The sun was once again perfect. Zora slowly wakes up with a book on her lap as she lies on the chair. The warmth of the sun felt perfect as a light breeze of wind made it even more comfortable. She looked at the white-marble city of San Francisco, and taking a sniff of the air, Zora could smell things like the rain and a pinch of jasmine. Zora sat up from her chair and saw no fog, no poverty, and heard no sounds of sirens or busy people. It felt unreal but so perfect at the same time. She placed the book on the table next to her, showing Robinson Crusoe on the cover.

“Hun,” a soft voice came from Zora’s side. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw a muscular Asian man with an open white blouse and blue short pants. “Jake,” she answered and let him help her to her feet. He was such a supportive and perfectly attentive husband for her. Basically he was the man who would get every check on her criteria she ever wanted.

Jake smiled at her. “Sorry to wake you up, hun, but it is your first day as the director of the Healing Spire. You don’t want to be late.” Jake walks inside the apartment. “I prepared a bento box for you; it’s traditional in my culture to provide support to their partner.” He grabs the box and places it in her hands.

Looking at the box, she felt a gasp of air escape her lungs. Zora couldn’t remember the last time that someone did that for her—made breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Or even unforgettable intimate nights that would make her legs feel like jelly. Zora snaps out of it and smiles at Jake. “Thank you, my love. I appreciate your support in my career so much. I hope I will do right by the people of the Federation.”

“Of course, hun, you are the pioneer of the new medical era, and they need your smart head to save entire species.” Jake gave her a brief hug. “You will do fine”

Healing Spire

Her hover transport car arrived at the hospital as Zora stepped out in her white clothing with a Starfleet logo on it. She walks into the building and greets everyone with a soft smile only to receive the same kindness back. “Doctor Sel, welcome back.” A white-clothed Vulcan stood before her with a soft, Vulcan-like smile. “Please follow me; I will escort you towards the office. I am T’Vath, your new Chief of Staff.”

But as Zora had entered the building, it felt like her breath was taken away by the remarkable masterpiece of glass and light that the building was mostly made of.

T’Vath looked at her. “Ma’am?”

Hearing the voice of the Vulcan once more, she snapped out of it and rushed to follow -up, “Sorry, I keep getting distracted by the beauty of this building. I look forward to working with you, T’Vath.” She followed the Vulcan with an awkward smile into the elevator. Throughout the day she visits patients. One moment she was treating a young Bajoran girl for an early stage of respiratory illness, and another moment she helped to guide an elderly Klingon to find serenity after a long life of war.

The day felt perfect; Zora was able to help her patients and better the world step by step. But when she placed the thermal blanket over the young girl, the view flickered by a millisecond as Zora saw the girl actually being submerged in some kind of gel, her mouth covered by a breather-tube. Blinking her eyes and rubbing them softly, she leans back as she opens them, seeing she has returned to the room. Giving a soft smile at the girl and walking away, “I need to get some rest.”

Dr Sel – Directors Office

Placing the final injections in the Romulan Commander, Zora smiled at him. “That will do the trick, Commander. Your life will be more optimized, as they would say.” Placing the medical device on the table as she sits down, grabbing the discharge papers, she says, “For someone who doesn’t look sick, you do visit us often.”

The Romulan looked a bit uncomfortable at her as he stood up, placing his jacket back. “Well, it is because of your wonderful work that the hive…” He groans for a second and corrects himself, “I mean the people are more stable because of your tremendous work. You have a gift for making this…well, transition so painless”

Zora paused for a moment at the mention of the word hive, as in a fraction of a second she could see the green letters on the papers that quickly disappeared at the next blink of her eyes. “Right, I do what I can to improve all lives, Commander; now take some rest.” She smiled at him as she dismissed him from the office. The Romulan nodded and dismissed himself out of the office, leaving her alone.

For a brief, quiet moment in her office, she felt like the fatigue of long hours was affecting her. Throughout the day she had seen things that she couldn’t put her finger on. But out of nowhere a sudden, sharp vibration shook the floor as Zora grabbed the chair and looked in panic around. “What is going on?!”

The sound of fighter engines echoed throughout the office, followed by lights flickering from a warm yellow to a harsh, clinical green as Zora grabbed her head, feeling a surging pain that forced her to bend forward. “Ahhh!”

For a brief second a voice came through, a voice she recognized, hushed like a whisper: “Captain, we have to kill the array!”

Slowly looking up as everything turned normal, as Zora looked up, she felt something dripping from her face as she tapped her finger on her lip and looked at it. She could see the red blood as personnel rushed into the office. “Doctor?! Are you okay?”

Sel’s family apartment

The closure of the day was hectic, not perfect in the way Zora had hoped for, but nothing can be perfect, right? She sat in the chair, letting the glass with brandy in it go around as she moved her hand. She felt lost in thought as her train of thought was interrupted by her husband standing there at the door of her office.

“You still seem out of it.” Jake crossed his muscular arms over each other and smiled at her softly. “Don’t worry so much; it was just a tremor, Zora. The city is safe, as you can see. You are tired, and don’t forget you saved many people today.” He pushed himself off the doorframe and walked to the living room. “Don’t make it too late, Hun.”

The door closed as Zora turned her head to look outside with the glass still in her hand as she looked at the beautiful city. Her eyes looked up to the sky, seeing the framework of what would seem like a Dyson Lattice, but for her it was the protective shield of stars. Taking a deep breath as she placed the glass on the table and looked at the PADD lying there, stating her next correction required professional attention from her.