From: Ranjani Sabarinathan (rantrek_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Jul 20 2008 - 15:25:45 PDT
“Loony Kate vs. Lt. Cmdr. Kate, Part 2”
(contd from Taylor and Kim’s ‘Just When you thought the dark lord was gone…’)
Location: GS-2
SD: 2.80716.2009
Scene: Sickbay- CMO’s office
TI: Before Kim’s post ‘As you wish’
The situation with the medical crisis in sickbay had gotten worse with the calcification in the patients continuing to happen at a fast rate. Poe and her team quickly discovered that the culprit contaminated a few hyposprays with her newly created drug. The best thing the medical personnel could do was ease the victims’ pain from the hardening of their internal organs, caused by the accumulation of calcium deposits in the tissues. If an antidote was not found, then it would be prudent to make the victims infected with the drug as comfortable as possible so they died peacefully without feeling tortured with the pain.
Kathryn MacNeil was still shell-shocked from meeting her alternate. Currently both were in the CMO’s office, along with members of security. It was not everyday when one came face to face with a person exactly identical to them in terms of physical appearance. MacNeil was aware of the existence of the mirror version, having glanced at the SHIV’s manifest. But what troubled the young woman most was that the other Kate was responsible for drugging those patients.
The Scot possessed a quality endearing to others. She was a caring person with a big heart and connected well with people and animals in general, which served her well as a doctor. She enjoyed the medical profession immensely. Research. Treating patients and finding cures. Performing surgeries. All of which clearly gave her pleasure. Both Kate MacNeils were trained as physicians, specializing in genetics. But there was a fundamental difference between them.
Lt. Cmdr. MacNeil strictly followed the Hippocratic Oath that all medical personnel took upon graduation from the Academy. Saving and preserving lives were more important to the half-Nuimon than scientific advancement, which was what made her different from the alternate Kate MacNeil.
Mirror Kate never cared for others’ well being so long as the end justified the means and in her case, attaining the desired results regardless of the lives lost in the process all in the name of scientific development. Prior to joining the SHIV, Doctor MacNeil was a rising star in the Terran Empire due to her contributions to the medical field considered highly valuable by the military. The Scottish woman took great pride in her work and had a reputation for ruthlessness. ‘Ethics’ and ‘Morality’ were words not found in her dictionary.
So watching the alternate held in restraints by two security officers made the Starfleet officer feel anguish. The mirror looked cool and composed as if she was still back in her laboratory, working out plans for the next experiment. None of what happened bothered her. She didn’t even fight, when security arrived in sickbay to apprehend her. It was as if the hybrid wanted everyone to know she was behind the crisis.
Mirror Kate stated coolly. “So I take it your people don’t know how to create an antidote and want it from me.” She was enjoying the moment. Those honorable idiots were clueless as to how to solve the crisis, which amused the former SHIV physician.
Lt. Cmdr. MacNeil, put off by the coldness radiated from the other, retorted stiffly. “Oh we do know how to create antidotes, except time is too short to come up with one.” How could she be so unfeeling? People were dying from a drug she concocted. Only a cruel and heartless person would stand there not caring for those suffering. But the Scottish officer was facing such a person one who looked exactly like her and a doctor at that.
“You think the time is too short to create an antidote? That’s ridiculous.” Alternate MacNeil scoffed. “Those subjects injected with the drug will perish in exactly five hours. Plenty of time needed to make an antidote…if you have the right formula.”
The Scot questioned, looking aghast at the other MacNeil. “Subjects?” Stepping forward, she glared, her eyes switching colour from violet to blue. “You talk as if they’re lab rats. Well they’re not. They’re sentient life forms.”
“Well if you want to develop cures against dangerous diseases, then you need lab rats,” Kate remarked, not batting an eye lash at the other woman’s outburst. “It’s all in the name of scientific progress to use even sentient lifeforms as you put it as subjects in experiments.”
“Is that what you did right now?” The half-Nuimon demanded, anger seeping through her voice. “Committing murder and justifying the act as part of making progress.”
Doctor MacNeil disagreed calmly. “I wouldn’t call this murder. I was merely testing a drug. Those subjects are part of enhancing our knowledge and their deaths are not meaningless as it is for a worthy cause.”
