Chapter Text
Her nostrils shuddered with a sharp intake of air. Every starship, everywhere — sickbay always smelled the same.
“You had a head injury. You’re going to be fine.”
Seven’s vision was blurred, but the person bent over her biobed shimmered, her ocular implant’s indication the medical worker was a hologram.
“I’m an EMH,” the hologram said. “I can tell you’re having a problem with your vision. Give me a moment.”
The hologram snapped into view, a medical tool in his hand.
“Better?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll alert the captain.”
Seven hadn’t seen an EMH in years. This one fussed over her with eerie concern, his fingers directing a scanner over old injuries as well as new. She hoped he hadn’t fixed them all. She wanted scars on the outside, not just within.
She wanted to be hurt again.
“Please,” she said. “Give me five seconds.”
The EMH’s forehead creased in confusion. “For what?”
Seven pulled herself to sitting and tapped for computer access. The security protocols were simple, easily overridden.
“Hey!” the EMH’s face slackened just before it changed.
Seven’s teeth found the inside of her cheek and she bit down, hard.
Bald head with a ring of dark hair.
Blue-shouldered uniform.
Lips pursed in irritation.
“Please state the nature of the medical emergency.”
It wasn’t the Doctor. Seven knew that. It was an old file, buried deep in the subroutines of any modern EMH.
But, to see him again, like this.
Seven spoke through the tightness in her throat. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more. I’m so sorry.”
The Doctor’s head cocked.
Then his face slackened and changed.
“Right then,” the new EMH said. “I’ll call Captain Rios.”
“Yes, doctor,” Seven said, a flex of her jaw the only hint of the five seconds she had erased from the EMH’s memory. “Thank you, doctor. I appreciate your time and attention.”
The kind words were only partly for him, but this EMH’s chest puff of pride was both familiar and achingly foreign. Seven reminded herself that that time was another life, another person, another friend ... lost.
She told herself to focus on today. There was nothing to be gained by looking back.
Nothing.