Star Trek Hunter
Episode 7: The Great Mushroom
Scene 17: In Remembrance of Dr. Ruanthe Perera
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7.17
In Remembrance of Dr. Ruanthe Perera
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Investigator Shran was holding Belo Cantys. They had returned to their temporary quarters on Pillo for more shore leave, taking advantage of the Hunter's extended stay. With a luxurious, glowing bed, a hot bath right in the room with them and the beautiful bioluminescence creating ever changing shades of color, it was the most romantic place they had been together - one of the most romantic places he had ever been with anyone.

In a very long lifetime replete with more relationships than he could remember, no one had ever made the old sniper become detective happier than this tough, scrappy kid he had helped Jarrong rescue from enslavement on an obscure, uncontrolled Cardassian colony, along with her half-brother and half-sister. He wasn't sure how she had changed his mind about the most important decision in his life when no other woman had come close.

"You had a question for me that you have been wanting to ask. And you haven't asked because you already knew the answer. But being here, being on this planet, I've had a peek into the future. Or at least the possible future," Shran said.

Cantys just lay against him, listening. Delighted. She knew his answer already - she had seen it too.

"Okay kid, we can tell the Doc tomorrow. First thing. Part bajoran, part andorian, part human, part cardassian - it's gonna be one screwed-up, funny-looking kid…"

Cantys didn't say anything - she responded to her elderly hero with a passionate kiss. And more.

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A***A
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Lt. Tauk caught up with Kenny Dolphin in the director's lounge. "How did you know all that stuff about Mlady? I'm not even certain what she is."

Dolphin responded by removing a reader from the interactive panel. He entered a command into it, then brought it to Tauk. "Now that you've been promoted, you, like me and Dr. Carrera, are one of her direct reports. This," he tapped the reader, "This is one of the most sensitive documents in the Federation. Since Mlady is now your commanding officer, you now have access to it – Dr. Mlady's dissertation on bioethics. You will have to enter your security access code to read it. Fair warning – it's a bit of an unsettling read…"

Tauk took the reader and waited a few moments, considering, before entering his access code. The title of Mlady's dissertation came up on the screen:

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Ethical Sentient Predation

A Predator's Guide to the Ethical Hunting, Husbandry and Harvesting of Intelligent Prey Animals

In Remembrance of Dr. Ruanthe Perera
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Tauk looked up. "Dr. Perera?"

"Mlady's first taste of intelligence," Dolphin said, suppressing a shiver. "Dr. Perera headed the team that discovered Mlady just under 200 years ago. She was the first one bitten and the last survivor - Mlady fed on her for nearly three years."

"How is that possible - feeding on her for years?"

Dolphin obtained a glass of iced tea from the replicator, sat on the couch. "Mlady changes her victims chemically, genetically, directly affects their nervous systems. Her venom makes them docile and the changes speed their healing. Her system learns from her prey - how to more effectively modify them. And how to genetically modify herself to take best advantage of new prey. That's how she became intelligent. When they found her she was something like a badger." Dolphin held his hands apart to give the ferengi an idea of the size of a badger. He pointed at the reader in Tauk's hand. "Mlady included Dr. Perera's notes in her dissertation. Perera actually named her - My Lady - was in love with her even as she was aware Mlady was eating her alive - willingly allowed herself to be eaten. Mlady more or less unconsiously modeled her current form after Dr. Perera's residual self-image… Has a number of her memories… As I said, it's a rather unsettling read…"

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