Chapter Forty- Eight

The Klingon's were just mere hours away, and Setask's skin was crawling. At this point in time, she had accepted hunger as a basic feeling that was always present, but now, it was making her highly uncomfortable. She couldn't get herself under control. She wanted to scream out of frustration, and this itch wasn't helping.

Fleet sigma had finally been rebooted, and Lillian was making good progress with bulk synthesizing of the virus. Currently, the most stressful thing was working with Nem and Starfleet's extensive record of basic Klingon systems and technology. Progress was so slow it was almost non-existent.

And angry Klingon ship on the port bow was not helping things. Setask was using rough Klingon trying to explain to the very angry and very trigger happy commander what was going on, while Nem and Lillian tapped away at a console, trying in vain to get the Universal Translator working. A Klingon officer was racing to the bridge.

When the ensign, Valkra, burst onto the bridge, the commander only got angrier. The conversation quickly turned to a screaming match, and an autistic crew member was reduced to shaking under the table with her hands on her ears, tears streaming down her cheeks. Somebody else was nursing a bloody nose from when Valkra had punched him for trying to terminate communications.

Valkra was screaming at the top of her lungs at the commander, Lillian was trying to overshoot her, asking the commander if anyone on his ship spoke Federation Standard, and autistic girl needed help, a security member was bleeding, and Setask needed romance.

Which is why she started screaming in Vulcan at the commander.

Shocked, everyone else on the bridge went silent. Recognizing the language, the commander sent someone to the brig. Five minutes later, a bilingually fluent and bloody Vulcan was dragged onto the bridge to translate. Ten minutes later, the Vulcan's freedom was exchanged for safe passage the rest of the way to the Arrakis system via one ship escort.

Thankfully, they were going to exchange for a ship that could speak Federation Standard.

Setask whipped toward the Klingon. "Your behavior on this bridge today was not acceptable. I do not care whatever problems you have with your own species, but it will be kept out of this conflict. You will wait in my ready room—under guard if necessary—until I get back from receiving this prisoner. Do you understand me?"

Valkra the mighty warrior seemed to shrink under the unexpected rage of a Vulcan captain, nodding before going to the ready room.

Surprising everyone on the bridge again, she bent to under the console. She startled the shivering girl but tapped her ears, and the girl obligingly if not hesitantly removed her hands. "Hello there, crewmember. I don't think I know your name."

"Kalyn, sir. I am sorry, sir. I am sorry." The girl replied.

"Kalyn, you are completely fine. It is okay. I understand." Kalyn seemed to relax when Setask turned up one corner of her mouth a bit. "What do you need?"

"I think I should go to sick bay." Kalyn answer, voice a squeak.

"Alright." Setask made an effort to smile and stick her hand out slowly. Kalyn shrunk away. "No, it's okay. I can take you to sick bay. I don't want you going alone, and I am headed in there anyway."

Kalyn nodded and took Setask's wrist, letting the captain pull her up and into the turbo lift.

Setask was startled when Kalyn had thought about what would make Setask uncomfortable in her time of need. Humans could be incredible sometimes.