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STAR TREK: ANGEL – VIGNETTE SEVEN
ELJAYXAN XANTHARIK
IN PLAIN SIGHT
NO infringement is intended. All other material is copyright to Unusualsuspex 2010.
STAR TREK: ANGEL – VIGNETTE SEVEN
ELJAYXAN XANTHARIK
IN PLAIN SIGHT
USS ANGEL
ON ORBIT TRALUCE PRIME
VETHRION SYSTEM
22nd November 2373 – 0900 FST
Captain Dan Fishlock was convinced that the junior officers aboard the USS Angel were conspiring to make him feel old. Not that I don’t usually he mused sardonically, but it seemed that every time there was an early briefing they managed to appear as if they’d been awake for hours while he was still craving more raktajino. Today, of course, was worse than ever.
“You’re looking sprightly this morning.”
Dan turned a jaundiced eye on his XO, Commander Kat Gray, and sighed theatrically.
“So you’re in on this as well right?”
“In on what?”
“Making your commanding officer feel like Methuselah by bouncing around like a puppy on one of Doc Winston’s more exotic creations, that’s what.”
For a moment, Kat managed to fake puzzlement at the remark before a look of understanding dawned on her face.
“Oh, I see…”
“What? What is it you see, soon-to-be-demoted first officer?”
She managed to stifle the guffaw that threatened to burst from her lips and laid a hand on his arm, pulling him to the side of the corridor.
“If I promise to bake you a cake, will you go easy on the crew in the briefing?”
“I’ll go one better,” he grinned. “Promise not to bake a cake, and I’ll let you take the briefing yourself.”
Kat clutched at her heart and in a dramatic tone, whispered “I have been wounded but not yet slain”.
Shaking his head in resignation, Dan set off for the briefing room once more with Kat in tow realising that of all people, she wouldn’t have forgotten his birthday.
Dan and Kat had served together for many years and their relationship had become extremely close without being cluttered by involvement. It had been one of the the reasons that Dan had wanted Kat as his first officer when taking command of Angel two years ago.
“Anyway, you’re only 42. I don’t see anybody making a reservation at the Dunroamin Home for Retired Starship Captains yet.”
He stopped just short of activating the briefing room’s doors and fixed her with what he considered to be a stern gaze. “This, Commander Gray, is a conversation that can continue post-briefing in the welcome company of a biting hot raktajino. In the meantime, they’re all yours.”
“You know, you don’t fool anybody with that commanding officer stare. It just makes you look constipated.”
Before he could think of anything approaching a biting retort, Kat had breezed ahead into the briefing room to call “Captain on deck!”
**********
Ensign ElJayxan Xantharik sat bolt upright in his chair as the Captain entered the room. As usual, he was sat at the rear of the briefing room so as not to block the view of anybody unfortunate enough to be sat behind him.
LJ was big, which wasn’t a prerequisite for the role of a security officer of course, but it certainly came in useful. Having been born and raised first on the surface of Remvellia and then in one of the orbiting colonies, his musculature and physique was due to the high-gravity environment of his homeworld. Serving much of his duty now in a one-g environment made this mountain of an officer both fast and deadly, something opponents had underestimated to their cost.
Beneath the awesome expanse of muscle and red skin, however, was a gentle man and one who had been tipped for great things within the security branch following his graduation from the academy just a year previously.
He watched as Captain Fishlock took a seat to the side of the briefing room and Commander Gray stepped up to the lectern to begin the brief for the day’s duties. Most section briefings were covered by the department head of course. It was only when special duties were required that a brief by a senior officer took place and LJ was eager to find out just what was in store for him today.
Unfortunately, he was kept waiting until the very last detail of the brief.
“Finally, Ensign Xantharik and Lieutenant Edwards." Kat looked up to spot the two officers. "You’re detailed to the Shuttlepod McCoy. We’ve discovered a pair of asteroids in orbit around Traluce Prime that bear some investigation. Ensign,” she looked over the heads of those in front of him, “you’ll be pilot and security detail and Lieutenant Edwards will be carrying out the asteroid survey and examination with your assistance. Any questions?”
When there was nothing more arising from the briefing, it was dismissed and as the officers and crewmen filed out, Kat approached LJ and Edwards.
“Just to let you know, we’ll be departing the system at 1700 to deliver the last of the medical supplies to the Hulbert Colony but you won’t be alone here.” LJ was fairly certain he saw an expression approaching relief cross Edwards face but he wasn’t sure. “The academy training vessel USS McCreary is scheduled in system for exercises at 1930 hours and we should be back in, barring any problems, by midnight.”
“Understood Ma’am,” nodded LJ.
“Oh and just a heads up Ensign, I believe the McCreary might be looking for a little hunt when they arrive. Give them the works.”
