Season 11: Episode 2 - Diplomatic Disaster

[Arlan Opran]

[Lounge]

Leela walked into the crew lounge. She had a few extra minutes before going on duty so she decided to stop for a hot cup of Vulcan Tea. It didn't take long for her to recognize a familiar face that seemed lost in the stars. With her tea in hand she stepped up to the table and stood over Arlan's shoulder. "You look like your mind is ten thousand lightyears away. Mind if I join you? I have a few minutes before I have to report to engineering."

Arlan looked up at her and waved at the empty chair across from him before speaking.  They'd been shipmates for a while - and she was one of the few people he felt comfortable around (hell, he even enjoyed it when they got into the philosophical discussions about the nature of the 'self' invited by the symbionts - discussions that'd been going on in their species since long before the two were born... and didn't look to be resolved any time soon).  He soon came back to focus and actually smiled at her.  "Yeah, maybe ten thousand is about right.  You don't notice how cramped a ship is until you're bottled up inside it.  I know it's probably just in my head, but I feel useless.  The computer handles the torpedo firing, all we do down there is make sure the computer tells us there's enough torpedoes, and press buttons when the computer tells us a targeting and firing order came down from the Bridge."

He looked at her and shrugged.  "Do you ever feel that way, over in Engineering?  Like the computer could handle it and you're there more out of courtesy and tradition than actual need?  I wouldn't figure it.  Maybe I should try for a transfer to Engineering.  Wouldn't have to change my uniforms, even."

His constant self-doubt was normal enough, if a bit frustrating, but idleness and an inability to do anything he felt was productive had conspired to make things even worse.

[Gavin Van Gelder]

[Astrophysics Lab]

Unlike most of the crew, bored with little to do during this First Contact diplomatic mission, Anastasia was quite enjoying herself. With the plethora of planetary specialists onboard, she had managed to weasel out of any work directly related to this mission and instead had hidden herself away in the Astrometrics and Stellar Cartography labs, working on her own side projects. She had been required to defend these action on the second day of their mission to her supervisor by connecting possible interactions within this system but, if the Russian teen was honest with herself, she hardly expected to find anything. Therefore she hadn't actually looked and was instead refamiliarizing herself with her first ship.

It had been some time since she had been aboard the Discovery and the first few days had not been pleasant. However, she had grown enough since she had left the Discovery to move past her immobilizing fear and get on with her job, along with the help of some liquid courage to get her through the nights. Still, she was settling in nicely in her own opinion and this was a fine first mission for her to get her feet wet aboard the ship. Now, viz my luck, I vill be called avay for somezing silly like an avay mission.

[Astrometrics]

Nose buried in a padd tablet, Gavin wasn't even aware that someone else was in the lab as he entered, his mind partitioned off and sorting the orbital data that he meant to run through the astrometrics computers, and the other half occupied with trying to forget about the fact that Jiseth had come bounding back into everyone's life.  While he didn't really...uh, really want the woman to be dead, he would have preferred that, if she were going to let everyone think that for two years, she continued to maintain the facade.  Much simpler for everyone involved.  But, no...in her infinite selfishness, the Romulan had to choose when Zero was starting to acclimate herself into the wider world, with the help of Leela and no small part played by himself.  No, instead, she'd come bursting through the metaphorical wall, tromping and stomping and swinging elbows and knocking down everything that had been carefully placed in two years' time.

Sighing, Gavin very nearly ran into someone else, a dark-haired officer that appeared to be close to his own age.  He blinked, his sea-green eyes shuttering in rapid succession as he looked around.  "Oh.  Uh?  Hi.  I didn't know anyone else was in here..."

[Jiseth]

[Deck 10 - Shuttlebay]

Jiseth's gloved hands gripped the steering wheel of the Theseus' buggy firmly. Since someone from Ops on the bridge had been looking out for her and given a fair number of personnel to assist her in preparing the shuttle, there was quite a lot of time on her hands. They had the shuttle fueled and were inspecting the buggy when she mentioned she had never driven one before. With that in mind and to kill two birds with one stone, as well as time while they waited for the passengers, they put together a track for her to drive around using cargo containers with diode torches to mark the boundaries.

It was a fine example of mucking about for professionals.

