The Ragamuffin "
By: Ian Hunter, Commanding Officer, [PC]
Jonathan Wright, Executive Officer, [PC]
Teilani Dane, Chief Medical Officer, [PC]
Dr. James McIntyre , Doctor , [NPC]
Margaret Rose MacAlister , Marine CO, [RNPC]

Stardate: 58209.15 2245

McIntyre watched as a marine entered Sickbay and laid a child on an exam table.

Dr. Dane ran a standard diagnostic panel while McIntyre cut away her clothing, which amounted to nothing more than rags which reeked from caked on dirt, vomit and excrement.

"She's been sick for a while ...severely emaciated ...looks to be about 12 years of age, " he said handing the rags to a nurse.

Dane nodded. "Yes you are right, at least no older then 14 or so.

"Her genetic composition appears.... Cardassian and Bajoran."

"That is correct James." Dane replied. "She is mixed blood."

The doctors continued their work. The biobed droned on with lights that flickered and pulsated across her body as it scanned and diagnosed her maladies.

McIntyre monitored the biobed's output, "her vitals are very feeble."

Dane nodded, "can you hand me that pulmonary stimulator?"

McIntyre picked up the device from the tray and handed it to Dane.

As Dane slowly but carefully prepared her medical checks she hinted at the Marine which was posted to the door.

"You think that is necessary James?"

He shook his head, "probably not, but maybe we should be careful," he said with wink. "Just in case she's dangerous."

"Oh come on James, you said it yourself, she looks like about 12 years old. How dangerous could she be?"

McIntyre chucked as he shifted his focus to her metabolic systems. "lots of problems...here " he muttered.

He looked up and poked at some holographic buttons, which reconfigured the output to show various charts which McIntyre pointed to. Liver functioning diminished, renal functioning impaired.

Dane looked on the diagnostic display as well. "Ok let's see heartbeat 60..; kidney function minimal… High elevation of white blood cells.. “Mnnn not good..� Look her endocrine levels are off the roof as well,� Dane said as she adjusted the display, causing more details to flow forward.

McIntyre frowned slightly, "I can't find much right with her, look at this," he said pointing toward a holographic read out above the patient, "Its an unusual antigen of some sort."

"Hmmm that’s indeed peculiar, perhaps that’s why her white blood count is so high. As if it is fighting an infection ." Dane said. "Lets take some blood samples." she continued while drawing a vial of blood. She then handed it over to McIntyre.

"I'll have that analyzed," he said pulling the vial from the hypo. "...And we should do a level 2 quarantine until we know what we're dealing with."

“Let’s keep her sedated and give her a broad IV range of antibiotics and nutrients. Let her body do the rest.� Dane said and handed some IV fluids to a nurse. McIntyre nodded at the nurse who recorded the recommendations in her chart.

When ever she is stable enough we can wake her up and ask Miranda to make some light chicken broth to start with. That will do her good."

"I wouldn't mind some of that myself," he said looking up, as he heard the sickbay doors slide open.

They opened with a whoosh as Jarvis led the Major into sickbay. "The commander will be here shortly," she said, "How is she doing?"

"The bairn's name is Clarice," Madge offered. "Although 'tis just what Commander Wright calls her," she clarified.

"The child is with the Commander?" asked McIntyre with a slightly dumbfounded look.

He listened as Madge briefed him with sparse details. She wasn't even finished when Hunter and Wright emerged into Sickbay.

Captain Hunter approached the Marine CO, "Status?"

Madge stood in a typical 'at ease' position. Her hands were clasped behind her back and her feet were shoulder width apart. "Appears we picked up a stow-away on Bajor, sir," Madge nodded towards he bed where the doctors were working on Clarice. "The wee bairn 'tis the lass who helped Commander Wright and I when that Cardassian virus was unleashed in the province we were in."

Wright was momentarily stunned by the news. He could not believe what he was hearing.

He crossed the room and stood next to Clarice's bed. How in the world had she managed to managed to get on the Zion, he thought.

The officer in him should have been quite upset that someone was allowed to stow away, but he really only felt relief. He was relieved that Clarice had been found.

He glanced at the medical displays, "How is she Doctor?"

“Touch and go Sir, we decided to keep her sedated and introduced a broad range of antibiotics and nutrients in her system. We have some tests pending and can tell you more once those are finished,� Dane explained professionally.

Wright nodded. "Please let me know when she wakes up."

“Of course.�

"So.." said Hunter stepping up next to her bed, "this is the child Number One?"

Wright turned to face the captain, "Yes Captain. She was on Bajor when the Major and I ran into that plague. This is the young girl who saved all those people."

"What is she doing on my ship?" Hunter said frowning.

Wright glanced at Jarvis. "I will endeavor to find an answer to that question for you Sir."

Hunter's ice blue eyes were now locked on Jarvis. But before he could share his displeasure in what a appeared to be a major security breach, his combadge chirped.

"Hunter here," he said without blinking away.

Jarvis silently clenched her teeth, but did not look away from Hunter's stare.

"Sir, the long range scanners have picked up some sort of disturbance near TR-Zero Three Five."

"I'm on my way."

His speech would have to wait, he dismissed her: "carry on Lieutenant."

With a brisk stride, he walked toward the door to the point where it opened and turned toward the Commander.

"Number One, you're with me."

Commander Wright exchanged glances with the doctors and followed Hunter out the door.

Dane looked at McIntyre as Hunter, Wright and Jarvis left sickbay. “Someone is in trouble…� Dane said with a light chuckle.