J. B. Tilton/Page 5

SEVEN

It would require four hours before the Stephen Hawking received a reply from Star Fleet Headquarters. T'Pol was using that time to analyze the evidence against Archer. Somewhere there had to be something that proved he did not commit the murder.

Phlox and Links were going over the autopsy results again. Just as they suspected, Captain Spencer had died from a severe allergic reaction to the peanut oil injected into his system. He had died within moments of the injection.

"Peanut oil as a murder weapon," said Phlox. "I must admit, it is not what I would have thought of as a weapon."

"Considering how allergic Captain Spencer was to it," said Links, "it's not so surprising. Half the amount he was injected with would have been enough to do the trick."

"And the evidence against Captain Archer is compelling," said Phlox. "Captain Archer is the last person I would have suspected of being capable of something like this."

"This is confusing," said Links. "If he did do this, he went through an awful lot of trouble to leave it a mystery. Then he leaves the hypospray in his quarters? It seems like such a stupid mistake."

"Well, regardless of the evidence," said Phlox, "I do not believe Captain archer did this. It is not in his character."

"We're all capable of doing some unusual things given the right circumstances," said Links.

"Oh dear," said Phlox, looking at the readout of one of his machines.

"What's the matter?" asked Links.

"I was performing an analysis of some of the DNA found on the hypospray discovered in the captains quarters," said Phlox. "I wanted to make sure it was the captains and that no mistake had been made."

"That's a good idea," said Links. "I'd probably have done the same thing in your place."

"Unfortunately," said Phlox, "I must not have sterilized the analyzer enough. It seems some of my own DNA has contaminated the sample. I'm afraid I'll have to start over."

"That's it," said Links. "Something about this has been bothering me from the very beginning but I couldn't put my finger on it. Now I know what it was."

"What is it, Peter?" asked Phlox.

"It's about the hypospray," said Links. "Your initial analysis showed Captain Archers' DNA on it."

"Not surprising," said Links, "considering it was found in his quarters."

"But it was only his DNA," said Links. "No other DNA was on it."

"Presumably whomever used it sterilized it first," said Phlox, "in order to prevent their DNA from being on it. Unfortunately, it still indicates that person was Captain Archer."

"No, it doesn't," said Links. "Just the opposite. Captain Spencer's DNA wasn't on it. It would have had to be on it if it was used to inject him with it. At the very least, it would have been on the injector."

"Perhaps it was sterilized after it was used on Captain Spencer, offered Phlox. "That would remove Captain Spencer's DNA."

In which case," said Links, "the residue of the peanut oil would also have been destroyed. Why sterilize the hypospray and then fill it with peanut oil again? We know from the residual pattern of the oil that it indicates they hypospray was full. There would be no reason to refill it once it was used on Captain Spencer."

"Unless it was to be used to implicate someone in the murder," said Phlox. "And it is possible to place DNA on an object."

"Exactly," said Links. "If someone went through the trouble of sterilize the hypospray and then refill it to implicate someone, it is very unlikely they'd implicate themselves."

"I will inform Sub-Commander T'Pol immediately," said Phlox. "Perhaps this information will help her to locate the real killer."

"I'm going back to the Stephen Hawking," said Links. "I want to check on something. I'll let you know what I find out."

"Very interesting, Doctor," said T'Pol. "This does shed a different perspective on the matter."

"Then we can let the Cap'n out of confinement?" asked Trip.

"That would be premature at this point," said T'Pol.

"But the evidence?" protested Trip.

"Is far from conclusive, Commander," said T'Pol. "Star Fleet Command will require more than the suspicions of these two doctors if the captain is to be exonerated."

"Peter may be able to help there," said Phlox. "He's returned to the Stephen Hawking to check on something. He's promised to let me know what he finds out."

"Inform me the moment he does," said T'Pol. "In the mean time, there is nothing else to do but wait. And review the evidence in this new light."

Trip was not happy with the situation. But he also knew that T'Pols' Vulcan obstinence could be considerable. Until she had a logical reason to change, things would remain as they were.