" Maze "
(Previous Post was Serena's " Operational Understanding ")
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Stardate: 60299.0950
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Section B, Level 7, Cafeteria
The young woman had started this little excursion through the gigantic maze that was NEW ALEXANDRIA in search of James with her daughter's hand firmly held in her own… but somewhere along their trek this had changed. The redheaded woman had not been certain about what had exactly happened… or when… but she knew at least this much… Talia had taken on the role of leader of their little team. Since she had no idea as to the whereabouts of the ANUBIS' CO, and that the computer had been less than accommodating, Sabrina had seen no harm to letting her daughter take the lead.
At first Rikar had just thought the scene had been one that every young child went through… that of wanting to explore the unknown world around them on their own terms, but Sabrina quickly came to see that this had not been the case. As Talia purposely made her way down the corridors of the hidden base and around countless corners, the young woman realised that the little girl knew exactly where she had been going… unlike the bemused adoptive mother that had been following a few steps back.
As far as Sabrina knew Talia had never ventured onto the station, yet the smiles of recognition that the little girl had been the target of as she walked down the corridors indicated without any doubts that this had not been the case. At one point in time she had been here… and the young woman could only hope that it had been with her biological mother and that there had been a good reason to bring such a young child to a place like this. That said though the young woman could hardly hold having brought the child here against Enaii… Rikar having been in the middle of doing the exact same thing.
The young woman was even more surprised when the duo arrived into the lower level Cafeteria, a place of visible lower standards frequented by the Pilots of the NEW ALEXANDRIA's Viper squads and those officers who did not enjoy the lifestyle of the higher ranking members of the staff. The real shock had not been that Talia had effortlessly found this place but rather that she had been greeted by several of the pilots and engineers in a way that clearly indicated that they knew exactly who the little was.
"Well… hello there 'Taz'… showing Cmdr. Rikar around the base I see… Glad you chose to come bring her down here to see us." The head flight instructor for the Viper-Class interceptors, Colonel Jack 'Hammer' Murphy, offered as he reached down and scooped the young girl in his arms causing Talia to giggle. Obviously she had no objections to the Marine's proximity or show of affection, something that the young woman found rather puzzling.
"Actually we are looking for Cpt. Simmons… you wouldn't know where he is by any chance?" Rikar inquired as she approached the man onto to reach out for Talia and pull her out of his hold, staring at the Colonel with a look that bordered on anger. Jack had done nothing wrong, but that had in no way reduced the protective instinct that the redheaded woman had towards her one and only child.
"Have you asked the computer?" A pilot chimed in with a clear tone of sarcasm which the ExO of the ANUBIS had immediately picked up on. As she looked around at the type of 'officers' in the room, the young woman began to understand why there had been another cafeteria set up here aside from the obvious size of the base. Higher ranking officers could be found on the administrative section of the base, which is why Rikar had hoped to find James there, but here in the lower levels of the Shuttle Bay sections the type of staff members present was greatly different.
Instead of command level officers, the young woman and her daughter were surrounded by grease covered Engineers, rough looking pilots and a few oddly dressed individual whom the ExO of the USS ANUBIS could not identify. So although the question presented to her by the pilot had carried a distinct tone of insubordination, Rikar quickly decided not to take offence to it… if only for her own safety.
"I'm not sure why… but the computer is refusing to acknowledge that he is on the station. The ANUBIS' computer clearly indicates that he stepped off the ship and onto the station, but there are no records of him having arrived or gone anywhere." The young woman explained, cradling her daughter against her chest wishing for this encounter to quickly come to an end.
"Admiral Koneki probably had the computer classify your Captain's presence on the station… don’t know why but I do know one thing… you won't find him." Murphy dryly chuckled as he leaned back in his chair before crossing his feet on the table next to what could have only been his drink.
"I only wanted to ask him if he knew where Enaii was undergoing her debriefing… thought that if she could she might enjoy seeing her daughter for a few minutes." Rikar offered, allowing the frustration of the situation get the best of her.
The moment Rikar had mentioned the name of her life mate as well as the debriefing, the Marine Colonel almost tipped his chair backwards, barely managing to regain his balance in time before he made a complete spectacle of himself. As soon as the chair had been brought back to its normal position, Jack stood and approached the young woman.
"Return to your ship… and wait there. Wherever Enaii is… it is not a place for you… or her." The veteran pilot offered, casting a quick glance in the young girl's direction as he ended his explanation.
As curious as she had been about wanting to get an explanation for what had been said, the ExO sensed that whatever question she might ask would not be answered, so instead of trying the young woman slowly withdrew from the room, now more then ever concerned for the well being of her wife and the specifics of the debriefing that she had been the object of.
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Sabrina Jones {sabrina_sweet@hotmail.com}
Commander Sabrina Rikar
Executive Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
As well as…
Lieutenant Kittianna
Intel Coordinator
NEW ALEXANDRIA
"We are Grey, we stand between the Candle and the Star, between the Darkness and the Light"
-Entilza Delenn, Babylon 5
2005 post #044