The buggy lowered slightly as she firmed up the suspension using the center console. It even had a hard surface mode for the traction control, best when on pavement, which she made sure to have on. The more she looked over the vehicle features, the more she wanted one for herself. The motor could kick out the equivalent to 794 horsepower which in her math said 800, something that was adequate to her tastes since she normally snubbed her nose at anything less than two-thirds of that. It had 4-wheel drive, 4-wheel steering, and a plasma cannon for... preventing the local constabulary from pulling her over with a speeding citation perhaps.

With her helmet securely on and its visor polarized her face was completely obscured. Just as well for plausible deniability purposes. One of the amber shirts walked near the starting line where the buggy was parked, holding a Starfleet flag. A small crowd of onlookers watched from the walls of the shuttle bay, mostly ambers with some crimson mixed in. There were whispers of about the new flight officer though the only thing that could be seen to identify her on the grey flight suit was a rank insignia and her call sign. Some say she's wanted by Starfleet Intelligence and that she uses her prosthetic legs to sleep upside down like a bat... All they knew for sure is, she's called Oddball. Then the flag was raised and a hush fell over the entire facility. A clock timer near the observation deck went to zero.

"Three... Two... One... GO!"

With the flag swung down, Jiseth jammed her foot into the accelerator and was surprised at how quick it bolted away. The engine went from a low hum to a wail as the world around her began to blur and she was pushed back into her seat. A long screech from the tires herald her arrival at the first corner as she pulled in hard for the left hand turn. Her aim was just a touch off and missed the apex by about a foot. She was going far too fast, however, to take too much time to chastise herself over it.

Swiftly thereafter came Tokaido, an even sharper turn to the right. This time she managed to keep the buggy in tight as she became little more comfortable using the brakes though anything more than a tap would jolt her forward in the seat. Powering out to the third part was a 90-degree left followed by a 90-degree right before two consecutive and wider right turns, the aptly named Bonnethead. In her mind this challenge would prove her skill was superior to the wit of the dainty, curly-haired fanny bandit Van Gelder. The buggy's front lurched downward as she hit the brakes hard, coming around the first turn and her hands pulled quickly at the wheel to make it around the second without sliding out of the track boundary. The last two rights seemed almost peaceful by comparison.

Next came a long, sweeping right, which was actually more terrifying than the previous turn because she had been instructed not to take her foot off the accelerator during it. With tiny inputs back and forth on the wheel, she kept the vehicle from letting centripetal force flip it on its side. Next came a long left where again she maintained a hold of both the petal and the wheel, forcing her titanium cage with wheels to submit to her command even tough she could tell it was not happy going this fast. It was becoming less of an all-terrain buggy and more of a machine that wanted nothing more than to kill her. This she found... fun.

Though the second to last corner was not quite as sharp as those found in Bonnethead, she was coming in twice as fast. The brakes began to howl as they heated from the friction. The tail end of the buggy slid out as it went around in unusual situation where she found herself turning right to go left. Relieved to be passed it, she put a little to much speed into the last corner, Raynor, and went around it with the left two wheels off the deck. They came back down and bounced a bit as she passed the flag waver who had taken the liberty of finding a safe distance from the track.

Gently this time, she touched the brakes and turned around towards where she started before coming to a stop just short of the loading ramp of the Theseus. Climbing out of the vehicle, her arms were shaking and she had to grip the frame of it to keep balance as her heart had apparently decided to set off its ejection seat and went ricocheting around her chest cavity. With short, quick breaths her shoulders rose and lowered as she looked up to the clock. The time to beat, set by a demonstration lap prior to hers, was 1 minute 45.7 seconds. With a PADD in hand, an Ops crewman approached her.

"You did it in 1... 40... 4.9! Well done, Lieutenant."

Jiseth gave a thumbs up before hopping back into the buggy and driving it onto its Argo-class mothership. The rest of the deck teams made haste to gather up the cargo containers and ready for the impending launch. After the secured in place, the fully suited Romulan stood outside the shuttle with her arms crossed, looking towards shuttlebay entrance through her darkened visor. Waiting was indeed boring, but right now she was more than happy to acknowledge that today would be a good day.

[Tekin Nevir]

"Completely understood, Lieutenant. But we're wayyyyy out here. And they're wayyyyy back there." Kyle said with a grin. "And it isn't like you'll be alone. I think we're all safe for now. In fact, go ahead and take Mister Benjamin with you. That'll give us a Pilot, a Scientist and an Operations person. Everything is covered. Now get out of here." Kyle added teasingly. "Go see what these Dazasanians have to offer."

