Title: Star Trek-Infinity: The Host [PG] (MISC) 
Author: Charles Rando (trando@worldnet.att.net) 
Series: MISC 
Rating: [PG] 
Part: NEW 1/2 
Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, and Peter David owns the Selelvian race (see his book, Strike Zone). I'd like to think that the characters I've invented and the story are mine. :-) 
Summary: A shuttle accident traps Lieutenants V'gel and Williams lightyears away... can Lieutenant Johnson fix the Infinity's computers before it's too late? 

	CHAPTER ONE 

	Chief Science Officer's Log, Stardate 49203.3- Lieutenant V'gel and I are embarking on an extraordinary first contact mission with the Hyun. The Infinity was contacted by the Hyun two days ago during our exploration of the Yetrin Epsilon sector. An exchange of information was established, and our first impression of the Hyun was that they are an extremely advanced race. It is possible that they are more scientifically advanced than we are. 
	Chief Cultural Officer's Log, Stardate 49203.3- I've been studying the vast amounts of information the Hyun sent us in our first communication. Although they appear to be much more scientifically advanced than we are, their culture is one resembling twenty-first century Earth. The Hyun, although they possess warp technology, have not left their system in over a century. Apparently, this first mission seventy-three years ago was a failure due to Klingon interference, and the Hyun have focused on other matters besides space travel. They are extremely curious about the space around them and the various cultures found there, but their first interstellar experience frightened them. The alliance between the Klingon Empire and the Federation tainted their opinion of us, considering that we had allied ourselves with the same race who had brutally attacked them. When the alliance fell apart, the Hyun decided to take a chance and made contact with us. Hopefully we'll be able to show them that we're not as bad as they may think. 
	To aid in our mission, we've enlisted the help of an old mentor of mine, Eliza Zarkin. The Zarkin symbiant is one of the oldest and most respected on all of Trill, and it has been involved in first contact situations for over three lifetimes. Hopefully she'll be able to sort out some of the misunderstandings the Hyun have about the Federation. 
	"We're entering Hyun space, Marianne," Lieutenant Phillip Williams announced. "So far they haven't attempted to make contact with us." 
	"I doubt they will until we establish orbit," Lieutenant V'gel replied. "They're going to want to confirm our identity before they talk to us." 
	"They sound like a bunch of nervous-nellies," Williams commented. "I mean, sure, so the first mission wasn't a success. But is that really enough to spoil your view of the entire universe?" 
	Zarkin spoke up to answer that question. "Actually Lieutenant, it was difficult enough for their space program to convince the general populace to let that first mission take place. Even before they encountered the Klingons, the Hyun were very afraid of what they might find out here. Their first mission is a failure, and then the only other people they border ally themselves with the Klingons. They've probably felt isolated ever since." 
	"Well, at least they put their time in isolation to good use," Williams said. "The advancements they've made, they'd put a smile on Commander Neddek's face." 
	V'gel nodded. "It's too bad he couldn't accompany us. What a time for the ship to get a virus in its bio-neural circuits!" 
	A chuckle escaped V'gel's companion. "Oh I'm sure you wanted Neddek along for scientific reasons!" Williams scoffed. 
	"Are you implying something, Phil?" 
	"Only what I've seen, Marianne. I remember the last time I saw you act like that around a guy. It was right before I went off to Starfleet Academy, and you were...." 
	"Commander Neddek and I have a professional relationship," V'gel interjected, a bit of a blush appearing on her face. "Not that I haven't known many interesting Vulcans." 
	"You know, Marianne, I don't think I'll ever get used to that slug inside you," Williams said. "When I think of Trill, I picture the spots running down the body and all that. You don't fit the picture at all." 
	V'gel agreed that she did not, because she was actually only half-Trill. She was also half-human, and on this human side, she was Williams' cousin. Marianne had been the first half-Trill to be joined, and the symbiant V'gel had been the first symbiant to be joined to a partial Trill. It had created an unique experience for the aging symbiant, one that might not be repeated for a long time. 
	"Of course," Williams went on, "I would think that bonding with your symbiant would repress some of your individualistic tendencies." 
