Much thanks again to all the readers out there!

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

Nervously brushing back a stray lock of hair from her eyes, Garriton pursed her lips into a thin, uneasy line while carefully watching the readings as they flashed across the monitor.

She had been three steps from walking out of the communication center when a highly agitated Admiral Cartwright knocked her back a number of steps in his haste. Immediately, she knew something was extremely wrong even before the Admiral had demanded to know the whereabouts of Commander Talmon.

Cartwright was a raw nerve on his best days, but when upset or under any kind of stress, it was the equivalent of dealing with a Klingon with an abscessed canine tooth right after losing a major skirmish. This seemed to be one of those situations, judging by his outraged ranting when she had reported that she hadn't seen Commander Talmon since he'd left the Communication Center earlier.

Now, for some unexplained reason, she was running a full check of the Star Fleet Headquarters communication system: internal, external and all local links. None of this would've bothered Garriton, except for two small facts: One being Cartwright fulminating on her shoulder the entire time, and two, no one had given the remotest hint at to what, if anything, was expected to be found. A frustrating factor at the quietest of moments, but the strain could be felt through the huge room and wasn't helping the Lt. Commander's already harried nerves.

Hearing the door hiss open, she dared a quick peek, then felt herself sink farther into her boots when seeing Captain Talmon with an expression on his face that made Cartwright sputter even more.

"I left the security team at his apartment, but I seriously doubt they'll find anything, sir."

"You sound quite positive of that, Captain," snapped Cartwright as he spun around toward Talmon.

An affronted angle appeared along Talmon's eyebrow as he clasped his hands behind his back. "Are you trying to make an accusation, Admiral? If you are, sir, then please do so. I'd be most interested in hearing it, especially when I have no idea of what it is you think Commander Talmon has done."

Cartwright was barely capable of concealing his outrage at the combatant attitude of the younger officer. "The Judge Advocate may find your lack of concern over your brother's movements interesting, considering his history."

"I notified the Judge Advocate when my brother enlisted of his past record, Admiral. I can't be blamed for the any shortage of insight on their part. They knew of my suspicions of what the man was capable of," the Captain responded in a low, tense voice, his cerulean stare meeting the Admiral's dark one. "I can't be held responsible for whatever you seem to believe he has done, even if he is my brother."

"We'll see if the Judge Advocate agrees once we've caught up with the Commander and uncover the truth of this Dalcrom issue." Cartwright bristled even more, before glaring back over Garriton's shoulder at the monitors and instrument panel.

"If I may, Admiral, am I to assume that you think that my brother is somehow connected to the Finnegan murder case?" The level of Talmon's voice had dropped a few decibels in thought as he delved back to what details he could piece together of Norris Talmon.

Squinting briefly at the incoming readings, Cartwright glanced back at the Captain with a nettled glare. "Someone does, Captain. We won't know that for a solid fact until we either find the man, or dig out whatever it is he's left behind."

Talmon had only half heard what was said to him as he let himself become caught up in his own contemplations of the sudden upheaval of events. Everything was coming in at a rate that only signaled that the climatic pitch was imminent, and it gradually dawned on the man that he may have had the people who could've lead them to the truth in the palm of his hand only hours earlier.

Taking in a sharp breath, Garriton blinked incredulous at the readings that had just popped up on her monitor, then gazed back at the pair of senior officers.

"Sir. We've found something."

Both men stepped up to the instrument panel and stared at the monitor as the readings continued to fill the screen. Within a few seconds, the entire screen was crowded with the same sentence that repeated itself continually.

'All outgoing communications have been disabled.' 'All outgoing communications have been disabled.' 'All outgoing communications have been disabled.'

A heavy bead of sweat instantly appeared on Cartwright's forehead as his eyes followed the repeating words as they appeared in rapid succession on the screen. After a heartbeat, he absently wiped a hand over his perspiring brow. He shot a quick, uneasy look toward Talmon, whose own face was stricken with apprehension.

"I want the whole base, including the Academy, put on red alert, Captain. Now!"

TBC