The Good Doctor(s)

[Lawrence-Gould_]

The Good Doctor(s)

It had been a long journey since he left Starbase 381 in a small shuttle to prepare to meet up with ''an acquaintance'', the incident that occurred with the crazed Cardassian Doctor Tavor Orra after his escape from the Federation facility was at the back of his mind during the whole journey.

As he drops from warp in the Bajoran sector of the Beta Ursae Block he opens a hail to the looming station in the distance, quickly a reply comes though:

''DS9 Ops to shuttle Sierra you are permitted to land on docking bay 6, please report to Ops within the hour''

Once safely landed and docked he takes the short walk to the Turbolift, memories of his time being posted to the 146th Fleet whilst stationed out of DS9 races through his mind and the events that unravelled all that time ago that eventually lead to the capture of Tavor Orra a constant reminder of why this meeting is so important.

Walking along the promenade seeing some of the familiar faces of the traders that he used to buy from brought a smile to his face, with all that had happened in the Outback recently it was strange to think of this Cardassian built, Starfleet manned station as a place that once made him happy.

As he heads past the small, yet extremely busy, eating area on the promenade he spots a face, one that he has been in contact with since communications were established with 381, a small framed Ferengi, small even for them is sat chewing his way through a plate of tube grubs. With a small nod is given by the Ferengi, one that would go unnoticed if he had not been looking, a small gesture of unspoken contact between them.

This is the -real meeting- that he is here for, the official one with Starfleet will be later and after ordering a Vulcan Spiced Tea he is about to take a chair the other side of the table from the Ferengi ''Excuse me, would you mind if I sit here?'' there is a shrug from the small Ferengis shoulder, a sign that he doesn't really care either way as another hand full of tube grubs is taken from the bowl and quickly shoved in his mouth before they are able to wriggle free, he takes his seat and looks around at the hustle and bustle of the eating area.

He thinks to himself that he has never really seeing it this busy here before but then looks up at the flags adorning the upper levels, its the start of the Bajoran Gratitude Festival and this explains the extra foot-flow.

With careful precision and to make it look like an accident so others do not see the swift trade of an isolinear chip between the greying haired and bearded man and the small Ferengi the mug of Vulcan Tea is spilt across the table, the now warm liquid races across the table and hits the bowl of Tube grubs causing the Ferengi to jump to his feet ''Huuumon, you idiot... look what you have done to my meal'' he angrily remarks.

With a mocking apology ''I am sorry, I do not know how that happened'' comes a quick response ''allow me to clean that up for you, I am sorry'' in the time that a small napkin is used to clean up the spilt beverage the isolinear chip makes it way into the pocket of the grey-haired man, swift agile hands of the Ferengi ensuring that his delivery is complete.

''Let me get you a new plate''

''Don't bother foolish huuumon, my appetite has gone'' with that he stomps off into the crowd, a group of onlookers from all species around the quadrant now starting at the scene.

''Cant please them all it would seem'' the grey haired man looks to the crowd as he takes his now empty mug back to the replicator, as he watches the mug disappear his hand drifts down to the pocket of his jacket and feels the outline of the isolinear chip there as he thinks to himself

''I can now start to find out where that bastard Orra is and what he is up to''

[Lawrence-Gould_]

Tavor Orra

A Cardassian Doctor that was sentenced to life imprisonment for completing tests on Federation citizens 18 months ago, the crime of genetic engineering in an attempt to cure the illness of Yarin Fel Syndrome that was terminal to Cardassians.

Granted that his work was considered for the 'greater good' of the Cardassian people it was the way in which he completed his research that landed the Doctor in trouble and ultimately meant that he was sent to Facility 5157 where he had been for the last 16 months until an elaborate and well planned 'jail break' occurred 2 months ago.

Details and the full official report on the matter are still hard to come by but as Captain Gould was involved in his capture the first time along with other officers of the 146th Fleet he has been called back to Deep Space Nine to see if there is anything that he can do to help apprehend Doctor Orra once again before he commences with more brutal tests.

[Lawrence-Gould_]

Weeks have passed since his official meeting with the brass at DS9 regarding the Tavor situation, the Vico has been recalled from Starbase 381 and sits in geo-synchronous orbit. The crew working on the small repairs needed from the last scuffle with some True Way ships.

Sitting in his ready room, a Vulcan Tea cooling on the desk he twiddles the Isolinear chip through his fingers before slotting it into the console and powering it up, a small display appears requesting authorisation.

