The Vanished Blueprint

In a desperate race against Pulaski's accelerating biological decay, Riker and Data turn the Enterprise's medical archives inside out searching for any preserved DNA sample that could serve as the genetic blueprint for her salvation. Their frantic search grows increasingly urgent, fingers flying over displays as hope narrows to requiring just 'a single cell.' The revelation that Pulaski's complete medical records were routed through Starfleet bureaucracy—leaving them without even basic blood test data—lands like a physical blow. Riker's fist slams down in visceral frustration, his raw outburst belying Starfleet discipline as the scientific solution slips through bureaucratic cracks. In their silent shared glance, both officers simultaneously arrive at an alternative solution—one requiring immediate action beyond database searches.