Memory transcription subject: Dr. Nuava, MD-PhD
Date [Standardized human time]: August 7th, 2148
[Day 0]
My holopad’s alarm blared, shooting daggers through my aching head. I clicked a claw down on the off button. Luckily, I was off work this paw. I haggardly clambered across my apartment to fetch some ibuprofen. I took a couple of pills and washed them down with cold water that chilled my throat.
I coughed heavily into my elbow, then flung open the fridge for something easy to eat, finally settling on some raw carrots.
I idly nibbled the orange tubers while the TV blared some soap opera I was too out of it to care for. Once I finished my attempt at a meal, I made my way to the bathroom, grateful the medicine was starting to work.
I stepped inside and was almost startled looking at myself in the mirror. My black fur was a completely unkempt mess, my eyes bloodshot and a deep orange. Another coughing fit overtook me, the carrots threatening to come back up.
I recovered eventually and picked up a brush to try and manage the unruly mess of fluff. I got myself looking somewhat presentable before setting the brush down and accepting there was no way I was going anywhere in that condition. I sighed, which turned into coughing, and resigned myself back to my bed.
I closed the curtains before curling up under the blankets, shivering from the cold. My rest was interrupted by my holopad again. I thought I turned off that damn alarm. I rolled over to see it was an incoming call from an unknown number.
I half considered ignoring the call, but I assumed it was important since it came through my work number. I sat up, cleared my throat, and answered.
“You’ve reached Dr. Nuava from the Ransu City Clinic, I’m sorry to say I’m not at work right now, so please call again-”
“It’s Dr. Stat, we talked over email. Are you well?” he asked, clearly hearing how dry my throat was.
“Uh- yeah, thanks for calling, doctor,” I mumbled, barely suppressing a cough. “What do you need? I’m off work for the paw.”
“That’s fine, I think, look, I read over those documents you sent, I need more information on Kreiv,” his voice was urgent, and I felt worry creep up my spine.
“Dr. Stat, I cannot disclose any further information on my patient-”
“He’s dead.”
My tail stiffened and I almost dropped the holopad. “He’s… what?”
“He’s dead. Search up his name, he was in the news not ten minutes ago.”
I couldn’t possibly believe the human, but some small part of me decided to humor him. I punched ‘Kreiv’ into the search and almost fainted at the headlines. Sure enough, my patient, the man I’d seen just a few days ago, at the prime of his life, was dead. My chest closed up as I realized I had the same symptoms as him.
“Oh- stars-” My breathing was ragged and I couldn’t stop another coughing fit.
“Dr. Nuava? Are you okay? Please, I need his info. I know here on Skalga the confidentiality expires once the patient is deceased, this is a matter of life and death,” he pleaded.
I put a paw on my heart, it beat so rapidly I was worried it would burst out of my chest. I calmed my breathing, “You’ve got it. I’ll give everything I have on Kreiv. Please, Daniel, don’t let it be in vain.” I hung up the call, then uploaded the uncensored documents and sent them. I’ve had numerous patients after Kreiv. I could have infected any of them… Or all of them… Oh, stars.
~~~
Memory transcription subject: Silvon, venlil biologist
Date [Standardized human time]: August 7th, 2148
[Day 0]
"She sounded sick, Danny," my voice was shaky. "You don't think she might-"
"I don't know," the human's voice had a sternness directed at his holopad.
I felt myself shivering just thinking of the potential of an outbreak. The average venlil wouldn't be equipped to handle an alien virus, it could kill millions before- before…
Danny gently patted my head. Wordlessly, he showed me a document onscreen, Kreiv's original health report.
On the 4th, I started feeling real sick. My human exchange partner, Eric Merrifield, was also feeling under the weather and advised me to seek medical attention the next paw. My symptoms are usual zesui, coughing, high temperature, the work. I’m just in today to pick up some antibiotics.
“An exchange partner?” I pondered aloud. “That could be our patient zero.”
