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Star Trek: Dark Angel
The So’koth Chronicals - Part 2
“Not So Intelligence”
A little History: This was a subject touched on during my many years playing So'koth and a part of his time in Starfleet that he wasn't too proud of. But you cannot deny your past even if there were huge mistakes. I actually played in a side RP with a small group of people whom were of different names than those below but the events are what played out for the most part. It was an interesting RP to say the least, the group broke up after that one foray into something different.
Characaters:
Charlie Foxtrot Company
Commander Velma Elaina Robertson – Division Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Commander James Henry McTaggart – Team Leader & Sniper
Lieutenant So’koth Qultuq – Pilot & Computer Specialist
Lieutenant Christopher Kitsune – Security & Weapons Expert
Lieutenant J.G. Vados Broat – Medic & Demolitions Expert
Lieutenant J.G. Clive William Gleese – Engineering Expert
“Once more So’koth!” Christopher Kitsune called out to him.
So’koth pushed hard against the barbell in his hands, the weight was heavy now since they had been going at this for about two hours between the usual physical training and now this. He blew out hard pushing with everything he had left, then slammed the bar back onto its mount. “Done!” he exclaimed.
Chris’s face skewed as he watched the Half Klingon stand. “No you’re not!”
“You can continue to go hard if you want, but that’s it. We’ve been at this for two hours. I’m done!” he said collecting his towel.
“Pansy!” he said in a mocking tone.
“Are you two still going at it?” the teams engineering expert asked from the door still toweling his hair. “Seriously. You two are poster children for Starfleet Mental health, you do realize that?”
So’koth threw his towel at him as he headed into the locker room himself. “Shut up Clive!” he passed him heading for his locker. “If anyone’s a poster child for anything it’s you Mr. Fantastic!”
“Hey, I know I’m pretty looking. You don’t have to rub it in.” Clive stated in a matter of fact tone.
“Yeah, pretty ugly!” Chris called, as he lifted the bar and began pumping the weights. “If we ever need to distract some Naussicans we know how to call!”
So’koth let out a good hearty laugh.
“Very funny baldy!” Clive remarked as he disappeared back into the dressing area.
“Hey So’koth!” Chris called as he finished his set. “Where we going next?”
“Yeah Vidiot, where we going? Scuttlebutt says you’re in the know!” Vados called sticking his head out from behind a set of lockers.
“Sorry guys, don’t know this time!” he said as he collected his things and headed into the sonic shower stall. “Besides why would I tell security riff raff like yourselves anything of the sort. You’d only go bragging to your boyfriends about it.” He hit the activation button on the sonic shower controls.
“Bah! Your full of it!” Vados yelled.
“Yup, just be thankful you won’t have to spend as long getting your prosthetics as I will!” A collective groan issued forth from just about everyone which brought a grin to So’koths lips. The entire team hated going on missions in which they had to ‘look’ the part. But it was a necessary evil to some of the tasks they were assigned. “Just look at the bright side, you get to see things most people will never see in their lifetimes. Small price to pay for illegal tourism eh?” he laughed out loud himself. He deactivated the shower and toweled off the excess water before starting to get dressed.
“Skin pigmentation changes suck!” Vados said coming out from behind the lockers, the Bolian dressed in his duty uniform.
So’koth pulled on his pants, “Yeah, so does cosmetic surgery. But you don’t see me complaining.”
“If you were more Klingon you wouldn’t like it at all!” Chris said as he entered the locker room grabbing a towel and quickly snapping at So’koth as he passed. “You should be proud of your ridges…what you have anyhow.” He mocked.
“I am proud of them!” he said in an injured tone. “But I like playing the part!”
“Indeed!” Clive said as he disappeared out of the room.
“He’s a bit to stuffy sometimes!” Chris said tossing his cloths across the locker room.
“Well someone has to be, with the rest of us being so professional.” Vados said.
“Indeed!” So’koth said in a mocking tone. He pulled his boot on and began lacing it up. “This one’s going to be a long haul.”
The two remaining team mates groaned in unison.
“Yeah, yeah! Ultimate power, and itty bity living space for a couple of weeks. So fun!” So’koth said as he stood. “Join Starfleet see the galaxies from a rust bucket. Just what we dreamed of right Kit?”
Chris turned and peered around the privacy barrier at him. “You’re kidding right?”
So’koth glanced back and grinned as he left the locker room and headed down the corridor towards the briefing room. He spotted both Vados and Clive standing in the hall rather close talking to one another. He nodded as he passed them and entered the briefing room threading his way to his usual seat dropping into it and putting his feet up on the desk.
“Right at home as always Mr. Qul’tuq?” he heard the baritone voice his boss from behind. James McTaggart was a very large individual, arms the size of a shuttlecraft and So’koth would almost bet he could lift one. He was a poster child for Security or intelligence. Take your pick!
“Aye sir!” he nodded. “Enjoying the space while I can.” He glanced back at the man, and noted the Commander was also with him. He offered her a nod. “Ma’am!”
“Mr. Qul’tuq,” she said nodding back and heading towards the front of the room as the rest of the team started filing in. “Where is Mr. Kitsune?” she asked glancing up from the podium at the front of the room.
So’koth hazard a glance behind him again, noting he wasn’t present yet. “Probably still going through his beautification process.” He glanced back again as the door opened admitting him to the room.
“Very good.” She said and flipped on the large monitor behind her. “This operation is designated as ‘Project Foundation’, you’ll be assuming the identities of a business group dealing in specialty goods. Your making your first delivery to a small commercial station in the Zantedeschia star system, cargo exchange in the Onias sector, then your final destination of Penthara at a Starbase. You’ll spend about a month on the station before making your way back to Federation Space. If you are compromised you know what will happen, I don’t need to remind you. So’koth and Vados you will report to medical at 0300 to begin your transfigurations and the rest of you at 0600. You depart at 0800 tomorrow.” She said keeping it simple and to the point.
“Any questions?” McTaggart asked the group and waited a few moments.
“Mr. McTaggart will give you further details of each layover when you’re in transit. Good luck.” She said and made an exit through a side door in the room.
“Well,” Chris said stretching. “I know what I’m doing for the next few hours.”
“Assembling gear?” McTaggart asked.
“You don’t want to know boss!” So’koth stated in a mournful tone.
Chris just laughed, and left the meeting room followed by the others. Everyone knew what their mission gig was so they went too it leaving both So’koth and McTaggart alone.
“This is pretty deep in Romulan territory.” So’koth spoke first.
McTaggart nodded. “Yes, it is!” he leaned against the podium. “Which means we have to be near perfect.”
So’koth stood, “Aye,” he started to head for the door and turned. “Even with prosthetics and surgery this is pretty risky even for our team. The Romulan’s aren’t exactly stupid and you have to believe that they are always on edge and waiting for us to show.”
“That’s the beauty, were not showing.” McTaggart shifted his body. “We should be fine as long as we don’t give them any reason to look too closely.”
So’koth nodded considering his words for a long moment. “I Don’t usually express my concerns.”
“So don’t” McTaggart said flatly. “You can almost be certain they are shared.”
“But not by her?”
“Dismissed Mr. Qul’tuq, you’ve got work to do. Focus on that!” McTaggart said putting a bit of authority in his voice.
So’koth simply nodded and exited the room heading for the turbolift. “Landing Bay Nineteen!” he said as he entered the empty lift. The lift continued on for some time allowing him a few minutes of peace and quiet. He didn’t even notice the man in the duster and hat that had entered the lift. He was tall and lanky. Something seemed familiar about him. He searched his memory of this man, his face was mostly hidden but something was oddly familiar. The lift arrived at his destination and the man got off the lift as well, he was heading down the same way. As the two neared Landing bay nineteen he watched for a moment as the man continued down the hall and entered landing bay twenty. So’koth blinked away his curiosities as the door opened to admit him to the landing bay and he nearly ran into another familiar face. “Jennifer!”
The woman’s face lit up smile as he entered the bay. She walked over and hugged him. “So’koth it’s been a long time.”
“What are you doing here?” he asked looking over her jumpsuit.
“I’m the lead mechanic for the Starbase’s civilian and special projects craft.” She said pointing over her shoulder with a spanner. “Like that hunk of junk.”
“Hey, that hunk of junk’s gotten me through a lot!” he said gripping his chest. “You wound me madam.”
She hit him in the arm with the spanner. “You know I’m right!”
“Yes, I do.” He said nodding knowingly. “But it has been faithful.”
She nodded and walked over to a large tool chest and dropped the spanner inside and began stripping out of the jumpsuit revealing civilian clothing underneath, this caused him to pause. “No uniform?”
She stopped as he closed up the chest. “No.” her tone changed. “I stayed in for about another seven months after you left White Sands.” She slowly turned around and leaned against the tool chest. “Not all of us made it through that debacle unscathed.” She said referencing his crash landing. “I know you never intended for anyone to be hurt by your accident, but a lot of people lost their commissions. It opened my eyes a lot. So I quit. I had a cousin working here on the station and I’ve worked myself into a trusted position, even have a security clearance.” She shrugged. “Job has its benefits.”
“I’m sorry Jennifer.” He said quietly.
“Don’t be, I’m certainly not!” she pointed at the small cargo vessel. “The starboard impulse drive is wonky. I’ve got parts coming but it’s not going to be here until after you get back. I would just keep a close eye on it just in case you run into trouble.”
He nodded staring at the craft then looking back to her. “Thanks.”
“Just like old times eh? Always kept you running!” she smiled warmly and activated the antigravity unit on the tool chest. “I’ve got more work to do down the hall. If you have time maybe, we can catch up?” she sounded hopeful.
He nodded. “I should have time later this evening, how about eight?” he asked.
She nodded. “See ya then flyboy!” and she was gone.
He stood there a long moment. He had never taken the time to think about what he left behind at White sands. He knew it was a mess. It had resulted in Dwains dismissal from that position but it was worth it. He knew the man held a grudge against him, and the only reason he wasn’t brought up fully on charges was the fact that it was proven that Dwain was not exactly executing his position properly and in accordance with the office of Starfleet personnel. He turned and walked over to the cargo vessel and punched in the code which prompted the door to open and the interior lighting to come on.
