Scott McLean
Commander
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Registered: Sept 15, 2005 2:52:57 GMT
Posts: 330
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Post by Scott McLean on Jul 15, 2013 7:37:57 GMT
There is a bright and expansive white room with a single male figure standing in what could be perceived as the middle of the room. Scott McLean, the former Starfleet Chief Engineer for the USS Raven, stands amid this white abyss; his is head down, his eyes are transfixed upon his feet, his hands are open at chest level with his palms open to his face with his fingers spread wide and his body is clothed in standard issue Starfleet medical attire. His bare feet are firmly planted upon the spotless white floor yet he feels nothing--despite the fact that the Chief Engineer swore the floor looked like it should be cold to the touch, or perhaps warm...it all depended upon one's perspective.
In the distance a sound appeared out of nowhere. It was very faint but McLean's sharp ears took notice right away. Although the engineer's mind wanted his head to turn toward the sound his body would not respond. He remained standing in his awkward static pose. The more McLean listened to the sound the more familiar it became to him. It was a sound he had listened to day in and day out as the Chief Engineer aboard the USS Raven. It was the sound of a warp core.
Am I dead?
"No." Replied a sharp yet quippy voice within the white room. The simple statement reverberated throughout the endless expanse of white, which gave McLean no clear indication as to where the voice had originated. One thing was clear though, McLean had heard the voice and it was much closer and far more real sounding than the distant hum he had just experienced, and more than that...who ever had answered his question was also reading this mind.
"Then where am I?" McLean quickly snapped out of his trance, his mind began working at light speed, "What is this place, and who are you?"
"All in good time, Commander. All in good time." The voice was followed by the sound of boots walking away on a hard floor.
Scott began to move, first slowly but as he realized that the foot steps were moving away far quicker than he was walking he step up his race to a light jog. However, as he began to jog the footsteps continued to walk away from him. Again Scott increased his pace to a light run, then he moved in to a full run, yet the foot steps continued to mock him in every way with their gentle speed. Finally, McLean began to sprint. He pushed his body to limits that he didn't know were possible. His lungs began to burn, his legs began to weaken and yet the footsteps continued to walk away from him. McLean stopped his pursuit and doubled over in exhaustion.
"Wh...wh...who are you?" He gasped for air.
"All in good time, Commander. All in good time." Replied to voice. This time instead of footsteps McLean heard the sound of an old wooden door being shut. The sound, much like the voice and the footsteps, reverberated throughout the white room. It was everywhere and yet nowhere.
This can't be real.
Starfleet Medical, Earth
Medical Student, Ellie Henderson enjoyed her daily rounds at Zefram Cochrane Memorial Hospital in San Francisco. Since she was a little girl she had always wanted to be a doctor, just like her father. However, unlike her father she yearned to be an explorer. She yearned to travel among the stars to distant planets to experience new and exciting cultures, foods, and most importantly people. Her father told her one day that his private practice would be her's to run once she was done with medical school, and as each day ticked by she felt the dread of living her father's life--graduation was just around the corner.
She knew that the day of utter disappointment would come eventually. The day in which she would tell her father that she had decided to take a different route, that she had decided that she was going to join Starfleet instead of taking over his private practice. She had been talking with some recruiters and medical personnel was one thing the recruiters were always on the lookout for, especially students that were extremely motivated. It was why Ellie applied to perform her residency at a Starfleet hospital instead of at one of the number of the local hospitals in the Bay area.
"Good morning, Sandy." Ellie said to the station nurse as she pushed the door open to the Invalid Ward.
"Morning, Ellie." Replied the Starfleet nurse while holding out her usual stack of clipboards for the young would-be doctor.
"Thank you." Ellie said as she took the clipboards from the nurse's outstretched arm, "Have you seen David today?"
"Not today."
"Okay, thanks." Ellie's voice trailed off as she looked over her first patient, Commander Scott McLean.
Ellie looked over McLean's chart out of habit even though she knew his condition hadn't changed in years. However, as she looked upon McLean chart she noticed that Starfleet Medical had made the decision to discontinue Life Support even though Scott was a decorated officer and a war veteran. Starfleet Medical simply knew that they couldn't sustain the Commander's life indefinitely; room in the Invalid Ward had to be made for cases that had a better chance of seeing even a modicum of improvement, so the tough decision was made for the McLean family by Starfleet Medical and it read in bright red letters at the top of McLean's Medical PAD Commander McLean will Discontinue Life Sustaining Support by Week's End.
Ellie sighed heavily as she let the gravity of the situation settle in on her. This wasn't the first patient she had under her care that was removed from life support, but in her eyes McLean was different. He, like her father, was a widower with just one child, a daughter named Vanessa. Ellie would often wonder during her rounds if her and Vanessa would have been friends if they knew each other. She'd like to think they would have been. And although Ellie knew such thoughts were silly, she acknowledged them all the same.
The rounds for an Invalid patient were simple; Ellie would check the IV drip, take the pulse and blood pressure of the patient, check for any neurological reactions to outside stimulation, and lastly take a quick scan of the brain for any sign of additional activity.
"Today's verdict?" Ellie asked herself as she waited for the results from the brain scan, "...same as yesterday. Which is the same as the day before that, and the day for that, and the same as when you got here."
She sighed heavily looking at the bold text at the top of the Medical PAD, "Chief Residence Medical Log, patient's name is McLean, Scott. He is a Starfleet Commander and has been in the Invalid Ward for nearly four years and shows no signs of improvement." Ellie continues her medical log as she walks out of the room, "Starfleet Medical has designated Commander McLean for expiration by week's end if no significant signs of improvement can be found. I'm hopeful, for his sake..." the door to McLean's room cuts off Ellie's personal log.
As Ellie rounds the corner to proceed to her next patient two large blips appear on McLean's EKG. However, just as fast as they appeared they are drowned out by the steady rhythmic actions of a comatose heart.
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Deleted
Registered: Apr 25, 2024 10:55:49 GMT
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2013 4:03:49 GMT
"Is everything okay?"
The question caught me off guard and brought me back to reality. Sitting across from me at dinner was my lovely yet incredibly stubborn father, Dr. Richard Henderson. Medically speaking we practiced the same kind of medicine, but morally we were worlds a part. Although I had yet to take the Hippocratic oath to do no harm--something I was looking forward to with great anticipation at graduation--I understood that all life, no matter what kind, was sacred. But my father felt differently than I and I didn't even have to ask him to know how he would feel about Commander McLean's situation. "It's for the greater good" he would say or perhaps "sometimes people can't be saved and we have to just let them go." I know it's his experience talking and it's my young, ambitious, I can save the entire world state-of-mind talking speaking for me, but deep down in my core--not just because of my naivete--I feel that what's happening to Commander McLean is wrong...on every level. But how can I help a comatose patient who hasn't shown a single sign of improvement in the last four years?
"El. what is it?" My father could see that I was troubled, he always could. I guess it's the special bond between a father and his daughter. Either way I was apprehensive to speak my mind inside of the crowded restaurant. We were both headstrong, him because of his age and experience and me because I was always trying to prove to him that I knew what I was talking about and that I was a well educated and perfectly capable physician. "I just have a case on my mind, that's all." I didn't need to say another word. My father started to lean in, he placed his elbows on the table and interlocked his fingers before pressing the back of his thumbs to his lips. He was in his best thinking position and more importantly his eyes lit up because he, like all doctors, was a problem solver.
"Go on." He said through his hands.
It didn't take me long to bring my father up to speed on Commander McLean's case. What surprised me was the fact that my father didn't say anything after I finished speaking. He just sat there, his eyes darting back and forth as he quickly, and uncharacteristically quietly, thought about the options that would be laying before him. Then he asked what I never expected him to ask.
