Unworthy - Kirsten Beyer [89]
Anxious and irritated with himself, Barclay stepped around the corner to the hall that led to the exam rooms and noted that the door to room one was open. Reg caught a brief glimpse of the Doctor engaged in a passionate embrace with Meegan. Flushing in embarrassment, he quickly stepped back into the main sickbay.
A moment later, the Doctor emerged, followed by Meegan. The ensign refused to look at Barclay as she hurried from the room. The Doctor seemed less flustered.
“I’m sorry, Reg, was there something you needed?”
“I … uh … I …”
“Reg …”
“I didn’t mean to see,” he began. “I just wanted to show you …”
“Reg, it’s all right,” the Doctor said, approaching his stricken friend sympathetically.
“No it isn’t!” Reg shocked both of them by shouting.
“I beg your pardon?”
Barclay struggled to get a hold of himself, his mind humming with chaotic thoughts.
This should be happening. But not yet. It’s too soon. He doesn’t even know her. And it’s not as if she could …
“Reg, I don’t understand your reaction to this. I have a personal life. I follow where my heart leads. It’s much too soon to say where it will take me and Ensign McDonnell, but I would have hoped that at least you might be happy for me.”
“No, you misunderstand,” Reg spluttered, finally reining in his horses a little tighter. “I am happy for you. I’m just surprised. I didn’t even think you knew Meegan that well.”
“I didn’t. I don’t. But I think it’s time to take the advice I keep giving you and seize the moment. I tend to think of myself as immortal, but the truth is, I face the same hazards we all do in service to Starfleet. This ship could be blown into oblivion at a moment’s notice and all that isn’t stored in Doctor Zimmerman’s backup modules would be gone.” His face fell at this realization. “It’s actually very unpleasant to contemplate.”
As the Doctor continued his existential struggle, Barclay’s thoughts returned to the only important matter at hand. He had come here with a job to do and now, more than ever, he needed to focus. Steadying himself, he said, “Doctor, you have been running without interruption for the last several weeks. I’ve had to make a few alterations to the ship’s power systems and I’d like to take you offline briefly and run a simple diagnostic.”
“Reg, I hardly think …” the Doctor began.
“Please,” Barclay said. “This has absolutely nothing to do with the gross invasion of your privacy in which I was just discovered. I apologize profusely for interrupting you and Meegan. It will not happen again.”
“Oh,” the Doctor replied, seemingly mollified. “Well, if you really believe it is important …”
“It is. I do.”
“Very well. We are scheduled for a briefing with Commander Glenn at eighteen hundred hours. Will the diagnostic be complete by then?”
“You have my word,” Reg promised.
With a faint nod, the Doctor called out, “Computer, deactivate Chief Medical Officer.”
As soon as he had vanished, Barclay went immediately to the main data interface and instead of initiating the diagnostic he had promised—a diagnostic he had no intention of running—he opened Meegan’s medical file and within minutes had thoroughly digested them. He then programmed the computer to reinitialize the Doctor at seventeen hundred and ten hours. Barclay then hurried to his cabin where he composed and dispatched an urgent message to Doctor Zimmerman.
Given the fact that the relay network was not complete, it would be at least a week before he could expect a reply from the EMH’s creator.
And Meegan’s .
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Seven of Nine was quickly losing patience with Captain Eden. She wanted the captain to accept her recommendation. She forced herself not to fidget as Eden continued to review her presentation. She and Chakotay had requested this meeting with the captain. They had patiently explained