This Mark I was reinstated as a medical professional once the Zimmerman holograms were granted full rights as citizens of the Federation.

Having never been activated when he was originally installed on a starship, he naïvely foregoes the remedial Academy training available to him in the EMH Recovery Program, or EMHRP, and signs on with a generational ship as their primary EMH rather than seek an actual commission elsewhere.

No, not the best career move,..

Sim Notes

When I was invited to join the USS Endeavour, I thought I'd have it easy. It's a monstrous simulation and very active. I believed that I'd be activated on occasion, treat crewmates without any knowledge of plot or character history, then be deactivated again. I soon found out that things would get busier for me. In fact, once he was activated, Merlin worked nonstop.

Merlin's development as an individual was also something which I hadn't anticipated. During the four months he made his appearance, he learned to socialize, met his first girlfriend (who gave him his name), and transcended his position to that of Executive Medical Officer.

The crew in general was more compelled to get sick or come up with exotic medical phenomena rather than engage in departmental plotlines or run holodeck fantasies, so the busiest players were in medical and counseling. While people got to develop their characters, blueshirts worked days on end without sleep. Add to that the compulsion for meetings, and you have a CMO running on empty - with a hologram in charge of Sickbay most of the time.

It was on the Endeavour that I realized that Trek Sims for the most part defy canon at its very core. They often have a Starfleet Marine Corps in evidence, which in itself goes against Starfleet's own agenda. It is a true oxymoron. So, even though this was an unrelated military branch, and although they had their own medical facilities apart from the civilians and Starfleet personnel on the ship, for some reason the Marines ended up on deck thirteen anyway.

Regrettably, I was compelled to leave when the founder - whom I suspect had a thing for JAG Officer Louvois (or the actress herself) from Star Trek: The Next Generation's episode The Measure of a Man - wanted to turn back the clock on holographic rights and disregard Merlin's backstory in favor of some sort of trial storyline. Having been a good hologram and tolerated the Aliens crossover, I'd paid my dues. Enough was enough. At this writing, Merlin is in a data storage unit, and will reactivate on another ship someday.

Some familiar faces are here for those who have already been to the other areas of this site. And Natalie Janeway (see Dr. Mark Zimmerman I), unable to resist the exotic lure of Sickbay, poses as a medic under an alias. Rumor suggests she was assigned to helm as yet another identity prior to my joining.

The Endeavour has since been deleted. I saw it coming a mile away. The climate had already changed in the sim when the circumstances of my leaving came to be. Also not surprising was the megalomanic battle between two people which effectively displaced hundreds of members and obliterated thousands of entries. What a shame.

The Masquerade Ball

Shortly after I had joined, I received an Email. On a given date, the Endeavour's Mall club - where characters off-duty appeared in extraneous storylines - would be reserved for a masquerade ball. Writers were to join under other profiles, their writing style the only hint as to their identities. Having been fairly new, my writing style was not familiar to anyone. I changed the spelling style to International English to further conceal myself (that the EMH while in disguise took on an English accent was so subtle, I'm sure it escape everyone).

Another advantage I held was the fact that I had yet to join the club under my regular ID, and so I didn't have to worry about posting accidentally under my known name. This soon became a metaphor for losing one's mask, and several struck out (particularly the blueshirts for some reason).

Where the regular story under way allowed me to truly investigate the EMH's active potential, the ball allowed me the chance to really work with the character from the inside. It was a fascinating pursuit. By pure chance I was encouraged to pair up with then Chief Medical Officer Williams. I really wanted to see how she would respond during the unmasking, but the writer left the simulation, so that irony was never realized.

Recurring Cast

Starfleet & Civilian CO - Commodore Siit XO - Captain P'Trell OPs CO - Lt. Cmdr Axl Marchinko XOP - Lt Peter Arman Ens Anneli Sek Chief of Security/Tactical - Lt. Cmdr Eric Woo XO Security/Tactical - Lt. Carlos Chief of Science - Lt. Cmdr Marisha Kudet (left) Chief of Science - Lt. Xortha Boll (reincarnated?) Ens. Tel'Rashi Rinao CMO - Dr. Micheala Williams (left) CMO - Dr. Kamala Rosea XMO - Dr. Holland (left) XMO - Dr. Merlin (Starfleet; former EMH) XMO - Dr. Solaran Pru (Civilian) Dr. Hatfield (Civilian Hospital) Nurse - Ens. April Kay (left) Nurse - Lt. Elzara Yin Medic - Ens. Jessica Grant (Civilian) Medic - Ens. Weiss (NPC - Civilian) Forensics - Dr. David Foxworth Counselor CO - Lt. Cmdr R. Dayanair Counselor XO - Lt. Annie Flynn (Marines)

Marines CO - Colonel Sampson (left) CO - Colonel Stryker XO - Major Bhat'lex Field Medic - Dr. Elisad Amar Field Medic - Dr. Steve Ross Medic - Private Maddison Counselor Senoc Sgt Ice Sgt Stev Bronski Private Limrii Private Crash Private Kamja Q'tuanta Fighter OPs CO - Capt. Corey Barton XO - Lt. Diana Beverly MO - Dr. Dar Counselor Nirla Rhyssa Misc. Eucamenical Svcs - Cmdr Moishe Silverstein Sal Tijo Qofa - a visiting Majan monk Ambassador Athon of Zarnac

There is a great deal of material for Merlin, which I've broken down by story arcs and developmental milestones...

1. Life as an EMH
   Responsibilities for an Emergency Medical Hologram aboard the Endeavour.

2. Aliens Crossover I
   The Birthing.

3. Babysitting the Marines
   'nuff said.

4. Aliens Crossover II
   The Showdown.

5. Aliens Crossover III
   An ethical dilemma.

6. The Masquerade Ball I
   The EMH adapts to a social situation.

7. The Masquerade Ball II
   The unmasking yields a new friend and a name.

8. Acting CMO
   A medic plays doctor.

9. Tragedy
   Merlin has a counseling session; the Vulcan Betazoid isn't feeling his usual chipper self.

10. Mutation or Revelation?
    Security Chief Woo doesn't feel quite himself. Also: Merlin is promoted.

11. Entitlements
    It's good to be the XMO.

Update

A follow-up. CMO Dr. Rosea died from a freak accident in her office in Sickbay. The clearance codes to reactivate the data storage device which held Dr. Merlin died with her. Hey. It happens.