"What are you going to do?"
I was caught completely off-guard. Normal protocol dictated that when I presented him with a problem that I was having he would formulate an answer and present it to me as if it was the only possible solution, citing his years of experience as his justification for his solution. This time, however, he wanted to know what I was going to do. I hadn't the slightest idea what to say, so I said what anybody would say when they're being treated like an equal for the first time.
"I don't understand." I said as I sat back in my chair.
"Well," my father started to say as he mirrored my movement, "you're a young woman who is only a few weeks away from graduating from medical school, you have been working very hard on your clinicals and with that comes experience, so I'm curious to know what you are going to do about this problem you're having with you case. I want to know because I want to know what kind of doctor you're going to be when you start facing the tough cases in my office."
I really wished that I had just told him what was on my mind instead of freezing up like a teenager who had just gotten caught climbing back in her bedroom window well into the early morning hours.
"I want to..." I paused to take stock of my father's reaction. Unfortunately for me he remained rather stoic, "I want to monitor the Commander's basic vitals every fifteen minutes instead of the standard four times a day. I want to bring in more sophisticated monitors to scan for brainwave activity and have that running twenty-four/seven from here on out, and I want to look through the backlog of data collected these last four years to see if there is anything that we might have missed."
As I was speaking my eyes had been darting throughout the room, never once making eye contact with my father. However, after I finished speaking I looked his straight in the eyes and I believe he saw my determination.
"Do you feel as if Starfleet Medical has been remiss in their care of Commander McLean?"
"Dad, no." The argument was about to begin when my father held his hands up and gave me the old slow down motion.
"Just hold on a second." My father said as he leaned in closer to me to prevent our voices from getting too loud. I on the other hand remained sitting up right and against the back of my chair with my arms crossed. I knew the lecture was coming and despite my years of medical training I couldn't help but acting like a know-it-all teenager.
"It has been my experience," He always started his lectures the same way. It was his way of telling me that I was wrong without outright saying it, "that having a patient comatose for four years without a single sign of improvement, no matter how many times a day a person is checked upon, is a clear indication that this patient is indeed lost to us. Four years is a very long time El, you know that. You also know that if Commander McLean does come out of his coma he won't be the same man he was before. There is a better than average chance that he'll have brain damage and as a result he will have a very low quality of life. I'm not a proponent of euthanasia but I would like to believe that Starfleet Medical is making the best decision given the circumstances."
I said nothing even though I understood the clear logic of his words.
"I love your fire and your dedication to your patients. That's the kind of doctor I always knew you were going to become." He smiled warmly and tears began to well in the corner of his eyes before he spoke again, "You remind me so much of your mother. She was just as passionate about medicine as you are now. If only she could be here to see the woman you have become." My icy exterior melted with his words. He never spoke about mom because it had always been too painful for him. I moved in and placed my hands over his. We sat silently for a beat.
"There is one thing though," he said wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes, "never let anybody convince you to give up on a patient. Never. Not Starfleet, not me, and most certainly not you. You have been trained to save lives. So if you can...save this man's life...doctor."
I smiled, tears began welling in my eyes now. I stood up and embraced my father in the middle of the restaurant. I imagine people were watching, totally unaware of the significance of our conversation and our embrace, but for once I didn't care. Instead of telling me to give up and be fine with Starfleet's decision to end Commander McLean's life, my father encouraged me to go down fighting. And that's all I really wanted.
"Thank you." I said as I pulled away from the hug.
"You're welcome."
I didn't have to tell him that I was going to be heading back to the hospital to implement my plan to constantly monitor McLean's vitals and brain activity because he already knew. He nodded his head silently and wished me luck before I rushed out of the restaurant,
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Scott McLean
Commander
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Registered: Sept 15, 2005 2:52:57 GMT
Posts: 330
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Post by Scott McLean on Jul 21, 2013 1:42:46 GMT
The disembodied voice that spoke to McLean raised more questions in the former Chief Engineer than it answered. At first Scott would have swore that he was dead, there really was no other explanation. He wasn't anywhere near Section 47 or the USS Raven, he wasn't wearing his uniform, and he couldn't feel any measure of temperature in the white room. As he thought it over his mind could only come to one conclusion, he was dead. However, all that changed when the voice interrupted his thoughts and informed him that he wasn't dead.
So if I'm not dead...where am I? McLean thought as he began to study the space that he was occupying. He could feel the floor beneath his feet, his body had weight, and the gravity felt normal too. He waved his arms back and forth and felt the turbulence of the displaced air between his fingers and over the tops of his hands. He then took in a deep breath and he held it tight until his body forced him to take a breath. The engineer doubled over, gasping for air, and he knew for a fact that he had to be in an actual location--perhaps a holodeck.
"Astounding." The voice rang out throughout the room again.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?"
"An interesting question, but I think the better question is 'what do you want from yourself?'"
"I don't understand." McLean said as he looked around the white room, expecting somebody to finally appear.
"Then perhaps I should enlighten you."
There was a loud finger snap and a brilliant flash of light, and before McLean's eyes could adjust he found himself standing at the water's edge of Starfleet Academy looking out toward the Golden Gate Bridge. The sudden change of scenery startled McLean and he looked around suddenly to find another living soul, but the only person he saw was a lone Starfleet officer. He was standing no more than one hundred feet away from McLean gazing out into the San Francisco Bay.
"Who are you?!?" McLean shouted.
"I think you already know who I am."
McLean had a feeling he knew who this being was but he didn't feel much like giving it the satisfaction of being recognized. Instead McLean set off in the opposite direction, soaking in the sunshine, the smell of the water, and the constant breeze that always seems to be coming off the water. He hadn't been to Starfleet Academy in years but everything was still very familiar to him; the dorms he stayed at during his first two years and the hospital, Zefram Cochrane Memorial, where he met his late wife, Stephanie at while both of them were waiting for the birth of a mutual friend's baby.
"And here I thought you wanted to know who I was." The being said, suddenly appearing right beside McLean.
"See that right there?" McLean asked pointing to a third floor window, "That is where I discovered that I wanted to become an engineer. Funny thing is that when I enrolled into The Academy I wanted to go into Command. I wanted to be a red shirt. That's the funny thing about life I guess, sometimes it never goes as you had planned. Anyways, in the room I had a professor who opened my eyes to what Starfleet had to offer and that class on warp field theory changed my life. I wouldn't be where I am today without him."
"But you still don't even know where you are."
"I have a good idea now," McLean said as he picked up and rock and tossed it into the Bay, "and I have a good idea who you are, Q."
Q smiled a crooked smile at hearing his name.
"I didn't give you enough credit at first Commander, you are far smarter than I thought you were. However, I doubt you have any idea what is in store for you, nor do you understand the reason for my intrusion into your life."
"You're right, Q. I don't. Although, I am very interested to find out why you have decided to latch yourself on to me. I always heard that you were more into bothering captains than simple engineers such as myself."
"Penance." Q replied in a single word.
"Come again?"
Q exhaled loudly, "Penance. The Q Continuum feels it necessary to effect positive change from time-to-time, and I of all the Qs was tasked with finding that one soul to save. Well...save is a rather bold word...lets just call it guidance, shall we? I have to guide you into a position to make one of two possible choices, one of which will have a profound impact upon your life as you view it now."
McLean chuckled as he continued to walk, "Why don't you just go bother a Starship Captain? I don't have time for this."
"On the contrary, Commander. You have very little time and it's quickly running out."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"I think it's best that we begin." Q said smiling before snapping his finger and disappearing in another brilliant flash of light.
