Of Lost Ships And Old Friends
Chapter 2:T'Kaia's Problem, Complaning Colonists, and They STILL Haven't Found the Europa
Captain Kirk made his way up to the bridge, with Spock in tow. Staitaka met him as soon as he stepped out of the lift.
"Captain Kirk, with all due respect, this is getting outrageous! We are still dawdling in empty space! Why aren't you taking us to a starbase, as were your orders?"
Kirk sighed. "In due time, Lieutenant Commander Staitaka. I've been trying to make it clear to you that my search for the Europa is still a priority order?"
"Well what progress have you made in sifting through space juink?" Staitaka asked, in reference to the shuttlecraft.
"First Officer T'Kaia Jackson of the Europa," Spock replied.
Staitaka was silent for a moment. But only a moment. "Well, then, what has she told you?"
"Commander Jackson is suffering from an extreme head injury, " Kirk stated, "She is currently in no condition to answer questions."
"Then why is she standing right behind you?" Staitaka retorted.
Indeed she was, with Dr. McCoy right behind her. T'Kaia (much to McCoy's protest) insisted that she was fine and approached Kirk. "Captain, I'd like to help you in any way possible. Do you mind if I speak to you in private for a moment?"
Staitaka wasn't too wild about the idea; Captain Kirk took it as an opportunity to get away from him. She pulled Kirk and Spock into the lifts along with McCoy.
Once inside, T'Kaia's look of composure dropped immediately. "Jim, I'm sorry, but I don't remember anything from the last day aboard the Europa. Just the ship's surgeon injecting me with something and Captain Ghol sealing me inside the shuttlecraft. I'm sorry, Jim, I'm sorry."
"Her story checks out Jim," McCoy added, "I found traces of lorinate in her blood stream. That stuff is illegal, used for extreme memory wipes. T'Kaia's lucky she can even remember her name."
"And yet you can remember everything else?" Spock asked.
"Yes," T'Kaia replied, "Bones tested my memory on other things as soon as he realized I couldn't remember my last day. In all other respects, my memory is flawless."
They got off the lift and walked into one of the breifing rooms. They each took seats around the table.
"Do you remember the last course plotted on the Europa? That may give us a lead," Kirk asked.
T'Kaia thought for a moment. "I think the planet was called......Yotari IV...or was it VI?"
No one else had heard of the place either. "Spock, as soon as you get the chance, run a computer check for anything that even remotely sounds like what she just said," Kirk ordered.
Spock nodded. "Would it also help to pull up everything on the Europa, Captain?"
"Yes, yes of course," Kirk replied. "T'Kaia, can you tell us what you remember about the ship?"
"Well, in appearances, it's just like the Enterprise. It's serial number is NCC-1705. But the crew..." she shuddered for a minute.
"Let me guess, not the best people in the galaxy?" McCoy asked.
"It wouldn't have been that bad if it hadn't been for Captain Ghol. I can't imagine how he got to the captaincy in the Federation. He's cruel hearted, has a deep seated fear of any species that isn't human, and treated the ship's rats with more respect than the crew."
"What do you mean by that?" Spock asked.
T'Kaia took on a sarcastic tone. "Well, he once beat up a yeoman for questioning an order, he called me a 'half-breed witch' on a regular basis, and kept the crew living in fear. The ship's medical officer was his brother in law and they basically ran things. Oh yeah, and he could beat me in single combat."
This meant nothing to Kirk, but Spock raised his eyebrows and McCoy did a double take at the last comment. T'Kaia, unbeknownst to Kirk, had a reputation for being one of the best fighters in the fleet. In self defense classes at the academy, she had been undefeated.
"And you didn't report him?" Kirk questioned.
"We were all too afraid of what he'd do to us if we did," T'Kaia replied. She involuntarily gave a shudder. "And I was the longest serving officer under him. Most others begged for a transfer within a week. I've been on the Europa for seven years."
Kirk was shocked. "T'Kaia..." He reached across the table and took her hand. She moved away.
"No, Jim. Pity is the last thing I want right now. Acording to Bones here, I've been asleep for over a week. I have catching up to do. Just do me a favor and don't mention the Europa when you see me. I don't want to think about it for at least a day. Now where's the rec room on this ship?"
Kirk smiled. "Bones, why don't you show T'Kaia around, Spock and I should get back to the bridge."