	"You know that the relationship between the symbiant and the host is a completely mutual one, Phil. The person you see now is a combination of those two beings, so of course bits of the old me would still exist." 
	"Sorry, Marianne. I guess I'm more of a scientific-kind of guy. In most combinations I witness, the end result is totally different from the initial ingredients." 
	"We've served on the same ship for over a year and you still have figured me out yet, have you Phil?" 
	"Hey, I hadn't figured you out after seventeen years! Why should I start now?" He glanced at his instruments. "We're approaching the Hyun solar system. We should arrive in orbit in a few minutes. I'm dropping out of warp speed." 
	The small shuttle they were traveling in slowed down gradually. The streaking stars that had filled the windows of the shuttle became fixed points again as the ship switched to impulse power, but then they became streaks again. 
	"We've got a problem!" Williams blurted out as the shuttle suddenly shook. "We didn't come completely out of warp, and the warp engines are becoming unbalanced! If I don't get it under control..." 
	The viewscreen suddenly exploded with an image of swirling light. The small ship shook and jerked as it was pounded by tremendous subspace forces. 
	"It looks like we've entered some kind of wormhole," V'gel said, "but I'm not sure how." 
	"If the warp engines are thrown too far out of alignment, there's the possibility of an unstable wormhole being created. I've got to get the engines back into alignment before the wormhole's forces tear us apart!" 
	"What can I do to help?" V'gel asked. 
	"We have to cut the flow of antimatter to the reactor core. Once we get the antimatter levels down, we'll introduce more matter to flush out the reaction, and then we'll shut the whole thing down. Once I get the antimatter flow down to zero, I need you to increase the matter flow by 20%," Williams said. 
	"I'm on it," V'gel replied. 
	Time seemed to pass slowly as Williams slowly decreased the antimatter flow. If the flow was slowed too quickly, the engine would be thrown even more off balance and the shuttle would be destroyed. It was necessary to reduce both matter and antimatter flows by the exact same amount. This meant that the matter flow would be shut off before the antimatter flow, and as soon as the antimatter flow was cut off, matter would have to be introduced to clean the reactor core. 
	"Get ready, Marianne," Williams instructed. Slowly but surely the antimatter flow inched towards zero until finally it was completely off. "Increase the matter flow now!" 
	"Introducing matter into the core," V'gel replied. 
	"It's working," Williams said. "As soon as the core has been cleansed, I can bring us out of warp." He glanced at his instruments. "Okay, I'm taking us down to impulse power." 
	The swirling colors on the viewscreen were replaced briefly by streaking stars and then by fixed points of light as the shuttle came out of warp. This time, however, the shuttle did not return to warp. 
	"Where are we?" V'gel said. "This doesn't look like the Hyun homeworld." 
	Williams checked his readouts and announced, "It looks like we've gone right through Hyun space, through the Klingon empire, and a good couple dozen thousand light-years to the other side of the Beta Quadrant." 
	"That doesn't sound particularly good," V'gel said. "How could we go so far in just a few minutes?" 
	"The wormhole we traveled to brought us here," Williams said. "To travel at normal warp, it would take us fifty years to return to Klingon space. That's how far away we are." He stood and stretched. "Unfortunately, we won't be going anywhere until I determine what threw our warp engines off kilter, and to do that we're going to have to land." 
	"We've got another problem," V'gel said from behind him. Williams turned around to see Zarkin lying on the floor, a huge gash across her forehead. "She's dying." 
	CHAPTER TWO 
	"Commander, I have the results of the level three diagnostic we ran," said Lieutenant Rita Quiles. 
	"Fascinating. The computer still insists that it is operating normally. Unfortunately, we know this is not the case," Commander Neddek replied. The chief engineer thought for a second and then replied, "Run a level two diagnostic. We must first diagnose what is wrong before we can attempt to repair the computer." 
	"Yes sir," Quiles replied. 
	"Lieutenant Johnson, what is your status?" Neddek asked the young officer emerging from a Jeffries tube nearby. 
