Suspicions (Part 3 of 3)

Posted on 20 May 2017 @ 4:16pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Commander Aren Ban & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Commander Luke Wyatt & Lieutenant Amaranai Franklin & Commander Marisa Wyatt & Ensign Miraj Derani & Ensign Mimi & Ambassador Soral Varro & Lieutenant JG Eelim Galan & Petty Officer 1st Class Eviess
Edited on on 20 May 2017 @ 4:18pm

2,741 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: USS Chaka - Various
Timeline: MD -45, 0540 hrs

Previously, on Suspicions (Part 2)...

It'd taken Saalm almost five minutes to return to her quarters, retrieve Snuffles, then arrive at the transporter room, and by the time she walked into the operations area, many of her crew had already been transported to USS Chaka. She saw only a handful of her senior staff left, and when she was instructed to take her position on the pad by the Romulan transporter chief, she didn't hesitate to step up with her targ pup in tow.

Her vision soon became whitewashed as the familiar demolecularization process quickly moved her from one point in space to the other, and within a couple seconds, she could see the Saber-class' transporter room through her vision behind a sheen of light blue shimmering particles.

And Now, the Conclusion...

[ON]

Once the sequence was complete, Saalm took in her new surroundings. All of her crew seemed to be present and accounted for along with the addition of Captain Kyjek and several of his security personnel who were also present in the small bay.

As they rematerialized Abbey wasn't surprised to see several security personnel in the room with them, She held onto Luke's hand anticipating being arrested, she hoped it didn't come because she wasn't ready to leave her father yet.

Feeling Abbey's present next to him he looked around studying the setting, it didn't bode well for the Galileo crew and he wondered if Captain Kyjek was just being extra careful or if there was about to be some arrests. "Captain" he said with a simple, respectful nod.

Varro, Eviess, and Eelim arrived onto the ship. The presence of security was not unnoticed. The Vulcan/El Aurian, the Romulan Klingon hybrid, and the Cardassian suddenly felt a bit out of place even though they were home. Varro thought about his group each person unique and each touched by what happened in some way. They stepped of the transporter pad and Varro felt Eviess' hand slide in his. He held on to her knowing how frightening all this must be and how confusing what the went through was for her.

Allyndra had gone over toward the end of sequence. She would be here on the Chaka to help direct the too injured while Marisa would help on the Romulan ship to get direct.

=^=Alright Marisa, I think we are clear enough to send wounded over.=^= The Chaka had medics and ops personal ready to help.

While she waited for Allyndra to get everything set up on the Chaka, Marisa had arranged the wounded by severity. The more seriously-wounded would go first. Those who could walk had already been sent to the transporter room. She tapped her combadge. "The first six are ready for transport."

As one group transported over, Marisa prepared the other group so it would be a seamless process.

=^=Thank you Marisa. We are ready.=^= Allyndra replied and soon the process started. She noted that Marisa had gotten things organized in an efficient way as the wounded were transported over.

Finally, the last batch of wounded dematerialized from sickbay. Marisa tapped her combadge. "Sandoval to Warraquim. That's the last of them. I'll double check that we have everything here and head to the transporter."

Aren was with the last group of Federation personnel to beam aboard. When they left the Klingon ship he had made sure to grab the few personal effects which really amounted to a couple of PADD's with detailed notes, reports, and recordings of various things that had happened over the last few months. He sighed inwardly to himself as he dematerialized.

Miraj had been escorted briskly, almost dragged to the transporter pad by her Reman escort. She wasn't sure what she was expecting the other end, but when the shimmering curtain reassembled her, there was prim Starfleet officer, mustard trimmed, waiting for her. As others were herded out of the transporter room and turned towards the cargo bay. He put a hand on her shoulder, and turned in the other direction. "The brig is the way, miss." Crestfallen, Miraj could only look back towards her crewmates as she was led away.

"Her name is Ensign Derani," Lirha corrected. With Snuffles on his leash next to her side, she looked at the taller USS Chaka security officer with as much poise as she could muster. "I will walk with you to escort her to your brig. She is one of my officers, after all."

Miraj's stomach had plunged when the security officer had mentioned the brig. She knew the Doctor wanted her in sick bay. She wanted to be in Sickbay, not be cut off and alone. "Thank you..." She didn't recognise the face, so ran the checklist again. Orion. Admiral's pips. Targ on a string. "Admiral Saalm?"

