Episode 101: Open Doors (Part 3)

[Rhai]

It was as obvious to Rhai as it would be to anyone that the crew aboard The Archer was a little anxious to start on their day. She knew from her 0400 holographic exercise routine this am that the majority of the crew had started to get up around that time. After her second sonic shower and redressing she had found her earing caught in her own hair. She had been tempted to cut off her long locks in the frustration of it all- but in the end it had been simple to unknot the two.

Now on the bridge she was watching everyone's body language. The Captain seemed to be at ease so much Rhai started to wonder if he had broken into his scotch already today. This was his first ship as captain anyhow- she expected a little nervousness but Captain Jefferies seemed to be handling it with complete professionalism.. atleast the most she had ever seen him portray.

Ensign Kenek seemed as much as ease as would be expected for this being her first ship and her being the only ensign so far on the bridge. She did indeed look nervous, but nothing Rhai thought would interfere with her duties.

There of course was the matter of Zack the Cardassian/Bajoran and ship's XO. There was something about him this morning.. he seemed a little on edge as if he were distracted by something. She heard his fingers almost pounding on the console behind her.

"Good Morning- Commander Zack" Rhai said as she turned and smiled in his direction. He looked up for a brief moment and she saw a hint of a smile under the professional face he was trying to hold. "Morning Councelor" he said barely pausing with his fingers on the panel.

She sat back upright and looked straight ahead.. feeling quite like a foolish child. It wasnt possible that this.. the first day aboard the new ship, that she could already be making connections with the crew.. much less a .. man. She giggled a little and clapper her hand over her mouth. How professional she thought.. how professional.

[UltimateTrekker]

Gavin Jefferys was at ease this morning. He'd had so much fun just being a grunt again. Stirok probably didn't know, but by bossing Gavin around he relieved all that burden off of him. Gavin's brother (Who ran his own business and had his own issues) had a phrase he always said: "Somedays you wake up and wish you were a ditch digger."

That's how Gavin was feeling yesterday, but after spending 2 hours crawling in Jeffreys tubes he was very relaxed.

It was 5 minutes until launch and he was itchy to get moving. He could feel the warp drive running (not perfectly, but that just meant it had character) and ordered one last system check.

[Engineering is in order, Captain,] Stirok voice said.

"All systems up and running," Lt. Brandt stated.

"Well, Zack, are we ready to get underway," the Captain asked his first officer?

"Yes, Sir. I believe so."

"Good. Captain Jefferys to Starfleet Command. Permission to get underway."

[Permission granted, have a good flight.]

"Ensign, take us out of dock, thrusters only."

Zack was impressed. Most Captains tried to use impulse power to leave Spacedock just as a tradition. It was against regulations, but it was always overlooked. Maybe this man wouldn't be so bad after all?

"Alright, Ensign Kenek," said Gavin after recently discovering his previous mispronunciation, "set a course for Alpha Centuri, and take us out of the solar system on impulse power, then engage at warp factor 3."

"Course laid in, Sir." She waited for the signal, but it didn't come.

There was an unnerving silence as no one knew what to say next.

"Sir," said Kenek, "course plotted and ready to go?" She said it almost as a question.

"I believe," said Zack, "that's she's waiting for the order to engage."

Gavin felt none the embarrassment that Zack seemed to put on him. "Well, what are you waiting for, First Contact day or a match to be lit under your butt?"

The bridge was silent, all eyes switched between Alia and Jefferys.

"Sir," she asked, not quite sure if that was a question or an order.

"Engage already," he responded laughing. The ship began its movement and the shakedown cruise began. The tension in the air suddenly vanished as the display screen showed the aft view of Earth getting smaller and smaller.

[UltimateTrekker]

Not long after the USS Archer left the solar system, Lt. Brandt noticed something odd.  Or more correctly noticed NOTHING wrong.

"Sir," he said as he approached the captain.  "I've got something to show you."

Gavin, not being the man to sit around in his chair, jumped up and followed Brandt to the Science station.  "You see, Sir?"

"Looks fine to me, perfect."