	"Sir, I've found three more bioneural packs that are malfunctioning, but I'm not sure why. Everything checks out when I scan them, but if I try to run programs on them, they get all screwed up." 
	"It is unfortunate that we are the first ship to suffer from a virus in its bioneural packs. It would be helpful to have a previous situation to learn from," Neddek said. 
	"Sir, if this really is a virus, perhaps we should get Doctor Calabretta down here to run some tests. Maybe he can tell us something new," Johnson said. 
	"I believe you are taking the term 'virus' out of context, Lieutenant. This would appear to be a computer virus, not a biological virus," Neddek said. 
	"But that's the thing, Commander, we are dealing with biological components. Maybe we have been using the term 'virus' out of context," Johnson said. 
	"Interesting theory, Lieutenant," Neddek replied. Over the last few weeks of working with the new OPS chief, Neddek had become used to saying that phrase. Lieutenant Chris Johnson had MANY interesting theories about making the ship run smoother or dealing with any problems they ran into. And more often than not, his ideas had worked. "Considering we have little other options at this point, I will allow you to carry out your plan. Contact the doctor immediately." 
	"Yes sir!" Johnson exclaimed. 
	Neddek watched with wonder as excitement spread across the young officer's face. It was interesting how these humans allowed their emotions to run so freely, especially during a crisis. It seemed to go against every fiber of his Vulcan being, but then again, so did most of the races he encountered. He realized he would have to accept that not all races could be as logical as his fellow Vulcans. 
	****************************************************** 
	"Captain, we're being hailed by the Hyun homeworld," Lieutenant Remley announced. 
	"Put it onscreen, Lieutenant," Captain Rando ordered. 
	A humanoid feline appeared on the viewscreen, dressed in garish colors that seemed to indicate no logical color scheme. When the Hyun spoke, there was a brief hissing accompanying all "s" sounds. "Thiss iss Firsst Leader Ssyrum of the Hyun. To whom do I sspeak?" 
	"This is Captain Charles Rando of the Federation starship Infinity . How may I be of service, First Leader?" 
	"Your sship wass to ssend a delegation to meet with uss. They have not yet arrived," Syrum replied. 
	"Captain, they should have arrived two hours ago," Remley said. 
	"Do you have any idea what happened to them, First Leader?" Rando asked. 
	"We tracked them entering out ssysstem, but ass they dropped out or warp, there wass a ssudden ssubsspace power ssurge and they dissappeared. Our ssensors tracked them heading towardss Klingon sspace. Why would the Federation wissh to communicate with thosse who are no longer their alliess?" 
	"I assure you, First Leader, if our shuttle did head into Klingon space, is was not by their doing. While the Federation and Klingon empire used to be allies, that is no longer the case, and as you know the Klingons are aggressively territorial. If a Federation ship were to enter their territory, it would be destroyed." 
	"Unlesss, of coursse, the Federation had permisssion to enter Klingon space," Syrum said, "perhapss to begin a joint Federation/Klingon invassion of our sspace?" 
	"I can assure you, First Leader, that is not the case," Rando said. 
	"Then you would not mind ssending another delegation to our planet? Perhapss your sship thiss time?" Syrum asked. 
	"Unfortunately that is not possible at the time, First Leader. Our ship's computer is down and we are attempting to repair it. We won't be able to go anywhere until it is up and running." 
	"Well, I musst ssay that iss a coinscidensce. We will jusst have to usse our own forscess to 'find' your misssing delegation. Jusst keep in mind that there iss currently no reasson that I can ssee for uss to return them to you alive. Hyun homeworld out." 
	"First Leader, I repeat that..." Rando started to say before the viewscreen suddenly lost the image of the large feline. He turned to his first officer. "This is not good." 
	"I would have to agree, Captain," Commander Kevin Witherell replied. "I sense the Hyun leader is willing to go to war over this incident." 
	Rando sighed. "Get me Starfleet Command," he ordered. "We have to salvage this situation." 
	CHAPTER THREE 
	Lieutenant Williams brought the shuttle to the ground as softly as he could. The trip through the wormhole had deactivated the structural integrity field, and each turn and bump was felt throughout the ship, much to the discomfort of Eliza Zarkin. 