Her latest statement provided the Lt. Commander the desire to knock a few of the alternate’s teeth off. But Kate was a non-violent woman and despite the anger towards the other Kate, she was not going to harm her. Instead the hybrid officer produced a stinging remark. “Listen here, lass. This is not the way we do work here.” She paused for a moment, a fixed stare on the other physician. “In this universe, we follow a code of ethics. Sentient life is not expendable for the sake of medical research.”
“Morality and ethics only stand in the way of progress,” Mirror Kate quipped, producing another outrageous statement. If one could get more outrageous than that. “If the empire’s medical professionals followed some sort of code, then we never would have found the cures for so many dangerous diseases or made any sort of crucial advancement in medicine.”
“If you think we didn’t make much progress then you’re sorely mistaken,” Kate argued her tone defiant. “Despite the existence of our moral code, which you find so inconvenient, we actually boast of many significant achievements in science and medicine and we didn’t need to commit murder to do that.”
Alternate Kate looked bored, unnerving the other woman. “Now don’t we have dying patients to save?” She questioned with a smirk, trying to goad Lt. Cmdr. MacNeil. “I mean here we are having a debate on morality and my drug in the other room is working beautifully…though it may need a few modifications to make the calcification go even quicker.”
Lt. Cmdr. MacNeil bit her lip. Now was not the time to debate or feel one’s disgust at the mirror’s words and actions, not when people were dying. “Of course,” she said curtly. “We want you to give us the antidote.”
“In exchange for what?” Mirror Kate questioned coolly. “Don’t look surprised. If you want the antidote, then I demand something in return.” The audacity emanating from her tone greatly annoyed everyone in the room.
“Okay, what do you want?”
Without hesitation, the alternate Dr. MacNeil informed, her brow furrowing. “My William Wallace. I want to see him.”
Kathryn looked bewildered for a moment before realizing the sedated dog with wolf-like attributes was indeed the alternate version of William Wallace, who in this universe was a cute and friendly little beagle. “We can grant your request after you’ve provided us the antidote,” she informed firmly.
The other Kate shook her head and narrowed her black eyes, demanding. “No, I see William Wallace first and then you get the antidote.” A wry smile was visible on her lips. “Otherwise those patients will die if I don’t see my companion first.”
“I will need to speak to my superior first,” Kate informed grimly.
“You better do it soon,” mirror Kate warned slyly. “Before the drug finishes its work on the subjects.”
-----------------------------------------
Scene: Sickbay
TI: Five hours later
Daisy had agreed to mirror Kate’s terms. The blonde CO, a doctor herself, understood the situation in sickbay at the time was in dire straits and those patients’ lives were the utmost priority. Alternate William Wallace was brought to one of the empty private rooms in a portable cage shielded by a forcefield. The dog was heavily sedated due to its wild behavior and hunger. Mirror Kate spent a few minutes with her dog as part of the agreement in exchange for her help. She also got more time with the animal after supplying the drug victims with the antidote.
While mirror Kate didn’t possess the antidote serum on hand, much to the chagrin of the medical personnel, who were frantically trying to keep their patients alive. But she did know the formula in her mind and was confident an antidote would be manufactured just in time, provided they had all the ingredients available. To everyone’s surprise, alternate Kate wanted a sample of her William Wallace’s blood to be used as one of the ingredients of the serum.
It was a scramble for the medical lab personnel involved in making the antidote as per mirror Kate’s instructions. They had to race against time if they wanted to save those patients and were wary of the former SHIV physician’s assertion that the antidote would be completed in less than five hours. But mirror Kate didn’t care for their doubts as she believed strongly in her brilliant mind. If anything she was amused at the panic radiated by everyone and wondered in her warped mind if they realized all of that was part of scientific progress.
The antidote was completed in a little over four hours. There wasn’t much time to do any testing. So the antidote was handed to Grace and her team banking on the hope that mirror Kate was honest with her information. But if they didn’t try something, the patients would have died anyway.
Lt. Cmdr. MacNeil helped Grace and her staff in administrating the antidote to the patients. The chance to work in sickbay, even for a couple of hours, was invigorating for the half-Nuimon. It felt like the young woman had returned home, many months after traveling on a long journey. Despite the tension from the crisis and meeting her alternate, Kate was happy for those few hours working with Grace and the other doctors, treating the patients.
The antidote worked to everyone’s relief. Mirror Kate was true to her word though one wondered whether she helped just to study the effects of the cure. MacNeil’s coldness towards the pain felt by her victims was chilling to the Scottish Lt. Commander. The former SHIV’s physician was immediately taken to the private room to allow her some time with William Wallace.
