Diclaimer: It's all Paramount's, cept for Verla, T'Valk, and Rachel. Maybe
a few Maquis.
A/N: Longer Chapters and more interesting titles needed. *sigh*
Chapter 6 – Curiouser and Curiouser
Almost half an hour later, Picard sat in his ready room. He was reading Shakespeare, A Midsummer's Night Dream, and was rather annoyed when Worf interrupted him. "Captain, there is a message from the Khazara." What could Sela want now?!
"I'll take it in here." He punched the button on his viewer rather savagely. "Picard here."
To his surprise, it was Toreth, not Sela - and her sudden appearance was rather alarming. "What have you done?!" she hissed.
"Excuse me, Subcommander?"
"Don't play around with me, Picard! Where have you taken Commander Sela?!" Toreth snapped.
Picard sighed. "She was beamed over nearly 30 minutes ago."
"Beamed over where? She never arrived on Khazara."
That confused Picard. He had instructed Riker to escort her down himself! "Computer, locate Romulan Commander Sela."
The computer's monotonous voice brought unwanted tidings. "Commander Sela is not on board the Enterprise."
"Picard to Riker." When there was no answer, Picard began to grow worried. What had gone wrong? Not expecting a positive answer, Picard asked, "Computer, where is Commander Riker?"
The reply was what he expected. "Commander Riker is not aboard the Enterprise."
"How many people are currently on board the Enterprise?"
"1,009."
Picard let out a quiet moan, before asking, "Who is currently missing from the Enterprise crew?"
"Commander William Thomas Riker, Ensign Rachel Leah Bower, Lieutenant Salak, and Transporter Chief Lieutenant Sasha Tatiana Kovalev."
Picard turned his attention back to Toreth with a sigh. "It seems I have missing crew also."
Lieutenant Simon Tarses walked into Transporter Room 3 to ask Sasha what was going on with the Romulans. And to ask her to come to dinner again, he admitted to himself. She was so gorgeous, and had the most beautiful Russian accent . . .
He stopped suddenly. The room was empty. "Sasha?" Simon walked in farther, just past the transporter console, and saw her. "Oh, shit . . . "
He felt for a pulse. There wasn't one, yet her skin was still warm - so she couldn't have been dead for too long. "Tarses to Transporter Room 2. Emergency transport to Sickbay."
Simon grasped her hand tightly, and prayed, to all the Gods his ancestors had ever believed in, that he wasn't too late.
When Picard entered Sickbay, the first thing he saw was Beverly laying a supportive hand on Lieutenant Tarses' shoulder. Tarses, his eyes slightly red-rimmed, continued monitoring Lieutenant Kovalev's life signs.
"How's she doing, Lieutenant?"
Simon looked up in surprise. Was the Captain addressing him?! "Uh, she's doing fine, sir. If the knife had been a fraction of an inch to the right, though, Sa- I mean, Lieutenant Kovalev would be dead right now."
"If you hadn't found her, I'm sure she would be. Dr. Crusher, may I speak with you?" They moved into Crusher's office. "What's wrong with Lieutenant Tarses?"
Crusher frowned. "I don't know if I should be telling you this - patient/doctor
confidentiality and everything - but Simon has been romantically involved with Sasha for a few months. Simon had been growing so much, finally getting past his belief that everyone hates him because he's 1/4-Romulan. This attempt on Lieutenant Kovalev's life certainly won't help him much."
"Speaking of Lieutenant Kovalev," Picard began. "Who was trying to kill her?"
"Lieutenant Salak of Security. His fingerprints are all over that knife. Worf has been working nonstop on this case." Crusher sighed. "I bet he's blaming it on himself for not watching his officers. Tell him to get some sleep. Anyway, I heard he's missing, too?"
"What you heard is correct. When will Kovalev be available for questioning? I need to see if she knows anything about Commander Sela's disappearance."
Beverly looked rather annoyed. "When she wakes up, of course! Remember, Jean-Luc, it's kinda hard to talk to someone who's unconscious!"
"I'm sorry, Beverly. If Commander Sela isn't found soon, Toreth is bound to blame it on us! And Will isn't here to manage the small problems, so I don't have enough time to focus on the investigation!"
"Don't worry, we'll find him," Dr. Crusher said in a soothing voice.
