Transformers Universe MUX
Register
Advertisement
The name or term Lifeline refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Lifeline (disambiguation).


This page is for Edwin Steen, the original Lifeline. For rescue trooper Greg Scott, see Sgt. Lifeline.
Lifeline3
Lifeline
Personal information
Real Name

Edwin Steen

Birthplace

Seattle, Washington

D.O.B.

March 9, 1959

Military information
Service branch

US Army

Primary MOS

62A Emergency Physician

Secondary MOS

56A Command and Unit Chaplain

Rank

7/O-4/Major (MAJ)

Weapon(s)

Tranquilizer gun, Aikido

Organizational information
Factions

G.I. Joe

Subteams
It's not a big deal... I'm just doing my job.

Elite units always take care of their own. The G.I. Joes are no exception. The troops must know that if something heavy comes down on them and they're in no condition to walk out of the mess, somebody is going to have the heart to wade in and extricate them. That somebody is Lifeline. Lifeline was a paramedic with the Seattle Fire Department for five years before he discovered that EMS (Emergency Medical Service) personnel who were disabled while giving aid off-duty were not eligible for pensions. In his mind, rescue personnel were never off-duty. He decided to make his status permanent by enlisting in the army as a corpsman.


History[]

Canonical/Pre-MUX/Theme History:[]

Edwin Steen was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He has a younger sister named Stephanie, of whom he is very protective. Shortly after Stephanie was born, his mother suddenly fell ill and died. Edwin's father, a strict pastor of a local church, was left to raise the children alone. In his broken-hearted state, the elder Steen became very stern and authoritarian in his upbringing of Edwin and Stephanie.

Edwin's background on an academic level is entirely unremarkable. He Graduated King High School in Seattle with a 2.8 GPA. His senior class picture from 1977 looks like a bored stoner: jet black hair down to his collar, his gaze looking like he wants to be doing anything else.

Immediately out of high school he went through the EMT program at the local community college. This is where he begins to shine. His grades in the program are 4.0. He trains for all the available certifications, then begins working for King County Fire Rescue as a paramedic.

From here, things get interesting. He receives several commendations from City of Seattle and King County for bravery beyond measure and saving lives. At the age of 20, he saves an entire family from a burning building. He Rescues a woman trapped in a car in freezing water. And the list goes on and on. He accepts the recognition; however, he refuses any publicity and always requests that the awards be mailed to him.

When Edwin joined the Army and was later invited to join the G.I. Joe team in 1986, his father became furious, and this caused a major rift in the family. For many years, father and son didn't speak. This went on until one day, Edwin received news that Stephanie was going to get married. Edwin was a bit surprised by this, because Stephanie was barely out of high school, but he was happy that she was moving on with her life. The wedding fired up the old conflict between Edwin and his father, but they were eventually able to reconcile.

Lifeline was part of a team of Joes who were transporting a captured Cobra Firebat by area over Malay when they were attacked by the Oktober Guard, with both teams' aircraft shot down. The Joes had to make their way through the jungle, with Lifeline's insistence that he was a medic and thus a non-combatant not making him popular with his fellows. Despite this Lifeline proved to have crucial knowledge that helped the team survive in the jungle. Both the Joes and the Oktober Guard were captured by river pirates. The pirates' leader, Sarawak Sally, told them teams that a champion from each would fight with the winner going free. Lifeline drew the short straw, despite protestations, and faced Horrorshow. His fellow Joes were amazed to discover that Lifeline held a black belt in Aikido - "a Zen martial art with no offensive moves. The purpose is to redirect violent energy away from oneself..." He defeated Horrorshow but prevented Sally from killing him in cold blood, even though he could have the Firebat's black boxes with key Cobra secrets, as that would mean blood on his hands. His courage of convictions impressed Sally who freed both the teams.

Imeanyounoharm

"I mean you no harm."


Later Lifeline was part of the Joe team sent to Cobra Island to intervene in the Cobra Civil War. Lifeline then became a member of Tiger Force. On an early mission they tackled a group of Lower Darklonian Separatist Front terrorists in New York.

MUX History:[]

I never think about becoming a casualty; I just save every life I can - without exception.

Over the years, Lifeline returned to school and got a full medical degree. He is now the Joe's company doctor.

11/2009 Update: In 2009, Edwin had a major falling-out with Spike, when things went terribly wrong following Edwin's attempt to find Spike and his family some adequate temporary housing. Following a huge blow-up over the phone, Edwin ended up missing from his normal activities the following day. Eventually, he ended up at his sister & brother-in-law's place, looking extremely disheveled and out of sorts. Edwin's sister, Stephanie, has taken him in and is trying to sort out what happened to him.

01/2010 Update:Following the major earthquake in Haiti, Lifeline was contacted by Doctors Without Borders to accompany a team of doctors to the ravaged country. Edwin very much wanted to accept the offer; however, he knew that infirmary patients in The Pit have special priority over all of his humanitarian work, so he declined. That evening, Edwin had nightmares about suffering earthquake victims, and he realized that he had a special calling to aid these people. He sent a written request to General Flagg III, asking for leave time to aid the Haitians. Along with this request, he named a number of physicians he wanted to run the Pit in his absence, including Evac, Stitches, and Doc Greer.

03/2010 Update: Lifeline's Shattered Glass universe counterpart, Deadline, married Shattered Glass universe Scarlett (Ebony) in Lifeline's universe, potentially causing Lifeline embarrassment and trouble.

Lifeline2011 (2)

Lifeline in 2011

During the post-flood recovery in 2012, Lifeline was initially assigned to Camp Lemonnier, before deploying with a unit in the Middle East to replace their surgeon.

In 2013, Lifeline returned to the Pit.

On April 22, 2013, Lifeline participated in EDC 's first "official" mission, where he was on hand to administer emergency first aid to Anwar Assan after he was freed from his captors in Trucial Abysmia .

On Friday, May 24th, Lifeline, along with several other Cobra, G.I. Joe, and Transformer individuals disappeared from all over the world, awaking in the past. However, after helping to fix a problem threatening to alter the timeline, Lifeline was returned to the present.

On June 5 of 2013, Slaughter encountered Lifeline on the training field at Offutt AFB, dressed him down, and told him he needed to put on some muscle mass, PRONTO -- something that Lifeline has problems doing, as he's naturally a skinny guy even when he's fit. Mike/910 and Hondo MacLean overheard the encounter, and both men offered to assist the doctor with weight training and muscle gain.

On June 20-21, rivers around Calgary, Alberta crested at dangerously high stages, and flooding became an immediate concern for the community. Rescue crews from Canada as well as GI Joe rescue personnel Evac, Lifeline, Dr. Michele Miller, and Chance went in to assist and pull victims from the flood waters.

Later on, Lift-Ticket realized that Lifeline had not arrived at the rendezvous point, and this concerned him enough to alert Joe Command. About 12-24 hours later, a feverish and paranoid Lifeline, hidden in a warehouse, phoned Spike, who in turn contacted Chance, and a rescue commenced. As it turned out, Lifeline had contracted sepsis (blood poisoning) through an infected cut obtained during his time in the flood waters, and he hadn't even realized it until it had affected his mental state.

In October of 2014, Lifeline helped a small team of Autobots and G.I. Joes to infiltrate Decepticon City, capture Dr. Arkeville, and rescue Typhoon.

In 2022, Lifeline was promoted to Major (O-4).

Lifeline2024

Lifeline in 2024

In 2024, Flagg promoted Lifeline to LTC.

OOC Notes[]

She316

Truce!

Lifeline identifies as a conscientious objector and accepts training with weapons but refuses to carry or fire one outside of training.

Logs/Posts[]

1848[]

  • March 5 - "To The Clinic - Jenkins Mill deputy sheriffs arrive and escort the characters camping in the wild into town, where they discover their missing doctor.

1944[]

  • August 22 - "Temporal Troubles - Beginning Scene" - A number of individuals are time-displaced back to 1944, and they must quickly cooperate with sworn enemies in order to discover their purpose in this place.