It was quiet in here; you couldn’t feel the telltale vibrations from the station aboard the ship. Whomever had built it had spared no expense on sound deadening, sensor reflectivity, and several other modifications. It was an old vessel but still had it where it counted and then some. It looked nothing like its original design at this point but that only helped. They had found it in Starfleet Securities impound yard and liberated it, repurposed it. Just like he had been.
“You going to just sit there and stare at that console or are you going to start doing your thing?” he heard Chris’s voice behind him as he stood staring at the cockpit controls. That was another thing he liked about its odd design. The pilots chair was much like a cockpit of an assault fighter like the ones he had tested back at White Sands. ‘Alternative assault vessels’ Starfleet had coined when asking Research and Development to create them some small craft that could make a decent dent in larger vessels.
“Yap, yap!” So’koth smiled brushing away the past. “Don’t you have gear to stow?” he asked hitting the controls that brought the chair down. He maneuvered his way into it and hit the button to raise it back into place. He glanced down his sides at the other consoles below, pressing a switch which brought the vessels auxiliary power unit online. He quickly began running his battery of diagnostics which he already knew what they would say.
“You want your usual?” Chris said stopping at the hatch at the back of the control room.
“Yup!” he said, as he watched the data scroll by on the screen.
He heard Chris approach the chair brushing up against the other consoles, it was pretty tight quarters in the control room. “What’s on your mind?” he said sitting on the deactivated console.
“The past!”
“Ah, you ran into Jennifer didn’t you?” Chris asked looking up at his friend.
So’koth just simply nodded.
“You know it wasn’t your fault?” Chris said flatly.
“Yes it was.”
“You didn’t order people to cut corners, push people to a breaking point. Try to kill someone because they were going to undermine your career. No, no… yeah that last one is only half right.” He said, looking up for a reaction.
“Yeah, I would not have been sad if he had been under that shuttle.” So’koth said, his voice never once betraying the seriousness of his comment. “I get to live with that, and the fallout from my actions.”
“So’koth,” Chris started to say something but stopped considering something. “It will follow you until you do something that outshines it. That day will come you watch. I’ll be right there when it happens.”
“Yeah?” He said peering over the edge of his seat.
Chris nodded and then disappeared from below heading out of the craft to return to his duty, and leaving him to consider those words.
He took a moment and created a secure link between their craft and the Starbase database, and then created an inquiry using some of their ‘software’ that they generally used during covert missions. He started a search for those people who had worked with him at White Sands. A list populated a few moments later showing their status. Out of the twenty-eight people that were on his team only three remained in Starfleet. All but three of the engineers were dead, the others all retired and in the wind. He sat back staring at the list, then did a query for any information about the death of the engineering team members.
He began reading the report and the more and more he read the more his anger level peaked. He shook his head, ‘…committee has determined the cause unknown, it was clear that there were several safety violations at this point…’ the list went on but the determination of what happened was unknown. He shook his head and closed down the program and disconnected from the database.
The computer beeped at him several times signaling that his diagnostics had completed. He shut down the auxiliary power unit and lowered the chair slipping out and around it heading aft. He passed by Chris as he was stowing their gear in one of the many hiding places on the vessel. There was a lot to be done for some of the crew, he took a few moments to provision stocking of the deuterium and raw materials supplies for the vessels replicators and other systems. He also schedules a clearing of the ships waste extraction system.
So’koth pulled on a loose fitting white and black colored shirt and pants, they looked very similar to a martial arts Gi. It was what he was comfortable in when he went out. He strolled from his quarters down the hall and into the turbolift, the doors parted as he was nearly there.
Jennifer stood there wearing a pair of hunter green pants and a red shirt. “Fancy meeting you here!” he said stepping into the lift.
“I got tired of waiting on you to arrive fashionably late. I see some things never change.” She said tugging on one of his sleeves. “You know this isn’t very fitting of someone who has Klingon blood running through his veins.”
He chuckled. “No, I suppose not. But I like how it feels.” He gestured to the door as it parted to admit them to the Starbase’s promenade level. “What were you thinking as far as food?” he asked.
“Bar food!” she said pointing to the flaming sign. ‘Infernos edge – Bar and grill’ it read.
He nodded in approval. “Girl after my heart!” he said following her and her glee.
They walked in and wound their way through the crowd and to one of the booths, it had a door on it which was open indicating it wasn’t occupied. He glanced at her and the dark interior. “What is this?”
“You cannot tell me that in the time you’ve been here you’ve never dined here?” she asked.
“Nope. Not once.” So’koth said glancing around.
“Then you’re going to learn something fantastic tonight!” she said grabbing him by the hand and leading him into the booth. “I think you’ll find this rather fascinating.”
So’koth slid into the bench next to her. “This should be interesting.” He said glancing around the plain room.
“Setting please.” A clear computer voice called as the door sealed behind them.
“The Golden Gate Café, San Francisco, California, earth. “she said.
The room flashed and swirled around them and suddenly they were sitting outside a café along the San Francisco Bay, probably an hours walk from Starfleet Academy. So’koth blinked, “Whoa!”
“Pretty cool huh?” She said, there was a certain glee in her expression.
He too had a certain level of fascination to his voice as he looked around. “A mixture of holodeck technology in such a small space. Yeah, that is pretty cool!”
“Computer, switch to night time.” She said. Suddenly the world turned dark and lit up with the sounds of the city at night. A waiter approached them and stopped at the table waiting.
“Care to order?” he asked. “Get you something to drink?”
So’koth nodded. “Iced Tea with lemon!”
“Really?” she asked with a quizzical glance.
He nodded. “Some things do change.”
“Whiskey Sour, make it a double and a coke!” she said nodding to the waiter. “You have pretzels with some kind of cheese?”
“Yes ma’am, we have several styles.” The waiter began. “Most notably several beer cheeses that work well with our fresh baked pretzel sticks.”
She nodded. “That. I’ll have that too.”
“What cultural style would you enjoy?” he asked.
She thought to herself for a moment. “Do you have a local favorite? If so I’ll have that.”
The waiter nodded and disappeared, leaving them in silence for a moment to take in the scene. “So is this real food?” So’koth asked.
“Yes, there is a replicator built into the system.” She smiled. “You don’t think I’d bring you to a place where you couldn’t eat something.”
So’koth grinned. “The thought crossed my mind.”
Her grinned deepened. “Touché.”
His expression soured, he took a moment to consider his next words. “About the past.”
“It’s in the past.” She said flatly. “Let’s not dwell on it So’koth.”
So’koth glanced sideways toward her. “I know, but at least let me apologize. You were one of the more brilliant minds at that place and you kept me sane for the longest time while I was there up until the end.”
“That’s not a line is it?” she asked.
“No.” he shrugged. “Only if it worked. But no, you were. And though you and I had something special going at the time it was the truth. It’s what caught my eye.” He leaned back on the bench.
“You never had to apologize Sokoth. I knew you well enough to understand where your mind was at. I sympathized and that is why I got drummed out.” She grabbed the tumbler as the waiter set it down and downed it. “Another…” she said pointing to the empty glass.
So’koth nodded. “Drummed out...” he muttered.
“Yeah. I did resign, but only because of what that douche was going to do to all of us. I mean he had all those engineer’s killed after all.” She said flatly. “Cannot prove that, but it’s the truth. He pushed them to run that test knowing that there was a seriously high risk for failure. And of course there was the pilot. Did you know that I had to have reconstructive surgery for over nine months’ in order to fix the burns?”
So’koth shifted uncomfortably. “You were burned?”
“I was blown up!”
“Blown up?” So’koth asked, astonished by her cavalier response.
“We were testing an update version of that hunk of junk you crashed into Dwain’s house, and on a crazy deadline. The engineers were cutting corners to get that thing tested. We were in an engine test firing lab. We were just supposed to test fire the engines. I was in the control room.” She downed the next one the waiter brought. “Two more!” she said tapping the table.
“Do you wish to order now?” the waiter asked.
“Yes,” So’koth said in order to give her a moment. “Cheese Burger, French Fries, and a Vanilla Milkshake!” he said nodding to the waiter.
“Two slices of pepperoni pizza, New York style.” Jennifer said, then took a breath before looking back at So’koth. “So the test was going fine for about four minutes, we got it up to about ninety percent thrust, then started to gimbal the engines and a vibration anomaly appeared in the starboard engine. We stopped the motion of the engines and brought them right back to center. Needless to say the vibration didn’t stop, I hit the emergency override to shut it down and nothing happened.” She took up another of her requested drinks and downed it.
So’koth shifted a little uneasy. “Cascade failure?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yup!” she said taking the other drink and slamming it. “The vibration continued to get worse, shook the primary driver coil so hard it dislodged and flew out of the rear of the craft and hit the back wall leaving a dent and a gout of superheated gasses spewing from the thing.
Radiation levels went off the chart. It ate through the side of the engine mounting chamber, and kicked off the rest of the thing. I didn’t wake up for about a month.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “It was horrible waking up in that chamber. The burn treatments. I Don’t think I’ve ever been in so much pain.”
So’koth watched her carefully, it was clear she was getting more and more upset. But he didn’t know what to say. Nothing he could say would comfort her.
“You know what was worse!” She looked down at the table for a long moment. “I got to watch as those engineers’ literally melted form the heat in the room before the explosion came. I got to see their faces. That’s etched into my memory for life!” she sat back in the booth rubbing the tears from her eyes, trying to compose herself. “But you weren’t there.”
“I’m sorry!” he said flatly, not sure what more he could do.
“You never wrote!”
He felt that twinge of guilt now growing. “You told me to stay away from you, you didn’t want to talk to me. So I did what you asked.” He said, his voice taking on a mournful tone. “No one told me what happened.”
“You don’t know much about women, and that was something that was kind of endearing about you back then. You were fresh, new. Naive even!” she took another of the tumblers and drank this one slower. “Your right, I did tell you not to write or contact me. But you still should have at least checked up on me!” she said allowing a bit of a smile to creep back in. “But it was for the better, you likely would have…”
“Killed him for real?” So’koth said bluntly.
“Yes,” she sighed. “Yes you probably would have shown up, my knight in shining Klingon armor.”
He nodded. “Your right, I would have.”