Kate was busy checking up some reports, when Lt. Thomas Varn crept up behind her. The auburn haired woman greeted, turning around. “Lieutenant Varn, what brings you here?”
“I have to discuss something with Doctor Poe,” Varn replied before mentioning a few seconds later. “So I hear the crisis has been successfully resolved.”
MacNeil nodded a confirmation. “Yes, we’re fortunate to have an antidote produced in time.” Sighing, the half-Nuimon grimaced. “I don’t even want to imagine what the outcome was if she never provided the formula for the serum.” She handed the PADD to Nurse Kalen who passed their way.
Thomas questioned, doubt etched in his voice. “Where is your alternate now?”
“In one of the private rooms tending to the dog as part of our deal for her help in fixing this crisis,” the Scot replied and then decided, sighing. “And I need to go check on her.”
----------------------
Scene: Sickbay- Private Room
An eerie silence reigned in the room. Kathryn MacNeil entered slowly and cautiously. The Starfleet officer stopped a few feet from the biobed, where the animal lay on its side, eyes closed. William Wallace was still heavily sedated. One would be hard pressed to imagine the creature to be this ferocious and wild, when observing the sleeping animal. Kate took in a deep breath before speaking quietly. “He’s dying, you know that.” William Wallace was suffering from health complications, which was draining away his life. He only had one night left.
“Yes I do,” the alternate Kate replied, her voice a croaky whisper as she gently stroked the dog’s creamy white fur. “I’ve known the moment you first allowed me to see him.”
Sighing, the Lt. Commander informed, trying to keep her tone professional. “Commander Davidson agreed you can stay with him till he passes away but after that you will be escorted to the brig, where you will await debriefing.”
MacNeil remarked dryly. “Well it’s not like I’ll be able to disappear not with those two guards standing outside my door.” Not just the guards, but if the alternate made an attempt to use station transporters, security would be immediately alerted and locate her position by tracking the doctor’s biosignature in no time.
“We’re being generous considering you caused the crisis in the first place,” Kate reminded stringently. “If you didn’t produce the antidote in time, security would have already carted you to the brig by now.”
“Well let me share a little fact with you,” mirror Kate began coldly, her mouth curling into a sly smile. “Once your superiors realize just how brilliant I am and how much knowledge and skill I can offer them, they’d be foolish to lock me up.” She then boasted. “After all I had a soaring reputation for my work in the Terran Empire.”
**Wonder how someone with a soaring reputation in the empire ended up working for a nutcase like Captain Byrne as her physician. This is a story I must hear one day. ** The Scottish officer became incensed not just by the mirror’s coldness but also her arrogance. “You don’t know how this universe works, lass,” she pointed out, her voice crisp.
“Oh but I do find it hard to believe everyone here is so uptight about morality the way and your Commander are, *lass*,” alternate Kate retorted.
“Perhaps you’re right, Kate,” MacNeil admitted with a huge sigh. “But you won’t see that with my bosses.” The two women remained silent, their eyes simultaneously changing colours. Blue to hazel for Lt. Cmdr. MacNeil and black to violet for alternate Kate. “The next time I see you, Kathryn will be in the brig,” Kate indicated sarcastically as she left the room. Deep down, she was curious to know a few things about her alternate and why she turned out to be cold and heartless. She also planned on visiting the alternate’s laboratory on the SHIV, when she got the chance. But at the moment, she had a meeting with Daisy and later in the evening, a date at the Four Corners with Grace to celebrate her birthday.
“I would definitely like a visit from you,” Mirror Kate called out as the Lt. Commander departed from the room. “After all there’s just so much that we need to talk.”
************************************************************************
NRPG: This is a backpost and takes place before Kim’s post ‘As you wish’, where Kate and Grace had a date at the Four Corners. I’ll continue to work on the storylines involving the alternates of both Kate and Anaqueen during this R&R, along with other stuff like interaction between Kate and your characters (something I would like to do with all of you), life on the station in general etc.
Ranjani Sabarinathan
Speaking for...
[/\]o..
Lieutenant Commander Kathryn MacNeil, MD
Executive Officer
GATEWAY STATION- 2
and
[/\]....
Captain Anaqueen Spankryz
Commanding Officer
USS COMMENDATION, NCC-10021 (Non RP ship)
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