EPISODE 62: When Fever Spreads and the Shadows Hold Secrets

0:28噢節目

0:42He didn't give you any idea at all? Nothing. Just said grab you, grab your socks, and head over to the barn immediately. Why socks? I don't know. It's Zeke. When he gets excited about anything, he just uses random words out of place. You've known him longer than me, Mr. Kelley.

1:14The hell took you two so long? Didn't I say damn quick? Geez, Mr. Station Manager. Sorry we had all that blizzard to wade through. No, no, I'm sorry, Longman. I'm really sorry. Just... Damn it! Zeke, what happened? What's the matter? Man. Man. Okay, it's, uh... See, it's like, uh... Okay, you are freaking me out here, buddy. Just sit down, man. Let's talk this through. Yeah, all right. Okay. Um, y 'all remember last month, before you headed out to Emory Station, we had a meeting out here. Patrick had been updating the wiring and was sleeping in the back room for a few days, remember? Yeah, hard to forget that smell.

1:59It made me kind of lightheaded. Yeah, right. Okay, well, remember when we said we had the other room that could be cleared out to make a second room with the kitchen area for the old pole would be? Well, I figured since things were going fairly smoothly recently, I'd head over there and start clearing some out. I started moving old crates and boxes when I found one that looked like them soft-insulated cooler bags. All right, go on. Well, the flap was open, and I looked in to make sure it was empty, and... Yeah, it wasn't empty. What was inside of it? I took a photo here before I walked the whole thing outside and buried it for safety.

2:38I put a marker flag over it in the ice so we can find it again. Uh-oh. Yeah. Yeah, Tom, you're damn right, uh-oh. You look here, long man. Uh-oh. Is this, uh... Yep. That's a biological hazard warning sticker on the inside. That vial within, notice how the contents leaked all over and stained the inside of that case. Also look at the label. Beauregard Lawing Viral Research Department, BSL-3, Coxilla Burnetti, June 1st, 1993. Well, I think it's safe to say Coxella Bernetti isn't a researcher's name. This bag was in the room behind where we have the bedroom set up. Yeah. Damn, Mom. Man, I'm so sorry.

3:36We were just excited to set this place up for you that it just never occurred to us that we should first check the rest of the joint out. That's stupid. I can't believe I did that. Zeke. Come on, buddy. This isn't your fault. It isn't anyone's fault, other than the moron from 1993 who didn't secure samples properly. Okay, guys, let's take a few breaths here and logic this out. Holy moly! Is it even safe to breathe in here anymore? Mr. Thomas, I don't think it's necessary for you to breathe through your hand like that and cover your mouth. Guys, seriously, okay. The picture says the sample was out here in 93.

4:11What is that, like 30 years ago? The vial is broken. The bottom of the cooler or bag or whatever this is, is stained. Frozen liquids don't tend to stain, so any exposure occurred long before the station was shut down in the early, what, 2000s? It's been exposed to the air all that time. It's constant below freezing temps. We may not have anything to worry about here. I don't know, Deputy Marshall. I think we might need to... We will, Mr. Kelly. We will. First, let's take this photo and show it to Dr. Timms. If she doesn't know what co-ops, whatever it is, she can look it up and tell us if there's any reason to worry.

4:51And if there is, how much worry? Yeah, I think I'm with Tommy on this here, Beth. I need to think like the station manager on this one, because I've got all these people I'm looking over to take care of. I get that, buddy. I swear I do. Look, let's look at the facts first, though, okay? That bag with the vial has been sitting here at least since 98, maybe all the way back as 93. Even if it's airborne and we've been infected, which I'm not saying we are, then we've been exposed to it for over three months now since we first started using the barn. We've been back and forth from the main station to here, from the main station to the external science buildings, if, if, there is contamination potential, it may have already spread station wide.

5:42Are you trying to help this situation, lawman, or trying to give me higher blood pressure? My point is, if it got out, isolation of the nine people who've been in the barn wouldn't matter. We're all stuck here in Munson Scott until October and the summer season anyway. De facto quarantine. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's just go talk to Dr. Timms. Not to alarm you, Deputy Marshal, but hasn't Dr. Jennings been under the weather several times recently? Yeah, you're correct, Mr. Kelly. She has been. But again, we don't know what the symptoms were supposed to be on the lookout for.

6:24So let's get more information, understand what this is and what we should do. what to look out for, how to deal with it. Then we'll be in a better place. Dr. Timms?

6:41Go ahead, Marshal. Just finishing up me eggs and potatoes. Doctor, Zeke and I need to chat with you privately. We're in one of the exterior buildings, but we're heading back. Fifteen minutes. There's a bit of worry in your voice there, Marshal Alright, lads We'll have a chat in my office once you're back I'll see you then, yeah? Recording stopped Ugh, sweet suffering Jesus What in the name of all that's holy made you think that was a grand idea? Doctor, it's not like he knew that it was... I don't remember asking you a single thing, Marshal You'll get your turn, I promise Now, out with it, Ezekiel.

