Oh the Humanity

Posted on Tue Jul 23rd, 2019 @ 11:36am by Captain Wilkan Targaryen & Commander Sherwin Porter
Edited on on Thu Jan 2nd, 2020 @ 5:19pm

799 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Atlantis
Location: Chief Medical Officer's Office, Starfleet One
Timeline: 2429-12-02, 14:00

Admiral Teagarden joined his Chief Medical Officer in his office. He crossed his arms and called out to the computer, "Privacy."

After the windows went from being transparent to opaque the Starfleet One Commander spoke, "Are they Human?"

“Yes,” Porter answered before elaborating further. “They have the same appearance because 99.9% of their genetic makeup is the same as Humans. There are a few minor differences in bone density and respiration and circulation rates, but those are mainly due to evolutionary changes from developing on a different planet. They also have different immunities.”

William sat in the guest chair at the Doctor's Desk, "How is that even remotely possible? We're hundreds of light-years from Earth. How could a race of Humans have evolved away from Earth and be so close to us?" He thought about it carefully. There had been claims in the past that all life in the galaxy had originated from a single, master race. That had never been confirmed though even though Jean-Luc Picard was the person who unlocked the mystery based upon the research of his mentor Professor Galen. "It just doesn't make much sense."

"I honestly don't know," Sherwin replied. "I would say that it weren't my position to question why, but you know me better than that," he smiled a little. "I can tell you that once they noted that they were 'Atlanteans', I did a bit more research, and their differential in immunity comes from more aquatic accessibility than Terrans from Earth. I would venture that their homeworld had more communities that are water-based than Earth's."

Sherwin sighed, "My working theory is that somehow either Earth's old ancestors somehow made it to their homeworld, or theirs made it to Earth. If either of those premises are true, it would change what we know about Earth's history."

"Indeed. We will find out soon enough," William answered. "I'm ordering a course set for their homeworld. We're going to take them back."

“Well that should be interesting. If it’s all right with you, I love to be on the team that goes down to check this out.”

William nodded, "Done."

The Commanding Officer thought about it a moment, "I've been thinking about the training exercise from this morning. Sherwin, I've run that program hundreds of times and been injured even more severely than I was today and healed without intervention. I don't know what is going on."

Sherwin gave the Admiral a slight grimace. "William, " he spoke in the familiar, "even though your physiologic capacity far, far exceeds almost everyone else, it still has its limits. You have been," he paused a moment, "for lack of a better word, torn asunder, more than anyone I've met."

He sighed, "it may be that even you are reaching your limit."

"That's a scary thought. There's so much that we still don't know about Project: White Knight and even I can't get answers on it." He paused, considering the situation carefully. "I'm a little worried about this, Doc, it's strange to me to feel this vulnerable."

Sherwin had been a Counselor and a Doctor for a long time and knew how to squash the urge to say something like, "Welcome to the real world," or "Now you know how the rest of us feel."

He moved closer and put a hand on the Admiral's shoulder. "I understand your concern," he acknowledged. "Not knowing why or where this can lead, of course causes apprehension. If you wish, I can run further testing on you in a secured medical suite."

"I think I would," the Admiral answered after thinking it over for a moment. It was a dangerous situation and the crew was new. Did he want to risk telling the truth of his origins to the crew or, worse, it getting out to them. "With strict security of course."

The Doctor moved away slowly as he thought about it. "Is there any way we can get more answers, perhaps straight from the source?"

"I wish it were. To my knowledge Doctor Thrace is either dead or so deeply hidden by 31 she might as well have been. She was the expert, the person who ran the program, and her records were captured during the last incident of 31 being discovered. If we request them we run the risk of bringing far too much attention. I may've had blanket immunity for past crimes for my role, but this would push it."

"Still, if you are having physiological changes, it may be worth it."

"Computer," William called.

The voice of Galatea answered, "working."

"Site to site transport of myself and Doctor Porter to the nearest unoccupied exam room," he ordered before the Doctor could protest.

Sherwin had opened his mouth to say something, but his body left the room right at that moment.

RSS Feed