Part III.
The Gift

Dr. Mark Zimmerman

Mark decided to confront Kovala. "May I help you, Corporal?"

Kovala and Zimmerman looked at eachother for many moments, when Kovala finally broke the silence. "How did you get here? We couldn't restore your program."

The doctor tilted his head and furrowed his brow.

"On the USS Plato. Where you - " Kovala wanted to say 'died,' but that would not have been the correct terminology when referring to a computer program.

Suddenly, recollection washed over Mark's face. "You were - you were on the Plato?"

Kovala nodded.

"A copy of my program was sent to serve as Chief Medical Officer. He stopped corresponding with my - OUR creator, Dr. Lewis Zimmerman. We didn't know why, and the fleet officials had little or nothing to say on the matter, other than they were sorry." He grasped the engineer's shoulders. "What became of my brother?" For wont of a better word; 'clone' was perhaps more accurate, but it carried a negative connotation. "Tell me - please!"

Kovala saw the pained expression and thought of the kind doctor aboard the Plato. Nobody knew he was a hologram until that fateful freak accident. By the nurse's own admission, they had had an argument, when she caught him with a right hook. The momentum of the blow sent him falling against an instrument tray. A device on his arm fused with a neurostimulator, and he was gone. Kovala led the team assigned to retrieve their CMO, but the damage done to the device was irreparable. The mobile holo-emitter was composed of metals unknown to Federation science. They held a memorial service, and the Nurse was courtmartialed. This she told this other, new Dr. Mark Zimmerman. Or was he the older one?

He looked down sadly upon hearing of his counterpart's fate. Kovala knew what she had to do. "Please come with me," she said.

He nodded numbly and followed her. Mark kept thinking what it must have been like those last moments. An existence ended before it had barely begun, and so violently. It was worse than he had suspected; no wonder Starfleet Intelligence refused to elaborate. It happened while he was still in the Delta Quadrant, at a time when his kind had yet to be recognized as a race and accepted into the Federation. What was he going to tell Lewis?

Kovala led him into her quarters. Mark waited patiently inside the door while she disappeared into her sleep alcove. Moments later, she emerged with a shoulder case and brought it to the table. "What's this?" he inquired.

She opened the case. "We had dibs on his belongings. I never used what I took; I just wanted something to remember him by."

"He wasn't aboard for very long."

"Long enough to make a good impression on most of us," she smiled. "He was a great doctor."

Mark smiled back warmly. "Thank you," he said.

Trying not to let her cheeks flush too conspicuously, Kovala focused on bringing out the item and placed it into the doctor's hands.

Mark gasped. It was a 20th century antique: a 35 milimeter single lens reflex camera.

Kovala handed him a chip. "This will allow any replicator to create film cartridges and developer chemicals for it. I'm sorry, but someone took the developer equipment. I'm sure with research they can be replicated as well."

He nodded in acknowledgement, and held it up to his face. 50 milimeter lens with a working light meter. "This is beautiful," he said.

"It's yours. It always was, I guess," shrugged the Klingon.

"Thank you."

His voice was sincere, and it reminded Kovala of those first few days on the USS Plato with him. It was him in a way. "I have something else."

Mark patiently waited. He didn't expect any of this. Whatever she had to offer, he would accept with gratitude. However, nothing could possibly prepare him for what came next.

She brought out a small object into her closed fist, held it out to him, and opened her hand.

It was a mobile emitter.

It looked badly singed, with several key components fused. It took a few moments to realize what she held before him. Mark looked into her eyes, dark and sincere. It was almost as though she shared his loss. Had his doppelgänger made that strong an impression on Plato's crew?

He looked at her, bewildered. "How did you-?"

"Well, I *did* lead the team," said Corporal Kovala. "Once we gave him up for lost, I was encouraged to find out more about the device and its materials. It was soon forgotten. You see, our ship didn't fare too well, either."

"So I'd heard. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Everything is with you now. You will continue to keep his spirit alive. He had spirit, of that I am certain." Kovala gestured for Mark to use the shoulder bag to store the camera, then walked him to the door.

Mark turned and smiled. "Thank you again - for everything."

"I know you're not the exact same doctor I met on the Plato," she said, "but it's still good to see you again."

Mark nodded and shook her hand. "Thank you, and good luck on your next assignment."