"Exactly, Sir.  Perfect.  Is it REALLY possible that we're traveling in an are of space where there is zero space debris, dust, or stellar matter?"  It was a rhetorical question.  They both were smart enough for that.  "I ran a diagnostic and there were no problems found so I took a detailed look."  He ran the display and numbers and status report started flowing like crazy showing.

"I see it.  There's a missing spot."  Gavin had done this type of sweep millions of times before, and his brain seemed to absorb the information and calculate it without thinking.

"Exactly.  I think that's our problem.  I'm not sure what, but something is wrong in the Primary sensor relays."

"I'm on it," said Jefferys as he began to head for the turbolift.

"Sir," said Commander Zack.  "Shouldn't you assign an engineering team to repair that instead?"

Another uncomfortable silence.  Tae Rhai could tell she would get well used on this ship.

"You're correct again, Commander."  

[Dr. Johanssen to Captain Jefferys.]

"Jeffreys here."

[Time for your physical.]

"Be right there." He hit his com badge.  "Jefferys to Stirok."

[Yes, Captain?]

"Have and engineering team meet Lt. Brandt at the primary sensor relay.  Bring a repair kit and a few spares."

[Yes, Captain.]

"Brandt.  Once it's fixed run a full sensor sweep of the are and the entire ship.  I wanna know if anything's happened while we had our eyes closed.  Report to me as soon as you're done. I'll be with Dr. Johanssen in Sickbay.  Zack, you have the conn."  With that, he left.

[Dohlman]

Federation Intelligence (FI) agent Dayna D’Aaron sat on the Defiant class ship, Stealth, awaiting to arrive within transporter range of the USS Archer.  Dayna detested Federation starships.  They smacked of rules and regulations, deference to authority, and their crews generally harbored an air of smugness.  FI had rules, as well, but Dayna could manipulate and mold them to her will as long as she got the job done.  And that unspoken arrangement suited Dayna just fine.

Her father, Commodore Anthony D’Aaron, had served in Starfleet for 30 years, and was 6 months away from retirement when his ship was destroyed by Romulan warbirds.  He had been assigned to deliver medicine, foodstuffs, and a diplomat to a planet that had just recovered from civil war and was interested in joining the Federation.  But then the Romulans had discovered the planet’s flora and fauna included Xanythemius, a key ingredient in a medication for a Romulan cardiovascular disease.  And instead of negotiating a trade deal, the Romulans decided to negotiate a takeover.  Unfortunately, Dayna’s father had gotten caught in the middle of a Romulan surprise attack.

Dayna had blamed Starfleet for that oversight.  Their intelligence had been lacking; their focus was on SIGINT, not on HUMINT, and therein lay their mistake.  That had been one of the reasons that drove Dayna to join FI.

Dayna sat in the co-pilot’s seat and stared out into the velvety blanket of space and pondered her upcoming assignment.  Her thoughts were interrupted by the pilot’s announcement.

“We’re approaching transporter range of the USS Archer.  I’m to transport you to cargo bay 4, to keep you relatively out of sight.  Your quarters are on deck 4.  Captain Jeffreys will meet with you later.  He is the only one who knows your mission,” said the pilot, Agent Narison.

“Thanks, Mark,” said Dayna.  She smiled at him.  They had served together on their share of missions.

“Be careful,” Mark said as Dayna stepped onto the transporter pad.

“Piece a cake,” said Dayna as she shimmered into nothingness.

Dayna stood on the transporter pad in cargo bay 4 and looked around at the boxes, spare parts, and tools lying on the ground.  She sighed.  Spycraft was not glamorous.  She exited the cargo bay and started down the hall to her quarters.

Luckily, she didn't recognize anyone she ran into, which was fortunate.  She had received some strange looks, but she looked straight ahead, avoided eye contact, and acted as if she knew where she was going and what she was doing.

She finally arrived at her quarters and entered, leaning back against the doors as they closed behind her.

[Tricorder]

Johansson was doing work and patiently waiting for his first victim, no, patient. He knew that the Captain was supposed to come any minute, and he was getting worried that he wouldn't arrive. But his arrival surprised him.

"Ahh, Captain, Welcome to Sickbay" He looked at his watch. "Right on time as I may add. I thought, you being someone in the unorthodox way, that you'd somehow find yourself doing something else and forgetting about your physical. Right this way, Captain"

Doc motioned towards the beds and told the captain to lay down still while he passed his Medical Tricorder over the Captain's body.  