He watched the tall blond Commander follow the Captain out of the briefing room before turning to Lieutenant (j.g.) Becky Edwards. If there could have been a physical opposite to the first officer, Becky was it.
At just five feet two inches, LJ loomed over her but like the rest of the crew she’d had chance to get used to his powerful physical presence. The colour of her hair reminded him of Dr Beverly Crusher who he had seen briefly on her recent visit to Angel, but perhaps more poignantly it reminded him of Jo…
Stop right there Xantharik, commanded his sub-conscious mind, and he quickly quashed the thought.
“I can’t believe they’re going to have to dig out the smallest and largest EVA suits in stores just for an asteroid survey,” she chuckled.
“I do believe mine is still being manufactured in the Utopia yards,” he quipped dryly, but added a smile. “However, assuming we can be equipped properly, I await your command.”
As part of Angel’s geological team, Becky had spent much of her time detached to the small SCE contingent since the incident on Zethander two years ago. Her knowledge of planetary makeup was impressive, so much so that two of her papers had been accepted by the Vulcan Science Academy for their courses.
It meant, of course, that this would be her first command small as it may be. It seemed though that she had been preparing for it.
“Let’s check out the McCoy and see just how much room you’ll have to manoeuvre that big old frame of yours around before we start packing for the holiday eh?”
She slapped him on the arm and he sighed theatrically. “Always the jokes about my size. I could get a complex you know…”
But she was already disappearing through the briefing room door with a huge grin plastered across her face.
SHUTTLEPOD McCOY
VETHRION SYSTEM
22nd November 2373 – 1656 FST
“This is Shuttlepod McCoy now departing main hangar and clearing the ship.”
LJ swung the diminutive shuttlepod out and around the starboard under slung warp nacelle as the flight operations controller acknowledged the call and wished them good luck.
“Alright chauffeur,” Becky said, ducking under LJ’s elbow as he operated the controls in the cramped cockpit. “We’ll cover the inner system first just to see if there are any other bodies that exhibit the same qualities as our two asteroids and then get back before the arrival of McCreary. Sound good?”
LJ checked the chronometer noting that they had a good two and a half hours before the McCreary arrived in system, and nodded. “Is there anything in particular I should be looking for?”
“Know what Unobtainium looks like in its raw state?”
LJ stretched his knowledge of geology, limited though it was, to its limits but eventually had to shake his head.
“Nope,” grinned Becky, “me neither. Whatever causes those asteroids to block sensor scans stopped Angel getting a decent compositional reading as well so we’ll have to play it by ear.”
LJ gave her a long stare. “Would I look stupid if I were to ask if Unobtainium is real or something you just made up?”
She returned his stare seriously before a wide smile appeared on her lips. “Sorry, you’re right; it’s kind of an in-joke that the propeller heads use to describe any hypothetical material with properties that are unlikely or impossible for any real material to possess.”
“Ah, so I do not look stupid then,” he smiled smugly.
“Oh I never said that.”
SHUTTLEPOD McCOY
VETHRION SYSTEM
22nd November 2373 – 1824 FST
“Shuttlepod McCoy, this is Captain T’Han of the Federation Academy Training Vessel USS McCreary.”
Becky was handling communications as LJ threaded a route through some promising bodies inside the third planet’s orbit.
“McCreary this is Lieutenant Edwards on the McCoy, good evening Captain.”
“Good evening Lieutenant.” The precise and somewhat impersonal tones were exactly as Becky remembered them from her first cadet cruise with the Vulcan Captain, though she knew the woman to be both compassionate towards and defensive of those under her command. Well, unless they made mistakes. “We are due to arrive in system at 1930 hours and I wonder if I might ask a favour?”
Becky shrugged unconsciously. “By all means Captain, if we’re able to oblige.”
The shrug turned into an involuntary duck as LJ swung below one of the larger bodies then quickly to port around a fragment that appeared out of its shadow. She quickly held up her hands, asking him to hold his position as she scrambled between the crew seats and into the rear of the shuttlepod.
“We would like to conduct a search and rescue simulation. If you could find somewhere discrete to suggest a downed shuttle it would be appreciated.”
Becky quickly glanced at LJ who nodded eagerly. “Big kid,” she said sotto voce, completely forgetting the acute Vulcan sense of hearing.
“I’m sorry Lieutenant?”
“Sorry Captain, I was just checking with my pilot.” She was fairly certain that T’Han had heard exactly what she’d said, but chosen to pass on the comment. “Erm, that shouldn’t be a problem at all.”
“Excellent. I would appreciate it if you could confirm your status before we enter the system. Oh and Lieutenant?”
Becky screwed her eyes shut expecting a roasting for her comment over the open comm channel. “Yes Captain?”