"Sure, Jim," McCoy said.
Chapter 2:T'Kaia's Problem, Complaning Colonists, and They STILL Haven't Found the Europa
Captain Kirk made his way up to the bridge, with Spock in tow. Staitaka met him as soon as he stepped out of the lift.
"Captain Kirk, with all due respect, this is getting outrageous! We are still dawdling in empty space! Why aren't you taking us to a starbase, as were your orders?"
Kirk sighed. "In due time, Lieutenant Commander Staitaka. I've been trying to make it clear to you that my search for the Europa is still a priority order?"
"Well what progress have you made in sifting through space juink?" Staitaka asked, in reference to the shuttlecraft.
"First Officer T'Kaia Jackson of the Europa," Spock replied.
Staitaka was silent for a moment. But only a moment. "Well, then, what has she told you?"
"Commander Jackson is suffering from an extreme head injury, " Kirk stated, "She is currently in no condition to answer questions."
"Then why is she standing right behind you?" Staitaka retorted.
Indeed she was, with Dr. McCoy right behind her. T'Kaia (much to McCoy's protest) insisted that she was fine and approached Kirk. "Captain, I'd like to help you in any way possible. Do you mind if I speak to you in private for a moment?"
Staitaka wasn't too wild about the idea; Captain Kirk took it as an opportunity to get away from him. She pulled Kirk and Spock into the lifts along with McCoy.
Once inside, T'Kaia's look of composure dropped immediately. "Jim, I'm sorry, but I don't remember anything from the last day aboard the Europa. Just the ship's surgeon injecting me with something and Captain Ghol sealing me inside the shuttlecraft. I'm sorry, Jim, I'm sorry."
"Her story checks out Jim," McCoy added, "I found traces of lorinate in her blood stream. That stuff is illegal, used for extreme memory wipes. T'Kaia's lucky she can even remember her name."
"And yet you can remember everything else?" Spock asked.
"Yes," T'Kaia replied, "Bones tested my memory on other things as soon as he realized I couldn't remember my last day. In all other respects, my memory is flawless."
They got off the lift and walked into one of the breifing rooms. They each took seats around the table.
"Do you remember the last course plotted on the Europa? That may give us a lead," Kirk asked.
T'Kaia thought for a moment. "I think the planet was called......Yotari IV...or was it VI?"
No one else had heard of the place either. "Spock, as soon as you get the chance, run a computer check for anything that even remotely sounds like what she just said," Kirk ordered.
Spock nodded. "Would it also help to pull up everything on the Europa, Captain?"
"Yes, yes of course," Kirk replied. "T'Kaia, can you tell us what you remember about the ship?"
"Well, in appearances, it's just like the Enterprise. It's serial number is NCC-1705. But the crew..." she shuddered for a minute.
"Let me guess, not the best people in the galaxy?" McCoy asked.
"It wouldn't have been that bad if it hadn't been for Captain Ghol. I can't imagine how he got to the captaincy in the Federation. He's cruel hearted, has a deep seated fear of any species that isn't human, and treated the ship's rats with more respect than the crew."
"What do you mean by that?" Spock asked.
T'Kaia took on a sarcastic tone. "Well, he once beat up a yeoman for questioning an order, he called me a 'half-breed witch' on a regular basis, and kept the crew living in fear. The ship's medical officer was his brother in law and they basically ran things. Oh yeah, and he could beat me in single combat."
This meant nothing to Kirk, but Spock raised his eyebrows and McCoy did a double take at the last comment. T'Kaia, unbeknownst to Kirk, had a reputation for being one of the best fighters in the fleet. In self defense classes at the academy, she had been undefeated.
"And you didn't report him?" Kirk questioned.
"We were all too afraid of what he'd do to us if we did," T'Kaia replied. She involuntarily gave a shudder. "And I was the longest serving officer under him. Most others begged for a transfer within a week. I've been on the Europa for seven years."
Kirk was shocked. "T'Kaia..." He reached across the table and took her hand. She moved away.
"No, Jim. Pity is the last thing I want right now. Acording to Bones here, I've been asleep for over a week. I have catching up to do. Just do me a favor and don't mention the Europa when you see me. I don't want to think about it for at least a day. Now where's the rec room on this ship?"
Kirk smiled. "Bones, why don't you show T'Kaia around, Spock and I should get back to the bridge."
"Sure, Jim," McCoy said.