Data Crunching, Heart Crushing

Posted on Fri Jan 10th, 2025 @ 12:33pm by Lieutenant Avira zh'Kenarh M.D. & Ensign Mercy Mourne

Mission: Remnant
Location: Main Sickbay
1999 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

It hadn't taken long for Avira to go over all of the medical information that was known of her condition. At least the information available in the exchange database. She had gone over the papers several times. There was nothing particularly encouraging from the findings. Just one or two therapies that slowed the disease's progress in a non-significant subset of test subjects. It was information that she had shared with the future ship, which had yielded exactly zero usable results before they had to abandon it. She also shared it with the Raelians, whom had been keeping in touch. The suggested protein markers that could be involved, and affected, was beyond her scope to sort through. And she wasn't going to test all of the possible therapies on herself to try and get there by process of elimination. Which is why Darru had suggested she provided the dataset to their resident data analyst. Without too much context she shouldn't be able to determine exactly what kind of simulations she was running. Even if she did, it was still a leap to assume it was a personal matter.

“Knock, knock.” Mercy’s cherry voice rang out clearly through the sickbay. “I was told to report down here to Doctor Av- Ah! There you are Doctor. A little pointy eared bird said you needed someone to help you with some data?” Mercy practically bounced into the room, she was not so secretly glad that she had an excuse to leave the Science Lab’s, even if only for a brief moment. “How can I be of assistance?” She trotted over to stand near Avira, and looked around the work space like she mighty be able to identify her task by sight alone.

Avira looked up from her work and immediately got up from her seat. She grabbed a datapadd she had set aside for this occassion. She had tried to remove as much personally identifying details from the dataset as possible, but for it to be effective there had to be some in there that someone smart enough might be able to trace back to the only Andorian on this vessel, and perhaps even the only Andorian they had ever properly met in their lives. "Yes. There's a genetic disease that I'd like to find a cure for. With the help of our more advanced friends we've been able to map the affected genome as well as come up with a million different ways to try and combat the disease. I was looking to brute force it through running simulations when Lieutenant Darru suggested I connect with you."

Mercy nodded and walked over to Avira, accepting the data pad off her and then began to look through the dataset. Generally Mercy was not particularly gifted, at best she could be considered average in many areas, but there was one thing she understood clearly and that was data. She scrolled through silently for a moment, just familiarising herself with what had been collected. However the more familiar she became, the more she could see the absence of human markers, as well as the additional information which pointed her towards a delicate conclusion.

“…Genetic disease.” She mumbled after a few moment and then frowned slightly. She wrinkled her nose and then glanced at the doctor. “This is data from recent samples? From someone on the ship?” Mercy then looked back. “And I am guessing… we aren’t going to have any control samples for this?” Because if you were the only one of your species aboard then there would be few options for control groups. “I can help you with your analysis, might even be able to create some test parameters for possible therapies.” Then because she would never want to put anyone in an uncomfortable position. “And you don’t need to tell me who it is, at this stage that information is irrelevant, it seems to be more about understanding the disease parameters and creating a series of lab tests where we can see if we can slow, maybe even reverse the effects at a genetic level yes? We can speed up the data analysis with some of the protocols we have designed for prioritisation in response to our influx of scanning data. The parameters for success are different but the principles are the same.”

Mercy then gives the doctor a benign smile, something that would almost undermine how sharp she could be in the persuit of data driven solutions. “Do you need to consider testing any treatments to alleviate the symptoms? Is the patient suffering at all? Should we be prioritising their comfort or the cure?”

"We only have what is available to us in the database and the possibility for additional live samples from one source." Avira had kept anyone other than Darru and the CO in the dark because she didn't want people to worry or to have pity on her. She also knew the information that was shared in the database regarding Andorians was very generic, and it was questionable whether it would be useful in this instance. "Currently we're focusing on a cure, there's no physical expression of the defect." The doctor subconsciously slid her hands under the desk as she said so. There weren't any jitters at the moment, but it was definitely something that came and went currently. Luckily there wasn't any pain as of yet.

