The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 89
"Captain Raz Ben-Eleazar Kalee of the USS Alice Cooper-B to Admiral
Arthur of Federation Starfleet Space Station DS-2", Raz began,
continuing from there:
"Received your reply to alleged communiqué sent DS-2 from this ship,
feeling it incumbent upon me to likewise inform you that. in all due
respect. no communiqué (official, or otherwise) was sent you from
aboard the Alice Cooper-B --currently on assignment as we are to
convey back to Federation space an archeological research team
conducting an investigation of alien artifacts recently discovered
on the planet at our present co-ordinates."
"Therefore, in light of these above-mentioned facts, I hereby
request further clarification concerning the nature of the alleged
communiqué believed to have originated from aboard this ship -- the
actual text of the message believed sent from aboard the Alice
Cooper-B -- requesting likewise with all due respect your kind
permission to rendezvous with Deep Space 2 in order to investigate
in greater depth further this incident...
And if this request does in fact meet with your approval, the Alice
Cooper-B can rendezvous with Deep Space 2 in no less than five
stellar days' from now; needing first to collect the survey team
(both personnel & cargo) on planet 'HD-02-3065-4729'. However, once
that part of our current assignment is taken care of, the Alice
Cooper-B will be free to set course for DS-2 upon receiving from you
advance acknowledgement of this communiqué -- using as well our stop-
over at DS-2 for the combined purpose of replenishing onboard
supplies.
"Yours in Service to the Fleet,
Captain Raz Ben-Eleazar Kalee,
C.O. -- USS Alice Cooper-B"
Then, upon determining from Lt. Cmdr. Skwyr his above communiqué was
indeed sent via official Starfleet subspace channels, Raz then
ordered Judy Sarah to open ship-to-surface communications with the
archeological research team down on the planet below -- the Team
leader in charge of the scientific expedition down there a Vulcan
professor. a "Professor Sybrek" of the Vulcan Academy back in
Federation territory.
"May I suggest I meet Professor Sybrek on Deck 13 -- the landing
bay -- help him co-ordinate the loading of his party's personnel and
property aboard ship", Commander Salgud "Nightdragon" Eerag, Raz
Kalee's First Officer aboard ship, was first to offer.
"Very good, 'Number One'", Raz agreed: "Have both Commanders' Cooper
and the Stangya's likewise assist in the process" -- help co-
ordinate efforts between the away team and our own, onboard
personnel".
"Understood, Sir", Salgud agreed.
"And be sure, Number One, to inform me once both the team and their
belongings are all safely aboard ship", Raz instructed even further
his First Officer, not yet finished:
"Then, once seen to, we'll set course for Deep Space 2", Raz added
likewise in final conclusion, all-the-time unable to shake a feeling
of impending trouble concerning the above message received in kind
from Deep Space 2 -- all-the-same unable to determine, exactly, what
worried him so much -- the aforementioned communiqué sounding
otherwise like some simple, honest mistake. enigmatic in nature, but
appearing otherwise harmless.
Then again Captain Raz Kalee learned long ago that, in more frequent
cases than not, outward appearances can be quite misleading indeed.
SETTING: The Starchild crew and Admiral Arthur still talking
together in the DS-2 sickbay -- Sarah passing along Ernie's latest
message sent him by the Celestial -- Frances still rather troubled.
confused, over a couple of matters still left unanswered:
FRANCES (to Sarah): "Sometime soon we need to discus further the
matter concerning these 'Tears' of yours; the possible risk they
pose to all of us. However, before we go any further, I want to know
how, exactly, the Vulcans fit into all this."
MACCS AVAAT(jumping right in; telling not only Frances but also
Karn, Sarah, Lt. Katz, and Prince Roshi about the Vulcans in this
new version of reality):
"So the Vulcans in this universe are not like the ones we met in
our last alternity. These Vulcans might also be committed to an
almost fanatical devotion to the concept of pure logic, looking down
on the open expression of honest feeling, but at least here the
Vulcans are a race of pacifists willing to live in peace with other
alien races -- including Earth.
