The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 105
Commander Torolac of the Romulan Warbird Reldar stood on the busy bridge of his command, both his Helm officer and security chief delivering the same message almost in unison.
"We have now the Federation ship, Alice Cooper-B on our long range sensors", Torolac's helm officer was all-the-same first to answer, his Security chief (Sub-Commander Tarinn) adding to that the fact that the Alice Cooper-B was likewise traveling with three other vessels of various design.
"Understood", Torolac accepted both reports, frowning as he did so, realizing this would require a change to their original plan of action….
According to the last report sent them by their operative now aboard the Alice Cooper-B the Romulan Senate was given to believe the Alice Cooper-B traveled alone.
"Would seem then that we might need to change tactics, approach them in a different way", Torolac rendered his considered opinion following a brief moment's quiet…
"Activate cloaking device and follow those ships at a safe distance well beyond range of their sensors…"
Both Prince Roshi and Maccs Avaat were together in sickbay -- Prince Roshi there to learn more about Federation medicine in his capacity as C.M.O. aboard Starchild -- Maccs there to simply download into his own memory banks all that information Roshi felt might prove most useful given Starchild's crew and their particular situation (i.e.:
none of them knowing how long they might be traveling together deep space from one alternity to another). And no sooner had he finished his research into various Federation medical procedures… both he and Avaat in Dr. Kory Caynizmyr's private
shipboard office (Kory likewise there, explaining to both Roshi and Avaat certain aspects involved in Federation medicine)… it was then that Kory received a message from one of his people concerning Lt. Cmdr. Finiksa M. Stangya's return to consciousness.
"Message received: notify both Captain Kalee and Admiral Arthur Lt. Cmdr. Stangya has regained consciousness", Kory acknowledged the message piped through to his private office from the Alice Cooper-B's nearby Sickbay…
"On our way", Kory concluded in reply; Avaat likewise informing Frances, Sarah, Karn, etc… of this newest development.
The old man on DS-2 thought long and hard concerning the Federation Vice President, his impending visit, something that didn't occur the first time around… And remembering his previous orders given Droid 179, he couldn't determine what might have changed the course of recent history except the unexpected arrival of that alternity traveling starship… Starchild… and its/his crew…
Yet even as he pondered what it might have been that Starchild and/or its crew might have done, the Old man's thoughts remained fixed on the Federation Vice-President -- that monster… that vicious beast… that sadistic megalomaniac… scheduled to arrive aboard DS-2 where he never visited the first time…
Maybe if… if…?
Only time would tell!!
The Celestial, as with the Old Man, likewise felt a shift in the temporal fabric comprising this entire universe -- an event transpiring somewhere else yet as she/he hovered beyond the home system of those alien StarKinder who attacked earlier the Alice Cooper-B… somewhere else yet than that world both the Alice Cooper-B,
its traveling companions, and the Romulan Warbird Reldar were all now headed for… somewhere else yet than even DS-2…
An sensing something likewise ugly in nature behind that sudden shift… some malignant presence she/he couldn't quite put a figurative finger on… the Celestial likewise decided to head back… doubling back in the direction of both the Alice Cooper-B, USS Strike, Ajax, and (of course) "her own" S.E.A.S.S. Starchild…
And all-the-same hopeful she/he wouldn't have to reveal their true identity to any of them during the coming days, the Celestial also came to the conclusion that another message for the remarkable Ernie might prove necessary when once more within mental hailing range…Yet while hoping to keep her/his identity well hidden from all
concerned, the Celestial likewise couldn't help but wonder which would prove the more shocked… stunned ridged… learning the truth -- Frances, or Maccs…
"Hey Maccsie… Frannie, old girl… guess whose coming to dinner?", she mused to herself with a little mental smirk, almost laughing out-loud at the very thought.
Yep… that would prove one "Heck" of a reunion indeed.
The USS Necrostella:
Federation Vice-President's Private Currier-Class Starship:
The Federation Vice President, on route now to DS2 aboard his own private cruiser, listened in his equally private quarters to the update Captain d'Rabbitt brought him… in person… from the ship's bridge above – both men discussing the matter in the quiet,
spacious, personal lounge in which the Federation V.P. preferred to keep just his own company…
"So the Alice Cooper-B, USS Strike, USS Ajax, and that `Starchild' ship are on their way to Erogarndi", he sighed, calm to the point of blasé, in direct contrast to Captain d'Rabbit's rather anxious tone…
"But what if they…"
"You worry to much, Captain", the V.P. cut him off short, holding up a restraining hand…
"And even if they were to discover there a temporal anomaly… or two… it's equally unlikely they'll likewise put two-and-two together", the V.P. (and Supreme Fleet Admiral in charge of Starfleet Command) added, smiling as well at his own feeble witticism…
"But what if they compare the temporal readings from Erogarndi with those aboard…?"