“I Didn’t need a knight.” She grinned at the thought. “But I could have used a friend.”
He looked away for a long moment, down the street towards the bay. “I’m sorry.” He said looking back at her. “I owed you more than just walking away.”
She smiled. “Some things are just meant to be, some are not.” She wiped her eyes with a napkin now. “I wouldn’t be the badass I am now if it wasn’t for you!” she said with a smile. “Sometimes things happen for a reason and make you learn what you are most capable of. Some are so profound you’ll never forget. But you won’t make the same mistake again!”
He nodding knowingly. “I’ve made a few of those in my life.”
“I’m sure it won’t be the last.” She smiled. “I just cannot believe they transferred him and made him an Admiral in Research and Development. He should have been busted out of the service!” her tone slipped into that of a darker, and hated one. “That bastard should be rotting in jail.”
So’koth glanced over at her as their meals arrived. “He got a promotion and put in charge of Research and Development?”
“Well more like house arrested and made to continue working.” She frowned. “They felt he would be of more use and to keep him from retiring they offered him a desk in an obscure place where he couldn’t do much to harm the general fleet.”
“R&D not harming the fleet. Right!” So’koth said mockingly.
“Well they really restricted him to just administration more than anything, he has no pull over the actual departments there, that’s on some other guy that started there at about the same time. Last names Horn. Though I hear it’s a temporary assignment for him as well. But we’ll see how long that lasts.” She said taking a bite of her pizza.
So’koth nodded, “Probably meant for each other.”
She laughed, well more like giggled. “Yeah.”
“So how long are you going to continue doing this line of work?” he asked starting to eat his own meal.
“For as long as it suites me. They pay well, if you can call lodging and pretty much whatever I want pay.” She gestured to the cloths she was wearing. “I like the simple stuff.”
He nodded. “That’s something I always liked about you.” He looked over at her, pizza stuffed in her mouth staring back.
“What?” she said through her full mouth.
“The time is oh two hundred thirty.” A voice called out, which brought So’koth out of his nap. He felt the fatigue, but he would have to suck it up and get his butt in gear. He had an appointment with medical. He slowly slipped out of bed doing his best not to wake Jennifer. It was an unexpected encounter that lead to them at least sharing a bed. Not that he didn’t want to, it just wasn’t right with as drunk as she was last night.
He didn’t want her to have any regrets. He was tempted, but it wouldn’t have been right.
“Thank you.” She muttered sleepily as he got dressed.
“Sorry, I was trying not to wake you.” He said as he pulled his shoes on. “Your welcome to stay, just lock up when you leave.”
“You always were the gentleman.” She said and suddenly flailed about grabbing up pillows and bedding hugging them to herself. “This is nice stuff!” she said yawning. “I thought you Klingon types liked it rough.”
He chuckled and glanced back at her as he started for the door. “In a lot of things in our lives. But I’m half Klingon and I do enjoy soft things when I can!” he disappeared out the door leaving her in darkness.
So’koth made his way down the corridor and into the turbolift. “Starfleet Medical.” He said.
The lift started rising and stopped long enough to allow Vados on who looked equally as tired as he did. Vados nodded. “Morning!”
“Yup.” So’koth said.
“I hate mornings!” Vados said through a yawn.
So’koth grinned. “That makes two of us.”
“So, you went to dinner with Jennifer?” Vados asked probing for a response.
So’koth’s frowned and glanced over at the inquisitive Bolian. “Really? Chris?” he asked knowingly.
Vados nodded. “Said you two hit it off really well, last anyone saw was you two heading back to your place.”
He nodded. “Nothing happened.”
“Sure it didn’t!” Vados said as the lift began to slow. “Wait, you’re not kidding?”
So’koth nodded. “She slept over, but we didn’t sleep together Vados. I’m not sure what is happening there but nothing is going too. Not until we have a chance to truly reconnect.”
Vados stared at him as the lift opened to let them off on their desired deck. “I never took you for the subtle type.” The two of them started down the corridor quickly.
So’koth grinned. “There is much that you jokers don’t know about me.”
“Not as little as you would like to think So’koth!” the Bolian said as they rounded a turn.
“I hope they turn your skin yellow!” So’koth said as they turned to enter the medical facility.
The Bolian stopped at the door clutching his heart. “Surely you jest sir!”
“It might look good on you!” So’koth said nodding to the in-take nurse.
“Now you’re just being down right mean!” the Bolian said crossing the room from the door. “Hello Nurse Jansen.”
“Hello boys, ready to spend some quality time with the doctor?” she asked gracing them with a smile. “Assuming your done picking on one another as usual!” she gestured towards the door.
So’koth nodded and lead the way passing through the doors, he settled down into one of the chairs and got comfortable. “Always, but I do wish more time travel was involved!” he said.
“Time travel? Good heavens no!” she scoffed. “You know that Time Travel is forbidden!” she began going about prepping the two men. “Besides, you’d never come back!”
“To true. Oh how fun it would be to live forever!”
“Only in works of fiction dear!” she said administering a hypo to the two. “That should make you feel a little drowsy. Your welcome to nod off, we’ll just be sedating you anyhow so sleep when you like!” she disappeared back out the door of the operating room.
So’koth glanced over at the Bolian who’s eyes were closed. “See, it’s not morning just yet!”
Vados turned his head opening his eyes. “It’s a matter of opinion, but I can go with that!” he looked back to the ceiling and closed his eyes once again.
“I hate this part!” So’koth said under his breath.
“Shut up So’koth!” Vados said.
“It’s hard enough being me,” he yawned. “let alone other versions of me.”
“Shut up So’koth!” the Bolian said a bit more bluntly.
“Night Vados!”
“So’koth so help me!” the Bolian looked over to find the Klingon giving him a toothy grin. “Just shut your trap”! he said laying back down.
So’koth let his eyes drift closed, he heard both the doctor and nurses come in and felt the hypo with the sedation be administered, the room very quickly began to grow distant like it wasn’t there. Even felt the sharp pin pricks over his body and his face as the doctor went about changing his appearance. Eventually even his mind closed down, falling away.
It was almost like time had stopped. So’koth woke feeling as if he had just blinked, though he felt rested, he also felt different which was an understatement. He glanced at his hands, alien hands. They now looked olive instead of his usual completion. The nurse pushed a hypo to his neck, and smiled at him. “How do you feel?” she asked.
He nodded. “Strange!” he said trying to get his bearings. He noted that Vados was gone. “Where’s Vados?”
“Vados left about two hours ago. We ran into some minor complications with your procedures, nothing to be alarmed. We just wanted to give you some additional time to recover. Your Commanding officer was notified of the delay and said to have you contact them once you were released.” She said and pulled out a tricorder and began running the medical probe over him.
“Alright, what’s the determination? Am I good to go?” he asked.
“Not even going to ask what the complications where?” she asked as she returned the sensor probe to the top of the tricorder.
“No need, if it was important you would have told me.”
“True. Your free to go.” She said offering a reassuring smile.
“Thank you!” he said slipping his legs over the side of the chair. He hit his communicator badge. “So’koth to Lieutenant Commander McTaggart!” he said.
“McTaggart here, standby for transport!” he said.
So’koth slipped off the edge of the bio bed and stood nodding to the Nurse as she left. The transporter effect took time as it pulled him apart and shifted his molecules off to their new destination. The shimmer faded leaving him on the transporter pad in their transport ship. He nodded to the commander. “Sorry I’m late sir.” He stepped off the padd.
“Go get changed, and get to the flight deck. We’re leaving in twenty. Glad you pulled through Lieutenant!” he said, exiting the small room, leaving him there.
McTaggart was not a man of many words, but knew the words to use that were most effective. So’koth exited the transporter room and headed down to his bunkroom. He pulled open his drawer as he entered and quickly changed into his black long sleeve shirt, and black Cargo pants. He took a moment to recycle his communicator badge, and grab the old style civilian communicator which was probably older than he was.
“Hey!” Chris said from the door. “You’re not allowed to die without my permission ass hat!”
“Die?” So’koth asked turning and heading for the door. He stepped out in front of Chris in the Narrow corridor. “You wish I would die so you could go through with your plans to take over the universe.”
“You know it.” He said disappearing down another hall behind him.
So’koth stepped out onto the flight deck and dropped into the flight seat, and hit the button causing it to rise into place. He quickly began running diagnostics on the ships systems to ensure everything was good to go.
“See, its Karma!” Vados said looking up at him from the auxiliary station below.
So’koth looked over the edge of his chair down at the Bolian to be greeted by instead the face of a Romulan that looked oddly a lot like Vados. “Karma?”
The Bolian let out a chuckle. “You being late and all, and your comments before you fell asleep.”
So’koth chuckled. “Sure, you keep telling yourself that!”
“Status?” McTaggart said as he walked into the flight deck.
“Diagnostics complete here!” So’koth said glancing at his panels. “Flights good to go!”
“Engineering’s good to go!” Clive said as he squeezed by McTaggart and took his station.
The large McTaggart squeezed into his usual spot at another auxiliary station. “Alright, enough lollygagging, let’s get this thing moving!”
Vados hit a few keys on his station and the docking bay doors began to part ways opening to space. “Doors open, bay has decompressed.”
“Ahead thrusters only Mr. So’koth!” McTaggart called from below.
The vessel lifted from the deck at So’koth’s commands, the landing struts quickly retracted into the hull and with a low rumble the vessel pushed forward through the containment field and into space. “Clear of the bay!” So’koth said.
“Lay in a course out of the system, full impulse. I’ll send you your dossier’s to review. You only have a few hours to get wise on your identities. So’koth, get us on course at the time presented in yours and meet me in my office!” the large man said as he extracted himself from the console.
“Aye sir!” So’koth said, he was certain he heard Vados and Clive reply as well but he was suddenly preoccupied by this sudden request. It was a long moment before his file appeared in his folder. He pulled it up and started reading it. “Volan, really?” he asked out loud.
“Ouch, that sounds Bolian!” Vados said. “At least you didn’t get a womanly sounding name like “T’merea” Vados said.
“Or L’pur” Clive said. “Sound French.”