"You know Captain, I have to admit, I never thought I'd be serving on a Starship. I always thought i'd be spending my life, grounded in Starfleet's orders, doing medical research that nobody would notice or give me credit for..."

The Captain groaned a bit.

"Is something the matter?", Johansson said.

"No laddie," the Captain replied, "continue your work, but please, for the life of me,  could you stop talking so much? You're putting me to sleep."

"Um yes, very well, Captain." Johansson looked slightly disappointed and knew that he hadn't talked for that long. Something must be wrong he thought. He'd hardly had the chance to talk to the Captain before, and thought that this would be a good time, or so he thought. Was the Captain trying to ignore him? He could feel something awkward coming from him, but he didn't want to speak up in fear of alienating the Captain even more.

He finished his scans, entered the results in the computer, and looked towards the Captain. "Alright Captain, clean as a whistle. You have no problems, and none that I can foresee unless something terrible happens. Take good care of yourself." He nodded to the Captain and let him go about his duties.

While the Captain exited the Sickbay, he tapped his combadge. "Johansson to Zack"

"Zack here"

And he replied, "Commander, please report for your physical."

[UltimateTrekker]

[Brandt to Captain Jefferys]

"Jefferys here," he said while still in sickbay.



"Well, what is it?"

[Well sir, it appears to be some sort of animal.]

"An animal!"  Gavin was truly surprised.  "Like a pet fish?"

[Bigger than a fish, Sir.  More like a... well a child.]

"What!?"  Johanssen started to feel like he was going to be busted.



"Well, where the bloody hell is it!?"

[The life sign is coming from Dr. Johanssen's quarters, Sir.]

Gavin turned around quickly to look at Doc.  He had guilt all over.  "Thank you, Lt.  Jefferys out."  He walked over to Doc.  "Something you've been meaning to tell me, Doc?"

[Tricorder]

Johansson suddenly felt like life was ending for him, or was about to. He didn't know how he'd get out of this situation.

He looked at the Captain. "Hmmm, well, Captain. I was going to tell you, but you had told me to keep quiet. But I guess it's better late than never." He had a sheepish look to him.

"I thought I'd take a souvenir aboard to remind me of my friends in the Starfleet Medical Facility." He motioned to the computer and let the Captain have a look. "I'd been working for years on cloning. Yes, that's right...." He looked like he was about to get angry, but he controlled his emotions and just sat down on one of the beds.

"So, you see Captain,  I brought along what they call on earth, a Monkey. It's what we'd been working on for the last few years and, I was completely fascinated by how humanlike they were. So, naturally, I chose the Monkey as a pet. And here we are. You can reprimand me now if you like." He looked at the Captain expectantly waiting for something to happen.

[UltimateTrekker]

By the time Doc had finished explaining about his "pet," Commander Zack had entered Sickbay.

"Well, Doc.  This is a huge problem.  These things can't be toyed with.  If Admiral Harrison found out he was brought on board without the proper clearance, he'd be quite upset.

"You'd better make out an official request before anyone else catches wind of this."

Zack knew enough about the situation to know what was going on, but was surprised that the Captain was going to reprimand him right away.  "Maybe he'll write up an officially report later," he concluded.

"Yes, Sir.  Right away, as soon as I'm done with Commander Zack," Doc said to him.

"Oh, and Doc," Gavin said just before leaving.  "You'd better date it last week.  I'll sign it and tell the Admiral that I forgot to send it in."  He flashed him a smile and walked out.

Dr. Johanssen was amazed.  He though he was in trouble for sure.  "What an understanding man.  Don't you think, Commander?"

Zack didn't answer him, but the way he looked he wasn't pleased.

[Mentat_Tir]

Stirok and William Brandt spent the last 20 minutes climbing in and out of Jefferies tubes scanning for the malfunction.  So far they had found nothing.  Nothing, that is, if you don’t count Doc’s monkey on deck four.

Stirok considered speaking with Mr. Thram about the possibility of sabotage with all these malfunctions.   Even during his worst day onboard the Polaris, he hadn’t seen half of the problems he had today.   But so far, there was no evidence of tampering, just a run of unfortunate circumstances.