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Deleted
Registered: Apr 25, 2024 10:55:49 GMT
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2013 17:24:48 GMT
I took to sleeping in the Invalid Ward when I wasn't going through Commander McLean's extensive medical records. Frankly, I was shocked at how much information finds its way into a comatose patent's medical records. Yearly physical exams that consist of a battery of tests, monthly brain scans that were looking not for activity in the brain but rather larger and larger quantities of inactivity, and a daily log of vital sign measurements. However, none of it showed me anything promising.
Maybe Dad was right. Maybe Starfleet Medical was right. I thought as I was sitting next to the Commander in his room. As I sat in the chair, my head in my hands as I was bent over thinking about my next move, I couldn't help but wonder what it was like for the family of a comatose patient. What would they be doing? Would they be doing as I'm doing now?
I was deep in thought when I first heard it. It didn't strike me at first but when I heard it a second time my ears lit up, my heart was suddenly racing, and I finally knew my next move. I turned to face the Commander and just above him I saw in graphic form what I had just heard--two distinct rapid heartbeats! It was the sign that I was looking for! But the scientist in me wondered very quickly if it was just an anomaly, a random flutter of the heart, or perhaps simply just a cardiovascular condition that I wasn't made aware of--a heart palpitation? There was only one way to find out and that was to examine the EKG readings from every single day of the Commander's stay here at the hospital.
"I could get the computer to isolate the variance in his EKG and compare it to our background brain wave monitors. Then I could have the computer run a search of all his daily monitors for any other similar readings!" I was getting very excited as I kept talking to myself.
"What's going on?" The Starfleet duty nurse said as she came to the door.
"I found it! I found something that might save the Commander." I told her as I raised the EKG print out so she could see what I was looking at too.
When the nurse studied the sheet her expression was less than encouraging. She smiled politely, nodded her head and walked back to her station. I stood next to the Commander, EKG print out still outstretched, confused by the nurse's reaction. Was that a silent indication that I had found what could save this man's life or was she pandering me?
"Computer. Please begin running a day-by-day search for any any signs of elevated heart rate above the baseline by 3 beats per minute, and cross reference those findings with the other monitors in the room. Also, begin to catalog whenever the Commander's heart rate elevates above baseline, oh and please notify me so I may log it in my personal log."
"Acknowledged."
"How long will this take?"
"Estimated time until completion is thirty-six hours."
"That doesn't leave a lot of time to spare." I said as I began to neatly fold the EKG printout back into it's container. "I'm going to need a little help."
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Scott McLean
Commander
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Registered: Sept 15, 2005 2:52:57 GMT
Posts: 330
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Post by Scott McLean on Aug 7, 2013 15:22:46 GMT
"Do you know where we are?"
McLean looked around in surprise because he was no longer on the waterfront of Starfleet Academy, even though he didn't see the tell-tale white flash of Q's teleportation, but to answer Q's question, the long-time Starfleet engineer knew where he was--he was aboard a starship.
"Which ship is this?" Even though the section of the Ship McLean found himself in looked familiar, he couldn't put his finger on the exact class of ship. However, he was certain that the ship predated the ships he had served aboard during his career.
"This, my dying Commander, is the USS Melbourne." Q said standing next to a window.
Dying? Even though McLean heard what Q had said he chose not to ask any further. He had heard about stories of when the Qs would intervene in a person's life when they were on death's doorstep, and it would seem that McLean was at such a pass. But how? What happened to me?
McLean knew the name of the starship but he couldn't where it was from or why it was important to him, but as he walked closer to Q the view outside of the starship started to become clear to him--as with the reason why the name of the ship resonated with him.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Q asked.
"I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't say that at all." McLean said as he stopped next to Q at the window. Before the veteran Starfleet engineer sat a Borg Cube. The world outside was frozen in place and McLean knew that Q was responsible for the warping of space-time, but the question that was on the forefront of McLean's mind was if Q had intended to lecture him or watch McLean struggle to survive at the Battle of Wolf 359.
"You mortal beings are all the same. You are so worried about life and death, you can't see the grand picture. You can't grasp the enormity of what was done by moi those many human years ago."
"You caused the deaths of thousands of Starfleet personnel because of this."
"As well as the assimilation and death of COUNTLESS civilizations in what you call the Alpha Quadrant." Q said in the most excited of voices, "I'm well aware of my actions, and I'm aware of all the good that has come of showing you simple creatures the Borg."
"Good? What good? The Borg have become the most deadly enemy of the Federation and the other greater civilizations in the Quadrant, you can't expect me to--"
"I've had enough of your lecture, Commander." Q said as he morphed into a Borg drone.
"What the--?" McLean said as a flash of light behind Q brought with it a squad of Borg drones. The world outside came back to life in a furry as flashes of green and Orange light now filled the corridor--the Battle of Wolf 359 raged on and McLean was now in the thick of a Borg assault on board the USS Melbourne.
"Resistance is futile." Q said before grabbing McLean by the neck, lifting him into the air. "I've always wanted to say that."
McLean fought and kicked but it was useless. Despite his many years of Starfleet service he was powerless to fight off Q and the Borg shape he had just assumed. Although he could still breath he knew the end was coming, it was just a matter of when Q decided that enough was enough. Behind Q the Borg drones circled up and began chanting, "Resistance is futile. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own."
"I believe you will make a fine drone." Q said as he held up his free arm and forced the Borg tendrils into McLean's neck. The pain in McLean's neck was sharp but lasted only a brief moment. However, the draining feeling that began to overcome McLean felt as if it was something more, something more permanent. It felt cold, like death.
"Commander McLean? Can you hear me? Scott?" Another disembodied voice echoed in the distance as white light flickered outside in the void of space. After McLean heard the voice a figure appeared in the shadows of the ship's corridor--it was Admiral Torek.
(Torek)
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,164
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Post by Carl Torek on Aug 7, 2013 18:09:17 GMT
Almost a month of studying the Gee-Farrax System was an almost welcome relief for Carl and the Raven ... The crew had been able to relax from the year-long duty. They had all found relaxation beneficial to their well being, and their state of mind in general. Carl had been spending a lot of time with Bethan and Vanessa when they were out of school, and truth be known, he had kept them out on the odd day when a planetoid or similar was more exciting. Not that he didn't receive admonishments from Chloe, their teacher for his apparent lack of discipline. But it was all in fun, both girls were doing very well and while he shouldn't be condoning it, he thought they could miss a day and not suddenly slip ... They had spent the day exploring 'GF-006/12' ... One of sixteen small moons captured by one of the gas giants in the system. Almost tropical in climate, it was a far cry from it's mother, which was rotating unbelievably slowly, and was constantly around minus two hundred degrees of poisonous, freezing gas ... After putting the children to bed, he and Chloe chatted for a while, until she too got tired and retired to bed. Carl got another cognac and sat reading for an hour, until he too needed to sleep. Getting to bed, he was asleep almost before his head hit the ........ The corridor was whiter than he imagined. Maybe the Raven had undergone a refit while he had been asleep ? .. 'It was possible' he thought, but unlikely.
As he walked around one of the myriad of corridors, he suddenly heard someone. They were struggling, but against what ! ... Then he saw the Borg, it was holding a Star Flee Officer against the bulkhead and was slowly crushing the life out of the man. But who was he, why was Carl dreaming of the Borg, it was confusing him until the man turned his head !
"I believe you will make a fine drone." the Borg was saying, ignoring Torek completely.
"Commander McLean .... Can you hear me ..... Scott ?"
"Admiral ?" McLean said, spitting blood, "Wha, how are, you can't be here." he said, confusion clouding his mind for a second, but the Borg had heard the conversation, and turned to face Carl.
