Star Trek; Shuffle The Deck #40 part 3
Star Trek;
Shuffle the Deck
BALBOA-Deep Space Nine-Federation; Earth-The Essians
#40 part three
The Federation compound on Septos-14 was probably the only place in the galaxy where Klingons, Romulans, a Gorn, a Cardassian, a Benzite, a Bajoran and several other galactic species were gathered together, sitting at various picnic benches, discussing treasure maps and strategies of how to find a buried treasure. All kinds of food items were scattered about the tables as well, along with drinks.
Some might say it was foolish, to spend such time discussing such things. But since Warp Speed had pretty much cut them off from the rest of there universe, there was very little else to do than throw away old political wars and bigotry. Isolation, with everyone with you, was pretty good about doing such a thing.
Bynak sat at the head table, along with S’ovak, he with his soon to be former wife Rehyes’valah, and her hired Klingon team of K’amort, T’var and K’atalpa. Also sitting at the table were Commander Everett West, chief engineer, and Thron, the Balboa’s Gorn communication’s officer.
“So,” S’ovak said to Bynak, “how does a Cardassian end up in Starfleet? I would have thought that after the Cardassians betrayed the entire Alpha Quadrant during the Dominion War, they’d be unwanted, perhaps even executed, where ever they went.”
K’amort, who was devouring a large raw turkey leg, laughed. “Had the Cardassian come to the Klingon Empire and asked to join, he would have been served as Targ food, I can guarantee that!”
“And then,” Bynak said to both S’ovak and K’amort, “you wouldn’t have gotten all of the tactical information about the Romulan forces, and all those covert Klingon deployments I know of, and the additional information I have on the Gorn Empire, the Tholians and the Breen. I’ve actually been to the Breen home world; have you?”
S’ovak and K’amort had no answer, but S’ovak’s wife, Reyhes’valah, did.
“My husband, S’ovak, has no idea of the value of tactical information,” Reyhes said, “he may be in the Romulan military, the commander of his own ship, but that was all arranged by the men in power who is father knew. He wouldn’t know a tactical advantage if it came up and sat next to him.”
“That is not true,” Sub-commander Voral, S’ovak’s 1st officer, and very attractive young female Romulan said, as she sat down next to S’ovak.
“Is this one of your pets?” Reyhes asked S’ovak, squarely.
“No,” S’ovak said with a smug look, “just a tactical advantage.”
Thron, with his deep voice, cut in. “When will Captain Duell return?”
Bynak had told them all the truth as to what had happened. How Captain Duell had vanished after boarding the Sheppard, which they had found buried in a cave. Luckily, being just simple treasure hunters, none of it really mattered much to them.
S’ovak cut in before Bynak could respond.
“I say the ship you found is mine,” S’ovak said. “It’s definitely the same one I found years ago, so by all rights its mine.”
Commander Everett West laughed, “You thought it was a Hurq vessel,” he said with his usual Texan swagger. “That alone makes you buck with no balls.”
“What did you say Commander Everett West?” S’ovak replied, “There are times your choices of words do not make sense to me.”
“No matter,” Bynak said, “Captain Duell asked me to post guards with the Sheppard until her return, so I have. So with little else to do, we’ll go back out there tomorrow and look for the treasure.”
K’talpa, part of Reyhes’s Klingon crew, directed his words to S’ovak. “Since it wasn’t the Hurq vessel after all, do you still think the treasure is somewhere in those mountains?”
“I do,” S’ovak said. “The map is genuine. If my grandfather believed it to be here, then it is.”
West looked to Thron, “It’s a good thing we have Mr. Thron here scanning each and every one of the treasure teams to make sure no one is hiding the fact they might have found the treasure already,” West said, “they might find themselves with several broken bones in their body if they try to sneak something past him.”
Suddenly, walking up to the main table was Captain Duell.
All of the other groups at the various tables, excited to see Capt Duell return, all gathered around where she stood.
“So,” Elame, the Bajoran navigator on the Balboa said, excitedly, “where did you go Captain? The Celestial Temple?”
They all listened carefully.
“Not exactly; I have just returned,” Capt Duell said, “from Starfleet command, on Earth.”
They all cheered. Bynak ordered them all to calm down.