There was a pregnant pause before T’Han said, “Don’t make it too easy. McCreary out.”
Making sure that the comm really was terminated, she turned to LJ who was attempting, somewhat unsuccessfully, to appear focussed on his instruments.
“You know after three years that woman still knows how to put the fear of the devil into me.”
“Oh she was an exponent at that.” He indicated the large asteroid hanging off the port quarter. “Is this our infamous Unobtainium?”
She quickly ran scans from her seat in the back of the shuttlepod and nodded excitedly. “It certainly appears to be,” she replied excitedly, “and the concentration appears much higher in these inner bodies. Could you move us to within ten metres please LJ?”
Tapping gently at the board, he fired the RCS thrusters that nudged them gently towards the asteroid before switching them to station keeping ten metres distant.
“It certainly does not appear very exotic for a fabled material.” LJ was remarkably underwhelmed by the asteroid which appeared no different to all the ones he’d seen countless times before. It was a slightly mediocre beige in colour, and had the usual impact marks of a body that had been exposed to the rigours of space for millennia but other than that it was…well, bland.
“Beauty is in the eye of the geologist in this particular case.” Resetting her instruments, she turned to LJ. “Move us within a metre and try attaching an anchor tractor to its surface.”
Tapping once more at the thrusters, the small shuttlepod moved into the shadow of the asteroid and LJ stopped it once more a mere metre from the surface. However, when he tried to apply the anchor tractor, the system buzzed a warning. It seemed that the tractor would gain a purchase only to lose it almost instantly.
“Now that is annoying.”
“Actually, it may be more annoying to McCreary.” He turned to look questioningly at her and caught his breath. In the glow of the monitors, her resemblance to Jo was uncanny.
Mistaking LJ’s silence as a question, she continued, her eyes fixed to the view screens. “If I’m not mistaken, the sensor blocking field emanating from our friend here should extend out approximately 15 metres before dissipating.” She turned a most wolfish grin on LJ. “Let’s see them find us now.”
SHUTTLEPOD McCOY
VETHRION SYSTEM
22nd November 2373 – 1910 FST
Over the past half hour, LJ had helped Becky to set up surface mounted instruments to take samples and measurements from the asteroids crust. It was during the initial phase of the operation that they had discovered that the asteroid’s disruptive effects went beyond sensor blocking and effectively cut communications as well. They were now connected by a nano fibre communications cord which also led back into the shuttlepod.
Realising the time, he tapped Becky on the shoulder.
“I’ll need to back the McCoy off to broadcast out to McCreary that we’re ready for them.”
She waved a gloved hand and smiled from behind the visor of her EVA helmet.
“I’ll stay here and tie down the last of the samplers. Just make sure I’ve got enough comms cord that you don’t yank me off the surface.”
LJ placed a hand to where his mouth would have been if he hadn’t been wearing the EVA suit, feigning shock. “Oh my, I had completely forgotten about that.”
“Which is why,” she replied primly, “I’m a Lieutenant and you’re an Ensign!”
There was no rebuke in the comment. LJ had been close friends with Becky at the Academy having been just a year behind her and their disparity in rank was a regular source of amusement to her.
“Now bug out!”
“Yes Lieutenant, sorry Lieutenant, I’m now leaving Lieutenant.”
LJ chuckled all the way back to the cockpit, ensuring that the reel on the comms cord was released before tapping the thrusters to sidle away from the asteroid. He carefully monitored the reel as it spooled out enough cord to remain slack and waved to Becky atop the asteroid though she was obviously too engrossed in her work to notice.
Eventually reaching a spot where he received a response to his hail, LJ smiled.
“That is acknowledged McCoy.” T’Han had logged his position so that she could monitor the cadet crew’s progress in finding them. “It would appear you have found the perfect spot. I cannot detect you from the instructor’s position and I know where you are. This should prove most enlightening.”
LJ was certain that it would be and almost felt a twinge of pity for the cadets. Almost.
“One more thing Captain, we will be out of communications contact for real during the search period due to circumstances at this end, but if we have no ‘rescue’ by 2000 hours then we will hail you at that point.”
“Understood McCoy, the simulation goes live on my mark…Mark. McCreary out.”
LJ nudged the shuttlepod back into the deep shadows below the asteroid, watching the reel once more take in the comms cord. Once at station keeping, he managed to squeeze his bulk into the rear compartment and sit at the science console that had been set up to monitor their experiments.
“Well Lieutenant, we are now officially listed as missing.”
“And I suspect we’ll stay that way until those poor little mites aboard McCreary call uncle.”
LJ humphed as he cycled through the science station readouts. “I might point out that it is not so long since you were one of those poor little mites.”
“Ah,” she answered, the smile in her voice evident, “but we have the advantage of knowing that the real world is a lot different to the Academy.”