1979[]

Edwin-1979-7f6bb2417552

Edwin in 1979

2000[]

2007[]

2008[]

2009[]

Sep 27: Medical Memorandum[]

  • audio and text report only, no visual; report open to all ranks*

"Lifeline reporting in. Due to recent circumstances, I have been spending much of my time off-base in Seattle, Washington. I have an arrangement with the local college of Medicine to supervise and train the residency program in the hospital's Emergency Room. I want to make it clear that this by no means renders me unavailable for appointment. I've left a team of very capable medics in the Pit, though if someone would rather see me, I'd be more than happy to arrange it. Just let me know. I always have my cell phone on, as well as my radio."

"One more important reminder: If you are in my general area and wish to see me in the hospital, that's fine too; however, please keep in mind that the hospital is *not* the Pit Infirmary, and certain information needs to remain classified to the civilian medical personnel. If you contact me within the hospital, address me as 'Dr. Steen' *only*. Thank you."

Sep 27: Slipstream (Rank 5+ Only)[]

  • audio/text only, no visual; classified to Rank 5 & up*

"Slipstream presented at Seattle Memorial yesterday afternoon with a slight fever and bone pain in his humerus where 2 weeks prior he had sustained a hairline fracture and several penetrating bullet wounds. I confirmed a moderate case of osteomyelitis, and admitted him for observation. Treatment is an intravenous line of antibiotics, and several days of rest. In layman's terms, Slipstream developed a bone infection at the site of a previous arm fracture, and I'm taking him off of active duty for a couple of days to treat him in Seattle. His prognosis is very good, and I expect to discharge him in a few days. Lifeline out."

Sep 27: Destro & Spike (Rank 5+)[]

  • Once again, no visual, just text & audio; This post is classified to Rank 5 & up*

"Due to events that have occurred in the past few days, I'm concerned that there could be active COBRA activity in the Seattle area. While treating Spike Witwicky for minor smoke inhalation, he received two visitors. One of them was the Autobot Tonka, which didn't surprise me. The other was Destro, which DID surprise me. The latter only stayed a short time, and then departed without incident. When I questioned Spike, he became somewhat defensive; he told me I had no right to judge his situation, and that he was only working for Destro because he couldn't find better work and needed to feed his family. I cautioned Spike against taking any sort of action against Destro on his own."

"The following afternoon, while taking a lunch break at the midtown park, I once again saw Destro. He was unaccompanied and apparently doing nothing more than loitering, but I'm very concerned by his continued presence in Seattle. I will report any future encounters, and will await orders on how to handle the situation. Lifeline out."

Oct. 19: Twilight Memorandum (Rank 5+)[]

I regret to report that Twilight of Special Operations is no longer with our unit. She has apparently resigned under unusual circumstances, and my last encounter with her was, to say the least, suspicious. Her whereabouts at this point in time are unknown. Recommend Mainframe look into possible database tampering situation.

Oct. 26: Convoy Encounter in Kentucky[]

(Lifeline seems to be reporting from an infirmary bed. He has an intravenous line in one arm and is wearing a lovely green hospital gown. He has extensive visible burns, though none of them seem particularly grave. His voice is very raspy...sounds like his throat is swollen)

"At approximately 1600 hours local time yesterday, myself, Slipstream and Jinx were at a residential cookout, at the location of Slipstream's parents' summer home in Kentucky. We were disrupted by the sound of a tremendous crash, and we found a fiery crash on the nearest road between a semi truck and a family sedan. I went immediately to pull the survivors out of the wreck, while Slipstream went to, ah, investigate the semi, and Jinx went inside to call paramedics. As it turns out, the semi was a Decepticon named Convoy, just out for a day of destruction to get his kicks."

"At this time, we notified the Pit, and Stalker arrived on scene, as well as an Autobot later identified as Growler. A battle commenced, with...multiple incidents of...civilian property damage. Admittedly, my attention was more on the two persons pulled from the burning sedan at this time, and getting them the help they needed. At some point, Slipstream emerged from a shed with a...Civil War cannon, fully functional, and he proceeded to fire it at Convoy. Unsure if he was hit by the ordinance, but it...was loud."

"Once Convoy had been forced to retreat, I retrieved Slipstream, who had sustained damage to his inner ear and was experiencing vertigo. The local paramedics arrived for the injured couple, and we were able to assess the damage before Growler offered us transportation. I had him drop us off in the vicinity of the Pit, though closer to the wooded area than the main road."

(He coughs, then takes a long drink of water and continues)

"Slipstream should be alright in about a week or two. I reviewed his inner ear scans...he may have a slight perforation of the eardrum, but even so, there's no significant permanent hearing loss. He's pretty fortunate. As for myself...it could have been worse. Extensive 1st degree burns, some 2nd-degree burns, and a patch of 3rd on my thigh. Minor esophageal burns from smoke inhalation. Small price to pay to make sure those people survived."

(A nurse suddenly appears, and murmurs quietly to him: "Dr. Steen? ...Excuse me...a lawyer is on the phone...says he's representing the rental car company...he says the company is proceeding with a lawsuit...")

"*SIGH* ...Lifeline out."

Nov. 22: Blogged Rebuttal to Krista[]

(This rebuttal of Krista's column appears on a soldier's personal '.mil' blog, which then goes viral by way of social networking and forwarded e-mails in the following days)

Ms. Krista Devereaux's recent screed against the G.I. Joe team was naive, short-sighted, and contained a number of fallacies and errors that could only have been made by someone who is completely unfamiliar with the reasons most countries retain special missions forces in the first place.

Ms Devereaux claims that America's special missions forces are not effective, and that they are a waste of taxpayer money. How she can claim this, and then in the same breath claim that she's a patriot is unconscionable. Of course COBRA still exists -- did she think that taking down such an extensive organization would take a few short weeks? As long as there are extremists in the world, there will always be a terrorist network. Clearly, Ms. Devereaux has no concept of how effective the G.I. Joe team has been over the decades in quashing terrorist activity.

"Read the news," she writes, then asks rhetorically, "When was the last time you saw an article stating that G.I. Joe thwarted a terrorist act of any kind on American soil?" Special missions forces are not necessarily overt about their pursuits. Not every special forces mission is an obvious one; in fact, the obvious ones are just the tip of the iceberg, and much of the work is done covertly. This should be a fairly obvious fact to anyone familiar with military protocol, though unfortunately, Ms. Devereaux seems to miss the point. So just because she doesn't see any progress, that doesn't mean that progress isn't being made. The fact that Ms. Devereaux can wake up every morning and enjoy the freedoms of being a citizen of the United States of America is testament to the G.I. Joe team's continued success, on all fronts of the fight against terrorism.

Ms. Devereaux advocates for a redistribution of the team back into their respective military branches, to close what she sees as an antiquated government 'pork project'. This would be a colossal failure on a number of levels. Let's take the Army as an example. The Army is an extremely broad military branch, encompassing hundreds of different fields. There can be no single-minded goal for such an organization; it would be impossible, as there are far too many responsibilities to consider. With a special missions force, the best and the brightest specialists from each individual field are brought forth, trained extensively, and given extremely specific goals. I'm not sure how Ms. Devereaux can think of the G.I. Joe organization as a 'cancer', when they are more like the highly-trained immune system fighting the cancer of terrorism, freeing up the regular military branches to perform more efficiently with all the other tasks they are entrusted to achieve.

In conclusion, I think that Ms. Devereaux is entitled to her opinion, and I'm completely entitled to disagree with her -- which I do in every possible way.

Capt. Edwin C. Steen, MD

Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University

ER Physician, Seattle Memorial Hospital

Nov. 22: How Spike and Lifeline ended up on YouTube[]

The elusive chameleon arrives at University of Oregon to do a little research of her own at the Library, when she happens upon this little scene right here...


