"This is Argden Delile." The man winced. How many times would he need to use this human name? "Please respond."
For a moment there was only static. Then:
". . . Viable. Repeat, Hold position. Unavoidable delays in reaching rondezvue point. We will arrive in two days. Mission still viable. Repeat. Hold position."
And he leaned back in the Captains chair. "Acknowledged."
He closed his eyes and breathed heavily. This mission is going to kill me. This ship is cursed.
He shook slightly. Food might clear my head. He reasoned.
He stood up and strolled in to the turbolift. "Deck four." He commanded. And the tube whirled to life as it began to move.
It stopped on Deck four and the doors hissed open quietly.
And that's where it all went wrong.
He very plainly saw a man, a human man, in old, odd clothing. He passed from left to right as he strolled the halls of the ship, hands clasped behind him, as though he owned it, carefree and whistling.
The door swooshed closed. "Computer." The thief called "Scan ship for life forms."
"Scanning." Came the reply. "One life form on board. Starfleet Captain, Argden Delile, Deck four, section C, turbolift."
And he felt his heart race. "Scan for energy anomalies. Same section." He told it, his knuckles turning white, as he gripped the turbolift handrail.
"All systems are working within paramaters." The computer replied. "No anomalies present."
"Sub Spa. . ." He swallowed. "Scan for sub-space anomalies."
"Subspace scans were completed during the energy anomaly scan. No anomalies present."
He closed his eyes. "Bridge." He said quickly. And the turbolift whirred softly again, lifting him away to the bridge. "Please," he prayed, "will you damn Romulans just arrive already?"
He swallowed, and wiped at the sweat on his forehead. He was a wreck.
The actual stealing of the ship had been easy. It was the escaping and getting away that had been murder on his nerves. Three weeks of running on impulse, cloaked, without outside contact could do that.
And then, to make matters worse, he had to ask the damn computer what Osiris meant.
Big mistake.
"Early Ancient Earth, Egyptian God of the underworld and judge of the dead." The computer had happily supplied.
If he had known that he never would have stolen it. On his world, you see, he was an outcast, banished, known as 'dead'. He made his living at petty crime until now. In "the underworld".
What were these humans experimenting with, that they named this ship Osiris? That they made the walls in the same soft blue color as the stone tombs were made on his home world? That they lay carpets the same color as their blood, and invite others to stroll on this symbol of their life force? What contempt for life and nature did these people possess? What atrocities is this ship designed to create?
"It's obvious." He said to himself. "It was all just too much."
Too much. Now it was finally taking it's toll. He was going mad. The man he had seen was wearing odd clothes, old earth clothes. The clothes of ancient Egypt for all he knew. Osiris. Judge of the dead.
"Deck four." He said again. This time, the doors opened and he heard nothing. He watched, carefully as he strolled towards the galley.
He entered the room, casting suspicious eyes over everything.
"Tomato Soup." He told the dispenser. "Hot."
A sparkle and hum later it was steaming before him. He ripped open another nutrient pack and dumped the soft gray crystals in to the soup and stirred them in before sitting down to eat it alone.