Suddenly, Tarses' voice interrupted them. "Doctor, I really think you should see this! And Captain, Lieutenant Kovalev is waking up."
Kovalev was laying on one of the medbeds. Tarses was gripping her hand tightly, looking astonished and scared. He held out a tricorder for Dr. Crusher to read, and she looked up in surprise. She repeated the scan of Kovalev, who looked worried at Beverly's response. "If you'll excuse me, Captain, I have to take a look and this and record it." She rushed away to hijack a PADD from Dr. Selar. Kovalev, who hadn't seen the Captain yet, whispered something to Tarses, who responded quietly.
Picard cleared his throat, and asked, "Lieutenant?"
"Captain!" Kovalev exclaimed, trying to sit up, but Tarses held her still. After a brief argument, though, Kovalev had won, and Tarses was propping her up with pillows.
"Lieutenant Kovalev, why was Lieutenant Salak trying to kill you?"
Picard saw Kovalev squeeze Tarses' hand tighter just before she answered, "I don't know, sir! I had just been informed that Commander Sela was beaming back aboard the Khazara. I. . . had just entered the coordinates of Khazara's Main Transporter Room. Then, Salak came in. I tried to fight, but . . . But he had a knife . . . And . . . " She trembled, looking like she was about to cry, and tried to compose herself.
After a moment, Picard asked, "He didn't hint at where he was going, did he?"
Kovalev suddenly looked alarmed. "Going, sir?!"
Picard hesitated. He had hoped to keep silent about this, but Kovalev deserved to know. "He disappeared, with Ensign Rachel Bower, Commander Riker, and . . . Commander Sela."
Kovalev drew in a slow, deep breath. "Oh, God . . . " She seemed about to comment further, when Dr. Crusher came back. "Out, Jean-Luc! My patient needs sleep!"
"Beverly, just let me-"
"Now, Captain. I am also ordering you to get some sleep. You'll be able to work on this some more tomorrow. Anyhow, I need to consult with my patient." She began talking quietly to both Kovalev and Tarses, ignoring Picard completely.
Picard had nearly reached the door when he heard a cry. He spun about, expecting to find something wrong. All he saw, though, was Kovalev hugging Tarses, both of them crying and smiling.
Had he ever been that young?
A/N: Longer Chapters and more interesting titles needed. *sigh*
Chapter 6 – Curiouser and Curiouser
Almost half an hour later, Picard sat in his ready room. He was reading Shakespeare, A Midsummer's Night Dream, and was rather annoyed when Worf interrupted him. "Captain, there is a message from the Khazara." What could Sela want now?!
"I'll take it in here." He punched the button on his viewer rather savagely. "Picard here."
To his surprise, it was Toreth, not Sela - and her sudden appearance was rather alarming. "What have you done?!" she hissed.
"Excuse me, Subcommander?"
"Don't play around with me, Picard! Where have you taken Commander Sela?!" Toreth snapped.
Picard sighed. "She was beamed over nearly 30 minutes ago."
"Beamed over where? She never arrived on Khazara."
That confused Picard. He had instructed Riker to escort her down himself! "Computer, locate Romulan Commander Sela."
The computer's monotonous voice brought unwanted tidings. "Commander Sela is not on board the Enterprise."
"Picard to Riker." When there was no answer, Picard began to grow worried. What had gone wrong? Not expecting a positive answer, Picard asked, "Computer, where is Commander Riker?"
The reply was what he expected. "Commander Riker is not aboard the Enterprise."
"How many people are currently on board the Enterprise?"
"1,009."
Picard let out a quiet moan, before asking, "Who is currently missing from the Enterprise crew?"
"Commander William Thomas Riker, Ensign Rachel Leah Bower, Lieutenant Salak, and Transporter Chief Lieutenant Sasha Tatiana Kovalev."
Picard turned his attention back to Toreth with a sigh. "It seems I have missing crew also."
Lieutenant Simon Tarses walked into Transporter Room 3 to ask Sasha what was going on with the Romulans. And to ask her to come to dinner again, he admitted to himself. She was so gorgeous, and had the most beautiful Russian accent . . .
He stopped suddenly. The room was empty. "Sasha?" Simon walked in farther, just past the transporter console, and saw her. "Oh, shit . . . "
He felt for a pulse. There wasn't one, yet her skin was still warm - so she couldn't have been dead for too long. "Tarses to Transporter Room 2. Emergency transport to Sickbay."
