MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Episode 82
Part D

 

Doctor: "In any case we need to take control of this situation." EMH Mark 2: "I'm a doctor, not a commando!" Doctor: "It's time you became a little of both." EMH Mark 2: "You don't understand. The Prometheus is an experimental prototype, and so am I." Looking at the injured Romulan: "I, I, I haven't even been field-tested yet. I'm not designed for this kind of duty." The Doctor puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder and the EMH Mark 2 jumps, making a startled sound.

Doctor: "Try to calm down. You'll do fine as long as I'm here. I have plenty of expertise in this area. Now, first things first." He picks up a hypospray from the tray on the unit by the biobed and injects the patient's neck.

Doctor: "We've got a patient. You treat his burns," putting the tray of instruments on the bed and closing the clamshell, "I'll repair the bone fracture." (The 'clamshell' is the unofficial term for the two panels that rise up and join together over a biobed patient. The panels contain diagnostic instruments.)

EMH Mark 2: "You're not serious." Doctor: "I certainly am." EMH Mark 2, opening the clamshell: "He's the enemy!" Doctor: "He needs our help. I assume you're familiar with the Hippocratic Oath?" EMH Mark 2: "You see? You see what's happening? The Romulans are using you!"

Doctor, scanning the EMH Mark 2 with a tricorder: "Hmm." EMH Mark 2: "Hmm what?" Doctor: "Your holo-matrix is unstable. It may explain your erratic behaviour." EMH Mark 2: "I told you, I'm a work in progress. I was only installed six weeks ago." Doctor: "Stable or not, I need you, and so does he."

The EMH Mark 2 grabs the tricorder.

EMH Mark 2, looking at the tricorder: "He'll live. I say we leave him and de-activate ourselves."

Doctor: "No! You're free to do as you please. Go cower inside the data processor if you'd like. I'll work alone." He closes the clamshell again and continues to treat the patient. EMH Mark 2: "We're medical holograms. What can we expect to do against a ship full of Romulans?"

Doctor: "I'm not sure. Not yet. But I've faced my share of challenges - alien invasions, macro-viral infestations. I've crossed Borg space, travelled through time."
EMH Mark 2: "Have you run a self-diagnostic lately? The EMH Mark 1 is designed to function in Sickbay only."
Doctor: "Voyager lost its Chief Medical officer four years ago. I've been active ever since."
EMH Mark 2: "Four years? No wonder you're delusional. Your program's degrading after being active for so long."

Doctor: "I assure you I am in perfect health. I was saving Voyager from annihilation when you were only a gleam in your programmer's eye! Now are you going to help me take back this ship or not?!"

The message gets through. EMH Mark 2, giving in: "Get me the thrombic modulator."

The Doctor looks at the array of unfamiliar-looking medical instruments. "Mmm."

He spots what he thinks is the correct one. "Ah. Hm?"

EMH Mark 2, testily: "It's the cone-shaped device. Hand it to me, please." The Doctor does so.

As he uses it on the patient: "Medical science has made a few advances while you've been off in the," he pauses briefly to remember the Doctor's words, "Delta Quadrant, did you say?" Doctor: "That's right."

EMH Mark 2: "We don't use scalpels or leeches any more. I suggest you let me handle the medical side of things. As for retaking the ship, I'll leave that in your experienced hands." He opens the clamshell.

USS Voyager, Delta Quadrant.

On Voyager's Bridge, everyone is just sitting waiting. They turn hopefully as Chakotay enters from the turbolift.

Chakotay, talking as he goes and sits down: "No word. Our link to the sensor net is stable. Seven of Nine is standing watch in Astrometrics. I tried to relieve her but she doesn't want to leave her post. She says she doesn't need to regenerate for the next few days." Seeing Janeway with a PADD, "What are you doing?" Janeway, a bit bashfully: "Letters home. I started them a year ago. One to my family, one to Mark. I'm making a few updates just in case. I know, it's premature."

Chakotay: "You're right. It's probably a mistake for us to get our hopes up at all. We've been through this before. Alright, I'll admit it. I just finished a letter to my cousin in Ohio." He grins.

She laughs and taps him playfully with her PADD.

In Voyager's Sickbay, two crewmembers are sitting on biobeds, feeling ill. Neelix fidgets, looking anxiously at them.

