Viability

Posted on Mon Oct 5th, 2020 @ 11:10pm by Lieutenant Darru & Lieutenant Avira zh'Kenarh M.D.

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Main sickbay, Atlantis
Timeline: Day 55, Month 2, Year 0 15:30
1724 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

In the middle of pushing a bed to the other side of the room to accommodate for a bit more consulting room on the other end of sickbay Avira heard and felt the doors to the sickbay open. She stood up, the bed now in the middle of sickbay. When she spotted the Vulcan Lieutenant she wasn't quite sure how to react. They had not come into sickbay when she was on duty before, it could be a coincidence of course but knowing Vulcans, they probably planned their comings and goings in line with her duty roster, "Good afternoon, Lieutenant, how may I be of service?" Her antennae stood up straight, involuntarily indicating that she was ill at ease in the presence of a Vulcan.

Darru was not sure he liked his own idea but there was no way he could back down now when he was stood there and the Andorian had seen him. "Good Afternoon Doctor. I believe that you have been told of the project that I am trying to create to allow us to sustain ourselves for the future." He tried to explain hoping he was not coming across to rudely to the woman, he wanted to involve her as a crew mate.

"Well, if you can help me get this into the corner there, I'd be happy to hear what you have to say about that," Avira had a bit of an idea what the troubles might be he was encountering and perhaps he wanted to discuss with her how to overcome those issues. She wasn't sure she agreed with the approach he had decided, but he had a point that they needed to seriously consider implementing some generational ship protocols in order to make it back to friendly space at all. She stood back behind the bed and waited for Darru to take up his position on the other end.

"That sounds like an adequate compromise." Darru surmised as he came into the room more. He had taken to wearing the Earth Starfleet Uniform now as they were officially Starfleet just like the civilians in this change of circumstances. It gave the feel of being all one team, it was not a view shared by everyone but he could see and appreciate Leroux's logic in the request and easily complied, it also had more pockets which allowed him more room to carry things. The bed was an easy room with the pair of them and it soon found its new home where the doctor had requested. "That was a two-man job. I am relieved I came along at right moment to offer assistance." He said stood there stoic remembering his lessons from O'Connery.

"We Andorians can handle ourselves, Lieutenant, don't you worry about that," Avira didn't want to admit to this Vulcan that she was pretty happy to get his help, her antennae stood back up straight as she folded her arms and leaned against the bed, "so what exactly did you want to run by me in regards to your project?"

"I am sure you are fully capable of handling yourself Doctor but that was a two-man job." He replied simply. There was no hint of what Vulcans usually felt towards Andorians as a species or the cold indifference they felt for everyone else. Darru had been having lessons as they would be stuck together for a long time, he was trying to adapt in his own way. "I am aware that I have only included the humans up until now but I do wonder if you are wanting to be involved." Her genetics could offer so much to the pool of resources.

"I'm sorry? How do you reckon that'll play out?" Avira folded her arms in front of her, adding to the defensive posture her antennae were already giving off, "I'm the only Andorian on this ship." She was genuinely surprised and curious as to what solution he would come up with in regards to her utter genetic incompatibilities with any of the others on board, including Vulcans, "Unless you know something about the Vrav that I missed."

He appreciated what he perceived as humour from her about the vrav and shrugged. Now was as good a time as any to reveal his actual profession to someone other than the Captain who had discovered it just by chance. "I am not actually a biologist. I am a genetics doctor of all things luckily. What I am looking at is easy for someone who knows what they are doing." It was not smug just honest.

"Do you intend to clone me, Lieutenant?" Avira frowned, her antennae arcing forward as she tried to determine exactly what the man was suggesting, Vulcans could be very difficult to read and it wasn't helpful that he wasn't really forthcoming with this information, "I'm pretty sure genetic meddling is against some United Earth laws."

"I would not presume that I would have the skills to perfect cloning." If the Vulcan could have blushed he might have at the thought she thought him skilful enough. Darru through skilful in his studies knew that he would never be able to perfect that skill for years. "I am merely checking for genetic compatibilities." He shrugged. It was a gesture that he had learnt from humans when there were not enough words.

Avira was starting to get curious how he thought that was going to be possible, "As far as I know there's no genetic compatibility between Humans and Andorians," her eyes narrowed, "nor Vulcans..." She wasn't so sure about that, and was afraid now of what Darru might be suggesting. It's not that she held a grudge against the man for the atrocities that happened between their two species, but it seemed utterly self-serving if he was going to suggest him to be the viable partner.

"Have you ever considered the possibility?" Darru wondered. It had never looked into anything like it before but maybe the Andorian's had looked into it. It would be very interesting to hear about it.

"There have been some medical papers on Andorian and Vulcan compatibility," Avira responded, wherever there was conflict there was passion, and where there was passion love bloomed, even with Vulcans. But the results had been rather underwhelming, "I've not read any up close, just the summaries really," In the short years that there had been contact with the Humans there hadn't been any proof that they were compatible, but it hadn't had as much time as their connection with the Vulcans, "I have not had the time to consider any possibilities, Lieutenant." Her antennae stood back up straight again in more of a defensive posture, she wanted to add that she hadn't even considered it with her own kind back on Andoria.

He had seen similar papers but it was not something Vulcans claimed to have looked so deeply into. Darru noted her antenna and nodded. It was not something to push with the woman, it was a logical step with a species he knew so well. He almost pitied her being the only one of her kind onboard. At least he had Sovar and the others. “There is plenty of time to consider.” He finally said. “You are young for an Andorian are you not?” He wondered.

"That's what they say, but this body doesn't feel young anymore, Lieutenant." Avira had been in many conflicts, most of them with the species of the man that she was talking to right now, "So why don't you tell me how you planned for me to procreate? Then I can make an informed decision on whether or not I'd want to join in your little experiment."

"I would need to look at your genome and establish its compatibility with others onboard. It comes down to that first of all. Unlike the humans, we have a few more years." He said simply not sure how she could not understand it by now. It all depended on whether she was compatible.

"Sure, why not, you need some of my blood?" Avira started to roll up her sleeve, if anything it would give her some insight into other genetic markers that might help her change some things about her lifestyle in order to curtail preventable diseases she'd have a predisposition for, "while you're at it, I'd like to see the full results, not just the reproduction stuff."

Darru if he could have experienced emotions would have been momentarily stunned by her agreement but it did not cross his face. “That will not be necessary. Just need a few drops. It can be done from a few drops from your finger.” He looked around for a finger prick device an device. It took a few moments to gather all the things he would need to take the impromptu sample but he could make do.

Avira let her sleeve roll down on its own again and held out her non-dominant hand, she was familiar with the pricks but had always taken the precaution not to harm her dominant hand, "when will I know the results?" She knew what the results of his viability study would be, but there was an interest in the rest of the genetic research. She had to stay healthy, make sure she was in a position to keep the others on the ship healthy as well.

"A week maximum. It takes a little more effort as everything is currently set for humans." Darru admitted looking at the blood on his sample. He knew waiting for the results, and then receiving them may cause a range of mixed emotions such as relief, fear, anxiety or guilt so he would try his best to be quick to save a crew member that.

Avira nodded, "alright then, see you in a week I guess." she grabbed a regenerator and waved it over the small pinprick on her finger for a moment, closing the tiny hole that was punctured. She had often wondered what it must've been like for ancient Andorians, out in the blizzards, getting hurt hunting oxen with nothing but their wits and what nature provided to help them recover. Soon they themselves might even be left at the mercy of her wits and improvisation skills when it comes to medical treatments once supplies were inevitably going to run out.

 

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