by Hok and Salvek
81112.2200
After Uneasy Lies the Head
-=Office of the Executive Officer; USS Serendipity=-
81112.2200
After Uneasy Lies the Head
-=Office of the Executive Officer; USS Serendipity=-
Salvek allowed himself fifteen minutes of silent meditation, about their mission and the future.
He could have stayed in his office all day, exploring his thoughts, but he knew there was still much work to be done. Every attempt to dredge up any new information on the Hugreti had so far come up empty.
There was, however, one source he had not yet fully tapped. He did not know if Ensign Hok had any knowledge of the Hugreti beyond what was in Starfleet’s database, but if he did, Salvek intended to find out.
The Ferengi were known to go to any lengths to get their hands on Hugreti artifacts, due to the handsome sum they could fetch at auction. If Hok had any insight, no matter how seemingly insignificant, it could prove invaluable.
“Computer, where is Ensign Hok?”
^Ensign Hok is in his quarters.^
Salvek considered whether to summon Hok to the office, or if he should proceed to his quarters. Hok’s current location would afford Salvek the chance to discreetly check in on the young officer and possibly gain some insight into him based on his decorating.
For those reasons, Salvek found himself outside the quarters of Ensign Hok a few moments later.
As Hok was relaxing in his quarters, he thought back over his visit with February Grace. She had enjoyed the gifts he had brought, and their time together talking, made Hok feel welcomed on board the Sera, for the first time.
Oh, he knew he was welcomed, and he knew the others accepted the way he performed his duties, but after spending time with February Grace, he truly, genuinely, felt welcomed.
Hok closed his eyes and began thinking about their mission. There was so much about the Hugreti that was legend and rumor, but very little that was truth. Even amongst his own people, the stories ran rampant. Of course, telling stories was part of doing good business and earning profit...
A chirping sound awoke him. Someone was at the door.
"Come in!" shouted Hok.
When Hok saw that it was Commander Salvek, he jumped to his feet.
"Commander, can I help you with something? Is everything all right?" Hok felt nervous, like he was in trouble for something, though he couldn't think of anything he had done.
“Of course I had a few questions for you, unless this is a bad time to discuss ship’s business?”
"Not at all, sir. Please have a seat." Hok turned to reach for a chair, but Salvek cut him off.
“Allow me." He grasped the nearest chair, turned it to face the Ferengi, and sat down. “Ensign Hok, I was wondering if you have ever run across any Hugreti technology on Ferenginar, or heard any stories that may provide information beyond what is in our database?”
Hok sighed inwardly, glad that he wasn't in trouble.
"Well, sir, there's nothing I can tell you that's one-hundred percent proven, but there are a lot of stories and rumors. It's said that a Ferengi was on his way to sign a deal with a customer, when his ship had to make an emergency stop on an uninhabited planet.
"While there, he found some ruins and a strange Hugreti item. It was said to emit some sort of energy that would cause the person in possession of it, to age at a slower rate. There was also an auction that was said to have sold a Hugreti item for a huge profit, that would open a portal to a specific place that was pre-programmed into it, but only that one place."
Hok shrugged. "As I said, these are just rumors. You know, I was told by a guy whose friend knew the cousin of the girlfriend of the guy that sold the item...." His voice trailed off.
Salvek nodded. At last he seemed to be getting somewhere. Rumors were far more productive than no information at all, so long as there was a hint of truth in them somewhere.
“Do you have any idea that name of the planet? The one where the artifact was supposedly found?” Salvek asked.
"No, sir," said Hok. "No names, no places. If there was a location for the planet, my people have long since turned it inside out. If there was anything to be found, it has been found.”
Salvek steepled his fingers in thought, as he searched for another question to ask. “Were these devices powered internally, or did they require some sort of connection to a power source to operate?”
"I don’t recall hearing anything about any external power being necessary," said Hok. "All that mattered at the time, was that an artifact was sold for a great profit." Hok smiled as he dreamed of doing such a thing himself.
“I ask because any device capable of opening a ‘portal’ as you call it in space time, or emit a field to slow the aging process, would require a tremendous amount of power. If the Hugreti possessed technology that would allow their devices to create energy of such magnitude, it is entirely possible what we find on the planet may do so as well,” Salvek once again felt unrest stirring in his soul over this assignment.
Hok was glad Salvek was asking him questions about the Hugreti, as it reinforced to him that he was indeed a valued member of the crew. He sincerely wished he could help, though after all, he was a CONN Officer, not an archaeologist.
“Any such system power source would easily overwhelm our defensive systems if control of it was lost,” said Salvek.
“It sounds like it would be a good idea not to bring the box on board the Sera," said Hok.
“We may not have a choice, but I will not expose it to a high energy field.”
“The transporters,” Hok surmised. He then shuddered inside as he realized what that meant.
“Correct. Are you comfortable piloting a shuttle to the surface and returning with the Hugreti device, should we deem it stable enough to bring aboard?”
*Bang!* Hok knew it. If the box had to be moved to the Sera, he'd be the one doing it, and most likely alone, so as not to risk the safety of anyone else, should something go wrong. *Oh, Moogie!* he thought. *Where are you when I need a hug?*
"Yes, sir. I'll do whatever needs to be done to complete the mission," said Hok, putting on a brave front.
*Moogie!*
*********************************
Ensign Hok
Acting Senior Flight Controller
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Commander Salvek
First Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Ensign Hok
Acting Senior Flight Controller
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Commander Salvek
First Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012