[Captain's Log, Supplemental
I have decided to grant Mr. Corvin temporary asylum aboard my ship, pending Dr. Braun's assessment of him proves that he is who he claims to be.
And if I'm right about him, this man is in fact from a region of space previously unknown to us.]
"And you're sure that Karath won't be able to catch up to us?" Corvin sat on one of the bio-beds in Sick Bay, while the EMH ran a medical scanner around his hand. Garrett leaned against the adjacent bed, arms folded.
"If my assumptions are correct, the Admiral doesn't even have the first clue as to where we're going. Doctor, how is our new patient?" He said.
The EMH placed the hand scanner back into the medical tricorder and placed it back onto the bio-bed. The Emergency Medical Hologram Mk. I was a supplement to existing medical staff in cases of extreme patient load. Designed by Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, the holographic doctor was also projected in his likeness. The balding, middle-aged man treating Corvin appeared as real as anyone else in Sick Bay, but Corvin was completely unaware of the fact that his doctor was little more than photons on a molecular level. The EMH examined the tricorder readings on the monitors placed near the bed.
"Second-degree phaser burn, plus a few scrapes and bruises. Nothing to worry about, Captain. Please hand me the dermal regenerator." Garrett handed him the device.
"Whoa, what is that?" Corvin asked, withdrawing slightly and forcing the EMH to frown even more than it already was.
"A dermal regenerator." The hologram sighed. "As the name implies, it regenerates wounded tissue."
"Don't you people use bacta?" Corvin said, prompting a chuckle from the EMH.
"I'm sure you've heard this a lot today, but I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. Please hold out your hand, Lieutenant."
The confused man complied, and the EMH began to heal the burn on his hand.
"This is… incredible. So much faster than bacta." He looked over his hand, marveling at the sight of his newly healed tissue.
"And no scar? No synthflesh?" He asked the EMH.
"No. I assure you, you are 100% you, Mr. Corvin." The Doctor rolled his eyes slightly, clearly unamused with his patient's bewilderment.
"And what exactly is he, Doctor? He looks like you and me, but I still have my reservations." Garrett asked.
The EMH ran the scanner over Corvin again. "This man is, without a doubt, human. His DNA patterns conform to that of a normal human being. I don't know where he's from, but you and he are the same, scientifically speaking."
Garrett stood up to his full height. "In that case Doc, if he's all set, I'd like to take him next door to see Dr. Braun."
"As you wish, Captain. I'd just like to give him a brief injection for any more pain he might have." The Doctor loaded a hypospray and injected a painkiller into Corvin's neck.
"Great. Let's go." Garrett and Corvin turned to leave the ICU area of Sick Bay, only stopping when the EMH spoke up.
"Captain, all of the patients are stable. Dr. Braun and the regular medical staff should be able to handle the work."
"Yes… And your point, Doctor?" The EMH's expression grew to one of mild despair.
"Well, you forgot to turn off my program before leaving. After all, I'm a doctor, not a light bulb."
Garrett laughed. "Sorry, Doc. Computer: deactivate Emergency Medical Hologram." The Doctor disappeared in an instant, causing much surprise for Orion's guest.
"What in the… you mean to tell me he wasn't real?"
"In a sense, no. Don't you have holographic capabilities… wherever you're from?" Garrett asked.
"That's not anything I've ever seen. Up until today, I thought holograms were only for communication."
The Captain led Corvin through a set of doors on the other side of Sick Bay. Standing over a patient's bed, scanner in hand, was Dr. Zalya Braun. Orion's Chief Medical Officer was a Betazoid, a species almost identical to humans in appearance save for their eyes, but their minds varied vastly. All Betazoids were natural telepaths, and even a child with one human parent could at least sense people's thoughts in some way. Deanna Troi of the Enterprise was one notable example of a Human-Betazoid. The abilities of a Betazoid made them popular candidates in Starfleet to serve as councilors and medical officers, and Dr. Braun filled her role with exceptional precision.
As Garrett and Corvin approached her, she brushed her blonde hair behind her ear and turned to face them, placing the scanner back into her tricorder.
"You need me to tell you if this man is a potential danger?" She asked.
"Quite correct, Doctor. This is-"
"Darick Corvin. I know." She cut him off. "Sir." She added.
Corvin backpedaled. "How the hell did you know my name? Are you some kind of Jedi?"
Dr. Braun met eyes with the startled man. "No. I can tell you're confused. My people possess the ability to read the minds of others." Dr. Braun turned back to the Captain. "Tyson, whoever this man is, he is not of our galaxy."
"Are you sure?" Garrett inquired.
"Positive. The planets and places you are thinking of, Mr. Corvin, do not exist here. As I'm sure, you've already figured out, sir."
Corvin leaned against an empty bed. He put a hand up to his head. "This, this has to be some kind of mistake. I…" His face sank. "This can't be."
