Where Oh Where Has the Captain Gone? (Part II)

Posted on Mon Feb 5th, 2024 @ 10:29am by Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii & Lieutenant Zero & Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D
Edited on on Mon Feb 5th, 2024 @ 10:32am

1,446 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Bandits of Black Rain

[PREVIOUSLY]

As he stalked off towards the Ready Room, whiskers twitching purposefully he waved at Rose, 'you have the Bridge a moment, Counselor. Don't let them drive us into a star.'

[CONTINUED]



"I what?!" Amanda asked incredulously. "Yes, sir," she finally settled on and she headed to the Captain's chair to take a seat. This would not be the first time that Amanda had sat in the big chair. She had done it on the Defiant and Avenger in limited circumstances, but this certainly was the first time that she had done it during an active potential battle situation.

That's disturbing thought Percy with the sight of Amanda seated in the Captain's chair. Though it made sense. Anahera was needed at the tactical station. Zero was going into the Ready Room. If this scene had a lbel.to it, for Percy it would be: Disaster.

It would have been unprofessional to snipe at the Counselor, and he was happy she was back. Percy walked on past without saying a word, following Yiv and Zero at Yiv's request.

Zero walked into the Ready Room and immediately to the monitor on the Captain's desk. He turned it around to face the others and began to tap away at the console, his fingers quickly gliding from key to key with an almost unnatural speed as he began to talk in his cold tone.

"Upon further examination of the Ontario's internal sensors, I was able to establish the transporter beam's array by the method it dispersed the Captain upon her disappearance to be Romulan in origin." He played the footage of the Captain being transported away, stopping it mid through as lines with quick descriptions began to form on the image giving more detailed information. "I also noticed a disruption in the external sensors during said event and calculated it to be that of a cloaked vessel appearing and disappearing again which further moves my hypothesis to that a Romulan ship was involved in the Captain's capture."

As if anticipating someone to ask him something, Zero quickly turned to them and held up a hand, to stop anyone from interrupting. "I have more. Please withhold your questions."

Amanda had yet to meet Zero. It had been on her list but of course there was the kidnapping, so that was blown. She wanted to ask something but Zero's hand stopped her.

Zero quickly returned to the monitor and tapped away at the console. He removed the video of the Captain's transport and brought up a star chart of the area. "Because Starfleet and Federation activity has been limited to this area, I was unable to determine if a Romulan Ship has ventured into this sector, so I expanded my search to those outside this designated area and found something quite interesting." He began to pull out photos of a Romulan Valdore Class Warbird from a distance. "This ship has been spotted in the outlining sectors. Upon further examinations of the images, I was able to determine that this particular ship was listed as MIA by the Romulan Star Empire. That is when I reached a block and require your assistance, Commander." Zero said as he looked over to Amanda. "When I attempted to search for this ship in Starfleet's Database I was met with this." He turned to the console and tapped away bringing up the image which immediately displayed a Starfleet Intelligence Warning and Clearance to open the file.

Amanda sighed. She doubted that she had the clearance. Of course, right now she had the bridge. Should she get Yiv or see if she could unlock the file. "Lieutenant Zero, do I have the clearance to open that file?"

Shrugging, Yiv nodded, 'you should have clearance as a senior officer, Amanda.' He was processing the information given. Romulan and Klingon vessels. The pirate group is more resourceful that we gave them credit for.'

When did he get back? Amanda wondered. Should I just give him back the bridge? He is senior. "Very well, unlock the file, authorization code Rose - 6 - Gamma - 9 - 2 - Delta."

The screen flashed red before a message popped up. "It would appear, Lieutenant, your clearance is not high enough." He said as he reviewed the message itself. "Perhaps it will have better luck with our current Chief of Intelligence Officer's clearance."

Leaning forward, Yiv keyed in his clearance codes. 'If not my CIO clearances, my new Executive Officer code should do the trick,' he winked at Zero.

The monitor flashed the Starfleet Intelligence Covert Operations Division insignia before a file appeared on the screen of a man with a long beard and slightly scarred face. "The file appears to be of a rogue Starfleet Captain by the name of Thayne Kilgore. A Risian. It seems he is a person of interest in a long list of murders and attacks on many Starfleet ships." He paused slightly before pulled away from the file and looked over to Yiv. "Commander, I cannot find any affiliation with the HTA. It would appear the Captain's kidnapping is not related to the previous ones." An alert appeared on the screen which Zero quickly focused on. "And... it would appear... by opening this file an Admiral Hunter and Admiral Burke have been alerted."

Arching an eyebrow, Yiv refused to look as surprised as he felt. 'Well, he is a rogue Starfleet Captain, Mister Zero,' he observed dryly. 'I assume that their supposition is that he is current Master and Commander of our missing Romulan Warbird?'

"Risians are not known for this sort of behavior, in general," Amanda piped up. "I should like to look into this file more and try to determine the psychology. Maybe it will help us to figure out his next move." She then hesitated for a moment. "Maybe I should let one of you have this seat back," as she rose from the Captain's chair.

Yiv nodded, 'perhaps it's best not to generalise.' He winked at the Counselor, 'I think we've seen from the colleagues around us that no-one is likely to be typical.'

Amanda did a doubletake at Yiv. Why was he winking at her. Certainly he was not flirting with her, was he? Yiv would know better, wouldn't he? She tried to formalize their discussion. "As you say, sir; but I believe that protocol is that you relieve me again...." The anticipation was torturing her.

'Indeed,' Yiv replied with a smile, 'you're relieved Counselor.' He leaned in again and added a little lower, 'and relieved to be relieved I believe?'

"I would rather be healing people than making life and death decisions," she admitted. "I am relieved." Amanda stepped aside and let Yiv take the chair again.

"Counselor... before you leave... may I make a request?" Zero spoke up, having observed the exchange and taken it into his memory banks to study later.

"Of course, Lieutenant Zero. What is it?" Amanda gave Zero a warm smile. She had yet to interact with the former Borg crewmember and had hoped to do so before her kidnapping.

Zero picked up a PADD and transferred the pirate Captain's file over to it. He approached Amanda and held it out to her. "If you are given full access to the file provided to us by Starfleet, do you feel you would be able to come up with a profile on the rogue Captain? Should we encounter him soon, or in the near future, an understanding of his mental capabilities and recent actions could be of benefit."

Amanda beamed at Zero. "Of course I could do that," she informed him confidently. Why had she not thought of that, she wondered. She looked over at Yiv hopefully. "It would take some time, of course, depending on how detailed you want the analysis and how much reading that there is in the file."

Zero handed her the PADD before saying. "I thank you for your analysis and hope it provides useful information, Doctor."

Percy returned to his science station and listened to the interaction. And I'll be relieved when this is all over thought the Chief Science Officer. Though Percy was curious if this little pleasant interaction between Fabio of Borg and the thorny Rose would be the beginning of something more. That might be interesting thought Percy with gears turning in his mind.

___
OFF

Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counselor
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Percival Bálor
Chief Science Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii
Executive Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Zero
Chief Operations Officer
USS Ontario

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