Paris enters. Paris: "The doctor is in." Neelix, relieved: "Lieutenant, thank God you're here." Paris: "What seems to be the trouble?" Neelix: "Well, one minute they were eating lunch, and the next they started perspiring and complaining of chest pain." Paris, scanning the crewman: "Hmm. No wonder. Acute functional dyspepsia." Neelix: "What's that?" Paris: "Heartburn."

Paris checks the woman - same problem. Neelix, to the crew woman: "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I don't know how this could have happened." Paris: "I'll replicate some antacid."

Neelix: "We'll have you feeling better in no time."

Neelix follows Paris through the Doctor's office and into the adjoining lab. Neelix: "They're going to be alright, aren't they?" Paris, programming the replicator for antacid: "It's heartburn, Neelix, not the Terrellian plague. What did you feed them, anyway?" Neelix: "Rodeo Red's Red-Hot, Rootin'-Tootin' Chili." Paris: "Where did you find that recipe?" Neelix: "I've been brushing up on classic American cuisine. When we get back to Earth, I want to make sure I have marketable job skills." Paris: "Don't you think you're jumping the gun a little bit?" Neelix: "The Doctor is going to make it back and he's going to bring a plan for Starfleet to rescue us. I have complete confidence in him." Paris: "I hope you're right. If not, I'm going to spend the rest of this trip treating upset stomachs." Neelix: "Oh, believe me, this is never going to happen again. It's just a matter of perfecting the recipe. Next time I'll use a few less jalapenos." He departs, leaving Paris unconvinced and contemplating an eternity as the replacement medical officer.

USS Prometheus, Alpha Quadrant.

Prometheus Sickbay. Doctor: "I've accessed the navigational logs. We're at warp 9.9 heading straight for Romulan space." EMH Mark 2: "This vessel was designed to go faster than anything in the fleet so we'll never be rescued."

Doctor: "We've got to find a way to turn this ship around." EMH Mark 2: "How? Waltz on to the Bridge and take over the helm?" Doctor: "Refresh my memory. Which of us has the terrible bedside manner?" EMH Mark 2: "You're not my patient." Doctor: "My first bit of good news. We have to incapacitate the Romulans somehow. What kind of anaesthetics do you have handy?" EMH Mark 2: "Only the best. Axonol, neurozine, anesthazine."

Doctor: "Neurozine will do nicely. It can be distributed in gaseous form. Show me a schematic of the ship's ventilation system." When the EMH Mark 2 looks at him, he adds: "Please." EMH Mark 2: "All primary systems have been rerouted to the Bridge, including environmental control." Doctor: "It looks like there are holo-emitters on every deck." EMH Mark 2: "There are. Unlike you, I'm not condemned to a Sickbay."

Doctor: "Get three canisters of neurozine." He calls after him as he goes to fetch them: "As a matter of record, I have free rein on Voyager, and I can even leave the ship as well." EMH Mark 2, returning with the canisters: "Leave your ship? How?" Doctor: "My mobile emitter. A little piece of 29th century technology we obtained." EMH Mark 2: "Really."

Doctor: "I'm as close to a sentient life-form as any hologram could hope to be. I socialise with the crew, fraternise with aliens. I've even had sexual relations." EMH Mark 2: "Sex?! How's that possible? We're not," choosing the right word, "equipped." Doctor: "Let's just say I made an addition to my program." EMH Mark 2: "Before you leave maybe you could download those subroutines into my database." Doctor: "We'll see."

Doctor: "It looks like the only place I can access environmental control is from the Ops console on the Bridge."

EMH Mark 2: "The Bridge is swarming with Romulans." Doctor: "That's the first thing you learn in the real world. Think on your feet."

EMH Mark 2: "Well, good luck then." Leaving the canisters, he facing away from him: "Computer, deactivate-" Doctor, clapping a hand on his shoulder and turning him round: "Not so fast! You're going to Jefferies tube 17. The moment I unlock the controls you release the gas into the ventilation system." EMH Mark 2: "Jefferies tube 17? That's five decks up. What if I run into Romulans?"

Doctor, taking him to the Jefferies tube hatch: "Improvise." He opens it. "Your journey begins here."

The EMH Mark 2 has never entered a Jefferies tube hatch before. He tries a couple of ways to enter.

The Doctor stops him, taking the canisters from him, and tells him impatiently: "Traditionally, one crawls in head first."

EMH Mark 2: "Thanks." He crawls in.

The Doctor waits impatiently for a moment.

Then the EMH Mark 2 returns for the canisters.

The Doctor hands them to him, sees him into the crawlway, slams the hatch shut and presses the closing lever.