"I Thought Returning Home Was A Good Thing"
(Previous Post: "Arrival")
---
Stardate: 60326.1440
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 12, Forensics Lab
The Shillian scientist had been so rattled by what the Enaran Marine First Lieutenant had said that the Chief Science Officer had completely lost track of time and it was only after she had heard the docking clamps latch on that the scientist realised that they had arrived home.
In a moment of panic the Shillian woman scrambled out of her chair and reached the door only to realise that she had left all of her research behind and opened to anyone who would pass by, not that there had been that much traffic in the Forensics Lab at this point in their mission. Quickly returning to the workstation she had been working at the Chief Science officer secured the information and downloaded all of the data she had collected into her tricorder before heading back into the corridor.
---
Stardate: 60326.1445
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Turbolift
Ensign Uxtar, one of the newest members of the USS ANUBIS, was lost in thoughts as the turbolift pod travelled effortlessly through the decks. When the pod came to stop at a deck before his destination the Hirogen pilot tried to make himself as small and inconspicuous as possible anticipating the entrance of another officer into the turbolift. As much as the VIPER Pilot had done his best to be out of the way it had done little to offset the blind dash of the Shililan scientist who exploded into the pod the moment the doors opened.
At first the Chief Science Officer had wondered why the turbolift pod had seemed so small, realising only after the doors had closed behind her that the internal size of the pod had not changed but that the reduced space had been caused by her sharing the space with a larger muscular officer.
"I am so sorry! I did not mean to run into you like that. I was just in a rush to get to deck 2 before it was too late and I never thought for a moment that there might be someone in the turbolift when I came in without looking. If I had not been in such a rush I would have taken the time to look in before I stepped in but I was so upset for having missed our return to NEW ALEXANDRIA that I was just not thinking about what I was doing," the scientist said in a single breath wondering at the same time if she had stepped through some sort of a quantum singularity or wormhole that had taken her clear across the galaxy. How else could the Chief Science Officer explain how she had found herself in front of a Hirogen dressed in a Starfleet uniform? Maybe there had been some sort of trans-dimensional portal that had opened along the way which had whisked her into another dimension where Hirogen Starfleet officers were common occurrences.
Ensign Uxtar grinned as he finally placed a face to the many stories he had heard about a woman with the ability to talk at what could only be described as 'warp speed'. Although the scientist seemed confused by his appearance, meaning a Hirogen wearing a Starfleet uniform, the VIPER Pilot was happy to see that the Lieutenant Commander did not appear scared of him. "Deck?" The large alien asked, curious to see if the Shillian woman would continue with her apology or actually inform the computer as to where she had wanted to go.
"Deck?" The Chief Science Officer repeated not understanding what the Hirogen had asked. "Oh! What deck do I want to go to," the scientist said as understanding dawned onto her. "You must think of me as being some sort of a scatter-brain going on and on like that while claiming to be in a rush and not instructing the computer as to what deck I need to go to. Maybe I should have requested a sight-to-sight transport, that way I would have gotten there faster but then again that might have caused more commotion by triggering the internal alarms since I do not have the authority to request such an action, I am after all only the Chief Science Officer."
"I would never think of you as a 'scatter-brain'," the VIPER Pilot said managing to remain completely serious as he said this, "but you still have not told the computer of your intended destination."
"Oh, right. Deck 2," the Shillian scientist said feeling a growing burning sensation on her cheeks.
---
Stardate: 60326.1455
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 2, Corridor
By the time the Shillian woman had finally arrived at her destination Captain Rikar and the security team had come and gone leaving the scientist feeling even worse than she had been before, not only had she missed their return to NEW ALEXANDRIA but she had also failed to show her support for David by being there as Lieutenant Commander Serenna had requested. This return home was turning out to be the worst one yet, something that the Chief Science Officer did not like at all not that she could do anything about it at this time.
As the scientist tried to think of another way to show her support for the Chief Engineer, the Shillian woman suddenly remembered that for security reasons transporters were not used while inside NEW ALEXANDRIA, favouring instead the umbilical connection between the base and the ships. Thinking that she might still have a chance to show her support for Lieutenant Dawson the Chief Science Officer quickly headed back to the nearest turbolift in the hopes of intercepting David and the others before they stepped off the ANUBIS.
---
Stardate: 60326.1500
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 8, Starboard Lateral Docking Port
The race of the Shillian woman to reach the Chief Engineer before he was being taken off the ANUBIS came to a sudden stop when she ran into another large alien, this one being a Nausicaan. The scientist had tried her best to look around the living wall that she had run into but to no avail. "I am sorry Sir but I have been given specific orders from captain Rikar that no one be allowed to follow to insure the safety of everyone involved," Ensign Rostov said in a commanding yet oddly respectful tone.
Having missed David the first time had been bad enough but not being permitted to make up for her mistake had made their return home truly a lousy event. "I must be allowed to see Lieutenant Dawson, I only need a few seconds to show him that I am here for him and that I am doing everything that I can to see him cleared of the charges that have been brought against him. You do not have to let me near him, all I need is to be able to see him and for him to see me, that is not asking for so much is it? I mean what harm could there be in my seeing him or him seeing me?" It appeared as if the Shillian woman had been ready to continue with her plea but the new Chief of Security showed no signs of having been ready to give in and even cut in before the scientist could continue.
"I am sorry sir but my orders are clear, no one is to follow Captain Rikar onto the station. You will just have to wait for her return and take up this matter with her," the Nausicaan calmly said, not even needing to physically restrain the scientist since his body filled the majority of the opening into the transparent corridor.
Depressed that she had once again failed the Shillian scientist allowed her gaze to drift upward through the glass ceiling over the cylindrical corridor. What the Chief Science Officer saw sent shivers down her spine reinforcing her earlier idea that maybe she had somehow found a way through some sort of temporal and spatial anomaly that had brought the scientist into a parallel universe. From where she stood, and looking through two thick protective glass, the Chief Science Officer had been certain beyond any doubts that she had seen Enaii looking down at the umbilical connection, but how could that have been possible? The scientist studied with great intensity the angered woman standing so far away trying to use the different hair style as an indication that she had been wrong, but the facial features of the unknown person wearing the colours of an Intelligence Officer could not be mistaken for anyone else. As impossible as it could be, the Chief Science Officer was sure that the woman she had seen had been Enaii, or a sister of hers something that was highly unlikely since the Intelligence Liaison Officer had been said to be an only child.
---
Jessica Solarik { maya_992003@yahoo.com }
Lieutenant Commander Maya
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS
"To see the world in a grain of sand, 2005 post #413
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)