Nov. 24: Second Rebuttal to Krista[]

(Once again, this appears in a soldier's personal blog, and is forwarded virally, without the aid of syndication)

One of the first things Ms. Devereaux pulls out of her arsenal this time is...a pop gun, with a sign that says 'Bang!' Really, I was hoping for something better, especially since she spoke very eloquently beforehand about being gifted with a mind. If she'd rather resort to playground tactics, I can *try* to stoop to her level, but gee, she could be a COBRA operative running a syndicated column under the guise of fame! Good heavens, Why doesn't someone investigate her??

Are we done with the finger-pointing? I hope so. It's terribly childish. I signed this rebuttal with my credentials to allow Krista to see who I am, that I don't hide behind anonymous names or computer handles. I'm a real person. She's more than welcome to discover this for herself.

Let me continue by saying that while it's admirable Ms. Devereaux has military personnel in her family, and has finally demonstrated a working knowledge of the armed forces (which she probably should have done in her first column), this does not make her even remotely qualified to speak for them. It would be equally ludicrous for me to suddenly announce that since I have a younger sister who once starred as 'Annie' in a fourth-grade play (which is TRUE: Go Steph! I love ya, mwah!!), that I suddenly have credentials to know what's best for all actors. I'm sure Ms. Devereaux would surely take issue if I began telling her how things should run in her industry, as she should. It would be...obnoxious, at best.

I'd like to know where she's getting the Joe mission response time data. Sounds like she's making it up. If it's such a secret organization, how is there unclassified response time data available for them? Curious...

Additionally, if Ms. Devereaux has such faith and pride in her country and her government, she has a pretty difficult time trusting them enough to make such an important decision. If the Joes have been around for this long without getting their budget cut, then they must be doing something right.

Capt. Edwin C. Steen, MD  

Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University

ER Physician, Seattle Memorial Hospital

December 19 - A Web of Confusion[]

Slingshot gets to ride the spider, Cuffs knocks Air Raid on his aft, Lifeline does a drive by, Air Raid hits on Trojan, Stormwind cements herself as the peanut gallery, and Ironhide causes a record number of spit-takes

Dec. 23: Scarlett's Medical Report[]

Scarlett sustained some serious injuries in last night's attack, including abdominal lacerations which caused considerable internal bleeding. She had some minor bruising and lacerations to several internal organs, and one of the lacerations cut very close to her thoracic vertebrae and her spinal cord.

Fortunately, nothing was severed. The paralysis that she's experiencing now is due to inflammation interfering with spinal nerves. In other words, it's a temporary situation, until the swelling and infection goes down. There may be need for a second surgery to stabilize some of the other internal injuries, but I really want to wait and see, because there's a chance it may not be necessary if she does well in coming weeks.

I'm sending a notice out to Joes with 'O-Type' blood to please donate for Scarlett. She bled heavily during surgery, and she will need a steady supply in coming days. Donation is painless, and it only takes about half an hour.

2010[]

Jan 28 - Report From Haiti[]

(This report is filed shortly before the news wire report regarding the MSF clinic collapsing in an aftershock.)

"I've been so busy here with MSF that I very nearly forgot to mention something important: Cobra has a definite presence here, and I came face-to-face with Major Bludd himself. Things are... very unusual here at the moment, unstable and uncertain. As far as I can tell, the Cobra forces are being helpful and beneficial for publicity's sake. Since that time, I haven't encountered any other Cobra troops. I'll try to report in on a more regular basis. It's just been so endlessly busy here... Lifeline out."

March 24 - Pee Brain[]

darkSpike tries to piss off (literally) Edwin and try his interrogation skills.

March 25 - Interrogation[]

Spike Witwicky tries to interrogate Lifeline. Lifeline tries to use his training to lure Spike into his cell. However, Lifeline quickly learns his darkUniverse counterpart is a worthy adversary. Once again, it's darkSpike, so consider it a PG-13 log.

April 27 - Close Call[]

The SG Joes team comes dangerously close to blowing their cover.

April 29 - Red to the Rescue[]

The SG Joes are preparing to move.... Scarlett swoops in and rescues their captives!

May 2 - Parting Shots[]

Barely recovering from his two-month capture at the hands of the SG Joes, Lifeline is back at Seattle Memorial Hospital to look after a special patient. While checking on his patient, he is paid a visit from two Spike Witwickys. The first one is concerned about Lifeline and offers his help, however small, to help out Lifeline's patient. The other reeks of bourbon and hopes Lifeline will still sign a statement saying he's a good dad, despite leaving his son in a car during the dead of winter while he got his drink on. We won't tell you which Spike is which...you'll just have to read.

May 2 - Bryce and Lifeline vs. Cancer[]

Lifeline battles an insurance wonk as the Joe medic gives the OK for a risky chemotherapy that could end up either killing Bryce or wind up paving the way for a recovery.

July 23 - LL saves the Day[]

Scarlett was injured in Cobra's raid on Pensacola, she calls Lifeline for help.

July 31 - Surgery![]

Scarlett's Elbow requires surgical reconstruction....

August 6th - "These are the voyages..."[]

Phase-Ar arrives on Earth and gets his first introduction to intelligent and perhaps not-so-intelligent life...

Dec 09 - Doctor In The House[]

I've returned to active duty, and I'm available for appointments. If you're overdue for a checkup, medication refill, or immunization, I highly recommend that you come see me before I find out about it. Thank you, and have a good day.

Lifeline Capt. Edwin C. Steen, MD

2013[]

August 04 - Chocolate Beer[]

Ace and Slipstream converse while Ace recovers from his beating by Major Bludd.

Apr 18 - Spike[]

I'm strongly recommending that no one call Child Protective Services on Spike Witwicky. There is no situation to warrant it. Spike and I are friends, and his family means everything to him. While I'm not saying that 910 is fabricating his story, I am saying that there was probably a good reason Daniel was distraught that day...perhaps several good reasons, none of them tied to an abusive situation.


April 23 - Anwar Assad[]

(This is for Rank 6+ folks, not everyone, sorry!)

Following transport to a secure facility, I was able to give Mr. Assan a complete medical examination. The full report is included with this note as an encrypted file, but in summary, I believe that Mr. Assan's injuries and mental condition are consistent with someone who has endured torture. Following his transfer at the facility, I recommended that Mr. Assan be referred for psychiatric counseling. His prognosis overall is very good, especially now that he has been reunited with his wife.

Dr. Edwin Steen

(Attached to this e-mail is an encrypted PDF file which consists of the complete medical workup)




May 16 - Lifeline has a surprise encounter with the Autobot Steeljaw, who brings some very important news .

May 24 - Edwin finds himself suddenly transported back to 1944 England along with several others, and he must quickly work with sworn enemies in order to determine their purpose for being there. Temporal_Troubles_-_Beginning_Scene

June 16 - Edwin takes time out of his busy schedule to pay a visit to Spike and Daniel, who, along with a friend of Daniel's named Andy, are enjoying a camping trip in the Oregon wilderness.

June 17 - While in Seattle on family business, Lifeline has a surprise encounter with his ex-wife , whom he hasn't seen in many years. And Bree has a few surprises in store for him!

Jun 18 - Info For Sgt. Mace[]

To: Sgt. Mace
CC: Joe Command
From: Lifeline
Subject: Re: Colorado Activity

Sgt. Mace, I'm not surprised to hear that my evil twin is still making trouble. He's been a considerable problem for a while, now. Let me just say that you should proceed with *extreme* caution around him. He's volatile and dangerous, as well as well-armed. He's also pretty delusional, as evidenced by the fact he believes he can run a drug cartel in a major city, and he has a heavy narcotics habit. If he recognizes you, he may actually try to convince you that he's me. I assure you that he's not.

I'm not sure what else to tell you, other than you may want to confront his underlings before confronting him, to avoid more casualties or carnage. He already has arrest warrants out in Cook County, IL, for murder one among other crimes. Please exercise extreme caution.

Jun 20 - "Calgary Floods Rescue"[]

Lifeline accompanies a rescue team to Calgary, Alberta, to assist the Canadian authorities with keeping the population safe from severe flooding.

