Author Note(s): I'm gonna explain the colors really quick.
Red-Medical/Science
Gold-Engineering/security/other
Blue-Command
Okay, now the story starts to unravel. I'm just writing this for fun and it probably will be rewritten. Comments on how to improve are definitely wanted.
I do not own Star Trek in any way, shape or form. Leave me alone.
O'Shea awoke, feeling reenergized. She smiled as she stretched. Three more days until Earth then they all had two weeks leave. She didn't mind the idea of renting a cabin in a forest and cuddling with a book. She rose as she felt her comm ding. She sat at her desk and pressed the button, keeping it on audio.
"O'Shea," she said.
"My apologies for bothering you so early in the morning, Shani," Starn said over the call.
"No problem, Starn," O'Shea said, a smile on her lips. "What's up?"
"I have learned that the Federation would like for me to be under the protection of members of Starfleet while I am on Earth," Starn told her. "They told me that I could look through the papers to choose whom I would like to serve as my bodyguards."
"Uh-huh," O'Shea said, getting the feeling where this was going.
"Seeing that I know you and that your papers prove you are worthy, I would like for you to be one of the people to protect me," Starn informed her. "You and Commander Hermann, if that pleases you."
"Sir, it honors me that you would chose me," O'Shea stated. "I would be happy. You're gonna have to Josef for his input for himself."
"I have and says he will if you do," Starn told her.
"Is there any reason you asked me so early, Starn?" O'Shea asked.
"I wanted the task to be done quickly," Starn informed her. "I was not sure yesterday but you suggesting we could be friends did tilt me in this direction."
"I see," O'Shea said, stifling a yawn. "Are you going to be at breakfast?"
"If I am able to," Starn said.
"You need to eat, Starn," O'Shea stated.
"Not as often as humans, Shani," Starn told her.
"Well then, I have to get ready," O'Shea said. "You better be there to keep me company while Hermann and Graft argue and Tukyt eggs them on."
"I will see what I can do," Starn said. Was that slight amusement in his voice? "I may see you at breakfast."
"You better," O'Shea teased, turning the comm off.
------
After getting ready, O'Shea was walking down the corridor that led to the place that herself, Hermann, and the ambassadors ate their meals together. Normally, she ate with the crew but it was on special occasions that they used the officer's eating area. She saw Tukyt leaning against a wall, waiting for her apparently. He smirked a bit.
"I assume that Starn got to you first?" He asked.
"What?" O'Shea asked.
"The Romulan attack caused the Federation to want the three of us to be protected by Starfleet officers," Tukyt informed her. "I voiced my opinion of wanting you on my team to Starn. He said that would not be possible."
"Oh, even though I ran off, you wanted me on your team," O'Shea said, crossing her arms.
"You did probably save all of our lives, Captain," Tukyt replied. "I thought it would be best to have someone who knew when to run and when to fight. By the way, we never got to spar."
"Terribly sorry for that," O'Shea said, half-heartedly.
"I'll just take, what do you call it, a rain check," Tukyt said.
"Captain," a deep voice said. O'Shea turned to it, seeing Starn standing there. His eyes beckoned her to come over to him.
"Nice talking to you, Ambassador," O'Shea said to Tukyt, walking over to where Starn was. Starn watched as Tukyt entered the room. "Well, gee, aren't I the popular woman this morning?" Starn looked at her, not showing any emotion.
"I am not sure if I trust Tukyt's intentions towards you, Shani," he said.
"What's your logic?" O'Shea asked.
"His mannerisms," Starn said. "He seems to taunt me often."
"Sounds like Josef," O'Shea said with a shrug. "People can tease others jokingly if they like them as friends."
"I suppose that may be correct," Starn said, still sounding unsure.
"C'mon, let's go have breakfast," O'Shea said. "I'm pleased you decided to come."
"I found the time," Starn told her as they entered the room. O'Shea gave a suspicious look towards Hermann and Tukyt. The two men looked at each other innocently. O'Shea sat down at the table, hearing Graft mutter something about people making others wait. She didn't pay attention, just glared at her First Officer sat down beside her. Oh, how she'd like to bop him on the ears or something like that. She would speak with him in private later. Almost on cue, Hermann and Graft started to argue over trivial matters. Mainly Hermann stated that beer was the best, Graft said Tellarite wine. Tukyt sat back and egged on whoever he saw was more annoyed. O'Shea and Starn looked at each other, Starn's face saying nothing, O'Shea's saying "Told you so."
------
"Josef!" Hermann heard the captain call but continued to walk down the hallway, humming to himself. He stopped when she grabbed his arm and twirled him to look at her.
"Ja?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Look, Ambassador Starn and I get along, I get it," O'Shea said. "You need to stop trying to play cupid with every signal new male that gets on board. What was that one's name? Ensign Oliver Wright? Then Lieutenant Ferdinand Zepplin? Not to mention the president's son. You really need to not concern yourself with my personal life."
"But it is fun, Captain," Hermann teased lightly.
"You even got Ambassador Tukyt involved!" O'Shea exclaimed.
"Nein," Hermann stated. "He vas de one who came up vid it. I vill stop dough."
"Ambassador Tukyt? Why?" O'Shea said, confused.
"He said someding about seeing how far he could push a Vulcan," Hermann said. "I'm not sure vat he meant but it sounded fun to tease you so I complied." O'Shea leaned against the wall, considering this.
"Probably trying to stir an emotion of some sort," she finally said.
"Well, if you two are done creating hypothesis, we missed our engagement, Captain," Tukyt said, having appeared from a corner. O'Shea looked at him with suspicious eyes.