''Computer, authorisation Gould Alpha Nine Nine Seven''

On the screen appears four co-ordinates deep in the Alpha Trianguli Block and nothing more, with inputting these into the main computer database they show up as that of star systems, with a rather impulsive decision unlike that which he would normally make he hails the bridge and tells his XO to set course to the first co-ordinate.

Hours later he looks over to the Helm officer from the Captains chair, the usual hum from the overpowered warp-core and beeping from the consoles around the Bridge can be heard

''Sir, we are entering orbit of the planet in the Corwin system, the cloak is still holding''

as he taps on the console on his arm rest he calls over to his CSO, LtC. Joel Chernosky

''Commander, please start passive scans of any tunnels or subterranean networks in the northern hemisphere of the largest continent''

quickly a reply comes from the Commander

''Aye Captain, this shouldn't take too long''.

After an hour and 4 repeated attempts the scans came back negative, nothing to be found, no caves tunnels or anything of worth. Close to 45 hours later and with the three other systems scanned Lawrence finds himself back in his chair as the Vico enters orbit of DS9

''Captain, we are being hailed by Ops, they are requesting that the Vico makes hard dock and you report again to the Captains office''

Twelve minutes later Lawrence walks off the Turbolift into Ops and heads over to the Captain office, pausing a moment he looks around to see most of the Federation officers looking at him, with a faint mechanical noise of doors opening he hears a simple request

''Captain Gould, please enter''

Walking over the threshold into the office he spots three people in the office, 2 are known to him and a third being only someone that he has read about but never had the chance to meet.

[Lawrence-Gould_]

Standing in just his underwear in the dark room on DS9 the hour is very early and the only light coming in is from the stars as he looks, stares into the mirror, trying to understand the figure that is looking back at him. A small murmur of the person in the bed behind can be heard, the rented quarters are plain and simple even for that of the Cardassian station.

He simply stands in the dim light, the only noise that can be heard is the hum of the station but his mind starts to wonder

Who are you, how have you come to be here?

His hand slowly raises as he runs his fingers around the ever increasing lines under his eyes, those deep blue eyes are ones that he no longer recognises, when did they change from the youthful Doctor, the one that wanted to aid the needy, heal the sick and to help the universe to mend, to get back on its feet and solder on to what he sees now.

With age comes wisdom, experience and knowledge or is it just the foolish
thoughts of a man that has been beaten down over the years?

Running his hands through the short cropped grey hair, the beard that he has been sporting for the last six years is still there, nothing changes at times or does everything change?

Time is indifferent to all, it's time for a change, or does time stand still?

He looks out of the window to the stars, a small runabout can be seen in the distance heading away from the station under impulse speed off out into the unknown. He stretches out his back and only just manages to stop himself from yawning.

''Computer, what is the time?''

''The time is 03.17 hours, station time''

A noise can be heard from the bed, he looks from the window back into the darkness but his eyes not yet adjusted from the light coming in from the stars, only a faint outline can be seen in the bed.

''What are you doing over there, come back here, you have a meeting in the morning and you had better not be tired for it''

He slowly walks back from the window across the barren rented room, he crawls back into the warm bed that he has shared for the last couple of nights yet he knows that this moment is short lived as both being Starfleet officers they never know when they can get to spend some time together.

As he lies down he soon hears the tell tell signs that the person next to him has drifted back to sleep, soon his mind is racing back to the events of the last couple of week, being hauled up in front of the sector command to justify his actions.

Will they ever understand, will they listen to him

It's been two weeks since his last meeting with the Brass on the Tavor Orra situation update, he was sat in a room with three Admirals and two Cardassian representatives from their Government hashing out the details of how they are planning on proceeding to re-capture the illusive doctor.

Rumours are ripe throughout the sector that he has gone back to his experiments and with reports coming in from various sources of ships mysteriously disappearing again history is slowly repeating itself. Intel believes that Doctor Orra has set up a small base of operations deep in the Almatha Sector of the Alpha Trianguli Block on a planet in the Shahr System.

Three days later

A joint Federation/Cardassian operation has been given the go ahead for a small team to investigate in an attempt to bring the Doctor back to justice and behind bars. The Defiant class ship, USS Virgin, under cloak drops from warp and enters geosync orbit of the planet. Once ready the small away team assembles in the transporter room, equipment checked, med kits assembled and Tricorders configured the 4 officer, 2 Starfleet, 2 Cardassians take their place on the pad.

Seconds later, with the Virgin dropping its cloak long enough to transport the team, they materialise on the planets surface.

Last time the Cardassian Doctor was found last time in a small network of caves when he was arrested, and as a creature of habit it has been assumed that he will likely follow the same path as before and with the type of experiments that he carried out before a power source would be needed.

This is the trail and lead that the away team is using.

