A little belated, but here's the next installment of our story.
Cold Station 47
Somewhere in the Sanctuary Fold
Kalen trailed after his superior, her red hair glinting in the light filtering through the windows on the corridor as the electrical storm continued outside. A bolt of lightning connected with the ground somewhere within the stations perimeter and a sizeable boom rumbled through its superstructure.
Without the shields that usually protected the station, the station would became a massive lightning rod. He was just thankful that the station was well insulated and that he wouldn't be electrocuted.
He was more worried about what had transpired in the laboratory.
"Lieutenant," he said as he approached her, quietly so that Ensign Kelly wouldn't overhear the discussion. "You and I both know that your personnel file doesn't indicate that you're prone to such outbursts of anger ..."
Kidder nodded.
"I know," she said. "Got you all fooled didn't it?"
Kalen nodded, not knowing whether to take the response seriously or whether he ought to be more worried about the mental state of his First Officer. Was she collapsing under the strain of the mission, over the guilt of loosing one of her charges within minutes of landing on an alien planet.
"I was sick and tired of her knowing the truth and trying to avoid telling us what it was," explained Kidder. "I knew the only way she would come clean would be to conduct myself like ... that ..."
Kalen nodded, still unsure.
"So it was just an act?"
"Look, Ensign. You don't need to worry your pretty little face about it, it was a ploy and it worked. Case closed. We don't need to discuss it anymore and this little chat was not an overture of friendship. Understood?" said Kidder, pushing her way into what appeared to be the stations heavily damaged control room.
Kalen stood in the door, taking his time, giving Kidder her distance. Kelly followed the XO into the room and Kalen trailed Kelly. The room wasn't much bigger than the Bridge of the Annapurna, rectangular in shape with consoles running down two walls, a holographic 'pool table' console (as many starships had in engineering) in the centre of the room with a window facing out the opposite side of the station to the barricaded laboratory.
"Kelly, keep guard. Kalen, you help me with this shopping list," said Kidder as she began to tear open panels and smash monitors to retrieve components that they could use to make the equipment that Indeskar needed.
The pile of components quickly grew, it would take all of them to haul back the equipment they'd retrieved and that was without having to go out and get the tissue sample. As the components were collected, Kidder had a brainwave and quickly began tearing out more components from the systems and adding them onto the pile.
"What's all that for?" questioned Kalen, "It's not on the list."
Kidder nodded.
"You'll see," said the First Officer before heaving a power transformer from the open wall panel. Summoning Kelly back into the room, they divvied up the bits and pieces into three manageable piles and slowly they began to make their way back to the barricaded laboratory.
They were lucky that they hadn't encountered any of the scientists on the way back to the laboratory, they wouldn't have been able to adequately defend themselves carrying all of the equipment.
But as the trio stepped back into the laboratory, Kidder pushed that into the back of her mind. Indeskar had been quietly talking with Lang and Samuel Tolliver with Santoro keeping a watch near the barricaded door when the trio returned.
"No sign of the scientists," reported Santoro. "It's much to quiet for my liking, Lieutenant."
Kidder took in the report.
"Indeskar, I got you the hardware, we've not managed to get the tissue sample yet," said Kidder dumping the components she was carrying onto the table, Kalen and Kelly dumped their components onto the same table.
As Kidder began sorting the components into two piles, Indeskar trailed over to her and cast an eye across the pieces of equipment that she knew she hadn't asked for.
"What is all that other equipment for?" asked Indeskar, staring at the other pieces of circuitry that Kidder and Kelly had managed to scavenge from the command centre and the laboratories.
Kidder smiled. Some people didn't know that she had been the Chief Engineer of an Intrepid Class starship up until one week ago. She had plans for that equipment and prayed that her plans worked out.
USS Annapurna NCC 70000
Geo-stationary orbit above Cold Station 47
The Antiem arrived on schedule, the blocky transport vessel assumed orbit next to the Annapurna and dwarfed the Hillary Class patrol vessel. Antiem had no shuttles so couldn't provide back-up to the teams already on the surface, which meant that both vessels were playing the waiting game until Lieutenant Kidder or another member of the landing party made contact with the Annapurna.
