Trouble in Paradise
Posted on Wed Jun 26th, 2019 @ 9:17am by Staff Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters - Calhoun
Edited on on Wed Jun 26th, 2019 @ 8:44pm
1,741 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: SCIF USS Pioneer Deck 9
Timeline: MD002 1000 hrs
Shore leave was just beginning and Richard would get to see his daughter and the three women he was bonded to. Lie'halla was going to be his biggest concern. He had tried to convince her to meet with the Cardassian Ambassador but to no avail, so far at least, and he was dreading the face to face conversation.
He received some disturbing reports that the Azzian Board of Health's Science division had a secret operation underway where they were going to or already begun attempting to strip the Azzian DNA from it's double helix to a single one.
It was well known that the Azzian's unusual DNA structure made it impossible for them to have hybrid children with any known species. Richard had even thought about doing some research himself to see if they could remedy the dilemma that might cause his species extinction eventually. This was darker though, in that it was being done in order to create a super race that would raise the empire back to its previous glory. It was against Federation policy to do any such gene splicing and manipulation and it concerned Richard greatly.
With PaDD in hand, the doctor walked through the double doors of the Intelligence department to see if they knew if what he had learned was true.
Jennifer was looking at screens of intell acquired by intelligence agents in the field. She had a half eye on the security monitors that she had installed in her office. It showed her what was happening outside her office. It was her way of keeping an eye on her officers when she wasn't on the floor. She had send in a request to look in to the security cameras on the bridge, engineering and the armory. She had yet to hear back on that request. She was tempted to hack the cameras, but Larim would immediately know it was her. That security chief looked a bit naive on the outside, but he didn't have her fooled. He is a good observer, though he hides it well.
She turned to the monitors and saw the Medical chief walk in to her foyer. As protocol demanded, everyone was to be held at the foyer, with the exception of the captain, the first officer, the chief of security and the marine CO. She got up and made her way to the foyer. Before the marine at the desk could talk to the Doctor she said, "Sergeant Wilks, it's alright, the Doctor can come in."
The marine saluted to her. "At ease, sergeant, I am not Lieutenant Tremble." He nodded to her. She turned to the Doctor. "Doctor Ballston, to what do I owe this unexpected visit? It's been a while since you were here. Last time this place was almost in shambles and the former Intelligence Chief was taken to your sickbay." She motioned he could come in and lead him to her office.
"I've got some information I'm hoping you will help me with," Richard offered as he followed her. He drew in a deep breath as they reached the doorway to the Chief's office, "It has to do with the Azzian Board of Health." He offered her the PaDD and nodded, "If this is true the Federation needs to stop it.
Jenn took the padd and read what was on it. She pointed to a seat near her desk. "Have a seat, doctor, can I get you something?" She put the PaDD on the desk as she waited for his answer.
"No, thank you," Richard replied.
He took the seat offered and drew in another breath. As you know Lie'halla is the ambassador for the Azzian empire assigned here to Empoc Nor. She is rather concerned, if the report is true, that some portion of the government is trying to create a super race." He tilted his head and continued, "as you may already know Azzians cannot have children with other species because of their unique DNA. What this would do is not an original idea but could be extremely dangerous not only to the created individual seeing it is so experimental and untested but also to peace."
The doctor studied her for a moment and added I am under the impression that the Emperor himself does not know about this or that Gov’ Had’bo Doni’sal Ve’hassi who is the current Ambassador to the Federation. If it is determined it is true then they will need to be informed."
Jennifer read the PaDD as she was listening to him. She put it down again. "If this is true, I am sure there are records of it. Do you have permission to log in the database of your government, doctor?" she inquired.
"My government?" Richard offered a wry smile and shook his head, "I am Azzian and I have met the Emperor but technically I am not a citizen." "They haven't given me access to more than current medical information regarding the race. I am afraid anything like ongoing research isn't"
"I see," Jenn said. She looked a moment at the PaDD. Ok I will get in to the database now. She started up the computer. She scratched her head a bit. "Interesting, what ever it is, they are very keen on security. But then the Azzians don't know Jen. And Jen has yet to find the security system she can't hack." She laughted at that comment.
Richard chuckled, "well they've been raming up their security now that they're out of isolation. He furrowed his brows and tilted his head, "do you know Azzian?" The physician chuckled, "it's not that common still." He shook his head, "then again it doesn't give me as much of a headache to look as Federation Common."
"Not really," Jenn said. But a language is just another code to be cracked. It's also why we have universal translators." She grinned and turned back to the screen. Her fingers went over the keys in front of her as she cracked the Azzian language as well as their security codes. "This may take some time. They have a very sophisticated security system, so it seems. But it is not impossible to crack."
"Would be for me I'm afraid," Richard replied with a smile.
"You are a doctor, I can't expect you to do what I do," Jenn said smiling. "Oh yes, I got something for this." She let go of the keys. "Computer, run decode program Master 02." The computer tjirped. She then turned to the doctor. "Doctor, I don't think we have permission to be in this database, I will try my best to remove all traces that would lead to this ship. Have you worked out what to do if we do find evidence that proof this is true?"
"First my idea was to contact both the Azzian and the Federation Ambassadors and have them work through this but that might not be the best rout. I've only met Ambassador Afli’okti Dov’jao Hoto’ Sako’tob Ve’hassi twice so I'm not exactly sure what her stance on such a thing would be." Richard drew in a deep breath and continued, "there is a group that wants Azzia to become the foremost power in the region and would be willing to do something like this to make it happen."
"I can find proof of your claims," Jenn said, "But if I can't get you any other names then any researchers involved. Though I might be able to get connections between said researcher and any politicians, but I am sure any high placed officials would most likely keep their hands out of this. So thread carefully with the information I find."
She turned to the screen. "Wow, I am in." She turned around and pushed a button on another console. "Computer, execute counter measures delta 1." She turned to the computer again. That will be buy as some time. Enough to get what we need and get out. I wouldn't linger too long in a foreign database, specially if they are conducting malicious act." She started to download the data on a data chip. She then logged and erased all evidence of ever being there. She then turned the screen. "Is this what you were looking for, doctor?"
Richard picked up his tricorder and lifted it towards the screen. them machine made some funny beeps and then read allowed at an extremely high speed, "we have managed to strip our DNA down to a single helix and will soon attempt to fertilize a human egg...."
The physician raised an eyebrow, "precisely what I was afraid of." He drew in a deep breath, "any chance you could save the data you found, "I'll need it as proof if I'm to get it stopped."
Jenn pressed a button on her desk and the data chip popped up. She took it and handed it to the doctor. "Way ahead of you doctor. I had it downloaded before I closed the connection."
Ballston chuckled as he took the chip, "I should have known. He pressed his lips together and drew in a deep breath, "I take this up with the ambassador and see if I can't get a direct line to the Emperor, I would be amazed if he authorized any research like this."
Jenn nodded. "But listen, there are some names in there of politicians involved, but remember any high placed people would keep their hands clean and not put their names on it.So be careful none the less."
Richard nodded, "excellent advice Masters, I'll try to be discrete about this." He took in a deep breath, "whatever happens there's really going to be trouble."
"So is there anything else I can help you with, Doctor," Jenn asked as she looked over to her screens a moment.
"Not at the moment," Richard replied, "though I would like you to keep this secret for the time being, until I can figure out exactly what is going on, I don't want to just to any conclusions."
He stood and offered the Chief Warrant Officer a smile, "thank you so much for your help Masters."
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Richard Ballston M.D. PsyD
Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer
Staff Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters
Chief Intelligence Officer, USS Pioneer
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