Dr. Zimmerman walked back to his quarters. With each step, his smile faded more and more. By the time he got to his own quarters, he was afraid for anyone to see his face.

He welcomed the dark privacy of his room. Taking the damaged emitter from his pocket, Mark held it up for a very long time. Then, with the device clutched to his chest, he slid down the door, until he sat on the floor, where he cried.

Lance Corp. Marishka Cair

Cair decidedly bored now with no activity... ~I wonder if the doctor would be willing to join me in a holosimulation...~ She sits in in her quarters looking at what had been her home for so short a time... ~When we get to the starbase I'll be transfered off, I wonder what will become of everyone.~

Standing she walks to the door, leaving her quarters she walks down the corridor taking the turbo lift down to sickbay... Looking inside she sees no sign of Dr. Zimmerman. ~I'll check his quarters.~ She goes again to the turbo lift, back to the the living quarters, she walks down to the Doctor's quarters and rings the chime.

Dr. Mark Zimmerman

He had been sitting against the door in the dark - knees folded to his chest - for an inordinate amount of time. The grief of the past two years returned full force, compounded by an additional casualty. He dwelled on the past, craving the warmth of a family long taken from him. He'd had such high hopes for his duplicate, giving him the chance to escape the exile he and his former crewmates faced on Voyager. Looking back, Mark realized that he'd had the better arrangement all along. He had spawned a new life, only for it to perish barely a week later, irretrievable in damaged circuitry. Waves of guilt overwhelmed him as he caressed the emitter in his hands.

The silence in the room was broken by the doorchime. He gasped in the dark, then crawled away from the door and got to his feet. Reaching under his jacket and down his sleeve, he changed back to standard uniform. A deep breath to push back the demons, and he was ready. "Enter," he said clearly.

It was Corporal Cair. "How may I help you, Corporal?" he said in as pleasant a tone he could muster.

Lance Corp. Marishka Cair

Cair raised her brows slightly. She smiles. "Doctor I wondered if you would join me in a holo simm? The bridg in a battle situation, or perhaps an away mission."

Cair looks at him her face reflecting concern stepping closer to him. "Doctor what is it?" She looks around at the darkend room., then back at the Doctor's face.

Dr. Mark Zimmerman

He squared his shoulders more than normal and raised his chin. "Nothing, Corporal. I'd be happy to join you. Either scenario would be fine with me." He forced a smile. "Lead the way!"

He placed the emitter into his pocket and followed Cair out.

Lance Corp. Marishka Cair

Cair:*smiles* " I believe we will do a ground based program... A battle against the Jem'Hadar... I will meet you at the holo deck I need to dress in battle gear..."

*She looks at him still curious about the sadness she first saw on his face.* ~If he wants me to know he'll tell me.~ "I'll meet you in the holo deck in ten minutes."

*With a nod she turns going to her quarters to prepare herself. She dresses in the black battle gear.. Looking with longing at the real weapons but leaving them locked away heads to the holo deck.*

*Cair keys in the program. the holo deck door opens on a lush forest, dens and dark.. she steps in and places the phaser on her belt, and slings the phaser rifle over her shoulder.* "Now when Dr. Zimmerman arrives the hunt shall begin,"

After waiting for a short time, Cair moves into the holodeck. "I'm sure Dr. Zimmerman will be here soon." Walking deeper into the forest she hears a sound slinging her rifle from her shoulder she is disapointed to see it's only a vole running accross the path. She moves forward the path darkening the deeper into the woods she goes.

Suddenly a phaser blast shoots infront of her, A Jem'Hadar soldier falls in front of her his body laying across the path the phaser fire having burned his face leaving a smoking hole where it had been. She turns to look up a hills embankment where the shot had come from.

Dr. Mark Zimmerman
Lance Corp. Marishka Cair

Mark grinned. He stood on the high branch of a tree before a hill. His black suited form was stark against the green of the leaves.

Cair smiled when she saw the doctor. "It looks as though you made it before me. Great shot."

"Computer: Freeze program." He worked his way down the tree and trotted up to her. "Thank you, Corporal. I had little to prepare, and came directly here. While I waited, the simulation activated, so I settled into a good vantage point." Drawing out his phaser again, he called out: "Computer: Resume Simulation."

