Trouble Comes

Posted on Fri Dec 1st, 2023 @ 8:38am by Lieutenant Commander Lochlan Noir [GM] & Cenva Zanzi & Kevin Hatch [Zanzi]
Edited on on Fri Jul 5th, 2024 @ 4:11pm

1,169 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Interdimensional Archives
Location: Starbase 616, Stasis Chambers, Medical Center
Timeline: After "Prolonged Stress"

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A day or two of more peace and quiet, though still the Righteous being locked down Lochlan mused that the crew were growing bored.

Lochlan decided to hold off on more awakenings, at least for another day, he stood at the command post situation table. The exploration of the station had been small, the crew had investigated most of the spacedock, medical, diplomatic facilities that had visitor accommodations amongst them and he thought they should investigate the civilian residences, Commercial and Entertainment facilities in the Terrestrial Biome above the spacedock.

Sensors, confirmed by the Righteous, couldn't quite get clear readings inside of the Terrestrial Biome. Lochlan turned to look for both Dae and Bran.

"But why a fish?" Talrian asked as he entered with Dae. The Terran was explaining the punishment of 'fish slapping' as espoused by his grandmother. Talrian found the entire concept both fascinating and extremely odd.

"Well, you know grandmothers, right?" Dae said.

"No," Bran said. "Both my hosts came from similiar environments where they were bred to be hosts for the symbionts. As such they did not have much contact outside their immediate families. How are 'grandmothers'?"

Dae caught the odd phrasing of the other man, but looked around. "Where's your sergeant? Isn't he usually tagging along with you all the time?"

Talrian sighed. "I gave him something else to do. With comms being down he's been getting..." Talrian tried to think of a kind way to explain Corvus's behavior.

"Tapdancing all over your last nerve?" Dae asked.

Talrian gave the other man a glare. "Yes," Talrian then reluctantly admitted. "Though I did promise him we'd contact his family as soon as we could."

"Commander," Dae said, as they finished their conversation and finally acknowledged Lochlan's presence.

"Gentlemen, I was checking out the access I could get with the computer and I believe we can enter the biome, above the spacedock. I'm going to assemble a team, I'd like both of you on it. We head out in 2 hours." Lock said with a smile.

"Both of us?" Dae asked, glancing at the Trill man. "But he's not..." He wasn't sure how to finish the thought. The man was missing for the last three years, presumed dead. So far they haven't been able to contact Starfleet to even double check his records, much less reactivate him to active duty.

"I assure you, Dae, I'm up to speed on how to operate security, as is my sergeant. We're well armed and capable, you definitely want me there."

Dae sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, probably. Alright, Commander, we'll be there in two hours. But if big, tall and dethawed here isn't qualified on fish slapping, that's on you."

Lochlan eyed Dae and even leaned closer with one eyebrow that raised. "You are very weird Master Warrant Officer." He said and then turned to go find those he wanted on the team. With the withdrawal of most of the exploring and that they stopped waking those in Stasis, majority of the crew were back on board the Righteous.

He knew some of his crew had taken the secured nearby quarters that were near the Docking Terminal as they were part of the Exploration team. Dubbed fondly 'E-team' by several at the command post.

Unless something dangerous happened they'd stay out there and keep investigating the rooms that the command codes Lochlan had given E-team could access and report back every shift end, either by comms or runner. Nothing worth the senior officers attention so far.

The lack of bodies was most disconcerting, though there had been signs of daily life in a few locations but it looked like they had a major mystery on their hands. It warred with the instinct he had for them all to flee the station as soon as possible but their ship, amongst others, remained locked down.

Lochlan went in search of those he wanted on the team.

"He's right," Talrian said as he watched the commander walking away. "You are pretty weird."

Dae glanced at the dethawed officer for a moment before shrugging. "I'm a warrant officer," he finally said, as if that meant everything.

---

Docking Bay

Side by side, Cenva and Kevin headed to the docking bay to begin the inventory analysis of the various ships and shuttles parked within the the station. It would be an easy enough task. The bay had been nearly barron when they arrived. Thinking back on it, Cenva could count about 4 shuttles that she had seen, though she had been more interested in finding a computer access station at the time; so maybe there were a few more.

Kevin looked at Cenva when the lift doors opened and it looked like a junk yard of stacked vessels as far as the eye could see. "That would lend some credence to the interdimensional theory," Kevin said, realizing he had been in frozen animation for more than a few days.

Cenva locked her jaw and met Kevin's gaze with side-eyed discontent. "Which one should we take?"

"Take?"

"Perfect opportunity to get out of here." She opened her arms to the selection before them.

"We don't even know where here is."

"Does it matter?" Cenva asked and nearly skipped to the nearest craft. She ran her hand over the smooth hull with gentle intimacy. "I'll go figure out the airlock controls. You ready the shuttle."

"And then what?"

"Don't worry about that. I can figure that out once we're free."

"We're already free," Kevin objected.

"Are we?" Her voice was laced with skepticism. "I didn't hear any terms of contract or offers of payment for our services. You know what I call that?"

Kevin shook his head at her, not because he didn't know the answer to her question, but because he did not approve of her analysis of the situation. They'd discussed the nuances of slavery versus the service of Starfleet many times in the last three months since he had rescued (Kevin's term) or displaced (Cenva's term) Cenva from The One Temptation. "We're not slaves."

She forced a smile, "Right... I guess we should get to work."

"Noir to Hatch and Zanzi, we are about to investigate the Biome area of the starbase, would you like to join us?" Lochlan's voice came through their newly issued combadges.

"Cheese and crackers," Zanzi had jumped at the disembodied voice while Hatch tapped his badge in reply.

"We would love to," Kevin answered for the both of them. "We will be right there."

"Thank you, see you soon, Noir out." Lock replied and the channel closed.

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