Inconclusive

[T'Prise 0]

(Takes place immediately after Ambiguity)

 

The small alcove was cluttered with discarded gear and equipment which had gone unheeded in the tumult. However, somewhat concealed as it was in the semi-darkness of the emergency lighting, it provided a small amount of privacy that suited T'Prise's needs. Taking a moment to stow the loose items and secure her sample container, the Vulcan sank to the floor, sitting cross-legged and assuming a standard posture for meditation and contemplation. Many thoughts and ideas were currently pressing at the forefront of her mind. This quiet place of solitude in the chaos of their current predicament would allow her to logically assess and examine the unanticipated discoveries of the day.

 

First and foremost, she was curious as to how those discoveries might have come to be. Her previous interactions with Dr. Chalice had not suggested that the physician possessed that type of duality within her. Nothing about her actions had indicated that she had ever been exposed to or part of the aggregate from which the samples within T'Prise's container were most likely derived. Nothing suggested that the doctor had ever been rehabilitated, or that she was some breed of hybrid, or a dormant sleeper to be activated when needed.

 

The scientist within the young Vulcan wished to clinically examine the puzzle pieces she had been given, in order to make a definitive determination regarding the doctor. However, her own experiences with Starfleet, and with sensitive missions, materials, and information, gave her pause. Dr. Chalice had been assigned to the Manticore, just as T'Prise had, which suggested that there might be something more to this situation than was apparent at first glance.

 

As a young child, studying on Vulcan, one of the first lessons learned was that of looking beyond the specious surface and question further, studying an object from all angles before making any type of determination. This lesson had aided the Vulcan scientist throughout all of her professional endeavors, and it would be wise to remember it now and not allow herself to be in any way influenced by the human propensity to make snap decisions. A complete analysis of the situation, starting with these samples, was the logical course of action. At the moment however, she did not have the ability to pursue that course of action; she was also under orders not to pursue the matter until Commander Farrington deemed it necessary.

 

Given her previous associations and experiences with command officers, one would assume that for T'Prise to have any sort of confidence in them would be illogical. However, while she could not with any certainty explain why she herself had been assigned to the Manticore, or why all the information regarding her research was disappearing from Starfleet records, she had come to trust and esteem some of the officers she served with, particularly when it came to their judgment. If Commander Farrington felt that concern was not necessary at this time, T'Prise would heed that council. As of yet, there had been nothing spurious in Dr. Chalice's actions or behavior, which suggested possibilities that T'Prise would ponder once the analysis was complete. Right now, she could only contemplate those possibilities and their probable effects upon the future.