"All right, after my shift, same time," O'Shea stated finally. "Good day, Ambassador." She nodded then turned to head to the bridge. Hermann raised his hand and waved.
"Auf Weidersehn," he said, following the captain. Tukyt smirked, watching them walk off. He then turned, headed to his quarters.
------
O'Shea sat on the bridge, everything running smoothly. She was considering Ambassador Tukyt. Something just didn't fit right with him. She bit her lip, thinking. Something just wasn't adding up.
"Captain?" Gregory said, pulling her out of her trance. O'Shea blinked, surprised.
"Yes, Gregory?" She asked, uncrossing her legs.
"We are entering a magnetic field," Gregory stated. "The only issues it will cause are power influxes but nothing that would put anyone in danger. Lights flickering, that kind of thing really."
"Hermann, find an alternate route," O'Shea ordered.
"Ja, Captain," Hermann said, making some calculations. O'Shea looked at the brown haired science officer.
"Better safe than sorry," O'Shea informed her. Gregory nodded.
"Of course, Captain," she said. "That makes perfect sense."
"So, how are things between you and your fiancé?" O'Shea asked. "Haven't heard much."
"From the last I heard of him, he decided we should go our separate ways," Gregory told her. "He seems to have taken an interest in Andorian culture and wishes to study there for art. He says that we can reconnect after his studies are filled." O'Shea nodded.
"That sounds logical," she agreed.
"Yes," Gregory said. "There's no point in remaining connected when he'll be on Andor for who knows how long and also, who knows how long our missions will be." O'Shea knew the tone of voice.
"Claire, I'm sorry," she said in a sympathetic voice.
"Nothing to apologize for," Gregory replied, returning to examining the anomaly. "Ma'am, something odd is happening." O'Shea rose and went over to the science station.
"What is it?" She asked, apprehensive.
"The field is following us," Gregory told her. O'Shea sat back in her chair. "Hermann, take it to the max. We're being followed. We did not lose those blasted Romulans!"
"Ja, Captain!" Hermann said, gunning it.
"Let's see how far they're willing to go into Fed territory," O'Shea commented, her green eyes harsh. She needed to avoid confrontation with these Romulans. She believed that her ship could win but those Romulans were crafty and dangerous. She felt the ship rock as it was hit.
"BATTLE STATIONS!" She exclaimed as the ship went on red alert. There was no helping it. Confrontation was needed.
"Ma'am!" Stone called over. "They're hailing us again!"
"Open it!" O'Shea ordered as the screen popped up in the viewing screen. The same Romulan captain. She nearly swore but contained her annoyance. "You have quite the intent on annoying me. And you know what they say about redheads."
"No, I don't," the Romulan said, sounding slightly amused.
"We have the worst tempers ever." O'Shea commented, getting a laugh from the Romulan. A cruel, cold kind of laugh. "I already told you that we do not have the ambassadors on board. What do you want?" The Romulan folded his hands together, a bemused smile on his face.
"My informants tell me differently, Captain," he told her.
"You realize how far into Federation territory you are? You probably have been detected," O'Shea stated.
"I'll leave," the Romulan said, "after I talk to at least one of the Ambassadors. Preferably the Vulcan. I'll be waiting to hear from you." The screen went to black and O'Shea slammed her fist on the arm of the chair.
"Forest, damage report," the exasperated captain said into the comm link.
"We won' be able ta make a jump, Cap'n," the woman informed her. "Id's like they knew the ship, Ma'am. Basically, we're stuck."
"Thank you," O'Shea said, turning the link off. She turned to the communications officer. "Stone, how about a patch to Starfleet?"
"They've successfully jammed our transmissions, Ma'am," Stone told her. O'Shea controlled her temper.
"All right, I'll go have a talk with Ambassador Starn," she said, getting off of the command chair and walking to the lift. "Be prepared for anything. Understand."
"Aye, Ma'am," the bridge said as the lift door closed. O'Shea leaned against the wall, letting out a breath of air she did not realize she had been holding. The lift stopped at her deck and she stepped out, feeling as if her feet were heavy. Before she even buzzed Starn's door, he opened it. He raised an eyebrow, examining her tired expression. He motioned for her to enter and she obliged. As soon as the door closed, Starn turned and asked,
"What has passed, Captain?"
"Is there any reason a Romulan would want to talk to you, Ambassador?" O'Shea said, not looking at him.
"Not to my knowledge," Starn told her.
"Well, to my knowledge, someone told the Romulans that the Ambassadors were on this ship," O'Shea started. "Someone told them how this ship is made. Someone is connected to the Romulans. Then, they ask to speak to you." O'Shea turned around, an eyebrow raised. "The only logical assumption is that one of the ambassadors is a spy. It is either you or they said you to throw suspicion from the actual perpetrator." Starn examined her calmly, seeing how close her hand was to her phaser.
"If I were the spy, I would agree with the latter," he said. "If I were not a spy, I would agree to the latter. Have I not shown myself as Vulcan? No one can copy the ways of Vulcan if they are not born into it, Captain. Allow me to talk to the Romulan. It may shed light on the situation. Did he call for it to be private?"
"No, he did not," O'Shea informed him. "How do you intend to shed light on this problem?"
"Vulcans have their ways," Starn told her. "Come, let us go to the bridge."
"Sounds like a plan," O'Shea stated, a weak smile on her face. The two exited and headed to the lift. Graft came out of his quarters, about to say something but shrinking back at the Vulcan's look. Tukyt stepped out, a smirk on his face. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. He let out a slight chuckle then turned back to his quarters, entering them again. O'Shea and Starn entered the lift, the doors closing as they headed up to the bridge.