Antiem had converted her cabins, those that weren't in use, to function as medical facilities. Antiem, despite having a small crew, was equipped like most vessels with an EMH and, as luck would have it, had also been carrying a civilian Doctor between colonies and he was prepared to help.
Lt Commander Jocelyn Lagaia, her ancestry derived from Korean, Maori and Dutch which gave the Antiem's commander a wonderfully exotic and attractive physique, considered Darcy as he sat across the dining table in the Annapurna's mess from her.
Lagaia was eating a portion of soused herring which, she explained, had been her fathers favourite food. Deciding to avoid the rich food of his Lebanese mother, Darcy instead had ordered a simple bowl of miso soup and a variety of meat and vegetable gyoza with a small bowl of tare sauce for dipping.
This meal wasn't the first time that the two commanders had dined together, since the Antiem and the Annapurna often rendezouvsed either for crew rotation or events such as the one presently occuring, their dinners were a regular occurance and Darcy, if he were pressed to admit it, would admit that he had more than just platonic interest in Lagaia.
If only he could get over the obstacle of admitting that to her. However, he was preoccupied with the current mission to consider any possible approach for that.
Elsewhere on the Annapurna, Chief Engineer Bilal Patanjali navigated the corridor from Main Engineering to the Bridge with a PADD in his hand bearing the latest details of his routine engine diagnostics which needed to be signed off by the officer presently in charge.
And that meant Lieutenant Orra, the ships Second Officer, and given the fact that Kidder was out of contact on the surface of the planet, the Acting First Officer too. When he arrived, Orra was sat in the command chair, Cadet Thomas was at the CONN and Ops was occupied by Ensign Rowan Tycho. Tycho was something of a general dogsbody on the ship, working in engineering and on the Bridge, often manning the transporter station and sometimes piloting shuttles.
Tycho nodded his head in greeting at Patanjali as he entered.
"I just need to get you to sign off on these, Orra," said Patanjali as he handed the PADD over to the Deltan. "And, whilst I'm here, I've managed to bag two tickets for a hockey game on Dayton IV when we're next on shoreleave if you wanted to join me ..."
Orra scanned the results of the diagnostic on the PADD before putting her thumb print on as signature, then she spoke:
"I've never been to a hockey match before," said Orra.
"I know," said Patanjali, "I remembered you saying when I got you to watch that game the other week ..."
"It would certainly be an interesting experience," continued Orra. "I would love to come with you, Billy. We can make a night of it and grab something to eat too!"
Orra and Patanjali exchanged a smile, but the moment was interrupted by Tycho looking up from his console, stunned, turning to face his two superior officers.
"Sirs? I've got what appears to be the signature of a transporter pattern enhancer coming loud and clear through the storm - the signal is degrading though ..."
Orra jumped out of the command chair and crossed to Ops where she leaned over the monitor.
"They're not our pattern enhancers, though," revealed the Deltan. "I'd recognise the pattern if they were. Can we lock onto whatevers in the enhancement envelope, Tycho?"
He worked his panel for a moment before nodding.
"Looks like it's possible," he announced, then, quickly, "the signal degradation is accelerating. If it continues at its present rate, we won't be able to lock onto the signal in more than thirty seconds ..."
Orra had a second to act.
"Energise, Tycho," she ordered. "But hold it in the pattern buffer and erect the containment field in the transporter room," she tapped her communicator, "Orra to Darcy, it's a long story but I'd like you to meet me in the transporter room ..."
"I'll be right there, Lieutenant," came the voice of Darcy over the comm and then the line severed.
"Billy, take the CONN," ordered Orra, putting a hand on his shoulder as a gesture of good luck.
Orra headed towards the door, her exit interrupted by Tycho.
"Sir? We've got the USS Shackleton entering the Fold, they'll be at our position within several hours ..."
It never rains, thought Orra, considering how the old proverb was appropriate in these circumstances.