"I'm afraid it is. And I can prove it to you." The Doctor walked to a video panel on the wall. "Computer: Display our galaxy. All quadrants, and mark current location of USS Orion."
The computer screen lit up and displayed Dr. Braun's parameters. Corvin stared at the screen in shock. His eyes darted back and forth as he tried to make sense of this new information.
"No, no. Tattooine, my home planet Alderaan, Kashyyyk, Coruscant… none of them are here. Where the hell am I?"
Garrett put a hand on the man's shoulder. "You're in the Milky Way galaxy. In the Alpha Quadrant, to be specific."
"The wormhole?" Corvin asked.
"Yes. It must be a bridge between our galaxy and yours."
"I'm curious as to what that might look like. I know this isn't the best time, but do you happen to have a map file for it?" Dr. Braun asked.
Corvin remained silent for a few moments. He had slumped to the floor, very distraught. Garrett and Dr. Braun allowed him to regain his composure, and he pulled her aside for a private talk.
"Do you think we can trust him?" Garrett whispered, placing his chin in the crook of his hand. "This Rebellion he mentioned earlier… it doesn't sound like they're the terrorists this Admiral Karath made them out to be. But I still have my doubts."
Zalya moved more hair out of her face. "There's a lot of emotion swirling in his mind right now, Captain. A lot of anger, some confusion, and a great deal of sadness. But I don't get the feeling he's in the business of killing innocent people." She turned back to the man on the floor.
"Are you going to be alright, Lieutenant?" Zalya asked him with a reassuring smile.
Corvin slowly rose to his feet. A single tear rolled down his cheek. He shook his head violently a few times. He took several deep breaths, and gave a thumbs up to the Captain and Doctor.
"I'll be fine."
"Can you show us where you come from?" She asked again.
"I can't. But my droid can. Let me comm him." He pulled a black metal cylinder off his belt, a communicator of some kind. ", I need you to come up here, if the Captain's men would be so kind to escort you to me." He made eye contact with Garrett as he said this, prompting Garrett to key his combadge.
"Captain to Shuttlebay One. Have a team escort our small metal friend to Sick Bay."
"Aye sir, it's just…"
"It's just what, Crewman?" Garrett asked.
"This thing doesn't speak very much. Just lots of beeping and whistling."
"Just bring it up here."
"Him." Corvin said.
"My apologies. Him."
The Crewman on the other end of line acknowledged, and a few minutes later, the escort arrived, being followed closely by a cylindrical robot with a domed head, over a meter and a half in height, moving on two wheeled "legs" with a smaller third leg protruding from the bottom of the cylinder. The white droid was adorned with orange detailing, and it chirped and beeped when it saw Corvin.
"Captain, this is my droid, R2-D8, he's been my navigator and partner-in-crime for the last couple of years. R2, this is Captain Garrett, our savior and host." The little droid rocked back and forth as it blurted out a rather jovial sounding series of beeps.
"I can assume that he's grateful?" Garrett smiled as he patted the droid on the rotating dome that served as its head.
"Good guess. Most people where I come from can't understand Astromech droids without translation software, but I've worked with R2 a long time. I understand them better than most."
"Now that pleasantries are out of the way, can our little friend here show us your galaxy?"
"Absolutely. R2, bring up the galactic map." A lens on the droid's dome lit up and projected a holographic galaxy that filled the room. Dr. Braun reduced the lighting in Sick Bay to allow a better view. Corvin examined the map carefully, before pointing to a green-blue ball in the starfield.
"Here. This is my home planet, Alderaan. Quaint. Peaceful. Under constant threat of invasion."
Garrett went in for a closer look. "Amazing. It looks remarkably like Earth. That's where I come from."
Corvin sighed, and moved away from Alderaan, pointing now to a grey planet near the galactic core. "This is the planet formerly known as Coruscant. Now referred to as Imperial Center. This is the hub of Emperor Palpatine's regime. This planet used to be a jewel, a wonderful place. Now the Empire's most loyal subjects live in luxury while non-humans are forced to scrape by in the lower slums. Our Emperor doesn't think too highly of aliens."
Garrett looked over the galaxy. "Well then, I think you'll find our policies to be much more to your liking. In the United Federation of Planets, all walks of life are welcome to join and live as they please. As you may have guessed by our size, this is a vessel of research and exploration."
"I see." Corvin's eyes reflected the projection of the map, which he soon signaled the droid to close. The lights in the room returned to normal, and Dr. Braun stepped in-between the two men.
"Not that this hasn't been fascinating, but my patients are trying to recover, Captain. Is there any way I could convince you to bring this exchange of culture elsewhere?"
"Of course, Doctor. Mr. Corvin, can I assume you haven't eaten in some time?"
"It's been a while, yes."
Garrett smiled as he escorted Corvin out of Sick Bay. "Then I'd like for you to join my bridge crew and I for a meal. Come on, I'll show you to Deck Two."