Tending to details ...

[T'aral 0]

The room was stark white, the instruments were in place, and Lieutenant Commander Tanya Barron had T'Aral's undivided attention ... apart from Dr. Woodrow Strode, who was currently finishing the physical examination while indulging in a hot steak and cheese sandwich with trimmings. The doctor was far more experienced in pathology than T'Aral; a fact which seemed to bestow an oddly relaxed manner to him.

 

While the sandwich was not against protocol or particularly detrimental to the condition of the subject, T'Aral still found its consumption to be curious. "I must note that you seem particularly at ease, Doctor."

 

'Woody' simply shrugged. "I had to skip lunch in order to start right away. Besides - it's not like I'm bothering the patient." He smirked cheerfully. "Really, I'm more at ease now than with living patients. She's not going to complain about anything, and it's not like anything I need to do is going to hurt." With that he set aside the sandwich, washed it down with a swig of lemonade, and picked up a tricorder. "Shall we begin?"

 

T'Aral nodded, curiously at ease with Woody's manner. In many ways she sympathized with him: addressing concerns regarding the deceased was so much more straightforward than with living patients. There were, after all, no illogical or emotional complications to contend with. Both T'Aral and Woody could each conduct themselves how they wished, and no one would care. Turning to a computer terminal, she began to enter in relevant data.

 

"Incident Report SFBP-IR-2259.631-2097-d : Re. Lieutenant Commander Tanya Barron, Deceased. Registered Assignment: Observation Outpost R-8, a.k.a. 'North Star'. Incident Location: main cargo bay, USS Comanche Creek" With that she switched the input over to Doctor Strode and nodded.

 

Woody straightened slightly, as if giving a lecture. "The subject was found in a transport pod in the main cargo bay, with a single laceration across the throat. A utility knife was discovered at the scene: examination of the blade pattern finds it to be consistent with the injury inflicted, assuming the knife was wielded by the Lieutenant Commander in a reversed-right handed manner. All physical evidence suggests an unassisted suicide." With that Woody paused the recording, stepped over, and took several more bites of his sandwich before looking at T'Aral sheepishly. "I am so sorry: Vulcans are vegetarians, aren't they?"

 

T'Aral lifted a hand to set him at ease. "My own dietary habits are omnivorous. Like humans, Vulcans have a digestive system indicative of omnivorous species. I consider it illogical to pursue a diet that is contrary to my physical requirements, as indicated by my physiology."

 

Woody smiled broadly, then looked again at his sandwich. "Should I get you one of these?"

 

T'Aral looked at it briefly. "When we are finished with our duties here, I would like to know about this sandwich of yours so that I may obtain one for myself."

 

Washing down his bites again, Woody cheerfully switched off the recording pause. "All organ structures are nominal, with no indications of trauma. All cerebral and cerebellar structures appear undamaged. Remaining blood has been examined and found to be without undocumented pathogens. This includes the newly found X-CC-D6 mutagenic virus; there is no indication of viral infection or mutated physical structure. There is no evidence of additional DNA which cannot be accounted for within the A-4 classification of biological interactive agents." Woody stepped back and faced T'Aral directly. "These facts, along with the absence of contradicting physical evidence, indicates that the Lieutenant Commander committed suicide without the aid or direction of another."

 

T'Aral nodded, switching the recorder back to its terminal receiver. "Psychological review, Lieutenant Commander Tanya Barron. General psychological classification: green-2. M/B Profile type: E/N/T/P. Esper Analysis rating: 098." With that T'Aral paused, switching the recorder off.

 

Woody looked over to her curiously. "Something?"

 

T'Aral shook her head. "The Lieutenant Commander scored surprisingly high in her Esper evaluation, that is all. It is not a significant fact."

 

He looked over her shoulder for just a moment. " '098' ... that's high?"

 

T'Aral nodded. "A normal human's rating ranges from 025 to 075 - a result that can be explained through simple chance. A rating over 100 indicates a positive Esper capable of elementary manipulation." She turned to face Woody. "However: as Esper training regimens have not been developed, a human's Esper rating is little more than an incidental detail."

 

Woody chuckled. "You don't have much regard for this, then?"

 

T'Aral responded passively. "I have no regard for analysis without purpose. The Esper evaluation program was developed by humans primarily for humans, seeking inner abilities which have never been successfully documented as factual."

 

"You don't believe in mind-readers, then? You being a Vulcan, I must admit I am shocked."

 

"I do not believe in undocumented abilities. If one has an ability, it should be observable, quantifiable, and repeatable. That which cannot be examined falls under the category of belief - which may be correct, but is not scientific. It is impractical to expand an issue with unscientific details."

 

Woody smiled and nodded in agreement before turning his attention back to his sandwich. T'Aral proceeded with documenting the psychological profile, her eyebrows tightening slightly. There was nothing in the Lieutenant Commander's profile or recent examinations which would answer the question of why she would take her own life, and nothing to explain her final message.

 

'I can't help it ... its too dark ...'

 

Fragments of sentences and strange numbers: the only clues left behind to explain why Tanya Barron felt the need to take her own life. T'Aral finished her report and examined it: everything was in place. All the facts were neat and orderly: a simple case of suicide with no loose ends, except that it didn't make sense. There was nothing in the Lieutenant Commander's profile to suggest she would do such a thing. There was nothing in her profile at all that was out of place for a highly successful Starfleet officer.

 

T'Aral ordered Dr. Strode to tend to the body, interring it appropriately until the Captain determined that there would be no further examinations. T'Aral was already satisfied that the body would tell her nothing more. The report would be filed, and her part of the investigation would be completed.

 

She gazed at the monitor steadily, her mind fixed on the one detail that was the slightest bit out of place.

 

... 098 ...