~~~~~~~~~~
"Looking for Support"
(Cont. from "Patience")
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Corridor
Stardate: 63077.1825

Aki's mind was filled with questions and doubts.  Normally she would have been able to draw on the extensive knowledge of her superior; Lt. Commander Maya, but now that the Asian woman had been named head of the Science department Lt. JG Mitshiba had no one to turn to with her questions.

The option to seek out the Shillian had always been there but Aki knew that this might leave doubts in the mind of the ANUBIS' CO as to her appointment to the position of CSciO.  Waiting until dinner with ET had also been another Option but Akira had not wanted to spoil their time together with work related problems.

Sooner or later Aki would have to seek out Eve and work out these doubts but for the time being the CSciO had thought it best to address her questions as best she could.

Barely able to contain her nervousness, Aki stood just out of range of the door sensor.  The only ting that stood in her way had been a simple door that would open the moment she would take a step forward, yet it felt as if the impenetrable forcefield had been in front of her.

Aki drew in a long, deep breath into her lungs and forced herself forward which triggered the door to open.

~~~~~~~~~~
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Stardate: 63077.1830

The room had been completely empty and for a moment Aki had wanted to use this as an excuse to just turn around and walk back out. Unfortunately, the CSciO noticed the former CO sitting behind the CMO's desk, the woman's attention fixated apparently on the ceiling above her head.

Again Aki thought that this would be a perfect excuse not to disturb Sabrina, but in the end the weight of her doubts had been more than the CSciO could handle by herself.

"Excuse me, Doctor Rikar?" Aki meekly said as she peaked her head into the CMO's office.  "Am I interrupting something important?"

"Not unless you consider my going crazy something important and not work interrupting," the CMO replied with a bright smile that instantly made Aki feel more comfortable.  That had always been something the Asian woman had admired about the former CO, her ability to be both friendly and in charge of whatever situation came their way.  "Have a seat," the redhead said as she pointed to one of the empty chairs on the other side of her desk.  "What can I do for you?"

"Been researching this Genetic Memory Transfer, of GMT, and I just can't make heads or tails of it all," the CSciO admitted with sadness.

"Oh," the CMO said, for a moment feeling her previous misgivings for their current mission return in full force.  "There is a reason why so many people have been trying to figure it out and why they have failed for so many years," Rikar said in an effort to reassure Aki.  "This has to be one of the more complex problems that the scientific community has faced over the last several decades."

"There are just too many variables to consider," the CSciO said as she presented the CMO with a PADD only to notice then that a similar PADD containing information on  GMT had already been there.  It became obvious that Rikar had been doing her own research and that Aki had only added her frustration to that of the redheaded woman by having showed up.

"From a scientific point of view, the idea of Genetic Memory transfer is a very appealing one," Rikar said as she leaned over her desk to be closer to Aki.  "From a medial point of view, you have to also take into account that the physiology of each race is very different and that memories are all too often stored in the brain in a different way.  This means that any GMT would either have to be highly adaptive or limited to a single race and anyone who very closely shared a common biology with."

"Something like the Romulans and Vulcans," Aki nodded in agreement.

"Yes," Rikar said with a smile.  "The problem is that the Romulans would not be able to use this process against Humans or Klingons which would make the entire prospect next to useless.  In order to justify the amount of time and work that is being pumped into this, the Romulan will want something that they can use on anyone they chose."

"So in this case the complexity of the project is in our favor?" Aki wondered out loud.

"Maybe not," the CMO said, busting the CSciO's happy bubble.  "The Romulans had been working on this for a long while and the fact that we have been sent on this mission means that they have likely made the breakthrough that everyone else had been searching for.

"How are we supposed to figure it out in only 17 days?" The Asian woman said as her discouragement took full hold of her.

"We're not," Rikar said with a huge smile.  "We need to figure out what we can so that when we do come across the information we will be able to recognize it for what it is.  In the meantime we are supposed to keep our wits and make the best of the time we have.  This means that you should be heading back to your quarters and prepare for your dinner date with Lt. Thomas."

"How???" Aki asked, stunned by the revelation that the CMO had known about her date with Elliot.

"What did you expect?" Rikar chuckled, "This is an Intel ship with a highly trained Intel crew.  Did you really believe that anything that is said onboard can remain a secret for very long?"

"Thank you Captain," Aki said as she rose from her chair only to realize too late that she had used the wrong title.  "I meant Doctor."

"Go an enjoy yourself," the CMO said as she waved the Asian woman out of her office.  "Life is too short; make the best of the time you are given."

Aki smiled and made her way out of the CMO's office and Sickbay feeling still as comfused as before about the GMT but not as weighted down by it as she had before.

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Dawn Bohr
Lieutenant JG Akira 'Aki' Mitshiba
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS