Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Star Trek in this story but my own characters; all else belongs to the Great Bird of the Galaxy.
Chapter Sixteen: Goings On
Syrreiya Naetharr heard footsteps approaching her bed, coming from behind her as she lay on her side. The steps were too heavy for them to be the doctor who stepped lightly and carefully. It was not Vedrann or Bithar either. The lights were dim in the backroom of the Infirmary and she felt her sore muscles tense as the presence behind her approach closer and finally stopped.
"There's nothing to worry about," the female voice said. "It's only me. Computer, lights at double the intensity as set."
The lights flickered brighter in the room as Naetharr turned to face Shannal Haldia. It had been a day since Naetharr had collapsed at the front of the Infirmary and she had slept most of the time to build up her energy once more and to have her body adapt to the sudden changes. Besides than Vedrann, Senecal, and Bithar, Naetharr had no visitors and word on the station to cover her disappearance from duty was that she had taken a short vacation to Jetal. Though, it appeared not everyone believed that story.
"Do you want to bother me even while I am weak?" Naetharr said dryly as she squinted in the brightness.
"Despite how unbelievable it sounds," Haldia said as she found a nearby chair and pulled it over to the bedside. "I wanted to cheer you up and keep you company."
"You are right, I don't believe you," Naetharr said as she turned her back to the Betazoid again and pulled her thermal blanket over her head.
The blanket was promptly pulled off by Haldia who had a wicked smile on her face yet her eyes betrayed her seriousness of the visit.
"I thought we could talk for a while," Haldia said. "Share what is on our minds."
"You already know what is on all our minds, especially mine," Naetharr said as she glared angrily at her for stealing her blanket. "You already knew where to find me."
"I would not have believed anyone in the first place if they told me you went on leave," Haldia said with a shrug. "It doesn't sound like you."
Naetharr did not answer and turned back on her side so that her back once more faced Haldia. She did not feel like talking with her.
Haldia sighed suddenly, "If you're going to be like that, it isn't going to help. I'm going to keep coming back to check on you."
Naetharr grumbled to herself and did not answer again. She hoped the lieutenant would leave her be.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Haldia said. "I brought you a little book to read to pass the time. I'll leave it on the table if you're interested. See you tomorrow."
Naetharr heard the steps recede and grow dimmer as Haldia left the Infirmary. She turned over to verify the Betazoid woman had left and found the room empty. An item on the table caught her eye and she noticed a padd sitting nearby. She ignored it and laid back down on her bed, pulling the missing blanket back over her. After half an hour of tossing and turning, Naetharr, frustrated, flipped over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She turned her head and glanced at the book once more. It wouldn't hurt to take a peak…
Earlier that same day…
Christopher Raleigh entered the office of his commanding officer after he was called to meet with her. He paused in front of her desk as he watched finish typing notes on a padd.
"Please take a seat, Commander," she said, still working on her padd.
He soundless sat himself in the chair across from her and waited for her to begin. After a few moments, she placed the padd down and turned to him.
"I have informed Starfleet of our situation and they are taking it very seriously," she began. "They are sending the Titus back in our direction and the Victoria will remain in the sector for the time being."
"I'm sure we will do well fending off anymore attacks with two starships around but that's not going to rectify the situation," Raleigh sighed. "We need to find the source to all of this and bring it to an end."
"I am aware of that," Serea answered. "Starfleet also mentioned that they have had intelligence looking into this for some time. The admiral would not elaborate much further than that but it seems they've had their eyes on the Breen's movements for a while now."
"And are waiting for them to strike first," Raleigh said. "Will our crew be involved in any of the 'operations' being implemented?"
"Not that I know of," she said. "But I believe we will be before long. The intelligence has said chatter over subspace communications has increased substantially in the past few weeks for the Breen. Whatever they are planning, we will soon see. Therefore, I would like to see security stepped up and the station on standby red alert if another attack is imminent."
"I will go over preparations with Rilar as soon as possible," Raleigh said.
"I also would like to keep the fighter squadron on call here," Serea said then continued after seeing Raleigh's questioning glance, she continued with an explanation. "I would rather have them here and mobilized within a few minutes rather than out patrolling with an ETA of fifteen or more minutes. The Victoria can guard the sector in the meantime. We would be stretched too thin with both the squadron and the Victoria out. If the Breen were to attack the station while they were away, I do not want to rely on our small defenses alone."