Kyler reached for his comm badge as he watched Tekin head for the lift.

=^=Briggs to Benjamin. We're sending you on a survey mission. Meet Lieutenants Jiseth and Tekin in the shuttle bay in ten minutes. Briggs out.=^=

[Bridge]

If there was one person who gave Nevir confidence that his career in Starfleet was not over, it was Kyle.  Nevir smiled at his comments, and nodded.

"Well.. I think it would be a greater insult if I ignored a direct order from my commanding officer." he said with a smirk, standing up and letting another science officer take his place.  He turned and headed for the turbolift, nodding to the Captain as the doors closed.

"Computer, location of Lieutenant Jiseth."

"Lieutenant Jiseth is in the Shuttlebay."

"Excellent." he replied, as the lift doors opened to deck ten.

[Deck 10 - Shuttlebay]

The doors opened to find Shuttlecraft Theseus being prepped, an Argo class shuttle complete with an all terrain vehicle.  Nevir gave himself the thought of saying if he were to steal a shuttle, it would have been this class, and the smirk on his face was enough to cause him to shake his head.  The Lieutenant was just hopping out of said buggy, a look of glee on her face, and the CSO walked up behind her.

"And here I thought you were interested in the planet... this is all a ruse to play with the cart." he said, smiling to show her he was kidding.  He took the offered PADD from one of the techs, to make sure that the equipment they needed was on board.

"1 minute 44.9 seconds?  Did they lower the gravity in here for you?  Best I could do was one fifty seven." he said, shaking his head and handing the PADD back.  "We are just waiting on one more and then we'll be off.  Did you have a site in mind, or do you want me to choose?"

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Sickbay]

As James finished his statement he looked around the medical area.  Truth be told it was the first time he was in Sickbay in an Akira class vessel.  Hawke noticed a petit redhead humanoid female staring at him as he walked in.  He looked at her collar and noticed the rank of full lieutenant.  That coupled with the fact that she was wearing blue gave James a reasonable that she was the Chief Medical Officer.

The Chief Medical officer pointed the first bed and said

James looked at the bed and noticed that her tone was a little cold.  He would have requested a bathroom break at the moment, but he believed that said break would have been ill-advised.  James swallowed his saliva as he approached the bed.

Time was running out.  James had not found a way to get out of this medical examination.  Every Doctor worth her salt would be able to find that his records from 2392 would not match up with the current records.  Every other option would have resulted with getting captured or unintended collateral damage.

He approached the bed and sat near the foot rest area of the bed.  He faced looking at redhead female.  He took a deep breath and said "I think we might have gotten off in the wrong foot, my name is James ..."

As he finished he looked at the Doctor, James figured that her icy tone reflected that she was not his no. 1 fan.

Sickbay

Lizzie looked Hawke up and down and she tried to charm his way with her. That approach had not worked on her since her early Academy days.

"I'm well aware of who you are Lieutenant. The only question I have for you is why are you going to such lengths to avoid Sickbay. Unless you want to tell me, I suspect I will find out soon enough." She replied, her tone still resembling the north wind.

She passed the probe over the Lieutenants body, performing a preliminary tissue scan. She was about to start an a neural scan when she saw something odd. Needing more information she activated the beds full bio-scanners.

"Computer, perform a Level 4 Bio-scan of Lieutenant Hawke. Record and monitor all variances to the last recorded physical we have for him on record!" She ordered. The Computer beeped and the scan started. She turned so she was looking directly into Hawke's eyes.

"Would you like to explain to me Mr Hawke, how and why you have a phase variance in your deep tissue? And don't play ignorant. You are an engineer. You know perfectly well what I'm talking about!" She asked in a low tone that was now more curious than angry and also designed not to be overheard.

[Zero Alpha]

[Sickbay]

"Ms Alpha, I have known you for quite some time now, I think it's safe to say that you're my doctor." Alex reassured her. Vaughan would be busy enough with her own patient soon anyways. "Doctor Vaughan, let me know if we need to speak further on the subject of collecting your patients. Lead the way Alpha, I am yours to poke and prod for the next...well, however long you decide to take. Under an hour hopefully?"