"Admiral Torek. It is good to see you survived, and with a Promotion too ..." the Borg grinned hideously beneath the facial appendages, "I am sure that unlike our annoying little Commander here, you remember me, you do, don't you ... It is me ... 'Q' ... How does that quaint Earth saying go again, 'Long time no see' is that right ?"
"Let's keep it that way shall we 'Q' !" Torek said, his eye's locked on his friends' ...
"Admir ......" Scott gasped through his swelling throat.
"Listen to me Scott ... Listen closely. You are 'NOT' on a vessel, whatever images 'Q' has put into your mind ... You are on Earth, at Star Fleet Medical." Carl said, keeping eye contact as he moved closer, "You are in a coma. you have been for over four YEARS ! ... Nothing this meddler is doing is real. You have to believe me Scott."
"Is it right that if a, Human, dies in one of his dreams, he dies for real ... Hmm, I think we should test that hypothesis by relieving the Commander here of his useless life. After all, if it wasn't for me he would still be pinging and beeping away in his little bed. Friendless, Daughter-less, and drowning in self-pity." the 'Q' pondered.
"Daugh ....." Scott managed, panic suddenly setting in.
"SCOTT ... LISTEN ! ....." Carl said, very close now, "You are in an induced coma, but there must be something affecting you that is adjusting your brain-wave patterns however minutely. I know this is too much for you, but ... PLEASE TRY ... Try for Vanessa. Try for your friends, try for yourself. This, this is NOT REAL, 'Q' is playing a game, why, I don't know, but it doesn't matter. You need to sleep, you need to 'remember' who you were, and why !"
'Q' had returned to his approximation of a Human form, complete with white dress uniform and a three pip gold bar, but had not lessened the hold on McLean. He was looking at Carl now, a puzzled look on his face.
"This is my game, and I out-dress you 'Admiral." he said, annoyance and uncertainty setting in.
"Is that so ?" Carl asked, finally facing the omnipotent being, "So you brought me here for what, an alternate point of view. Someone to give a little hope to the man you are killing, or did you just want me to relive watching one of my closest friends suffering once more ?"
Before Carl could speak, his world went black. Blacker than any black he could imagine, then his eyes snapped open ! ... In the darkness of his bedroom, he looked at the ceiling tiles for a long long time, not daring to move, but eventually he turned his head to the bedside cabinet.
... 00:02:38 ...
He sat bolt upright in bed, sweat pouring out of him, his bed sheets soaked with the fluid lost. He was terrified, terrified, but he had no idea why. The dream, no, 'nightmare' was already fading into the ether of his short-term memory. He tried desperately to recall one single detail, but even that eluded him. Rising, he pulled the sodden sheet from the bed and replaced it then lay down once more, but sleep eluded him for the rest of the night. Something told him that he shouldn't close his eyes ever again ! ..........
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Scott McLean
Commander
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Registered: Sept 15, 2005 2:52:57 GMT
Posts: 330
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Post by Scott McLean on Aug 21, 2013 17:10:43 GMT
"That's better," Q said shaking off Carl's words, "In all honesty, I thought he was going to be far more helpful. Oh well. Now, where were we?"
McLean found himself on the verge of slipping away. He felt the cold, emptiness of the place Q was trying to send him, but more than that he felt the sheer permanence of it too. It was a place that he didn't want to go to, he would fight with all his might against the omnipotent Q. McLean grabbed with both arms Q's forearm and began pulling, shaking, hitting, anything to release his grip.
"How human." Q said with a laugh.
The Starfleet Engineer struggled to the point of exhaustion. His arms felt like lead weights and he barely conjured the strength to keep his hands clinched to Q's arm in a show of defiance. He wouldn't give Q the satisfaction of know that he had bested him. Although, the more McLean considered his show it seemed rather foolish because Q was just that, he was a Q.
"I hope you're not giving up, Commander." Q said before shaking McLean back from the brink of unconsciousness.
"Perhaps he requires another stimuli." The Borg drones said in unison.
"Perhaps you're right."
In a flash of light, and on the other side of the long corridor, Vanessa appeared surrounded by her own contingent of Borg drones.
"Q, no. Don't do this. Please." McLean uttered to Q in near whispers.
"Please? Please what?" Q's tone was starting to become firm, "You'd fight for your own life but then you'll beg to save your daughter's life? What kind of father are you?"
McLean didn't answer. He hung helplessly in the air, his head turned toward the impending carnage.
"Fight!" Q screamed into McLean's ear, "This is your world, Commander, not mine. Fight!"
McLean mouthed the words 'I can't' several times before his mind cleared for a brief moment. He no longer felt tired, weak, nor did he feel the hand of Q upon him. He felt weightless, but in a powerful manner. He felt an energy welling up inside of him, however, it was an energy he had never felt before. Unknown to McLean that energy was life, his inner most survival instincts were kicking in. The energy poured through his body, energizing every single cell in his body. But like all floods this energy didn't have a dam to contain itself and the energy began to grow exponentially inside the Commander.
"Fight, Commander. Fight for your life, fight for her life."
McLean wasn't sure who was speaking to him, and frankly it didn't matter to him anymore. The energy he felt growing in his body had reached its climax and despite his best efforts to contain the energy within his body, it was going to be unleashed upon Q's fantasy. McLean screamed in part due to pain but mostly his outcry was a physical response to the energy exploding out of his body.
The light of the energy that exploded out from McLean's body was not unlike Q's energy. It exploded with such force that it knocked Q back away from McLean, vaporized the Borg drones in front of him as well as Vanessa, and completely destroyed Q's fantasy ship. McLean had done something he never thought he could do, he beat a Q.
The fantasy ship had been replaced with the white room. McLean was on his hands and knees and yet despite the pose his body felt completely energized. He had expected that such an outburst of energy would have left him feeling completely drained, or at least a little tired, but it didn't. He collected himself and rose to his feet looking for Vanessa.
"Vanessa?" McLean said as he began to walk around the white room, "Vanessa?!?"
I'm here, Daddy.
The voice was disembodied. McLean began to run.
"Vanessa???"
I'm here!
"Where are you???"
Follow my voice!
McLean ran harder, faster, and longer than he had ever run before, and because of the nature of the white room he had no idea how far he had run but it must have been far. It wasn't long before he saw it, the proverbial end of the road. The contrast between the two areas we as stark as day and night. McLean ran to the edge of the white room and stopped in his tracks when on the other side of the white room, the dark room, Vanessa stood. She was older than he had remembered her being. Tears streamed down her face as she held her hands over her nose and mouth as if she was trying to hold back her crying. She spoke to her father through the tears but McLean couldn't hear the words.
"Go to her." Q said suddenly appearing before Scott.
"How?" McLean asked.
"That, I'm afraid, I don't have the answer to." Q said as he moved in front of McLean. "You see, my job today has been to give you inspiration, hope, and something to fight for. My methods might be a little questionable but I did them with the best intentions in mind. I did all this to help you discover that inner strength that you thought you had lost. And from what I understand of your weaker physical form you're going to need it very soon."
Q caught McLean looking beyond him at the young girl standing in the dark room. He turned his head back before looking back at McLean with an honest smile, "Go to her, Scott."
McLean nodded his head and proceeded to pass Q to stand at the sharp line that separated the white room from the dark room. Vanessa stood on the other side of the invisible barrier with one of her hands pressed up against barrier. McLean reached out, hoping that he could penetrate the barrier from his side, but to his surprise he too made contact with the barrier.
Go to her, Scott.
Q's voice had become disembodied again. McLean knew that he was on his own from here on out.
