Chapter IV
The security officers laid their burden down on one of the examination tables, then stepped back to hover near the door as Beverly approached. "Laser scalpel," she directed, holding out a hand. Nurse Ogawa passed over the tool and Crusher activated it before beginning the delicate process of cutting off the restrictive cloth that swathed the prone figure. She was soon able to pry off the first section, revealing the skin beneath.
A glance at the readings which the sensors were receiving revealed some vital details about her patient which had been previously obscured and the Doctor remarked, "He's human." "From my study of human physiology, I do not believe that those readings are normal," Data interjected from where he stood on one side of the room.
Beverly took a moment to examine them more closely herself and had to agree with the android's assessment. "We need to get the rest of these things off of him," she decided, going back to work on the layers of cloth. Slowly, one by one; she peeled them away. There were no signs that the individual they contained was aware of what was going on, nor did he appear to be breathing.
After what seemed like an eternity, Crusher was able to set aside the last of the bandages to reveal the man who they had covered from head to toe. He appeared to be in late middle age, with short-cropped white hair coming down around his pale face. He still showed no signs of awakening and she turned her attention to the readings which he was giving off in an attempt to determine what needed to be done.
Meanwhile, Data had approached the bed and was using his tricorder to do a more thorough scan. "His body appears to be laced with cybernetic implants," the android noted. "Borg?" the Doctor inquired. "No… I am not familiar with any similar technology. However, it does bear some resemblance to the method utilized by the Grigari," he told her.
"Maybe we should place him in quarantine," Alyssa suggested. "The devices appear to be dormant. I do not believe they pose any current threat," Data assured her. "Well, that's a relief," she observed, turning back to the display which showed the man's life signs. "I'm not detecting any neural activity," Nurse Ogawa commented.
"I think we may have been too late…" Beverly agreed, mentally reviewing the various methods which might be used to revive her patient. Unfortunately, she simply didn't have enough information to even begin to make a guess at a way which wouldn't be detrimental. Turning to the guards, Crusher stated, "I don't think that there's any need for you to stay here."
Once the two officers were gone, she turned back to the table and proclaimed, "I'm not willing to perform an autopsy just yet. We should take a look at his ship and see if there any records which reflect his wishes on such matters. If there isn't anything which indicates that the deceased would object and Captain Picard feels that it is necessary, I'll undertake the procedure."
"I understand, Doctor. If you do not mind, I will take this cloth for further analysis," the android told her. "Go right ahead. I certainly don't need it," the Doctor stated. Data turned and selected a tray from a nearby storage bin, then swept the remnants of the bindings inside before carrying them from the room.
"Who do you suppose that he was? And how did he end up in that ship?" Alyssa wondered. "I don't think that it is likely we will ever know," Beverly admonished. "Could that vessel have been intended to serve as some sort of coffin?" the Nurse suggested. "That is certainly one possibility. Place the body in stasis for now. I'll begin looking over the readings we've already gotten to prepare a formal report," Crusher said.
She headed directly for her office, sitting down behind her desk and calling up the records which the computer had automatically made while she'd been examining the body earlier, going over them carefully to determine if there had been any details which she had missed. "Doctor?" a familiar voice intoned and Beverly looked up to see that Data had returned.
"I have finished an analysis of the bandages which you removed. I believe that you will find this information interesting," the android continued, passing over a data padd. Crusher skimmed the report and frowned, saying, "It appears that they were designed to keep him in some form of suspended animation."
"That is not all. They also deflected any transmissions. What I find odd is that this effect seemed to be engineered to stop any signals emitting from the body," Data told her.
"We didn't think to check for anything like that after removing them," the Doctor noted, rising and moving to the morgue. Alyssa was there, arranging some of the instruments as they entered and Beverly quickly called up the records to see where the remains had been stored. After a few moments of searching without success, she asked, "Nurse Ogawa, where did you put the body?"
The Lieutenant frowned at them and replied, "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Doctor." "The one from the ship we brought here earlier. There's no indication in the system of its location," Crusher explained. "There was someone aboard that vessel? I wasn't aware of that," Alyssa claimed. "You do not recall assisting Doctor Crusher with the examination of an unidentified man less than an hour ago?" Data inferred.
"I'm sorry, sir… but I haven't seen you all day," Ogawa claimed. "Something weird is going on here," Beverly noted. The android nodded in agreement and stated, "Perhaps you should examine her while I scan the room." "If something has affected her memory, I might be able to reverse the damage. Let me get the necessary equipment," the Doctor said, stepping out of the room.
She went over to the supply cabinets, quickly securing what she needed and piling it on the exam table. Just then, the door to sickbay opened and Beverly looked up to see who it was.
"Doctor, are you alright?" a familiar voice asked and Crusher turned to see Data standing behind her. "I'm fine, Commander. How can I help you?" she replied. "You were gone longer than I expected. I have found no unusual readings in the morgue," the android told her.
"Why were you looking for them?" Beverly wondered. Data looked at her oddly before answering, "Nurse Ogawa had forgotten our examination of the body from the ship which we brought here earlier. I was eliminating the possibility that she might have been exposed to a temporal anomaly." "Data, you're not making any sense. There wasn't anyone aboard that craft," Crusher countered.
The android's eyes narrowed slightly and he stated, "Perhaps we should arrange for someone to take your readings as well, Doctor. I cannot believe that you have forgotten something we were just discussing a few minutes ago." "I don't remember talking with you about anything today, Commander," she asserted.
Instead of explaining, Data turned to the displays on the wall and began to work the controls; attempting to bring up the computer's records. "The files seem to have been erased," the android noted. "There's something missing?" Beverly asked. "Yes, Doctor. Everything relating to the occupant of that ship is gone," he proclaimed.
"How many times do I have to tell you? That vessel was empty!" Crusher shot back. "Perhaps you would believe me if we consulted with the other witnesses to its removal from that craft," Data suggested.
"Maybe when you're done, we should have Geordi take a look at your systems," she admonished. The android didn't reply, instead tapping his comm badge and stating, "Data to Riker." "Go ahead," the first officer responded. "Please come to sickbay along with Counselor Troi and Lieutenant Worf," he requested. "On our way," Will proclaimed, ending the transmission.
"While we are waiting, could I persuade you to check Nurse Ogawa and see if you find any unusual readings?" Data inquired. "If you insist," the Doctor said, procuring the needed tools before leading the way to the morgue. Alyssa was waiting for them and while the android watched, Beverly ran a battery of tests to check for anything odd.
"It's like I told you, Data. There's nothing wrong with her," Crusher asserted once she was finished. Just then, she heard the door to sickbay open and stepped out to find the three officers who had been called to join them. "Commander, we have an unusual situation. Neither Doctor Crusher nor Nurse Ogawa remembers examining the remains which were found aboard the ship in our bay," Data reported.
Riker cocked an eyebrow, glancing at the faces of his companions; then at Beverly who shrugged and said, "Either Data is wrong, or both Alyssa and I have lost a section of memory without knowing it." Will nodded and said, "Why did you call us down here then?" The android tilted his head to one side, then stepped over to a console and hit a series of keys.
The red alert klaxon began to sound and Beverly gaped as Data activated the intercom and said, "All decks! Intruder alert! This is not a drill!"