As the away team complete one last equipment check they take to the thick dense undergrowth of the tropical planet, sweat already starting to pool on the two human Starfleet officers.

''Commander Giles, I am detecting a faint power source three hundred meters ahead located deep within the cave network''

The Commander looks over to one of the Cardassian away team and her face looking as though she is enjoying the heat, no signs of sweat can be seen then she remembers that the Cardassian people enjoy a higher temperature in general.

''Then that's the place where we start''

She motions to the other officers to follow her lead as she they slowly crawl through the undergrowth, bugs and small insects fly overhead and the noises from the canopy over head indicate that there are mammals of sorts living high above. Just over the ridge the thick undergrowth start to clear and a small entrance to a cave can be seen, stood just inside a faint outline of a figure can be seen, using a thermal imagine sensor the Commander can detect two Cardassians just inside.

With a series of small hand gestures the Commander relays her instruction's to the other three offices and seconds later a small stun grenade is thrown into the cave entrance, before the two Cardassians have time to react they are thrown to the ground by the blast being knocked unconscious.

''Lets go''

[Lawrence-Gould_]

The worst patients are those that are in the know, the ones that should be healing others and not the one that is on a bio-bed in the infirmary on DS9, a small mumble can be heard as closed eyes are mid REM sleep, he dreams a fretted dream, one of a day just recently gone by and the disaster that was supposed to be a simple extraction mission.

The slow beeping and rhythm of the machines can be faintly heard in the back ground as one of the nurses comes up and checks the vitals, with a PADD in her hand she looks down and checks the readings then looks over to the small Bajoran Docotr sat at one of the desks.

''Doctor, the scares are starting to heal over, how much longer do you think me need to keep him sedated?''

The Bajoran doctor looks up from work, he taps on the console then replies

''He will need a few more days at least, but im worried about his hands, they do not appear to be healing as well as the other parts of his body''

''Ensure that the Bio-Regenerative Field generator is positioned correctly and rotating to a point that all sections of the body that have been burnt are getting an even dose''

''Yes doctor'' the nurse adjusts the settings on the machine before filling in the update on the chart.

48 Hours Earlier

With a series of small hand gestures the Commander relays her instruction's to the other three offices and seconds later a small stun grenade is thrown into the cave entrance, before the two Cardassians have time to react they are thrown to the ground by the blast being knocked unconscious.

''Lets go''

The four man away team, on orders of the commander, rush towards the two fallen Cardassian guards ensuring that they remain down from the blast and once secured start to head deeper into the cave network believed to be one of the experimental work base of Tovar Orra.

Searching for the power source the away team continue deeper into the dark, the only light illuminating from the small torches attached to their rifles, small bugs can be heard scuttling through the moist dripping caves clearly annoyed at being disturbed in their homes.

The grey haired Captain from the 26th takes point as requested by the Commander, he slowly takes lead of the away team through the ever darkening cave network when suddenly he feels a small wire on his boot, in the time it takes him to shout get back there is a click, a tiny click of a pin dropping which can he heard in the silence.

The darkness and silence come easily after the blinding flash of fire as his body slowly, like a dream, falls to the floor.

Sitting in his bunk on the USS Vico he looks down to his hands, hands that are hidden by bandages with only the tips of his fingers on show he runs them down his face as he feels the start of the stubble of his beard re-growing.

The Bajoran Doctor on DS9 had informed him that they will heal, that work can be done to remove the scars but to what end? Already he has been under going treatment and as much as they are starting to fade in his eyes he can still see the damage that was caused to his body by the intense heat and flames as they ripped down through the cave network.

He stands and walks over to the mirror in the room, removing his shirt and trousers he looks at himself in just his briefs at the deep red marks that cover his torso and left leg, the scarring running deep down his left side, a reminder of that fateful day. A loud scream can be heard, a mumble of voices shouting as loud as possible over the deafening sound of rubble falling, heat rising and his hand covering his face - a memory, yes that's all it is. a memory of four weeks ago but as fresh in his mind as if it happened earlier today.

With a hand stretched out to the wall his legs start to slowly give way, being unable to hold his own weight his knees give out and he falls to the ground. Instinctively knees are tucked up under his chin, he gathers himself into the foetal position and there he stays for close to an hour.

In his mind the scene replays itself over and over again, a small stream of tears flow down his cheek.

Seven Days later

Sitting on the observation deck on ESD he looks down over the side into the belly of the Starbase, just yesterday the Vico arrived at Earth and docked. He was back in Sol for two reasons, the essential maintenance of his ship and the debriefing on the Tavor Orra situation.