How? McLean thought as he examined the invisible barrier, ever aware that his precious daughter was standing just on the other side. This isn't a physical barrier, McLean. He scolded himself.
"Here goes..." McLean said as he closed his eyes and slowly began to push with both of his arms against the barrier. At first the barrier wouldn't give but there came a point where McLean stopped physically trying to move the barrier and began to feel himself moving through it. The moment he changed his approach he could feel the difference. The barrier had became soft, thin, and most importantly breakable. His hands were the first thing to break through and for the first time in a long time he felt another person touching his skin. Vanessa had reached out and grabbed his hand, but to McLean's surprise she was not pulling. I have to do this.
McLean took a deep breath and settled his thoughts on just one objective.
I can do this.
He more he concentrated the more he could start to hear distant voices, one voice specifically.
"Daddy? Can you hear me?"
McLean tried to respond but this time he was the one who was mute. He opened his eyes and saw that he had crossed the threshold and now he was on the other side of barrier. However, when he looked back he saw nothing buy darkness. In front of him was a distant colorful speck, like a star shining bright in space. Despite the ominous nature of the room McLean felt as if he was finally heading in the right direction.
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,164
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Post by Carl Torek on Sept 14, 2013 17:53:51 GMT
Somehow, the Gee-Farrax System had lost all it's appeal for Carl. He had not had slept well since the nightmare two nights earlier, and he was fretting about the content of the episode despite it's almost vanishing from recall already. He had asked his Ops Officer to try contacting Star Fleet Command on Earth, but unfortunate electromagnetic fluctuations made it impossible ......
Sick-bay:
"Ahh, Admiral ... You making the rounds, or is there something my seriously congested schedule can do for you, check-up, full physical maybe, you 'ARE' due you know ?"
"Sarcasm was never one of your strongest points Will." Carl said, seating himself on the other side of the desk, "But as it happen's ....."
"Problems ?" Commander Jamison asked, leaning forward.
"Problems sleeping." Carl said, shrugging, "I don't understand it. A couple of days ago I could have easily remained here until we were recalled. Everyone is benefiting from being out here, including me ..... Until I had that bloody nightmare."
He went on to recall, or recall at least what he could, of the night he had the dream. Though even now, he was still convinced it wasn't a dream, more an 'episode' acted out on his behalf, but either way, it was affecting him more than he cared to admit !
Will had sat in silence. He knew when to allow his close friend the freedom to open up .... Once Carl seemed to have gotten everything off his chest, Will thought about options:
"Well, as i see it, all we need to do is move out of the system, contact Earth, see how Commander McLean is doing, and if there's no change, we come back and complete the survey ... It'll take us what, two days in total." he said, shrugging.
24 Hours later:
"I have them Admiral." Harry said.
"In my ready room Commander." Carl said, leaving the Bridge and taking a deep breath before opening the channel ...
=^= Star Fleet Medical .. Critical care ward =^=
He spent the next fifteen minutes getting as much information regarding Scott as possible, but the simple fact was, there had been a minor fluctuation in his bio-readings, but nothing to say he was about to recover from the coma.
=^= May I inquire what has prompted you to contact us Admiral ? =^= the woman asked.
Carl didn't want to tell the woman he had had a nightmare, and it was that, that had compelled him to check on his closest friends' progress, or rather lack thereof.
=^= Thank you for your time Doctor .. Please look after the Commander .. Torek out =^=
He closed the Comm and re-entered the Bridge. He instructed Lieutenant Marionette to take the Raven back to their last scanning sector. He handed Conn to Commander Wedlerson before leaving the Bridge and heading for 'Ten forward' ... Maybe now he had spoken to the Doctor overseeing McLean's well-being he was sure he would relax, and finally get a good nights' sleep ..........
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Deleted
Registered: Apr 25, 2024 10:55:49 GMT
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2013 16:23:39 GMT
I stood in the corner of the Commander’s room surrounded by his young daughter, Vanessa, Admiral Torek, and three doctors from Starfleet Medical as the Commander began to stir back to life. The Commander’s condition had steadily improved for an unknown, some would call it miraculous, reason within the last day. I had been monitoring his vital signs and checking his brain scans on the hour, every hour, which turned out to be the salvation of his life.
“Daddy. Can you hear me?” Vanessa said. She was standing not that far from me and she held her father’s hand as she spoke. I encouraged her to speak to the Commander because, it is believed, that the comatose patient can still hear and process environmental sounds, but most importantly they can pick up the sounds of loved one’s voices, which could give them an incentive to break out of the coma.
Behind Vanessa, practically standing in the doorway stood the three Starfleet doctors. Each officer wore a long white Starfleet lab coast over his medical uniform, and in their hands was these large PADDs. Everybody in the room knew why they were there, and it wasn’t to document the Commander’s return. His time had come for Starfleet to remove the Commander from life sustaining support and it was protocol for Starfleet Medical to contact the next of kin to allow them a few last moments with their loved one, and despite my pleas and evidence showing interesting brain activity…I was overruled. That’s when I contacted the Commander’s last commanding officer, Admiral Carl Torek. If anything an admiral could give me at least a few more hours, if not days to collect the data I needed to prove that Commander Scott McLean was still salvageable.
Tag Torek
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,164
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Post by Carl Torek on Sept 26, 2013 18:49:07 GMT
OOC: Sorry this reply is so long mate, just wanted to get everything in.IC: Over the next couple of days, Carl managed to get some much needed sleep, partly due to the reassurance he had received from Scott's medical team, but mainly from the fact that Vanessa and Bethan had pretty much run him into the ground in the holo-suite ... He had promised them time together, and the fact that he was surplus to requirements during the scientific studies of the Gee-Farrax System, gave the children the excuse they needed, though, in truth, he hadn't needed much persuading ... "Sir." a Yeoman said, finally catching him coming out of the holo-suite, "Communication from Star Fleet Medi .... From Star Fleet Sir. Priority one." the woman had hesitated to state the origin of the message given the children were watching her. "OK ... Patch it through to my quarters, these two will beat me to the shower anyway." Carl said. Then once in their quarters, he sat down and opened the Comm link: =^= Admiral Torek .. My name is Ensign Ellie Henderson ...... =^= she went on to tell Carl everything she knew, and her concerns that things were being set in motion that could bring an end to Commander McLean's life. She was relieved when he said he would do everything he could to prevent that happening ... Closing the Comm he looked at the bedroom door, wondering if he should say anything to Vanessa. He had always been open regarding her Father and his condition, and Vanessa had his blessing to contact the medical center at any time ... He chose to wait. He asked Chloe to get the girls' supper and get them in bed, he was going to the Bridge ... ~~~~~Stepping off the turbo-lift, Carl was glad to see his Exec' and Chief engineer were both present. "Comms ... Contact Star Fleet Medical, I want whoever is in charge of Medical Care, no-one else !. Patch it through to my ready room ... Helm set course for Earth. Maximum warp and engage when ready." he ordered, then turned to Alex and Andae, "Join me will you." he said, without breaking stride. Once in his ready room he sat down and then opened the Comm: =^= Rear Admiral Richard Vance .. Chief of Medicine =^= the man said. =^= Admiral .... Carl Torek =^= his Senior Officers looked at each other as Carl spoke directly to Star Fleet's most Senior Medical Officer. =^= What can I do for you Admiral ? =^= =^= I have been made aware that you are about to remove all life support from Commander Scott McLean .. I would like you to delay any actions until I arrive .. We are at maximum warp and should reach Earth in fifty three hours =^= =^= I'm afraid that will not be practi ....... =^= =^= Doctor ! .. Let me make myself perfectly clear here .... You are not to take any actions that will be detrimental to the life of Commander Scott McLean .. Yes I am 'fully' aware you have the final say and that you are under no obligation to obey a direct order from me but .. I have the Commanders' Daughter on board and would like for her to be able to see her Father one last time before ..... =^= he said, not able to finish the sentence. =^= I do not see how allowing the Commanders' Dau ..... =^= =^= Correct me if I am wrong here .. But as the Commander has a living Heir you need her consent to terminate any treatment .. And before you point out the obvious yes .. She is thirteen .. But I adopted her when her Father fell into his coma .. I therefore have power of attorney .... I will expect to see the Commander in his current condition when we arrive Doctor .. Raven .. Out ! =^= He looked at his two friends. "I need to get to Engineering, I'll see what I can do about getting a little more out of her Carl." Andae said, leaving. Forty seven hours later: Earth ..."Establish orbit." Carl said, watching the blue green jewel that was the Earth slowly rotating below them, Alex, you have the ship." he said, entering the turbo-lift. "All our best wishes Admiral." his Exec' Officer said as the doors closed. On his way to the transporter room he reflected on telling the Children ....... He had sat Vanessa down and explained everything to her as best he could. She had cuddled up with Bethan as he had told her about her Father, and what was planned. Once finished, both girls were in tears, Vanessa sobbing quietly in Bethan's arms.
