"So start again, Jim, what exactly did Starfleet do wrong this time?"
"Not Starfleet, Bones. I guess you would call them a 'mole'. Apparently a journalist managed to get access to the higher ups in Starfleet and got wind of the fact that a load of Federation scientists had been taken hostage by the Klingons. And look! Look what they had the nerve to publish!"
Here Kirk pointed angrily to the briefing room's main viewscreen on which was emblazoned a headline; 'Starfleet Incompetence Leaves Research Facility Vulnerable'. "And it gets worse! The article goes on to list the missing publically and proclaims that the girl T'Rallah is presumed dead, something neither your cousin, Spock, nor her family need to hear before we have proof. And on the back of this, the Klingon High Council has threatened sanctions for slander! Say they know nothing about the attack."
"A likely story!"
"That's not helping, Bones. I don't like them any more than you do but we have to assume at this point that the Council are telling the truth. This attack doesn't make any sense and we have next to no information about the attack. Dani couldn't tell us anything really. What gets me is the misdemeanours at our end. Does that profession have any concept of responsibility? They never think about the effect it has, do they?"
"There are irresponsible people in every profession to give it a bad name, Jim. It's just unfortunate that there appears to be more such people in the press than in most other lines of work. Always been that way since there was money in news. The question is, how did they get hold of this to put out there for the galaxy to see?"
"I bet it was Barnett. He always did have a loose tongue, especially after a few drinks…"
"Sirs, please, this event, while inconvenient, cannot be altered and such conjecture is fruitless. We must discuss our own progress in the matter" Spock interjected.
Any reply was interrupted by the arrival of Sulu and Dani "you said you wanted to see me Cap…Jim?" said the girl as soon as Sulu had tactfully taken his leave with a "Thanks for a fun day, kid" which earned a smile.
"Dani, you arrived just in time, I was about to discuss with Spock and Doctor McCoy how we're doing." He smiled warmly at the girl to reassure her.
"And?" she asked.
"We are expected to arrive at Weisshorn in twenty six minutes, Dani. We will put together a landing party to investigate possible destinations and goals for the captured scientists and your parents. We will also search for T'Rallah." Spock informed her.
"I wanna come" Dani said. It was a statement, not a question and she met the gazes of each man with startlingly mature resolve.
"Dani, I'm not sure…" began Jim.
"Please. I need to know if she's okay. I need to see it. Please."
Jim found his heartstrings being tugged unpleasantly by the girl's tone "dammit, Dani! Okay but it…might not be very nice."
"Jim!" McCoy gave him a warning look "she doesn't need to see…"
"I do, Doctor!"
With a sigh, McCoy nodded. He wasn't even close to liking it but had the feeling this kid wouldn't take no for an answer and had visions of her trying to beam down alone without a technician. Even with her precocious technical prowess, that was obviously very dangerous. The comm whistled and Uhura informed them they were in orbit above their destination. "Thanks, Uhura. Tell Kyle we're on our way and send four security officers to the transporter room, Kirk out."
"Come Dani" Spock said softly, leading his cousin out of the briefing room.
They materialised in the hanger of the station and what struck Jim was how…neat it was. No phaser marks on the walls and no signs of plundering. He was sure that the labs below would tell a very different story. He couldn't decide if this was encouraging or eerie.
"Right, everyone! Starfleet have provided us with the old schematics for this station so at least we know where to start. We split into two teams. Spock and I will take one security team down to the labs. Doctor McCoy will take another team around the facility to search for T'Rallah's whereabouts. We don't know if anybody has been left here to counter such efforts so exercise maximum caution. Dani, would you act as their guide? You are more familiar with the station."
"Sure. C'mon, I'll show you where I last saw her."
"Slow down kid!" McCoy was struggling to keep up with Dani as she ran through corridors so well known to her, glancing between his tricorder and his young guide.
"Up here!" Dani pointed at an open hatch in the ceiling. She froze when she looked down and it took McCoy barely a millisecond to realise why. The floor was stained with dark emerald liquid he knew to identify as Vulcan blood.
Dani charged down the corridor with frantic haste, McCoy and the two security officers tearing after her. The further they got along the stained corridor, the more ominous the picture became. Even for a Vulcan, loosing this much blood couldn't be good.
At last the girl came to a stop in front of a door, punched the release switch and ran inside. McCoy followed to see her standing over the prone form of a young, extremely pale Vulcan woman. She cried out her friend's name in horror as McCoy dropped to his knees, activating the medical scanner on his tricorder, praying that it had good news for him, heart leaping into his throat.
"T'RALLAH!"
A.N. I'm so sorry! Forgive me for this please! I promise I'll try to update soon. I won't leave you guys hanging for long…
