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"Downloading"
Previous post – Renda's "Starlight Starbright First Star I See Tonight"
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Counselor's Office
Stardate: 30149.1645

The office of the Ship's Counselor had been turned into a quiet circus with the ILO in center stage.  Despite the frequent comments unleashed by the redheaded Chief Engineer Paquette, Counselor Dalziel had managed to keep Shar'El calm while Doctor Mizore used her equipment to dig and record the woman's memories of the dream that had started this brew-ha-ha.

"It's working," Seska said in a whispered voice sounding almost surprised by the actual success of their endeavor.  "I am picking up distinct theta and delta waves, the problem is that they should not be there together."

"Why is that Doctor?" The Chief of Security asked. As an observer, Ya'Han found all of this exceptionally fascinating and found herself wanting to understand more as to what had been happening and why the CMO had sounded so surprised.

"Theta waves are associated with relaxing while delta waves are linked to dreaming, at least in most Humanoids," Seska explained. "So we should not be seeing both set of waves happening at the same time.  The waves would move from theta to delta frequencies as the individual falls deeper into REM sleep and return back to theta and even alpha waves as they wake."

"Who cares about the frequency of these waves," Sonja huffed in a hurry as she quickly reached for a tool from the engineering tool kit that she had brought along with her.  "The recording link was never set up to take in two separate signals.  We may risk overloading the memory component that I brought here even before we get started."

"Doctor?" Eve quietly interjected with, bringing the CMO's attention back onto the small screen which displayed the brainwaves being monitored and recorded.

"How is that even possible?" Doctor Mizore said out loud, the unexpected nature of what she had seen having made the CMO forget about trying to keep things quiet for the ILO's sake.

"Guessing something is not working as it should," Ya'Han offered, wondering in the back of her mind if this situation could actually pose some sort of danger to the ANUBIS and its crew.

"Not only are we picking up theta *and* delta waves at the same time, but there are *multiple* sets of delta waves, each completely independant of the others," Doctor Mizore explained although she herself had been at a complete loss to speculate as to how this had come to be.

"See, told you that she was wackadoo," Sonja said as she looked up to Eve.  "Even her brain can't figure out what waves to dream in.  Good grief, did that thing turn her brain into a ramen noodle mix?"

"This is no time for jokes," the CMO snapped.  "We have no way of knowing how this will affect Ensign Shar'El, both on a physical and neurological manner.  I need to find a way to stop this before it's too late."

"Oh keep your panties on Doc, this is how I work," the Chief Engineer said as she rose to her feet.  "For the record, she wanted to have these dreams of hers recorded," Sonja began while gesturing towards the sleeping ILO. "Obviously there is something important in that screwed up noodle bowl of hers and we may not get another chance to get this information out.  For all we know it may just vanish from her mind as she dreams leaving us with nothing.  You and I are the ranking officers here," the CEO pointed out as she turned and stared directly into the grey eyes of the CNS, "it is up to us to consider the risks and gains from this.  I know that our first instinct is to save Shar'El, but we have to consider what *she* would want and what is also best for the ANUBIS as a whole.  If the ancient machine did leave something behind inside that stubborn noggin of hers, we have a responsibility to try and retrieve it."

Counselor Dalziel blinked several times as her gaze bounced from the resting ILO and passionate CEO.  There had been no time to contact and explain the situation to Captain Morningstar, so the decision had been theirs to take.

"I will not allow you to make any decision that may risk Shar'El's life," Seska said before the Counselor could even voice an opinion on the situation.

"I know I'm the outsider here," Ya'Han offered cautiously. Being the newest member of the crew, one who had not directly dealt with the Akitashiinu, Yxidii or even the ancient machine, the Chief of Security knew that her opinion might not be all too well received or even accepted.  "History has taught us all that ignoring a potential tactical gain, be it in combat or in the simple gathering of information, can and usually turns out to be disastrous for countless others.  I do not know Shar'El, but I know of her type.  As an ILO she will want everything to be done to take hold of this potential tactical advantage, even if it means risking her life."

"Bingo, bat girl," the CEO quickly followed with pointing to Ya'Han while still looking at Eve, thus stating her complete agreement with the black haired woman.

Eve nodded her understanding, her own experiences in Starfleet having made her see the truth in what the Chief of Security had said.  "Doctor," the Counselor continued as she turned her attention solely onto the CMO, "Shar'El's odds of making it through this in one piece would be much greater if you are here with us.  Should you wish to uphold your objection I will have no other choice but to have you removed from this room and proceed without you.  So, for Shar'El's sake, please reconsider your position.  We all need you here to help her."

Seska growled softly, as she did her best to push her disapprovement to the back seat for the time being.  As part of the crew of the USS ANUBIS, an Intel ship operating outside of regular Starfleet protocols, some rules were unfortunately always on the 'bend as needed' list.  "Fine, but I want it on record that I am against doing this," the CMO eventually said, knowing that time had been of great importance.

"Oh goody gum drops, let's get her done," Sonja kicked in.  "Keep her steady.  I need to upgrade the download recording speed and capacity to account for multiple simultaneous inputs.  Shar'El is going to owe us big time if we manage to pull this stunt without frying her brain over easy. Drinks will be on her, that she knows it or not."

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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Stark's Quarters
Stardate: 30149.1700

=/\= Bridge to Ensign Stark. =/\=

"Go ahead," the Chief of Operations acknowledged as he tapped his communicator.  Obviously something major had happened for the bridge to be contacting him at this hour.  "What's going on."

=/\= We have detected a huge increase in computer memory resource allocation, =/\= the disembodied voice reported.  =/\= We have no idea what is being downloaded into our computer.  All we know is that it's huge and coming from Counselor's Dalziel's office. =/\=

"Counselor's Dalziel's office?" Ensign Stark repeated with surprise.  "Who authorized the allocation?"

=/\= According to the computer records, it was the Chief Engineering Officer, Lieutenant Paquette. =/\=

"What the heck is she doing in there?" the Ensign demanded to no one in particular trying to figure out why the CEO had given so much memory resource to the CNS.  "Must be one heck of a psychological exam," the OPS officer sighed, "Alright, let me go down there and see what's going on. Stark out," the Chief of Operations stated as he headed out of his quarters with haste.

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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Counselor's Office
Stardate: 30149.1710

Stark walked in to find a scene that he would never have expected, causing him to take a few seconds to locate the CEO who had authorized the new substantial allocation of memory resources.  Despite seeing that the redhead had been rather busy and preoccupied, the OPS officers decided to confront Lieutenant Paquette.

"Mind telling me what is going here and why half the ship's computer memory resources have been hijacked?" Stark demanded without any reservations.

"Not now!  Little busy here Monkey Boy," Sonja replied before adding, "and to answer your question, because *I* needed it."

"What kind of answer is that?" the OPS Officer said slightly annoyed at the woman who had not even been bothered to look at him while offering her reply.

"It's the only answer you are going to get right now," the CEO snarled back.  "So go scratch yourself somewhere else, you are breaking my concentration."

As Jayson went to take a forceful step forward in response to the redhead's tone and words the Chief of Security took a hold of Ensign Stark's shoulder halting his forward progress.

"Outside," Ya'Han said in a commanding tone.  "I'll explain."

"Try not to hurt him too much this time," the CEO added, her attention never leaving the multitude of devices that she had been monitoring at the same time.

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Lorraine Paquette


Lieutenant JG Sonja Paquette
Chief Engineering Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501