“Exactly my thinking. There’s not a lot of personal stuff on file, so I’m thinking we give Eric a visit,” He replied matter-of-factly.
“How are you even going to find this guy? There are thousands of humans in Ransu!” Danny responded with a knowing smile.
“That, my dear Silvvy,” he poked the tip of my snout, “has a very simple solution.”
“What?”
He pulled up his holopad’s web browser and punched in the UN’s homepage, “The exchange partner participants are public and all listed on here. All I really have to do is get a representative to connect a call or arrange a meeting.”
I nodded, then asked “How will you do that? You can’t just walk into an embassy and say ‘Get me this human! Millions will perish!’” He stared longingly for a bit, then scratched at his clean-shaven chin pondering his options.
“Then we inform the UN, that if they take the proper precautions, we could save millions. Then, we use that and our statuses as scientists to get talking to Eric and see if we can get some more viral samples.” He was so calm about this, untold numbers of people were in danger, and it felt hopeless.
“Y-yeah, that sounds good. You should handle the phrasing, I still… I still need time to process things,” I stumbled with my words, panic was rising in my chest that I tried my hardest to subdue.
Nuava was sick, she probably had plenty more patients during the incubation period. It could already be out, we could be too late! Stars! Tears streamed down my cheeks, Danny took notice and set down the holopad.
“Silvvy, hey, hey,” he cooed, wiping my face. I heaved and fell into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. It’s too much, it’s too overwhelming, I can’t deal with this! The human was silent, but his grip was strong and safe, it was sheltering me from the horrific future. His hands worked through my fur, we stayed in that embrace until the torrent of tears finally slowed.
“I love you, Silvon,” he whispered, planting a kiss on my snout.
“I love you too,” I mumbled.
“I’m gonna work on getting us into contact with Eric, and the SHO while I'm at it. Why don’t you go lay down a bit, or read some. Don’t you worry about what happens next.” I hesitantly nodded and got up from the couch. I grabbed the two plates of half-finished veggies and dumped them in the trash, then the sink.
~~~
My name is Dr. Daniel Stat, I’m a virologist at Teiza Labs. I’d like to formally request a contact with the Skalga Health Organization over a recent strain of rhinovirus discovered in Ransu City that I believe may have killed a venlil named Kreiv and infected several others. I’d also like to request a contact with the human Eric Merrifield, the likely patient zero for the virus and exchange partner of the late Kreiv. This virus has the potential to take millions of lives, a quick response would be appreciated.
~~~
Memory transcription subject: Daniel Stat, human virologist
Date [Standardized human time]: August 7th, 2148
[Day 0]
"Silvon?” I called out. Our bedroom was dark, the curtains were down and all I could make out was a bit of light orange fluff sticking out of the mess of blankets. I sat down and put a hand on her obscured figure, she flinched at my touch and two eyes slowly turned to stare up at me from the darkness. “Hey hon,” I smiled.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
“Did you send the message? Are they doing anything about it?” she spoke quickly, her words trying to outrun her fear.
“I sent it, yeah, we just have to wait now.”
“Wait? For how long? It could be spreading this very moment! Oh stars, oh stars-” her little eyes broke again. I laid myself down and slid under the blanket to join her, locking her in another embrace. “I know how scared you are, it’s a lot to take in, but we’re gonna do all we can, right?”
“R-right?” she sputtered.
“Right.” I asserted.
~~~
Dr. Stat, a meeting with the Skalga Health Organization has been authorized and scheduled for August 9th at 10 pm HST, we take the prospect of a global pandemic very, very seriously. Unfortunately, however, a meeting with Eric Merrifield cannot be arranged as he is currently incarcerated.
~~~
I heard the holopad buzz and broke away from the adorable sleeping venlil. I grabbed it off the nightstand. Thank god the UN got my email! Then I stopped dead reading the last sentence.
“Incarcerated?” I mumbled aloud. Silvon sturred but didn’t wake. Fuck! This has to be a mistake! I shook my head solemnly, at least glad I could present my case to someone that mattered. I carefully turned back over. I wasn’t really tired, I’d slept plenty last night, but Silvon needed me here, and I’d do anything to help her.