	"How's she doing?" Williams asked his cousin as he shut down the shuttle. 
	"I've been trying to stabilize her, but it looks like the host body is suffering brain damage. The rest of her is starting to shut down," V'gel replied. 
	"If her body dies, how long can the symbiant stay alive?" Williams asked. 
	"At most a few hours. A joined Trill symbiant must be immediately inserted into a new host body or returned to the Trill bathes." 
	"Neither of those seem to be a possibility right now. We're thousands of light-years from Trill. Could we put her in stasis?" Williams asked. 
	"We don't have the equipment," V'gel answered. "And of course the Infinity had to come down with a computer virus. J.W. could get the ship here in seconds." 
	Williams checked his tricorder. "I'm not sure about that, Marianne," he said, and then quickly corrected himself. "Of course J.W. could get the ship here in seconds, but I doubt they'd know where to look. This planet's ionosphere would block out any scanning device they have on the Infinity ." 
	"We can't let her die, Phil. The Zarkin symbiant has seen so much, lived through so many experiences. It still has at least three more lifetimes ahead of it!" V'gel exclaimed. 
	"The symbiant?" Williams demanded. "What about the host? Who knows how many more years Eliza would have had?" 
	"The symbiant must survive," V'gel responded calmly. "It is the number one priority of the host to insure the safety of the symbiant." 
	"All right then, but what can we do?" Williams asked. "We can't dunk the symbiant in the Trill bathes, and we sure as hell can't transplant it into a new host." 
	V'gel was silent for a moment. "Actually, we might be able to do that." 
	"Do what?" Williams asked. He didn't like the way his cousin was staring at him. 
	"We could transplant the symbiant... into you." 
	"Me?" Williams responded. "But Trill symbiants can't survive in humans!" 
	"It's true that symbiants and humans can't be joined for a lifetime, but a human body can host a Trill symbiant for a few days. Commander Riker on the Enterprise did it a few years ago. Although it was very painful for him, both of them survived, and Commander Riker wasn't changed at all by the experience," V'gel said. 
	"Marianne, I need to inspect the warp engines on this thing. If we're going to have a chance of being found, we need to get off this planet," Williams protested. "My mind has to be absolutely focused. How bad would this pain be?" 
	"The longer the symbiant is in you, the worse it will get. Your body will be essentially trying to reject the symbiant, and the pain you feel will be what the symbiant is experiencing," V'gel said. 
	"And you actually think we have the equipment and knowledge to make such a transfer?" 
	"We definitely have the proper equipment, and all joined Trill learn the basics of transplanting a symbiant. Don't forget, our primary mission is to protect the symbiant." 
	"Yeah, you said that already." Williams sighed. "All right, but I think we should leave the symbiant inside Eliza until it's absolutely necessary to transfer it. We have no idea how long it will be before the Infinity can come get us." 
	"I'll prepare her for the transplant. Maybe you can start working on the engines?" 
	"I'll do that." He looked at her. "After all, who knows what I'll be able to do once I'm writhing in pain?" 
	V'gel said nothing. 
	****************************************************** 
	"Well, Doc, what do you think?" Lieutenant Johnson asked. 
	"I'm not picking up anything on my tricorder," Doctor Calabretta replied. "Of course, these bio-neural tissues are so new, I'm not sure what to look for. Take out the portable holographic projector. Let's see what Nanci thinks." 
	Lieutenant Johnson placed the small device on the floor of the Jeffries tube and activated it. The holographic image of Doctor McDonald appeared before them. 
	"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," she replied, the only statement she was programmed to say when activated. 
	"The ship has some type of computer virus. Lieutenant Johnson thinks that because we have bio-neural tissue in our circuits, it might be a biological virus we're dealing with. What do you think?" Calabretta asked. 
	"There is no record of that occurring on any other starship with bio-neural technology. However, it is not outside the realm of extreme possibilities," McDonald replied. 
	"Unfortunately, we can't pick up anything on the tricorders," Calabretta said. 