Simon grasped her hand tightly, and prayed, to all the Gods his ancestors had ever believed in, that he wasn't too late.
When Picard entered Sickbay, the first thing he saw was Beverly laying a supportive hand on Lieutenant Tarses' shoulder. Tarses, his eyes slightly red-rimmed, continued monitoring Lieutenant Kovalev's life signs.
"How's she doing, Lieutenant?"
Simon looked up in surprise. Was the Captain addressing him?! "Uh, she's doing fine, sir. If the knife had been a fraction of an inch to the right, though, Sa- I mean, Lieutenant Kovalev would be dead right now."
"If you hadn't found her, I'm sure she would be. Dr. Crusher, may I speak with you?" They moved into Crusher's office. "What's wrong with Lieutenant Tarses?"
Crusher frowned. "I don't know if I should be telling you this - patient/doctor
confidentiality and everything - but Simon has been romantically involved with Sasha for a few months. Simon had been growing so much, finally getting past his belief that everyone hates him because he's 1/4-Romulan. This attempt on Lieutenant Kovalev's life certainly won't help him much."
"Speaking of Lieutenant Kovalev," Picard began. "Who was trying to kill her?"
"Lieutenant Salak of Security. His fingerprints are all over that knife. Worf has been working nonstop on this case." Crusher sighed. "I bet he's blaming it on himself for not watching his officers. Tell him to get some sleep. Anyway, I heard he's missing, too?"
"What you heard is correct. When will Kovalev be available for questioning? I need to see if she knows anything about Commander Sela's disappearance."
Beverly looked rather annoyed. "When she wakes up, of course! Remember, Jean-Luc, it's kinda hard to talk to someone who's unconscious!"
"I'm sorry, Beverly. If Commander Sela isn't found soon, Toreth is bound to blame it on us! And Will isn't here to manage the small problems, so I don't have enough time to focus on the investigation!"
"Don't worry, we'll find him," Dr. Crusher said in a soothing voice.
Suddenly, Tarses' voice interrupted them. "Doctor, I really think you should see this! And Captain, Lieutenant Kovalev is waking up."
Kovalev was laying on one of the medbeds. Tarses was gripping her hand tightly, looking astonished and scared. He held out a tricorder for Dr. Crusher to read, and she looked up in surprise. She repeated the scan of Kovalev, who looked worried at Beverly's response. "If you'll excuse me, Captain, I have to take a look and this and record it." She rushed away to hijack a PADD from Dr. Selar. Kovalev, who hadn't seen the Captain yet, whispered something to Tarses, who responded quietly.
Picard cleared his throat, and asked, "Lieutenant?"
"Captain!" Kovalev exclaimed, trying to sit up, but Tarses held her still. After a brief argument, though, Kovalev had won, and Tarses was propping her up with pillows.
"Lieutenant Kovalev, why was Lieutenant Salak trying to kill you?"
Picard saw Kovalev squeeze Tarses' hand tighter just before she answered, "I don't know, sir! I had just been informed that Commander Sela was beaming back aboard the Khazara. I. . . had just entered the coordinates of Khazara's Main Transporter Room. Then, Salak came in. I tried to fight, but . . . But he had a knife . . . And . . . " She trembled, looking like she was about to cry, and tried to compose herself.
After a moment, Picard asked, "He didn't hint at where he was going, did he?"
Kovalev suddenly looked alarmed. "Going, sir?!"
Picard hesitated. He had hoped to keep silent about this, but Kovalev deserved to know. "He disappeared, with Ensign Rachel Bower, Commander Riker, and . . . Commander Sela."
Kovalev drew in a slow, deep breath. "Oh, God . . . " She seemed about to comment further, when Dr. Crusher came back. "Out, Jean-Luc! My patient needs sleep!"
"Beverly, just let me-"
"Now, Captain. I am also ordering you to get some sleep. You'll be able to work on this some more tomorrow. Anyhow, I need to consult with my patient." She began talking quietly to both Kovalev and Tarses, ignoring Picard completely.
Picard had nearly reached the door when he heard a cry. He spun about, expecting to find something wrong. All he saw, though, was Kovalev hugging Tarses, both of them crying and smiling.
Had he ever been that young?