Jun 21 - Lifeline's Whereabouts[]

(Video report filed by Lift-Ticket.)

"This is Lift-Ticket, and I just wanted to report that Lifeline is missing. He didn't report back in, and he didn't meet the rest of us at the rendezvous point in Calgary last night. I'm afraid I'm going to have to report him as missing, unless he's shown up or reported in somewhere and I just didn't hear about it. I've never known him to miss a rendezvous for the trip back to base, though. I'll report back if I get any updates. Lift-Ticket out."

Jun 23 - Status Update[]

My sincere thanks (and apologies) go out to everyone who spent time and resources looking for me. Now that I'm back at base, I feel I need to explain what happened, and why I missed the rendezvous point at Calgary during the flood rescue.

While inside the flood waters, I obtained a moderate scrape on my left arm. Unfortunately, this went unnoticed by me until much later, and by then, I was in a lot of trouble. While helping the other medics at the City Centre staging grounds some time later, I developed a high fever due to the scrape becoming infected by streptococcus-A bacteria. I became paranoid and disoriented, and apparently...ended up in a warehouse, immobilized by the infection and subsequent blood poisoning. Thankfully, I still had the consciousness of mind to call Spike, who in turn let 910 know what was going on.

Because of the quick response of Dr. Miller and 910, I'm alive to write this report. My arm is seriously infected, and it's going to take some powerful antibiotics to clear it up, but I'm just grateful to still have the arm, not to mention my life. I'm going to be off-duty until this clears up; all other medical staff are available as per usual.

Lifeline

Jul 15 - Slipstream[]

((Released to those who need to know! You need to know? Now you know, Yo Joe!))

Slipstream is officially discharged, but is to be on 'light physical training' and 'light duty' for an additional week due to healing of 2nd and 3rd degree burn spots on his back.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

Jul 20 - Operation Saving Ace[]

Nightingale and Lifeline perform abdominal surgery on Ace to complete the procedures on the pilot's intestinal injuries, and to document them for the top brass. Afterwards, Chance makes an appearence, and something completely unexpected happens! What would that be? Read Operation: Saving Ace to find out!

July 29 - "Ace Awakens"[]

Ace finally awakes after his savage beating from Major Bludd.

August 22 - "Potato-Peeler"[]

Lifeline brings in a specialist to rebuild Ace's face.

August 25 - "Bull in a China Shop"[]

Tripwire tests even Lifeline's patience.

Aug 26 - Casualties From Break-In[]

Please excuse the tardiness of this report, but things have been very hectic in the Medical Department since the day of the break-in, and I've only recently been able to return operations to some semblance of normal.

The northeast corner of the medical center is currently off-limits to any personnel save our building engineers. The area has been marked off with caution tape. No one is to cross this tape without prior authorization, as the explosion has threatened the structural integrity of that part of the room. I've already conferred with the engineers, who assure me that the remainder of the medical center is, thankfully, not in any danger of collapse.

KIA: Cpl. Charles McPhee-RN, aged 38. Leaves behind a wife and 12 year old daughter. A fine individual and a dedicated nurse, he will be sorely missed. Memorial service next week, time and place TBA due to ongoing Quintesson threat.

Critically Injured: Raven and Ace. Raven is in critical condition, and has serious systematic infections due to his severe lacerations sustained in battle. Ace was improving steadily, but was re-injured in the attack, and his condition has been moved back from fair to serious condition. I say 'serious' condition optimistically, though he's borderline serious-to-critical and we're watching him carefully.

Injured: Chance and Dr. Miller are in fair condition, and *all* of the above listed injured personnel are on the off-duty roster until further notice.

Respectfully submitted,
Capt. Edwin C. Steen, MD
Lifeline

August 29 - C'nest Pas le Poutine[]

The Joes recover from the Quintesson attack.

September 09 - Brand New Face[]

Ace gets a new face!

Sep 19 - Rhino[]

I believe a serious discussion needs to be held over our team member Rhino, who fell into Quintesson hands...and was unfortunately altered into some sort of super-soldier who is programmed to do the Quint's bidding. Rhino was back in our custody. Briefly. Unfortunately, he is no longer in our custody.

I went to visit Dr. Miller in our Los Angeles satellite clinic facility, where I observed Rhino strapped to an examination bed with restraints. Dr. Miller informed me that Rhino had moments of lucidity where he would remember who he was before his alteration, and he would be cooperative in those instances. At the time I examined him, Rhino was conscious and aware of his surroundings, and he responded to his name, Matthew.

I wanted to get a better idea of how the Quintessons were able to control him, so I examined his head to see if it would be possible to give him an electroencephalogram (EEG) and measure brain wave activity. What I discovered was that his physical modifications included the back half of his skull replaced by thick metal plating, but fortunately, the front part of his skull was still bone, so obtaining brain wave readings was awkward but possible. Around this time, a third person joined us in the room, someone who identified herself as 'Dr. Jones'. She was acting somewhat suspicious, and not long after her arrival, a strong signal began to override and overpower Rhino's EEG readings. Once this strong signal had established itself, Rhino once again behaved like an emotionless automaton, and easily broke the bed restraints to escape the clinic. 'Dr. Jones' also escaped in the ensuing chaos. I have no idea if her arrival and Rhino's reversion to his Quintesson reprogramming were in any way related, but the timing was suspicious.

Rhino's current whereabouts are unknown, although a Junkion in the area went in pursuit of him. General Hawk, I understand completely that he's entirely too dangerous to have on the loose, but I would seriously rethink a takedown order. Rhino is still in that brain. Dr. Miller and I have both witnessed it. Some sort of signal causes him to revert and lose control. Chance suggested that perhaps a Faraday cage lining a confinement cell would be able to block a control signal, and it sounds like something we should try, provided we could get him confined and keep him there for any length of time.

Respectfully Submitted,
Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Nov 26 - Classified Memorandum[]

CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT

To: General Hawk, and Flint
Subject: Zack Redfield

Due to the first safehouse being compromised, Zack was escorted by greenshirts to a new safehouse in the Chicago area. The exact location of the new safehouse is encrypted, and embedded in the attachments to this memorandum. Upon being taken to the safehouse, Zack was given a little while to rest, then I submitted him to a full physical as well as a full-body X-Ray scan to determine whether or not he had any listening devices or imbedded explosives. None were located. Additionally, please see the medical file attached to this memorandum. Zack is in excellent health, and has no pathological conditions or physical impairments.

Security Concerns: While I was conducting the physical examination, Zack's cellphone rang. Is this a security concern? Couldn't a Tele-Viper or Techno-Viper pinpoint his location if he continues to use it? Again, this is not my area of expertise, but I'm concerned about its implications. Please advise.

Respectfully Submitted,
Capt. Edwin C. Steen, M.D.
Lifeline

2014[]

  • January 13 - "Winter Rescue Mission" - Ace pilots a Hercules on a rescue mission over some of the worse-hit parts of North America, with a cargo bay full of Joes, emergency food and medical supplies.
January 19 - Introducing Nightingale[]

Scarlett inadvertently designates Dr. Miller's Codename.

January 31 - Off-Duty Lounge Note[]

There's a note in the off-duty lounge, printed on a laser printer. It has the Seahawks emblem on it and reads: GO HAWKS!!! CHARGE THE BRONCOS!!!

Someone is very obviously rooting for Seattle, for some unknown reason.

2015[]

Jul 08 - A Friendly Reminder![]

<< Dr. Steen (Lifeline) appears on-camera with a stern frown, his arms folded across his chest. >>

"...Alright. I understand, it was a holiday weekend. And it wasn't just ANY holiday weekend, it was Independence Day. You all did get the memo I sent out regarding firecracker safety, I take it. Didn't get any emergency calls about blown-off fingers, so that's a good thing. HOWEVER...upon returning to look over the latest team physical results...*ahem*...alright, look, it's time for us to have a serious talk."

