Spies R Us Chapter 1: Return to Duty, a startrek: other fanfic

"Spies R us"

#include stdDisclaimer.h: The Star TrekÔ planets and peoples belong to Paramount studios. Everyone else is mine, all mine. Any similarity to known or unknown corporations or persons is unintentional and used without malice, and is purely coincidental. Please don't sue me, I'm poor. By the way, how *do* you copyright an entire planet?

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The doc closed the door behind him, and then looked at me, as I sat looking out the window at the bay. "Bored?" he asked.

"Incredibly." I said, as I flipped the crossword puzzle onto the bed. It landed next to the history of the Federation that I had been studying.

"Good. That means I have a clear conscience. Get out of my hospital." he said with a smile.

"Yes, sir!" I said, with a sloppy salute. I looked at my closet, and cleared my throat. "Well?" I asked.

"With your history, I wouldn't think you'd be modest." he jibed. He tossed me a chip, which I caught. "Your orders. When you're decent, give the nurse a buzz, and they'll come with a wheelchair to get you out."

"I've never understood that." I said. "Why do healthy, recovered patients have to ride a wheelchair when they're released? Why not just walk out?"

"Who knows?" he said. "Anyway, it's orders and tradition." He moved to the door, and said, "Now get out of my hospital."

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My orders gave me up to two months of recuperative leave before I had to report. I had been out of action due to the long duration of my last assignment, and then my hospital stay. During that time, Personnel had once again changed the uniforms. The men's weren't so bad, but the women's - uggh. They reminded me of cadet uniforms. Since I was still (theoretically) a Fleet officer, even on temporary duty, I needed to get new uniforms. Still … I sighed, and replicated the uniforms, as well as some civvies. My old clothes just didn't fit me anymore. I spent several days taking care of overdue business around town. I didn't know what my new duty assignment was, just to report to a particular room at a certain time.

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"The time is 0500. The time is 0500. The time is 0500. The time …"

"Shaddap, computer! I'm up!" I threw back the blankets, and put my bare feet on the floor. I shivered, the chill helping to wake me, and also raise goose bumps. I turned, and with long habit, made the bed, before I trudged into the fresher. As stepped into the shower, I told the computer "Breakfast selection five. Twenty minutes. "

Uniform regulations were a little looser for my division of Support Services, but not that loose. I spent more time getting my hair into a regulation style than I had in the shower, only leaving me time to gulp a cup of coffee before running out the door, almost forgetting my PADD.

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I paused to check my reflection in the mirror-polished black marble, and fruitlessly tried to pull down the uniform skirt. The blue fabric of the uniform looked good, the boots were polished, and I didn't even have a run in the silly hose. I sighed, tucked a strand of hair back behind my ear, and with a last glance at my reflection, walked over to the security desk in the lobby.

"Lieutenant Alina Scott, reporting." I told the security team, offering them the chip with my orders. As they scanned it, I leaned over to gaze into the retinal scanner, simultaneously thrusting my left hand into the DNA slot. I tried not to blink as the laser scanned my eyes, only straightening up when it beeped. I accepted the pass they gave me, and then walked through the body scanner, and pushed the call button for the lift. After waiting a minute or so, one arrived, and I punched in the code from my pass into the panel. The doors closed, and I waited, trying once again to see if I could pull the skirt down any further over my butt.

With a musical 'ding', the doors to the lift opened, and I stepped out into a lobby with a Vulcan civilian at the reception desk. He was typically immune to the magnificent view of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge behind him. I offered him my orders chip, and once again leaned over for the retinal scanner and DNA verification. I wondered, as I had before, what other secrets the Black Tower held, and how they had gotten this prime location on the Academy grounds.

"Your identification has been verified." he told me impassively, as he handed my orders and another pass to me. He keyed a code into his console, and indicated an opening door. "Please insert the pass into the console. It will transport you to the correct destination."