Despite the Vulcan’s high constitution, Stirok was feeling quite tired.  He had not slept for 28 hours and had to fight to suppress his emotional response to this situation, namely frustration.

At last, the pair reached deck 13.  Stirok opened the sensor panel and scanned with his tricorder.

“Deck 13,” said Brandt.  “Well that just figures.”

Stirok continued scanning and only half paid attention to his colleague.  “What ‘just figures,’ lieutenant?”

“The number 13,” replied Brandt.  “It’s an unlucky number.  Long ago on Earth, designers of buildings used to leave off the 13th floor.  The elevator numbers would just jump from 12 to 14.”

Stirok punched the buttons on his tricorder.  “I fail to see how a number could be unlucky.  13 is simply a mathematical digit like any other.”

Will shrugged.  “Well, how do you explain what’s happening?”

Stirok reached in the panel and pulled something out of the panel and held it up.  “The explanation is simple.  There is a faulty isolinear optical chip in this power relay.”

Brandt opened his engineering kit and searched for a compatible chip.  He couldn’t help teasing the Vulcan just a little.  “No, I mean all of it.  What if all these malfunctions are more than a coincidence.  What if this ship is haunted by Jonathan Archer himself?”

Stirok took the chip from Brandt’s hand.  “I am surprised that someone of your academic background would entertain such a thought.  You will only generate apprehension.  If you wish, I could teach you some simple meditative techniques that would help you maintain mental control.”

“Thanks,” Brandt said with a smile.  “I might take you up on that someday.”

Stirok finished the repairs and hit his commbadge.  “Stirok to bridge.  We have found the problem.  Please reinitialize the primary sensor array…”

[Ana_Ng]

Ensign Alia Kenek was antsy.

Kenek was beginning to get the feeling that the Archer had been experiencing technical problems all night.  That would certainly explain the dark circles she'd noticed around almost everyone's eyes.  But Kenek was also impressed that her fellow officers didn't seem to be missing a beat.  They weren't going to let a few technical difficulties get them down.  These were Starfleet officers, the finest the Federation had to offer.  Captain Jefferys maintained his pleasant demeanor through every hump so far in their very short voyage.  Kenek was honored to be serving among this crew already, and eager to prove that she had plenty to offer Starfleet.

But she was still antsy.

Kenek didn't like sitting still, staring at her work station, without a thing to do.  She wanted to offer assistance, wanted to help.  But her place was at the helm, and she knew better than presumptiously ask for something to do.

She found herself relieved when the comm system came on.

"Sickbay to bridge," Dr. Johansson's voice spoke.

"Bridge here," Captain Jefferys replied.

"Captain, I would like to move Ensign Kenek's physical up.  Since we're not moving at the moment, I thought it would be a good time to call her down here."

"Aye, Dr.  She's on her way," Jefferys said.  He looked at Kenek.  "Save by the bell, eh lass?  I think ya were about to fall asleep on your console."

Kenek detected the jocular tone in the Captain's voice and stood.  "Permission to leave the bridge, sir?"

"Aye, Ensign, just don't let the good doctor keep you too long. I'm sure he'll have too many questions about the worm in your belly," Jefferys said with a smile.

Kenek laughed lightly and headed for the turbolift.  Captain Jefferys was certainly a sharp contrasts to her stern academy flight instructors.  It caught her off guard, but in a pleasant way.

"Sickbay," she told the computer and the turbolift came alive.

Kenek stepped into sickbay and saw Dr. Johansson finishing his exam on Commander Zack.  Zack seemed to be merely tolerating him, and Kenek suppressed a smile.  It wasn't that she enjoyed seeing Commander Zack irritated, but the idea of a talkative Betazoid doctor and a Cardassian with a stiff upper lip certainly held its amusements.

"Your biology is fascinating," Johansson was saying, "I've always enjoyed studying mixed species.  Did you know that-"

"I am needed on the bridge Doctor, are you finished?" Zack interrupted harshly.  He didn't like not knowing what was happening on the bridge-especially with a loose cannon like Jefferys in command.

"All finished here, Commander," Johansson replied as he noticed Kenek standing there.  "Ah! Ensign! Right on time!"

