"Sometimes Is It What You Do Not See That Is Important"
(Previous Post: "We have An Ocean, but Where's The Beach?")
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Stardate: 60298.1603
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
One minute Shuttle Bay 1 had been empty with the exception of the four Type 6 Personnel Shuttles that called that section of the ANUBIS home, the next the four small ships had vanished after having been transported to Shuttle Bay 2 so that there would be enough room for the Romulan Frigate that had been discovered on the surface of TOLAR IV.
Within a few seconds the room was filled with Marines and security officers before a containment field was brought up around the entire shuttle bay to insure that no one would get out. From having barely been able to see the ship while on the surface because of the unique properties of the surrounding snow combined with the natural camouflaging abilities of the cloaking device, the Shillian scientist could not see every section of the ship as well as those people in them.
"Lieutenant Maya," the Commanding Officer said, turning his chair to face the back of the bridge and the station where the scientist had been working at. "I want a complete scan of that ship. Relay all gathered data to Operations. Lieutenant Serenna," the Captain added, turning his chair back around to face the front of the bridge, "coordinate with the boarding teams and help them gain full advantage."
The Chief of Operations appeared more than happy to comply with the order given to her by the Captain, giving her the chance to take part in something that she had always displayed an affinity for. It took no time at all for the needed information to appear on the screen of the Operations Officer since the Chief Science Officer had already begun scanning the Romulan ship from every possible angle.
Even though the tactical search of the ship had not been her responsibility, the Shillian scientist felt compelled to assist in what ever way she could. It took the Chief Science Officer a few seconds to adjust her way of looking at the scans away from that of a scientific research, but still the Shillian managed to make herself useful, or so she believed. "Lieutenant Serenna, I'm picking up two extra Human life signs in the engineering section."
"All ready on it," the Chief of Operations said, her attention fully dedicated to her task. "They are not ours. Lieutenant Serenna to Lieutenant Seth, you have two hostiles possibly waiting to spring an ambush on your position. They are behind what appears to be a support column about 14 feet to your left. Initial scans show no active energy source in their possession so they may be waiting with grenades or close range weapons, proceed with caution."
=/\= Undestood, =/\= was the only reply given by the Chief of Security who judging by the way the members of the boarding team repositioned themselves had taken every possible precautions to avoid them falling prey to this threat.
With the situation well under control in engineering, not that the Shillian scientist had been in any position to help even if it had not been, the Chief Science Officer shifted her attention to the other end of the captured Romulan ship. Near the bridge the Shillian saw an individual displaying Vorta life signs being escorted by no less than four of their people leaving a single man alone in the command room. With only a single Enaran serving on the ANUBIS it had not been in any way difficult for the Shillian to identify who the lonesome officer had been.
Unlike the situation in engineering, Second Lieutenant Pravat had been surrounded by tranquility according to the repeated scans performed by the Chief Science Officer. Aside from the life signs of the Marine Commanding Officer there had been no other activity in that section of the ship which made the Chief Science Office breathed a quiet sign of relief. As much as she knew Pravat to be a man well capable of taking care of himself, the Shillian woman found some comfort in the fact that he had not faced any immediate danger.
As she continued to survey the alien ship, the Chief Science Officer noticed something peculiar: a small section of the Romulan ship that did not register on their sensors as if it had been pulled out like a piece of a puzzle or somehow shielded from being detected. After several failed attempts to penetrate this small area, the Shillian scientist decided to enlist the help of the Marine Second Lieutenant. "Lieutenant Maya to Lieutenant Pravat, please respond."
=/\= Maya? This is a pleasant surprise; I was not expecting you to call, what's up? =/\=
"I am not saying that you did not due your job with the efficiency and perfection that you normally demonstrate because that is not what I am saying, I mean there is no way that I could do half of the things that you and the other Marines are capable of doing. What am I saying half, I would be lucky to survive through the easiest quarter of the training you endured which is why I selected a more mental discipline as my main domain over something that entailed more physical requirements," the Shillian said in a single breath.
=/\= Whoa there! I'm pretty sure that you had another reason aside from discussing the type of training I endured in mind when you contacted me, =/\= the Enaran said, a hint of amusement present in his voice. The ability of the Shillian scientist to go off on a tangent for no other reason than to ramble on was something of a legend on the ANUBIS and even though he did not deal with the Chief Science Officer on a frequent basis, Second Lieutenant Pravat had still experienced this marvel first hand on more than one occasion.
"Sorry about that," the Shillian woman said, "I wanted to ask for your help in solving a little mystery that I have uncovered while scanning the bridge of the ship that you are currently on."
=/\= A mystery? Sounds mysterious, =/\= The Marine Second Lieutenant said with a chuckle.
"I'm being serious, there is a section of the ship that our sensors are unable to penetrate, and that section is located in the forward starboard area of the ship adjacent to the bridge."
Having been made well aware of the accuracy and reach of the sensors of the USS ANUBIS, the Marine Second Lieutenant immediately understood the implications of what the Chief Science Officer had said and with his weapon in hand began looking at the general area mentioned by the Shillian scientist to see if maybe he would be able to shed some light on this oddity.
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Jessica Solarik { maya_992003@yahoo.com }
Lieutenant Maya
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS
"To see the world in a grain of sand,
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