Mercy studied the woman, a slight quirk in one eyebrow. “Okay, so we should focus on the cure, I am glad whoever this is isn’t suffering, but if that changes, let me know and we can pivot to therapies to treat the symptoms too. It’s no trouble to do both, just a few extra protocols.” Mercy spoke gently, but decided not to push it. Clear the Doctor wasn’t ready to talk about the full picture, and in Mercy’s book she was just as entitled to privacy as anyone else on board. “May I use a station down here for a little while? The science lab is quite crowded these days and it might be easier to work if I don’t have to fight for space or answer questions.” One thing that all the science staff had in common was an unquenchable curiosity, and she wanted to spare ‘whoever’ this was, the rumours which might start flying about should others glimpse some of the data.

Avira's antennae curled up at that, "Answer questions?" She was curious as to what kind of questions someone would have to be answering to colleagues when working on a dataset. "What type of questions would you expect?" She got up from her chair and stepped towards a small alcove in the sickbay. It was usually used to run simple tests like blood-work and such. Since it was relatively quiet at the moment, barring any huge crisis, the scientist would have free rein over the station.

Mercy followed Avira to the alcove, happy to tuck herself away in the corner. “Oh you know, the usual thing. Can you have a look at this? Or do you remember the protocol for that? In general the science team are a curious bunch and everyone tends to hyperfixate in their own tasks, but it can sometimes leave you spread thin when your job is to help everyone with their data.”

Speaking of which she cracked her knuckles then brought up the data set Avira had asked her to look at. Doing a quick overview she began to write some basic protocols to help identify anomalies first. In her experience these either would help with insight into future directions or would later need to be discounted from testing so it was always a good place to start. But already she could see there would be challenge.

“This data set is too small for what you are trying to achieve. I don’t think a broad population analysis to begin looking for a cure is going to work. Hmmm… You mentioned that there were possible additional samples from an individual on board? Do you happen to have catalogued samples over a period of time? I think in the absence of broad data, a single in depth study on the individual might be more fruitful. Instead of setting a species baseline, we can set an individual one and mark all the changes of the disease over time from point of contraction/diagnosis to current day? It would also help if you had some general scans from prior to them contracting the disease, but if it is a genetic disorder that might be tricker as it could have always been present in the person. However understanding what it looks like in its dormant state might be useful. We probably also need parameters for a species baseline as a comparison point. If they were human it would be no problem at all as we have hundreds of healthy subjects to act as our control but based on the information you have provided so far…”

Mercy stilled in her chatter, she had always been one who worked best when doing her thinking out loud but it sometimes backed her into difficult conversations without her realising. She looked around the room making sure they were alone.

“Doctor, you don’t have to tell me the identity of the individual if you don’t want to. But based on what you have shown me so far I think it would be quicker if we were honest with one another and I didn’t have to pretend that I didn’t have suspicions.”

"Unfortunately I'm bound by Doctor-Patient confidentiality. The dataset includes an initial scan from when the individual joined the vessel, plus an intermittent scan when the genetic issue first came to light. There's also two additional specific scans aimed at the specific genetic defect made in more advanced scanners than what we have available here." Avira wasn't quite ready yet to spread knowledge of her condition to more of the crew. While she felt confident that Mercy wouldn't spread rumours about her, she also didn't want to put the scientist in an awkward position. "If there's specific information you're lacking I can see what we have in the medical file or call them in for additional scans."

Mercy internally sighed, right then, guess she was going to have to pretend she hadn’t worked out the identity of the ‘patient’. Not that she could blame Acura for wanting her privacy, and as far as she could tell it wasn’t inhibiting the doctors ability to treat people safely. “Very well, thank you. If your patient does need to talk about it at all, could you let them know I’m always happy to be there, and since I already know their medical history, I would be very discrete and understand.” She doubted it would change the doc’s mind, but hopefully if she needed a friend in the future she would at least remember Mercy’s offer.

Mercy quickly scans through the data, just looking over what was there. “These proteins here.” Mercy bought up the pathologies for a particular sub set of misfolded proteins. “It would be good to continue to build a comprehensive picture of how they are building up in the body and at what pace. In the absence of a wider sample group, ideally it would be good to take measurements every week. However if the patient cannot tolerate that level of frequent testing once a month or whenever there is a significant change to reflex or motor function would be the minimum.” She drifted off slightly as she began to get absorbed in categorising the data and building a chronological picture of the diseases development.

"I don't think that should be an issue. I will get you an updated scan with a specific focus on those proteins." Avira her antennae seemed to twitch a bit at something. "Let me know if you require anything else."