Dr Crawford's Casebook - The Next Generation
Episode 1
The turbolift whirred into life at the soft musical
sound of the girl's voice and once again sped upwards towards the
bridge. Ensign Benene Tobias glanced across at her temporary travelling
companion and involuntarily raised a slender eyebrow - she'd never
seen a blond blue-eyed Vulcan before, and this one would have been
worth looking at whatever colour his hair.
'Welcome aboard sir' she said with a smile that brightened
even the well-lit compartment. 'You must be the new doctor?'
'Your assumption is logical' came the briskly correct
reply, and she momentarily felt both intrigue and disappointment
at his crisp commanding tone;
'and the greeting is a delight on a tiresome day.'
Her head snapped upwards again at the sudden change
in inflection as she looked up to see the sapphire blue eyes twinkling
mischievously, and she smiled again, in surprise this time, and
gave a quick gasp of breath.
'Ensign Khurrem I assume?' the delicate lips pursed
in a gently mocking question, 'Geomalers would sing of your fair
smile' he continued, before slipping through the opening lift door
almost before she could register her confusion.
'Definitely not a normal Vulcan' she thought to herself
before following him onto the bridge and making a mental note to
ask the computer what her newly suggested name might mean. The voice
had had an almost Celtic lilt, and what on earth was a Geomaler?
The flaxen haired officer had already slipped gracefully
past the arched console of the communications station and pressed
the contact on the Captain's ready room door with long slender fingers.
'Ah, Dr Crawford, I'm glad to see you found your way
here, the Captain and I were hoping to see you aboard in person
but ship's business is a little heavy right now. You come with excellent
references - Professor Picard thinks you'll be the perfect choice
for the Enterprise - I hope she's still as good a judge of character
as ever.'
'The Professor was an excellent teacher Admiral. If
I can tend the crew as my great-grandfather tended the engines of
an earlier Enterprise, then I shall be content.' The voice had returned
to a measured Vulcan monotone
'On this ship we try for more than content Dr.' the
tone was sharp, though not entirely unfriendly. 'Commander Paris
will show you the sickbay; Tom?'
'Of course Admiral, if you'll follow me Dr?
Admiral William T Riker watched his latest crewmember
slip out of the Bridge with thoughtful eyes, and turned to study
the personal record monitor again. This was going to be very interesting.
Dr Khaireddin L J Crawford. That was a mouthful that made even William
T seem a little less impressive. Not enough that he was grandson
of probably the most celebrated Vulcan in history, Ambassador Spock,
but to have Montgomery Scott of the first Enterprise as great-grandfather.
And those initials , there was something familiar about them…
his fingers moved on the keypad… of course; Leonard, after
the finest doctor starfleet had ever had, even Beverley said that;
and James after the legendary captain whose reputation every Enterprise
commander had to live up to, apart perhaps from Jean-Luc and maybe
the current android incumbent, though he had pressures of his own.
What a curious combination it had been that drew Scotty's
daughter Billie to marry Kevin Crawford and their son Rick to fall
in love with the daughter born from Spock's brief connection with
Savik on the Genesis planet. Amanda - Savik had named her after
Spock's human mother, and she'd had her grandmother's light golden
hair. No wonder this self-assured doctor was the first blond male
Vulcan in the planet's history, not to mention a probable magnet
for the female crew members! He'd already noticed the expression
on Ensign Tobias' face when she'd followed Crawford onto the bridge.
He smiled and wondered if they realised how old he was.
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