With PADD in his now gloved hand his re-reads his official report upto the moment that his world went from flame red to black.

''Captain Gould, please report to Admiral Wrex's office'' and with tapping his newly issued combadge he says ''On my way''

[Lawrence-Gould_]

The trail had gone cold, their last ditch attempt at trying to locate the Doctor was a bust. Intelligence in both the Federation and Cardassian Union had no more leads that could be investigated, it would appear that Tavor Orra had gone deeper under ground along with his 'work'.

Pacing the office located on ESD he looks over to Admiral Wrex

''There has to be more that we can do, he cannot be allowed to continue with his experiments, people are dying!''

The aged Admiral looks up from his console located on his oak desk

''Lawrence, what more can we do? There is nothing to go on. I cant in all good conscience send you back out without knowing where we need to look. That last location as you well know was rigged''

The grey haired Captain abruptly halts his pacing and unconsciously starts to rub his gloved hands together

''I ... I am well aware of that, yet I know what he is trying to do and in a way think his research will benefit the Cardassian people but its the way he's going about it... its unethical and immoral. Why do you think we spent so much time hunting him down before and getting him behind bars''

A look of concern and anger crosses the Admiral face

''I am well aware of what Doctor Orra was put away for, did you forget that I was as big a part of that as you were my good friend or has time really not been good on you that you have forget?''

Lawrence shakes his head as he takes a seat at the desk

''Of course not Andrew, my apologies... its just frustrating knowing that he is out there somewhere''

The Admiral opens a draw on the desk and withdraws a small PADD and slides it over

''Time will come where he slips up and we will be ready for him, don't worry, we will get him back behind bars where he belongs but in the mean time I have an assignment for you''

Lawrence takes the PADD and starts to read the contents of the message, he then looks back to the Admiral

''I'm confused, I am being reassigned?''

''Yes, something has cropped up near the Cardassian border and given the time that you have spent there on the Tiberius and the work that you did with the 26th I thought of you when this came across my desk, many officers of the 26th have been requested for this assignment.''

reading the last of the intel on the PADD

''You can be serious, how the hell has this happened?''

''That my old friend is what you are going to be part of to find out''



Later....

Sitting across from the aged Trill Admiral, his long time friend back from his days as a junior officer Lawrence looks up from his PADD that hasn't left his hands for the last two days.

''Andrew, I don't know how much of this can be contained. I have read the reports from Commander Narzim and her crew, along with Lt Tlei from my own ship and before I could do anything about it you pulled the rug from under me and ordered me here. I know that it didn't go down to well with Captain Prinn either''

Looking up from the console on his desk, the Rear Admiral, Andrew Wrex attached to Starfleet Medical starts to talk in a slow calm manor ''Lawrence, how was I to know that someone on Cleftus 8 would know one of your crew, as far as I knew from my assistants there was no connection to anyone on DS515, Lt Tleis recent posting on the Vico was a blip but something that we can contain... something that you have to contain''

Lawrence squints his eyes slightly ''I am assuming you don't mean contain in the way that people used to be contained?'' he looks to the Trill for clarification ''Times have changed Lawrence, its harder to do that these days. I meant the problem that has arisen from the USS Akula going to Cleftus has to be contained. The facility should have been dealt with swifter once there was an out break of the species and the safe guards should have kicked in but there is nothing we can do about that now''

''Andrew! Close to 20 officers were found dead on Cleftus 8, drowned by the very species that you were.. '' he air quotes ''trying to study, the Doctor from the Akula ran their DNA through the database and they all came up blank, no matches could be found. It was ridiculous that you thought that this will simply disappear''

Standing up from the deck across from the Trill Lawrence starts to pace the ready room of the USS Monroe, the Nebula class ship assigned to Admiral Wrex, he briefly pauses at the window to see the ever large Deep Space Nine in the distance

''You think this is easy for me? Easy for what we have been trying to achieve over all these years? I think of you as a Son and ... well you know our history, im not going to hash it up again. If the work that I order to be completed offends you now then maybe its something you should have thought about years ago when... well you know when'' he watches as the words strike home, deep to the core as Lawrence turns and stares at the Admiral, hatred burns in his eyes.

Lawrence walks slowly to the chair that he had previously occupied, leaning against the back he rests his four head on the top and looks to the floor, staring at his feet ''I honestly cant believe that you bought that up... again... '' he tries to compose himself ''..but you are right, I agreed to help you back then... as foolish as it was but I stepped over that line and there is no way I can go back that easily''

''Lawrence, there is one other thing that I need to talk to you about.....''

A moment passes as the Admiral looks over to the Captain

''Doctor Orra, we think we have found him...''