"Roadblock makes the best barbeque on the planet. Of that, there is no question. I won't even attempt to dispute an absolute truth. But...look, guys...and ladies. We need to discuss PORTION CONTROL. It's okay to enjoy a good meal, but it's NOT okay to go hog-wild and eat a day's calories in a single sitting! Now...now this is a /fact/: the average weight of the team has increased by almost 5 percent. And the average BMI of the team, the Body Mass Index, has increased by an entire POINT. This is not good. At *all*. How many of you went back for seconds, or...or thirds?! Or more???"

<< At this point, Lifeline facepalms and mutters incomprehensively into his hand for a moment, before regaining his composure >>

"We won't even get into the labwork. Average cholesterol readings?? COME ON, GUYS. We're better than this. I don't want to have to schedule MORE PT for everyone. Let's start eating healthy again, okay?? We need to be ready at a moment's notice, so let's stay ready to deploy! I shouldn't have to be telling you this!"

<< Dr. Steen slaps the console in exasperation, and the camera switches off. >>


September 7 - Labor Day With Spike and Lifeline[]

Lifeline

Lifeline

Edwin decides to stop by the Witwicky home to catch up with Spike & family.

2016[]

Spike-injured

Spike

2023[]

Mar 10 - Medical Report On Wisp[]

I've run an extensive battery of lab tests on Wisp, and they will be ready in about 24 hours. I've also scanned her from head to ... tail, and she has undergone a number of unusual changes that are more than just physical.

For instance: The feline ears she's sprouting are actually her true ears now, the old ear canals are completely gone. Her tail is anchored directly to her sacrum. She has true retractable claws on her hands, and her canine teeth are elongated.

Despite the changes, she is in good spirits and is very much looking forward to returning to duty. I see no medical reason for her to be excluded from duty, as she appears well, and her tests are unusual but not subpar. I have her off duty pending the blood test results, and following the examination, I dismissed her from the infirmary. I asked her to keep a journal of new traits she discovers on her own.

Unsure at this point whether or not her condition is reversible. I'm leaning toward no. However, I'll do whatever I can to find a cure. I find biological similarities between her current condition and the changes Mara underwent at the hands of Cobra. The changes to Wisp seem to be a more advanced version of this change.

More to come as I figure it out.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

Mar 12 - Intel Gathered in Exchange for Healing[]

I was contacted at my civilian office, a request coming out of Australia for my personal assistance. When I reached the given coordinates, there was a ship there. (He describes the Sky Serpent Peklabog.) Within the ship were two Cybertronians (describes Swivel better than he describes Starlock), and those who requested my help in the first place. (Describes Interrogator and Veri)

They were seriously wounded and needed assistance. I assisted them, and in return, they gave me quite a bit of information. I've handed over the Cybertronian hard drives they gave me containing information on the men responsible for the human-animal experimentation: none other than Dr. Mindbender himself, and a General Blitz Kreiger, a KGB operative. And Kreiger's boss? One Dr. Arkeville. So now we know where this is coming from and who's behind it. Lex said that the reason he shared the information was that he recognized it was a crime against humanity, and that he didn't want to be complicit in it.

They allowed me to leave freely when all the clinical work was finished. Oh, one more thing: apparently one of my patients was a human clone, only 24 hours old and freed from the experimentation. Hopefully, there's enough information on the hard drives to reverse the worst effects. But even if there isn't, we can still garner enough important intel to stop Dr. Mindbender, and that's what's most important.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

Mar 15 - Huey Lommit[]

Mr. Lommit is in stable condition. He had considerable bruising and other contusions caused by the rough handling of his captors. He was stressed and dehydrated so I put him on a saline drip. He is unable to walk unassisted, but that is due to a severe case of scoliosis. His braces and wheelchair both showed signs of wear, so I've ordered him new ones. He has a depressive affect but is otherwise doing well. Is he ready for debriefing? Yes, but please limit it to a few hours per day so he can recuperate. He has been through a lot.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Mar 21 - Memorandum[]

To: Dr. Kenneth Rich
From: Dr. Edwin Steen

Subject: Selena Greathawk

Hey,

I really want you to speak with this civilian, Selena. She's currently being kept at the infirmary at Coronado in San Diego. There is a lot going on with her -- i.e., family trauma, lab experimentation, PTSD, and *MORE* (underlined twice). She is an EDC soldier from one of the alt. universes. And this is not my forte. But I don't want her to cut & run. She is weak from malnutrition, living rough. Can you help?? Give me a call. Thanks.

-- Ed

Mar 21 - Selena Greathawk[]

Selena Greathawk is an official guest of the infirmary at Coronado. She's in guarded condition but her prognosis is very good, provided she sticks with the plan and returns to the base for regular treatment. She's in good spirits at the moment. Many of her deficits are nutritional in nature, so her treatment is centered around building her back up to strength.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

March 22 - Re: Selena Greathawk[]

From: Edwin S < Edwin.Steen@gijoe.mil >

Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2023 10:30 AM

To: RICH, KENNETH < Kenneth.Rich@gijoe.mil >

Subject: Re: Selena Greathawk


Much obliged, Ken. Let's get drinks later and discuss this case, it's a wild one. And I can't stress to Command enough how important it is that we recruit her before Cobra catches wind of her situation. One of the friends she's already made is 'Nate', a Cobra operative.


Apr 02 - Sick Leave?[]

For the first time in many, many years -- decades, in fact -- Dr. Edwin C. Steen has called in sick.

He didn't leave much of an explanation, but he put in for two days' time, promising to return after the weekend.


Apr 04 - Removal From Active Duty: Wraith[]

To: Command
CC: Battleaxe

Recommending removal from active duty immediately, until further notice, for Maj. Heather O'Leary-Fine, code name Wraith, for medical reasons.

Nature of the medical reason: Pregnancy

Signed April 4, 2023, by Dr. Edwin C. Steen

Apr 06 - Selena Greathawk: Memorandum[]

To: Command
CC: Battleaxe

Re: Selena Greathawk: Update

I have remained in contact with Selena Greathawk. She is currently living in a major city in the western United States and is integrating well. Yesterday, she called me and expressed an interest in joining the laboratory raid. Unknown who discussed the mission parameters with her, but she is more interested in it than in being recruited at this time. Recommending she be looped in, as she was a soldier in her home universe.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Apr 07 - Memorandum re:re:Wraith[]

To: Command
CC: Battleaxe

Re:re: Wraith

I am well aware of those studies. I am also aware of the 1995 Chinese military study on the effects of G-force with spontaneous miscarriages. I've issued my recommendation and I see no reason to change it at this time. I would rather err on the side of caution when considering positive outcomes for the team.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Apr 11 - IC Memo To Command[]

To: Command
From: Dr. Edwin C. Steen / Lifeline

Re: Chaplain Duties

General Flagg offered me the position of Pit Chaplain, which I would be honored to accept at this time. My only drawback is I have no real experience other than being the troop chaplain of my Boy Scout troop. I will likely need to attend training at USA-IRL Fort Jackson before taking on the duties entirely.

Apr 13 - Re: Vehicle Upgrade Request[]

To: Command, Concealer

I think the concept is very good, Meggan. It would definitely be cost effective to refurbish an old Skyhawk in lieu of ordering a brand new vehicle. I guess I have just one question, though: What's wrong with asking Lift-Ticket to bring in a Tomahawk like he's always done? He's happy to do that, you know.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

Apr 15 - Interrogator and Veri - Follow Up[]

Scarlett, Kamakura, Concealer and I went to Los Angeles to investigate the report of a strange woman wandering around in the company of a Medi-BAT. The woman was identified as the synthoid 'Veri', whom several of the team members have encountered before.

Interrogator wasn't very far behind her, and as we went to intercept her, he arrived and began ushering her away toward the Masquerade Club. Over Kill also showed up for unknown reasons, but I did see that he broke into a Meineke oil change store. While this was going on, Concealer and I offered our expertise to Veri, who appeared to be unstable with her vital signs varying wildly. The offer was accepted, and we proceeded to follow them into the Masquerade club.

