Dealing with Emerick

Posted on Sunday, 10 May 2020 - 3:19pm by Emerick & Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD

Mission: Operation: Recall
Location: USS Fontana | Deck 04 |Sickbay - Chief Medical Officer's Office

Ryan woke on his couch, sat up and stretched, then went for the replicator. Once he had a cup of coffee and a bagel sandwich, he felt more or less ready to deal with the aftermath of his gym encounter with Emerick.

"Computer, activate EMH." He ordered.

Emerick's program materialized and he turned around to find Doctor Ryan Rose. "Normally, I'd say please state the nature of your medical emergency," Emerick said with a smile. "It does not look like you have one. So, I will proceed by relaxing a bit and assume this is a social call?"

Ryan couldn't help but smile. Just a couple of weeks ago the man would have started off with the standard intro. Emerick was growing his personality. Ryan nodded and took a bite of his bagel. "Yes." Ryan then took a seat on the couch. Rather than beat about the bush, he just dived right in. "We need to talk."

"Oh?" Emerick countered, perplexed a bit. "I thought this was talking; however, by that tone and posture, it sounds like we have some sort of special talk planned" the EMH added. "This isn't the 'birds and the bees' talk is it? Because, trust me my program covers trans-species intercourse quite thoroughly, and since I am a hologram...I don't need to worry too much about anything."

"Oh geez,no." Ryan put a hand to his face. "Emerick, about your plans for tonight. We can't go on a date. I'm flattered, honestly. But I can't date you."

"Aha!" he shouted and looked at Ryan, his arms crossed. "So there is a caveat to and I quote '...You don't have to be in love to date. I mean that's kind of the whole purpose as I understand it, you date to find out if there is something there'" Emerick said echoing exactly what the Chief Medical Officer had told him prior. "So, you are flattered but cannot date me because?"

"Well first and foremost, I'm heterosexual." Ryan replied. "I know you can appear however you want." Ryan forestalled the argument he could smell brewing. "But I've already accepted you as male, I don't think that will change. Even if you were female, it would be a working conflict of interest. For God's sake, I'm still married." Ryan let out an unexpected and rare curse, slumping into the couch. It sent a flare of pain across his still protesting ribs, and he had to sit up properly.

"Doctor, I know you are heterosexual" replied Emerick. "I was just asking you on a date for the companionship side of things and as a personal experiment. I am comfortable with you and I know you have zero romantic interest in me. Frankly speaking, you are incapable of loving me. That is alright. That is what I need right now in order to see how I do on a date" the hologram explained. "Though given your response, I may be more inclined to ask Soral. I prefer my dates not to be so depressingly broken. My medical advice would be to see Lieutenant Vali in a professional setting."

Ouch. That stung. "That'll be all Emerick." Was all Ryan could manage.

Why do I feel as though I won, but at the cost of wounding someone I have grown fond of he thought to himself. He did not need human emotions to read human emotions. "I hurt you" replied Emerick. "Why? Why was I, a holographic program able to produce such a response?"

"Emerick, please not now." Ryan all but begged. He was barely holding it together, and needed to be alone to try and center himself.

Emerick joined Ryan and wrapped his arm around the Chief Medical Officer, embracing him in a tight hug. He was not human, but this was the human thing to do. At least all his programming and what he had learned from Ryan dictated it was. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "Computer, deactivate the EMH" Emerick added aloud. The Computer recognized the command and as his holo matrix fizzled out, the tight embrace was gone.

Ryan immediately gave a full body flinch, and would have started to hyper ventilate, but Emerick was suddenly gone. What a mess. Ryan finished his bagel and coffee robotically, then did his breathing exercises. When he felt steady enough, he went into the main bay and had a nurse administer a non opiate painkiller. He'd just have to focus on work.

Dr Ryan Rose
CMO

Emerick
E.M.H.