[Sickbay]

Nodding to the first officer, Zero gestured toward one of the rooms off the main sickbay where the majority of the rehabilitation equipment was kept, leading the way.

"I do not believe I will need to retain you for longer than half of an hour.  I do not wish to tax you during the first session, and judging by the phrasing of your question, you do not have much time to spare."

Once the door had slid shut behind them, the pale woman considered the best course of action for her patient.  Gentle stretching would likely be a good place to start, possibly massage too, to loosen off the muscles.  Over the sessions, she could add in exercises to build up the muscle as well, but that was for another time.  "I require you to remove your uniform jacket, but you may retain the shirt if you so wish."

[James A. Hawke]

 [Sickbay]

James sat perfectly straight on the first bio bed.  James looked at her face for any non verbal cues to what she is thinking.  Hawke could not make his mind whether the redhead officer severely disliked him or she treated everyone the same way.

"I'm well aware of who you are Lieutenant. The only question I have for you is why are you going to such lengths to avoid Sickbay. Unless you want to tell me, I suspect I will find out soon enough."

James responded by giving a crooked smile and responded "I have not been avoiding you...I have just been busy...really honest look at my work shifts...I have not log in a Holodeck minute".  He knew he lied.  Al he could do was to smile and appear everything is normal on the hopes that nothing would get detected.   Giving her tone of voice, James new introcdution did not work well on her.

James felt the observed the doctor giving him a scan.  As he sat still he could not help put focus on the blue and red lights coming from the scanner in her hand.  He noticed the scan doing some sounds.  James is not medical doctor but he knows enough that any scanning instruments that is making sounds...means something weird is happening.

The doctor stated:

"Computer, perform a Level 4 Bio-scan of Lieutenant Hawke. Record and monitor all variances to the last recorded physical we have for him on record!"

"Ahhh crap!" James thought

James stood there as Dr. Vaughan made eyes contact with him.  He figured he was in trouble.  He knew the scans would not match up.  He had too many fractures that did not heal correctly in relations to the ones he had prior to the Klingon War.

Hawke noticed that she wanted to make eye contact with him.  James reacted by avoiding the contact.  His options were now limited.  He could either lie or tell the truth.  Obviously, the charm route was not working.

"Would you like to explain to me Mr Hawke, how and why you have a phase variance in your deep tissue? And don't play ignorant. You are an engineer. You know perfectly well what I'm talking about!"

James looked at Dr. Vaughan eyes and then looked down. "What can I say Doc...spelunking and eating too many replicated Taco Bell's breakfast burritos might be the cause of it".  James finished his statement with a smile and smart alec look.

James lied and he knew it.  Odds are she would not buy it too.  He closed his eyes and before she could respond he said "Wait...that's not true."  He made that statement with a serious tone.  He looked at the Doctor's green eyes and continued  "I am James Hawke, born and raised on Earth.  I killed my mother when I was born and I lost my virginity at the age of 16 on a shuttlecraft.  That is the Truth...I also know that the Truth is more complicated and sometimes it is worse than hell.  And I have been living that hell, I think this might not be best place to have this conversation".

As he finished his statement James looked around.  This was not the place to have a conversation like this where anyone can easily overhear.  James mentioned this in a low tone of voice.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Sickbay]

James sat perfectly straight on the first bio bed.  James looked at her face for any non verbal cues to what she is thinking.  Hawke could not make his mind whether the redhead officer severely disliked him or she treated everyone the same way.

James responded by giving a crooked smile and responded "I have not been avoiding you...I have just been busy...really honest look at my work shifts...I have not log in a Holodeck minute".  He knew he lied.  Al he could do was to smile and appear everything is normal on the hopes that nothing would get detected.   Giving her tone of voice, James new introcdution did not work well on her.

James felt the observed the doctor giving him a scan.  As he sat still he could not help put focus on the blue and red lights coming from the scanner in her hand.  He noticed the scan doing some sounds.  James is not medical doctor but he knows enough that any scanning instruments that is making sounds...means something weird is happening.

The doctor stated:

"Ahhh crap!" James thought

James stood there as Dr. Vaughan made eyes contact with him.  He figured he was in trouble.  He knew the scans would not match up.  He had too many fractures that did not heal correctly in relations to the ones he had prior to the Klingon War.