So’koth chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose so. Is it me or do these names continue to get worse.” He asked scanning through the orders. He stopped finding the course information. He quickly started plotting the course, and engaged the ships warp drive. “On the road again!” he said and hit the button engaging the autopilot, then lowered the chair back down the pit.
“Have fun!” Clive said as he passed.
“Oh I will L’pur!” So’koth said as he passed. He headed down the hall and turned to the right heading for the airlock then stopped hitting the button on the door.
“Come!” he heard McTaggart’s voice from inside.
He slowly opened the door, and stepped into the cramped office. It might as well have been a janitors closet that was converted to an office. “Reporting as ordered. Were on course.”
“Good, sit!” McTaggart said pointing to the chair opposite.
So’koth did as he was told dropping into the chair.
McTaggart looked a bit distressed as he scanned the computer screen in front of him. He looked up at him and started to speak then stopped considering his words. “So’koth. You have additional orders.” He said handing a Padd across to him. “I was asked to give them to you directly.”
So’koth took the padd and entered his security clearance and then pressed a thumb to the print reader. “My eyes only?” he asked glancing at his boss. He began to read the addition to his orders, and stopped. It was one paragraph but it was profound. He looked up at his boss. “You have got to be kidding?”
McTaggart held up a hand. “Your eyes.”
“You mean to tell me you’re not privy to this?” So’koth said flatly. “Have you checked this things authenticity?”
“It was given to me by Rear Admiral Gwen personally.” McTaggart said flatly.
So’koth set the device in the replicator and hit the recycle button, and then cleared the temporary memory. “This is asking too much!”
“You cannot talk about it!” McTaggart stated flatly. “Burden of eyes only orders son.”
So’koth sat there staring at his boss. “I cannot do this!”
McTaggart’s face changed in shades of red. “You have your orders Lieutenant; you will follow them. They are given for a reason and you will obey!” he pointed towards the door. “Let me know when we arrive at our first stop!”
So’koth felt his anger welling up. He stood and exited the room before he said something he was going to regret. He was being asked to do something that was impossible. He stood there for a long moment and spotted Chris staring at him from the other end of the hall. He started down the hall and turned heading back onto the flight deck. He dropped into his seat and hit the button sending it back up into place.
“How did it go?” Vados asked as he rose into place.
So’koth sat there staring out into the unfiltered warp field effect enveloping the ship as it raced through space. He didn’t respond, figuring that would answer Vados’es question. And it did as the Bolian didn’t ask again. They had about five hours to get to their first rendezvous, it was a long time to think.
Their first rendezvous went well and without incident, they had transferred cargo with the Ferengi vessel docked at the station in the Zantedeschia system. This was a large commercial space port open to all kinds of foreign trade. So’koth and his companions were no different, but that was a lie in itself. They were Romulans. It mattered not that they were dressed as civilians, they were treated as spies. Which wasn’t far from the truth. Working in Intelligence was equated with being a spy no matter what your duty.
“Are you sure this is wise?” L’pur asked as they strolled into the stations local bar establishment.
McTaggart came to a stop which nearly lead to them crashing into him not expecting it. “Wise, no. Necessary yes. If we are to show these good people that our intentions are to fit in to foster trade, then yes. It most certainly is.” Vanaren was his given name in this venture. He was portraying a leader to the letter, and throwing a bit of Vulcan logic into the mix So’koth supposed.
“I for one am willing to entertain this idea.” Veth, the identity that Chris has been given was fitting. In fact, they all were if truth be told. They essentially were given their own identities but from a Romulan counterpart sort of way.
The group entered the establishment stopping at the doors, it felt much like a western as the room suddenly went quiet as people spotted the Romulan contingent enter the room. So’koth watched as Vanaren surveyed the room and pointed toward a table which So’koth noted was dangerously close to a small group of Klingons and of all people. Starfleet Officers. ‘This should be interesting.’ So’koth thought to himself. The group made their way through the crowd and as they did the room slowly began returning to normal.
The four of them settled into chairs at the table, their backs to both the Klingon and Starfleet groups, So’koth glanced up as someone whom he assumed was a waiter came up to them. “Sumarian Starburst, and a Romulan Ale!” So’koth said before anyone could speak.
Of course Chris spoke up, pointing over at So’koth. “What he’s having if you please!”
The waiter nodded, and looked to the other two.
“Romulan ale will do.” McTaggart said.
“Same!” Clive said.
“Do you think T’merea will hold down the ship well enough that we can indulge ourselves tonight Captain.” Clive asked.
“indeed. We certainly shall.” McTaggart replied.
So’koth ticked off the seconds, and then minutes in his mind wondering when the Klingons or the Starfleet Types would notice them sitting between them. He was astonished that it took as long as it did, usually the Klingons are ripe for a fight. Not to say they were not there for one, they were. Part of the show McTaggart said. They were trying to set a reputation by causing at least an incident worthy of some brig time or being sent on their way. Records needed to be made to follow their aliases in case they had to use them again in the future.
“What is this!” he heard someone say in a loud and obnoxious way.
So’koth glanced up and spotted the man, his uniform color betrayed that he was part of Starfleet’s security forces which only drew a slight grin from him. He met the man’s gaze and nodded as if to say hello.
“Do I know you?” he said taking a stumble forward to their table. “Yeah, I know you!” he pointed with the tumbler of alcohol in one hand and used his other to keep his balance. “Your Vulcan right? From the Potemkin?”
“No, you are mistaken.” So’koth said in a flat unamused tone. “Nor am I a Vulcan…” he said allowing some disdain to slip into his voice.
The middle aged Starfleet Officer clapped him on the back with his large hand. “Sure ye are!” he pointed to the drinks as they were dropped on the table in front of the troupe. “Have a drink with me!” he said pushing them forward egging him on.
So’koth eyed the man carefully, the others too were watching including the other Starfleet officers at the other table who were enthralled. “Very well.” He said and picked up the tumbler. “To your good health!” he said.
“And yers friend.” He turned up his glass and So’koth did so likewise. The hot liquid spread through his body quickly. He liked this drink for that very reason. Very strong, very potent.
“Look, the human can barely stand. And the Romulan…A Romulan in our presence…” a guttural voice called from behind him. “You wish a challenge Romulan petaQ you should drink with us!”
So’koth picked up his ale and slowly turned to the Klingon, he spotted them all huddled together whispering amongst themselves, pointing as if planning some sort of strategy. They were clearly hammered themselves. Which became apparent as he raised his glass to them and drink the entire contents. “I’d sooner drink with a Targ!” he said pointedly.
“You couldn’t drink a human under the table Romulan scum. Your people are cowards, you hide from the rest of the galaxy behind your cloak and dagger. Are you here to spy on us?” he slowly moved around the table setting his drink down loudly on the table causing a gout of what he could only assume was Warnog to splash forth. It had a very pungent smell even for Klingon alcohol.
So’koth slipped off his stool and stood ready to face the Klingon, but a strong arm across his chest from McTaggart stopped him. “Not now!” he heard him whisper.
“What, is your mommy going to come fight for you now Romulan!” he scoffed and spit on the floor. “Coward!”
Slowly So’koth turned and settled back onto his stool. “Aye, sir.”
The Klingon turned about back to his table as well. The Klingon’s continued to remark to themselves about both groups. Starfleet and the Romulans alike. So’koth and he was sure the others in his party could feel their eyes boring into them. There obnoxious laughter echoing through the room as if they were in a cave.
“Our new cargo is both a live cargo transport and chemical. We’ll need to ensure that both are well secured. The client is setting up the pens now for the animals. They cannot be contained in cages unfortunately so it’s likely to get a bit smelly on board.” McTaggart said to the troupe. “The chemical transport is a bit more concerning as it is highly unstable. But the containment pods were caring them in should be sufficient to contain them and if anything does go well should also contain most of the damage if they were to ignite.” He glanced at So’koth. “You’ll have to be careful about the course you take, we’ll have to avoid being within a light-year of any pulsar.”
“Aye.” He said signaling the waiter for another round.
“So when do we leave this place?” Clive asked scratching one of his ears.
McTaggart eyed him. “Stop scratching! And the intent is to be gone by mid-day tomorrow. Assuming the cargo transfer goes according to plan.”
So’koth downed another tumbler of alcohol, then smiled and then spotted movement to his left. It was the Starfleet Security officer again. He stopped well within So’koth’s bubble, his breath reeked of booze. “You’ll want to take a step back Starfleet.” He said not bothering to look the man in the eye. Primarily not wanting to get a good whiff of his breath but on the other hand to just annoy him out of disrespect.
“You’re a Romulan!” he said, his speech coming across more like a young child’s as he slurred.
So’koth raised his glass of ale. “Congratulations Starfleet, you get the gold star!” he gestured back towards the table. “Now go back to your friends.”
“But you’re a Romulan!” he sputtered.
Now So’koth turned slowly on his stool and eyed the man. “Make your point Starfleet, or I’ll make it for you!” he warned placing one hand on his chest and slowly pushed him back outside his comfort zone.
“Don’t touch me!” he said belligerently, hauling back one great arm and he made the mistake of trying to throw a punch which caught the attention of the Klingons. His arm flopped forward glancing harmlessly off his right shoulder which So’koth just stared down at the impact point and then back at the man.
“Really?” he asked quizzically.
The Starfleet Security officer was too busy celebrating the fact he had just hit him. Looking back at his companions to not notice the boot that So’koth planted in the small of his back and sent him rushing towards his comrades. He hit the table causing a few drinks to fall and break. The Security officer spilled to the floor taking two of his companions with him. They laid on the floor laughing hysterically. The others stared at him considering their options. The Klingons were on their feet ready.
So’koth chuckled loudly and pointed. “See they can bounce back!” he pounded the table with a fist looking back to the others who likewise were laughing. Everyone in the bar went quiet staring waiting for it.
“Try that with me?” the voice was a growl as much as it was a sentence.
So’koth turned and found the Klingon was now in his comfort zone staring at him with a Toothy grin. He slowly sized up the Klingon, he noticed a very slight sway. As subtle as that sway was it would be helpful depending upon how this played out. “Do you always walk up and proposition Romulans in this way?” he asked with a sneer.