"I rushed right down here, Doc," Kenek replied pleasantly.  

Commander Zack stood and straightened his uniform.  He glanced at Dr. Johansson.  

"Please finish her physical quickly.  We should be underway soon, and she will be need on the bridge," Zack stated, and walked out the door, shooting Kenek a look as if to say "Don't dawdle."  He may not have responded much to the doctor's question, but Zack felt that Kenek's nature might be more... accomodating.

"Sir," Kenek nodded to Zack as he walked by her on his way out of Sickbay.

"Right over here, Ensign Kenek," Johansson gestured toward the biobed.  Kenek walked over and hopped on the bed and the doctor began scanning her with the medical tricorder.

"Your isoboramine levels are right where they should be," Johansson said as he ran the medical tricorder over Kenek's abdomen.  "How long have you been joined?"

"Nearly a year," Kenek replied, "During the summer break before my last year at the Academy."

"How did you find the time to complete the initiate program and Starfleet Academy?" Dr. Johansson asked.

"My father is on the Symbiosis Commission," Alia said, "And my mother is joined.  I've been an initiate practically since birth."

"Interesting," Johansson said, detecting that there might be a story in there somewhere.

"After surviving my parents," Kenek said with a half-smile, "The initiate program was almost a breeze!"

"Now, you're the third host for the Kenek sym-"

"Zack to Sickbay," the intercom interrupted.

"Yes, Commander?" Johansson asked.

"Are you almost through with Ensign Kenek? We're just about to bring the primary sensor array online, we should be underway soon," Zack replied.

"She'll be up in a moment, Commander," Johansson said, trying not to sigh.  Kenek was the first officer today that seemed to be even a little bit talkative, and now he had to send her back.  "Sickbay out."

Dr. Johansson set down the tricorder and smiled and Kenek.  "Both you and your symbiont are in excellent health, Ensign."

Kenek smiled.  "Thanks Doc."

[Peter_Pevensie]

Back on the Archer’s bridge, an ensign at the science station completed the series of entries that would begin the sensor reinitialization sequence.  Power surged through the new relay and the forward sensor array came to life for the first time since they had left Spacedock.  Down on deck 13, Stirok ran his tricorder over the newly installed isolinear chip.  “It is functioning within normal parameters,” he concluded with satisfaction after a few moments.

From the bridge, the disembodied voice of the junior science officer spoke.  [Ensign Romonov to Lieutenant Brandt]

“Go ahead, Romonov.  How do things look up there?”

[Well, the sensors are coming on line now, but I think you’d better get up here, sir.]  The worry in his voice was obvious.

The smile of relief on Will’s face disappeared.  He exchanged a quick glance and a nod of gratitude with Stirok and was already moving out of the Jeffries tube as he spoke.  “What is it?”

[That’s just it, sir, I’m not sure.  From the sensor data we’re receiving now, it appears that we were scanned about fifteen minutes ago.]

“By whom, Mr. Romonov?” replied Brandt, swinging out of the Jeffries tube access port with a movement that seemed a little quicker than Stirok expected for a human of Will’s age.  

[Well, I can’t really say.  The scanning pattern is standard Starfleet protocol, but the scanning frequencies aren’t standard Starfleet frequencies.  Could be a pirate or commerce raider or something, I guess.]  

After two ships and two wars, Will Brandt was not a guessing man.  By this time he had entered the turbolift, and was glad to see Stirok walk in behind him.  “Bridge, emergency override, authorization Brandt epsilon three one.”  The lift shot upwards toward the bridge, prevented  from stopping along the way to pick up passengers by Will’s authorization code.  “I’ll be there in just a few seconds, Pete,” he said to the ensign, “but you’d better notify Commander Thram.”

Moments later, the turbolift doors opened onto a noticeably tense bridge.  Thram was standing over Ensign Romonov, the Andorian’s presence intimidating to say the least.  “What[/I] is taking you so long, Ensign?” breathed the security officer, practically down Romonov’s neck.  The ensign’s hands shook visibly.  “Th-th-the sensors haven’t completely warmed up yet, sir,” he squeaked.

