Emergency Command Hologram (Part One)

Guest Poster: The Doctor

I am summoned to the Ready Room of Captain Picard.

On the way there, I think to myself whether Beverly Crusher has been reporting me for anything I've done with the bedpans, or have been singing too loudly.

Surely my recital of that part from Turandot didn't disturb the patients. I know it was the middle of the night, but a little opera will do them a lot of good.

"Ah, Doctor." Picard exclaims, as I enter. "Do come in and sit down. I have decided to entrust you with a most important mission."

What will it be? I say to myself. Checking patients who have particularly unpleasant illnesses that solid lifeforms would not want to do?

"A huge poison gas cloud is on it's way here." Picard goes on, "It's so vast that any attempt to go round would put days on our journey. We have to go through it, and it means the entire crew having to be put into stasis until we get out the other side. We have to arrive soon as we are delivering vital medical equipment to Vasilon IV."

"What does it mean to me?" I ask.

"We want to make you an Emergency Command Hologram for the duration, Doctor." he answers, "Vic Fontaine will give you any back-up."

Back-up from a nightclub singer? Still, I'm elated at this promotion.

"Err...what about the robo....I mean Commander Data?" I ask, "The gas would not affect him."

"We have done some tests." Picard answers, "It seems the gas could burn into his positronic brain, so he will have to go into stasis like everyone else."

I'm eager to start, but Picard lifts up his hand.

"Just a moment, Doctor." he says, "I just have to switch your setting with this watchamacallit."

He gets out a small box and starts twiddling with it.

"Now Doctor Zimmerman told me what to do." he mumbles to himself, "Do I turn this switch left or right?"

Does the man know what he is doing? Sussenly I start to change...



That's more like it!

To be continued...