“Propa-what?” he asked angrily. “Do you mean to infer…”
“Yes!” So’koth said standing and now invading the Klingon’s space. “I do!” he slowly pushed the Klingon back who grabbed him by his tunic. “I tire of your voice Klingon!” he said through his teeth.
The Klingon warrior’s blood boiled, he could see it in his eyes. The thrill of a fight coming. Perhaps even the blood of an enemy spilled. It was invigorating. He felt it too but even in an inebriated state he knew he had to keep his head. Romulans certainly were more passionate than Vulcans but they still held a strong control over their mental well-being. Klingons not so much. “Then let us dance Romulan!” the Klingon said rearing back to deliver an open palm hit to his chest.
So’koth allowed the blow to move him backward, he needed some room to move to be most effective. He brought an arm up effectively blocking the Klingons next blow and delivered his own open handed blow to the Klingon’s chest. “Yes. Indeed!” he said.
The Klingon snapped out with another jab this time closed fist, but it was a feign and he knew it but allowed the next blow to land fully, this one impacting his cheek. He felt the pressure and the pain and turned with the blow. His head snapped back around and he too mimicked the warrior delivering his own blow. It was his intent to let this drag on blow by blow. Everyone around them seemed to watch with amusement as the Klingon and Romulan faced off giving each other a pummeling.
The bar owner, a blue skinned Bolian named “Bob” by the locals threaded his way through the crowd and stopped next to the table. He stood watching and started pointing. “Far be it for me to stop good entertainment. Keep your distance!” he said gesturing people back. “You’ll all get a better view if you step back!”
The two exchanged several more blows, before the stood swaying eyeballing one another. So’koth took a moment to wipe the blue-green blood from his lip glancing down at his own astonishment. He took a step toward the Klingon, this time the Klingon was ready and he spun kicking but lost his footing and So’koth took advantage pressing his attack planting a foot in the Klingons back and shoving him towards his companions. Warnog and Klingon were sent sprawling to the floor. “I do believe that concludes our little scuffle Klingon.” He quipped.
The Four Klingons quickly scrambled to their feet, they were all mad now. The one whom had been the most boisterous stood and pointed an accusing finger. “No Romulan, it’s not over!” he rushed forward drawing his D’ktag from his belt and lunged. The other Klingons were right behind him rushing forward but with bare hands.
The Starfleet group rushed forward as well, why? Who knew! The Romulan’s were fighting on all fronts and appeared to be holding their ground for the moment.
So’koth dodged out of the way of the Klingon blade and as he came around he grabbed the Klingon’s wrist and twisted while forcing his elbow the wrong direction. The Klingon yielded the knife quickly to save his elbow and quickly broke free of the grip, and an open palm to the face caught So’koth off guard sending him back a few steps. He had the right of mind to block the next blow to his stomach and chest.
The two circled each other, the Klingon smiling with glee at the chaos. “You fight well for a Romulan!” the Klingon goaded him.
“You fight well for a Ferengi!” So’koth said offering a smile of his own.
This threw the Klingon into a rage, his face went from one of elation to one of extreme anger. He rushed forward and tackled him to the ground. The two landing in a heap on the ground. The Klingon began pummeling him relentlessly. All So’koth could do was block while the Klingon worked his anger through, blow after blow.
Finally, the stations security force rushed in and began pulling the combatants apart, So’koth lay on the floor for a long moment with a member of security standing over him pointing an old Phaser at him. He honestly didn’t feel like moving at the moment, parts of his body throbbed from the punishment it had taken. “Your response time is concerning.” He said to the man standing over him.
The Security Officer frowned looking down at him. “Don’t make me stun you Romulan!” he said flatly.
So’koth didn’t argue, he just waited until he was asked to get up and with some help from McTaggart he slowly got to his feet. “You have nothing to fear from me.” He glanced around at the aftermath, they had managed not to break anything which was a plus. No one was lying bleeding or dead. All in all, a good bar fight he thought to himself. “That was fun!” he said looking at McTaggart.
“Come on, to the drunk tank with you!” the Security Officer said gesturing for them to move along. He had holstered his weapon and was gesturing towards the door. The group of Romulans slowly made their way through the crowd several people actually nodded in approval, most just ignored the procession.
“Well that went well.” So’koth said under his breath.
“Good job,” McTaggart said. “Though you could have taken less of a beating.”
“That wasn’t by choice, that Klingon actually got the better of me.” He admitted begrudgingly. “I’m going to feel this in the morning!”
“We all are!” McTaggart said leading him into the Security Wing. They were escorted to a cell and put in one together isolated form the rest of the population. They waited until they were sure that no one was eavesdropping on them before anyone spoke.
Chris grinned at the others. “That was fun, we should do that again!”
“Indeed.” Clive said nodding. “Not every day we get to start a bar fight just to hold cover.”
“Let’s just wait a few weeks before we do, I’m not sure my ribs can take another pounding like that. At least for a few days.” So’koth said holding his side. He slowly pulled up his shirt, and the green bruising was pretty obvious.
“You might have a cracked rib, better have Vados take a look at that when we get back to the ship.” McTaggart said.
So’koth nodded. “Yeah, pretty sure your right!”
“Get some shut eye you brutes.” McTaggart said settling down on his own cot. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”
It only took another six hours with help from the Station Security and Logistics forces to get them packed with cargo and off the station after they stood before the stations magistrate. They were very pointed about getting them off the station as the Klingons were threatening further violence if they were not removed right away. Which worked well in favor of the team, but what the magistrate didn’t know couldn’t hurt them. The Klingon’s were other intelligence operatives put in place to help solidify their cover.
The Star’s streaked by outside the cargo transport, So’koth watched while his routine diagnostics were running. His side still hurt, but that would go away in time. Vados had healed the fractures in two of his ribs which helped considerably with the pain but the bruising and other aches from being in a fight still remained.
“How much longer till we reach the Onias Sector Sokoth?” McTaggart asked from below.
So’koth glanced over at the timer ticking down on his left. “We’ve got about ten minutes before we drop from warp.” He said glancing over the side and down at the Lieutenant Commander.
“Good deal, drop us out of Warp and put us on station at the exact coordinates.” McTaggart said as he got up and left the room.
“How are those ribs So’koth?” Vados asked from the Auxiliary station.
So’koth unconsciously put a hand on them. “Still sore, but I’ll live.”
“So long as you don’t let yourself get beat like that often enough I assume you will. Just be careful for a while. You don’t want to aggravate the injury.” Vados said going back to his station.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He said watching the time tick away on the clock. He looked over to the diagnostic which had just completed showing what he suspected it would. Everything was fine. His long range sensor displays suddenly showed something which caught his attention. He pulled up the readings on his main screen in front of him and began focusing the vessels very old sensor suite in the direction of the contact. It suddenly split into two contacts, one much smaller than the other. He keyed the intercom. “Flight to McTaggart!” he said and waited.
“Go for McTaggart!” came the Lieutenant Commanders voice.
“Are we expecting them to already be waiting, and is there supposed to be more than one?” So’koth asked.
“Standby!” McTaggart said and abruptly closed the channel.
So’koth kept watching the scanners as they continued to close, they were down to six minutes on the timer. The second contact was large, very like a Romulan military ship. He heard shuffling of feet as McTaggart came into flight, he peered over the edge of his chair watching him drop into his chair and began pulling up sensor readings. “About five before we drop from warp!” he said looking back at his scanners.
“Continue on course!” McTaggart said as he stared intently at his screens.
So’koth watched as the sensors began identifying the craft. The smaller was identified as an Orion Class Freighter, it was very old but appeared to be functional. It’s Warp Signature identified it as the S.S. Blue Flacon. So’koth’s heart dropped as the sensor registered the other craft as a Romulan D’deridex class Warbird. Not exactly something one would want to see. But they were technically in Romulan space so it should be of little surprise. “I hope our identities hold.” He muttered to himself.
“They will, don’t worry!” Chris said from the rear of the cabin.
“Two minutes!” So’koth called as his indicator beeped at him.
“So’koth just in case this goes south have a course ready to get us out of here.” McTaggart turned to Clive. “How fast can you get our emergency systems online if needed?”
“Two minutes to come up, two minutes to loop into current systems and reinforce. So five minutes’ maximum.” Clive said looking over at McTaggart.
“Dropping out of warp!” So’koth said, and the star’s snapped back into pinpoints as they exited the subspace envelope. “Both vessels bearing directly ahead.”
“Were being hailed by the Romulan Warbird!” Vados said flatly.
“On Screen!” McTaggart said coolie, pulling his tunic straight. He waited for the beep as the viewscreen came alive with the face of a Romulan commander. “To what do we owe the pleasure Commander?” McTaggart asked.
The Romulan Commander regarded him for a long moment as if waiting for something. “What business do you have in this area of space?” she said pointedly.
“Were here to rendezvous with that vessel for cargo exchange. We are a merchant vessel.” McTaggart said. “Looks like they arrive early.”
“Indeed.” The Commander said and looked off screen. “Your heavily armed for a merchant vessel.” She said looking back at them. “Why?”
“We visit some dangerous areas of space to ply our trade commander, logic would dictate such armament” he gestured to the vessel. “Would you care to come aboard and inspect our cargo, we are legitimate traders.”
“Indeed I would, shut down your engines and prepare to be boarded. All of your crew will leave their stations and submit to the boarding party commander. Should you not comply I will reduce your vessel to debris.” She leaned forward toward the screen. “Do we understand each other?” she asked.
McTaggart nodded. “Yes Commander, we will comply and await your boarding party.” He said. She nodded and the screen went blank.
“Shut her down So’koth and come down here.” He hit the intercom button. “Prepare to be boarded, all hands report to the main corridor.” He said standing himself and making his way out of the flight deck.
So’koth deactivated the ships engines putting them into standby mode. He then lowered the pilots seat and stepped free heading into the narrow corridor. They all came together at the center of the vessel each of them standing against a bulkhead.
The shrill whine of a transporter effect caught everyone’s attention and several armed Romulan officers appeared each of them pointing a weapon at the crew. The woman who So’koth identified as the vessels commander appeared. She stepped forward towards McTaggart. “I am Sub-Commander Voral.”
“Captain Vanaren,” McTaggart said nodding out of respect. “Welcome aboard.”