"As always." I acknowledged. "Thank you, Mr. Vulcan, and have a nice day!" I wished him with a smile as I accepted my order chip and pass. I turned, and strode over to the open door.

"My name is not Mr. Vulcan." he objected. I waved at him, and entered the small room. I inserted the pass into the locked-down console, got my confirmation light to start the timer, yanked the pass out of the console, and ran onto the transporter stage. With a hum, the platform activated, sending my molecules I knew not where.

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I materialized into a standard Starfleet transporter room, in an unknown location. I smiled at the duty operator, and offered him my orders chip. He scanned it, and then told me, "Please wait here, Lieutenant. Security is sending an escort for you." He returned my chip, and offered me the usual blindfold, to keep me from recognizing anyone. I knew there were other methods of identifying someone, but I had no need to know what precautions were in place for those situations. I wrapped the blindfold around my eyes and waited. After a few minutes, I heard the whoosh of the doors opening, and another voice said, "Please come with me, Lieutenant." I felt someone take my arm, and I walked silently with them.

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"Please wait here, Lieutenant. The admiral will see you shortly." The voice said, and I heard the door whoosh closed. I removed my blindfold, and sat, smoothing my tiny skirt, and putting my PADD on the table with the blindfold. It was a small conference room, which could have been anywhere.

"Hello, Alina!" I looked up, and saw Admiral Alyssa Moore in the door. I jumped up and saluted. "Oh, please. I thought we were past that." she told me.

I grinned, and told her, "This uniform makes me feel all military!" I looked her over, and said, "It looks good on you, though. You look really good for being old."

She made a face, and said, "Oh, right. Thanks a lot! I'm only a couple of years older than you are. I wasn't in stasis, or lost, as long as you were, though. I do think the skirt's too short. Ah, well. Once you launch, you can wear something more sensible. I'm stuck with the uniform." She leaned forward, and asked, "Are you feeling better? Ready to get back to work, or do you need some more time?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine, and Medical has given me a clean bill of health. I did have a question, though." Alyssa cocked her eyebrow, and I continued, "Our ship was wrecked. I think K'Chel made it out, but I don't know if anyone else did."

"They didn't. You and K'Chel were the only ones, but your cargo survived, thank the Great Bird." Alyssa told me flatly. "The memorial service was held while you were hospitalized." She looked at me, and said, "Want some time off for them?"

"No." I shook my head. "DaiMon Chudak has made my enemies list. I'll take care of him later. What's up now?"

"Simple courier run, for now. You'll be using the usual semi-illegal tramp freighter/smuggler cover. Because of what happened to your last ship, we're giving you one that's slightly more powerful, along with a new crew. K'Chel is coming along as your first officer."

"Wait a minute. What do you mean, 'my first'? I thought I was going to be second officer again," I objected.

"Nope." Alyssa grinned. "You're commanding. The mission is yours, now. I think you're ready, and so do my … associates."

"But, but … I'm not … I don't … " I sputtered. "I mean, I'm only a Lieutenant! I'm still TDY to the Agency. I don't …"

"Have the rank? Yes you do. You both spent sixty plus years in emergency stasis tubes. That gives you a lot of time in grade, so you were automatically kicked up in rank. Let the seniority system work for you. You were brevetted a full Commander, and confirmed by Personnel this morning." She grinned at me, and said, "You're out of uniform. You should get new ones."

"Without the skirt?" I asked hopefully.

Alyssa grinned in reply, then shoved a chip folio over the table to me. "Sorry, no. That would be too much to ask. Here are the specs on your new ship, and the proposed crew roster. The others are your mission requirements, a proposed timetable, and other information. You've got more access to information now, and if there are any changes you want made, you'd better get moving." She glanced at her PADD, and said, "I expect to see a draft mission plan and any revisions from you in two days. We'll meet again then. Meanwhile, why don't you take a look at your new ship?" She smiled again, adding, "Once you've changed uniforms, of course."

# 1: Return to duty.

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