~~~
Memory transcription subject: Launo, venlil baker.
Date [Standardized human time]: August 8th, 2148
[Day 1]
I sniffled, normally my nose wasn’t so congested.
“What’s that noise about?” Dad called from across the kitchen. He was glazing some venlil-shaped cookies with orange blush and chocolate chip eyes.
Not entirely sure how to explain a nasal problem to someone without a nose, I settled on “Just a little sniffly I guess. Happens sometimes, y’know?”
“Yeah, it happens when you’re sick, Lau. You know I can’t run the risk of infecting our customers.” He said sternly, turning from his cookies to face me.
“Dude, I’m fine-”
“Don’t call me ‘dude’, I’m your father. And I’m absolutely not letting you stay in this kitchen. You want the health department bangin’ on our door and shuttering our business?”
“No,” I muttered. I turned away from the oven where I’d just put in a new batch of pastries, I figured now they’d have to be thrown out. I hated being sick, I loved baking too much to go on leave.
“We’re gonna have to take you back to the clinic tomorrow, get you some zesui meds,” Dad grumbled as I pulled off the hairnet and limped into the breakroom, stumbling slightly on my bad leg. I retrieved my backpack and unzipped it, figuring I’d at least get some schoolwork done with my free time. I coughed into the crook of my arm, and continued scrawling the assigned writing prompt, annoyed more than anything.
After maybe 20 minutes, Dad stepped into the breakroom. He was wearing a mask to avoid catching anything. “I’ve scheduled another appointment, once we get those meds you’ll be just fine to work-” he cut off abruptly, his tail stiffened.
“What?” I asked.
He pointed at my arm, “Launo, what is that?”
I looked down to see a splotchy patch of orange staining my fur. I jumped up from the chair and my bad leg gave out, nearly sending me careening to the floor. Dad rushed over, examining me closer, his expression filled with worry.
I coughed again, the blood stain grew as fast as the fear in my chest.
~~~
Memory transcription subject: Silvon, venlil biologist
Date [Standardized human time]: August 8th, 2148
[Day 1]
The lab was so quiet without my Danny. All I had to do today was run a few slips and take a look at some microbial samples from faraway moons. It was all busy work to keep my mind from wandering to the virus, I prayed I didn’t slip up and panic my coworkers. Or worse: start a stampede.
The door to the biology lab creaked open, and I saw the distinctive figure of a yotul walk in, her arms full of specimen containers and testing materials.
"Dr. Silvon, I've got more samples for you to look at," she gave her best greeting in venlil tail language.
"Thanks, Tinasi," I mumbled, taking the containers from her arms and stacking them up on the counter.
"You okay doc?" She tilted her head, "You seem tense."
"It's nothing, don't worry about it," my eye twitched and a look of concern overtook the yotul's features. I turned to the samples and popped off one of the container lids. If I start working, she'll go away.
But she didn't. "Is it Dr. Stat?" She asked. "I noticed he wasn't here today, are things okay between-"
"We're just fine, it's not him," I blurted quickly. I felt my throat start to close up. I should've called out this paw.
"Okay," Tinasi said slowly, "then what's going on? You wouldn't be this worked up over nothing."
"I can't- I… I can't tell you," I sighed. I popped a little baggy from the container and prepared a microscope slide.
"But it's bad?" She asked.
"It could be. Danny's taking care of it."
~~~
Memory transcription subject: Daniel Stat, human virologist
Date [Standardized human time]: August 8th, 2148
[Day 1]
“I’ll be back in just a couple of days, please don’t worry,” Silvon gave me these big, pleading eyes that tugged at my heartstrings. “It’s for the greater good.”
“I know, I know, I just- I’m gonna miss you,” she mumbled. We kissed one last time, maybe the third today. I knew she was worried for me, but no amount of comforting would convince her otherwise.
I straightened up and lugged my suitcase out the door. “I love you, Silvvy,” I called.