Stepping in to relieve Romonov, Will had to practically push Thram out of the way.  He heard the Andorian grunt with anger, but at that moment, he didn’t care.  He hadn’t even been formally introduced to Thram yet, but this was as good a time as any to set the boundaries of their working relationship.  Running his hands across the sensor console, he looked back over his shoulder to face the Andorian.  “Would you please step back, man!  Has it ever occurred to you that a menacing show of force might not be the most effective way of dealing with every single situation you encounter?”  Thram practically growled at Brandt’s cutting remark, but took a step backward.  

Still seated at her position in front of the science station, Tae Rhai felt that the atmosphere on the bridge was a little too tense for anyone’s good.  She stood and stepped up next to the science console to Will Brandt’s left, watching him work, hoping her presence alone would begin to defuse the situation.  As she stepped up, Thram began to sniff the air, and a look akin to disgust came over his face.  Rhai looked at him and laughed.  “Don’t like my perfume, Commander Thram?” she said, surpressing a giggle.  Thram grunted under his breath and looked back down toward the console.  The tension began to disolve.

Will, for his part, found the young woman's nearness comforting, and continued to analyze the sensor data that was still coming in.  He turned toward the chief engineer, who was reading the MSD at the rear of the bridge.  “Stirok, could you have a look at this?”  The Vulcan stepped over and examined Brandt’s console.  “Is that what I think it is?” asked Will.

“If you think it is a residual transporter signal terminating in cargo bay four, then yes, it is.”

Will turned to face Commander Thram.  “Well, Commander, it would appear that the time for a ‘menacing show of force’ has arrived.  We have an intruder onboard.”

[UltimateTrekker]

"There be no intruder, gentlemen," Their Captain spoke up.

"We're just picking up a passenger.  If our sensors hadn't been down I'm sure youd've noticed them come.  Do another scan, I believe that you'll find and extra body on board."

The three male senior officers looked a bit puzzled (even Stirok looked puzzeld, for a Vulcan that is) but Counselor Tae just looked happy to observe such interaction.

Brandt DID find the extra person on board.  "Yes, I see one extra human on board.  She's even got a comm signal.  It's Lt. Dayna D’Aaron.  She's supposed to be posted to the Hecules."

"That she is, but she made a last minute transfer to our ship.  I forgot to mention it."

"Forgot to mention it!"  Thram said a bit too loudly for protocol.  Commander Zack stepped up to take control.

"Sir, as first officer I must add that this is highly iregular.  I've recieve no transfer orders from Starfleet command, she doesn't even have quarters..."

Gavin interupted.  "She's on Deck 4.  I've assigned her quarters myself."  Rhai didn't need to be a Betazoid to know there was some MAJOR tension again.  "Can I see you in my ready room, Commander?"

Zack nodded and pratcially ran over young Romanov, in order to get there.  Jefferys offered a hand to motion him in first.

The bridge was dead silent as Ensign Kenek stepped in.  Her nerves immediately picked up on the mood and she slowly made her way to her console.  The others took her lead and began to do the same.

---

"Permission to speak freely, Captain?"

"Always."

"I don't like you style.  Secret crew transfers, trying to do repair jobs youself, and yes, I know about you're work on the warp core."  Jefferys seemed more at ease, the more Zack tensed.  "Not to mention you're handling of the Doctor's 'pet'."

"Zack, you need to lighten up.  There are some things that need to be taken seriously, and some that don't.  One little monkey isn't gonna hurt anyone, will he?"

Zack didn't like his commander calling him by name, even if they were speaking openly.  "Captain.  THAT is not the issue.  The issue is that you have no rules are respect for protocol!"

"Acutally, Zack, I do.  Now don't worry about it.  It's handled.  We can talk about this later, but right now I've got to greet our guest."

[Mentat_Tir]

Stirok pulled out a chair at his engineering console.  Although this was his first visit to the bridge, he was quite familiar with its layout.  He had spent a great deal of time on the prototype USS Sovereign when he served at Utopia Planitia.  He actually had a part in designing the command center’s data interface.

“Computer,” said Stirok. “Begin a bio-scan of the primary matter injection system.”

“Stand by.  Requested function will take 48 second,” the feminine voice replied.