"That is understandable," Raleigh conceded. "And if they were to attack the planet with a large force, we would not be able to stop them with our capabilities just here on DS13 without receiving heavy damage."
"My thoughts exactly," Serea said with a nod. "I know, despite my efforts and orders otherwise, word might be leaking out as we speak about what we have learned and I want the Jetallans to have some security they can rely on since the planetary defenses are not up to standard at all."
"Of course," Raleigh agreed. He knew Jetal was practically a sitting duck to anything that would occur in the system without many defenses between them and the attackers.
"Inform those who need to know about the changes and let me know when they are fully prepared.
"I'll get to it right away," Raleigh said as he stood and proceeded out the door.
Serea stayed in her seat as she watched him go. She looked over her desk, seeing it strewn with work to do. After a moment, she stood and headed for the turbolift.
Not long later…
Naetharr's eyes glanced up as she heard footsteps approaching the entrance to her secluded back room in the Infirmary. She wondered to herself who was visiting her this time or if it was just Doctor Senecal or Bithar there to do more tests on her condition. To her muted surprise, it was the least likely person she expected to show up at her bedside.
"Commander," Naetharr said, attempting to appear somewhat professional despite her position and patient clothing.
She started to shift up into a sitting position but Serea motioned for her to lie still.
"Consider this off duty," she said. "No need for protocol."
"What can I do for you?" Naetharr answered hesitantly. She did not know what to think of this unexpected drop in and it unnerved her slightly.
"I came to see you and how your condition is," Serea said.
"Vedrann has already told you everything you need to know," Naetharr curtly put. "I do not think there is anything else to discuss about my health since he has gladly given you the information."
"I prefer discussing some issues with you," Serea said.
"You could ask Dr. Senecal, I would think she could give you a more thorough explanation," Naetharr said rather bluntly.
Serea could tell that Naetharr had her wall up and would not budge on discussing her abilities at the time. Perhaps once she is comfortable and not threatened… Serea thought.
"I do not wish to speak with her," Serea answered. "I would like to talk to you."
Naetharr eyed her warily, "I do not understand."
"I wish to converse with you," Serea said stoically.
Things are getting stranger and stranger today… Naetharr thought to herself.
"From what I have heard from the doctor and Bithar, my condition is gradually doing better," Naetharr said slowly. "Though, not as quickly as they had earlier assessed but I will return to duty on the same day I was planned to be released."
"Do not return to duty until you have your strength back completely," Serea said. "I do not want your health to suddenly decline because you began again too soon. I was hoping that you were relaxing during your time off duty, I see you have already made your time here interesting."
Serea finished as she picked up the padd containing the book on Naetharr's bedside that she had placed there when Serea had first arrived.
"Lieutenant Haldia brought it for me," Naetharr said. "I am having a hard time following the story. It is very confusing but most human stories are."
"Perhaps it is the cultural differences and it is hard to visualize certain things that you may not have heard much about," Serea said with a raised an eyebrow at the statement and then read the title. "I am mistaken; Lt. Haldia should have given you The Magician's Nephew to read before this one."
"There are others?" Naetharr looked at her with wide eyes.
"Yes, this book…" Serea said, holding up the padd. "Is the second book in The Chronicles of Narnia."
Naetharr let a hiss of breath escape from her lips as she grumbled something in Jetallan under her breath.
"Sometimes the second book is a better read than the first," she explained as she placed the padd back on the table.
"Have you read them?" Naetharr questioned.
"Yes, as a child I did," Serea said. She paused a moment, wondering if the Jetallan would wonder why she, a Vulcan, would read such a text. She had not meant to bring her past into question, especially with one her barely knew her. She had only meant to come and check on her crewmember but now it was becoming an in depth chat session. Though, her concerns went unnoticed by the suddenly red-faced engineer.
"I should have known it was a children's book," Naetharr angrily spat.
"Why do you feel insulted?" Serea said. "Many adults read the series to this day. The ideas of other worlds in fantasy always intrigue minds and imagination."
"That does not clear up why there is a lamp post in the middle of nowhere," Naetharr said, exasperated.