7:27You see a vial with BSL-3, bio-safety level 3 on it, and you stick your nose in the case? I didn't know it was going to be inside. All the scary-looking forked tongues making a circle on the yellow background didn't give you a clue, you twit. Okay, now, to be fair, the one on the outside of the bag was facing away from me. It wasn't until I opened the top that I saw the one inside. Besides, who puts contaminants inside of a food storage area? I suppose I shouldn't even be asking you boys what you were doing inside that old pole anyway. Something to do with where Frederick sneaks off to every so often?

8:00Sneaking some booze, are we? It's, uh... It's complicated, Doctor. Fine, fine. Keep your secrets if you must. In any case, I've heard of this disease years before. It's also known as Q fever. It's illogical based and can be passed to humans through dried animal fluids, birth products, urines, feces, or milk, which becomes aerosolized and inhaled. That's how we think we got it, Doc. By inhaling the air in the room next to where the open container was. But, if I remember correctly, human-to-human transmission is almost... Yes, as I thought. Human-to-human transmission is exceedingly rare, and when it does occur, it's through blood transfusion, sexual contact, close intimate exchanges, that sort of thing.

8:45So then, if we do have it... The chances you brought it back are as close to zero as they can get. Only exception would be if you're having relations with anybody on station. Like Kendra and I, or Mr. Ferguson, and who? Oh, you boys, you boys. So then, what I'm hearing is that we have less to worry about than we thought when we first walked in. It's not all smooth sailing, lads. I'm gonna want to run a full panel of blood tests on each year. Oh, man. I hate needles. Oh, would you cop on, Ezekiel? I'll be sticking a tiny needle in your arm, not hacking it off with a butter knife. Okay, so of the nine people you listed off that are part of your little Hallions group, anybody have unusual symptoms?

9:31Symptoms like fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dizziness or lightheadedness, blood pressure issues or muscle aches, joint pain. Ah, the look you two are passing each other tells me that's an eye. So, who will we be starting with? Kendra has every symptom you just described Need you to level with me, Dr. Timms Is this thing curable? It is If any of you turn out to have it The test should say if it's acute Or evolved to chronic If it's mild or moderate I'll have you on an antibiotic like doxycycline For a couple weeks and you'll be right as rain If it's taken hold and progressed It's still treatable but with some concerns To the heart valves or liver Let's just see what the test come back with Before we start prescribing treatment, Marshal I'm assuming since you didn't want me to talk about this in the open, you also want me to be discreet with blood tests?

10:20Yeah, it's probably for the best. Yeah, Doc. Why am I not surprised? Alright, we'll start with Kendra then. One of you two buffoons can explain to her why she needs to come in, and I'll start blood draws, serology processing, CBC and liver function tests, and throw in the PCR testing since you're ruining my day. Because it's just me doing the draws and testing, this will take about a day for each person testing. I understand. Thank you, Doctor. Very much. We'll do everything we can, Marshal. Don't go worrying too much now. Working even better than any of our previous forecast models were predicting.

10:55I know, Dr. Wainwright, that the loss of time from having to ensure the station didn't break up going through the bulk wasn't planned. However, to call events for a failure would be a massive disservice. I must admit, leery as I may have been at first, this latest data is turning out to be a wonderful surprise. You say this is the third verified signal recorder, the third. At this point, I am more than confident in saying, unless there are unforeseen external environmental factors introduced, the ability to fully track the station is more than confirmed. Oh, indeed, indeedy-do. With this new information, the new information, tracking the unique gravimetric resonance frequency from the beacon signature against the local Bain background, we can monitor the station, monitor it, as it moves within the null space and its bane, not the bad mendelin, superimposing the intersection points and time with our reality.

11:49This is just wonderful news to pen this, in fact. So when she reappears in a year, we can have a strike force armed and ready to secure the station. Was a bit surprised to see that recommendation to Beauregard Lowing and the Defense Intelligence Agency coming from you, Wainwright. Do you honestly believe it's going to be necessary to take such drastic and direct steps? I mean, Emery is there. Oh, don't go getting all soft on us now, love. Remember that Marlow and its mates have now bullocked things up not once but twice on that station, interfering in classified government operations and jeopardizing national security?

12:24Don't forget saving your life. Most likely the rest of ours as well from stopping you during your psychotic episode. His uninvited and constant presence, no doubt amplifying the effects of the background, I'm sure. Had he not buggered his way onto station without an invite, my reaction most likely would have only been mild irritation and not as pronounced. Oh, tale as old as time. Snuck up from behind and sedated by a man with a ventriloquist dolly. I mean, we've all been there, right? Right? Actually, the best blind date ever had. Be that as it may, I must agree with Dr. Lorenz. Let's not be too hasty with Mr.