“The bad news is,” Capt Duell continued, “the Wave’s affects are still felt through out the galaxy, and there is no time table other than the seven years we were told, as to when it will end. The good news is that they are researching modes of travel, such as the one I used, to supplement warp travel until it can return. However, the Sheppard’s experimental nature precludes any high volume use of it as a stable from of travel.”
“So what do we do now?” Doctor Kip’fk, the female Benzite doctor asked.
“Well, for one,” Capt Duell responded, “we just go on as you were. Continue to search for the treasure, since it’s about the only thing of value to do. But two of you are coming with me on a special mission through the Sheppard.”
“A mission,” Commander West asked, “What kind of mission.”
“Its hard to answer that right now, since I am just winging it,” Captain Duell, “but we will return, we won’t be gone for long. But I need to speak to Bynak, and Ensign Rose,” Capt Duell said as he saw the young Ensign, who was holding her daughter, in the crowd.
The gathered crowd rejoined their festive talk about treasure at their various tables, while they ate and drank the food that was still left.
Bynak and Ensign Rose, holding her baby girl, came over to where Capt Duell waited.
“So, what kind of mission is this?” Bynak asked.
“And you said only two of us could join you,” Ensign Rose said to Capt Duell, “but there are four of us here.” She said as she looked down at the child in her arms.
Captain Duell smiled at seeing the little baby, and then answered Ensign Rose. “I believe the other Bynak, the one from the future who tried to take your child, was trying to, in his demented stay, to save her. Commander Bynak, myself, and,” Capt Duell paused, “little Elaine here are meant, and I truly believe this, to embark on this mission for Starfleet. This decision is totally up to you as to whether you will let me take Elaine with us,” Duell said to Ensign Rose, “but Starfleet believes another wave will sweep through the galaxy again and this time all life dies.
At least, if she’s with us, far from the wave, she can possibly live. I believe that the future Bynak’s mission failed, and he was trying to save Elaine before the wave returned. I know it sounds crazy, but I think this is how it is meant to be.”
Elaine handed Captain Duell her child. “If that second Wave comes back,” Ensign Rose said as tears came from her eyes, “and kills us all on this planet, then I want Elaine to go with you; save her. Perhaps the higher existence that he spoke of was just that. All I want is for my baby to be safe.”
Captain Duell took the baby, who was soundly sleeping.
“But please,” Ensign Rose said, “bring my baby home.”
Captain Duell nodded, “I will,” Captain Duell said, “I swear.” Then she looked to Bynak. “Okay, Commander Bynak, let’s head back to the Sheppard.”
Everett West came over to them as they headed out of the compound. “How long will you all be gone?”
Captain Duell shook her head, “I don’t know, Everett. But you’ve got the command of the Balboa now. Keep rotating the skeleton crews aboard her, so as to cut down on the use of power. Keep an eye on our Romulan/Klingon guests, and,” Captain Duell added with a smile, “oh, and find that treasure before they!”
“Oh, I will,” Everett said as he stuck a cigar in his mouth and lit it, “I guarantee ma’am.”
Commander West nodded and then turned around, and headed back to the compound.
--
Nearly twenty minutes later, Captain Duell, holding Elaine in her arms, and Bynak arrived at the Sheppard, via one of the shuttle pods. The pilot left them at the other entrance to the cave had been found while Capt Duell was on Earth. Bynak showed her the way through the cave and they soon found two security officers standing at the Sheppard.
After boarding the vessel, Captain Duell strapped the still sleeping baby into one of the seats, as Bynak prepared his own seat. Capt Duell, satisfied that Elaine was snug in the seat with the oversized helmet over her small head, took her own seat. Once they were all prepared, she did as she was instructed by Scotty back on Earth, right before she had returned to Septos-14.
The engineers on Earth had set up a remote device inside her seat to activate the Cosmic-string Drive at the rear of the Sheppard. Once the cosmic-drive was stable, all three passengers vanished. Their next stop; no one knew.
--
Meanwhile, back on Earth, at the Kosinski lab, located in the old Silicone Valley of Earth. Janice Kosinski, Commander Reginald Barclay, Captain Leforge and Montgomery Scott, who were all in the main observation platform looking down at the Sheppard, were all amazed when the experimental ship simply vanished.
“Umm,” Barclay said, “was that supposed to happen?”
Scotty shook his head, “I don’t have a clue.”
--continued with
Star Trek; Shuffle the Deck
The Essians
