Star Trek Hunter
Episode 19:
The Ivonovic Commission
Scene 7:
Retreat
“This is not a discussion, Dolphin. I am not risking this crew any further on this mission. We’re going home.” Dr. Tali Shae was seated at the captain’s desk.
Justice Minerva Irons had been restricted to her quarters, having suffered a stroke. Not that she was going anywhere - she was unconscious.
“I am not challenging you, Doctor,” Dolphin replied. “I just want to talk through every angle of this so that I can keep the crew together on this.”
“You’re going to have to do that on your own. You’re first officer now. Recruit an acting Operations Chief – I can’t have you doing both jobs.”
“I’m just worried about the potential for the romulans or the klingons to get their hands on Mlady,” Dolphin replied.
“What, do you think I don’t care about her?!” Tali Shae slapped her palms on the desk. Her antenna bristled, vibrating like harp strings. “I don’t know how long I can survive without her! The supplements will work for maybe a month, maybe three, but sooner or later without her, my blood will become too thick to circulate. You may find yourself on the other side of this desk much sooner than you wanted!” Tali Shae leaned back in the chair, took four deep breaths, deliberately calming herself.
Dolphin walked over to the replicator. “Andorian springpop.” He retrieved the newly formed cup and its beverage and brought it to Tali. The beverage inside the cup hissed and sent up occasional geysers of fizzy, bluish liquid. “How’s Minerva?”
Tali took a long, slow, appreciative drink of the crackling fluid. “Conscious – barely - and for very short periods. I have Dr. Kim watching her. Dr. Raj is on watch when she sleeps. We’re keeping her generally sedated to speed healing. She doesn’t seem to have lost any function, but it’s too soon to be certain.” Tali Shae rolled her head, her antennae almost comically rotating the opposite direction. “Look, Dolphin, I know we’ve never really gotten along and we’ll probably never be friends. But Minerva trusts you and I’m going to have to do the same. Neither of us is Pep, but you’re much better with the crew than I am. I’m really beaten down right now. My lover is missing and my best friend just suffered a stroke. I’m pretty sure we got to her in time. But… just, handle things for me, will you, please?”
“Aye, Commander,” Dolphin said. “Get some rest, Tali. This whole thing has put you through the wringer and I’d prefer the crew not see you looking like, well, like death warmed over. I’ll get us home. You get some sleep.”
Lt. Cmdr. Kenneth Dolphin walked out onto the bridge. Lt. Tauk was slumped in the captain’s chair, a grimace of pain on his face. He quickly straightened and stretched slightly while he composed his features into a more neutral expression.
“Thyssi,” said Dolphin, “please report to the bridge and take the helm.”
“Aye sir,” came the andorian pilot’s voice over the comm system. 2nd Lt. Gaia Gamor, currently at the pilot station, turned to give Dolphin a questioning look.
“Take the con when Thyssi gets here, Gaia.” Dolphin stepped over to Gamor, hesitated a moment, then put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. He turned to look at the ferengi in the captain’s chair and smiled. “I should be used to it by now, but I still get a kick out of seeing a ferengi in command of a federation starship.”
Tauk managed a slight grin in return.
“Walk with me, Lieutenant.”
Lt. Tauk got up out of the captain’s chair as Flight Specialist Thyssi zh’Qaoleq arrived on the bridge and took the pilot’s seat. Tauk stepped aside as Gamor took the captain’s chair.
“Gaia, make your course -90 degrees z, warp factor 13,” Dolphin said. “Put us right above that gamma wave, then make your course directly for Bajor. Warp 13. We are going to Cun Ling, but we won’t adjust course until we cross the Neutral Zone unless we have to. Notify me the second you see the slightest ghost on the sensors, okay?”
“We’re retreating, sir?” asked Gamor as she sat down.
“We’re beaten, Gaia. We need supplies, fuel, weapons. Our entire executive staff is either incapacitated or missing. We will be back. I’m not leaving Pep and Mlady out here. But with Saketh space crawling with warbirds, we need to wait for things to cool off. And it seems half the Romulan Imperial Navy is sitting on the klingons’ doorstep, so surfing a gamma wave toward Bajor seems a good way to avoid them for now. Just get us home.”
“Aye sir,” Gamor replied. “Thyssi, make your course -90 degrees on our z axis and engage in recursive warp mode at factor 13.”
Dolphin put his hand on Tauk’s back as they walked out the rear exit from the bridge onto deck 8. He could feel the uneven pattern of the little ferengi’s breathing – all the muscles in his back flexing with the effort to take in enough air. Tauk had always seemed small, but his uniform was now hanging from his shoulders. His face had a gaunt, drawn look and it seemed as if he had aged two decades in little over a year. Dolphin resisted a strong urge to withdraw his hand. Part of Pep’s charm was in his touch – his ability to make people feel comfortable, wanted, protected, safe – so much of that came from those big, strong, warm hands.
“Tauk, I hate to do this to you. But since the day I set foot on this boat, you have been the one person I could always count on. You’re the most reliable officer on this ship…” Dolphin felt the emaciated ferengi straighten a little. He squeezed Tauk’s shoulder very gently before dropping his hand to his side and wondered how Pep always managed to get that right. Or if it was even possible in this case. Tauk was just skin and bone.
Dolphin took a deep breath. “Tali is in command for now, until the captain recovers. Once Minerva is up and about and able to take command again, Tali intends to step down as first officer. Until we get Pep and Mlady back, I need a 2nd officer. I need you to do this. Do you think you’re up to it?”
Tauk turned toward Dolphin. “Of course I’ll do it, Kenny. It will take my mind off of… well… dying.”
“I can tell you’re in a lot of pain…”
“I need to give my mind something new to do. There isn’t much work in ground ops for now and I’ve been grooming T’Lon to take over. She’s ready.”
Dolphin ushered Tauk onto the port lift. “Main engineering,” he said, then returned his attention to Tauk.
“We’ll start with Engineering then end in Medical,” Dolphin said. “I’ll need you to turn over your pod in the director’s lounge to T’Lon. You’ll take Mlady’s cabin for now. Tali is staying with Minerva. Hunter…”
The ship’s interactive holographic avatar appeared next to Tauk and Dolphin in the lift.
“Lieutenant Commander,” the pudgy, elderly-looking avatar replied.
“As much as possible, I want you to remain manifest and be seen at Tauk’s side. When he gets tired, do something to help or to distract people so he can get a break.”
“From electronic butler to electronic nanny,” Hunter quipped.
Dolphin smiled, put his hand on Hunter’s holographic shoulder, made an amused noise. “Something like that. You miss Sarekson, don’t you?”
Hunter reacted with some surprise. “You’re better at this than you think you are, Kenny,” he said. “You’re going to do just fine.”