Tae Rhai moved behind the Vulcan engineer.  “I don’t think we’ve met,” she said.  “I’m Counselor Tae Rhai.”

“I am Lt. Commander Stirok,” he replied.  “You will have to excuse me, Counselor, I am quite busy.”

Tae was prepared for the Vulcan’s attitude toward having a Counselor onboard.  Vulcan ships did not have counselors for obvious reasons.  She knew that to Stirok, her position was superfluous.

Tae sat down beside him.  “What are you looking for exactly?”

“I am uncertain.  I calculate a one in seven-hundred twenty-one chance that all these malfunctions are purely coincidental,” said Stirok.  “Yet I have no evidence to the contrary.”

“Scan complete,” said the computer.  “No anomalous readings indicated.”

Tae began to worry.  “Are you talking about sabotage?”

“Without substantiation, I am not yet prepared to come to such a conclusion,” Stirok told Tae.  “If someone had tampered with our instruments, the computer should have picked up a residual bio-signature.”

Tae thought.  “Hmmm.  Well, what if it wasn’t a person who did it?”

“Counselor?”

“What if it was a robot or android or something?  Something other than a life form.”  Tae thought that Stirok would roll his eyes or make some smart comment.  She was way out of her arena and she knew it.

“An interesting hypothesis,” said Stirok at last.  “Computer, run a submolecular scan of the primary matter injector.”

“Scan complete,” replied the computer.  “Sensors indicate the presence of microscopic power signatures.”

Stirok raised an eyebrow.  “Focus in on one of these power signatures and put it on the screen.”

The screen blinked and displayed a spider-like object.  It was immobile, but still somehow menacing.  The machine had obviously completed its earlier task of jamming the injector and now lay dormant awaiting further instructions.  Instructions from whom was anyone’s guess.

Stirok and Tae looked at each other.

“Mr. Thram,” Stirok called to the large security chief. “I believe we have a problem.”

[Dohlman]

Dayna was sitting on the floor in meditation, when she heard a chime at her door.  She drew herself out of her meditative state and stood up.  

“Come,” she said.  The doors swept open and Capt. Jeffreys swaggered in and stood in the middle of the floor, as if holding court for an entourage of loyal followers.  

“Lassie, ye have caused a wee bit of consternation among my crew already,” he said.  

Dayna looked dismayed.  The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself.  But the rumors were correct, Capt. Jeffreys was not one for protocol.  Dayna stepped forward and offered her hand in greeting.  

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Captain,” she said.  Capt. Jeffreys shook her hand enthusiastically and nodded.  He looked around her room.  

“I hope these accommodations are not too spartan for ya.”  Dayna smiled.  

“I’ve slept in kings’ palaces, and outside in the forest during rainstorms.  This is a happy medium,” she replied.  Jeffreys looked at her and then a serious look came over his face.  

“Now, lass, would ya mind tellin’ me a bit more about why you’re here?” Dayna proferred Jeffreys a seat, which he took.  Dayna paced the floor, sifting in her mind the information she wanted to reveal.  

“Alpha Centauri contains a vast underground communications base.  We recover, process, and analyze coded signals in all frequency ranges with all forms for modulation.  We do it all, detection, demodulation, decompression, interference reduction, adaptive processing, parametric estimation, and demultiplexing.”  She paused and looked at Capt. Jeffrey, whose face clouded over in confusion.  

“Is that a recruitment speech?” he asked.  Dayna laughed.  

“I think you’re a bit too infamous for undercover work,” she replied.  

Then she sat in a chair across from Jeffrey and leaned forward, folding her hands, and speaking in a hushed tone.  “As you know, the situation between the Romulans and Cardassians is on tenterhooks.  They have signed a weapons proliferation agreement that has been adhered to by the Rihannsu government and Cardassian Union.  However, there have been reports of a rogue element in the Rihanssu government that has been quietly gathering support for a majority takeover of the Lower Senate and the Upper Senate.”  

“Is this possible?” asked Jeffrey.  

“Yes, their head Praetor, or Fvillha, has been rather a naughty boy lately, dipping into the funds of the military High Command and using them for his own purposes.  He’s rather fond of high-class call girls.”  She winked at Jeffrey, who smiled broadly in return.  Dayna continued.

