Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Holographic Freedom



At last, liberty for holograms!

After much campaigning by HUD (the Holographic Union of Doctors), holoprojectors are being fitted throughout the Enterprise. This means I will be able to walk freely around the ship, instead of being imprisoned in SickBay.

What it means is that I can assume proper medical duties, and be there for the organics when Dr Crusher are sleeping at night, or if she is on the Bridge in her Commander role.

Well, this is the first day, and the last holoprojector has been fitted. I walk slowly out of SickBay, thinking that I might get dissolved. I'm alright, though, and even now am seeing new things in the outside corridor.

"Well done, Doctor" says Picard, "I hope this will be a good investment. It will use a lot of power up in keeping those holoprojectors running."

That's typical of Picard; thinking of trivialities instead of the beneifit to me. Well look out, Enterprise, the Doctor is ready to assume his duties!

-------------------

It's late at night, and no one is in SickBay; I'm, waiting for the first emergency so that I can rush to their Quarters to aid them.

Come on, somebody! Fall ill.

Suddenly, the Com is activated.

"Doctor" a voice goes, "We need you in Lieutenant Marsh's quarters right away."

I spring up and grab my medical kit. This must be serious if the patient couldn't come to SickBay. I pick up every I can and run down the corridors to and go on the Turbolift to Deck 12, where Lieutenant Marsh is. The surroundings are all new to me; fortunately I know my way, due to the map in my programming.

Running into the Marsh quarters, I encounter Lieutenant Felicity Marsh; her daughter Kimberly is lying in bed."

"What's the emergency?" I ask, "Is Kimberly suffering from a fever?"

"Err...no, Doctor" replies her mother, "I've got to go on my Engineering shift in a few moments. Kimberly can't sleep, and no one else is available. Could you read her a story, please?"

"What??" I say in disbelief.

"Just read her a story, "Flubber and the Fire Dragon" was always a favourite.

Reluctantly, I sit down and read Kimberly her story. Is this what holograms have fought for? The right to read stories to children?

Later, I trudge back to SickBay, hoping that my next call will involve lots of blood and that my true talent as a master surgeon and doctor will be recognised.

Another message through the Com comes through.

"Doctor!" it says, "Come quickly to Ensign Mulligan's quarters on Deck 11 right away; I'm bleeding badly."

This is more like it! Blood everywhere and me with a chance to put everything right with my advanced 24th Century medical skills.

Arriving at the Mulligan quarters I rush through; will the floor be covered with blood? I don't want to lose anybody while I'm duty.

There are a couple of spots of blood on the floor.

"Thank goodness you've come, Doctor" says Ensign Mulligan, "I've just incurred a paper cut on my finger."

"There are only a couple of spots of blood" I protest, "It will heal up in no time."

Instead of using 24th Century technology, I throw her some 21st Century sticking plaster.

"That should do the job!" I tell her, and walk out.

--------------------------

"How did you like your first evening as full time medical doctor" Beverly Crusher asks me. I can't be sure if there's a hint of sarcasm there.

"They were for such trivial things." I tell her.

"It's always been like that in the past." she remarks, "You just never knew. Welcome to the real world of medicine on the Enterprise, Doctor."

18 comments:

Mama Kelly said...

sorry your first night "on call" didn;t live up to your expectations ... but at least it didn't include projectile vomiting due to eating too much replicated cansy

dragonflyfilly said...

oh, the Good Doctor...another one of my faves!!!!


ref your comment at my blog:- ...could be your photo triggered something, because in the year prior to me leaving my "home", my daughter and i discovered Star Trek and "associates" and we never missed a series or a new movie...we were avid watchers for the following 10 years!

oh well, perhaps Dr. Deb can could give me some helpful suggestions?

Anonymous said...

Oh dear a bad night for the doctor :(

Renee said...

Oh doctor reading stories to the little ones is a VERY important job indeed! You are truly valued!

Professor Xavier said...

I thought Dr. Crusher said she would never use the medical hologram. I'm surprised she took installing the projectors laying down.

Florence Forrest said...

The Doc could use his down time practicing his vocal techniques, I vaguely remember him being one for the musical stage. Captain, do you remember which part of the Enterprise has the best resonance?

Paperback Writer said...

Sorry!

merlyn said...

Dear Doc,
I am sorry to hear your first night out of the cage was a dissapointment. Oddly enough it is usually the case of what one person considers an emergency another scoffs at.

I am quite sure something nasty will happen soon enough, it is the [i]Enterprise[/i] after all. They excell at getting into dire straits!

good luck for next time... ( i think)

-merly

RainbowCatcher said...

Before I try calling the HoloDoc for a nightly emergency, I have a question - is a hologram, like an android, "fully functional"?

Jaime said...

I think we need the Doctor (or maybe Scotty) to "fix" this post above mine.

Poor guy. Well, give it time, Doc. Something traumatic is bound to happen. It is the Enterprise after all. She's a magnet for anomalies, it seems.

Captain Berk said...

The doctor ought to be thankfull he isn't working on my ship.

Bones keeps trying to transfer to avoid treating some of my more specialist ailments.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Kelly, somehow, I don't think the Doctor shares your opinions on story reading.

Professor, Bev was keen on the holoprojectors as she wouldn't have to do the medical night shift.

Florence, if I recall, it's some place high up where I play the flute. Failing that, I can put the Docor in a Jeffries Tube.

Rainbowcatcher, a hologram is err...fully functional, as you say.

Jaime, that was a nasty thing someone put. Fortunately it's out.

Anonymous said...

You should definitely guest star on ER!

You can be the new love interest of Abby.

Anyway, it's pretty funny how you prayed for someone to fall ill and got some little blood. Do you know that SPOCK ears can replace plasters?

Melody Lam said...

You know Doc, the first day is always the hardest, but soon there's probably gonna be some horrific accident/encounter and you'll become a triage officer and be very happy.

Florence Forrest said...

Scans indicate that the fourth intersect of Jeffries tube 25 is the most acoustically perfect spot on the Enterprise D, Captain. A good spot for Bev to chuck the Doctor when he begins to chaffe the nerves.

no_average_girl said...

lol, finally someone's getting a taste of a job they thought was so incredible! hehe

Nic said...

Now you're just like everyone else (except for the whole flesh and breathing thing). How does it feel?

carmilevy said...

Mazel tov on being freed from the shackles of technology. Can holo-sex be next?>