The Mission — Chapter 1: Dismantling Jaimy
— Hello! Good morning, Captain Mes3… Dr. Tamy. How is Jaimy doing?
Dr. Tamy: — Better, Lieutenant Carlos… better.
— I’m glad to hear it. Could you be more precise, Dr. Tamy?
— When we teleported him to the ship, Engineer Jaimy presented a worrying clinical picture. Both his dopamine levels and his serotonin levels were severely altered, causing him serious problems in his central nervous system. As you already know, Lieutenant, dopamine and serotonin are two inhibitory “neurotransmitters,” related to motor functions, emotions, and feelings of pleasure.
— I understand, Doctor. Jaimy had elevated dopamine levels and low serotonin levels.
— Correct, Lieutenant — and I would add that the neurons of addicts, driven toward a…
— Forgive me, Doctor — did you say “addicts”?
— Yes! Jaimy has been “exposed” and has contracted an addiction, which is what caused his critical condition.
— An addiction to what?
— Well, the truth is we don’t know yet. There are several hypotheses…
— Excuse me for interrupting, Dr. Tamy, — Captain Mes3 steps in — it appears Jaimy is waking up.
— Hello, Jaimy. I’m Dr. Tamy. How are you feeling?
— Where am I… where am I…
— Allow me, Dr. Tamy.
— Of course, Captain Mes3.
— Jaimy, you are aboard the Mother Ship. Don’t worry — the worst is behind you.
— Jaimy!! Why do you call me Jaimy?
— Well… because you are Jaimy.
— Forgive me, Captain Mes3, but I’m afraid you’re mistaken. Surely I know who I am. Tell him, Jaimy, — he says, turning to Lieutenant Carlos.
— You see… dear friend, the current situation… bear in mind that…
— If I may interrupt, — says Dr. Tamy — look, Jaimy, or whatever you’d like to call yourself, that isn’t the most important thing right now. The priority is for you to make a full recovery, and we’ll sort out the rest afterwards.
— No!! I want to know who I am.
— Very well, — Captain Mes3 cuts in. — Send for Counselor Troi!
— You called for me, Captain Mes3?
— Yes, Counselor Troi. We need your help.
— What is the problem?
— You see, you need to convince Engineer Jaimy that he is Jaimy.
— I am not Jaimy. — Says Jaimy.
— Be quiet!! That is an order.
— Yes, Captain Mes3.
— Now then… Counselor Troi… what do you advise?
Counselor Troi approaches Captain Mes3 and whispers softly in his ear. — He’s a clone, isn’t he?
— He is!
— Please pay attention, and don’t interrupt me until I’ve finished. Agreed?
— Agreed!! — Everyone answers.
— “One day a very short man — Counselor Troi begins — walks into a café in the north quarter of the city and says:
— I would like a nice hot coffee with plenty of sugar. And he adds:
— But I’m not going to pay for it, because I’m not afraid of anyone.
— He drinks the coffee, — Troi continues — and walks out without paying. The owner doesn’t dare say a word because he doesn’t want to cause a scene. But when the short man came back and did the same thing several more times, the owner said to himself:
— I’ve had enough… I’m going to hire a thug to smash the little runt’s face in, if he does it again. And sure enough, on the fourth day, when the short man came in and said:
— I would like a nice hot coffee with plenty of sugar. — The thug walked up to him and said:
— So you’re not afraid of anyone?
— No!! — said the short man.
— Neither am I!! — said the thug. And the short man replied:
— Then make it two hot coffees with plenty of sugar!”
— Hahahahahaha… — They all laugh.
— You see… he is Jaimy!
— Why? — Jaimy asks.
— Because you didn’t laugh.
— ?????…
— Clones are not programmed to have a sense of humor. — Captain Mes3 tells him.
— Well, if you no longer need me, Captain Mes3, I’ll take my leave.
— Yes, thank you very much, Counselor Troi… you may go.
— Thank you, Captain. It is always an honor to be of service.
— Right then, everyone… Dr. Tamy, I’m glad this small uncertainty has finally been cleared up. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll return to the command post. Welcome home again, Jaimy.
