LtCmdr Azura Ada - putting her back together

[Jalana]

((Ada Scrum Lab, Daystrom Institute))

 

G'r'oq: ... and once I get a draft complete, I'll send it to you for your approval.

 

The scientist's words hung in the air for a moment before Azura clicked in that she needed to reply. 

 

Ada: Of course. I'm sure it'll be fine.

 

The scientist smiled a toothy grin, nodded, and left. Azura sat in her "office," the temporary living space set up for her in the corner of the lab space created to analyze and treat her. They say a named lab (or even something like a bench) in the Daystrom Institute is arguably the highest honor a Federation scientist can hope for. Of course, those are typically to reflect achievements in the sciences and contributions to knowledge and the Federation. Her honor was that of a unique object of study. 

 

G'r'oq's paper would be the 23rd one she's agreed to so far. Everyone wanted a piece of her story. Her existence was something of a rarity, and her ailment was wholly unknown. "Ada syndrome" is the name being kicked around to describe the various deleterious effects of jumping through dimensions like she did. She was typically offered co-authorship on the papers, but she declined each time. It was all too personal to write academically about. She was somewhat of a star around Daystrom, especially because of her expertise as a scientist. Not only was she the exciting new object of study, but she could carry on a conversation.

 

The past few months had been fine, mostly: endless meetings, tests, attempts, therapy sessions, failures, setbacks, and disappointments. But perseverance paid off, and Sheng's team figured out a way to nullify the effects of her different quantum resonance.

 

Azura's posture relaxed into the couch as she picked up the PADD with her orders to return to the Constitution. She was eager, but nervous. Had Sheng really fixed things? All the tests and therapy suggested yes. She was back to herself--at least as much as she knew. All her metrics suggested basic parity with Lazarus' last data, accounting for differences driven by their biological and psychological distinctions. 

 

Sheng's solution was almost a non-solution. Unlike the other efforts from various teams that wanted to "fix" her quantum resonance, Sheng's team devised a way to make them irrelevant. Sheng's team designed a portable emitter inspired by the portable holo-emitter worn by The Doctor aboard the USS Voyager on her mission through the Delta Quadrant. Instead of emitting complex forcefields to constrain photons and the like; Sheng's device emitted low-amplitude exotic radiation in just the right way to shift her quantum resonance to be in line with this reality's quantum resonance. It also served to ensure that when one of her cells died, the one that regenerated would naturally have this reality's quantum resonance. In time, she would be less and less reliant on the emitter.

 

There were no known side effects to her wellbeing, though it did shift her biomarkers slightly, and she would be easier to spot with sensor tech. The exotic radiation she was bombarded with was extremely low energy, but it was still greater than zero. And several people reported a subtle sensation of an electrical current when they touched her. She felt it too, but it didn't happen with everyone.

 

She turned on the PADD and looked down at the orders again:

 

=/\=

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER AZURA ADA

ASSIGNMENT: USS CONSTITUTION-B

 

Ada, following the completion of your treatment and the testing of your emitter, as well as clearance from your therapist, you are hereby cleared for duty and ordered to return to the USS Constitution-B.

 

Your shuttle leaves at 1800 hours today.

 

Commodore Sihk-Styfore

=/\=

 

 

Ada: Computer, what time is it?

 

Computer: 10-0-4 hours.

 

Azura tossed the PADD to her left and it landed with a soft thud on the cushion. She sighed, thinking of all the things she had to accomplish before the shuttle took off. While in thought, her fingers ran over the new piece of tech she'd be wearing at all times: the emitter. 

 

It'd better work in the field as well as it works in the lab...

 

One last test, just to be sure.

 

Ada: Computer, run a level 1 diagnostic on my emitter.

 

The computer chimed and announced it would take 4 minutes to complete the diagnostic. Satisfied, Azura picked the PADD back up and started tapping out a to-do list for herself.

 

Soon enough, she'd be stepping back onto the Conny.

 

——

Lt Commander Azura Ada

Chief Science Officer(?)

USS Constitution-B
IDIC team member
ASDB team member
C239510LD0
(she/her, character)
(she/they, writer)