“I love you too, Danny.”
I stepped into the shuttle I called and told it to take me where SHO’s headquarters were, a city called Lagua. It took off, raising vertically with unexpected speed until it got to a good cruising altitude. From up here, I got a good view of Skalga’s strip of twilight. On the far left, scorched and mountainous deserts are perpetually baked by the full intensity of the star. On the right, cool, empty plains coated in ice and snow that never saw the light. Even still, plenty of people lived in the dark side, though not too far from the twilight zone I was hurtling over.
Beneath me, I could see huge cities and tiny towns separated by large patches of vibrant blue forests and plains. Soon on the horizon, one of the planet’s major cities emerged, Lagua. Lagua was one of the first big cities to welcome human immigrants after the war in the 30s, it’s been an economic center ever since, expanding and growing more diverse by the day.
The shuttle lowered itself down onto a parking zone. It slowly glided its way into a building labeled ‘incoming’, and dropped me off in a terminal. This was a bustling hub for smaller planetary shuttles like the one I just got off of, it was teeming with lifeforms of all shapes and sizes, and you’d almost forget you were even on Skalga anymore.
I made my way through the terminal, passing through a security gate that checked my belongings for contraband, and then I was out on the city streets within 30 minutes. I called a taxi to get to the hotel I booked near the SHO.
~~~
The first order of business once I had my room, was to wait until the workpaw ended and call Silvon. I knew she’d be worried sick about me. I turned on the TV to pass the time.
“-that once again another human has found himself unlawfully terminated by a venlil employer, bringing much unrest to already unstable-”
Ugh, politics. I flipped to another program. It was just another news station, “-ports of an unseasonal variant of zesui are growing in Ransu city tonight,” I stopped, leaning closer, hoping I’d misheard.
“Local physicians are saying roughly 1 in 250 venlil are being infected with the illness, and are urging people to stay home and lessen the spread by following typical zesui season protocols: frequent paw washing, bleach showers, and mask-wearing.”
“Fuck!” I called aloud. I pulled the holopad out of my pocket and hastily dialed Silvon. The line rung, rung, I prayed she wasn’t too busy, rung-
~~~
Memory transcription subject: Silvon, venlil biologist
Date [Standardized human time]: August 8th, 2148
[Day 1]
“Danny? What’s going on? Is everything okay?” I said after answering the holopad. I slipped away from the samples and microscope, and Tinasi cocked her head to the side.
“No, no,” his voice was frantic. I could barely hear the sound of someone talking in the background.
“Is- is someone there with you?”
“No, it’s the news.” My blood went cold. I felt my tail stiffen, and Tinasi took a couple of steps closer. She had really good hearing, I knew she’d figure it out, so I didn’t stop her. “They’re warning against an offseason bout of zesui… It’s spreading. 1 in 250 are infected.”
“In a city of 2 million? That’s… oh stars…” I felt faint.
“The meeting is tomorrow, we’re gonna fix this. Everything will be okay,” he was scared. I could tell. He tried to hide it, but the undertones of his voice gave him away.
“Y-yeah, everything… fine…” I put a paw to my head.
“I love you, Silvvy. I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” I swallowed my terror and hung up, going only two steps forward before falling to my knees and breaking down in hysterics.
“Silvon, please, what’s going on?” Tinasi’s voice wasn’t shaky with fear, it was wrought with concern. She’d been my lab assistant for only a few paws now, but I trusted her enough to finally let slip this terrible truth.
“It’s- the- ah…” I sniffled, fumbling for words between dry heaving breaths. “There’s a virus-” I breathed shakily.
Tinasi nodded, “I got that,” she crouched down to be on eye level. “It’s not zesui, is it?” I shook my head.
“It killed- it killed a man, he was in perfect shape-” More tears spilled over. “It’s infected more people- We don’t even-” I sputtered.
“Take a breath, doctor, it’s okay.” The yotul’s voice was calm and understanding. “Start at the beginning, okay?”