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"From Feared to Fluidic"
[previous post was "Freedom Fighter to Foes" by the Commanding Francois]
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Setting: MASQUERADE DREAMS, Lower Deck 27, Section 15

Stardate: 30152.1425


Shar'El and Jayson watched in horrified astonishment, powerless to do anything to stop the body of the bomber from vanishing before their very eyes.


"What could have caused this?" Ensign Stark asked to no one specific as the pool of liquid biomatter crew larger and closer to his feet.


"I would have to guess some sort of chemically induced cellular degradation," Doctor Mizore replied although the question had not been directed at her.  It had taken only a second for the CMO of the USS ANUBIS to come up with a diagnosis based on her immediate observations.


"Thank you for coming here so quickly Doctor," Shar'El said, the acting ExO / ILO having been rather pleased that someone from the medical staff had been able to see this for themselves.  "Before you even ask, we did not come in contact with anything suspicious."


"Still," Seska whispered, matching the tone of voice of the acting ExO / ILO as the CMO kneeled next to the clothes soaked in a pool of biomatter.  "I will have to run some tests on you both, just in case."


"What?" Jayson gasped.  "You think this is going to happen to us too?"


Doctor Mizore reached into her pocket and retrieved a small sample jar which she used to collect some of the biomatter closest to the formless clothing.   "The rate of liquefaction seems to be far too rapid to be naturally occurring.  Also, based on the fact that the clothing themselves appear intact, I would have to guess that we are dealing with some sort of specific biological disolvant."


Shar'El glanced at the man standing next to her, seeing concern and even fear in his eyes, two feelings that the actin ExO / ILO had to admit she also experienced given what they had just heard.


=/\= It would be highly unlikely that such a substance would be found on board the MASQUERADE DREAMS, =/\= Maya said over the subdermal communication system.  =/\= Any type of dangerous chemical would have been intercepted prior to departure well before it made it on board the ship.  It is far more likely that someone found a way to hide a small enough amount of such a chemical from the sensors to be used as a failsafe. =/\=


"I agree," Seska said as she nodded her head and studied with her eyes the sample that she had gathered.  "Hopefully we will be able to get some sort of information about the bomber and the chemicals that were used from this sample," the CMO said as she let out a lengthy sigh.  "Although I doubt it."


"Given the extent of the precautions taken," Shar'El said as she helped the CMO back to her feet, "it would be unlikely that we will be able to get any sort of information from that liquid.  My guess is that the cellular degradation will be extensive enough to render any type of individual, or even racial identification through DNA impossible."


"The ANUBIS has equipment that would not have been accessible to the medical staff aboard a Risian Cruise ship like this one," Doctor Mizore said with renewed confidence.  "So we might still have a chance, although I will admit that it is a minute one."


=/\= Doctor Mizore, head back to the ANUBIS and run all of the tests you need, =/\= Captain Morningstar said, a hint of frustration audible in his words.  =/\= We need answers, and I suspect that it will be to everyone's advantage for us to get these as rapidly as possible. =/\=


"ANI, I am heading back to the transport location.  Please beam me directly to Sickbay," Doctor Mizore said leaving the other two officers behind and appearing rather confused.


"You can't just leave us here like that?" Jayson pleaded.


"The odds that there is enough of the chemicals present to affect either one of you in the same manner are extremely small," Seska said without cracking the sliest smile.  "I would simply suggest that you dispose of the clothings and head back to your rooms.  If you are truly worried, I would suggest taking a shower."


"A shower?" Jayson huffed.  "I hate to say this, but I think I liked Lille better as our CMO," the OPS officer whispered to the acting ExO / ILO who could do nothing but watch Doctor Mizore walk away, the small jar firmly in her grasp.


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Tiffany Reeve


Lieutenant Commander Shar'El
Acting Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS