A New Doctor in Town

Posted on Sun Jul 9th, 2023 @ 7:48am by Lieutenant Marcus Alexander MD

1,533 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 4 - Like a Thunderbolt
Location: M'Talas Prime
Timeline: MD 04 -Unknown hours of the night

M'Talas Prime was a cold and dark world where the street gangs controlled society. Dr. Marcus Alexander had been on this world for about six months. Hidden in the dark backwater alley was a small clinic he had been calling home.

"Doctor," one of the nurses said, "our medical supplies didn't arrive again today."

Marcus looked up from the wound that he was suturing. "Really?" he said with disappointment in his voice. "That's the third shipment this week." It was a common occurrence on this planet. Anything that could be stolen and sold would be.

Marcus finished his work. "There you go, kid," he said to the small Romulan child. "Be more careful." The child smiled and took off running. It would have been easier with modern medical technology to fix the wound, but none of that could be found.

He glanced at his nurse, "Guess I might need to go to the market and ask around."

"You know what happened last time," his nurse said. The nurse in this clinic was a female Romulan with long black hair. She lacked any forehead ridges, which indicated her southern heredity.

Marcus rolled his eyes. "They just want a double price for them. We get that for doing business with the V'Lashi crime syndicate." He walked over to a chair and pulled a leather jacket off. He then pulled it over his shoulders. "I'm just going to have to pay Krinn a visit," he said to the nurse as he turned for the door.

The Romulan took him by the arm and pulled him towards her. She embraced him and kissed him on the lips. He had a look of shock but then enjoyment. Pulling away, she said, "Don't get killed." He smiled at her in response, then walked out the door.

The local bar of District Seven was several Earth blocks down the street. The building was lit with red neon lights. It looked like a place where dignified Starfleet officers did not go. Marcus walked up to the bar and glanced at the female Orion bartender. She looked over at him. "Your regular poison, doctor?"

Marcus nodded his head. The bartender poured a shot glass of a type of Earth whiskey. "I need to see Krinn. I have a logical business deal for him."

The Orion nodded and pointed to the back room. Marcus quickly took the shot and sat it back on the counter. He laid a small piece of gold-pressed lathium next to the glass. He then walked toward the room in question.

Inside was a tattooed Vulcan sitting at a circular table. Several bodyguards patted down Marcus at the door, then entered the room. Marcus pulled the hem of his jacket down, which was a habit from his Starfleet days. Krinn looked up in the doctor's direction. He smiled, which was something Vulcans usually did not do. "Doctor, I had a feeling you'd be coming to visit me," he said to Marcus. "Is the renegade Starfleet doctor coming to beg for more medical supplies?"

Marcus walked towards the crime lord. "What a lucky guess." Marcus knew well that the crime syndicate had been intercepting whatever shipments he had been receiving only to sell it back to him for double or triple the cost.

Krinn stood up and stood directly in front of the doctor. "Triple price this time. It's only logical..." Krinn then took a cigar, lit it, and started to smoke.

Marcus turned red as his temper started to blaze. "It's only logical," he said, mocking the Vulcan.

"I knew you'd see it my way..." the Vulcan said as he took a deep breath on the cigar, then blew the smoke into Marcus's face.

As the smoke hit his face, the thought of all those people he had watched die because this man had stolen medical supplies flashed before his eyes, and before Marcus could think, he drew his right fist back. Before the smoke cleared, Krinn did see the fist coming as it struck his face just around the left eye, knocking him to the ground. The bodyguards jumped into action. "Stop!" the Vulcan said as he stood back up. Marcus had a mischievous grin on his face. Krinn stood and then drew his disruptor pistol.

In response, Marcus raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Sorry, I've never been fond of cigars."

Krinn looked him deeply in the eyes. "You'll never get the chance to do that again." He made a gesture of pulling the trigger on the disruptor. Almost at the same time, Marcus began to glow blue. It was the shimmering blue lights of a Starfleet transporter.