Cair laughed softly: "One step ahead of me and you got the first kill too." She pulled her rifle off her shoulder and held it ready. "Shall we continue with the hunt?"

He merely looked at her and grinned, then turned in the direction of a cracked twig. Both he and Cair raised their heads to listened for any changes in the breeze, and stray breath. The doctor turned his head, alert. Then, he gave Cair a look as if to say "stay right here," and disappeared into the brush to their right.

Cair watched as he disapears into the brush alert to any sounds around her. She stands eady her eyes watching for any activity. She glanced around hearing more sounds coming from the left of them. She waits to see what happens next. ~Will it be an animal or the Jem'Hadar.~

Another animal comes from the underbrush. She turns to the sounds she heard near where the doctor had entered. She spots a movement. Stepping quietly forward she takes aim. A Jem'Hadar had come into range stalking the doctor, he aims at the location the doctor was at. She aims carefully for him and clears her throat. He turns. She fires into his chest with the rifle the shot burning into him, leaving a large blackend hole in the middle of his chest.

Cair looked over the brush for evidence of Zimmerman, when suddenly he leapt into her path. He shot while in midair above her head, then landed neatly on one knee. Marishka turned to see another fallen foe.

He smiled again. Her eyes reflected her approval of the doctors skill. Another sound aproached them. Listening carfully. "Doctor it seems we will have a lot more company shortly." She smiled.

His large dark eyes moved about, then fixed on hers and nodded. He suddenly spun around and crouched, then gestured for Cair to follow him.

Cair follows him crouched low following him, her eyes moving about quickly looking for signs of the enemy.

The trail descended slightly. The two scanned the brush for signs of movement. They were headed for a clearing, and Mark abruptly stopped. Marishka closed in beside him, and he turned his head slightly, never losing sight of the area ahead. "Any recommendations?" he whispered as quietly as possible.

Cair smiled. "In this situation I do have a suggestion. Follow me Doctor." She kneeled then down flat on the ground her elbows bent to keep her phaser rifle ready she turned her head to glance at him, and began to inch her way forward.

Mark raised an eyebrow as he watched Cair's maneuver, then followed suit, careful not to disturb any pebbles or twigs beneath him.

Cair pulled herself along using her elbows, her legs pushing her forward, moving further into the clearing. She heard a sound but from her position it was hard to tell which direction it came from. She stills, holding her hand out to signal the doctor to stop. She raised her head slightly to peer over the grasses. Seeing off in the distance Jem'Hadar soldiers - a force of ten.

Chest to the dirt, Mark waited for Cair make her evaluation. Thinking back, it occurred to him that years ago he would not have stepped into such a scenario, recreational or otherwise. He wondered when he changed so, when even simulated death didn't even phaze him.

He noticed Cair's change in breathing, and touched her ankle to get her attention for further instruction.

Cair felt the doctors touch. She lowers herself back down, motioning with her hand to move forward. For now, they are too far away to attack. She begins to move forward, the feeling of excitment filling her. Soon a real fight will occur.

She moves along slowly glancing back to see Dr. Zimmerman holding his own very nicely. His skill so far had surprised her... She was pleased with him.

Back further into the wooded area off the clearing A Vorta steps out to oversee his troops. He looks around everything running smoothly the Jem'Hadar having been given thier tubes tof Ketrecal white at sunrise. He walks toward the first and begins to ask for a report. When suddenly the Vorta hearing sounds in the tall grass, looks not seeing any movements. He sends out four of the soldiers to investigate... The Soldiers armed with disruptor rifles.

With sensitive fingertips to the ground, Mark felt the vibration of footfalls a distance of only 20 meters through the grass. He nudged Cair's ankle again, then held up four fingers.

Cair nods her head in response. She motions for them to devide she heads towards the left, signaling him to take the right... Moving in for the kill.

Mark headed off through the brush, his magnetic containment field allowing the blades of grass to pass silently through his upper body. Crouching in a patch, he observed the remaining six Jem'Hadar below with their Vorta. From across the clearing, at his altitude, he could make out displacements in the vegetation where Cair was moving into position.

Cair becomes alert to the sounds of the Soldiers' approach, body stills in the grass waiting for them to get closer... She readies her phaser rifle as soon as she sees movement in the grass a few feet away from her position. She leaps up and fires, hitting a Jem'Hadar between the eyes. A black, gaping hole is left. He slumps to the ground. The other three begin firing at her. She falls to the ground.

