"Complications"
(Previous Post was Martin's "The Warhead")
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Stardate: 60341.0900
The young woman sat behind her desk with the HATHOR's CO sitting opposite to her… the scene looked as so many other times when the 2 women had meet in this fashion, but the tone of the encounter had been entirely different this time around. After all this was a discussion between 2 COs and not a simple meeting between a Captain and her ExO... their mission to SURIAL III having beem momentarily delayed.
"Sounds like you had plenty of fun out there," the redheaded woman offered in a light-hearted tone as a gentle smile came to caress her pink lips. The report provided by Lt. Cmdr. Serenna had contained all of the details of the encounter with the Imperian probe and the chain of events which had followed leading to the HATHOR no longer able to use its cloaking device, Ens. Mei having been transferred to the care of the ANUBIS' Sickbay. And last but not least the capture of the probe.
"Fun is a matter of perspective Captain," the half Human, half Romulan woman replied obviously not having found anything humorous in their current situation. The HATHOR had been assigned to guard and assist the ANUBIS with its mission to SURIAL III, but instead the ship had found itself under the protection of the ship that it had been meant to protect… this reversal of roles had deeply irked the hybrid although she had not openly displayed it. Having worked with Serenna long enough to know the woman and her ways, the young woman had easily picked up on this and had tried her best to downplay the situation.
"I would not worry… Elan and David are both excellent engineers and I am sure that they'll figure out what is wrong with the cloaking device in no time. Annie and Ens. Kea have created a harmonic resonance in the ANUBIS' shields which had been extended to encompass the HATHOR… this will mask both ships from sensors as long as we remains motionless. The probe that you captured has been safely transferred to Cargo Bay 15 onboard the ANUBIS and Maya is looking into it… if anyone can figure it out, it will be her. The only real question that I have though is why Ens. Mei is in our Sickbay? According to the preliminary reports from Ens. Halliwell there is *nothing* wrong with your CMO… are we missing something or is there something that you would like to tell me?" The redheaded woman calmly explained to her former ExO as she swung her chair to give her a good view of her window and of the HATHOR visible from it.
"I'm sorry… at the time we were rushing to get all of the systems, including life support back online… I accepted Doctor Summer's statement and request without question." The HATHOR's CO explained obviously troubled by the lack of evidence having been found to support the CMO's request to have Ens. Mei *urgently* transferred off the HATHOR and onto the ANUBIS.
"That's alright… I'll have a talk with Doctor Summers… in the meantime you are more than welcomed to enjoy all of the ANUBIS's facilities," the young woman teased as if Lt. Cmdr. Serenna, the ship's official ExO had never set foot on the ship before today.
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Having the two CEOs working on the cloaking device of the HATHOR had been a good thing… having both men be as large as they were and in a room as small as it was had unfortunately been a major set back to the efforts of the 2 engineers.
"I don't get it… according to *everything* we have reviewed the cloaking device should be working perfectly," Dawson exclaimed out of frustration while barely managing to scratch the back of his neck thanks to the restricted room they had been working in.
"I agree… It is puzzling… but all puzzles have a solution, we simply
have to figure out where to find it," the Oltharian confirmed, his efforts and
assistance not having been of any real help to the HATHOR's CEO.
"Alright… let's try it again… from the start," Dawson sighed, hoping
that this time around on of them would be able to figure out why the
cloaking device had been refusing to activate.
"Matter/Anti matter reaction is at optimal output… energy transfer to
the cloaking device is in process… redistribution of power to the coils is
working…" Fairborn reported as he diligently followed the flow using
his tricorder.
"The coils are receiving the power… but nothing is happening," the HATHOR's ExO/CEO huffed unable to find any reason as to why the coils, which had been working perfectly up to that point had suddenly decided to stop functioning after their run-in with the Imperian probe.
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As CSciO of the ANUBIS it had been Lt. Cmdr. Maya's responsibility to investigate the Imperian probe which had been transferred from the HATHOR, but judging by the hesitation displayed by the Shillian it was clear to see that she had not liked the task that had been hers to do. As the ship's Sec/Tac Officer, it had been 1st Lt. Pravat's duty to insure the continued safety of the Shillian… at least that had been the excused he had used to follow the CSciO down to the cargo bay. That she had required protection or not, the Shillian had not seemed against the idea of having the Enaran by her side as she ever so carefully approached the silver-coloured probe.
"The probe seems to be covered by a sensor reflective titanium alloy which is making it nearly impossible for me to get any readings. My tricorder reports that the probe is there but I am unable to get anything on the internal mechanism of the device," the Shillian reported as she slowly approached the silvere-coloured device which had been set directly on the floor of the cargo bay.
"I didn't need a tricorder to tell me that the probe was there," the Enaran hissed not at all trusting the Imperian device, keeping the pulse riffle which had been firmly in his hands trained on the probe. As far as the Marine had been concerned the probe should have been destroyed the moment that they had become aware of its presence… instead the need for information on this race had brought the probe to now be in their possession.
