" Asking A Simple Question Can Prove To Be Difficult "
(Previous Post: " Acting Under Orders ")
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Stardate: 60298.2001
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Corridor
The Shillian scientist, accompanied by the Assistant Chief Medical Officer, had left the science lab and made their way to the quarters of Lieutenant Luke Onison to inquire about the stone Ensign Summers had spoken about. All that the Chief Science Officer had intended to do had been to ask to see the stone in question to ascertain if indeed it belonged to the set that she had two pieces of. Although the Shillian woman knew that this might not prove to be as easy as she might had hoped, the scientist had never expected it to be *that* difficult.
"We are here to see Lieutenant Onison," the head of the Science Department said to the two guards stationed on either side of the door. "We will not need more than a few minutes, I just need to ask him a simple question about an item that he has in his possession and which could prove to be the missing piece in a puzzling mystery I have been trying to solve since we left TOLAR IV. I mean, I need to ask him to *see* that item if he actually has it with him so that I can figure out if it is indeed what I am hoping it is," the Shillian scientist explained in a single longwinded breath that made the Ensign who had followed shake her head.
"We just need to speak to Luke," Ensign Summers added, trying to clarify the situation to the two guards who had not given any indication that they had been ready or willing to grant them access to the room.
"Sorry Lieutenant," one of the two guards said, addressing the Shillian since she possessed the higher rank of the would be visitors. "We have specific orders to not allow anyone in to see the prisoner who has a clearance level less than Upsilon."
"UPSILON? You cannot be serious? That would mean that only the Captain, First Officer and Intelligence Liaison Officer of the ANUBIS would have the sufficient clearance to get in there," the Shillian woman said, finding it hard to believe that Captain Simmons would have been this paranoid even after what Enaii had been suspected of doing, not that the Chief Science Officer believed for an instant that the Intel Operative had been the one responsible for the escape of the two Romulan agents.
"Luke is not a criminal!" Lea said, appalled by what the security officer had said. "He is a Lieutenant in Starfleet, a member of Starfleet Intelligence who had been missing for years and someone who has saved my life more than once. You have no right to treat him this way, he should be rewarded for his dedication and work, not locked away like some high level felon," the Assistant Chief Medical Officer said, staring at the much taller and larger security officer as if she had been ready to fight him for the right to get into the locked quarters.
"Would it be possible to at least speak with Lieutenant Onison?" The Shillian scientist asked, "All I need to do is ask him a simple question. I mean I do not need to even *see* him, although it would have been a little more personal, but all I really need is to confirm if he has this stone and if it is indeed the one that I need to solve the puzzle that I have been working on."
"I am truly sorry Lieutenant," the security officer said, looking at the Shillian scientist as if Ensign Summers had not even been there. "The orders came from the Captain himself and were very clear. No one is to *see* or *speak* to the prisoner. If this is as important as you claim it to be, you will need to talk to Captain Simmons, Commander Rikar or Lieutenant Commander Enaii and get their authorization to see the prisoner."
"He is not a *criminal*!" The Assistant Chief Medical Officer said, not at all appreciating Luke to be constantly referred to as a "criminal" by the security officer whom she was growing to dislike more and more with each passing moment. "Where are you going?" The Ensign asked, seeing the Chief Science Officer heading back down the corridor.
"Captain Simmons had to have his reasons for doing this," the scientist said, "but I am sure that if I speak with him that I can make him see the benefits of my being able to see and speak with him."
"Strangely enough," Ensign Summers said, "I am not expecting the Captain to be overly understanding. I doubt that he would have set up this kind of security around Luke only to lift it because you need to ask him a question about some stone."
"You have no idea what the Mind Stone is capable of," the Chief Science Officer said, continuing to walk down the corridor towards the nearest turbolift. "I mean, even with all of the research that I have done I am still not entirely certain about the extent of the powers of this artefact, but I know at least that much, the Yal-Tonil is an extremely powerful ancient item that is said to be responsible for the overthrowing of countless governments and even the destructions of entire civilizations. The Captain will just *have* to let me investigate what you have said about the Lieutenant being in the possession of the third piece of the artefact."
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Stardate: 60298.2007
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Corridor, Outside the Captain's Quarters
"Hello Maya, what brings you here at this hour?" Clora asked, having answered the door. The question given by the Assistant Counsellor had been a nice way of pointing to the Chief Science Officer that it had been a past the time for cordial visits.
"We need to speak to the Captain," Ensign Summers replied, letting her displeasure about the way Luke had been treated come out loud and clear.
"I'm sorry, but…" the Bajoran woman began before being interrupted by the Commanding Officer of the USS ANUBIS who appeared behind her, still dressed in his uniform.
"I'll take care of it Clora, thanks," the Captain said, replacing his bethroved in the open entrance way to their quarters. "Lieutenant, Ensign, what can I do for you?"
"Why is Luke being treated like a criminal?" The Assistant Chief Medical Officer said, not giving the Shillian scientist the chance to explain the real reason why they had come here.
"Actually Captain," the scientist said, jumping into the conversation before the Captain could reply to the question presented by Ensign Summers, "we are here to ask for permission to speak to Lieutenant Onison since I believe that he may be in the possession of the third and final piece of the Mind Stone. According to my research, there might actually be three parts to this extraordinary artefact and we are currently in the possession of two of them. Ensign Summers has indicated that she recalled a stone with similar markings as those that I have been studying and she believes that Lieutenant Onison might actually have the third piece. We just wanted to speak to him about this possibility."
The Captain looked a little bemused by the explanation given to him, not entirely sure if he has surprised by the report or just still in shock that that Shillian had given it in a single breath. "Two pieces? I thought we had found only one artefact on TOLAR IV."
"The second piece was given to me by Lieutenant Commander Enaii," the Chief Science Officer said. "I am not entirely certain that she knew what it was but the item greatly helped me in solidifying some of the legends about the Mind Stone and the powers it bestows to its yielder."
=/\= Bridge to Captain Simmons, we are approaching NEW ALEXANDRIA,=/\= someone on the command deck said, interrupting the discussion between the Shilian scientist and the Captain.
"Very well, I'll be there in a few minutes," Simmons said, sounding almost glad that he would have to end short the conversation he had been in the middle of.
=/\= Understood. There is also a priority one message from Admiral Koneki waiting for you in your ready room. =/\=
The eyes of Captain Simmons rolled in the back of his head making it known to the Shillian scientist and Assistant Chief Medical Officer that he had not at all been looking forward to dealing with the Admiral at this time.
"We will deal with Lieutenant Onison and this third artefact *after* we have docked at NEW ALEXANDRIA. In the meantime, please see that the two pieces you have been working on are adequately secured. I would feel better if they were kept in separate locations to avoid any more unpleasant surprises," the Captain said before stepping out of his quarters and heading for the bridge, leaving behind the two officers who had come to see him.
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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)
2005 post #034