Zimmerman took aim and leapt out from his cover. While in midair, he took out three Jem'Hadar, then landed right behind the Vorta and held his phaser to its head. The Jem'Hadar stopped all movement, helpless by the impasse.

Cair rolls over to see the Jem'Hadar near her had stopped firing. They were now staring back at the encampment. Looking back she sees that Dr. Zimmerman had taken thier Vorta. She smiles, pointing her phaser rifle at the the soldiers. "Move it." She takes them back to thier encampment. "Great job, doctor. You should take up security as well as medicine."

When Marishka made it down to the camp, Mark commanded: "Computer, end program." The two walked together towards the holodeck arch. "In my sixth year on Voyager, they added command capabilities to my program." They left through the double doors. "When I arrived back in the Alpha Quadrant, my matrix was upgraded and all two million tactical subroutines were downloaded for permanent access."

Cair smiled, her face showing her awe of him. "You are a man of wonder Doctor. I am only sorry that after we make it back to base I'll be reassigned and possibly not meet up with you again."

He grinned with modesty. "Your praise is touching, Corporal. This is the first commission in over two years which required this much action from me. Anyway, it's a small quadrant; it's possible we'll run into eachother again - who knows?"

As if on cue, the com echoed with the inevitable:

=/\= All hands, this is First Lt. Avakar. Prepare to dock =/\=

Sgt. Arquin Tan

There was no fanfare, no trumpets or fireworks as the Black Star approached Earth. The silent blackness of space contained no soundtrack as the Starfleet vessel dropped out of warp, still towing the Uriah.

"Black Star to Starfleet Command, requesting landing clearance, eta 4 minutes." Gunnery Sergeant Arquin Tan spoke over the comm channel.

"We have you on sensors, Black Star; You may proceed to Docking Pad 13. We are transmitting coordinates."

Tan glanced over at the helm and saw the on duty helmsman nod.

"Thank you, Command. Please notify Starfleet Intel that we have a Romulan prisoner aboard who will need to be debriefed and questioned. I believe our communications officer transmitted both the scientific and tactical data previously. We are also towing a derelict vessel which should be looked at by Intel."

There was a pause before Starfleet Command replied.

=/\= Yes, Black Star, Intel reports receipt of the data and are standing by to have the prisoner beamed to them. Release the derelict vessel and they will have a ship ready to pick it up. =/\=

Tan nodded to the security chief and with a touch of a sensor pad, the Romulan was dispatched to the Starfleet Headquarters Detention Center. Another button press and the Uriah floated free, quickly being left behind until a Defiant-class vessel decloaked and took it in tow. Sensors identified the vessel as the USS Hood.

Tan glanced at First Lieutenant Avakar for approval and got it. The CO seemed to be satisfied and thus, so was he.

He turned back to the screen which displayed the approaching Earth.

"Command, the prisoner and the vessel are away and we are on final approach. We'll see you planetside."

"Roger, Black Star. Welcome home."

Closing the channel, Tan turned back to Avakar.

"Excellent job, Sergeant." the CO spoke. "Your performance will figure in my final report before the ship is decommissioned."

"Thank you, sir." Tan said. Vulcan praise was a rare thing. "Shall I make the reassignment announcements to the crew now?"

"Thank you, Number One."

"Attention all hands, this is the XO." Tan said on shipwide. "As soon as we land, the Black Star is to be decommissioned and refit. As such, we are all going to be reassigned. You will receive your reassignments shortly, but until then, you'll be stationed planetside. Please remember that our mission here was and still is classified and you are not to speak to anyone without proper authorization. On a personal note, the Lieutenant and I would like to thank you for being an excellent and efficient crew and for accomplishing our mission so easily. With some luck, perhaps some of us will work together again. Good luck and good roads."

There was very little more said as the Black Thunder lightly touched down on it's landing pad, like a falcon come to roost.

Finally home.

Dr. Mark Zimmerman

Mark & Marishka Cair arrived on the bridge for the approach.

Mark gazed at the rich blue of Terra's oceans as the Black Star made its way towards the northwestern hemisphere.

With the expertise he'd come to know in a very short time, their craft docked smoothly without incident.

Everyone looked around. Many - like Mark - sighed.

It was over.