SEASON FIVE

EPISODE 2: MEDICAL HIS-STORY

By: Elektra

 SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER. THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE WWF TITANPRIZE. IT'S MISSION: TO EXPLORE AND ENTERTAIN NEW SOCIETIES AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS.  TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO WRESTLER HAS GONE BEFORE!

TITANPRIZE CREW:

Captain Vincent K. McMahon
First Officer, Commander Shane McMahon
Chief Engineer, Commander Stephanie McMahon
Chief of Chiefs, Commander Linda McMahon
Chief of Security, Commander Kane
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Taker
Diagnostics Officer, Lieutenant Commander Jericho
Tactical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Austin
Transporter Chief, Lieutenant Commander Debra McMichael
Communications Officer, Lieutenant Rock
Counselor Al Snow (assisted by H.E.A.D.)

... And many more!

WWF TITANPRIZE - CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM

    "Captain's personal log, stardate 062420.00. WrestleFleet has been asking questions about my reports regarding the PTC kidnapping of my Chief Medical Officer and the Y2J Unit. They have accused me of faking my reports, claiming Dr. U. Taker was killed in the line of duty some 15 years ago. I tried explaining that he has been aboard my ship for the past 10 years. They believe that if there IS a Dr. U. Taker aboard my ship, it is not the one that served in WrestleFleet..." Captain McMahon shook his head, "Either WrestleFleet's information is incorrect, or Dr. Taker has been lying to me all these years. I hope it is not the latter..." he closed his log book.

    What WAS Dr. Taker's story anyway?

SICKBAY

    Dr. Taker finished giving Commander Kane his annual check up. All those aboard the Titanprize needed one this week.

    Commander Kane glared at him angrily throughout the procedure.

    Dr. Taker didn't speak. After fifteen years, his scarred brother still had not forgiven the doctor for abandoning him in the fire that destroyed their home.

    Of course, Dr. Taker had thought his brother had long since left the area before he had burned their house to the ground.

    But then, everyone made mistakes.

TEXAS COLONY - STARDATE 062419.85

    The 21 year old medical officer poured gasoline over the two bodies in front of him, and felt nothing. No loss. No guilt. No regret.

    He had tried to save the couple, as he had tried to save the others, but there was no cure for the plague that had infested his colony.

    He held the gasoline tin for a moment and took one last look at the place he had called home. Home, that was, until he had entered WrestleFleet academy.

    Ah well. All things must come to an end.

    He had had to burn numerous infected bodies, and these two would be no different - despite the fact he had once called them mother and father.

    He fired his phaser, and ignited the gasoline. The flames spread out quickly. He knew Paul - a man who had been with his family for as long as he could remember - had long since gone.

    All that was left for the WrestleFleet officer to do was take his younger brother, and continue his duties on board the ship that currently orbited the planet.

    The overly-calm medical practitioner walked out of the burning house, and watched the flames consume it.

    Where had his little brother gone off to anyway?

WWF TITANPRIZE SICKBAY - PRESENT STARDATE

    "You are 100% healthy, Kane. Now you can get your stank ass out of my sickbay and go mope about elsewhere..." Dr. Taker said.

    "Your beside manner needs some work, brother..." Kane spoke.

    "As does your face, but that is not going to happen."

    "And whose fault is my face, brother?"

    "It's your OWN damn fault! If you had stayed put instead of running back into the house, you would have been fine."

    "You burned mother ..." Kane hissed angrily.

    "She was contaminated, brother," Dr. Taker said, "And very much DEAD! I burned all the contaminated bodies. It was procedure!"

    "Someone else should have done it! It was our mother!"

    "And she was like all the other victims! Now I believe I told you to leave my sickbay!" he turned to Nurse Bearer, "Get your damn son out of here, Paul... before I hurt him!"

    Nurse Bearer nodded, and lead Kane out of Sickbay.

    Dr. Taker went into his office, and sat down.