Hawke noticed that she wanted to make eye contact with him.  James reacted by avoiding the contact.  His options were now limited.  He could either lie or tell the truth.  Obviously, the charm route was not working.

James looked at Dr. Vaughan eyes and then looked down. "What can I say Doc...spelunking and eating too many replicated Taco Bell's breakfast burritos might be the cause of it".  James finished his statement with a smile and smart alec look.

James lied and he knew it.  Odds are she would not buy it too.  He closed his eyes and before she could respond he said "Wait...that's not true."  He made that statement with a serious tone.  He looked at the Doctor's green eyes and continued  "I am James Hawke, born and raised on Earth.  I killed my mother when I was born and I lost my virginity at the age of 16 on a shuttlecraft.  That is the Truth...I also know that the Truth is more complicated and sometimes it is worse than hell.  And I have been living that hell, I think this might not be best place to have this conversation".

As he finished his statement James looked around.  This was not the place to have a conversation like this where anyone can easily overhear.  James mentioned this in a low tone of voice.

Sickbay

Lizzie listened to Hawke's explanation while she looked at the readings. It had flagged up major anomalies between the last physical that Hawke had been given and the readings that the scanner. She had a theory as to what the cause was, but he was right. This was not the place.

"Computer, transfer all the data recorded to my tricorder. Do not copy the data onto the Sickbay computer." She instructed.

"Acknowledged!" The computer responded followed by a succession of beeps. "Transfer complete!" The computer responded after the beeps had subsided.

"If you want to have a future Lieutenant, I suggest you come with me." Lizzie said to Hawke, in a far gentler tone that she had used previously. She then headed to her office, carrying her tricorder.

[Anastasia Zhestakova]

[Astrometrics]

Nose buried in a padd tablet, Gavin wasn't even aware that someone else was in the lab as he entered, his mind partitioned off and sorting the orbital data that he meant to run through the astrometrics computers, and the other half occupied with trying to forget about the fact that Jiseth had come bounding back into everyone's life.  While he didn't really...uh, really want the woman to be dead, he would have preferred that, if she were going to let everyone think that for two years, she continued to maintain the facade.  Much simpler for everyone involved.  But, no...in her infinite selfishness, the Romulan had to choose when Zero was starting to acclimate herself into the wider world, with the help of Leela and no small part played by himself.  No, instead, she'd come bursting through the metaphorical wall, tromping and stomping and swinging elbows and knocking down everything that had been carefully placed in two years' time.

Sighing, Gavin very nearly ran into someone else, a dark-haired officer that appeared to be close to his own age.  He blinked, his sea-green eyes shuttering in rapid succession as he looked around.  "Oh.  Uh?  Hi.  I didn't know anyone else was in here..."

[Astrometrics]

Anastasia looked up from her work, startled, having never heard the man enter the room. "Oh," she said softly, caught off guard. "I vasn't expecting anyvon to come up here." A slew of curses ran through her head worried that she'd have to find a new place to hide until this First Contact mission was over. Still, she couldn't just leave without acting like she had been doing something important. "Vut brings you up here? I Zhought most of zhe department vas busy vis studying zhe planet." As she talked she looked back towards he console, getting back to her own pet project.

[Jiseth]

"And here I thought you were interested in the planet... this is all a ruse to play with the cart." he said, smiling to show her he was kidding.  He took the offered PADD from one of the techs, to make sure that the equipment they needed was on board.

"1 minute 44.9 seconds?  Did they lower the gravity in here for you?  Best I could do was one fifty seven." he said, shaking his head and handing the PADD back.  "We are just waiting on one more and then we'll be off.  Did you have a site in mind, or do you want me to choose?"

[Deck 10 - Shuttlebay]

Her right hand went up to the side of her helmet and with a gentle press the visor went transparent. There was a ghostly blue glow on her face from the heads up display projectors and a grin only a hair more noticeable than that of the Mona Lisa. It had been ages since she had met a rather jovial humanoid who was not already a close friend and the CSO's demeanor was enjoyably refreshing to her.

"Oh I don't need to stage an away mission just to get the toys out of the box... And no. I made sure to actually press down the accelerator pedal."

There was an equally smug and coy smirk that tugged at her lips before she tapped her helmet again. The visor polarized from the top down until it was completely a solid dark grey only broken up by lighter hexagonal outlines. Reaching over, Jiseth pointed to a small map on the PADD.

