Chapter VIII.

"The Plot Thickens"

Personal Log, Stardate 6603.9, Lieutenant Heather R. Scott recording.

This will be a memorable day. I feel as though T'Shar and I have personally rebuilt every computer unit on board this ship. This has been the longest shift of my career. It is a good thing that my date with Lieutenant Starska was cancelled, even though it was in the zero-G room. I don't think I could stand James and his personality the way I feel. All I want do now is sleep for a long, long time.

End Log.

Scott walked into her quarters. As she turned on the lights, she was already out of her jacket and starting on her shirt. She was about to collapse onto her bed when she noticed that the light on her comm-unit was on, telling her that a message was awaiting her.

She threw up her hands and went to the comm. "JAMES KILO STARSKA! IF THIS IS YOU, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" she yelled as she activated the communicator.

Commander Davis' face appeared on the screen.

"Commander Davis, sir." Scott acknowledged.

"Ah... there you are, Lieutenant Scott. I have been looking all over for you." Davis said.

Scott saw it coming. "Don't tell me." Scott said, with a sigh.

"Sorry, but the computer has locked the doors on the Recreation Room and no one can get in." Davis said.

"Oh, come on, Commander." Scott was sounding frustrated. "It is probably the same thing as last week. All it needs is a new chip in the lock systems. Any technician can do that." Scott stated.

"Lieutenant, this is B shift. All the technicians are busy or tired. And I will..." Davis was cut off.

"Well, I'm tired, too. I just now got off of a nineteen hour shift." Scott said, rather loudly.

"Do you feel better now?" Davis asked.

"YES!" Scott calmed down. "A little." she added.

"Good. Now, as I was saying, I would feel much better if you took care of it. If this is the same thing as last week's, then something is not right. Besides... "Davis added. "it shouldn't take too long and you can have tomorrow off." Davis continued with a side note of, "You look awful."

"Thanks, I think." Scott said, with mixed feelings.

"You're welcome." Davis said, then added after some thought. "Tell you what, why don't you take a fast shower first. You'll feel a lot better, then fix the lock and you're off, okay?"

Scott thought for a moment. "Okay, I'll take the shower, but no promises on how I feel."

"Agreed." Davis stated. "Oh, Heather," Davis added, as though he had forgotten something.

"Yes, sir?" Scott wondered.

"You did a lot of hard work today..."

"No kidding." Scott added, under her breath.

"...Thank you." Davis said, as he faded from the screen. Scott slowly turned to face a mirror and looked at herself. As she did so, she noticed that she looked twice as bad as she felt. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were half-shut, and her uniform was a disgrace.

"What else can happen today?" Scott asked herself, as she went to take her shower.

Personal Log, Supplimental, Lieutenant Heather R. Scott recording.

After a long day of work, my thought processes are becoming slow. I should have known something was up. I replaced that chip in the Recreation Room's door system only one week ago. It checked out 101 percent. There should be no reason for a system that simple that I worked on, to shut down in a week. Add too, all the jobs I worked on today, small, and simple, every one of them. And just to many to be a flock of bad luck. It's almost as though someone was trying to drive me crazy, an/ or my department crazy, or... to keep us... busy.

End Log.

Heather Scott came out of the shower and started to get dressed. As she did this, she activated her comm-unit.

"Computer Central." she ordered, with a look of authority. "This is Lieutenant Scott. Come in, please."

"Lieutenant T'Shar, here." came a voice from the communicator.

"T'Shar? I thought you'd be off sleeping."

"I am a Vulcan, Lieutenant. I need less sleep than you."

"Why do I keep forgetting that?" Scott said, to herself. "Well, anyway, it's a good thing that you are there. I need a check done, right now." Scott stated.

"What is it?" T'Shar asked.

"Get me all you can on the details of Rec Room C-2's door mechanism."

"One moment."

Scott waited until T'Shar spoke.

"Have it."

"Good." Scott said as though pleased to find something. "Read it to me, starting from last week."

"Chip replaced by Lieutenant Heather R. Scott. Checks out all normal. Repair closed, Stardate 6595.4"

"Okay. Then what?" Scott asked, angrily.

"Several entries by 39 officers."

"I don't care about that." Scott said to herself. "Anything else, T'Shar?"

T'Shar answered after a pause. "Yes. A Lock command."

"When?" Scott asked, immediately.

"Today. It's still in effect." T'Shar said.

"By whom?" Scott asked.

"Unknown."

"What do you mean 'unknown'? It had to come from somewhere!" Scott yelled, angrily.

"There is no need to get emotional about it, sir." T'Shar stated, then added. "The program is classified with a high code. However, backtracking through the computer, I find that it goes from the Recreation Room to the main computer to somewhere on Deck Five."

"Where on Deck Five?" Scott said, as though to say, 'I have you now!'

A moment passed, then T'Shar stated, "Cabin 21 B6."

"Thank you." Scott said, as she closed the communication, looking straight ahead, as her face turned red with anger. "MISTER JAMES KILO STARSKA, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE." Scott then left her quarters.