"Even if Admiral Arthur should notice an similarity there to the phenomena present in the lower levels of his own space station, there is no way he can trace anything back to us", the V.P. was equally placid in reply. "As it is, the only person who might have told him anything is safely out of his reach".
"Lieutenant-Commander Jola Kosovri", Capt. D'Rabbitt muttered, his superior hearing him all-to-well.
"Yes… even so".
"But was it really necessary to…", Capt. D'Rabbitt felt compelled to ask.
"Yes", the V.P. held his temper well in light of such persistent questioning on the part of a mere underling… the handsome, middle-aged Englishman in question fixing Capt. d'Rabbitt with a cold, almost reptilian expression burning deep in those ice-blue eyes…
"But why?"
"Loose ends, Captain", the V.P. smiled now an equally frigid smile. "I hate loose ends".
Then, in a petty need for revenge in light of Captain d'Rabbitt's persistent doubts, the V.P. looked up at him -- his rugged, even rough, features fixed in a stony expression concealing well his sadistic glee…
"You don't plan on becoming a loose end, too", the V.P. smiled at last, pressing a finger up against the medallion hidden just beneath his Feet Admirals tunic – a seven-pointed star made of solid gold, a red ruby embedded within each point...
"Do you, Captain?"
The question had… indeed… its desired effect!!
Lt. Cmdr. Finiksa Moodri Stangya woke up at last from his long period of temporary oblivion, the first sight he saw being the welcome one of his loving wife -- Jelana -- smiling down upon him:
"Dr. Vergal…" he struggled to sit up, Jelana pressing him gently by the shoulders back down upon the bed…
"Don't worry, Neemu", she tried to comfort him… `Neemu' a Tentoneese term of affection…
"We know already", she assured him straight away -- Kory, Maccs Avaat, and Prince Roshi arriving soon after that followed straightaway by Gav, Captain Kalee, Admiral Arthur, and Colonel Theys -- Frances, Karn, Sarah, and Ernie bringing up the rear…
"Dr. Vergal is already in the brig", she added; Dr. Kory Caynizmyr likewise telling everyone else to stop crowding his patient before either Gav, Captain Kalee, or Admiral Arthur could get a word in edgewise…
"Is he well enough to answer a couple of questions, Doctor?", Captain
Kalee managed all-the-same.
"A couple, maybe", the old Dohg consented rather reluctantly…
"But if he shows any sign of fatigue or discomfort, whatsoever, that's it! No more discussion", Kory added as a warning, his manner serious…
"What Finiksa needs now is rest -- not a bunch of tiresome questions".
"Understood, Doctor", Captain Raz Ben-Eleazar Kalee agreed, knowing when not to push his luck where his ship's C.M.O. was concerned, promising as well to keep his questions brief.
"In fact, for the moment being, I have only one question", Raz added…
"Yes?" it was Finiksa's turn to likewise ask.
"Have you any idea why Dr. Vergal attacked you?" Raz put his question to Lt. Cmdr. Stangya as gently as possible, Finiksa considering his answer well before speaking any further…
"I can't really say for sure", he confessed at last…
"All I know for sure is that it must have had something to do with a message I found in my private office in Sciences… a message on datapadd asking me to see the writer of said message on Deck 13, Cargo Bay Three… the author telling me there was something he, or she needed to tell me about that particular relic those three alien
starships stole from us there".
"No doubt Dr. Vergal himself luring Lt. Cmdr. Stangya to the scene of the crime, waiting there to ambush him the moment he showed up", Gav mused out loud for everyone to hear.
"I don't think so", Finiksa was quick to disagree.
"Why not, Lt. Cmdr.?" it was Admiral Arthur who asked this time around, Gav Tiral's theory sounding in his opinion only fair.
"Because whoever left that message asking me to meet them also gave the stolen relic an actual name", Finiksa explained, his voice sounding a bit weaker than before…
"As it is I don't think Dr. Vergal would have told me what the stolen artifact was if all he wanted was to get me out of the way", Finiksa added, sounding all-the-same dubious: "Too big a risk to take should he fail… as he did… to kill me".
"And what, Lt. Cmdr., was it called?" Admiral Arthur managed to ask before Dr. Caynizmyr ordered everyone out of `his' Sickbay, able to sense Finiksa's growing fatigue.
"The message I got referred to it as a `Star-Slayer'", came Finiksa's final reply, Kory ushering everyone out of the room once Admiral Arthur got the answer he wanted…
And upon leaving sickbay -- `ordered' out of there by the Alice Cooper-B's Chief Medical Officer himself -- everyone could hear the low voice of someone groaning behind them… someone in obvious despair upon hearing what the stolen relic was, indeed, called… caring little in his obvious pain whether, or not anyone else overheard.
"Oh Dear Lord, Noooo", Maccs Avaat moaned in absolute misery, trailing behind the others, bringing up (as it were) the rear…
"Not again!!"