" Operational Understanding "
Previous Post: "The Watcher "
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Stardate: 60299.0943
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Section C, Level 4, Food Court
Looking at the aCMO sitting at the table with them, the Romulan/Terran hybrid found it hard to believe that the woman who had joined them last had been the same person who had attacked the ExO in what many had called a savage and unprovoked attack. Having done a great deal of research in the domain of Intel, the COO knew about the techniques used by SFI to erase memories, but until now she had never seen first hand the results of someone who had undergone the procedure.
Possessing no proof that the aCMO had suffered such a treatment, the Romulan/Terran hybrid carefully analyzed the woman sitting next to her trying to figure out if another explanation could account for the specific amnesia as well as the extreme change in behavior. Listening to Ensign Summers speak the COO had to conclude that either the woman was an accomplished actress or that the mind wipe had been expertly performed. Glancing at the docking section of the base through the protective glass, the Ops officer of the ANUBIS could not imagine anyone being allowed to leave this ultra secret location with all of their memories intact.
Using this and a hint of simple logic, the COO concluded beyond a shadow of a doubt that the procedure had been performed and that it had changed the aCMO into what everyone would hopefully describe as a more amiable person. Turning away from the window that gave onto the large open spaces of the docking area, the Romulan/Terran hybrid voice her support as to the possible joining of Ensign Summers to the crew of the ANUBIS. "I think it would be a good move for you and us. I'm sure that you would be able to fit in with greater ease than Doctor Nguma has shown. I'm not entirely certain that he should be a CMO, let alone one on an Intel ship."
Staring back at the Romulan/Terran hybrid the two women gave the impression that they had both been hit by a runaway starship. "Where have you been for the last half hour? I answered your question about possibly being assigned to the ANUBIS a while ago. Don't tell me that it took you all that time to figure out that it would be a good idea."
Adding her comments and concerns to those already voiced by the aCMO, the CSciO spoke next, leaning over the table that stood between her and the COO. "Are you feeling all right? Are you experiencing a sense of lost time? Maybe you have just gone through a temporal anomaly that stopped the passage of time for you or brought your body ahead in time. There are several recorded instances of such events in the databanks of Starfleet and it would not be impossible for such a localized temporal occurrence to have happened inside this base without knowing more about the specifics of the hard state shielding that is surrounding us at this very moment."
Feeling as if time had just come to a complete stop thanks to the off target theorizing of the ANUBIS' CSciO, the Romulan/Terran hybrid took a few extra seconds to explain what had happened. "I'm feeling fine and sorry to disappoint you Maya but I did not experience any 'lost time', I was just carefully reviewing all that had happened and what had been said. Guess that means that I was in a little world of my own for that period of time, so I am sorry if I missed anything of importance."
Smiling, the other two women accepted the explanation without any hesitations, both the aCMO and CSciO having gone through more than enough during their last mission to relate to what the COO had just said. Looking at the grins of her shipmates, the Romulan/Terran hybrid noticed that the smile on Ensign Summers had vanished only after a few seconds indicating that the current exchange had triggered something in her mind. Having seen the same reaction, the Shillian extended her hand and placed it on top of the aCMO's before asking, "Is everything all right?"
Quickly regaining her composure, the aCMO turned to face the CSciO and replied, "I'm fine. Serenna mentioning that she had been in a little world of her own made me think of Luke and the way that he had been kept in his quarters during the trip here. I thought that it might be nice of us to try and see him so that he doesn't feel completely isolated from the rest of the universe."
Thinking of a more scientific reason to support the course of action suggested by the aCMO, the Shillian jumped in with her own motive as to why they should go and see Lt. Onison. "We should, it would give us the opportunity to also ask him about that artefact that you had mentioned he had in his possession. I can't believe that I had forgotten about this for as long as I had, maybe it is me who experienced a temporal anomaly."
Not wishing to have to listen to another scientific theory about temporal anomalies, the Romulan/Terran hybrid quickly jumped into the conversation with the information that her position and clearance as COO of the ANUBIS had granted her. "I doubt that Lt. Onison is feeling *lonely* at the moment. He was transferred to NEW ALEXANDRIA security the moment the ship docked and I can only imagine that he is undergoing some sort of debriefing as we speak. That is unless the Admiral did not give him the night to rest and brought him in for questioning immediately following his transfer to the base."
Looking absolutely infuriated by the news, the aCMO tightened her fists and pushed her chair away from the table with enough strength that it slip across the floor a few feet, enough to have her run into the large body that had approached without her knowing.
Grinning down from his imposing height, the CEO looked at the sitting woman. "You do know that there is a reason why starships and chairs were not designed to go backwards, right?"
Jumping to her feet the aCMO turned and quickly apologized for what had happened. "I am sorry, I hope that I did not injure you in any way."
Grinning from ear-to-ear the CEO tried to imagine how someone the size of the aCMO would be able to physically harm someone of his stature without resorting to using some sort of heavy object or a fully charged phaser riffle. "No harm done. Just be more careful next time."
Looking up into the eyes of the engineer, Ens. Summers smiled and for a brief moment forgot about Lt. Luke Onison and his current predicament.
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Serena Switt {serena1141@yahoo.com.au}
Lieutenant Serenna
Chief of Operations / Second Officer
USS ANUBIS
2005 post #043