Then next thing Marcus knew, he was standing on the transporter pad of a Starfleet vessel. There was a clad young ensign standing at the transporter chief's station. Standing beside him was a familiar face, but one he had not seen in years. It brought a slight tear to his eye as he looked upon the face of his older brother standing at attention in his Starfleet Captain's uniform. "What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?" the Captain grinned.

Marcus walked from the transporter to direct in front of his brother. "Always coming to the rescue, aren't you, Matt." He extended his hand towards his brother, who grabbed it and pulled his brother into an embrace. Marcus felt the overcoming of emotions as he hugged his brother. The last time they had seen each other was two years ago when his younger brother Dastan was reported missing. Dastan had been serving as the First Officer for the USS Shanghai when it was reported that her Quantum Slipstream Drive malfunctioned.

Matthew stood back at attention. "Starfleet has been trying to reach you for weeks, so I got sent to retrieve you." Matthew took a data PADD from the transporter controls and handed it to Marcus. "Doctor Marcus Alexander, by order of Starfleet Command, you are to return to active duty, or in other words," he said with a smile, "you've been drafted."

"Really?" Marcus said. "I thought Starfleet had abandoned me when I started this clinic in the Neutral Zone. You know, I think I have a few warrants out for me. A lot has changed for me in the past year."

Matthew motioned to his brother. "Walk with me…" They stood side by side as they exited the transporter room and started walking down the hall. Matthew stood just a few inches above Marcus. Both had their father's physique but their mother's kind smile. "An incident has occurred on Falta III in the Raeya Sector Block."

"Why does Starfleet need me then? You're the RSB expert," Marcus started reading through the PADD he was given earlier.

"An explosion killed several Starfleet and Romulan dignitaries. From the preliminary reports, it's biologically in nature. Plus, command is sending a new commanding officer to administrate the orbital facility, one that you should be familiar with," Matthew continued his brief.

"Let me guess…you," Marcus said with sarcasm.

Matthew laughed. "No, I'm done with administration planetary bases. My path is to command a starship, and I have a pretty good one Vesta class, USS Caelian." They stood waiting for the turbolift door to open. "It's Ronan Channe."

Marcus looked up from his reading, "That's a name I haven't heard in a while." He paused, "but if there is a mystery to be solved, then he's the name for the job." He continued reading while they waited for the turbolift. "Wow!" he said as the turbolift door opened. "They got married…" he shook his head as he walked inside the turbolift.

"Bridge," Matthew said as the whooshing of the turbolift started as it was propelled in an upward direction. "I've been authorized to take you to Union; then, you will take a shuttle to Falta." Matthew turned to his brother, "That's where our paths part ways. The Caelian is going into deep space to chart the Beta Quadrant on the far side of Romulan space." He put his hand on Marcus's shoulder. "Don't get into any trouble…"

The doors opened to the bridge. The Caelian's bridge was shiny and large, with many interactive consoles. Matthew took his seat in the center chair and motioned for Marcus to sit in the one to his left. Matthew looked over to his right to his First Officer, Commander Syllaam, a Vulcan male.
"Captain," the Vulcan said with a strictly logical sense in his voice, "Starfleet has authorized us to use the Quantum Slipstream Drive for this mission. We will take approximately 14 hours, 3 minutes, and 47 seconds to reach Union Station."

"Very good, Commander." Matthew turned to his CONN officer, a young half-Bajoran, half-Cardassian. "Ensign Buhovax, plot to course to Union Station, and prepare for QSD." Matthew then grabbed the arms of his chair. "Commander Syllaam, Black Alert!"

Marcus did know what was going on as the bridge color scheme changed to a glow of blue and black lights.

"QSD is operational. Awaiting your orders for quantum slipstream," the Ensign CONN officer said.

"Engage," Matthew said as the Vesta class starship launched into extreme velocities couriering Dr. Marcus Alexander towards his destination of Falta III.

 

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