Subject: Grail: "Unexplored Spaces"- `Allelluia'
<<Stardate: 47307.29- 16:00>>
<<Ramin's quarters >>
=20
[Alfonso Barnechea Rey] =20
Silence. This time, no song was being played on Oku's quarters. Not even
a note. For ten days, Oku had recalled and played back every song he
liked. He even replicated a guitar, although he didn't play it well. He
even tried to sing "a capella".
The Annals of Internal Medicine of the Worlds of the UFP have been
revised entirely by Oku Ramin. Or at least the updates as past as the
2369 edition, that was as far as the subspace link could get from Io
(Sol V C). But two hours ago, the link could get no more. Distane and
interference cut it out until who knows when. Maybe never.
Oku was asleep. Or just sleepy, sitting in his chair. Then, suddenly, a
voice speaking heaven came out from the commlink:
"To all residents of the Grail: We are only a day away from the star
cluster known as `the Great Brightness'. Beyond that, another day to
traverse that spectacular expanse. But, effective 18:00 today, the
General Quarters order will be cancelled so that we might prepare for
our arrival at the Kerestia system and our much needed cure of this
heinous Romulan virus. I know it doesn't mean much in the face of the
incarceration I have forced upon you, but I am genuiny sorry it had to
be this way. In order to make it up to you, for your outstanding
cooperation and patience, once the virus has been contained, I will
insure that we remain in the Kerestian system long enough for any who
desire it to visit the planet that Ambassador Kyp Firespray has dubbed
`the Shopping Mall of the Beta Quadrant'. Thank you again. Captain
Terrakian out."
Not even Haendel's "Allelluia" could do better to sweeten the soul of
the doctor. It was like if someone told him "Hey, here's happiness, take
it". Ten damned days of confinement were about to end in four hours.=20
Oku started to check everything to leave.
"Computer, state of containment field"
"Biological containment field level 4 at 100%"
Oku then watched his screen at the desk. Selected articles from the
Annals were highlited in a list. Among those, he found the control of
the TTC virus in Ropa III, the review of the CXII Conference on
Neuroparasitology at Risa, the presentation on Earth of the only
specimen left of the ancient hepatitis B virus on a tube and its genetic
sequence released into the Federation Archives, and a focus on Klingon
gonorrhoea and its diagnosis.
Oku read his articles. Then he turned everything off and went to his
bed. He lay down and opened his limbs like a star. Then he waited the H
hour.
Alfonso aka Oku Ramin