Once there, I performed a more thorough workup, and determined that the symptoms are further breakdown of the synthoid, as it is not created to last for very long. The DNA is already corrupt, and because her cells keep replicating that corruption, she is beginning to nosedive. I recommended that her entire blood supply be transfused with a fresh supply from a donor with healthy DNA. Sefu of Ascension Wing was volunteered for the task. As soon as we obtain the necessary blood transfusion bags, I will return to do the surgery which should simplify the transfusion process, perform the transfusion, and hopefully, with the synthoid having an entirely new set of DNA to work from, it will stabilize for a longer period of time. In theory, this should work as it will fix the corruption-in-replication issue.

In the meantime, Interrogator has been treating myself and Concealer like guests. We have access to Ascension Wing databases. I don't sense deception on his part; I think he's so desperate for the synthoid to survive that he's willing to ally with us just to save her life.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Apr 28 - IC Memorandum: Wraith[]

To: Command
CC: Wraith

Re: Wraith's Duty Status

Wraith has been physically cleared by myself to return to normal flight duties without restrictions.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Apr 30 - Special Forces Physical Fitness Assessment[]

To: ALL JOES
From: Lifeline

Subject: The Special Forces Physical Fitness Assessment

This is a gentle reminder that the Physical Fitness Assessment -- the same one that had to be passed in order to qualify for the Joe team -- is now reassessed annually. I see a lot of channel chatter lately about going out and eating junk food. LET ME REMIND YOU that those who fail to requalify are taken off active duty and placed into a remedial program until such time as they're able to pass the test. Which is why I STRESS that you should make time to utilize the Pit Training Room. This is not only for group training, but it is expected that you make time for physical fitness and use the machines provided in that room.

It goes without saying that IT IS EXPECTED that you will pass this test. A lot of lives around the world depend upon our readiness to face the enemy. And a large part of that readiness is physical fitness to get the job done. Please be ready. ****NOTE!! This memorandum applies to Ninja Force; however, the criticism that goes with certain members of the Joes avoiding their training sessions does not apply to them as they have an excellent track record of consistently passing the fitness test.****

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


May 02 - Medical Report[]

This concerns Storm Shadow; however, it isn't a medical examination or an autopsy, as I didn't have time to conduct either of those things out in the field with the county law enforcement on their way. Immediately following the stabbing and before the authorities arrived, I had time to do a very cursory evaluation of the wound sustained by Storm Shadow. In my opinion, he was killed by a professional assassin. The angle of the stab was such that it went straight through his back and directly through the heart, killing him instantly. I noticed a strange substance around the periphery of the wound, and I collected some of it to put it through the analyzer.

Once back at base, I tested the substance, and it came back as positive for potassium cyanide, a highly toxic substance that would have killed him in minutes had the stab not hit its mark.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


May 07 - Lab Analysis: Kamakura's Costume[]

Concerning the lab analysis of the bio stains on Kamakura's 'Green Ranger' costume, obtained from the Pasadena Convention Center area.

The stains from the upper area of the costume were identifiable as blood from Kamakura himself, with a 1 in 100 billion probability of being someone else's. The positive takeaway is that the stains indicate a relatively small injury. It is *extremely* unlikely that he sustained a fatal injury with that amount of bleed-out. There was bio from at least one and possibly two other individuals on the costume's fabric, but not quite enough to do a full bioanalysis on them. They identify as non-matched to Kamakura's bio profile, though, so I would surmise that points toward an involuntary apprehension.

Also noteworthy is a sizable burn patch on the upper portion of the costume, the pattern of which is consistent with a stun gun.

With this in mind, I believe we should assume that Kamakura is worth more alive to his captors than dead and plan our actions accordingly.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


May 12 - Medical Report: Kamakura[]

Kamakura is resting in the Pit Infirmary in guarded condition. He has moderate malnutrition, moderate to severe dehydration, and has a number of infected wounds, the worst of which is on his back. He also has PTSD as well as non-responsive anisocoria (in his case, the left pupil is slower to react to light and stimuli than the right). The latter points toward neurological damage or even a TBI (traumatic brain injury), but I must do further testing to confirm it.

When he was retrieved, I suspected he could have remnants of other drugs in his system from his captors. This, I was able to confirm with a blood test. His blood came back positive for trace amounts of sodium penathol, as well as trace amounts of barbiturates, sedatives, and even a small amount of fentanyl.

Due to the sensitive nature of Kamakura's case, I am requesting MPs to be stationed at the Infirmary doors until he is well enough to discharge.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


May 15 - Security Incident: Follow-Up[]

Yesterday, I received information on a credible threat -- a phone located inside the Infirmary was sending, or attempting to send, text messages to a known Cobra network.

After reporting this to Scarlett, we took this information to Jensen in Cybersecurity, and he confirmed that this was indeed the case.

Scarlett and I went to confront the owner of the phone, who had since moved from the Infirmary area to the Mess Hall on 4. It turned out to be Selena Greathawk, who denied sending any texts on her phone and refused to hand over the phone for inspection, citing privacy concerns and a very genuine concern that we might try to steal the proprietary technology from her world's cellular device. At some point, she panicked and pulled her subspace armor on, then her forcefield came up and slammed into Scarlett, causing a concussion. Selena, at this point still in a panic, told me that she /did/ want to willingly give up her phone but that her subspace armor worked in tandem with her vital signs, and until they came down, she wouldn't be able to retract her armor.

The three of us then took the lift up to the Infirmary. Once there, Selena had calmed enough to retract her armor, and then with her permission, I hit her with a tranq-dart. It took extra amounts of tranquilizer to truly knock her unconscious.

So the takeaway is this
  1. ) Scarlett's in the Infirmary, and it is 100% my fault, as if I had not asked for her assistance personally she wouldn't be injured.
  2. ) Selena Greathawk is currently the prime suspect in the breach; however, Kamakura could have also gotten hold of the phone, so both of them are looking equally guilty until one of them can be ruled out somehow.
  3. ) If someone needs to be blamed for what happened and how it happened, you know where to find me.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

May 15 - Selena Greathawk's Phone[]

Selena Greathawk is only cooperating with the phone search because I promised her we would NOT take the technology from the phone, that we were only trying to clear her name. Mainframe, Dial-Tone? Please honor that request.


May 17 - IC Memorandum: 'My Phone Call'[]

To: Command, Scarlett
Subject: My Phone Call

On May 16 at around 1900 hours, I was in the Pit when I received a phone call from Alex, also known as 'Interrogator'. He gave me information that may be extremely valuable to us. I'm telling you now so it isn't found out some time later and misidentified as a threat. I have an explanation as to why he had my number in the first place, as well as the reason he willingly gave out information that could benefit us on several fronts.

I expect to hear from Command sometime soon. You know where to find me.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


May 21 - Kamakura IS The Security Leak[]

Concealer discovered that Kamakura was, in fact, the security leak. The exact message she sent me I would be happy to show in a debriefing.   At any rate, today she messaged me indicating that she felt she was in danger in his presence, so I used her GPS tracking information to locate them near Escalante. While Concealer distracted Kamakura, I hit him with a tranquilizer dart, and we loaded him up in Concealer's car to drive back to the Pit. On the way back there he woke up, and began fighting us, using some very foul language, and not behaving in any way like the man we all know. He very nearly escaped, but with some physical persistence, we got him subdued and brigged.

Currently, he is in the Brig. I have him hooked up to a sedative drip, straitjacket, bedpan, and catheter to deter future attempts at escape. With the evidence I've been given, Selena can likely be cleared. Kamakura's been tampered with, and we're just fortunate that he didn't escape today.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

May 29 - AAR Report: Arishikage Dojo: Tomas[]

((This is a video AAR. Dr. Steen posts this report from the Infirmary.))