"Lt. Haldia might have given you that book for a reason," Serea said. "I'm positive she will discuss it with you soon." Standing, Serea began to head for the door. "If not, I will be back in a couple days to see how you have improved."
Not far away from the Infirmary…
"Now you know what it feels like to be the boss," laughed Rilar.
"It explains why she's so grumpy all the time and ready to bite our heads off," grumbled Michaels as he struggled to assign work to the engineering department while trying to finish several of Naetharr's that had been unfinished as well as some of his own.
"Perhaps now you can give her some slack?" Rilar suggested.
"We'll see," Michaels said as he glared at the panel in front of him at the Engineering station then looked at his friend. "I've got to go take care of some power conduits; I'll see you later when I'm hopefully not busy."
"Hope you enjoy yourself," Rilar smiled as he watched his friend take off on the lift.
He turned back to his own station and began checking through some files and reports he and Raleigh had been compiling. They had been at it most of the day trying to come up with some strategic plans as well as attempting to find some connections between the Breen and Jetallans. It was right then when the alert began beeping. Quickly glancing down, he immediately recognized the alert as a distress signal.
"Computer, Red Alert," he called out. "Commander Serea to the Command Center."
"I am here Commander, what is it?" Serea said suddenly stepping off the recently arrived lift.
"We are receiving a distress signal from the transport ship S.S. Calamity," he elaborated to her as he quickly read threw the message sent. "The ship was en route to dock with us but are now under attack by several Breen ships five light years from here."
A few moments later, Raleigh came up the lift to assess what was going on.
"Inform the Victoria of the situation and have them head to the transport. Ready the squadron in case we have an attack of our own" she asked. "I do not want to risk this as a diversion for something bigger against us."
"Yes, ma'am," Rilar said as he followed orders.
"What is the status of the situation?" Raleigh asked a couple minutes later.
"The distress signal has been jammed by the attackers. We cannot contact them," Rilar informed. "The Victoria is still two light year away but can scan the situation and is sending telemetry to us. There is heavy damage to the Calamity and her shields have failed."
Serea remained quiet as she waited nearby staring at a nearby star chart on the center table that Rilar had imposed the telemetry on. It was bold of the Breen renegades to attempt attacks so close together. She knew there was nothing more they could do from their position but watch. It seemed like forever but only a dozen minutes had passed when Rilar finally spoke up.
"The Victoria is approaching the scene… the Breen are retreating," Rilar said suddenly. "They're heading out at maximum warp. The Victoria is not pursuing and is reporting heavy injuries and many casualties on the Calamity but they are bringing the Calamity in to dock as quickly as possible."
"Good," Raleigh said relieved. "I wonder what they were after… Rilar, do you have a passenger manifest for the transport? We should find out if there are any Jetallans aboard."
"I just pulled it up," Rilar said as he displayed it on a large screen at his station.
"Commander Serea to the Infirmary," she announced on the comm. "Prepare for casualties."
"We're on it," Doctor Senecal answered over the line.
Raleigh began to scan over the names, searching for obvious Jetallan names and forms. Serea approached and peered at the list over his shoulder. There did not appear to be any Jetallans on the passenger ship but several other alien races of various origins. Her eyes stopped on one name and she took a quick, deep breath; however, someone noticed her sudden reaction.
"What is it?" Raleigh asked.
"Commander Rilar, you are with me. Before the Victoria and the Calamity are in transporter range, we must get to the Infirmary and locate where Lorias Brenal is and if he is one of injured or dead," she said. "Commander Raleigh, you have command for the time being."
"Right away, ma'am," Rilar said without questioning her orders.
Raleigh watched as Serea and Rilar headed up to the lift and headed down to the Promenade to intercept the person she named. Rilar's demeanor had changed somewhat; he seemed to know what Serea had noticed and the reason for their hustling to the Infirmary.
Author's Note:
I must apologize greatly for not updating sooner. Summer school had greatly cut into my free time and work isn't helping the situation either. Well getting engaged is a good excuse too! (hands out chocolate chip cookies and bottles of Romulan Ale to everyone) Please forgive me for not updating? Pretty please? :) Good! I hope to get more of the story out soon as possible!