[snip]

Stanley was quite glad that the captain had returned. He was in a hurry to introduce himself and get started with his job. Stanley could only hope that this would be a few quick interviews and a bit of written observation, and he could leave. But one never knew. He hadn’t completely liked the tone of Doctor Reynolds, his superior when he had given him this assignment. Stanley was pretty sure that the fellow was still angry at him for refuting one of his papers.

Stanley took a deep sigh then and rang the captain’s quarters. Stanley had slept and changed since he had been in sickbay, so he was back to casual dress. His slight frame covered now with a red and green paisley print poncho, loose green slacks and hand-crafted leather sandals.

“Come!” said Captain Glen, in reply to the door chime.

Stanley walked carefully into the captain’s cabin as soon as the doors swished open. He had never quite trusted these doors on star ships. And then there was that call.” Come!” It seemed so rude as if one were calling a dog to dinner. He walked though into the captain’s cabin his poncho moving as he walked making him look for all the world like someone’s view of the ocean after ingesting a hallucinogen.

As he always was Stanley was friendly to a fault as he stood in front of Glenn. He clasped his hands together beneath his chin and smiled broadly as he said, “Ah Captain Glenn! It is good to meet you at last! I am Doctor Wong, Stanley Wong. Just call me Stanley if you wish. I have been assigned to you from fleet.” Stanley paused and seemed to consider something before saying, “I am sorry I can’t give you anything computerized concerning my orders but as your admiral said and I quote him, “He can tell Glenn his orders verbally and this will be on a need-to-know basis. I don’t need everyone knowing that I have any of these people on my ships.” By those people I am assuming that he meant a psychiatrist. “

“It is good to meet you at last too,” replied Glen. “Your presence has caused quite a stir on my ship and while I have no doubt of the validity of your orders, I have wondered what those orders might actually be? Given that you seem to have visited every department and every spare cupboard aboard my ship, and even logged a shift in Sickbay!”

• Glen, CO