

her daily report. It was obvious that the `paperwork' was not

entertaining her.

She looked up at him and smiled. Epic returned the smile and stood

there uncomfortably for a moment. Then, remembering that he was Captain

Dracula for crying out loud, he asserted his commanding air. Janice

laughed politely at the charade. He shrugged.

"I have to impose on your staff again, Janice."

She squinted at him, but waited to hear what he wanted this time.

"A viral infection is starting to spread on the ship. It is a

bacterium introduced by our exposure to Romulan weaponry. We are

fortunate that a possible solution to the problem is on our direct

flight path, but time is becoming critical."

Janice watched him steel himself for the next part.

"In order to decrease the time of our arrival at planet Kerestia, I

am going to need a sustained warp 9 for the duration. The calculations

that Flight Control has offered me will put us on the Galactic Westside

of the Great Brightness in 11 days at that speed. Once we achieve the

starcluster, we'll have to play it by ear."

Janice grimaced. The ship had never been shaken down. And in less

than a week, it had been exposed to the stress that ships that were well

`broken in' received, sometimes without success.

She threw up her hands in a `We'll do what we can' gesture.

"Also...", Epic winced in mock humor, realising he was pushing it.

"I'm going to need a probe modified to weather the gravimetric exertions

it will be forced to endure. I won't sail this craft into the Great

Brightness without some information. Please work with Lt. Mallory in

Sciences to affect these requirements. The Cloaking Device takes second

priority to this. We need to get to Kerestia, or people will start

dying."

Janice nodded in acknowledgement. Epic grimaced. "I am going to

issue a `General Quarters' warning shortly. For the duration of this

flight, I want to minimize exposure to the viral contamination. This

will not affect you in any real way, so I do not expect you to adhere to

this general order."

Janice nodded.

"Well, I've babbled on for a while and imposed upon you

dramatically. Is there anything you need? Can I be of help?"