Chapter Updated On: - 21/12/2009
Chapter Beta Read by: - Specter06.
Chapter 21 (Medical and Janeway)
The inhabitants of the Explorer acted like they were on holiday on some exotic world. They rushed through the corridors thrilled about their new world called Earth that McGregor was taking them too. It was too overwhelming for a select few who could not keep their excitement at bay. But after a few weeks of travelling, the excitement died down as the reality of the whole situation sank in. There was still a distance to travel and the Explorer was not equipped with Slipstream.
Michel sat at his desk as he stared at the medical reports, trying his best not to chew another pen to pieces. Swaying from side to side on his chair, he ponders over some difficult calculations on his glass-computerized tablet. He drifted his eyes around the room feeling a slight pain in his neck and a glare in his eyes from the reflective metal bulkheads that reflected the light; this was a signal of tiredness and an indicator for him to get some rest.
He was the type of man not to sleep in the middle of a job and would always do his best to cure the people in need. But since they have escaped the Cataline home world, this would give him the perfect opportunity for much needed bed rest.
In his casual glances around the medical deck he notices a gentle smile from some of the Cataline medical staff that assisted his work. This propped him to do a final cocoon check. A task that could be distressing and also rewarding at the same time, but must be done in frequent intervals. With a graceful tone, he catches the attention of the nearest assistant and proceeds to the makeshift room that housed all the cocoons that hadn't hatched yet.
Walking down the passageway that lacked the Starfleet stile and was more on the line of a factory corridor with pipes and metal bulkheads, Michel made idle chatter, "I have been working twelve hours straight and I need a break"
Turning a corner, they enter a dimly lit room full of blue pattern cocoons giving off a slight misty and scented smell, which does not seem distasteful to his Cataline assistant.
But it was a smell that Michel had grown accustomed too and he knew all too well what the current smell was. It was a smell constant of mixed and tainted creatures that could live or die. He took the moment to wonder over to the control console that was attached to the wall that was amongst a bank of computer screens and monitors. He downloaded the results into his tablet and carried on doing a visual survey on each cocoon with his tricorder.
It didn't take long before one was found dead, Michel looked at it feeling sad and empty at the uncanny discovery. "Poor thing, the pain they must be feeling after being contaminated by the Krainers."
The lifeless cocoon reminded Michel at how defenceless the Cataline were and the help they require from him during this painful and delicate time. It was a burden that laid heavily on his mind and one he took with great determination.
He tried everything to make them comfortable, turning the lights down to a suitable level, regulating the temperature and keeping them away from activity so they can see and feel safe.
His deep thinking was interrupted by a voice a few meters away, "There's another one perished over here!" said the assistant, her voice followed a ghostly echo that resembled a prayer at a funeral.
Michel looked up towards his assistant who stood in a sad state over the cocoon that remained lifeless. She felt as if part of her own soul had died along with the defenceless creature that was in no danger at all. She could almost yell at the dead creature for dying, because she was frustrated at the fact that they were getting into a state to die which was not necessary.
Sadness could not spread any further as both individuals felt the need to carry on and save as many of them as possible, but a sudden sound drew Michel's attention.
"This might be one of them hatching!" Michel enthusiastically said as he ran over to the source of the noise, trying his best not to trip over any semi moving cocoons on the way.
The cocoon moved around before a small tear opened up after giving away from the pressure. This was a clear indication that someone was emerging. Michel checked his computer pad in order to identify the individual inside. Luckily, due to the cocoons location, it was a recent individual that had converted on the Explorer, so the person will be aware of the current situation.
"This is Anni-Lima," He paused, as he checked her details on his computerized tablet. "She's the one had all her hair and skin membrane clothing torn off a month ago." Michel was puzzled at the readings on the computer tablet, he was not sure, but the creature was emerging early. Finally he murmured to his assistant, "She must be emerging early."
Slime and mucus spilled out over the top of the cocoon before the entire top opened, spilling out a young and fragile creature. She gasped for air and struggled on the floor curled up in a ball trying to recover from the sudden emergence.
The young Cataline female forgot her location for a moment and thought that she was still on their home world being tortured by an alien race that skinned her alive. She immediately began begging for her life and not to be hurt in the way again, making a point to hide her new delicate skin clothing from Michel and his assistant.
Confused and in pain, she moved around gasping for air before lying out on the floor with her arms and legs spread out showing what she tried to hide.
Gasps echoed through the room as Anni-Lima desperately tried to breathe and being filled with the uncontrollable urge to shiver, even if the room was at comfortable temperature. After a few moments she slowly began to recover from her ordeal. But she fell silent and shocked at the sudden rush of feelings in her skin and nerves. This overwhelming burst of feeling was something she has not experienced since she was skinned. But the bust of sensation caused her to faint lightly.
Taken back by her sudden actions, Michel had the overwhelming urge to hold the creature in his arms for support. She faintly passed out and leaving her on the floor would be a heartless thing to do, his assistant thought it was a warm gesture as she hovered over Anni-Lima taking readings. "All her readings are normal doctor, we better get her to the medical bay for a deeper scan." She finally said.
