Do Not Access (DNA)

Posted on Sat Mar 7th, 2009 @ 5:57pm by Lieutenant JG Lucy Carter & Captain Elsie Halliwell

1,576 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: In The Dark
Location: Sickbay, USS Archimedes
Timeline: Current

Carter was in her quarters, more than a little bothered. She was beginning to find her post in the Archimedes difficult and not quite as she had imagined. She made her way to the mirror over the sink and looked at herself. Her hair could do with a brush, her skin could do with some radiance and her green eyes looked duller than usual. "Come on, Lucy," she said to herself, "this is just a job."

Except it wasn't just a job to her. It was her life. She had no family and no friends to speak of, despite her friendly nature. Anyone who got too close, she started pushing away. It wasn't good to have friends in her line of work and she much preferred the company of computers, androids or holodeck characters. Those were "people" who were logical and who didn't have issues. So much easier to relate to.

She rubbed a hand over her forehead and sighed. One day she might have someone she could talk to herself about her own problems. Maybe even one day she could form a relationship of a more... intimate nature.

She stood up straight and took a brush from the shelf below the mirror. - There is something positive I could do now - she thought as she pulled the bristles though her thick, blonde hair. - I could visit the EMH again and find out what he meant about my DNA being only 98% human. -

Decided, she put the brush down, gave herself a winning smile in the mirror and went directly to sickbay.

It was after Mabren's shift as she arrived so she was all alone as the doors to sickbay opened. "Computer. Activate Emergency Medical Hologram" she announced to the air in front of her.

The EMH buzzed into life behind her and said "please state the nature of the medical emergency," making her jump. She turned round.

"Good evening to you, doctor," she said. "I hope you enjoyed our visit to the pub the other evening."

"It was... - different," replied the hologram. "Now why have you activated me?"

"Well," started Carter, "I was hoping you could resume your research on my DNA. I seem to remember you telling me that I was only 98% human. That is quite worrying to me as I am sure you can...."

"No." The EMH was abrupt and cut her off. "I am not authorised to tell you anything."

"What?" asked Carter, not quite believing him. "Why not?"

"It's classified information. Now if you don't mind, I should like to be deactivated to conserve energy."

"Computer," said Lucy, "EMH override, authorisation Carter beta 1." She was getting rather annoyed now and wondered what the EMH was hiding.

"Unable to comply", said the computer's familiar voice.

"Computer, I want to access the medical records of Ensign Lucy Carter. Please tell me who is authorised to do this."

The computer replied "Commander Lane holds the only access to these records."

Carter was stunned. What could be so secret about her own DNA? She hesitated, thinking the Commander would be annoyed at such a trivial matter. On the other hand, it was not trivial to her. It was her life. She stood tall and tapped her combadge.

=A= Carter to Commander Lane =A=

=A= Lane here, Counsellor. Go ahead. =A=

=A= I am sorry to trouble you, sir, but I have a slight, er, situation in sickbay that apparently only you can help me with.=A=

=A= On my way, Ensign. Lane out. =A=

The Trill lightly tapped the cool casing of his combadge to close the channel and looked at his sleeping daughter, wrapped up in her duvet. As he closed the worn copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, he placed it on the bedside table and gently reached into the old-fashioned shaded lamp to turn it off. Lorelai stirred ever so but as he gently padded his way out of her room, she remained in slumber.

The Commander then made the short walk from his personal quarters to the turbolift and then down the snaking corridor to sickbay concerning his thoughts with what the good counsellor meant in her transmission. As the doors fluidly slid open to reveal the medical bay, Carter was stood beside the activated EMH with a bemused expression.

“Ensign?� Lane said with a smile.

"Commander Lane, thank you so much for coming down here at this hour" said Carter with relief. "I do hope I have not disturbed you too much".

“No, not at all, Ensign,� he replied with a smile. “What can I do for you?�

Carter continued with her request. "The doctor here can't release personal information about my DNA, which he has said is only 98% human. Apparently the access to that information is restricted. I was hoping, sir, that you could ask the EMH to tell me what is going on".

Lane turned to the hologram and fixed his blues eyes on his. “Doctor?�

The EMH fixed Lane with a cool stare. His eyes were brown and rather darker than an human's would have been. Carter noticed his holographic pupils getting smaller. "I have information about Ensign Carter's DNA that she is insistent upon knowing. I have already informed the Ensign that I am unable to furnish her with the knowledge she requires as it is classified."

A serious expression grew across the Commander’s face and he quickly flicked between his Chief Counsellor and the EMH. “Ensign, if you’ll excuse us for a minute,� and they both retired to the CMO’s office.

They had been in the private sickbay office for a good 10 minutes and Carter was getting more and more anxious. She paced about sickbay, aimlessly poking at control panels, not really knowing what she was doing or thinking. What the hell was going on in there? She could see Lane talking to the EMH. He had his hand up to his face and then she saw him running his hand through his hair. She saw him nod at the EMH and turn to exit.

Finally, the office door opened. Lane and the EMH came over to Carter and prepared to speak.

"Sir?" asked Lucy, very nervously, "what is it? Can you tell me what is wrong with me?"

The Commander turned to the collection of forcefields and light particles before him and broke into a slight wince. “Doctor, if you don’t mind, I think you should deactivate yourself.�

"Suits me," said the EMH, simply and then "Computer, deactivate Emergency Medical Hologram".

As the EMH faded with a crackle, Lane twisted his head to face the young Ensign stood in front of him and a soft, concerning expression broke across his rugged face. “Ms. Carter,� he said gently, “there seems an issue with what the Doctor has found in your DNA base cells.�

He sighed heavily as he pondered how to approach the delicate nature of the situation. “And, unfortunately, until I speak to Starfleet Medical, I’m afraid I am also bound from discussing the matter with you.� The Trill steadied himself on the central console and felt the cool metal casing with his firm hand. “I understand how anxious you are to find out what the anomalous readings are, Lucy, but I’m sorry. We have to follow procedure with this.�

The Commander had not served with his crew long enough to consider them as family, but there was an innate feeling of responsibility to the officers who served beneath his command. His thoughts quickly switched to his daughter and a saddened look in his eyes removed their usual sparkle.

“Lucy, I wish I could tell you but not until I speak to Medical. Rest assured that you are not in any immediate danger, however.�

Lucy regarded the Commander's face trying to gauge any hint of what he was talking about. "Please, sir, can't you just tell me? I thought I was 100% human. What could be so..." she paused, running both her hands through her hair and began to appreciate the enormity of what might happen to her, "...so classified about me?"

“Lucy,� he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Let me speak to Medical and then we can go from there. I understand how you feel, but, please, trust me. Okay?�

In the short time she had known the Commander, Carter did feel very much at ease with him. Having regained her composure slightly, she looked up and said "I understand, sir and I do trust you." She smiled slightly and nodded her head to emphasise the point. "Although," and here a sparkle came to her eyes, "I think the EMH is going to need a little more work for me to be able to trust him. And thanks again, sir for coming to see me here this evening."

“It’s no problems whatsoever, Lucy.� He gently squeezed her shoulder again to comfort her. “That’s what I’m here for. I’ll get on to Medical first thing in the morning and we’ll sort this out. Now, don’t you have an away-mission to prep for? Commander Arkham will be leaving in a couple of hours. Get some rest, okay?�

Carter said goodnight, left the sickbay and made her way back to her quarters. She was tired and anxious and just wanted a cup of tea before bed.

OFF:


Commander Coltan Lane,
Commanding Officer

AND

Ensign Lucy Carter
Chief Counsellor

 

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