Commander Murdoch frowned at the monitor. "Lieutenant Sander, I don't think you understand. We don't have a problem with the equipment in Astrophysics. We don't have any equipment in Astrophysics right now!"

The stocky Lieutenant shrugged his shoulders, "I'm sorry, sir. But the team assigned to that was diverted to work on the Majestic."

Murdoch grimaced, trying to keep his voice even. "The Majestic? She isn't due to be finished for another six months! We're going on shakedown in three weeks, and right now we don't even have a way to use the viewscreen unless I send a crewman out to stand on the hull with a camera."

Sander frowned at that, "Are you accusing the Yard of not prioritizing its work assignments properly, Commander?"

"Yes, I am! You can tell the Admiral that I will be paying him a visit tomorrow. Geneva out."

Murdoch slapped the panel on the Science II station, cutting off whatever protest Sander was going to make as the connection closed. Bunch of desk-bound idiots…

Another chime. "Ensign Gregory to Commander Murdoch."

Now what? "Murdoch here."

"Sir, I think you better come down to Sickbay…"

Murdoch felt like slapping the panel again. "Ensign, report!"

"Sir…you're going to have to see this for yourself."

Murdoch groaned loud enough for the pickup in the ceiling to catch it. "On my way. And Ensign…if this isn't the crisis of the century, you are going to be scrubbing plasma manifolds until your kids are old enough to go to the Academy."

The turbolift doors open and Murdoch stepped onto Deck 8. Well, more like stormed onto Deck 8. He made a left turn and nearly slammed into a crewman who was standing in the middle of the corridor.

Murdoch moved to pass him, but then he saw that many more crew were standing in front of him. Murdoch counted at least 25 people in the queue, and the line seemed to start at the entrance to Sickbay.

He tapped the crewman at the end of the line on the shoulder. "Crewman…"

"Wait your turn buddy, or…" The comment died as the crewman turned and saw the three gold pips on Murdoch's collar. He came to stiff attention, suddenly fascinated by a point just over Murdoch's shoulder. "Sir!"

Murdoch cleared his throat loudly, which slowly got the attention of all the other people in line. "Well, if all of you don't have anything to do, I'm sure I can find something to keep you busy. Dismissed!"

The hallway emptied out in a hurry, and Murdoch strode through the doors…and nearly stumbled as he saw what had caused the backup in the halls.

At least another half-dozen people were clustered around sickbay, all of them looking perfectly healthy…and entranced. The EMH program was running, but someone had tampered with the visual files. Instead of the standard EMH Mark IX that had been installed, an Orion woman in a very tight (and very archaic) nurse's uniform was cooing over a science division Ensign sitting on the main biobed.

Murdoch scowled at the image. "Computer, deactivate EMH!"

The image faded, and all six people in the room looked up to see a very angry first officer standing in the doorway. All of the people in the room looked down, as if the carpet under their feet was the most interesting thing in the universe.

Seething, Murdoch glared at everyone in the room. "What the hell is going on around here? I would expect this kind of behavior on a Ferengi garbage scow, not a Starfleet vessel! Now I want this room cleared, and I want it cleared NOW!"

The crewmen scattered like a photon torpedo had just detonated under them. Murdoch waited a couple moments until he calmed down a little. "Computer, who authorized modifications to the EMH?"

The computer chirped. "EMH modifications authorized by Lieutenant Commander Garen Jace."

Figures…"Computer, this is Commander Dominic Murdoch. Override previous instructions and reset EMH to original parameters."

"Working…Program complete – EMH now reset to original specifications."

"Computer, activate Emergency Medical Hologram."

The air in front of Murdoch rippled as a slim blond woman appeared, dressed in a standard Starfleet uniform. She smiled gently. "Welcome to Sickbay. How may I help you?"

"I'm fine, Nina. I was just checking your program for errors."

Nina frowned, her eyes looking over Murdoch. "I'm detecting elevated blood pressure, Commander Murdoch. Are you sure you're all right?"

"Nothing a six-week shore leave on Pacifica won't cure."

"Very well, Commander. If you require any other assistance, please come back."

"Thank you Nina. Computer, deactivate EMH."

Nina faded from sight again. Murdoch tapped his communicator. "Murdoch to Garen. Report to the Captain's Ready Room immediately."