"Yes," Saalm answered to Derani. It pained her to remember the mental injury she was suffering from, but little could be done until she was moved to a more specialized medical facility. At least, that was what she'd been told. Lirha cast a gaze over the last of the arrivals to make sure that everyone was present and accounted for. She spotted Franklin and gave the freckled security officer a small and private smile before returning her attention to the conn officer.

Miraj stared at her feet as they walked along. "I'm sorry. I know I'm not in any place to ask, but... I don't want to be alone in there. Every time someone leaves, a stranger comes back."

"I will stay with you for a few hours. Maybe we can devise a way for you to recognize me? A code word, or gesture?" Saalm proposed.

Miraj nodded. "That would be good. Like a password or similar." She looked down at Snuffles, remembered the last time she had encountered the young porcine. "Like Naughty Piggy?"

Piggy? She took notice of the ensign's eyes that'd traveled to her creature companion. Snuffles was no pig, nor was he even on the same level of unintelligence as any Earth swine. No, her targ pup was sophisticated. And adorable. "Perhaps something more...professional would be in order. Let us say, your serial number? You do remember that, yes?"

"VO-571-1173," Miraj recited. Professional it was, but she didn't feel too professional. A professional wouldn't be in this mess. She glanced down at the tusked beastie trotting along at Lirha's side. She felt far more on his level. A well meaning but ultimately destructive little ball of chaos.

As much as Saalm didn't let it show, she experienced a great deal of personal relief when she watched the ensign read back the details from her personnel file. Starfleet often served as a strong symbol of structure, discipline, and order for all who were members, and if Derani could hold on to that -- remember the sense of purpose she had -- then Lirha felt confident should recover from whatever it was she was suffering from. "That will do just fine," she subtly smiled. Then a thought occurred to her and she looked back down at Snuffles.

"Do you like him? Do you remember his name?" the Orion asked in reference to her targ.

"That's Snuffles." Even when her brain was firing on all engines, Miraj couldn't have told one targ from another, but if this was Lirha, and all her tickboxes said it was, then that had to be her targ. "He's a bit big for me."

Lirha regarded Snuffles who was currently sitting patiently on his back hooves. His small, dark, and beady eyes looked up at her while his thin tail swished expectantly from side to side. Reaching down, she rubbed his wet snout then gave him a couple scratched in between his ears which seemed to please him. "I think you need a companion, Miraj," Lirha mused out loud, "just as much as Snuffles needs one. I will leave him with you to take care for the next several days," she decided with finality. It would do them both good; the young targ would get to bond with a distressed young woman and hopefully make her feel better, and in return, he would have a constant source of company that Lirha wouldn't be able to provide due to the circumstances.

"Oh, no!" Miraj held up her hands to defend herself against the responsibility. "I managed to kill a pet rock. Besides, being stuck in the brig or sick bay is no fun for him. He should stay with you."

Saalm lightly shook her head to dismiss the objection. "I insist. He will be with you for the next five days and you two can look after each other. I'm sure you can replicate a litter box for him, if the guards allow?"

Miraj realised she was in a losing battle. "And if they don't?" she asked, in one last ditch attempt to not be given a living, starvable, breakable, being to look after, even for just a few days.

"Well, you seem like a resourceful young ensign. I'm sure you can find a way to make due," Saalm subtly winked at the young woman. It was her attempt to inject some levity into the situation and try to take Derani's mind off her current troubles. With Snuffles to take care of, there would be much less time to ponder about the incident she'd found herself caught up in with Chorag. Or at least, that was the plan.

Miraj sighed and took the leash. "Come on then, Naughty Piggy." Snuffles trotted around the two women to walk on Miraj's side. "You'd better not snore."

With all her fur standing on end as it always did when she transported Mimi rematerialised, she quickly ran her fingers through her fur flattening it back down then stepped off the pad

Captain Kyjek looked at the slowly growing group of Federation personnel beaming aboard his ship. "I am sorry for that you have been through all that you have been through. We will get you all aboard and situated as quickly as possible. You will have full access to replicators and hygienic facilities as soon as we are able. Welcome aboard the Chaka." He gestured to the Lieutenant that was standing to him. "Please follow my Lieutenants directions, she will help you all get situated." He finished.