"Yesterday, I received word that Kamakura was staying at the Arishakage Dojo in San Francisco, and that he was in his right mind and amenable to a possible surrender. When I arrived there, Tomas, the new co-owner of the dojo, was there, as was Kamakura -- behaving very much like the Sean we know -- and Alex, a/k/a Interrogator. Alex dominated the conversation because he was attempting to convince Tomas that member of his clan have been mentally tampered with by Dr. Mindbender."

"Well, if anything is known about Alex, is he isn't very skilled in the diplomacy department. So he persists. Wearing out his welcome quickly. Tomas is being very clear that he does not want to talk about mind control or anything else with him. So what does he do? Well, he's Alex, so he doubles down. Riling him up about it even more."

"And then, he does something so strange, I'm not sure if I can describe it. He takes a number of unknown pharmaceuticals, then begins concentrating, and... manages to hurt Tomas without touching him at /all/. I would surmise it was some sort of mental or even psychic attack. He and Tomas begin fighting, briefly. And at some point, Alex disengaged, and retreated. I treated Tomas for minor injuries sustained in the fight, and tried to reassure the man that I wanted to help him and had nothing to do with Alex's reasons for being there. Thankfully, Tomas is still amenable to further contact."

"I will examine several possibilities: 1) That Tomas and Sean both have been tampered with by Dr. Mindbender; 2) That Alex has an agenda of his own by attempting so hard to convince Tomas of the tampering itself (which, incidentally, he didn't manage to convince Tomas of anything); 3) Whether or not there's a way to safely bring Kamakura back to the Pit and keep him confined properly. He told me he is sorry for the trouble and that he is willing to be returned for punishment. Last night got hectic and he went to go meditate before I could get around to asking him if he was ready. But for now, we know exactly where he is Edwin out."


Jun 01 - Observations and Requisition Request[]

I've made several trips to the Arishakage Clan Dojo in recent days, collecting data points on everything from the type of laundry soap the clan uses to the ingredients in their kitchen cupboard... all to rule out ANY possibility that their seizures, frequent nosebleeds, and headaches are caused by an environmental element.

Both the new co-owner, Tomas, and Kamakura are experiencing these symptoms now to some degree. Kamakura has some level of self-awareness that his symptoms are NOT natural; however, Tomas is a bit of a Doubting Tomas, if you'll pardon the reference. He believes it's some sort of illness or syndrome, and he has given significant pushback to the idea that there's mental tampering occurring. Because of this, when I visit the dojo, I refer to it as an illness or syndrome so I can have their full cooperation. So far, it's been working very well, and I have established a very good working relationship with Tomas.

What I've been able to learn from the data points gathered is that the episodes of nosebleeds, seizures, syncope and headaches are *not* random, but they fit a particular pattern. When the topic at hand turns to revenge, the incident at the cosplay convention that killed Storm Shadow, Snake-Eyes... the name 'Throwdown' in reference to Sean... anything along those lines, THAT is when the symptoms are most likely to occur. I do believe there is a direct correlation between these auditory cues and the clan's symptoms. While there is no physical evidence of tampering, I believe we should assume that mental tampering is happening around the clock.

With these things in mind, I would like to make the following requisition order: 1) Both Tomas and Sean are AT RISK, and their lives are in danger. If their conditions deteriorate, I would like to be able to have them taken to David Grant USAF Medical Center in Fairfield for treatment and for their own security. An unsecure civilian hospital is NOT equipped to deal with their problem. 2) A cybersecurity expert to scan the dojo for electronic transmissions. If Sean contacted a known Cobra Network while in the Pit, he is probably still in contact with whomever is doing this to him despite his denials to the contrary. We need to try and track that signal down and identify its source. 3) If Kamakura is amenable to arrest, and by all accounts he has been cooperative in recent days, then we need a SECURE place to hold him. Even if it must be built by scratch. I don't have the personal capability of tagging him, bringing him in and keeping him secure. I need an engineer's assistance to build a ninja-proof enclosure.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Jun 15 - Jinx[]

Jinx has been medically evaluated on her return from Nebulos, and cleared for active duty.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

Jun 16 - Intel Drop[]

To: Intel, Counter-Intel, Command (Declassified in 24 hours)
From: Lifeline
Subject: Intel Drop

I received this message at my civilian office from Alex/Interrogator, with the subject of 'Ninja Theme Party'. Make of it what you will. Alex has a history of being a credible and reliable source when it comes to matters of deep intel. Message reads as follows:

~ The Snakes want the Core Ninja Family to contract to them and then reel in the rest. The Spanish Inquisition is involved and I'd like them turned over to me if caught. The Mystery Ninja Master is trying to break contracts already made and may/may not be a genetic mish-mash. Genetics comes into play, especially 30 generations+ of Languages, Maths, Flight basics. Flash Training used and Muscle Memory must be trained. Be careful, this goes deeper than I thought, and really long term plans are being made by the Snakes. Who knows what they got and stole from others? Lex


Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


  • June 16 - "Do The Pants Fit - Tomas phones Edwin to make sure the gifted pants fit.
  • June 18 - "Suki Desu" - Edwin phones Tomas, waking up the new Young Master on the day of remembrance for Storm Shadow.
  • June 19 - "The Journey Never Ends" - Family Arashikage hosts a final remembrance ceremony for Thomas Arashikage, the original Young Master, on the 49th day after his death. During the quiet remembrances, strange things happen, and even stranger are revealed.
  • June 20 - "A Brave Man" - After the memorial for Tommy Arashikage went strange, the new 'young master' collapsed. And then woke not alone.

Jun 20 - Kamakura[]

I've examined Kamakura, and he is free of the strange mind control he was under. As of last night, he no longer displays the symptoms of mind control that he had been displaying. While he is amenable to arrest and detention, I'm going to recommend that his legal punishments be waived as he was not in control of his mind or actions during the worst of his episodes.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Jun 22 - Tomas Arishikage[]

Tomas Arishikage is our guest in the Infirmary. He has a severe infection and is running a high fever. My plan is to bolster his immune system, keep him hydrated, and flush him out with strong IV antibiotics.

I took a dermal sample of DNA from Tomas for extensive testing, which should return conclusive results shortly. Additionally, I am evaluating him for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, as he is exhibiting signs of the physical wear associated with mental trauma. If you visit him, please keep in mind that he's not well, and is having to deal with the duality of carrying two sets of memories. Be kind and don't stress him, thank you.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

Jun 23 - Tomas DNA Lab Analysis[]

With the better sample, more conclusive DNA testing was able to be done. The DNA collected from Tomas is a 100% match to Thomas Arishikage, which is to say they are genetically identical human beings. Analysis of the telomeres revealed they are long, which is never the case with synthoid replicas, and is a hallmark of the cloning process.

No one is to disclose this information in any way to Tomas, as he is currently in a fragile state of mind, and I don't want to cause irreparable damage by dropping this bombshell on him too soon. This information is to remain confidential, to our personnel alone.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Jul 09 - Intel Drop[]

Alex (Interrogator) called me yesterday with some interesting information. Again, take this from whence it comes. I make no claims as to the accuracy of his information; however, historically speaking, he has been a reliable source. What follows is a transcript of the call.


From the telephone, Interrogator says "Cobra Commander is back."
Lifeline says, "What?!" into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator says "Inquisitor dropped me off on her way to Cobra Island."
Lifeline says, "Wait, wait, back up. Did you say Cobra Commander is... back??" into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator says "Yes. I don't know where he was, but he was quiet for a long time. Now he's back. He says he wants to help me. A lot happened at the end of and after the Thorlabs Mission."
Lifeline says, "/He/ is saying that he wants to help... you? Or Ascension Wing in general?" into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator says "Me, personally."
Lifeline says, "Go on..." into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator says "No yelling, no temper tantrum."
Lifeline says, "How do you know for sure it was him, and not just... Zartan, or someone else?" into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator says "Trust, but Verify. I do intend to do so. The way he spoke though, it backed up what he told me earlier this year at the Silent Castle when he dropped in to see Veri and I. You don't think Destro's Son would mind she took a few pairs of his socks, do you?"
Lifeline says, "I would think that he would be too rich to even notice a missing pair of socks." into the phone.
Lifeline says, "But how does he want to help you?" into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator says "he wants me to write him a Report about my concerns so he can address them and how he can help me."
Lifeline says, "How is all of this making you feel?" into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator sarcastically, "Like I'd trade Veri to Megatron if I even had the slightest stirring of an idle thought that it would make him think of me for the a millionth of a second.""
Lifeline says, "He always has an agenda. He's probably moving the chess pieces again. Just be careful you don't wind up on the chessboard if you don't want to be." into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator says "It felt right, you know?"
From the telephone, Interrogator says "I have to go Lifeline, my Love is awake. Tell Tomas for me."
Lifeline says, "Okay, I will pass it on." into the phone.
From the telephone, Interrogator says "Bye"
From the telephone, there is a click as the phone on the far end is hung up.
Lifeline hangs up the phone.


Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Jul 08 - Tomas Arishikage - Update[]

Tomas has been discharged at 2240 hours local time. Discharge approved by General Hawk.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Jul 28 - Returned To Duty[]

I have returned from my trip, and I'm back in the Pit. Should anyone require my services, feel free to call either over comms or on my phone. If I don't answer, I might be asleep... I was in Japan, so I'm still trying to work out my sleep cycles.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

Jul 12 - Leave of Absence[]

I will be taking a trip out of the country, and in my absence, Dr. Frankel (a/k/a Sgt Sideswipe) will be in charge of the Infirmary. Thank you for your understanding in this matter, and I will return as soon as possible.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


Jul 30 - IC Memorandum: DNA Research[]

To: All Staff
Classified to Joes only
Tagged: Science, Medical

Continuing my research on Tomas Arashikage's DNA sample, I've made another unexpected discovery. Clones typically have short to average telomeres, however, his are quite long, unusually so. When I studied his DNA beside that of several samples from random Joes, there was a similarity I hadn't counted on: the lengthy telomeres.

So long as he takes the same supplemental regimen that we have been taking for some years, he, like Cobra and like our own team, will live a very long, extended life. Normally I wouldn't conclude that for a clone, as their cells typically have some unavoidable imperfections, but Tomas' DNA shows an atypical vigor and this leads me to believe that his development on a cellular level may have included the youth formula.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


August 25 - Personal Response to Doc[]

From: Lifeline < Lifeline@gijoe.mil >
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2023 11:21 AM
To: Doc < doc@gijoe.mil >
Subject: Hi!!

(Sent through encrypted email, but it's clearly not 'official' in any capacity.)


Hi!! Long time no talk, how are you doing? I miss being able to have breakfast and catch up with you. Maybe we can do that soon? A Waffle House has opened up in Escalante.


Concealer has had some EMT training from me and she has also passed the basic skills test. She has fashioned one of the olds into a rescue vehicle. She has a very keen mind for tinkering. She also managed to completely overhaul my 96 Buick Skylark, and it runs better than ever now.


I didn't realize I was overdue for the annual exam. Will double-check that list and see if there's any others who require it.


Some personal news: I'm officially dating someone new and special. We've been together for about a month, maybe a little longer. I take a flight out on Friday to be with them and then return Sunday. I think this could be 'the one' this time.


What else is on your mind? Call or write me, let's plan on catching up soon!


-- Ed


Sep 06 - Medical Report: Selena Greathawk[]

Selena Greathawk was evacuated from Japan in critical condition following an encounter with a Cobra agent on Tuesday. She had significant crushing injuries to her chest, numerous contusions over her entire body including both eyes, and a grazing shot to her left femur. I took her into surgery at 0700 hours to check for internal bleeding as well as perform bullet and shrapnel removal. Surgery completed successfully at 1015 hours; no complications. Patient is currently resting in serious condition. She is expected to make a full recovery.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline


  • September 12 - "Delivering Pocky" - Lifeline brings Scarlett a present, she tells him some news.
  • September 12 - "Chance To Do More Good" - General Hawk comes to the Arashikage Dojo in San Francisco to ask questions of an old ally.
  • September 17 - "A Gala-nt Affair" - A hand inked invitation was sent to General Hawk and 'guests' to join one Mr. Arashikage at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco on Sunday September 17 for a Black-Tie affair as the Museum opens a new series of Exhibits to invite-only guests. 'Art and Culture of the Samurai: 800 years of Evolution'. Meanwhile in Cobra, the Twins may be up to something in San Francisco and have put out an ask for covert operatives with -manners- to go to this event and report back on what is on display as they were -not- able to get a preliminary view.
  • September 23 - "Freakin Ninjas" - After spending a quiet Friday evening at the Hill House, both Edwin and Tomas end up at the Pit. For different reasons. Ceiling cat arrives.
  • September 24 - "Trust Your Teammates" - Training room antics and a long talk with Limelight, Tomas is trying to find his groove again with the Joes.
  • September 27 - "No Mood For Talking" - There's an incident in the Joe training room that leads to Lifeline being rushed to medical.
  • September 27 - "Aunty Shana!" - Concealer and Scarlett plan an undercover mission, but something happens to distract them.

Sep 28 - IC Report: The Stephens Incident[]

(OOC: The following is a text-only report.)

Yesterday evening at approximately 2000 hours, I was in the training room on the bench press machine, with greenshirt Michael Stephens spotting me like he had many times before. On this particular evening he seemed different, however, and without warning, he stopped spotting me in mid-lift, and the bar ended up falling and landing on my neck. Stephens continued to act erratic and wild, without apparent cause. It took the cooperation of several Joes to finally detain him. The details of the capture of Stephens are a little sketchy on my end, as I was brought to the infirmary. But suffice it to say, he was successfully captured and detained in a team effort.

My own condition is stable. I sustained an injury to my larynx that prevents me from speaking, but it's a temporary condition caused by inflammation, and I'm expected to make a full recovery. As for Stephens, his condition is still currently being evaluated. He's been placed into a medically induced coma until we can determine if his extreme personality switch was organic in nature, or if it had a more nefarious cause. Personal note: I've known Michael Stephens for 2 years, and he's been my spotter for most of that time. He's never given me any indication that he was capable of the reckless behaviors he exhibited last night.

Dr. Edwin C. Steen
Lifeline

---

2024[]

GreatHawk

Greakhawk

January 28 - Mission Request[]


Mission Request from: Dr. Edwin C. Steen to Command. I want to drop back into the African zombie hot zone and get a biosample from one of the afflicted. I think it's important to distinguish if this zombie strain is identical or different to the breakout of 2018, and for that I will need to confront one directly. Low-Light and Kamakura have offered their assistance as well. Would need a Tomahawk drop in as well as an ATV for ground transport.

  • February 10 - "Surreal Sparring" - A night in the training room causes more questions than answers when Greathawk and Lifeline have a friendly spar.
  • January 29 - "Complex Maneuvers In The Dark" - A covert mission gone south, Scarlett has to only hold out until the calvary arrives. With the calvary comes complications and coveted information on the PMC that assaulted one of the Joe's bases, killing several of their members.
  • February 27 - "Problematic Intrusive Thoughts" - Dr. Steen sets up a counseling appointment for Selena as part of her therapy after her capture by Cobra.
  • February 27 - "Appalling Choices" - Tomas and Edwin have an evening chat that dissolves into the exposure of potentially dangerous knowledge.
  • March 1 - "Not The Heartbreak Expected" - Stress alone can kill. Edwin's stress levels are at a dangerous point, causing a medical emergency.

External Links[]

This page uses content from Joepedia - The G.I. Joe Wiki. The original article was at Lifeline.


The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Transformers Universe MUX, the text of Joepedia - The G.I. Joe Wiki is available under the Creative Commons Licensed.

Players[]

There's only ever been one player of Lifeline, and that person is Doomflower, since the year the MUX opened in 1997.

Gallery[]

Shattered Glass[]

In the Shattered Glass universe, Ed is Deadline, a sociopathic, sadistic junkie.

Advertisement