Shoot for Earth: MedSci Missions 3

Officer Jensen put her over cloak on over her zap suit and headed for the maglev. Dr. Kendrick was just getting off shift, so she asked for the hospital. She could imagine he tried to avoid her when he saw her heading his way. “Doctor Kendrick!” she called loud enough to turn a few heads. Now he looked embarrassed, but she didn’t care. He shouldn’t have avoided her.

“I was just leaving,” he said. “We can talk in the hall.” When they were out, he said, “How can I help you?”

“I’m investigating medical tampering,” she said. She watched his face, and knew she was on the right track. He knew something.

“I haven’t done any tampering!” He said harshly.

“I wasn’t accusing you – but I think you know something. Are you protecting someone?”

“I don’t know whose done any tampering,” he said as if wording it carefully. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some dinner.”

“I’m afraid I do mind,” she said as they arrived at his door. “Do you want to talk in my office, or here? I might want to invite your friends.”

“Excuse me?”

“Dr. Nazer, Dr. Dunch, M.A. de Souza, and E.M.A Grass.” She was watching his face closely again.

He stopped short and froze with his hand on the door knob. He sighed. “Come in.”

Once they were seated in his living room, he waited for her to speak, wondering how much she knew.

“We know someone tampered with Captain Walsh’s replacement eye. Do you have any knowledge or suspicions of other medical tampering?”

“Why are you asking me in particular?” She might be just fishing.

Jensen considered. “All right. You have a self-prescribing flag in your file, for starters. What’s that about.”

He nodded gravely. “I should really get around to having one of my colleagues check me out. It’s a lot quicker and easier to just prescribe relief myself. I have a lot of patients – ”

“Yes, of course you’re busy,” she said impatiently, “but as a doctor, can you explain why you would need nausea and sensory dulling meds so long after your nose repair surgery?”

“I can’t explain it,” he said simply.

“Can’t or won’t?” she asked crisply.

“I’m not cognisant of why I have nausea and hypersensitivity in my nose. It doesn’t affect my diagnostics or patient care, and I haven’t breached regulations. Now, miss Jensen, I really am getting hungry. Are you planning to stay for dinner?” He asked a bit sarcastically.

Ignoring the last bit, Jensen asked, “How about the others I mentioned? You all have had a similar experience, and have been corresponding and meeting since your medical procedures.”

He rose. “How in a sucking black hole do you know that? Have you been going through my mail?”

“Sit down, please,” she said calmly.

“I’m getting coffee.”

She simply nodded. Doctors liked to be in control of situations. She could give him this one.