13:03Waters. His familiarity with the station and the artificial intelligence may be a valuable commodity. He'll never betray the station or Kylie and willingly share data with us. Oh, I think the situation isn't as complicated as you believe, Doctor. I was waiting until we could all be present and gather together to share this little tidbit. I implanted the malware virus while on station. You did what? What? Well, don't everybody rush to thank me all at once. You mean it was deployed after all? I was to be consulted before, before that plan was implemented. And if it had been me who initiated the plan, I would have.

13:45Nobody could have predicted what was going to happen. Delum made a split second call. But how did you get access, get past the AI trollop? When Beacon 3 went down, had to be wiped in the software, reinitialized, I was the only one left in the room. Dr. Darber had left previously, and Jocelyn stormed off to find the intruder, leaving behind her bag with the virus on the cell phone. I had been given the basic access rights to upload the beacon and tie its systems in with the other three. When I was given that access, I uploaded it. And it was successful. Oh, yeah, it's successful. Wait, what are we talking about now?

14:24I still think this is an overly aggressive direction. I'm sorry. I thought the goal of this entire project was not simply locate and secure the station, but to make sure that we have a... ...security of the country. Removing the firewall that AI represents and is in our way is a problem. I just introduced the solution to that problem, and you all want to criticize me. That doesn't make any sense. I, for one, think you did a bang-up job. Stepped up when I was... incapacitated.

14:58Nevertheless, what has been done is done. I need to notify Beauregard Lohan once we're concluded here. We'll need to ensure plans going forward to take this factor into consideration. Your plans to storm the battlements and secure the castle with the strike team you proposed? Nothing like securing the station for five days with a team of grunts with twitchy trigger fingers and brutish demeanors. No offense, Agent. Oh, I don't just plan to secure the castle for five days, Doctor. My proposal is to continue and coordinate Project Atlas in conjunction with the team here at Amundsen-Scott from within the Canadian station.

15:35Myself and two teams of specialists will be attending Event 5, where we will take up permanent residence until the station can be stabilized. Wait, what? Oh, I love a good plot twist. Almost as much as I love a cinnamon twist. You know what I mean?

15:54Recording started. Okay. Thank you everybody for showing up quickly. And I assure you all wouldn't be here right now if this wasn't important. Like, why are we inside the computer aquarium and not the barn? Wow. Look at all electronic doohickeys. These are things that helped us get to the moon in 69. Ah, 69. Nice one, blue guy. Know what I'm saying? Come on now, y 'all. This here is serious. I need y 'all to listen up. Now, look, first off, I need to say how sorry I am. There was... man, there's no easy way to say this. Zeke was cleaning up inside the rooms behind the barn and found a viral infectious agent from 1993.

16:41What? My mom always said, don't sugarcoat issues. Just spill the news and you don't have to pay for cavities later. Thanks, Tommy. Oh, my. Wait. Are you guys being serious right now? Okay. What kind of affection are we talking about? Is it like the gout? Does the station have the right medicine? It's not the gout, Mr. Ferguson. Look, everyone, please. We'll tell you everything we know and what the next steps should be. Is this why I've been so sick? We think so. Maybe. Look, this is what we know. Earlier today, Zeke was cleaning up the storage room behind where the bed space in the barn sits. was going to make it ready for another possible usable birth.

17:23Anyway, there was a collapsible foam-insulated cooler, and inside that cooler was a lab vial from 1993. It had been damaged and leaked contents out into the bag. That bag was sitting there in that room since the 90s, and the old pole was set down until today when I found it. I took it, walked it out about 200 feet, and buried that container in the ice, marked it, and called Tommy the lawman. We immediately went to Dr. Tim's with pictures of the vials so we could figure out what it was. And according to her, it's called Q fever. A virus that will make us omnipotent like Q from Star Trek? Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.

17:59If this gal can take out little Fred, we got to do something like now, guy. What? No. He said omnipotent. Ah, no, no. Ain't nothing nipping my tip, bro. Gal does that to you, you know. Will you all shut the fuck up and let him talk?

18:16Hey, Doc. It's gonna be okay. How can you possibly know that? Look, everyone, I know I'm the newest kid in the club here, but maybe we should let the fellas get out the whole story, huh? Tell us everything about what Catherine told them, and then we can ask questions once we have that full story. Would that be okay? Makes sense to me. Yeah. Same here. Oh. Go ahead, Bass. you were saying? Q fever? Right. Thanks, Sid. So based on the scientific name of the vial, she said it was also known as Q fever. That it comes from farm animals, livestock, and affects humans from the excrement that dries and spreads through the air.