"There is nothing to be concerned about… the probe is completely deactivated… I am not detecting any power signatures from it," the CSciO reported glancing at the Enaran who had been walking by her side all this time.
"I thought you said that you could not get any readings from it… there could be a camouflaged power source somewhere inside," the Marine 1st Lieutenant pointed out, his training having long ago to not trust appearances especially when dealing with equipment from a race they knew next to nothing about.
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With their CO was currently on the ANUBIS, and the ExO was busy in Main Engineering trying to restore the cloaking device, Ens. Uxtar had been left in charge of the bridge… the Hirogen keeping his eyes on the sensor data being displayed on his consol. Being a member of a race of *hunters*, Uxtar had felt the need to track the residual warp trail of the other 2 probes that Ens. Kea had detected, just to make sure that they had not been heading anywhere near them. So far the sensors seemed to indicate that the warp trails had been heading away from their current location, but the Hirogen had been incapable to confirm this having been unable to get an actual sensor lock on the probes themselves.
"It will be nice when we can get back on route… sitting here waiting for the repairs to be completed is really not my thing, " Ens. Stormwind expressed obviously having allowed his Human half to once again take control for a short while.
"Are you that much in a rush to come face to face with these Imperians?" The HATHOR's Ops Officer inquired, Kea actually enjoying this minor down time. Being this close to the ANUBIS and under the protection of its sensors dispersion field and shield had given the Ensign the peace of mind that he had needed.
"Logic dictates that we take the offensive… the longer we remain here doing nothing the more chances the Imperians have to get entrenched wherever they are. Once they have *conquered* the Cardassians it will be only a matter of time before they turn their eyes to other worlds… these ones likely being part of the Federation," the HATHOR's FCO voiced obviously subscribing to the idea that immediate actions had been the best course of action at this time.
"Logic may dictate action… but without knowing more about this race would most certainly lead to casualties. It is *logical* to learn about one's prey before the hunt," the Hirogen countered with making Ens. Stormwind raise an eyebrow at the sound of the word *logic* having been spoken by Uxtar.
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"Counsellor," the young woman offered as she stepped into the room and
immediately made her way to Susan's bedside.
"Captain… you might want to keep your distance… I might be contagious…
or just plain dangerous… I actually wish I knew what is wrong with me,"
the bright blue eyed woman replied obviously troubled by her lack of
knowledge in her own condition.
"Captain Rikar? I was not expecting you here, is there a problem?"
Ens. Halliwell inquired as she left her office to join the ANUBIS' CO.
"No problems… I just wanted to check on our one and only patient… how is she?" the redheaded woman asked in such a way that the ship's aCMO knew better than to try and cover up what she had found… or more to the point what she had failed to find.
"Aside from a bump on her head I have found *nothing* that could explain why Doctor Summers made the urgent request to have Ens. Mei transferred to our care. I have tried contacting her but no one seems to be able to find her," the ANUBIS' CMO explained clearly uncomfortable with the idea that she might have a perfectly healthy person in sickbay.
"Rikar to Annie," the young woman said as she tapped her comm badge.
=/\= Annie here Captain, =/\= she ship's Avatar replied almost instantly.
"Perform a bio-scan of both ships and locate Lt. Summers… she has likely removed her comm badge and is hiding somewhere," the CO ordered bent on
getting to the bottom of this mystery as soon as possible.
=/\= Scans complete… Doctor Summers is *on* the ANUBIS… Deck 7, Medical
Lab 1. =/\=
The young woman slowly turned her head towards the door leading to the
lab in question… a puzzled smile having formed on her pink lips at the news
that the CMO had been much closer than anyone might have expected. As she
approached the door the CO wondered why Doctor Summers had come here,
but whatever the reason or reasons had been the answers would not be long
in coming.
"Doctor Summers… if you would be so kind as to join us," Rikar called out as soon as the door to the laboratory opened. A few moments later a nervous looking woman stepped into Sickbay and only glanced for a second at the woman lying on the bed.
"You… wanted to see me Captain?" Doctor Summers asked, the expression on her features indicating that the woman knew the moment of truth had not been far away. Suspecting that this might prove to be of a more personal nature, the young woman turned her attention to Ens. Halliwell and dismissed her with a nod of her head… whatever the CMO had to say would likely be easier if their had not been any audience present.
"From one CMO to another… and off the record… tell me what's going on,"
Rikar said sounding both open to a friendly discussion and explanation
while at the same time not ready to be given any sort of run-around by the
HATHOR's Doctor.
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"We are Grey, we stand between the Candle and the Star, between the
Darkness and the Light" 2006 post #055
Setting: USS ANUBIS, CO's Ready Room
Stardate: 60341.0910
Setting: USS HATHOR, Main Engineering
Stardate: 60341.0910
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Cargo Bay 15
Stardate: 60341.0910
Setting: USS HATHOR, Bridge
Stardate: 60341.0910
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Sabrina Jones {sabrina_sweet@hotmail.com}
Captain Sabrina Rikar
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
-Entilza Delenn, Babylon 5