"Daddy, is Vanessa's Daddy going to Heaven now ?" nine year old Bethan asked. It brought tears to Carl's eye when she asked the question.
Carl sat between them and they both hugged him, sobbing into his chest for long long moments. He had never felt so helpless, unable to simply 'fix' this for Vanessa. He wondered for an instant if he had done the right thing in rushing back here for the final moments, but that passed as Vanessa lifted her head:
"I love my Father, and if he is going to be happy in Heaven, then I think we should be there and be happy for him too ... Please don't be upset." she said to Carl as he filled with tears once more, "I have a wonderful Sister, and I will have you to look after me when, when we have all said goodbye to him ... I think he will know we are there with him, don't you."
"Yes sweetheart, yes I do think he will know we're there." Carl said, kissing her on the forehead tenderly. Finally, both children had fallen asleep on his chest, and Chloe, still tearful, had lifted Bethan and carried her to the bedroom. Carl had lifted Vanessa, who had hugged him tightly as he carried her to the bedroom. Drowsily, she whispered something, and Carl set he down beside Bethan. Both girls snuggled together and had fallen into a deep sleep almost instantly ... In the living area, Carl ordered two drinks and sat beside Chloe .. He had never pictured the time when Scott simply wouldn't be there, and now, here it was ....... ........ Chloe, Vanessa, and Bethan were all in the transporter room when he arrived. He took his overnight bag off Chloe and hugged the girls: "Ready ?" he asked Vanessa ... She nodded and they stepped onto the platform ... Seconds later they were inside Star Fleet Medical. Carl took them to the Critical Care Ward, and they were met by a young woman: "Ellie ?" Carl asked. "Yes, thank you for coming, and what you did. Admiral." she said, holding on to Torek's hand despite protocol before looking at the Children. "This is Vanessa, and Bethan." Carl said by way of introductions as he looked at the door to Scott's room. "Maybe you should come in." Ellie said, taking Vanessa's hand. Vanessa walked forward, kissing her Father on the cheek before taking hold of one hand. She squeezed it almost imperceptibly, watching her Fathers' face intently. Bethan moved away from Carl and gave Vanessa a small hug, before going back and taking her Father's hand: "Daddy .... Can you hear me ?" Vanessa whispered ..........
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Scott McLean
Commander
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Registered: Sept 15, 2005 2:52:57 GMT
Posts: 330
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Post by Scott McLean on Oct 17, 2013 16:45:21 GMT
I could hear Vanessa’s voice but it was so distant and the tunnel her voice seemed to be emanating from was so long, but with each labored step I took I could feel that I was getting closer to my little girl. I had to press on—if not her me than for her. She needs me, she needs her father. WALK MCLEAN!
McLean strained against the power of the darkened corridor. With each step he did in fact get closer to the prize of life and to the arms of his beloved daughter, however, each step took tremendously more and more strength from the Engineer.
“Daddy? Can you hear me?”
“I hear you!” McLean shouted into the corridor as he strained against the power of the corridor.
Starfleet Medical, Zefram Cochrane Memorial Hospital
Vanessa stood over her father, tears welling up in her eyes. Behind her stood Admiral Torek, he adopted father these last few years alongside her adopted sister. Beyond her adopted family stood the Starfleet medical personnel ready to set the comatose commander onto the next life.
“We don’t have much time, Dr. Henderson.” One of the medical personnel finally spoke up in a soft tone.
“I know sir, but please can we just have a little longer?” Ellie replied. She tried to contain the urgency in her voice but she knew that her attempt to cover it up had failed.
The older doctor saw the fire and dedication in the younger physician and couldn’t help but give her more time. A quality that we should see more of in our medical staff the aging doctor thought.
Vanessa had been keeping her distance. It wasn’t her choice because in her mind her father had died long ago, and now with the possibility that he might be coming back—and this time for real—she couldn’t help but feel a little distance in one part of her soul. How could she deal with the hurt of losing her father all over again? She had grown from an innocent child into a young lady while her father was in his coma, but even with her new life experience she couldn’t help but revert back into her child like state. She wanted her father to just fix things, to make them all better, to come home. In reality she was standing just a few inches away from her father but in her mind it felt as if they were miles apart. Vanessa reached out with her left and grasped her father’s right hand.
There was a sudden jolt of electricity between father and daughter as their hands united them.
-----------------------------------
The corridor in which McLean was struggling against suddenly and violently began to shake. Thunder erupted in the distant background and McLean’s body felt suddenly empowered. Something on the other side of the corridor had happened, he didn’t know what but it must have been good because he hadn’t felt this strong in a very long time.
“Vanessa! I’m coming!” He shouted as he redoubled his efforts to reach his daughter.
It didn’t take McLean long to reach other event horizon within his own consciousness. However, this time instead of an image of his daughter he saw a room full of people and a young doctor standing above him flashing a light into his eyes.
“What is going on?”
Suddenly the image went dark. The darkness shook McLean to his core because the end of the light at the end of the corridor had been a beacon of hope for the engineer. He thought this would be it, the point of return, the return to the life he once knew, and now it had gone dark. Without warning the light returned as with the image. Again McLean noted that the young female doctor was shining a flashlight into his eye.
“She’s checking for pupil dilation!” McLean exclaimed. “I’m here! Can you hear me?!?” McLean shouted with all the might that his diaphragm could produce.
-----------------------------------
Ellie finished her last examination of McLean. She stalled as she noted in her PADD that McLean’s vitals had been normal and unchanged in years. The slight increase in brain activity wasn’t enough to convince the Starfleet medical personnel that the Commander could be saved. Ellie, in the deepest parts of her soul, felt defeat for the first time in her life. She had never lost a patient before and it wasn’t a feeling that she wanted to feel anytime soon.
The young doctor finished her examination and nodded silently to the Starfleet doctors to let them know that her exam had concluded. She touched Vanessa’s arm gently as she walked passed to speak with the Starfleet doctors.
“We have to give him more time.” Ellie whispered to the medical group.
“I’m sorry but we have given the commander more than enough time to come back to us.” The lead doctor said. “This isn’t a decision that Starfleet Medical makes lightly, Doctor. We have given Scott as well as doctors such as yourself as much time as possible, but we know—and you know as well—that he is beyond the point of return. I’m sorry.”