Cold Station 47
Somewhere in the Sanctuary Fold
Kalen trailed after his superior, her red hair glinting in the light filtering through the windows on the corridor as the electrical storm continued outside. A bolt of lightning connected with the ground somewhere within the stations perimeter and a sizeable boom rumbled through its superstructure.
Without the shields that usually protected the station, the station would became a massive lightning rod. He was just thankful that the station was well insulated and that he wouldn't be electrocuted.
He was more worried about what had transpired in the laboratory.
"Lieutenant," he said as he approached her, quietly so that Ensign Kelly wouldn't overhear the discussion. "You and I both know that your personnel file doesn't indicate that you're prone to such outbursts of anger ..."
Kidder nodded.
"I know," she said. "Got you all fooled didn't it?"
Kalen nodded, not knowing whether to take the response seriously or whether he ought to be more worried about the mental state of his First Officer. Was she collapsing under the strain of the mission, over the guilt of loosing one of her charges within minutes of landing on an alien planet.
"I was sick and tired of her knowing the truth and trying to avoid telling us what it was," explained Kidder. "I knew the only way she would come clean would be to conduct myself like ... that ..."
Kalen nodded, still unsure.
"So it was just an act?"
"Look, Ensign. You don't need to worry your pretty little face about it, it was a ploy and it worked. Case closed. We don't need to discuss it anymore and this little chat was not an overture of friendship. Understood?" said Kidder, pushing her way into what appeared to be the stations heavily damaged control room.
Kalen stood in the door, taking his time, giving Kidder her distance. Kelly followed the XO into the room and Kalen trailed Kelly. The room wasn't much bigger than the Bridge of the Annapurna, rectangular in shape with consoles running down two walls, a holographic 'pool table' console (as many starships had in engineering) in the centre of the room with a window facing out the opposite side of the station to the barricaded laboratory.
"Kelly, keep guard. Kalen, you help me with this shopping list," said Kidder as she began to tear open panels and smash monitors to retrieve components that they could use to make the equipment that Indeskar needed.
The pile of components quickly grew, it would take all of them to haul back the equipment they'd retrieved and that was without having to go out and get the tissue sample. As the components were collected, Kidder had a brainwave and quickly began tearing out more components from the systems and adding them onto the pile.
"What's all that for?" questioned Kalen, "It's not on the list."
Kidder nodded.
"You'll see," said the First Officer before heaving a power transformer from the open wall panel. Summoning Kelly back into the room, they divvied up the bits and pieces into three manageable piles and slowly they began to make their way back to the barricaded laboratory.
They were lucky that they hadn't encountered any of the scientists on the way back to the laboratory, they wouldn't have been able to adequately defend themselves carrying all of the equipment.
But as the trio stepped back into the laboratory, Kidder pushed that into the back of her mind. Indeskar had been quietly talking with Lang and Samuel Tolliver with Santoro keeping a watch near the barricaded door when the trio returned.
"No sign of the scientists," reported Santoro. "It's much to quiet for my liking, Lieutenant."
Kidder took in the report.
"Indeskar, I got you the hardware, we've not managed to get the tissue sample yet," said Kidder dumping the components she was carrying onto the table, Kalen and Kelly dumped their components onto the same table.
As Kidder began sorting the components into two piles, Indeskar trailed over to her and cast an eye across the pieces of equipment that she knew she hadn't asked for.
"What is all that other equipment for?" asked Indeskar, staring at the other pieces of circuitry that Kidder and Kelly had managed to scavenge from the command centre and the laboratories.
Kidder smiled. Some people didn't know that she had been the Chief Engineer of an Intrepid Class starship up until one week ago. She had plans for that equipment and prayed that her plans worked out.
USS Annapurna NCC 70000
Geo-stationary orbit above Cold Station 47
The Antiem arrived on schedule, the blocky transport vessel assumed orbit next to the Annapurna and dwarfed the Hillary Class patrol vessel. Antiem had no shuttles so couldn't provide back-up to the teams already on the surface, which meant that both vessels were playing the waiting game until Lieutenant Kidder or another member of the landing party made contact with the Annapurna.
