"Gazing into a window...from the past"

[Images 0]

Assistant Medical Officer's Log

 

Victor stares out the window at the Cardassian ship slowly moving in towards the station. But his mind is on other things, events on another ship long ago in the past…

 

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The captain of the cargo ship the Hispaniola, Barry Lonsfield looked at the seven year-old-boy sitting on his bunk. Victor had once again been causing trouble. Something to do with a replication unit this time but the details didn’t really matter. The child had been acting like this for a while now, rebellious and rude. It was time for a talking to. The captain, coming from a line of navy men, wasn’t going to have this type of disobedience anymore.

 

“Victor” He said, whilst pacing back and forth across the room with the air of an admiral. “You think that all these childish pranks you perform, all these things you do, you believe they are trivial. You believe they have no great effect, but let me tell you they DO. The actions of a man reflect how he is viewed by the world, if you continue like this your reputation will be mud. And as a man with British blood flowing through your veins it is your duty to make sure that does not happen.

 

“It was just a bit of fun.” The small boy replied.

 

“Fun?!” The man yelled. “You think that wreaking havoc is fun? It damn well isn’t!”. Seeing the boy was on the verge of tears he took a deep breath, and sitting down next to boy. He talked a lot softer.  “Look lad. Do you remember that last starbase we picked supplies up at? The crew had bumps on their heads?”

 

Through a lot of sniffles Lonsfield could make out a small “yes”.

 

“Well those people are called Klingons. And they are a very old warlike people who believe that honour is the most important thing. A Klingon will die to preserve his honour. Well to an Englishman his honour is also very important, especially if he is a crewman on a royal vessel.” The captain paused to take a look at the ship he was on. “Or any vessel for that matter. I know that you’re still angry about what happened, as you should be. but an Englishman must maintain the highest levels of order. If he doesn’t then he’s letting down not only himself, but his family. Would you want to let down your parents Victor?”

 

“No.”, he said sadly.

 

“I know you don’t. You want to make them proud. Now, will you be a good boy from now on?”

 

“Yes sir” the child said staring at his feet.

 

The man felt a big pang of guilt. “I’m sorry for being brash with you my boy…Let’s get an ice-lolly, that cheers anyone up. Would you like that?”

 

He nodded, “Okay”

 

The captain took him by the hand and they walked out their quarters to the mess-hall, where after copious amounts of sugar, he smiled again…

 

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Victor still stares out the window as he hums a tune of Gilbert and Sullivan’s that he found amusing whenever Lonsfield sang it to him.

 

“A British tar is a soaring soul,

As free as a mountain bird,

His energetic fist should be ready to resist

A dictatorial word.

 

His nose should should pant,

and his lip should curl,

His cheeks should flame,

and his brow should furl,

His bosom should heave,

and his heart should glow (protrude),

And his fist be ever ready

for a knock-down blow...”

 

Victor grins at the lyrics when he suddenly realizes why he’s been thinking about all this. He’s behaved like a royal arse as of late. Throwing tantrums, putting up signs and getting thrown in the brig, hardly the actions of an officer and a gentleman.

 

“Well”, he thinks to himself as he slides his bio-suit headgear into place. “From now on Dr, Lieutenant Victor Images will be back to his usual classy, stylish self…and his fist will be ever ready for a knock-down blow”. He chuckles, much to the confusion of Muon and Dr. Shimodo.