In his arms, Anni-Lima recovered and trembled with her fear at what this person will do to her. She suffered from a memory hole that would recover in time. But for the moment, all she wanted to do is curl up and hide. She was unsure about being in this human's arms and her senses were heightened to the point of bursting. She was able to feel the texture of Michel's skin, the moisture of the air flowing from his mouth and the acute body odour that drifted from him. She was not sure what to do. She muttered like a small child that was lost, "Please don't hurt me."
Michel looked on with a hardened heart and soft eyes; he took a step back as he tried to process the confusion he was currently feeling from Anni-Lima's plea for help. With an open mind, he explained that she was safe and no one will hurt her. The gentle smiles and increase in Cataline staff reassured her about her own safety, but the horrid memories still reside deep in her mind.
She attempted to clean all the slime and excess fluid off her skin that offered her some kind of kindred comfort, causing the memories to fade, as if she was in her own world experiencing new things for the first time. She was at bliss, unaware that Michel left the medical bay.
Michel was not the one to leave a job half done. After he was sure that Anni-Lima was in good care, he proceeded to finish his rounds. He gave a slight mental prayer not to find any more deceased cocoons. But unfortunately, as he progressed deeper into the dark misty room, he detected that a total of ten cocoons had perished.
He wondered around the room, computerized-tablet in one hand, marking out all the dead. He drew a long dry sigh at the mess he was in the middle off. If only there was a way to inform them about their safe location, all these deaths could have been avoided. But all he could do was keep the area clear and undisturbed.
One hour had passed and Michel was back at the medical-bay reeling over the data he collected. He swallowed hard, considering his place in all of this. He was a doctor and needed to save lives, this was his motto and something he pride himself upon. But as he looks at this timid creature that was once bald and scarred, transform herself into something beautiful, he could not help but relish the idea that he took part in this species eventual liberation. As he looked on he could see that he was not the only one relishing her beauty.
Anni-Lima stroked all the delicate skin fibers, which had re-grown and took extra care to cherish every moment of it. Now that she has new skin clothing, a whole new era of touch and feel made her bewildered for a few minutes. Her silvery natural blue hair flowed down her back with an untidy bundle at the end and she sat with her graceful figure on display. More thicker then the average Cataline, she felt special.
Michel asked her if she was OK, due to her excessive and bewildered touching of her skin clothing, but she replied, "I am very attached to my skin, when it was taken from me two years ago I felt lost." She said with passion and care.
Michel returned a lost look before he finally added, "Well, do not worry, you seem to be in perfect health, this ensign will take you to your quarters."
As a true doctor would do, he gave a sidelong smile before he left the medical bay prompting the next professional in charge to call him if there were any problems. But on a trip back to Earth, the only problems Michel guessed he would receive were that of more dead cocoons. A thought he frowned upon.
McGregor lounged around in the ready room with the look of boredom written on his face, even the view of the entire ship did not raise an eyebrow as McGregor has seen this view many times in the past, but it's a view to impress even the hardest person.
The ship still travelled at warp speed to the nearest star system to gather supplies to feed the overwhelmingly large number of people, which seemed a little unbelievable at times. However the view of them in the habitat dome reminds him of the reality.
"Captain, The Enterprise E has jumped out of slipstream!" said Tulack over the COM unit.
Moments later as Tulack waited patently for a reply, McGregor marched onto the command deck knowing all too well who is onboard the Enterprise E and his anger began to reach boiling point.
He looked through the windows at the small object approaching at impulse towards them, the faint outline of the disk followed by the red and blue warp nacelles increased in size as the enterprise drifted closer to the Massive Explorer.
Few moments passed and the two ships faced side to side like a stand off in an old western. The Explorer dwarfed the fifty five-deck Enterprise as it made a clear statement that this ship may be old, but it was built for long durations in space and powerful.
"I thought they're not supposed to be here for another month!" McGregor spat out, looking at Tulack.
"It appears that they have installed slipstream technology onto the Enterprise E, I am also detecting Armour emitters and new weaponry." Said Tulack taking a curious scan of the Enterprise.
"We are receiving a hail," said Tulack as he looked at McGregor "It's Janeway"
McGregor's face turned to a shade of red before he had no option but to speak to her. "Put her on!"
The screen came on with a sharp, close up high-resolution video image of admiral Janeway's face, as if she could almost jump out of the screen. She was angry and reeled in the problems McGregor has caused and now she has the chance to wind her bate in.
"Mister McGregor, It has taken me a long time to catch up with you and you have a lot of explaining to do McGregor!" Barked Janeway as she stood from her captain's chair and walked closer to the camera; her imaged filled the entire screen on McGregor's end.
"Janeway," McGregor sarcastically muttered, "I hoped never to see you again!"
He copied her pose and added a little more weight to it before he finally said, "What do you want?"
The atmosphere grew tense on both vessels as the mood of red alert could be heard throughout the bulkheads of both ships and the mighty titian of space was about to be released! How he hated Jainway!