"In this universe Vulcans and Humans are allies, co-founders of
this 'United Federation of Planets' both Admiral Arthur and his crew
belong to -- the Vulcans in this reality NOT a race of genocidal
race of Imperialist oppressors out to conquer the rest of the known
universe. So, in respect to at least the Vulcans here, we have
nothing to worry about".
KARN: "Good news there".
FRANCES: "Agreed, Master Karn. Anything else, Maccs?"
MACCS AVAAT (sounding a bit hesitant): Well, the downside is that.
here, the Klingons, Cardassians, and Romulans are likewise NOT the
freedom-loving champions of justice, equality, and fair-play out to
save the galaxy that they were in our last alternity. In fact it's
the Klingons, Romulans, and Cardassians in this universe who are
committed to a policy of imperialist conquest despite the somewhat
shaky alliance exiting here between at least the Federation
and 'Klingon Empire'".
FRANCES (nodding, frowning, grim): "Understood, Maccs. Thanks".
MACCS AVAAT: "No problem, Ma'am. I've already downloaded into my
onboard memory all the public information files aboard DS-2 Admiral
Arthur allowed me access to and. with both your, and Admiral
Arthur's permission. I'm ready to download into DS-2's memory banks
all the non-classified information I possess on Womankind and the
Commonwealth back in our universe".
FRANCES (to Maccs): "As far as I'm concerned, 'permission granted'.
Better check first, though, with Admiral Arthur".
FRANCES (then addressing Admiral Arthur): "And on that note, I
wonder if it might not be a good idea to investigate further the
actual whereabouts of these Giloppen you mention; wondering in fact
if our best defense might be a good offence. If interested, Admiral,
maybe we could discuss it further -- a joint mission involving
members from both our crews".
Admiral Arthur ended the Emergency Medical Holographic Program.
"There are no Giloppen around since we have beaten them in battle and war. Of course there could be somewhere, but we believe they are no longer a threat."
Again it was not clear whether this Admiral knew what he was talking about. His tone of voice could make some believe Arthur was again not telling everything about the Giloppen. But they had no choice but to accept his answer. While the group left sickbay and again was on its way to the operations center, Arthur confirmed to Maccs Avaat that he could download anything he had to share with the Federation. Still a few decks below the operations center it was Colonel Theys who called the Admiral.
"Admiral, Theys here. We have received some strange communications from the USS Alice Cooper-B. Apparently there has been an error in communications. The Alice Cooper-B will arrive at DS2 in five days."
But the Admiral did not seemed to be disturbed by this.
"Very well Colonel. You handle it."
And at the time the small group entered operations, the Admiral had already forgotten about the USS Alice Cooper-B. He thought he had more important things to worry about.
Deep down on the lowest deck on Deep Space 2 appeared out of nowhere. He was immediately surrounded by security droids, but they all stepped back and returned to their regular duties. One other droid, a little larger than the others walked up to the man. The man looked a lot like Admiral Arthur, but he was at least 30 years older... maybe he was the father of Admiral Arthur. Strangely the droid reported to this man...
"I did not expect to see you so soon. As you can see we have solved the problems with the invertor. You can now visit us without to have to stop time. They will not notice your precense any more. Besides we have sealed off this deck. What can I do for you ?"
"Hello T101. There is a temporal incursion in progress. We have been monitoring a breach in time around this period. It could happen this week or the next. We are not sure yet what the cause is of this breach. Did something strange happen lately, besides that starship appearing... Starchild it is called I believe ?"
"The only thing that could be defined as strange, was some communication with the USS Alice Cooper-B, but the admiral did not find that important."
"Than that must be it. I will check."
The man looked at some kind of portable padd and pushed a few buttons. He seemed to be amazed.
"T101, we have no recording of any communications between the USS Alice Cooper-B around this time index. Keep your eyes open. I have to go. Iwill stay in touch through the usual channels."
"Shall I intervene ?"
"No T101. Only if there is a code 505. We have no idea what is going to happen here, and intervening can lead to disaster..."
The man disappeared and T101 continued his regular duties.