Chapter Three –Starfleet Life

"Computer, unlock door, authorization Janeway epsilon delta delta." Admiral Janeway shifted the weight of the bags she was carrying to her other hand, and shoved the door open. She quickly walked in and dumped it all on the kitchen counter. She observed the fresh tomatoes, okra, squash, and apples that she had acquired at the farmers market. This was Thursday, and every Thursday she stopped by the market on her way home.

-Admiral Katheryn Janeway, identification confirmed. You have two new video communications that have not been reviewed. The apartment computer announced. Katheryn rolled her eyes. She grabbed an apple, shined it on her sleeve, and walked to her desk in the study.

"Computer, playback messages." She said as she slowly sat down in her chair. I need to quit letting Seven beat me at Holodeck Hoverball, it leaves me sore. Maybe next time... am I getting old? She pondered as she bit into the apple. The screen flickered a few times, and then the Federation logo flashed up for a moment. Suddenly, the Doctor's face appeared. Janeway smilled at the big Starfleet Medical logo behind him on one of the computer moniters. She remembered how excited he was once they retuned from the Delta Quadrent on being offered a major promotion to join the Starfleet Medical Intensive Foreign Medicine Research Team.

"Admiral Janeway," His delighted face started on the view screen. He wants me to do something for him. "How have you been? It's been quite a while since I've had a chance to get with you. You know, they have been keeping me very busy since I've gotten here. Seems like one thing after another… just last week we discovered a cure for the Tribodien Plague, do you know how many lives that will save?" Janeway recalled the Tribodien breakout that had occurred several months after their return from the Delta Quadrant. That will save a bunch of people. "Anyway, I was calling to ask something of you." I knew it. "I miss those few times that we went on medical seminars together. Starfleet Medical wants to send me to Risa for the weekend, next weekend, for a medical seminar, and I was wondering if you wanted to go. Just food for thought, get back to me as soon as you can. Have a good day, and I'll talk to you later. Doctor out." Janeway took another bite out of the apple. He hasn't changed a bit. Medical seminar on Risa? That sounds like fun; I'll have to put that down on my schedule. The Doctors smiling face was replaced by the Federation logo again, and then that was replaced by the steel gaze of a Starfleet captain. Janeway nearly choked on her apple.

"Computer, pause playback." She studied his face, and quite frankly it scared her to death. He had silver hair, silver eyes, and a dark tanned face. He was wearing a Starfleet Captains uniform, and his posture was perfect. She admired his looks for a moment, for in her opinion, he looked very good. But there was something about him that gave her the creeps. Johnson? No, that's not right. O'Neill? No… Tracy! That's was it was. Brian Tracy! She thought back at his promotion ceremony. She even attended it, because she was passing by the room at the time, and dropped in just to see who it was. Why the hell is he calling me? I don't even know him!

"Resume playback."

"Hello, Admiral Janeway." Janeway shivered at the sound of his voice. Low, and completely cool. That really bothered her for some reason. Everything about him bothered her for some reason. "I am Captain Brian Tracy. You are probably wondering why I am calling you on you personal line, but this is something I want to personally tell you. There is something that Starfleet has not been telling you, something they have been covering up until now." Oh great. "I wanted to be the one to show you, and Admiral Draline agreed to it. It would be only appropriate for me to be the one to deliver the news." Draline… Draline. Isn't he the one in charge of Utopia Planitia? "Utopia Planitia Starfleet Yards has been constructing a new ship, and they have named me Captain of her. I would be delighted…" You? Delighted? "…If you could join me for this ship's maiden voyage. It is scheduled for next weekend." Damn. "Please contact me and tell me if you can make it, I sincerely hope you can. Tracy out." Janeway choked again. The moment he said 'out' his eyes flashed blue.

"Computer replay that last message." She said, and scooted closer to her monitor to see if she had imagined it.

-Unable to comply, the message was set to auto-delete.

"Oh well." Janeway sighed. She finished the apple, and wandered back to the kitchen. "Water." She said to the replicator. Moments later, she pulled out a glass of water, and walked to her balcony. She stepped out and looked at the Golden Gate Bridge. She smiled at the sight before her… she could see the entire bay area, and even saw the lights of Starfleet Command. She fixed her eyes on the towering Starfleet Medical building, and wondered what the Doctor was doing that very moment.

"Computer, what is the status of the Hydrexia-C serum?" The Doctor was looking in a primitive microscope, a piece of equipment that he had gotten quite fond of since his return to the Alpha Quadrant. The medical computer behind bleeped a few times, and replied.

-The Hydrexia-C serum has completely reversed all effects of the Tribodien Plague.

"Wonderful! Now, if…"

-Warning. Multiple re-infections have been detected in the sample.

"What!" The Doctor nearly slammed his head on the microscope as he shot up. "Display it on the room viewer!" Doctor Melendez walked into the room just as the image shot up on the master medical viewer. It showed multiple cells that had just been repaired, were suddenly dying off, at a very fast rate. Doctor Melendez raised his eyebrows.

"That doesn't look very good. Didn't we perfect that?" The Doctor studied the display for a moment before he responded.

"Yeah, we did. Look, the re-infection rate is extremely faster than the original infection rate. Why? If anything, it should be slower." A nurse walked to the Doctor and handed him a padd.

"Doctor, you just got a communiqué from a Captain Tracy."

"Who is that?"

"I don't know sir, I just downloaded the message to the padd for you."

"Thank you… dismissed." He took the padd, and put it under his arm, as he took his attention back to the viewer. The healthy green cells were completely replaced now by the mystery viral red cells. Suddenly, the viewer blanked out.

-Warning, containment breach! Evacuate immediately to prevent staff infection. The medical computer hurriedly chimed. Floor 29 of the medical building went to code red, which stood for emergency containment breach. The Doctor snapped his head to Dorctor Melendez. "Everybody out!" They yelled in unison. All of the nurses in the room ran out, and down the hall to the decontamination room. Doctor Melendez and the Doctor stayed behind for a few more moments.

"Computer, can you isolate the contamination with the bio filters?" Melendez quickly asked.

-Negative, the virus has mutated past tolerance filter limits in the bio filters.

"Contain this room in a level ten force field once we leave!"

-Affirmative. Forcefield emitters are standing by. The Doctor grabbed a tricorder, held on to the padd that the nurse gave him, and sprinted out the door, right behind Melendez. The doors shut behind him, and they heard the spark of the forcefield going up. Melendez and the Doctor ran into decon, and crashed down on the bench seat. The door shut behind them, and multiple blue lights started pulsing all around.

"What happened Doctor?" Nurse Graham said to him as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"I don't have a clue." He said as he slumped down, and looked in his hands. They contained a medical tricorder, and a padd. "Well, at least I have mail."

Ok, and again, it probably has errors. I just hope you guys like it. Please Review.