Interruption

Posted on Friday, 3 April 2020 - 12:24pm by Emerick & Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD

Mission: Operation: Overdrive
Location: CMOs Office

ON:

“I’m curious about what that trauma is, but I do not know how to approach him about it…he seems skittish.”

Ryan walked into his office and caught the last line of Emerick apparently talking to himself. He paused right inside his own office, not sure how to respond to the situation. "Umm, hey Emerick. Is everything ok?" He asked. It wasn't clear whether Emerick was talking about him or not, so Ryan left the topic alone for now.

Emerick stopped as soon as Ryan walked in. "Doctor," he said greeting the man, standing up from the chair. "Yes, everything is alright. I was just working on a personal log. Taking some suggestions from Chief Eyelaya and yourself, I thought this would be a good opportunity to explore my social subroutines" explained Emerick. "Have you come here to sleep?" asked Emerick.

"Well, I was going to finish up some paperwork first, but yes." Ryan took a seat on his couch, making a motion back to his chair to indicate Emerick should feel free to keep sitting. "So you've been keeping a personal log, that's interesting. Anything I can do to help you explore those subroutines?"

"You do realize that sounds like a pick up line for a hologram right?" replied Emerick. "Hey there...is there anything I can do to help explore those subroutines?" the EMH said echoing what Ryan had said. "I am not sure to be honest. I am curious as to how the medical personnel view me. You are the only one that seems to address me as Emerick. Some do not even say hello when I greet them"

Ryan snorted at the way Emerick managed to change the tone an intonation of his innocent comment. And the man didn't think he was funny. "hmmmm." Ryan ran a hand through his hair. "Well I have to admit that's the way I've always treated the EMH as well. I've never had one ask to be called by name, or seem to care if he or she was activated or deactivated. Have you asked to be called Emerick or to be greeted in return?"

"I...have not. Perhaps that was my own hubris getting the best of me, but I had mistakenly thought it was a human right to be treated that way, acknowledged when seen and answered when heard" he replied. "However, I think I just answered my question. Human. I'm not human and I am not warm. I do not bleed any color if pricked. I may look human, but I am not flesh and blood."

Ryan gave a tiny smile. "I think if you are self aware to realize you are a victim or your own hubris, that seems sentient to me. I'm not expert though. And you are quite right about the human right, the hurdle is to be seen as 'human'. Don't be afraid to ask for it. People can't overcome their preconceptions if nobody challenges them."

"There are planets in the galaxy with sentient plants... regions with spaceborn lifeforms. I'm more than my programming and this appearance" he said with some self assertion. "If there an emergency situation aboard and you were not here, they'd activate me without so much as a second thought. They'd have me perform operations...then they'd what? Just turn me off? How is that fair?"

Ryan took the time to consider the question seriously. "It's not." He said honestly. "But life is rarely fair. Do you want to be active continuously?"

Emerick shook his head. "Do you want Chief Eyelaya in here every waking moment when she gets a boo boo?" countered Emerick. "Because as soon as she knows I'm able to be run continuously, she will be here any shift she's not asleep or on duty. This is Sickbay, Doctor, not a recreational center" he added with a sharp photonic tongue and quick programmed wit.

Ryan snorted in amusement. "Ok, so what do you want?" He got up and went to the replicator, getting himself a cup of chamomile tea before sitting back down.

"Just to seen" Emerick stated. "I want to activate and the nurse on duty greet me and update me on patients if necessary. I want them to stop the tool carts for a moment, say excuse me and navigate around me like I'm an asteroid, not push the carts through me as though I'm air" he added.

"Sounds reasonable." Ryan nodded, making a mental note to have a talk with his staff about the issue. He couldn't really blame them, he'd done the same thing to the EMH hundreds of times. He hoped it would be as simple of making them aware of the issue, and clearly leading by example.

Emerick nodded. "Glad you agree, Doctor Rose" replied Emerick. "Now, the whole continuously running thing would be lovely, but I am the Emergency Medical Hologram. My running takes power. This starship even with energy reserves, has a finite amount of power to give. I cannot and will not put this crew at risk just to expand my horizons."

"Doesn't mean you can't want it." Ryan shrugged. "But glad to see your priorities are in order. It's late Emerick, and I'm off duty. You can call me Ryan you know."

Emerick shrugged "Are you certain about that, Doctor Rose?" asked Emerick looking out at the night nurse on duty. "Candy striper out there looks like a gossiper. You come in here late at night and I'm here calling you Ryan, next thing you know she's talking to the morning nurse and the whole ship's talking about you helping me explore my subroutines."

Ryan rolled his eyes with over exaggeration, shaking his head at Emerick. "Fine EMH." He got his revenge by not using Emerick's name. "Is there anything else?"

Being called EMH was just the dagger needed. "Please state the nature of our friendship, Ryan?" the emergency medical hologram inquired. He had no true feelings to hurt, but contemplating the thought of their friendship no longer existing would be too much for Emerick to cope with. He'd have to have those memory files purged if that were the case.

"There we go." Ryan smiled. "I get tired of being 'Doctor Rose' all the time. It's not as distancing as EMH I know, but it's still seeing me for my skills and role as physician instead of...well me. As for the nature of our friendship? I don't know." He replied honestly. "I'd like to think we are friends."

Emerick nodded. "That was the outcome I was placing my emphasis towards. It was more agreeable to me than not."

"Good." Ryan smiled. "It's nice to have a friend onboard."

"It is" replied Emerick with a small smile. He reached out extending his right arm, with his fingers curled back towards his palm. His fist left there dangling in the air as he looked at Ryan.

"You want to 'blow it up?" Ryan asked incredulously, but extended his own fist.

"You had said not to kiss you on the cheek anymore" replied Emerick. "So, I started researching forms of comradery in the Federation databases. I focused on Earth and found that this gesture was sometimes used between friends" he explained. Emerick moved his fist closer to Ryan's and the to met knuckle to knuckle. "See, like that" he said as he pulled his fist away after contact was made.

Ryan smiled. "I like that." He then showed Emerick how to 'blow it up' , extending his fingers out as far as they would go as he moved his hand back. "So are we good?" Ryan asked.

"We are more than good, we're great!" he added with a chuckle.

"I'm glad. At least something is going well today."

Emerick nodded though he was not sure what had gone bad. It seemed like an appropriate response nonetheless.


OFF:

Dr Ryan Rose
Chief Medical Officer

Emerick
Emergency Medical Hologram

 

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