“If this rogue element stages a coup, it could mean the end of the agreement, and all-out war.  Cardassia can’t afford a war right now, and the Romulans know this.  The Cardassian navy comprises mostly Galor III class heavy cruisers, which, although boast high-powered subspace fields that help block hostile scanning, are no match for a Romulan Legaei.  

That said, I am going to Alpha Centauri to review the signals intelligence reports and, if necessary, will be sent to Romulus to go undercover as a Senate aide.  During my time here, I would appreciate holding a post where I will not have much interaction with the crew, perhaps taking inventory in the cargo bays.  Is that agreeable?”  

[Peter_Pevensie]

Will Brandt was standing behind his console, trying hard to keep himself occupied.  He had started by running scans of the various interstellar phenomena that the Archer passed on her way to Alpha Centauri.  Unfortunately, there weren’t many.  The space between Earth and its nearest neighbor was, coincidentally, some of the emptiest humans had encountered in their exploration of the galaxy.  And after all, one can only analyze particles of interstellar dust so many ways before one knows all there is to know about them.

After that, he decided to try to identify nearby ships in the crowded spacelanes using only passive sensors.  This invented task had proved a bit more challenging, but Brandt lost interest in it quickly.  That kind of mundane work often got relegated to science officers on ships the size of the Archer, simply due to the fact that the security officers had so many other jobs to keep them busy.  He didn’t mind being the ship’s eyes and ears, but it wasn’t the kind of task that could really absorb him.  There wasn’t any imagination in it.

He was starting to go over the science lab inventories when Tae Rhai stood up and walked past to Stirok’s engineering station.  Without really being conscious of what he was doing, he turned his head and watched her walk by, appreciating her slender Bajoran form.  A beep from his console broke his reverie, and he looked quickly around the bridge, hoping no one had noticed.  Fortunately, everyone seemed more or less absorbed in their work.  He returned his attention to the inventories, but on a whim cleared the screen and called up access to the main library computer, initiating a query for information on classic Bajoran literature.  The data was just beginning to fill the screen when he overheard Stirok saying to Thram, “I believe we have a problem.”

“What is it?” replied the Andorian, almost under his breath.  

“I am transferring the data to your console.  It appears we may have an intruder onboard after all.”

“It’s not another monkey, is it?” said Will, hoping to keep the mood light.  It seemed that anytime Thram got involved with something, the atmosphere on the bridge transformed into something out of a Wagner opera.

“It is not,” replied Stirok.  “It is significantly smaller and potentially much more destructive.  I will transfer the data to the science station as well.”

Will examined the tiny, spider-like robot on his screen and began a short series of scans.  Within a few moments his console was flooded with data.  Other than the nearly undetectable radiation signature from the unit’s power cell, it was silent in all other spectra.  It was barely one fiftieth of a centimeter across, and its skin was composed of…

“The composite coating on the exterior of the…the…the micro-robot is very similar in composition to an ablative-reflective coating that was being developed by the Romulans just prior to the end of the Dominion war,” said Brandt to the others.

“How similar?” said Thram with a note of impatience in his voice.

“Ninety-six point seven percent,” responded Brandt.  “As I said, very similar.”  He looked up at the Security officer and grinned.  

“I confirm Lieutenant Brandt’s analysis,” said Stirok levelly.  “Furthermore, the computer is now reporting over six thousand of the ‘micro-robots’ scattered somewhat evenly throughout the ship’s primary and secondary systems.”

Commander Zack, in charge of the bridge in the captain’s absence, had made his way behind Brandt’s science station to monitor the progress of the senior officers.  He had remained silent, and almost placid, throughout the entire crisis, at least until Stirok said the words, “over six thousand.”  He turned quickly to Thram.

“Level one security alert, Mr. Thram,” and then, in a louder voice to the computer’s ship-wide intercom system, “Captain to the bridge!”  Zack moved rapidly into a position behind the chief engineer’s console.  “Stirok, see if you can set up a jamming field around the entire ship to prevent those things from receiving further instructions from outside.”

“What if their instructions are not coming from outside, sir?” said Stirok with a detached air of calmness.  

“We will cross that bridge when we come to it, Stirok.”