"We'll fly over the largest storm in the north eastern continent and land on the far side beyond that tall mountain range. Mostly desert and flat grass plains out that way, so we should be able to get a number of deep core samples or whatever else you eggheads want."

[Gavin Van Gelder]

[Astrometrics]

Anastasia looked up from her work, startled, having never heard the man enter the room. "Oh," she said softly, caught off guard. "I vasn't expecting anyvon to come up here." A slew of curses ran through her head worried that she'd have to find a new place to hide until this First Contact mission was over. Still, she couldn't just leave without acting like she had been doing something important. "Vut brings you up here? I Zhought most of zhe department vas busy vis studying zhe planet." As she talked she looked back towards he console, getting back to her own pet project.

[Astrometrics]

With a rather puzzled smile, Gavin glanced around the laboratory.  The girl's accent was as thick the air in a Fereginar summer, but he was able to parse it.  "Most of them got to go planetside.  I got stuck running the data through the computers."  He grinned, running his fingers through his mop of auburn hair.  "USS Discovery gets one of Daystrom's '30 under 30', and what do they do with me?  They have me collate data."  He held out his hand, glancing at it as he realized it still held a padd.  "Er..." he said, switching the padd to his left hand and re-offering the right.  "Gavin Van Gelder, Sciences.  I deduce by your teal shirt and the fact that you hang around a lab like this for fun that you're in Sciences, too.  What are you working on?"

[James A. Hawke]

[Sickbay]
James stood there and observed Lizzie's reaction.  He heard her gave the following statement.

"Computer, transfer all the data recorded to my tricorder. Do not copy the data onto the Sickbay computer."

"Acknowledged!" The computer responded followed by a succession of beeps. "Transfer complete!" The computer responded after the beeps had subsided.

James took a deep breath and though of what happened.
"Why did she not copy the data?  She could have just reported me to security.  The fact that she did not and is willing to talk about it could be that she can be trusted.  The question is how much information that she wants....I could just tell her the truth, but she probably could not believe it"  James thought

"If you want to have a future Lieutenant, I suggest you come with me."

James nodded in response.  He followed Lizzie into her office in which they could talk more privately.  The biggest concern that James had was how much information that she wanted.  Knowing what he knew could result in unintended consequences.

As he entered her Office James said "Thank you for your discretion" in a low tone. There was no smile, just a dead serious face.  The time of games was over.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Sickbay]
James stood there and observed Lizzie's reaction.  He heard her gave the following statement.

James took a deep breath and though of what happened.
"Why did she not copy the data?  She could have just reported me to security.  The fact that she did not and is willing to talk about it could be that she can be trusted.  The question is how much information that she wants....I could just tell her the truth, but she probably could not believe it"  James thought

James nodded in response.  He followed Lizzie into her office in which they could talk more privately.  The biggest concern that James had was how much information that she wanted.  Knowing what he knew could result in unintended consequences.

As he entered her Office James said "Thank you for your discretion" in a low tone. There was no smile, just a dead serious face.  The time of games was over.

CMO's Office

Lizzie entered her office and sat down behind her desk.

"Take a seat please Mr Hawke." She indicated the chair opposite her. She waited until he was seated before speaking again.

"Why don't I start by telling you what the evidence has told me so there is no mistake. Firstly there is the phase variance. It was not present when you last had a physical and it can only have been caused by a discrete number of things. Then there is the age discrepancy. You appear to be older than you should, given your date of birth and rate of cell degradation. Thirdly. You have numerous scars and badly healed fractures. These were caused over time and there is nothing in your records to explain them. I have a hypothesis that would explain your reluctance. You have somehow managed to cross the barrier between realities. Am I correct?" She asked, her voice soft but clear.

[James A. Hawke]

CMO's Office

Hawke followed Lizzie into her office.  As he entered the office he felt the doors swosh behind him.  He noticed that there was a desk and a couple of chairs.  She sat down into her desk and offered James a seat on the oposite end.

James responded by saying "Yes, Ma'am"  She was both the Doctor and a Superior officer .  He sat on the chair and looked Dr. Vaughan and remained quiet.