She took a look down each hallway, pushing past McTaggart she stepped into the cockpit and glanced around. “What is your current itinerary?” she asked turning back towards them. They could hear other Romulan officers rummaging through things throughout the ship. So’koth counted at least six others outside of the four with them.
“After our cargo exchange here were to head to Penthara.” He held out a padd to her. “This details our contract.”
She took it and scanned over the data. She nodded and slipped the padd into her pocket. “I see.” She regarded each of them as she walked around looking down each hallway. “What will you do at Penthara?”
McTaggart didn’t hesitate. “Were to drop the cargo we pick up here and await further instructions from our employer.” He smiled. “Likely lots of ale, and relaxation.” He said.
She offered a brief smile as she came to stand back in front of him. “We will be checking out your employer, and comparing your cargo manifests as well as your trade with the Blue Falcon. If anything is out of order your cargo will be confiscated, you will be arrested, and your vessels will be destroyed.” She said sternly. “Am I clear?” she met McTaggart’s eyes.
He nodded. “Crystal.”
“Very good,” she said and turned as another Romulan came from the cargo hold.
“Everything matches the cargo manifest and the exchange agreement between them.” He said handing her a padd.
“Very well then.” She looked to McTaggart and nodded. “You may proceed. Good day Captain.” she nodded to one of her officers who keyed something on his arm and they all shimmered out of existence leaving them standing there to breathe a sigh of relief.
McTaggart took a moment and then looked around. “Let’s get back to work!” he said and turned heading back for the cargo bay. “Get us docked So’koth!”
So’koth turned and headed back to the flight deck and got back to his flight controls. He took the engines off standby and started guiding them towards a docking with the Blue Falcon. He watched as the range ticked down and the other vessel acknowledged the docking. He could see the docking lights come on and the port extend. He activated their docking sequence and held the craft steady as they slowly approached. There was a slight bump and the sound of contact being made. He watched as all the lights showing docking was successful turn green. He hit the intercom key. “Docking successful, we have hard seal, all green!” he keyed the intercom off and looked up just in time to see the Romulan Warbird cloak as it maneuvered away from them.
“Good reddens” he said under his breath, then keyed his chair to send him to ground level. It was time to do the hard work. Cargo humping was certainly not his most entertaining thing to do, but it needed to be done.
“Veth, seriously stop leaving your rank ass socks laying on the couch, it’s going to make the thing stink to high heaven and we’ll never get our security deposit back!” So’koth said tossing his friend socks at his head as he crossed their apartment. They had been on the station for nearly a month now waiting for orders to return or what to follow up with next. They had taken on several small tasks, mostly bugging shops were prominent Romulan leaders on the station frequented. Surveillance though made up the majority of their job here so far. They had set up sensor nodes all over the station in the time allotted to them and had been observing patterns of the workers, the security department. It was boring work but it would hopefully be well worth it.
Chris frowned pulling the sock off his head and tossed it to the floor. “Sorry.”
“Yeah, you might want to have T’merea check out those things, that smell is not natural!” he said sitting down at his computer station. “That’s a smell that could slay Klingons!”
“Okay! Okay, I get the point!” Chris said picking a sock up and tossing it back across the room at So’koth.
“Looks like we’ve got more work to do.” He said flatly reading through the various notes. “With as many of these things as we keep being asked to do eventually someone’s going to notice!” he said sitting back. “I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this!” he said hazarding a glance over at his roommate.
“They say jump; we just assume how high right?” Chris asked looking up from his work.
“Indeed.” So’koth said as he stood and crossed the room. They had taken jobs in station maintenance to help pay for room and board while they were docked here waiting for a new contract. Clive had taken to doing maintenance on that impulse engine that was starting to show wear and tear so it was good all around.
So’koth pulled on his utility jumpsuit for station maintenance and pulled on his tool belt and grabbed his kit and took a brief moment to transfer the work order over to his work padd. He stepped out into the room and nodded to his friend. “Be back in an hour or so!”
Chris simply waved still intent on whatever electronic he was soldering on.
So’koth left their room in the habitat level which was near the bottom of the station and took the long walk to the turbolift shafts which were centralized. He got into the large lift with probably twenty others. These lifts were the largest he’d ever seen, he figured they could easily haul a hundred people at a time. The lift ride was long as he was going all the way to level nineteen from two hundred. The station was indeed massive, he had been told stories and now knew the truth of the matter and the exaggerations were not far off. This was both a commercial hub and military hub as well. The station consisted of an upper docking area and housing for military personnel, a central commercial hub, followed by a commercial docking area, and then civilian living quarters space. The station looked like a giant ball rotating in space, like its own planet with a line carved through the center to give it contrast.
“Volan?” he heard the familiar voice and turned to greet her warmly. “Narenth.” He said
“What are you up to today tinkerer?” she asked offering a smile.
He laughed. “Going up to nineteen to fix a door, and install a power regulator that’s been malfunctioning.” He said.
“Sounds like fun work, someone’s got to keep the Empire running from the ground floor up too you know.” She moved closer. “I was thinking, perhaps you’d like to get lunch today?” she asked.
He regarded her a long moment. “I can’t I’m sorry, I already have plans.” He said. “But perhaps a rain check?” he asked.
“Rain Check?” she asked quizzically.
“Yes, sorry it’s an Earth expression I picked up from a trader, it means essentially another time perhaps?”
She smiled and nodded. “Rain check then, yes.” She glanced at the level indicator as it came up to her floor on the commercial level that she worked. “See you later Tinkerer.” She said as she exited the lift along with the majority of the people.
The remainder of the lift ride up was brief as no one else from the lower levels was going above the usual commercial level. He stepped off the lift as it arrived and submitted to the usual security check. It was a brief stop as they were starting to get used to seeing him in various parts of the station as he became more and more reliable. He was surprised at how simple some of the technology was and yet how complicated some of the things he was used to being easy were not. He strolled down the corridor checking the bullseyes on the wall as he went looking for the section he was to be working in. It didn’t take him long to find the right door. It was half open, which meant that the hydraulic mechanism for the left side of the door had failed.
So’koth set down his kit and pulled out a scanner and began running it over the wall. One of the valves had seized up. He bent down and grabbed a tool and began running it over the space that the valve occupied on the other side of the wall while running the scanner in his other hand watching to see if it released the valve.
“I know you!” he heard a familiar voice from behind.
Slowly So’koth craned his head around and spotted a familiar Romulan Sub-Commander’s face. “Sub-Commander.” He said with a nod.
“What are you doing?” she asked moving closer to see what was in his hands.
“Valves seized, I’m using a magnetic field manipulator to try and manipulate the valve manually to loosen it up. There’s still ample lubricant and fluid in the chamber. This valve is very old.” He said as he continued to run the field manipulator back and forth.
“No, I mean what are you doing here working on this.” She said, suspicion creeping into her voice. “You’re a flight officer, not an engineer.” She said.
“Actually I do both, but on our ship I’m the flight officer.” He said shrugging. “On a ship like this with a small crew you kind of got to be multifaceted.” He said matter-of-factly.
“Indeed.” She said regarding him for a moment. “Why are you still here on the station?” she asked.
He noted the valve finally moved, which caused the door to move slightly. “Still waiting for a new contract.” He said. “Things are slow for us right now.” He said. “Captain’s getting a bit antsy about it lately. This is the longest dry spell we’ve had for a work in a while. Usually only a week at most.” He smiled as the door panel extend from the wall and met the other closing the door. “There we go!”
She nodded in approval looking at the door. “I see. I suppose if I was in your shoes I would likewise look for alternative employment as well.” she watched as he tested the door a few times and nodded again. “Very good, Mr?”
“Volan!” he said putting his tools away, pulling out the padd.
“Mr. Volan,” she thought for a long moment. “Carry on!” the sub-commander turned and continued down the corridor until she turned into an office not far down. He noted that this deck was reserved for security personnel, he began wondering what she was doing on this level. Perhaps that was her office. He Flagged the valve for replacement in his paperwork but noted that it was working for now. He picked up his tool kit and started down the corridor until he came to a maintenance door.
He took only a moment to press a sensor node into the doorjamb which seemed to fade away just after being pressed into it. He stepped inside and glanced around before climbing up the ladder and into the Jefferies tube system. He hung a left and started crawling down the access tunnel to the whereabouts of the power regulator. He pulled the grate off the wall to gain access to the device and noted that there was a considerable amount of power having been routed through here.
Pulling the new regulator out of his kit he began by bypassing the power though other local junctions then slowly, one by one moving the power connectors from the old unit to the new one. It didn’t take much to replace a power regulator.
He took a moment to press a sensor node into the back of the ODN junction box in the open compartment, then pulled a diagnostic tool from his kit and began scanning the power regulator, he turned it on and watched as each bypass was released and power flowed through the circuit. He nodded and placed the old power regulator in his kit and started the crawl back down the tube.
It was a short lift ride down to the primary maintenance office for this section, he checked in with the foreman and dropped off the old power regulator and reported that the device was successfully installed. He stepped back into the large lift and selected the two hundredth level and the lift shot down the tube.
“How did it go?” Chris asked him as he walked back into their room. He noted the presence of the others huddled around a table with McTaggart.
“Good So’koth, your back!” McTaggart said.
“It went smoothly though I ran into a recent acquaintance of ours. Sub-Commander Voral.” He said dropping his kit by the door. He strolled over and took an open spot at the table. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Our new contract just came in.” McTaggart said pointing to the film laying on the table.
So’koth noted the picture and his heart sunk a bit. It was the merchant woman who had continued to peruse him since they bumped into one another during a repair job of his on the commercial level. “I know her!” he said flatly.
“Really?” Chris and Clive said at the same time. “How?”
“I helped repair a light in her shop on the commercial level, and I pretty much see her in the lift almost every other day.” So’koth said.
McTaggart regarded him for a long moment. “This isn’t going to be a problem is it?”
So’koth frowned deeply. “A problem?”
He pointed to the code next to her picture, and So’koths heart plummeted. “A kill order? Are you serious?” He turned away from the table and walked away, his anger flared for the first time in some time. “This is a civilian.”
“Intelligence believer’s she’s a Tal’shiar agent So’koth. They want us to gauge station security respond times by this method.” McTaggart said.