— Thank you very much, Captain Mes3. Would you mind if Lieutenant Carlos stayed a few minutes, sir…?
— Not at all. I’m sure you have a great deal to talk about.
— Thank you, sir.
— Oh, before I forget — Dr. Tamy!!
— Yes, Captain.
— I’d like to stop by your office for a few minutes, so you can clear up a few doubts I have about serotonin.
— Is something the matter, Captain…?
— Yes… truth be told, I haven’t been sleeping very well lately.
— I wouldn’t be to blame for that, would I…
— I don’t know… anything is possible. But I consulted Commander Data and he assured me it’s a deficiency of a protein called… I can’t remember the name…
— Melatonin. — Says Dr. Tamy.
— Yes, that’s it exactly — melatonin!
— Well then… come into my office, Captain, and let’s see what we can do about that protein.
— After you, Doctor.
— Thank you, Captain Mes3.
A few minutes pass, and now alone… Jaimy says:
— Carlos… I have been longing to talk to you.
— As have I, dear Jaimy. These two weeks without you have felt like an eternity.
— I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know what came over me.
— Don’t worry about it. We’ll talk about all that more calmly, later. For now the most important thing is that you recover and come home as soon as possible — it feels very empty without you.
— Thank you very much, sir. But… will they have sent you a substitute to help while I recovered?
— No.
— But sir… with everything your household demands!
— First of all — it is our household. And you are irreplaceable. And second… you are not a “clone” to me. You are a friend.
— Oh! Thank you very much, sir. If you will allow me to say so, the same is true for me.
— Thank you, Jaimy… thank you.
They go on talking for a few minutes, until the door to Dr. Tamy’s office opens, and she steps out with Captain Mes3.
— Thank you very much, Dr. Tamy, — says the Captain — I feel much better. It has been a pleasure.
— The pleasure was mine too, Captain Mes3. Good night. I hope you sleep well.
— Likewise, Doctor… thank you.
— Thank you… thank you.
— Dr. Tamy… Dr. Tamy!! Don’t close up just yet, please.
— What is it, Lieutenant Carlos?
— I’m worried about something you said earlier regarding Jaimy.
— What are you referring to?
— When you said: “Addict.”
— Well… I meant exactly that — that he had contracted an addiction. Unusual in a clone.
— Unusual!! Why?
— Because in order to acquire one he must have been “exposed,” and you know, as well as I do, Lieutenant, that the Federation considers that a very serious offense.
— Yes, yes… Doctor… I know, I know…
— Then if you knew, how did you allow him to be exposed?
— Well… the truth is… I don’t know how it could have happened.
— I remind you that you are entirely responsible for whatever may happen to Jaimy.
— Yes, yes, I’m aware of the regulations, Dr. Tamy, the thing is…
— Are you hiding something from me, Lieutenant Carlos?
— No, no… please.
— I believe you are.
— I swear that… Doctor. Besides, you said earlier that you weren’t certain… that there were several hypotheses.
— I said that because I didn’t want to compromise you in front of everyone.
— So then… you know?
— Yes. We know he was exposed to Tania.
— I’m sorry… I’m sorry. I never imagined he could fall in love.
— You know, Lieutenant, that we are going to have to report this to the Council.
— No, please — not the Council… Jaimy wanted to meet her… he insisted so much… I spoke so highly of her that… I couldn’t say no!
— But you knew the mission was of the utmost importance, and you left him “vulnerable” to the possibility of “love.”
— I’ll sort it out… don’t worry, Doctor. On Thursday I’ll go myself and steer the situation back on course.
— I trust you.
— Thank you. Thank you very much.
— Tomorrow at 10:30 we will hold an emergency meeting in Captain Mes3’s office. He is already informed of the situation, and is also in favor of not involving the Council. The political circumstances within the Federation make that the advisable course.
— We are in agreement, Doctor.
— Come then… let’s see if we can set this right and get ourselves out of this mess. Until tomorrow, Lieutenant Carlos.
— Until tomorrow, Dr. Tamy.
P.S.: Every time I write, I die another day.
CARLOS
THANK YOU “LAIA” FOR READING ME.