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     Doctor Alec Reed, Chief Medical Officer |
Reed was beginning to feel like the greater powers of the universe were using him as their personal plaything. He had joined Starfleet to practice medicine – to cure the sick and heal the wounded. He had not joined Starfleet to be confronted with illnesses that had no physical cause, or to repeat the same days over and over and over again. These incidents of 'Xanadu magic' were beginning to grate on him. He presently looked down at the motionless form lying on the biobed before him. Lora Kor. Admiral Lora Kor. He had treated high-ranking officials before, but they had all been subject to physical diseases with real causes. Reed had exhausted everything in his own repertoire as well as that of Savant and still come-up empty handed. It seemed as though he was being pushed in a single inexorable direction: sever the connection between host and symbiont completely and transfer Kor to a new host. But that seemed so drastic a measure, and ultimately he suspected it would feel more like a loss than a victory. He wouldn't have succeeded at saving Lora Kor, he would've tried to cut his losses. Reed was not in the habit of simply settling for something like that. If only he had some way to see more than his sensors were showing him. But that was a rather ludicrous notion – modern Starfleet sensors could detect just about everything. Who would be able to see more – then it hit him. The Taerans. "Savant, I want a communication channel to Taer immediately," Reed said, turning towards the medically uniformed hologram. Reed could have sworn that he saw the barest glimmer of puzzlement and then amused satisfaction as Savant disappeared to devote herself to the task. She reappeared a moment later. "I have Jia Ron Drull waiting for you, Doctor," Savant said pleasantly. Reed didn't bother with going to his office for its afforded privacy. Instead, he moved to the nearest monitor and activated the display. Jia Ron Drull's face appeared before him. "I'm Doctor Alec Reed, USS Coronado," Reed stated. "Jia Ron Drull, at your service sir," the other said, his demeanor too cheerful for Reed's taste. "Admiral Lora Kor may be dying," Reed said matter-of-factly. The disheveled Taeran was momentarily unsettled by this announcement. "I have not been able to determine the cause of his ailment. I've exhausted everything I know how to do. If I bring him to you, can you –" "There is no need to bring him to us, Doctor," Drull said. Reed was about to probe further when Drull continued. "In fact, the answer is quite simple. I'm somewhat surprised and a bit disappointed that you didn't figure it out already." Reed was again about to interrupt, this time to protest, when Drull went on. "There is an external signal, telepathic in nature, interfering with the communication between host and symbiont." Reed furrowed his brow, partly in annoyance and partly in frustration. "I know that much." "You do?" Drull asked. "Oh good! I was thinking for a moment that you...well, nevermind. So if you already know that, why did you contact us?" "Because I can't figure out where it's coming from!" Reed snapped back. "Oh, well, that makes some measure of sense," Drull said after a moment of consideration. "Very well. The signal is being generated by what some of your people call the Watchers." Reed blinked. "The Watchers?" "Among other names, yes," Drull said evenly. "More specifically, its effects are most intense wherever the Watchers have a strong influence. Your current location, for instance." Reed turned to Savant, Drull disappearing from his world for a moment. "Isn't Ironside affected by them? Could Lora Kor's proximity to Ironside be related – " "Oh, don't worry too terribly about that," Drull said, breaking back into the conversation. "The effects won't be linked to others that are affected by the Watchers. At least, probably not. As long as your Admiral is in their affected range, however, I do not expect there to be many courses of action for you to take." After considering for a moment, Reed nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Drull. You just might have saved the Admiral's life." "Happy to be of service," Drull smiled. The transmission terminated momentarily. Reed spun towards Savant. "Does false matter work in the fourth chamber?" Savant's answer was almost too fast. "No, Doctor." Reed managed a grin, despite the gravity of the situation. "I should have known." "Known what, Doctor?" "That the only way to fight Xanadu magic...is with even more Xanadu magic." |