Admiral Torek fought valiantly for Scott’s life but his authority, although very strong indeed, was overruled by a data PADD containing the orders from the Admiral of Starfleet Medical. The mood in the room had been hopeful but the feeling turned very somber indeed as the lead physician made his way to the life support station.
“I’m very sorry.” He said to Vanessa as he stood in front of the machinery keeping McLean alive.
“Daddy, please.” Vanessa mumbled through a stream of tears. “Don’t leave me. Please. Come back.”
The lead Starfleet doctor took a moment but he understood that despite his own personal feeling, he had a daughter of his own and he could relate to the feelings of Scott’s daughter and her willingness to see her father return, he had orders that he had to follow. He reached down and with a few keystrokes shut down McLean’s life support.
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,164
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Post by Carl Torek on Oct 17, 2013 18:26:38 GMT
Carl and Vanessa had been in the Intensive Care unit of Star Fleet medical for almost twelve hours. Vanessa had succumbed to sleep eventually, laying her head on Carl's knee while watching her sleeping Father in the bed next to her. He knew it was coming, and despite all his rank, and all his prestige, he could do nothing ... Ellie Henderson, the Doctor who had originally noticed the bio-metric changes in Scott's electrocardiogram, had come to him earlier, almost 'begging' he do something to prevent the inevitable. She had made promises beyond her expertise and knowledge, but the conviction in her eyes told Carl he needed to give her time, give Scott time, and most importantly, give Vanessa time ... He had called in every favor owed, had pleaded Scott's case to the Council, but in each case had been told that the Chief of Star Fleet Medical held the final word, and alas, he couldn't sway the man's opinion enough ... He gave thought to having McLean taken from the 'ICU' and up to the Raven herself, but that would only give the man moments, and he was sure Scott wouldn't want Carl imprisoned for such actions. ~~~~~Three doctor's entered the room. Carl knew who they were and their reason for being here. He held Vanessa close, whispering in her ear constantly as her eyes widened. The lead Physician, a man in his seventies, made eye contact with Carl: "It may be better if you took the child outside Admiral." "NO !" Vanessa shouted, jumping off the chair and standing between the Doctor and her Father, "He's going to wake up, you'll SEE !" she said as Carl put his arms around her and moved her gently away from the bedside. But she broke away and grabbed her Fathers' hand ..... She was in a tunnel, reaching for his outstretched hand, but he was so far away, impossibly far away. She cried, tears running down her cheeks falling onto white dress. She could see her Father trying, trying to reach towards her, wanting beyond anything in the universe to touch her fingers, to 'feel' the warmth of his Daughters' love, because he knew it would help him fight, fight against the tide pulling him away, and into the nothingness .....
"Reach Daddy, please. Reach out. I'm here, We are all here to help you, Reach out for me. I need you to come back." Vanessa cried.
"I am trying sweetheart, It is, difficult, I am fighting, fighting the dark ... But if I cannot reach you, you must stay with Carl and Bethan. They love you so much and will look after you if I go away ... I promise you."
"I know, I know they will love, and care for me, but I need 'YOU' to do that too ... Fight, please Father please. Reach out. I'm here, we are all here, and I need you so much. Daddy please, please, pleassseeeeeee......." The lead Doctor removed her hand from Scott's and silently asked Torek to take her away. Carl in turn took his Daughter and pulled her to the back of the room, then thought better. He moved to the side of the bed and took Scott's hand in his own: "I promise I'll take care of her Scott. But get back here Scott, people need you !" he said, stepping back. He held up a hand to stop anyone moving as Vanessa moved toward the bed ... She took her Fathers hand for the last time, tears flowing freely down her face now. She leaned in close, and stroked hair out of her Father's closed eyes. Then she kissed him on the forehead. the kiss lasted for long moments as in her own childish way she tried to come to terms with loosing her Father for a second time, and this time, it would be the last ... Finally, she turned to Carl: "I love my Daddy, and you know I love you too ... Please stop this happening ... Please." The emotions welling up in Carl got the better of him, and he succumbed to the tears forcing themselves from his eyes, the thought of finally loosing his closest friend, loosing a link to a better time. Knowing Vanessa may never ever understand his actions, he took hold of her and pulled her away from the bed ... This time, he would not allow her to go back .... "I'm very sorry." the Doctor said to Vanessa, before turning to the console. "Daddy please." Vanessa whimpered, "Don't leave me. Please come .... Back." she said, pleadingly looking at the faces in the room as the intermittent tone denoting Scott's heart-rate began to slow, and slow, and slow, until finally becoming a single, continuous note ..... Carl felt Vanessa collapse in his arms. Her mind shutting her body down before irreparable damage could be wrought on her for ever. He lifted the unconscious child in his arms and stood ... The room was totally silent as he approached the bed. He looked on the sleeping form of his friend and silently wished him 'God Speed' before he took Vanessa out of her Father's life for ever ...... ~~~ooo000ooo~~~ "Doctor, we need to remove the body ..."
"No. Leave him here. Leave ... NOW !" Ellie instructed the orderlies.
She knew she was being irrational, stupid to the point of loosing her position at Star Fleet Medical, but that didn't matter. She 'HAD' seen changes, and was determined to wait ... How long, she didn't know ... Even in the twenty forth century, cerebral hypoxia was fatal. The brain needed oxygen, and the lack of it resulted in Death. nothing could alter the natural laws of physics or medicine ... Even so ... She waited ..........
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Scott McLean
Commander
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Registered: Sept 15, 2005 2:52:57 GMT
Posts: 330
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Post by Scott McLean on Oct 18, 2013 3:51:38 GMT
“Something has happened. Something is different.” McLean sound out loud. He felt in the depths of his soul that something was wrong, terribly wrong.
That’s when Q appeared again.
“Your Starfleet doesn’t think very highly of you.” Q said suddenly standing before McLean.
“What’s happened?” McLean voice was fearful.
“You’ve been disconnected.” Q stated coldly, “you’re going to die.”
“I can’t die!” McLean fired back, “not like this..not now.”
“You’re an invalid Commander, a dying one at that. There is nothing more for you to do but expire. Soon your brain will die from lack of oxygen and you will slip into the nothingness of eternity.” Q said while his fingers danced in the air in front of McLean’s face. “You do have one chance at life. However, it will cost you.”
“What? What is it?”
“Oh I like this game!” Q exclaimed. “Hmmm. Let’s see…” Q’s voice trailed off while he started to think. He accentuated the moment by gently pinching his chin as if in deep thought.
McLean was starting to feel dizzy and weak. He could barely stand but because of sheer will power he kept on his feet, allowing only his shoulders and head to start to slump.
“Q…” McLean said weakly as he fell down onto his knees.
“Oh my goodness, you’re expiring faster than I thought.” Q said bending down to remain at eye level with the Commander.
“I don’t want to die.” McLean’s thoughts were not on his life but on the life of his daughter. She’d already lost one parent during her childhood, and McLean couldn’t fathom what it would be like for her to lose her father as well. “What do you want from me?”
“Ha! As if I need anything from you.” Q retorted with his typical smirk. “That being said…if you would like to live, and I imagine that you do, all I would need from you is one thing and one thing only.”
McLean had fallen all the way to the ground with his head resting upon his left ear so he could still look at Q. “Name it.”
“A promise.”
“A what?”
“A promise. Promise me that when the time comes I can count on you to do something of great importance for me. What do you say? I scratch your dying back if you scratch my omnipotent back. Sound like a fair deal?”
