[Dutch, Recovery Ward]

The Ktarian physician walked down the short hallway that seperated his office from the recovery ward. Along the way he passed the three medical labs on one side of the hallway and the morgue and isolation wards on the other.

The doors to the recovery ward slid open and Dutch passed through. He was slightly surprised by the number of beds that were filled here. The recovery ward had twelve beds that were rarely occuppied by more than half that number of patients. Today every bed was filled.

There was a small nurse's station across from the entryway into the ward but it was vacant. That wasn't a surprise. V'tora might have been in one of the supply closets at the far end of the ward.

What was a surprise was that one of the patient's was moaning softly. Dutch frowned and moved towards the man. He recognized him instantly as Johan Ooste. The young man had suffered a severe injury to the soft tissues of his arm. Dutch had repaired the damage and put the man in a regenerative field prior to moving him to the recovery ward. There would be considerable pain but the Ktarian had prescribed painkillers on regular intervals to keep him comfortable.

Approaching the man's bed the Ktarian Chief Medical Officer called up Johan's history of treatment on the display screen next to his biobed. There he saw that Mister Ooste had not received his last dosage of painkillers. He'd gone nearly twice as long as he should have since his last injection.

Frowning deeply Dutch retrieved a hypospray from an equipment cart and loaded it with the appropriate dosage. Administering the drug to OOste the man's moans slowly softened and then came to an end as he relaxed once again.

This was serious. A patient of his had not received the care he had prescribed. To a medical professional like Dutch there were few things that would more quickly put you on the Ktarian's bad side.

Looking around for V'tora he headed towards the far end of the recovery ward now incensed. One of the supply closet doors was open and Dutch stepped within, expecting to see his Andorian nurse.

The lights were low. V'tora had her back to him. "V'tora," he said reaching out to her. His hand touched her shoulder and he moved to turn her towards him. "Why hasn't Mister Ooste..." he began, but then she turned and Dutch saw that her chest was cleaved by a long slice across her breast and abdomen.

Involuntarily he took a step back bumping into a supply cabinet that rattled as V'tora slid down to her knees and then collapsed forwards.

As the body fell towards him Dutch tried to leave the closet suddenly but was tripped up by the lip of the doorway. He fell forwards extending his arms out in front of him for protection.

He struck the floor and cried out as a pain seared through his shoulder. Looking back in a panic a part of his mind expected to see V'tora crawling out towards him but, of course, nothing was there.

Cradling his shoulder in his hand Dutch rose and moved back to the closet. V'tora lay on the floor in a pool of her own blood. He moved to her side and felt for a pulse but found nothing.

Quickly he moved back to the recovery ward and got a crash kit. Returning to the supply closet again he rolled V'tora to her back. He considered calling for help but he thought it was best not to - for now.

Applying the leads from the crash kit to the Andorian's chest he delivered a shock to her heart. On the kit's monitor he could see that the heart rate spiked, and then fell back to a steady flat line. He tried again. Then a third time. But there was no response. Checking for brain activity he saw that there was none. Rising from beside her, now covered in her blood, he stepped out of the closet and into the recovery ward standing amongst his unconscious patients in shock.

The wound. That deep slice from throat to naval. It was so similar to what he'd seen on his animals in the menagerie. Were they being hunted? Hunted like animals?

Tapping his combadge he spoke in a disembodied voice. "Dey'Utchendeyorbren to Korleon," his voice was hollow. "Thomas. I think you'd better get down here. Better hurry," he added before closing the channel and collapsing to his knees as he wept.

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CMO CDR Dey'Utchendeyorbren, USS Victoria
XO LCDR Falha'konin, USS Broadsword
Player Bryan Paveza
bapaveza@sbcglobal.net