“Boss there are so many other ways to do that, this is not right!” he said pointing to the film on the table. “Where’s the proof? Where is the evidence that says she’s a Tal’shiar operative?” he asked. “Usually they send all of this with a Kill Order!”
“We have our orders So’koth. This job falls on you!” he pointed with his thumb back at Chris. “He will supply you with what you need to get the job done. “Clive and Vados will assist you in placement.” His boss frowned and looked at the ground for a moment. “We don’t always like the orders were given So’koth. But it’s our job to follow.”
So’koth sighed. “I’m not fan of Romulan’s, but this is not right!”
The others just stared back at him, no one said anything. McTaggart looked back at them. “Dismissed.” He told them.
They all filed out knowing what their jobs where in order to make this happen. It left an empty room with just him and McTaggart. “Is this what you meant when we spoke?”
“No. It’s harder than that So’koth.” He said and produced a smaller film and pulled the tab, and handed it to him.
So’koth looked down at the film in his hand as it began to display its orders. These things were an engineering marvel. You basically found the pull tab by feel, pressed down which left a small DNA sample, and then tore the pull tab off, it then displayed its data for a very brief time and then the data disappeared and it returned to being a simple clear film. He held it and looked at what it read. As he read his orders he could feel the anger rising. He looked up at his boss. “This is an even bigger joke right?”
McTaggart shook his head. “No.”
“I won’t” So’koth said dropping the film on the floor. “You cannot be serious!”
McTaggart walked towards the door. “We’ve all been there. Do the job So’koth!” he said coldly as he walked past him and out the door.
So’koth stood there for a long time staring down at the film on the floor before picking it back up and depositing both items into the replicator to be recycled. He watched as they shimmered out of existence. He was being asked to do the impossible. Well not impossible, but immoral and it made him angry to no end. He had no way to dispute what he was being asked to do. He would have to follow through and hope it was the right thing to do.
“Team 1 status?” McTaggart’s voice called over the closed communications network.
“Standing by!” Called Clive’s voice over the communications channel.
“Demo Team, Com Check!” McTaggart called.
“Demo standing by,” So’koth said over the communications channel. He glanced over at Chris who gave him a thumbs up. “I cannot believe were doing this!” he said under his breath. The two of them were stationed just inside one of the maintenance access points. Chris was staring down the corridor toward their objective.
“Go Team 1, Go Demo!” McTaggart said coolie over the communications channel.
So’koth walked over and followed Chris into the tunnel, the two of them quickly crawled down the tube towards the objective. It was a power distribution unit which was just above the store that nice merchant woman ran. They crawled along in silence for some time before finally arriving at their destination. It was one of the many things So’koth hated about climbing around in the bowels of a Starbase. The things were damn huge.
Chris ahead of him pulled free the access panel over the power distribution unit, they both peered in through the hole and examined the large device which hummed doing its job of conveying energy to this section of the commercial district.
So’koth pulled open a scanner and began running it over the device to ensure they had the right unit and indeed the display indicated it was the correct one. Slowly So’koth leaned into the opening and started to wiggle his way around to the backside of the device. “Taps are right where they should be.” He said grunting as he fell part of the way into the crawlspace. “Let’s get this done!” he said holding out a hand.
Chris pulled open his repair kit and pressed on the specific bolts in just the right order allowing the back of the case to pop open giving him access to the device that was going to do their dirty work. Their intent was to overload the power grid and cause a cascade failure of the primary power system. With this being the point of origin it was bound to make one hell of an explosion. “Here!” Chris dropped the device in his hand. “Sorry man. I know this isn’t exactly what you signed on for, but it really is!” his friend said.
“I don’t mind when I know who I’m killing is the enemy or at least the semblance of my enemy. We never got all the intelligence on this woman and were just going to do her in, just like that.” He snapped his fingers.
“What did you expect when you signed on to do this? Gum Drops and Ice-cream?” Chris said closing up his case. “This isn’t for the faint of heart.”
So’koth used the magnetic strip on the back to attach the device to the back of the power distribution unit before he peered around to the other side. “No kidding.” He shifted to get a better angle and began hooking up several eps power taps to the device. “Does not mean I have to like it!”
“Were just the trigger men.” Chris said.
“Indeed!” So’koth said and keyed his communicator. “Demo Team Set!” he said.
“Team 1, Entering.” Another voice called right after his, but in hushed tones.
“Demo Team, Set your timer. Go to Stage two!” McTaggart said.
“Stage two?” Chris looked at So’koth as he extracted himself from the wall. He quickly set the access panel back in place. “Head to your next work location, and I head to mine!” he said, his voice took on a mournful tone. “Business as usual!” he said.
Chris nodded regarding him for a long moment then started down the Jefferies tube back the way they had come.
So’koth turned and started the other direction coming to a crawl over space which ran along the maintenance path out in front of the shops which contained all the lighting and door mechanisms. He pulled open the access panel over the top of the doors and reached in sliding a small shaft of metal into the doors mechanism. He closed up the door and scrambled away from the area knowing he wouldn’t have much time. He quickly climbed up four decks as fast as he could and crawled away as fast as his body would carry him. He dropped into a Jefferies tube junction his chest heaving. “Stage Two Set!” he whispered into the communicator.
“Acknowledge.” McTaggart’s voice called.
“Uh, we can’t get out of here!” came a nonchalant voice over the communicator. “Excuse me Miss, the door appears to be locked. “he heard Clive’s voice over the channel suddenly.
“It shouldn’t be.” He heard the merchants voice as she grew closer.
“We do have an urgent appointment to get too, can you please open the doors.” He heard Vados say.
“I don’t understand they should be opening!” So’koth heard the doors click as they tried to open. Then a shrill whine began to fill the room starting low and working its way louder and louder. The communications channel suddenly squelched and died. The station suddenly rocked pitching him forward and nearly head first into the bulkhead in front of him. An alarm began to sound as the alert status changed on the station. Several more explosions rocked the station, and the shaking didn’t stop.
So’koth pulled himself to his feet and stepped out into the corridor as another explosion rocked the station, and another. He nearly ran head first into a wall. It was about then that he knew something was horribly wrong. He could feel it in the way the station shook. That cascade explosion didn’t stay isolated to the commercial area of the station. It was a chain reaction.
“Extract!” he heard a voice call in his ear urgently. “Emergency Extract, now!” he heard McTaggart call in his head.
So’koth pulled open his work kit and hit the screws in just the right order and a small compartment popped open and a cylindrical device fell free. He pressed the button and immediately was transported back aboard their ship. He had to steady himself because the craft rocked almost immediately after he materialized.
McTaggart and Chris both appeared on the transporter pad across from him, he was already on his way towards the front of the vessel. He bounced off the wall in the corridor feeling the bruise that would later show up angry on his arm. He stumbled into the flight control area and climbed into his chair. He came up to the flight controls just as a massive explosion ripped through something across the interior of the space dock. Ships were already in motion in an effort to save themselves. They were fortunate that there was a smaller docking door next to their craft and they didn’t have to use the main one. He flew his hands across the controls and started the crafts engines.
“Where’s Clive and Vados? Chris said as he entered the room and dropped into the Tactical Station. “This wasn’t supposed to happen!” he yelled.
“Shut your trap Kitsune, make us a hole!” McTaggart yelled as he dropped into the Engineering station. “So’koth get us out of here!” he said pointing up at him without looking.
So’koth watched as the ships engine power came alive, he spared no time in activating the vessels thrusters and lifting off. “Swinging to port!” he called out as he watched the ships weapons also come online and begin targeting, he could see the manual targeting reticules come alive as the ship swung quickly to the left. The doors came into full view and then the small vessels weapons lanced out at the door striking it with surprising strength. They had channeled the ships warp drive into both the phaser array’s and disruptors. A single Torpedo glowing red hot danced between their vessel and the doors shattering them sending gouts of molten metal and debris around them, bouncing harmlessly off their shields.
“Go!” McTaggart yelled from below.
So’koth gunned the vessels drives to full, the inertial dampeners straining to keep up with the vessels sudden acceleration. A gout of flame burst through the door behind them as an explosion ripped through the landing bay they had occupied. So’koth turned the craft at an angle going away from the station but enough to give him a good look at the damage. He could see many vessels spilling from the inside of the station, a Romulan War bird’s nose began to pull free of the stations interior.
“It wasn’t supposed to do that!” Chris said from below, his voice full of panic. “It wasn’t!” he said loudly.
“Shut it Kitsune!” McTaggart shouted.
“Boss…” So’koth said as he watched the explosions cascade through the station.
“I know So’koth,” he was staring at the viewscreen watching as the station began to break up. Escape pods shot out all over the place. “Get us out of here, now!”
So’koth couldn’t keep his eyes off the station as explosions ripped it apart becoming more violent than the next. Suddenly a bright white light blossomed from the lowest level of the station, and just continued to expand. He turned back to his console and entered their emergency course and hit the engage button. The white light was so bright it was blinding but it too turned into a streak as the ship jumped into the subspace envelope. Silence reigned for a long while, occasionally he could hear Chris mumbling from below. McTaggart had extracted himself from the engineering station and disappeared.
“Chris.” So’koth said.
“Yeah!” his friend asked looking up.
“What did we do?” he asked, there was a hint of remorse in his voice.
“We just became mass murderers.” Chris said flatly.
So’koth thought for a long time and then hit the switch lowering his chair. He moved towards the back of the flight control room and gave his friend a reassuring squeeze. “Yes, yes we did.” He stopped to meet his friends gaze. “And no one will ever know.” He turned and left the flight control room. He walked down the corridor, he could hear a heated conversation coming from the other end of the hall that was McTaggart’s office closet. He turned and went to the back of the ship and took the small lift down to the cargo hold. He crossed the room to find his go back and unzipped one of the many pouches and caught the bottle of brown liquid that fell out.
Slowly he made his way back towards the flight control room and stopped at the hallway junction as he met McTaggart in the hall. He could see the man was clearly in turmoil over what had happened. So’koth uncapped the drink and handed it to him. “Drink!” he said sternly.
McTaggart regarded both him and the bottle, then took it and took a long pull from the thing before handing it back. He nodded in approval. “Good stuff!”
