By Commander Salvek
80907.22
Hours after Déjà vu All Over Again
-=Bridge, USS Alchemy=-
80907.22
Hours after Déjà vu All Over Again
-=Bridge, USS Alchemy=-
Ship’s log supplemental. I have left Rada and Kellyn to Engineering for the moment, as they attempt to decipher the mystery of our apparent time jump. I have returned to the bridge, to prepare for our homecoming to the Serendipity.
“Hail them.” Salvek ordered.
“Channel open.” Zander reported.
“Serendipity, this is Commander Salvek aboard the Alchemy. Request permission to dock.”
[Permission granted. Welcome home Alchemy.]
“Lieutenant Grace, if you would do the honors please.” Salvek ordered.
February closed the gap between the two ships, and guided them into the empty bay. With a hiss of the docking clamps, Salvek and his crew were once again safely at home.
“Permission to disembark.” Zander requested almost immediately. Surely he was anxious to see his family.
“Granted.” He answered, before opening a channel to the entire crew. “Salvek to all hands, secure your stations and disembark at your leisure. Medical bay, please release our passengers from stasis and turn them over to the care of Vol Tryst.”
February locked her panel as required, and met Salvek at the door to the turbolift.
“I’ll need you on the bridge for now, unless you have an immediate matter to attend to.”
“Nothing urgent, Sir.” She said.
Salvek nodded and tapped his comm badge. “Salvek to Kellyn, anything to report?”
[Nothing yet, Salvek.]
“Save the data for now. Arie is surely anxious to return home, as Rada Dengar must be also. We can work on the details at another time.”
Kellyn accepted his offer with a certain amount of relief in her voice. It had been a long haul and a good nights sleep in their own beds would do everyone a world of good.
The turbolift dropped Salvek and Grace at the ramp to the Serendipity docking bay. They walked down together, amongst others who were leaving the ship. Salvek cleared his throat before speaking to her.
“If you are…lonely, this evening, you are welcome to have a sleepover in Arie’s room. I’m sure she would enjoy the company.”
February’s eyes brightened. “I’ll definitely consider that, sir.”
“Salvek will do, Lieutenant.” He corrected her.
February’s eyes brightened further. Either Salvek was getting more sentimental or she didn’t understand Vulcans as well as she thought she did.
Salvek’s feet hit the familiar deck plates of the Serendipity. Security officers buzzed about the room and looked at him questioningly. At some point he would need to explain what half the Command staff had not returned to the ship.
He took February to the bridge, and she took her place at the helm.
Salvek made his way for the Command chair, but was cut short by a trio of jabbering diplomats.
“Where is the Captain?”
“Where is your Chief engineer?”
“Where is your Chief science officer?”
Salvek brushed past the men and sat in the Command chair.
“Status.”
“Repairs are complete, ship’s functions are at peak efficiency, and we have guests.” Sue Tenney reported.
Satisfied that the ship was in no immediate danger, Salvek turned his attention to the mining negotiators.
“The Captain and Chief Science Officer are on a classified mission. Our Chief Engineer is on the way to his quarters.”
“Well we need him here!”
“First,” Salvek said, straightening himself up to take command of the situation. “I will need to know each of your names.”
“Of course.” The man in the front began. “I am Frederick Green, head of the mining negotiations party. There are my associates Francis Blake and Maria Brandish.”
“Very well. Why, Mister Green, do you need to speak to the Chief Engineer?”
“Someone needs to take a closer look at this asteroid. That man over there. What was your name boy?”
“Micah Samson.” Replied the Science officer with an annoyed look on his face.
“Mr. Samson says there are unusual sensor ghosts coming from the asteroid. I wouldn’t put it beyond the Galadorians to try to hornswaggle us.”
February snickered at the helm, wondering which word was more amusing, Galadorians or hornswaggle. Salvek brushed past the diplomats once again and took Samson aside at the rear of the bridge.
“Could this be indicative of some sort of deception?”
“Possibly Commander, I’ve never seen such a high concentration of dilithium in an asteroid. Certainly makes it extremely valuable. If they were using sensor tricks it would explain a lot.” Samson said.
“Indeed, take payment and disappear. Thank you.”
Salvek returned to the diplomats and addressed Green. “I will accompany you to the next session. We will need to devise a plan to study the asteroid, as I’m sure any attempts to closely examine the specimen will be unappreciated. My Chief Engineer is off duty for the next twelve hours. Once he returns we will begin. If anyone can find out how much dilithium is truly to be had, it is he.”
“Why not now?” Green protested.
“Because, as I said, he is off duty.”
Rada was just about to finally have the chance to introduce his family to the Sera and there was no way Salvek was going to bother him with this matter right now.
“Now, when is the next session?” Salvek asked.
“In six hours.” Green replied. “We are due on the surface of Galador, where the latest bids will be reviewed.”
“Then I will see you in six hours. I would like our Counselor to accompany us as well, if they will not object.”
Green shrugged, as if to say “I don’t see why not.”
----
Commander Salvek
First Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Commander Salvek
First Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012