	Johnson looked like he was lost in thought before he finally said, "What if we use Doctor McDonald as a tricorder? No offense, Doctor," he added quickly. 
	"No offense taken, Lieutenant," McDonald replied. "Please... explain your idea." 
	"If we shrink you down to microscopic size and deactivate your solidity, you could look at the tissue from the inside." 
	"Is that possible, Chris?" Calabretta asked. 
	McDonald was silent for a moment, and then she said, "I've downloaded the specs for the bio-neural tissue implants. 
	"I don't see why not," Johnson said, adjusting the projector. There was a flash of light, and McDonald disappeared. "There we go." 
	"She's actually inside the bio-neural pack?" Calabretta asked. 
	"Her body consists of refracted light and tractor beams," Johnson said. "It was easy to redefine her parameters and shrink her down." 
	The two men were silent as they waited for McDonald to contact them. They both looked up as the comm. system was activated, but it wasn't McDonald's voice they heard. 
	"Calabretta, I don't feel well. Cough cough." 
	"J.W., we're quite busy now," Calabretta replied, turning his attention back to the bio-neural pack. 
	"You are the doctor on this ship. Cough. You are supposed to take care of the sick. Cough sniffle. I am sick," J.W. said. 
	"He's been bugging me ever since the computer virus was activated. I keep on telling him there's nothing I can do for him, but he won't listen. But I think the most annoying thing is his imitation of a sick patient! He doesn't just cough, he actually says 'cough!'" 
	"J.W., the reason you don't feel well is because the computer has a virus. As soon as we get rid of the virus, you'll feel better," Johnson said. "We'll work much faster if you don't bother us." 
	"Cough, sniffle, honk." 
	"McDonald to Doctor Calabretta. I am finished here. Please have Lieutenant Johnson return me to my normal size," came McDonald's voice over the comm. system. 
	Johnson quickly responded, and McDonald instantly appeared where she had been before. 
	"It would seem your theory was correct, Lieutenant Johnson. The bio-neural packs are infected with a biological virus. As far as I can tell, it has the Rigallian flu," McDonald said. 
	"Rigallian flu," Calabretta replied thoughtfully. "Wasn't Lieutenant Krodel extremely prone to getting Rigallian flu?" 
	"Yes Doctor. The last time he was treated for Rigallian flu was right after he injured himself working in a Jeffries tube. That was a week before he transfered off the ship." 
	"He was working on the bio-neural circuits too," Johnson said. "He slipped and put his fist right through one." 
	"What if... what if Lieutenant Krodel infected the bio-neural pack he punctured? Then, before it was removed, it spread the infection to its neighboring packs?" Calabretta speculated. 
	"That could be it," Johnson said. "But why didn't we pick it up on the tricorders?" 
	"It takes a very intense scan to pick up Rigallian flu," Calabretta said, "and that's only once the virus is active. If it were lying dormant in the packs, a simple tricorder wouldn't have been able to detect it. If we had brought a pack down to sickbay... but that's not an issue now. Let's go inform Commander Neddek of our findings. I think we're going to have to treat the ship just like we treated Lieutenant Krodel. 400cc's of tetracyclene in each pack should work." 
	"Let's go," Johnson said. 
	Suddenly, the ship shook and the lights dimmed. Within a few seconds, the two men found themselves floating in the air. 
	"The ship's systems are shutting down," Johnson stated. "This is going to complicate matters." 
	"Nanci, transfer yourself back to sickbay. I have a feeling we're going to be getting some patients down there, and it looks like you'll be the only one on solid ground," Calabretta said. 
	"Yes Doctor," McDonald replied and then vanished. 
	"Lieutenant Johnson to Commander Neddek," Johnson started. 
	"This is Neddek. Do you have news for me?" Neddek asked. 
	"Doctor Calabretta thinks the bio-neural packs are infected with the Rigallian flu. As soon as we can get out the this Jeffries tube, we can start vaccinating the packs." 
	"Unfortunately, that will not be possible. I am detecting forcefields in place around you. There are also forcefields in place around sickbay," Neddek said. 