Antiem had converted her cabins, those that weren't in use, to function as medical facilities. Antiem, despite having a small crew, was equipped like most vessels with an EMH and, as luck would have it, had also been carrying a civilian Doctor between colonies and he was prepared to help.
Lt Commander Jocelyn Lagaia, her ancestry derived from Korean, Maori and Dutch which gave the Antiem's commander a wonderfully exotic and attractive physique, considered Darcy as he sat across the dining table in the Annapurna's mess from her.
Lagaia was eating a portion of soused herring which, she explained, had been her fathers favourite food. Deciding to avoid the rich food of his Lebanese mother, Darcy instead had ordered a simple bowl of miso soup and a variety of meat and vegetable gyoza with a small bowl of tare sauce for dipping.
This meal wasn't the first time that the two commanders had dined together, since the Antiem and the Annapurna often rendezouvsed either for crew rotation or events such as the one presently occuring, their dinners were a regular occurance and Darcy, if he were pressed to admit it, would admit that he had more than just platonic interest in Lagaia.
If only he could get over the obstacle of admitting that to her. However, he was preoccupied with the current mission to consider any possible approach for that.
Elsewhere on the Annapurna, Chief Engineer Bilal Patanjali navigated the corridor from Main Engineering to the Bridge with a PADD in his hand bearing the latest details of his routine engine diagnostics which needed to be signed off by the officer presently in charge.
And that meant Lieutenant Orra, the ships Second Officer, and given the fact that Kidder was out of contact on the surface of the planet, the Acting First Officer too. When he arrived, Orra was sat in the command chair, Cadet Thomas was at the CONN and Ops was occupied by Ensign Rowan Tycho. Tycho was something of a general dogsbody on the ship, working in engineering and on the Bridge, often manning the transporter station and sometimes piloting shuttles.
Tycho nodded his head in greeting at Patanjali as he entered.
"I just need to get you to sign off on these, Orra," said Patanjali as he handed the PADD over to the Deltan. "And, whilst I'm here, I've managed to bag two tickets for a hockey game on Dayton IV when we're next on shoreleave if you wanted to join me ..."
Orra scanned the results of the diagnostic on the PADD before putting her thumb print on as signature, then she spoke:
"I've never been to a hockey match before," said Orra.
"I know," said Patanjali, "I remembered you saying when I got you to watch that game the other week ..."
"It would certainly be an interesting experience," continued Orra. "I would love to come with you, Billy. We can make a night of it and grab something to eat too!"
Orra and Patanjali exchanged a smile, but the moment was interrupted by Tycho looking up from his console, stunned, turning to face his two superior officers.
"Sirs? I've got what appears to be the signature of a transporter pattern enhancer coming loud and clear through the storm - the signal is degrading though ..."
Orra jumped out of the command chair and crossed to Ops where she leaned over the monitor.
"They're not our pattern enhancers, though," revealed the Deltan. "I'd recognise the pattern if they were. Can we lock onto whatevers in the enhancement envelope, Tycho?"
He worked his panel for a moment before nodding.
"Looks like it's possible," he announced, then, quickly, "the signal degradation is accelerating. If it continues at its present rate, we won't be able to lock onto the signal in more than thirty seconds ..."
Orra had a second to act.
"Energise, Tycho," she ordered. "But hold it in the pattern buffer and erect the containment field in the transporter room," she tapped her communicator, "Orra to Darcy, it's a long story but I'd like you to meet me in the transporter room ..."
"I'll be right there, Lieutenant," came the voice of Darcy over the comm and then the line severed.
"Billy, take the CONN," ordered Orra, putting a hand on his shoulder as a gesture of good luck.
Orra headed towards the door, her exit interrupted by Tycho.
"Sir? We've got the USS Shackleton entering the Fold, they'll be at our position within several hours ..."
It never rains, thought Orra, considering how the old proverb was appropriate in these circumstances.
