Star Trek_ A Choice of Catastrophes - Michael Schuster [1]
Ensign Pavel Chekov, science officer
Ensign Karen Seven Deers, engineer
Petty Officer (first class) Fatih Yüksel, exobotanist
Crewman (first class) Y Tra, security
Shuttlecraft Hofstadter, NCC-1701/3
Commander Spock, commanding officer
Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott, chief engineer
Doctor Jabilo M’Benga, medical officer
Lieutenant Karl Jaeger, geophysicist
Lieutenant (junior grade) Mariella Kologwe, security
Ensign Antti Saloniemi, archaeology & anthropology officer
Petty Officer (third class) Cron Emalra’ehn, security
PROLOGUE
Stardate 4747.6 (1437 hours, ship time)
“You can’t be serious!” Leonard McCoy didn’t care one bit whether his reaction was appropriate. “Captain, tell me you’re joking.”
James Kirk shook his head. He was occupying his usual seat at the table in the Enterprise’s primary briefing room, leaning back in his chair and taking in the reactions of the senior staff members he’d summoned. “Do I look like I am, Doctor?”
McCoy couldn’t—wouldn’t—believe it. “Anyone with a medical degree could do this. Hell, anyone who’s ever held an anabolic protoplaser in their hands could do this. You don’t need me.”
Spock cut in. “According to Starfleet regulations, transfers of medical supplies rated class-3 or above must be supervised by the chief medical officers of both locations. Your presence is required to facilitate the transfer.”
McCoy had to keep himself from reaching across the table and throttling the Vulcan.
The others in the room—Sulu, Scotty, and Giotto—looked astonished at the doctor’s reaction. They could afford to; after all, they didn’t have to personally oversee the transfer of two hundred forty containers of medical supplies to Deep Space Station C-15. They didn’t have to stand there inspecting every damn one, then witnessing its dematerialization on the pad of Enterprise’s cargo transporter. It was a tedious job, and McCoy didn’t want to do it.
Why did the people on C-15 have to come down with the anatid flu right now? Why did it have to spread to the nearby settlement of Tomogren? The station had exhausted its med supplies, requiring the Federation to arrange for a replacement shipment. This being a relatively uncharted and unsettled region of space, the Enterprise was the only ship in the sector. The crew was interrupting their mapping mission to pick up the supplies from the automated production facility on Phi Kappa.
The Enterprise had only six more weeks to explore this sector, with one week allotted to Mu Arigulon V, a planet so far surveyed solely via automated probe. This medical detour reduced the week to three days. As a result, the Enterprise crew needed to rework their plans, much to McCoy’s annoyance.
Spock was clearly intrigued by indications that Mu Arigulon V had been abandoned by its inhabitants. He’d quickly come up with a plan: drop off two shuttles, fully crewed, on the Enterprise’s way from Phi Kappa to C-15. The shuttles were uprated models, equipped with warp drives and phasers. After delivering the supplies, the Enterprise would rendezvous at the planet, reaching it two days after the shuttles. They’d then have three more days to finish the survey.
The problem was that McCoy had been looking forward to the mission to Mu Arigulon. The first two weeks in this sector had mostly been tedious charting of stars with only barren rocks for company. There had been nothing interesting, and now that there was, he was being kept away from it.
“Doctor,” Kirk said, “what Spock means is that we don’t have any leeway. Regulations. Besides,” he added, making an effort to appear conciliatory, “it’s not as if there’s anything on the planet that won’t be there when you join us. The ruins won’t disappear.” The captain grinned. “We’ll just be scrambling through dirt all week. Mister Sulu, since Spock, Scott, and myself will be on the shuttles, you’ll be in command for the duration.”
“Yes, sir!” said Sulu.
“Mister Spock and I will release a full roster for the landing party within the next day. Is there anything else, gentlemen?”
Giotto