EXETERRPG: (2 - 2030) FO Ailynn Bracken and FltSrgnGnl Aimee Bracken

[Mark Howard]

Mission: Murder on the Exeter Express

Day: 2

Stardate: 2445.12.02

(USS Exeter - FO’s Office - FO Cmdr Ailynn Bracken and FltSrgnGnl VAdm
Aimee Bracken - 2030)

Ailynn strode into her office and gave the Command order to lock her door.
It was something that she almost never did, she was exhausted, it had been
a very long day, and even now showed no sign of ending.

Sitting at her desk, she calmed herself and pulled her hair into a tight
bun, almost pulling her scalp back. “Computer,” there was a beep of
acknowledgement, “get me a secure connection to the office of the Fleet
Surgeon General. Command Authorisation Bracken-six-delta-twelve. Confirm.”

[Code confirmed. Connection made.]

The screen changed, to reveal a familiar office, and a face that was
forever emblazoned on her own psyche as much was her own.

“Baby! How are you?” The Admiral’s face erupted into a deep, proud maternal
smile.

Ailynn’s face remained impasse. “Admiral. Confirm secure connection,
Command authorisation Bracken-six-delta-twelve.”

She could see her mother’s mind change gear, realising that if that Ailynn
was being this formal then something truly was deeply wrong.

“Admiralty confirmation, Bracken-one-kappa-three. Confirm.”

The two women stared at each other for a moment. “Commander.”

Ailynn half nodded, “Admiral, I need to talk, something that is more your
field than mine.”

“Ailynn, what is it? In the nicest way you look terrible.” Aimee cut across
the formality, seeing the trouble in her daughter’s eyes.

Smiling, Ailynn nodded. “I feel it, been a long day is all. Nanites. I read
something that piqued my interest, and I can’t shake the thought.’”

Aimee smiled, seeing her daughter and speaking to her in this manner made
her heart soar. Things had been strained over the last few months; Ailynn’s
decision to move to Command hadn’t sat well with Aimee, and she hadn’t
dealt with it well at all. Some part of her would always hope that Ailynn
would move back to medical at some point, but she was prouder of her
daughter than Ailynn would ever know. It was also lovely to be needed by
her, it had been a long time since it had happened, and some parts of
parenthood never left, regardless of how old and brilliant one’s progeny
was.

“Okay, so shoot.”

“Here’s the thing. I read something about nanites being used to paralyse
someone,  bestowed by a kiss. They then dissolved afterward”

“A kiss? How poetic, where did you read this, my sister writing murder
mysteries now? Floppy Bunny goes on a killing spree?”

Ailynn smiled and laughed, half thinking that that was a story that she’d
like to read. “Not quite, but something like that, I forget where I read
it.”

“Hmm.” Her mother grunted noncommittally,  “What you’re talking about is a
level of nanotech so specialised…”

“Could you do it?”

“Now? No, back then? Still no, there’d be no kind of checks and balances
against what you were trying to do, not least purposely making things
that's only function was to paralyse someone or something. I can’t think of
a single reason that you’d even want to do that.”

“Hypothetically though?” Ailynn pushed. She knew her mother’s internal
alarm bells would be ringing by now.

“The list of people that would be capable, and the places that that kind of
tech could even be designed is extremely small. Even if they dissolved,
there'd be residual base chemicals in the system. Both the precursor and
successor residues, you’re familiar with that much, yes?”

Ailynn nodded simply. “I remember that much, yeah. I passed the Bio-neural
medicine unit remember, I’m not a complete failure.”

“Honey...This isn’t hypothetical is it.” It was worded as a question, but
wasn’t worded as such.

Ailynn sighed. “Claaasssiffied…?”

Nodding, Aimee accepted the word without reaction. “Baby please be careful.
I’ve only just calmed down over the last scrape you got into.”

“I will, I promise.”

“Look, if this has happened somewhere, then someone has access to an
extremely dangerous technology, one that I made sure wasn’t possible when I
designed the nano-control chip technology that Trip is benefitting from.
They would have the potential to be indescribably dangerous. Understand?”

Ailynn nodded. “Understood.”

“While you’re here how’s my sister?”

“Ashlyn? She’s disgustingly well and beautiful. She’s reached the maternal
glowing stage, her complexion is to die for, it’s awful.” She smiled,
showing that the remarks were only playful.

“Pass on my love, and tell her to be careful, I want to snuggle with my
nephew.”

Ailynn nodded her head silently. “I will, and I’m certain that she passes
on her love.”

A troubled look crossed Aimee’s face, “Babygirl, please take care, I love
you so much, I’m crazy crazy proud of you.”

Ailynn nodded. “Me too mum. Me too.” She pulled back a rush of emotion,
swallowing a tear.

“With your permission Admiral? Commander Bracken out.”

Aimee nodded. “Granted Commander. Admiral out.”

(Reply none)

(posted by Mark)
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