Jainway's face grew with an orgy of anger, with a touch of spicy pleasure as she finally roared on. "You have violated Starfleet rules, trespassed into a dozen star systems, attacked Deep Space Nine and disabled several Federation star ships including the defiant! You are looking at a lot of charges, you are to explain yourself McGregor!"
McGregor looked on, eyes blazing! "The only thing you are getting from me is a warning or I will send your ship straight to hell!" Her threat was not going to get the better of him, and this little female was not going to dictate anything to him. McGregor was strong minded, and he knew this.
Arania interjected with her kind nature and pleasant way at calming things down, her aroma engulfed even the most angriest of people, "Please, both of you, can we try and come to some arrangement?" She paused. Her voice carried the echoes of angels, "admiral, why don't you come onboard and we can sort out these differences peacefully we do not need a fire fight"
Janeway leered at Arania thought the view screen; her angel voice was burned away by the look she portrayed before she transferred her terrifying look towards McGregor. Janeway reeled in anger for all the problems he has caused, his name and ship has appeared on her radar far too many times. Just like the times when she, herself violated the Temporal prime directive.
The argument continued with Arania caught in the firefight, the poor girl did not know what to do. But at some stage they managed to come to some agreement after arguing for some time, in the end it look the skill and calmness of Arania to finalize matters.
Janeway marched down the steal corridors of the Explorer following the computer guided lights to the ready room located at the highest point on the ship, being escorted by her security team. She marched like a relentless animal on the hunt for its pray not to mention the extreme pleasure she will get for taking this man down, he had been a thorn on her side for many years, not to mention the problems Janeway has caused for him.
"Captain if I may," Tulack urgently interjected in his ready room, "It may be advised for you to keep calm at a moment like this, I have studied your records on the matters at hand…" However, before Tulack had the chance to complete his sentence, Janeway marched in followed by the loud hissing from the door. Somehow, the hissing seemed louder than before, as if she caused it.
Janeway walked right up to his desk and slammed both her hands on it, she leaned over and leered into his face. Her perfume engulfed the entire room and her body heat could boil water one hundred meters away.
Her intimidating posture was not going to get the better of him; in fact he took it rather well. He placed his hot tea onto the surface of his desk and ordered Tulack and Arania out of the room
Silence engulfed the entire room as Janeway stood in a straight posture while her hand hanged down her side holding a computer tablet. She clenched a fist with her free hand before she continued with her ranting. "Your activities have been unacceptable, not to mention the incident at Deep Space Nine. You where ordered to surrender your vessel for an inspection. But you ignored it and transported illegal weapons "
McGregor raised a scrutinising left eyebrow at her statement, "I don't ask what I am transporting and I was unaware that I was transporting weapons." He paused, adding firmness to his tone, "I get the shipment and I deliver it. I don't care what it is nor do I enquire."
Janeway replied with an annoyed look and stubbornness "Well, maybe you should have taken the time to know what you are transporting." She descized a hidden smile as she barked, "Now you have to account for your actions."
McGregor replied making sure his leering posture was obvious. "I don't have to account for anything!" he stood up and carried on in a firm and unpolished tone "May I remind you, JANEWAY! I do not work for Starfleet!"
Janeway took a step back and almost displayed surrender in her actions before she leaned forward and attacked him with words, the nastiest way she could. "That's right, but you have preformed illegal activities and attacked Starfleet vessels with high penalties and it will be my pleasure to take you in!"
Believing that she got the upper hand, she folded her arms and changed the subject, as if she wanted to confuse McGregor. "What are you doing out here!"
McGregor grabbed his computer tablet and tossed it over to Janeway, "You are aware of this species?"
She looked at the images and replied in kind.
"We've just been to there home world and rescued the entire population, I have also included the BILL for my work which I expect to be settled at the earliest opportunity" McGregor made a point to hasten the word BILL, but as Janeway looked on, she was almost defiant not to accommodate his needs.
Reeling in delight, Janeway found it hard to hold back her laughter at this ridiculous comment before stating, "If you think Starfleet will pay for this… Kind act of yours, you are mistaken."
McGregor walked closer to her as he pointed out a simple fact, hiding his own crooked smile, "I may work for Starfleet on a part time basis. However, I work for the trading sub-division and not the Military, you have nothing to do with this, and why am I talking to you over this matter, what happened to the original admiral I talked to, we have a… understanding!"
Janeway stared at him before she replied with a slight smile on her face, "He's on vacation, so deal with it. I am in charge and after all, we can't have everything we want now can we."
McGregor stared at her, as if studying and examining, trying to work out what this iron maiden wants. Why did she take the Enterprise E all this way to intercept them?
After careful consideration and a moment of thought, he suddenly realized what she could be after. After all, he was the only one that could solve the impending danger the Federation is currently facing. He stood up, straightening his uniform as Janeway studied his every movement.
He snapped, getting to the point. "Cut the crap Janeway, Why don't you tell me the real reason you have come all this way, does it have something to do with Outer Frontier Station Seven?"
Taken back by the sudden outburst and unexpected name of the station, Janeway realized that the game was up. She frowned, promising herself not to sigh out loud and she needed to come clean about the whole situation.