    What else was he supposed to do when he couldn't find his brother after he had burned the house down all those years ago? He had figured Kane had fallen victim to the plague like the others!

    And besides, Dr. Taker had had duties to attend to on board the NWA Indyship!

NWA INDYSHIP SICKBAY - STARDATE 062619.85

    The ship was under attack. Bodies upon bodies were being piled up in sickbay, and it was all the doctor could do to tend to the fatally wounded. There were just too many casualties.

    It was a good thing he felt no affinity for any particular crewman. It made his work that much easier when he could save some, and lose others without suffering from emotional pain.

    The ship shook violently again, and a console exploded behind him, showering him with sparks.  Sharp glass embedded itself in his flesh, causing his own blood to pool around him.

    The doctor collapsed to the ground, now injured worse then his patients. He had never feared death, and even now, he embraced the darkness as it rushed at him.

    It seemed the NWA Indyship would have to find themselves a new doctor...

ELSEWHERE - STARDATE UNKNOWN

    He was surrounded by darkness, voices coming at him from every direction.

    One particular voice could be heard above the others, "Who are you?" it asked, echoing as if in a large cavern.

    "I am a doctor aboard WrestleFleet ship NWA---"

    The voice interrupted him, "Stations mean nothing here! What is your name?"

    "Dr. U. Taker..." He replied.

    "Dr. U. Taker," the voice repeated, "There is darkness in your soul. Cold, cruel darkness. It is too much darkness for us to send you up," the voice paused, then spoke again, "However, having saved many lives during your time, there is not enough darkness to send you down..."  The doctor was silent, and the voice continued, "Until you overcome the darkness within you, or allow it to completely consume you, there is no place for you. I hearby return you to your mortal soil..."

    "I am officially dead," the doctor spoke, "Unless there is something more for me to return with, I will stay here..."

    "You cannot!" the voice replied, surprised, "You will taint this place!"

    The doctor smiled coldly, "All your omnipotent powers cannot force me to return if I do not wish to..."

    A murmur came from the other voices around him, and finally the single voice spoke,  "We have NEVER had one ask for a bribe to return!" the voice shouted. "They are normally grateful for another chance to prove where they belong!"

    "I am not normal," the doctor replied.

    The voices around him seemed agitated, then the single voice spoke once again, "Very well. We will send you back with a gift. How you chose to use that gift will determine where you belong. When your judgement day comes,we will speak again..."

LANGELES WRESTLEFLEET EMBASSY - STARDATE 062619.90

    The new Captain of the Starship Titanprize was in agony. Pain burned through every nerve as he lay on the diagnostics bed.

    The Captain heard the hiss of a hypospray at his neck, and soon the pain subsided, "You have been hit with a level 5 disrupter beam," the doctor tending him spoke.

    The Captain cursed the violence on Langeles, and wondered why WrestleFleet even TRIED to talk these uncivilized people into joining the United WrestleFleet Federation! They were just not welcome... as could be seen from the various WrestleFleet officers that had been attacked for merely walking the streets -- such as himself.

    The Captain turned his head to see who tended to him, and was met with cold grey eyes, "Thank you for relieving the pain, doctor --- ?" he waited for the man to introduce himself.

    "Taker..." he said.

    He nodded carefully, so as not to aggravate the wound in his chest, "I am Captain Vincent K. McMahon..." the Captain replied, "Aboard the WWF Titanprize,"

    Dr. Taker nodded, "How long have you been serving as her Captain?"

    "Two years. It was my father's ship before me. I inherited it..." he moved slightly, and winced.

    "Stay still, Captain..." Dr. Taker said, "I need to patch up your injuries. You must sleep first..." he put another hypospray against McMahon's neck. McMahon soon fell into a painless sleep.

    When McMahon finally woke, his pain had eased greatly. A pudgy, pale nurse noticed him, and informed Dr. Taker, who was sitting in a chair behind a makeshift desk going through some files and reports.