“Got it from a shop on Earth a long while back. Figured it would suit the occasion.” He said solemnly. “This is my last mission.” He said taking a drink from the bottle.
“So’koth, you can’t quit. You have a bright future in this department.” McTaggart started to continue but Sokoth held up a hand.
“No,” he said and took another drink before handing it back to the man. “You cannot do what we just did and be okay. You just cannot and maintain a shred of humanity!”
“Says the half Klingon!” McTaggart said and took another drink. “Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” he handed the bottle back to him.
So’koth pushed past him and headed out onto the flight deck with McTaggart in tow. He handed the bottle to Chris who took it without any prompting and drank. “This mission or at least this last month was bullshit. Those orders were bullshit, and what you had me do…” he turned and eyed the man. “You’re okay with this?”
“It’s the job!” McTaggart said producing a couple of glasses to which So’koth began to pour the brown liquid into.
“What do you mean what he had you do?” Chris asked latching onto just that part of the statement his friend had just made. “What did you do?”
So’koth’s eyes stayed locked with McTaggart’s, “Yeah boss, what did you have me do!” he said flatly taking another drink.
“It’s classified.” He said bluntly, likewise draining his glass. “Leave it alone Kitsune!”
“Wait...” Chris said searching his memories. Then blinking. “How come the others didn’t emergency transport?”
So’koth held out the bottle. “To lost friends, and the lives they took with them on their way down.” He continued staring at McTaggart as he poured a portion of the liquid onto the carpeted walkway. “May they rest in peace.” All three drank, he refilled their glasses and climbed back into his chair with the bottle and up he went. He had no more desire to speak to anyone anymore. It was just him, the stars, and the subspace distortion outside to occupy his mind now.
“I don’t understand. Those transporter dongles were designed to work in the worst case scenario.” Chris said and followed up with a drink watching McTaggart out of the corner of his eye. He seemed to be seething.
“That’s because they were disabled Lieutenant.” McTaggart said as he turned and left leaving him with that revelation. He disappeared around the corner clearly heading back to his office.
“Why would he do that.” Chris said to himself then looked up at So’koth. “Why would he do that!” he asked loudly trying to get his attention.
So’koth glanced over the side of the chair and shook his head simply. “Sorry my friend, I cannot talk about it. I want to. Believe me. But I cannot.” He settled back into his chair staring out into the stars to leave his friend to his own thoughts and hopefully to curtail any further conversation on the subject. The rest of the flight hopefully would just be in silence. It was going to be a long trip.
The Trip back to Federation Territory was eventless to say the least. No one talked unless it was for something that was important to the mission. McTaggart stayed in his quarters nearly the entire trip. It was clear that he was having many heated conversations with someone over subspace as the yelling became obvious at times. He rarely came out of his cabin or his office.
So’koth had yet to leave the ship since they docked back in their little part of the Starbase 001. His feet were currently dangling out of the starboard impulse housing as he was trying to repair a flow regulator that had been giving them trouble for the last leg of their trip.
“You going to sit in this thing and sulk forever?” Jennifer’s voice called to him from behind.
So’koth craned his neck so he could see her. “Just not ready to come out yet.” He gestured with a spanner. “This thing isn’t going to fix itself!” he said as he went back to work.
Slowly she began crawling into the space and jimmied herself back and in between the bell housing of the impulse engine and the radiation shielding, right in front of him. “How about some help then?” she asked holding a hand out. “My angle is better.”
He dropped the spanner into her hand with a sigh. “Thank you.” He extracted himself just enough to get comfortable.
“I know you can’t talk about it, but do you want to talk about it?” she asked as she began calibrating the flow regulator. “I’m sure there is a way you can without giving away anything that might be above my pay grade.” She said peering over the engine at him.
“I did something I’m not proud of.” He said flatly.
“This wouldn’t be the first time.” She said.
He glared at her for a long moment over the engine. “I didn’t learn from that mistake and I’m trying to find a way not to make that same mistake again.”
“Resign, it worked for me!”
“Jennifer, I cannot resign. Quitting is not part of who I am. I might have issues I’ll give you that, but my own personal demons I can work on. This I cannot make go away any more than I could what happened to you guys back at the Sands. This is an entirely different thing!” he said pulling himself the rest of the way out and dropping into a sitting position on the floor.
She stood up slowly in the cramped space and peered over the engine at him. “So what do you think you should do this time?”
“I’m leaving this job.” He glanced down at the Padd sitting by his kit. “I’m going to put in for a transfer.” He glanced up at her. “I’m not leaving Starfleet, but I’m done in this department.”
“That would be a shame.” Another woman’s voice called from the door to the engine compartment. A woman in a Starfleet Rear Admiral’s uniform was standing in the frame.
So’koth stood and came to attention. “Admiral.”
“At ease. “the woman said walking into the small engine space, McTaggart and his boss Commander Robertson followed her in. They all had a somber look to them.
“Should I leave?” Jennifer asked slowly extracting herself from behind the engine.
The Admiral held up a hand, “No, I’ll be brief.” She gestured to So’koth. “Mr. So’koth, I’ve heard a lot about you these last few days. I want to personally thank you for your actions during this last mission. You handled yourself exceptionally well. So much in fact that the Commander has asked that I put a commendation in your file.” She smiled warmly.
“No.” So’koth said flatly. “All I would like is a transfer to a different department, a different division all together.” He said.
“What?” The Admiral stared at him incredulously. “I thought this was the career path you wanted? It says so in your file.” The admiral looked back at the other two who just stood silently. “From the report of Lieutenant Commander McTaggart you deserve one, he even recommends you for your own team.” Her frown deepened.
“That may be ma’am, but with all due respect. If what happened on this mission is going to be the normal operating procedure, I want no part of it. I would like a transfer.” He said.
“Where?” she asked.
“A Starship, Flight Operations, Engineering, it does not matter. I want to be as far from this as I can get.” He gestured to his two commanding officers.
The Admiral stood there for a long moment, nodded and abruptly departed, only stopping to offer one last thing. “Mr. So’koth they just wrote you a ticket to the top and you tore it up in their faces. I hope you know what this does for your career track.” And she was gone.
He stared at the other two, both of them waited faces red with anger. He was the first to speak this time. “You made me do something outrageous. Asked me to blindly follow something I knew was morally incomprehensible.” His voice started to rise. “And you put me up for a promotion?” a growl began to grow with his voice. “What kind of person do you take me for!” he shouted.
“So’koth, you may not want that promotion but remember were still your superior officers!” Commander Robertson said. “Your right, we did put you in a bad position. Truth be told the job wasn’t even yours to do but you were chosen because McTaggart thought you could handle the job better.” She said stepping forward.
“What?” So’koth growled.
“She means to say that you were not the one those orders were for!” McTaggart said stepping forward. “They were for K….” he couldn’t get the words out of his mouth before his fist slammed into the large man’s chin sending him sprawling the floor.
“Coward! Those orders were for you!” he yelled. “That’s why you spent all that time shouting in your office.” He stood over the man ready to pummel him.
Slowly McTaggart got to his feet his eyes locked with So’koth’s. “Try that again!” he growled.
“Gladly!” So’koth said as he reached back and was about to hit him again but something hit him hard from behind and sent him sprawling to the floor. Darkness spilled in quickly, and a terrible pain was not radiating from the back of his skull.
Jennifer shook her head. “He never knows when to take a hint!” she said.
“No. No he doesn’t Robertson said looking down at So’koth. “He was a good operative.”
McTaggart nodded. “Yeah.”
“He’s too smart for his own good.” Jennifer said. “He saw though your bullshit. Took him long enough but he did.” She tossed the heavy spanner back into the tool kit. “Though he didn’t even realize I was on board the whole time, and that I was the one you were yelling at!”
“Indeed.” McTaggart said still looking down at him.
“You think he knows you hit him?” Robertson asked.
“Yeah, he knows. He knows now that I’m more involved that he suspected. But I also know he’ll take it to his grave. Just like the destruction of that station which was neither his nor Chris’s fault. But we’ll let him go on thinking it was. Call it payback for what he did at the Sands.” She said with a grin.
“Remind me not to get on your bad side.” McTaggart said bending down to lift So’koth over his shoulder. “I’ll get him to medical.” He said heading out the door to the engine room. Both the ladies stood there in a prolonged silence.
“At least we know where his loyalties lie and that he can be pushed in the right direction if needed.” Jennifer said nodding to Robertson. “One day I’ll tell him.”
So’koth woke the next morning, his head felt as though a ton of bricks had landed on him but he felt rested. Very well in fact. He glanced around the room his bed was in, wondering where he was exactly. This didn’t look like Starfleet Medical; it was a starship’s medical facility. A woman wearing a Starfleet Medical Division uniform came out from the office. “Hello.” He said, his mouth was dry.
“Welcome back to the land of the conscious.” She said. “You were brought on board as an emergency transfer after your injury.” She said grabbing a tricorder from the table next to him. She began scanning him with the medical tricorder. “Your friend Jennifer said to tell you she was sorry she couldn’t be here to send you off, she wished you the best of luck.”
He frowned and looked back up at the ceiling. “Right.”
The doctor stared at him for a long moment. “Girlfriend?”
“Former, from a long time ago. Apparently not who I thought she was.” So’koth said watching the little medical scanner hovering over his head.
“Better or worse?” she asked quizzically.
So’koth thought about it for a long moment. “Better I think.”
“Well, you can go. Your things were taken to your quarters and your roommate stowed them for you. I believe you know him. Lieutenant Kitsune?”
So’koth frowned, “I guess he was just as upset as I was.”
“Pardon?” the doctor said as she pushed a vial of medication into a hypo.
“Oh, nothing. We had a disagreement with our previous Commanding officer.” So’koth said.
“I see. Well, you’ve got two days to rest then you’ll report for duty in flight operations.” She said handing him a Padd with his official transfer orders. They were signed by Rear Admiral Gwen. He nodded and slowly sat up. He let his feet dangle for a moment as she applied a hypo. “Probably going to ache a bit for the rest of the day but you’ll live.”
He nodded and stepped down off the biobed and waited to ensure he had his balance. There was something he missed. The subtle vibration of a ship. A new adventure was ahead, the past behind him again.
