MEDICAL LOGS

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Season 4 : Episode 82

 

DOCTOR'S LOG:

After increasing the range of the astrometric sensors Seven of Nine locates an alien relay station, establishes a link, and detects a Starfleet vessel in the Alpha Quadrant. Janeway uses the relay network to send a message to the ship, but the transmission degrades before it gets through. With time running out, their only other option is to send a holographic datastream. The Doctor is recruited. Torres sends an initiation code along with the Doctor so that his program will be activated immediately he arrives. He soon finds himself in the Alpha Quadrant, aboard the USS Prometheus, in its Sickbay, only to learn that the Starfleet crew is dead and the ship is in Romulan hands. All the Starfleet crew were killed and there are 27 Romulans aboard.

the Doctor arrives on board the USS Prometheus, in the Alpha Quadrant	the Doctor finds a dead body then finds this crewmember who is barely alive
the Doctor loads a hypospray with a stimulant and brings the crewmember to consciousness	the Doctor revives the dying Starfleet crewmember long enough to learn the Prometheus has been seized by Romulans

The Prometheus is a prototype starship with advanced tactical abilities which the Romulans are eager to test. The Romulans access the ship's multivector assault mode, and the vessel splits into three separate ships. Moving into attack formation, they easily destroy a pursuing Starfleet vessel, then reintegrate the separated pieces and head for the Neutral Zone.

Romulans on the Prometheus' Bridge, and exterior view of the ship in multivector assault mode

The Doctor activates the Prometheus' Emergency Medical Hologram, a Mark 2 model. The pair overcome their initial dislike of each other as they successfully work together to render the Romulan crew unconscious using neurozine through the ventilation system and they drive off attacking Romulan warbirds so that Starfleet can regain control of the Prometheus.

the Doctor pretends to have no loyalties and starts treating an injured Romulan	the Doctor brings the Prometheus' EMH online, an EMH Mark-2
the EMH Mark-2 sets off with canisters of neurozine to distribute via the ventilation system....	....as soon as the Doctor can release the environmental controls which are on the Bridge
the Romulan commander discovers the Doctor's ruse to get onto the Bridge (scanning for a nasty strain of the Torothka virus)	the Doctor's captors and interrogators are rendered unconscious by neurozine distributed through the ventilation system by the EMH Mark-2 who accessed the main computer and simulated a shipwide bio-hazard, making the computer think there was a microbiotic contamination on all decks which opened the ventilation system automatically
the two EMHs on the Prometheus Bridge....	....trying to fly the ship to return to Starfleet, but Romulan warbirds accost them
the EMH Mark-2 accidentally engages multivector assault mode and the two EMHs direct the Prometheus' sections to attack Romulans, and the warbirds are destroyed or driven off	Starfleet personnel start to beam aboard

The Doctor is transmitted back to Voyager where he conveys a message - he has briefed Starfleet Command on everything that has happened to Voyager. Voyager was declared officially lost fourteen months ago, but Starfleet is now aware of their predicament, and promises to do everything it can to bring Voyager safely home.

Doctor: "I spoke directly with headquarters. Apparently, Voyager was declared officially lost 14 months ago. I set the record straight. I told them everything that's happened to this crew. They said they would contact your families to tell them the news and promised that they won't stop until they've found a way to get Voyager back home. And they asked me to relay a message. They wanted you to know you're no longer alone." Janeway: "60,000 light years seems a little closer today."

OTHER MEDICAL DATA:

Voyager's medical library masterfile has all the classic medical texts from 'Gray's Anatomy' to Leonard McCoy's 'Comparative Alien Physiology'. The USS Prometheus' stock of anaesthetics include axonol, neurozine, anesthazine, which the EMH Mark-2 describes as "only the best".

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION:

The EMH Mark 2 says that according to Starfleet security protocol 28, subsection D, in the event of hostile alien takeover, the EMH is to deactivate and wait for rescue. The Doctor neither confirms nor denies this, so whether that protocol existed when the Doctor was first programmed is a matter of speculation.

EMH (EVOLVED) SPECIFICATION:

The Doctor claims to be as close to a sentient lifeform as any hologram could hope to be, telling the EMH-2 that he socialises with the crew, fraternises with aliens, and has even had sexual relations (presumably Danara Pel, see entry for  [#35 Lifesigns]). When the EMH-2 reminds the Doctor that they were not designed for physical relations, the Doctor says he made an addition to his program. The Doctor has had two lessons in piloting shuttlecraft on the holodeck.

MEDICAL PERSONNEL:

Paris is left in charge of Sickbay. He treats two crewmembers for heartburn after they eat Neelix's Rodeo Red's Red-Hot, Rootin'-Tootin' Chilli but Neelix put in too many jalapeno peppers.

Paris gets Kim to try and program a replacement EMH, one with a better bedside manner and, if the initial stages are successful, a more attractive appearance. But the attempt ends in failure.

DOCTOR'S QUOTE:

To the unco-operative EMH-2: "No! You're free to do as you please. Go cower inside the data processor if you'd like. I'll work alone."