“…yes…”
There was a flash and McLean felt for the first time in a long time. His head pounded, his eyes hurt from the brilliance of the light coming into his hospital room, and his throat was sore and scratchy. He could hear distant mumblings; he knew that he was not alone in the room. A soft, gentle hand touched his and he didn’t have to look at the person to know who it was. It was Vanessa and she was stroking the top of his hand with her pointer finger in a figure eight pattern as she had always done. He managed a warm smile as he left his head fall to the side so he could see his daughter with his own eyes, as if for the first time.
“Hi.” He said with a hoarse voice.
“Hey you.” Vanessa said softly as she continued to rub the top of his hand.
Although McLean vision was coming around he could tell that there were several individuals outside of his hospital room, but he only really recognized one of them, Admiral Torek. Vanessa caught onto what her father was looking at and she filled him in on who everybody was and why the three medical officers from Starfleet had been there. She then described in detail the younger woman standing with the Starfleet Medical personnel. Vanessa told her father that she is the reason he’s alive today. McLean bit his tongue and thought, no it’s not. Beyond Admiral Torek and the young girl that accompanied him, the young doctor, and the Starfleet Medical officers stood a single person, Q. He’s the reason why I’m alive today, but at what cost?
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,164
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Post by Carl Torek on Oct 18, 2013 23:28:25 GMT
Carl backed Ellie up ... It was only right that Scott be left here, at least for a few more moments while Vanessa said her final 'good bye' to her Father. He was stood at the back of the room when he heard Vanessa speak softly: "Hey you." Carl looked at the girl, thinking he needed to talk her out of the room, and was shocked to see Scott's eyes open, he was looking in his direction. Carl ran to the side of the bed. "He's awake !" The flurry of activity around the bed was sudden and intensive. Carl lifted Vanessa away while Ellie and the other Physician's worked feverishly, trying to understand how their somewhat 'former' patient was back in the land of the living ... Everything said he should have passed away peacefully once life-support was suspended. Yet here he was, trying to talk, trying to sit up ... "I told you he would be alright." Vanessa said, crying softly into Carl's chest as she watched those around her Father work. "OK, let's clear the room of all non-essential personnel please." the Chief of Medicine said, "Admiral, if you could take the chi ....." "We're fine right here Doctor." Carl said, miking it plain that they were going nowhere. He picked up several snippets of conversation between the Doctors, but thankfully Ellie came over and tried to update them as best she could in the circumstances ... There was some minor muscle atrophy, even with electro-physiotherapy, the muscles needed to be in use. Ellie doubted Scott could stand even if he was going to be allowed to try. There was some physio to come, not to mention a barrage of checks, tests, more checks, and inevitably, more tests. But despite over three years in a deep coma, Scott was in remarkable condition ... "When can we speak to him ?" Carl said, feeling Vanessa digging her fingers into his side. "Tell you what ..." she said, kneeling to be on eye-level with Vanessa, "Why don't you take the Admiral to the snack counter and get a drink and a bite to eat. I'll clear away all these nasty machines and get your Daddy cleaned up a little, then when you come back you can sit with him for a little while, but not too long because as daft as it sounds, he needs some sleep, some 'real' sleep this time ... Does that sound OK ?" Vanessa seemed to be weighing up how honest the young Doctor was, and cane to a decision quickly. Smiling, she took hold of Carl's hand and lead him out of the room. ~~~~~"So, just out of idle, if not 'professional' curiosity, does anyone wish to venture an hypotheses as to how our Commander here is still with us ?" the Chief of Medicine asked, frowning.
The group of 'Experts' all began to speak simultaneously as Ellie began to move the equipment away from the bed.
"I seem to be the cause of some heated discussion." Scott croaked. Ellie took a cup and poured in some water. She lifted his head a little so he could sip the cool liquid, "Vanessa ... Carl, Admir ....."
"They have gone to get a drink too. They have been here since early yesterday. Both refused to leave." Ellie said, "OK, lay back and rest, they will be back soon enough." ~~~~~"Will Daddy be coming back to the Raven with us now he's awake Da ....." Vanessa hesitated, she had called Carl Daddy for the last three years, and now her real Daddy was awake once more she was confused as to how to refer to Carl. "You know sweetheart ... I have no idea about your Daddy coming back, I would love him to be on the Raven, that way we can all stay together, but it's not for me to say. I promise I will do all I can though, you should both stay on the ship ... As for what you should call me now." he said, placing his arm around her and trying not to get flour from the doughnut she was tucking into on his tunic, "You know I love you, and always will. But maybe now you're a little older, and your Dad is awake, I think you can call me ... Bernard ... How does that sound ?" he said, kissing her on the top of her head. Vanessa coughed doughnut all over the table as she laughed out loud. "NO .... You're name is Carl, not Bernard ... Yikes, who's called Bernard anyway." she said, after managing to stop laughing, "I think Carl is better anyway, Bernard will make you sound old, and grumpy, and I don't want a grumpy old number two Daddy." she said, her face a picture of angelic innocence. Carl grinned. It was the first time Vanessa had relaxed since arriving on Earth, and he was grateful beyond words. "OK ... That's settled ... Reginald it is then !" he said, jumping out of the way as she threw a piece of sticky doughnut at him ..........
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,164
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Post by Carl Torek on Nov 10, 2013 22:33:19 GMT
It had been over a month since Scott miraculously came out of his coma. Carl and Vanessa had remained at Star Fleet Medical the whole time. It had been hard to convince Command that he was staying, but his threat to resign, along with the months of accrued leave time, persuaded them to allow his temporary absence, and assign the Raven to duties under the Command of her Exec' Commander Watson ..... ~~~~~Scott had been moved to the Chuck Yeager Physiotherapy Center, a section of Star Fleet Medical, where he would undergo extensive physio to counteract the muscle atrophy. He had gained weight quickly, and seemed more intent on recovery every day ... This, the Doctor's said, was due to his Daughter being present, and his desire to return to active duty aboard a Star Ship. The first few weeks had been hard, but Scott's dedication and determination were in his favor, and he progressed rapidly. He was now walking easily, and had even undertaken several jogging sessions, though endurance was still a worry, but he had been told that would come with exercise and time ... ~~~~~"Aww come on, there's no way you could beat me !" Vanessa said, goading her Father into letting the rail go. Not that Scott was reliant on the rail, he just happened to be 'milking' his injuries, as she was fond of joking. Thankfully, she had given up on calling him 'Poor Daddy' a week ago ... "So if I reach the pool first, what do I win ?" Scott asked. "I'll not trip you up for the rest of the day ... How's that ?" she said, innocence personified. "You can't turn those odd's down my friend." Carl said from the side of the pool, working hard on 'not' laughing his head off. "Whoa ! .... You are condoning this blackmail, and there was me thinking we were friends." Scott said, trying to look hurt, but failing miserably, "Tell you what ... If Carl can reach the high board before we hit the water from the other side of the pool, I'll take you both out for something to eat. If not, Carl pays ... How's that sound ?" An adjutant enter the pool area and approached Carl. He handed him a PADD and stood waiting. Reading the message, Carl looked at Scott then Vanessa before returning his gaze to the PADD. He spoke quietly for a moment then handed the PADD back. "Problem ?" Scott asked nervously. "Only if you can't get that bone-idle body of your back into shape." he said, suddenly picking Vanessa off her feet and throwing her into the pool, "You have tentative clearance to return to duty, albeit at a desk. It will be dependent on your physical of course, but I don't see any issues, if you can work through the prelim's ... Your flight status is still on hold, so it's down to you my friend." Carl finished, hearing a scream from the pool, unable to react as Scott took advantage of the distraction and pushed his friend into the water, before sitting down and casually picking up a drink. "At least I'm still dry." he said, raising the glass as Vanessa threw water in his direction, thankful he was finally nearing getting back into space ..........
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