	Calabretta shook his head. "Well... THAT'S convenient!" he exclaimed. Looking up at the ceiling, he demanded, "Who writes this stuff?" 
	"Would it be possible to transport the vaccine from sickbay to where we are?" Johnson asked. 
	"The transporter systems are currently down," Neddek said. "However, the replicator systems are still online, and there is an active replicator near you which is inside the confines of your forcefield." 
	"But we're going to need to have the specs. for tetracyclene to replicate it," Calabretta said. 
	"Can we get Doctor McDonald back here?" Johnson asked. 
	"I'll find out. Calabretta to Doctor McDonald. How are things down in sickbay?" Calabretta asked. 
	"There was quite a disturbance when I arrived, but all the patients have been taken care of," McDonald replied. 
	"We need you back here, Nanci. We need the specs. for the replicator so we can make some tetracyclene," Calabretta said. 
	"I can not leave the patients unattended," McDonald replied. 
	"I know how you feel, Nanci, but the situation will be rectified much faster for everyone if you're here." 
	"Very well." 
	With a flash of light, McDonald appeared in front of them again. 
	"The replicator is located is tube K-23," Neddek informed them. "I suggest you hurry before the computer shuts down further." 
	"We're on our way, Commander," Johnson said. 
	The two men started to float down towards the replicator as Doctor McDonald crawled behind them. 
	CHAPTER FOUR 
	"I can't believe I'm going through with this," Williams commented as V'gel slowly made an incision across his stomach. 
	"Don't worry, Phil, you'll be fine," V'gel replied calmly. "Now, I've given you some rejection inhibitors so that your body doesn't react to the symbiant at first. Unfortunately, continued use of the inhibitors will damage your immune system, and I won't be able to give more than a day's worth." 
	"I just hope the Infinity gets here before it's too late," Williams said. "Ok, I think I'm ready." 
	"I remember when I was joined. I was lying on the operating table, right next to Kyla V'gel. She was over eighty years old at the time, but she was still so strong. Once the symbiant is removed, the connection is broken, and the host is left totally alone. But she was making jokes, and I think she actually enjoyed the experience. I was really too nervous to tell," V'gel said. While she spoke, she carefully removed the Zarkin symbiant from the unconscious form of Eliza. She hoped that the sound of her voice would calm Williams a little. "Okay, here we go." 
	Williams didn't notice his cousin slipping the tail of the symbiant into the incision in his stomach, but seconds later after she had spoken, he did feel as if something were inside him. Then he heard a voice inside his head, and within seconds the connection between the symbiant and his brain was complete. 
	"Phil, are you okay?" V'gel asked. 
	"V'gel? It is good to see you again. I thought I would never experience being joined again. But this new body... it is not Trill is it?" 
	"No Zarkin. It is human, in fact, it is my cousin," V'gel answered. 
	Williams seemed to be giving himself a good look over. "How strange to be in a body without spots," he said. Then he flinched, as if he had been slapped across the face. When he spoke again, the calm voice of the symbiant was gone. "Marianne, you said that the host and the symbiant merge to form a new personality. As far as I can tell, we're still pretty separate." 
	"When Commander Riker was joined, the connection did take place. However, as I said, once the symbiant was removed, his original personality returned," V'gel said. 
	"Well then why haven't we merged?" Williams asked. "This is not what I was expecting. I feel like I'm suffering from multiple personalities!" 
	"In a way, I suppose you are," V'gel said. "Are you resisting the bonding in any way? Perhaps when a human bonds with a Trill symbiant, the power of subconscious thought is enough to keep the connection from taking place." 
	"Believe me, I want to have this connection take place. The sooner it starts, the sooner it can end," Williams said. 
	"Then I do not know why you are not merging with the symbiant. This could complicate matters." 
	"Why's that?" Williams asked, struggling to sit up and finding the process very uncomfortable. 
	"Trill symbiants depend upon the mental connection between host and symbiant like food. It's one of the reasons we must immediately transfer the symbiant to a new body when the old host dies. In worse case situations, we bring the symbiant to the Trill baths where it can connect mentally with other symbiants. But if there is no connection between you and the symbiant, it'll still die."