Once the captain was finished speaking, a short-haired, gold-collared female lieutenant stepped forward and spoke to the new arrivals. "I'm Lieutenant Paren, chief of operations," she introduced herself. "There's a lot of you and we don't have many quarters free so we're going to set you up in cargo bay one until we reach Starbase 234. It's a little cramped in there but I can move a couple pallets around to squeeze you all in. Follow me."

Exiting the transporter room, Paren walked down the corridor on deck 5 which also housed the vessel's primary storage bay. With the Galileo crew in tow, the journey to their new living space was only a few hundred feet away and took less than a minute. The large reinforced double-doors to the cargo bay slowly parted and Paren stepped to the side to usher them all inside. "After you all," she casually chirped.

"In here for a month." Mimi said after quickly working out roughly how long it would take for them to get to Starbase 234. "This will be.... interesting." Shifting her bag on her shoulder a little she headed in and found herself a spot on top of a stack of cargo containers knowing it would save space on the floor for everyone else and she had the balance to not fall off.

Aren was grateful to be back aboard a Federation starship. Considering all they had been through the last few months he at least felt comfortable being in familiar surroundings. He looked around the cargo, small bag slung over his good shoulder, making him self available to any in the crew.

Marisa looked around the cargo bay to see if there was anything she could do to help. She noticed Commander Ban still looking worse for wear. Thanking her mother's insistence that she keep up with her Vulcan training, she walked over to him. "Have you seen a doctor yet?"

Aren turned his attention to Marisa for a moment, nodding. "Yes, Doctor Warraquim was able to clean, and stitch the wound while we were on the Romulan ship. Though, I will need more treatment soon enough, but it can wait until things get settled." He said as he inclined his head deeper in the cargo hold turned berthing. "I take it you have had your proverbial ears to the ground, how is the crew adjusting to all of this?" He asked, hoping that they wouldn't be in for any other surprises.

Although still concerned that he needed to take care of himself, she knew that Aren's first thoughts would be for the crew. "Most of them are worried about what Starfleet may or may not do," she said, keeping her voice low to not concern those around her. "Considering what happened with the Galileo and our treatment here, it's understandable." She nodded to the cargo bay. "A couple of weeks in here will likely add to the stress, but hopefully not unduly so." She looked at him for a long moment, wishing she could do more. "A lot will depend on how you and the Admiral act."

Aren nodded. " I had figured as much. Please keep us appraised of any changes." He said as he watched more of the crew enter the bay. At least they were making progress, each change of ship made him feel like they were one step closer to getting everyone home.

Marisa nodded and watched as he walked away. Then she sighed and went to help settle the injured.

Amaranai entered the cargo bay and looked around. It wasn't going to be comfortable but at least it was a Federation ship. The brunette wondered if the captain of the Chaka was going to want to talk to any of the officers from Galileo or at least Lirha. There were a lot of issues that would have to be sorted and Amaranai figured that some of that would take place now so that Starfleet Command would have knowledge of their return.

Looking around, Amaranai grabbed a cot and sat down. She watched as others entered with their small bags and she thought to what little she even had brought onto Galileo and how that was all gone. Nothing that couldn't eventually be replaced, she knew, but she still missed it.

Varro lay back looking up at the ceiling. His mind wondered to the colony, the Klingon ship, the Romulan ship and all that he and the rest of the Galileo crew had been through. It all felt like some bad nightmare. He couldn't wait to get to the starbase he needed a bit of distance from all this. He needed rest.

Luke leaned up against the wall of the cargo bay, his arms crossed as he silently observed the crew. He had seen the exchange with Miraj and frowned at how she was being treated by the Reman guards and it took all his control not to walk over and hit something or someone. He had also seen a glimpse of Abbey rushing around the open room. He was happy that she was finally finding her place even if she did stun his girlfriend.

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Commander Aren Ban
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

Ambassador Soral Varro
Diplomat
USS Galileo

Lt. JG Amaranai Franklin
Assistant Chief Tactical / Security
USS Galileo

Ensign Mimi
Operations Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Miraj Derani
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Second and Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Marisa Sandoval
Counselor
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Paren
Chief of Operations
USS Chaka
[NPC Saalm]

CMDR Medara t'Keras
Commanding Officer
IRW Ganelax
[PNPC Saalm]

LCDR Luke Wyatt
Strategic Operations Officer
USS Galileo

ENS Abbey St. James
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Wyatt]

LT Min Zhao
Chief Operations Officer
USS Galileo

CAPT Kyjek
Commanding Officer
USS Chaka
[NPC Ban]

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