Dear Doctor

Starlog 27, September 25, 2151

Oh, I'm dead tired. I'm trying to develop a sensor which could detect unidentified aliens onboard but the task is not an easy one. When I explained to my staff what we were going to do, they looked at me as if I was a total paranoid but I have a feeling that such a tool will be useful sooner or later. And moreover, I'm just trying to protect the ship, especially against the Sulibans; the things the captain told me have quite shocked me and they certainly don't help me relax. On the contrary, I'm afraid that lately I've been fussier than ever.

"After we have developed the sensor, we will connect it with an automatic door locking system" I explained to Ensign Balosz, my second-in-command.

"Understood"

"Then we'll be able to establish a security protocol: when an unidentified alien is detected in a section, the doors will lock automatically". Here many people think I'm obsessed with protocols and standard procedures, but it's the only way I know to get this ship more efficient and safe.

"This will take a long time, Sir" she pointed out.

"The sooner we start, the sooner we'll finish, Ensign" I told her, and so we started.

I've been so occupied with my work that I haven't had time for my usual breakfast with Doctor Phlox, even if he had kindly saved a seat for me.

I think I don't understand Doctor Phlox yet: he can be incredibly outspoken regarding matters that a Human would keep to himself, on the other hand he is extremely formal, he never calls people by their first names and he shows a clear discomfort when someone touches him. And most of all he doesn't understand very well the human sense of humour: his jokes are rather incomprehensible.

But now it's time for my night out: "For whom the bell tolls" will be projected for the movie night! Commander Tucker got it right this time!

Addition: I still prefer the book over the film.

"This was neither a horror nor a sci-fi: I hope you're happy now!" Commander Tucker muttered to the crew after the movie.

"Quite so. In fact, I've just read the book" I answered.

"Nah. I don't like Hemingway!" he stated.

Considering that the crew was watching us, I didn't believe it timely to express my personal opinion on North American education…

Starlog 28, September 26, 2151

Today we've met with a tragedy.

This morning we detected an alien vessel, motionless in the space, that didn't answer to our hailings. It was pre-warp and at first I thought it was unmanned too, but then T'Pol relieved two weak biosigns. We transported them on the Enterprise and even if I'm not a doctor I could tell they were definitely not in good shape.

Doctor Phlox visited them and it came up they have an illness that's already caused more than ten million deaths on their planet, called Valakis. They're not technologically advanced and couldn't find a cure for the illness, so they took refuge in that vessel. Many other people have done the same.

The Captain suggested that Doctor Phlox could transfer to Valakis for a while and try to find a cure, so we got there; apparently, many inhabitants have followed our guests' example, because the planet was surrounded by many shuttlecrafts and artificial satellites.

We transferred the Doctor to the surface and now we have nothing to do but waiting.

Earth has faced many terrible epidemics during its history but nothing like that: our species never risked to be completely destroyed by a disease, not even during pestilences. I can't even imagine what it feels to face extinction. Anyway, Doctor Phlox is a very good physician and I hope he'll find a way to help those people.

We've also found out that the Valakians are not the only sentient beings on the planet: there's another humanoid species called Menk, but they're not evolved like the Valakians are. Strange enough, they seem to live in harmony, helping each other.

Still no news from Valakia. I've had lunch with Commander Tucker and Travis while Hoshi is on the planet along with the doctor.

"It must be awful to face such a disease" Commander Tucker murmured thoughtfully.

"Often people become quite pugnacious when faced with a disease" Travis observed.

"Actually I was referrin' to the extinction. Facing one's death is difficult… but knowing that your culture, language and art will disappear with your species and no one will know about it must be dreadful" Mr. Tucker clarified.

"I understand. When the Horizon was in danger… it felt to me as if we were going to loose our world… because no one actually knew us except from the other crewmembers. Our memory risked to be destroyed with us…" Travis remembered.

"This reminds me of the sunken ships that lay under the oceans for centuries before someone finds them. As with Las Cinque Chagas." I said. Both Travis and Mr. Tucker looked at me questioningly.

"Las Cinque Chagas was a Portuguese carrack. In 1594 it was defeated in battle by four British ships and sank in the Atlantic ocean. It was retrieved only forty years ago." I explained.

"Five hundred and twenty years, what a time!" Travis exclaimed.

"You're quite an expert about naval history, aren't you?" Mr. Tucker asked me.

"It runs in the family. My father, grandfather and grand-grand father were all in the Royal Navy" I answered. I half expected one of them to ask why I had decided not to follow their footsteps but they didn't.

Mr. Tucker just asked me: "And does your father play battleships?". I rolled my eyes, suppressing a laugh.

As for Mr. Tucker, he sometimes gets on my nerves but maybe one day he'll become a friend. I still don't feel like sharing my thoughts with him but I feel at ease and when I'm with him, even if he's a superior officer, I loosen up a bit.

Addition: It seems to me that the situation is getting desperate. This afternoon we received almost 30 hails from various Valakian clinics asking for our help, they expect so very much from us. But this evening I met briefly with Doctor Phlox and he seemed quite worried, so I'm afraid he hasn't found a cure yet. The Captain seemed worried and thoughtful too and I think he's having a hard time; helping people is very important to him and this situation must be frustrating.

Starlog 29, September 27, 2151

We've just left Valakia.

Doctor Phlox found out that the disease which is killing the Valakians is not infectious or something like that, but a genetic disease. In a word, the evolution of the species is killing them to the Menk's advantage.

Although Doctor Phlox had found a cure, the captain decided that we could not interfere with their natural evolution, so we equipped them with painkillers and other palliatives but no more.

It must've been so difficult for the Captain to deny them our help, to sentence them to death. I don't even dare to imagine how he feels right now. He must've fought a hard battle with his own self to come up with this decision and I admire him very much for that.

Even if it's actually horrible, I believe he's right. He was right when he tried his best to help them and he's right now about stopping. Helping them would've been as if someone has helped Neanderthal man against other hominids.

It must've been hard for the Doctor too: having a cure and not being able to use it.

I hope we'll soon find an occasion to actually be useful , so we'll forget this sad story.