19:03It's not fatal, extremely easy to cure if we have it with the medicine she has on station. And it's only serious if the exposure was extreme or goes untreated for too long. So like, even if If we have it, we take two Advil and then just get on with our bad selves? What are the symptoms of the virus? It was muscle and joint pain, general low energy, lightheaded, feeling sick and vomiting. They're the ones I remember. She wants us all to come in for blood testing. Even though this virus can't really be spread person to person, we want to avoid a station panic. So we're going to go in one at a time, and Dr.

19:41Timms will run a series of tests on each of us. We'll start with anybody who's exhibiting any of the symptoms I listed, or if you have any other concerns, like low immune system. Well, I know I've had all of those, and then some since we've been using the barn. I'm so sorry about that, Cameron. I should have searched things more fully before I started using it. I can't fix what's already happened, but I sure as hell make sure there ain't nothing else nasty in there. I hope you can forgive me. It's not your fault, Zeke. You had no way of knowing. Nobody would suspect a highly dangerous virus would be left in the open in a highly public place in 1993.

20:20You did nothing that needs forgiving. Anybody else have symptoms? I'm fine as a fiddle, G, man. I don't have the same guts and gizzards I had before becoming a puppet. Pretty sure I'm aces. But, like, what about the big guy? Hey, hey, hey, German Mountain. Hi. Y 'all chillin'? The plook is all good, Hophead. never gets sick or takes on the champ. All the same, I'll have the moose here check in with the patty croak and get the old high-handy ho. Oh, maybe have a take a look at the old war room downstairs while I'm at it, eh? Oh, now, I ain't never fought no puppet before, but you're trying to do that furry stuff on my girl.

21:00Gorilla or no gorilla behind you, we're gonna have words. You know what I'm saying? Am I the only one curious why a month since Scott was storing dangerous biological vile agents back in the 90s? The only one alarmed at the carelessness and disregard of how samples were handled? It's top of my mind, Sydney. Trust me. If we're going to keep using the barn, we'll need to do a complete search of the other rooms to ensure no mortal surprises. We don't have biohazard suits or tie-back gear. The closest thing we would have is fire gear and respirators. That will have to do, then. Let's figure out the order of blood testing.

21:38Tell Dr. Timms and then Mr. Ferguson and I can gear up and do a full search of the rest of the barn building. I tell you right now, boyo, I better not get no gout, you know what I'm saying? I'm gonna go walk Kendra over to the clinic and get her started with blood work. For the blood testing or just put me last. Last one I have to meet, got it. Honey, I appreciate the offer, but I wanted to go by myself. I'm okay. Sort of. You sure? I'm sure. Alright. Alright. I'll come see you later tonight, after Mr. Fergus and I are done with the bar. Recording stopped. Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023. It's 1340 hours.

22:24Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Marlow. During routine activities here on station, a discarded vial of what later turned out to be a contagious viral agent was discovered. The vile label and site decommission date indicate contamination began 15, 20 years ago. Despite extreme environmental conditions which may mitigate exposure, we are treating the sample seriously. With research, our doctors found that while dangerous, it's not easily passed human to human, and thankfully there is a cure. The nine of us who are potentially exposed are submitting for blood testing, starting with Kendra, who has shown symptoms known to be caused by the virus.

23:02We're keeping this potential exposure contained within just our group and Dr. Timms, avoiding a potential scare of the rest of the station. Because of this, Dr. Timms will be conducting all the blood pathology herself, which will take approximately 12 hours per person for the test to fully have results. She can run some tests in parallel. However, this will take about a week to fully test everybody. I'm worried about Kendra. I mean, not just about the potential exposure, but between this, the stress of her new position, late nights preparing for the Senate confirmation hearing, she looks worn out, tired.

23:39And this health scare is the last thing she needed, any of us needed, really. Next item. My nomination has been formally been forwarded to the Senate for a full vote, scheduled for a few weeks from now. that is the last hurdle before being fully sworn in as a U.S. Marshal. Not getting my hopes up. A few weeks here is like a few years anyplace else, and a lot can happen. As expected, the President's Chief of Staff and his office have distanced themselves, not out of concern for appearances, but because they fail to discredit me and know I see the railroading for what it is. If I thought I was getting immediate interest from the Dreamwax drug interdiction, Now it's ten times the requests.

24:27Zeke suggested I actually take up a few media requests for interviews.

24:34Alright. Like that's what I need. More people trying to pick apart my words, twisting them into something else entirely. I told Zeke I'd like to think about it, but honestly, what's the upside? I give an interview and suddenly I'm either the poster boy for justice or the villain in some political hit piece. No, thank you. I've got enough on my plate. I'm getting a few emails in from Senate staffers on how events will unfold if I am fully approved. Obviously, I won't be able to travel to Washington to formally be sworn in. I can't get my badge and credentials except through the mail, and even then, only once the summer season arrives.

25:15Plus, I'll need to start selecting some staff that I can assign to...