    The doctor looked up, "You are free to return to your ship now. Your injuries are no longer life-threatening, though you will be in pain for a while. Have your Chief Medical Officer tend to you." He went back to his files.

    "Well..." Captain McMahon began, "We are currently lacking a Chief Medical Officer right now. He left for more money..." McMahon shrugged.

    Dr. Taker continued looking at his files, "Too bad," he replied, not really caring.

    The Captain continued to speak, "I notice you're not wearing a WrestleFleet uniform, yet you carry yourself like a WrestleFleet officer..."

    Dr. Taker looked up at him, "I was a WrestleFleet officer once. Then... things... happened. Right now, I am a freelance medical practitioner."

    "Would you like to become a WrestleFleet  officer once again? Since I have an open position on the Titanprize, I could use someone like you..."

    Dr. Taker raised an eyebrow, "Interesting offer," he said, "But after a while, you may regret your decision..."

    "Why?" McMahon asked.

    "I have been told I do not have a pleasant beside manner," he spoke.

    McMahon smiled, "I could tell..." he said, "No matter. I think we can be useful to one another.."

    Dr. Taker stood up, "Very well..." he said. "If you would like me to return to active duty
onboard the Titanprize..." he looked at his nurse, "I must insist he come with me."

    The Captain acknowledged the man beside the doctor, "Fine. We have room,"

    The Doctor turned to his nurse, "Pack your things, Paul. We are leaving this hell hole..."

WWF TITANPRIZE SICKBAY - PRESENT STARDATE

    Dr. Taker finished with Commander Stephanie McMahon, who seemed more then eager to get out of his Sickbay.

    Captain McMahon almost ran into her as she rushed out of the room.  McMahon sat on the diagnostics bed, and waited for his check up.

    Dr. Taker acknowledged him, and quickly commanded him to lie down. McMahon did so.

    "Taker..." McMahon started, "You've been serving onboard the Titanprize for some time now... and some recent information has come to my attention regarding your status in WrestleFleet..."

    "Yes?" Dr. Taker asked as he scanned McMahon with his tricorder.

    "Apparently... they declare that Dr. U. Taker is... well... dead.."

    "Is that so?" Dr. Taker asked, his voice flat and unemotional as he studied the readings on his tricorder.

    "Uh... yes... well..." Captain McMahon cleared his throat, "Listen, if you're using someone else's identity, just let me know! WrestleFleet is starting to wonder..."

    "I assure you, Vince, I AM Dr. U. Taker. The same one that WrestleFleet has in its records..."

    "Listen, Taker! WrestleFleet claims you're DEAD! Is there a mistake? Or did you fake your death? If you faked your death, you don't need to tell me why..."

    "There is no mistake, and I did not fake my death..." Dr. Taker replied. He stopped scanning McMahon, and looked at him, "You knew there was something different about me when we first met, Vince. You did not voice your opinion, but I could tell,"

    "Well... to be honest... yes. I DID wonder about you..."

    Dr. Taker nodded his head, "And I am afraid you shall CONTINUE to wonder about me until your last breath escapes from your frail body..."

    McMahon gulped quietly. Dr. Taker had such a way with words...

    "You are finished..." the doctor spoke.

    McMahon blinked, "Pardon...?" he asked nervously.

    "Your exam is finished. You are in good health. You may return to your duties now."

    Captain McMahon jumped off the diagnostics bed, and headed to the door. He allowed one last look at the doctor, "It's good to have you back onboard, Taker..." he said.

    McMahon then left sickbay as quickly as his daughter Stephanie had.

    Truthfully, the Captain couldn't really blame his daughter for being frightened of the man in who's hands he had, perhaps foolishly, placed the physical well being of the entire crew.

    The Captain would be lying if he claimed he did not fear the dark doctor a little bit himself.

On the way to his ready room, McMahon racked his brain to think of a convincing story to tell WrestleFleet regarding his chief medical officer…