DOLAHN: The creature also shows signs of—Ah, Commander Gomez, I was just going to summon you.

GOMEZ: I see you’re actually working on the autopsy.

DOLAHN: Don’t sound so surprised, Commander. I admit, I’ve been dilatory in getting to this, but caring for Kani and Rimlek has been difficult—I almost lost them a couple of times.

GOMEZ: I’m sorry, Doctor, I didn’t realize . . .

DOLAHN: Yes, well, there was no way you could’ve known. GOMEZ: Especially since you didn’t tell me. If you actually gave me reports . . .

DOLAHN: [makes throat-clearing noise] Yes, well, be that as it may, I have begun the autopsy, and I’ve come to rather a shocking revelation.

GOMEZ: What?

DOLAHN: Whatever this creature is, it isn’t native to Sarindar.

GOMEZ: But—

DOLAHN: It may appear to be a shii—and rather a mutated one at that—but it isn’t. Take a look at this. Some of these match the way the internal organs of a shii are supposed to be arranged, but half of them aren’t even actual organs. I’ve been studying silicon-based life-forms for most of my career, and I can’t make heads nor feet out of any of th—

GOMEZ: These aren’t organs.

DOLAHN: I beg your pardon?

GOMEZ: These aren’t organs.

DOLAHN: What are you doing with that thing? I thought those Starfleet contraptions of yours were just glorified recording devices on this planet.

GOMEZ: I’ve been able to modify this one to get at least partial readings, even with the chimerium. And, according to the readings I’m getting right now, these don’t behave like “proper” organs because they’re biomechanical.

DOLAHN: Commander, most silicon-based life might read on a tricorder as “ biomechanical” due to the nature of their—

GOMEZ: Doctor, contrary to the opinions of the Nalori government, I’m not stupid. I compensated for that. But this creature was never “alive” in the traditional sense. It’s an artificial life-form. In fact . . .

DOLAHN: What is it?

GOMEZ: If I’m reading this right, some of these “organs” are actually chameleon circuits. Some people at the Daystrom Institute were working on something like this, but they were never able to make it work.

DOLAHN: For those of us who don’t follow every move of the Daystrom Institute, Commander, what, exactly, is a chameleon circuit?

GOMEZ: It’s something that allows a mechanism to change its outer form. You program it to alter its appearance. The problem is, the power demands to let something with an unstable molecular structure perform stable mechanical functions were always way in excess of what was practical. Whoever built this was able to solve that. This is amazing.

DOLAHN: Why would anyone build something like this?

GOMEZ: I don’t know. But this changes everything. I need to study these circuits, see if I can figure out the programming.

DOLAHN: What, you’re going to work here?

GOMEZ: Unless you have a better idea, Doctor. I won’t have the space to do this in my tent, and this is the closest we have to a lab in the camp.

DOLAHN: Fine, if you must, but please stay out of my way.