Identity Crisis Part 3

[Brian Graham 0]

Security Officer's Personal Log

Lt. jg. Brian Graham

USS Excalibur

Stardate 200407.07

 

"Report," came the Captain's order. Sitting around the table was the Commander, Doctor Hines, Chief Engineer Zenth and newly-christened Andorian Brian Graham.

"Here's what I found Captain," spoke up Doctor Hines. "Medically Brian is fine, just altered. He's healthy...for an Andorian. But mentally he is unchanged."

"Do you know how it happened?"

"No, I have no answer for that right now."

"Ok, Lieutenant , what happened before you lost consciousness?"

"I was on the base on Celes II and was about to beam up. The transporter didn't work at first, due to storms in the vicinity that interfered. Apparently my transport window was closing. I had the shuttle boost power the transporter and did get back on the shuttle, but I could breath very well."

Doctor Hines spoke up again. "That's your Andorian physiology Lieutenant. You've been used to the human sense of smell your whole life. Andorians have a heightened olfactory sense and your system wasn't used to it, hence the difficulty."

"But I can breath now."

"Yes, I've temporarily sedated your olfactory sense."

"Oh."

The Captain broke up this side conversation, wanting to get back to business. "Yes this is very interesting, but how did it happen?"

"I may have your answer sir," Zenth said, standing up and activating a monitor. "This is what we've got from the Riley's memory banks. At time index 137.4 there was a drop in transporter efficiency and the sensors show a stormfront moving in on the Doctor's base. Here we can see a spike in transporter power, when Brian rerouted more power. That was enough to get some of his signal through."

"Some?"

"Yes, this is what we found in the shuttle, the doctor's sample container. Turns out he was working on Andorian blood samples."

"So is that how I changed?"

"Sort of. The Doctor is used to the transporter problems since he's worked there so long. He had the container outfitted with a transport enhancement device just in case there were problems. Did he tell you that?"

"No, I left in a hurry. He was telling me some story."

"I see, anyway your first transport didn't have much to go on, which is why you didn't get through. When you boosted power, you almost made it, but the storms closed in and your pattern was almost lost. But the samples pattern came in better, thanks to the device. It looks like the computer reconstructed you using Andorian DNA from the samples."

"But what about his mental state."

"That shouldn't change, since the transporter can't alter mental states."

The Captain took this opportunity to speak. "So we know what happened, can we get him back?"

Zenth took a deep breath, "No, there's too many variables to recreate what happened."

"So I'm stuck like this?"

Zenth nodded, "I'm sorry but it looks like."

"I see." Brian turned to the Captain, "Captain am I free to go?"

"Yes, we have no reason to keep you, do we Doctor?"

Doctor Hines slowly shook his head, "No, but you will need to come to sickbay before you go."

"Ok, Brian I will contact the Excalibur and inform them of the situation," the Captain said, "dismissed."

 

"Here Lieutenant," Doctor Hines said, handing Brian a hypospray.

"What is it?"

"This will help you get used to your new sense of smell. Your olfactory nerves work constantly so you should be able to adapt quickly, I'd say in about two weeks. This will release less and less of the suppressant as you get more accustomed to it."

"Ok, is that all?"

"Yes."

"Alright, then I will be leaving. Did you get your samples?"

"Yes I did, thank you."

 

"Shuttle Riley requesting clearance to depart Starbase 343."

"You are clear to go Riley all the way back to Excalibur. Good journey."

Brian piloted the shuttle out of the starbase, locking in the coordinates for the Excalibur. With all of these detours he hoped he wouldn't have to go through the wormhole in this shuttle to catch up with the Excalibur. Hopefully the message being sent would explain the situation well enough because he didn't want to talk about it at all at the moment.