"Why don't I start by telling you what the evidence has told me so there is no mistake. Firstly there is the phase variance. It was not present when you last had a physical and it can only have been caused by a discrete number of things. Then there is the age discrepancy. You appear to be older than you should, given your date of birth and rate of cell degradation. Thirdly. You have numerous scars and badly healed fractures. These were caused over time and there is nothing in your records to explain them. I have a hypothesis that would explain your reluctance. You have somehow managed to cross the barrier between realities. Am I correct?" She asked, her voice soft but clear.

"Damn, she is good" James thought.  He was busted she had the Data and his fate was literally in her hands.

He rubbed his hand together.  He knew sooner or later someone was going to find out about him.  He did not know it was this soon and this fast.  James pondered how much she wanted to know or how much it was safe to tell her.

He looked at her in her eyes after she finished the statement "Let's assume for a moment that you are on to something.  Let's say for the sake of argument that all of this is explained by a simple fact that I am five years older than what my record suggest.  That would put me on a quite a dilemma"

James extended opened his right hand "On one hand, I have to be concerned about the Temporal Directive and be careful of giving out information about possible future.   So, anything I say can contaminate your thoughts or free will.  So if I knew who you are going to get married you might alter or force the natural relationship"

James then opened his left hand "On the other hand, I have you in front of me that is figuring it out the mystery.  If I don't satisfy you then you can report me to Starfleet Security in which I would arrested and court martial."

The then lowered both hands and continued "I don't have an issue to undergo medical procedures to fix all my fractures, scars and internal damage...I am concerned about you, because even if I tell you something you can't say it to anyone."  James finished.

His eyes reflected genuine concern about the information that she wanted.  He honestly did not know what he was going to say.  But for the first time in a long time he was being honest and straightforward.   He was not hiding and acting as much as he was concerned.  Maybe part of him deep down wanted to talk what he saw and happened, but the risk where too great.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

CMO's Office

Hawke followed Lizzie into her office.  As he entered the office he felt the doors swosh behind him.  He noticed that there was a desk and a couple of chairs.  She sat down into her desk and offered James a seat on the oposite end.

James responded by saying "Yes, Ma'am"  She was both the Doctor and a Superior officer .  He sat on the chair and looked Dr. Vaughan and remained quiet.

"Damn, she is good" James thought.  He was busted she had the Data and his fate was literally in her hands.

He rubbed his hand together.  He knew sooner or later someone was going to find out about him.  He did not know it was this soon and this fast.  James pondered how much she wanted to know or how much it was safe to tell her.

He looked at her in her eyes after she finished the statement "Let's assume for a moment that you are on to something.  Let's say for the sake of argument that all of this is explained by a simple fact that I am five years older than what my record suggest.  That would put me on a quite a dilemma"

James extended opened his right hand "On one hand, I have to be concerned about the Temporal Directive and be careful of giving out information about possible future.   So, anything I say can contaminate your thoughts or free will.  So if I knew who you are going to get married you might alter or force the natural relationship"

James then opened his left hand "On the other hand, I have you in front of me that is figuring it out the mystery.  If I don't satisfy you then you can report me to Starfleet Security in which I would arrested and court martial."

The then lowered both hands and continued "I don't have an issue to undergo medical procedures to fix all my fractures, scars and internal damage...I am concerned about you, because even if I tell you something you can't say it to anyone."  James finished.

His eyes reflected genuine concern about the information that she wanted.  He honestly did not know what he was going to say.  But for the first time in a long time he was being honest and straightforward.   He was not hiding and acting as much as he was concerned.  Maybe part of him deep down wanted to talk what he saw and happened, but the risk where too great.

CMO's Office

Lizzie sat back in her chair and listened to what Hawke was saying. To put it bluntly, he was scared. She figured that he had a right to be. Starfleet took breaches of the Temporal Directives seriously. She paused for a moment to formulate her response.

"I have an offer to make you Mr Hawke. If you can satisfy me that you have no intention of causing harm to this reality, I am prepared to keep your secret by repairing the damage and updating your records. As Chief Medical Officer, I am not obliged to share information regarding patients physical condition with anyone. Unless it presents a clear danger to the ship or the Federation. However, if I do this I expect you to be completely honest with me. I want to know the full story from your point of view. And I reserve the right to report this to the Captain and Starfleet Security should I deem there to be a threat. Do you accept this?" She asked, her voice level but her tone was serious.