The search

Beep "Ladies and gentleman, we apologize for the inconvenience but the captain has turn on the seat belt light and requests that all passengers return to their seats. With their seat belt securely fastened." Then it repeated in another language.

A male steward pass through the aisles "We'll turn off the seat-belt sign in a minute." He turned to a passenger. "Can you fasten that seat belt, please, ma'am? Thank you."

A man in first class made a rude comment. "I don't see what all the fuss is about...it's not like she lost her communicator." Another passenger near him laughed.

All through the shuttle stewardesses were open and closing over head bins to look for a backpack.

The two stewardesses from before were in front of a closet. The older one opened it up and moved the coats that were hanging to the side. The younger one removed a flashlight from the door. As the one before opened the hatch "A four-year-old girl climbing into avionics?" she looked down. "This is really silly."

The captain appeared in back of them. "This is procedure."

The one near the hatch was startled "Captain." The younger one handed her the flashlight. "Thanks." T'Pol rounded the corner just as she began descending down the ladder. She turned on the flashlight and began searching. "Anybody in here?" she to another direction "Hello?" she flashed the light toward the sides. She moved to the middle where the computer core was and flashed the light everywhere. She turned and went back to the ladder.

T'Pol walked down an aisle and Carmen is following her. She turned slightly around still walking ahead "I don't require an escort."

"I'm responsible for any threat to the safety of this flight. Women with imaginary children qualify." T'Pol held back a remark to that. He followed her up the stairs to the upper deck.

When on the upper deck she started looking under the seats. "Tell me something. What are you gonna do once we find her? How will you explain yourself? It would not be as bad if she's lost. Considering you would just look lazy." She straighten up and turned to him. "But provided that someone took her, and the only law enforcement official on board did not do anything about it... how's that gonna look?"

"Ok!" he shook his head "You made your point."

A male steward checked the hatch near the crew bunks. He opened the hatch and flashed it through the attic. He called to a fellow stewardess on her bunk. "Marina!"

She jumped from her bunk. "What?"

He emerged from the hatch and sat on the bunk by the hatch. "Have a look."

She ran to the hatch. "Why? Did you see something?"

He smiled "No. It's just I wanted to watch you crawl through that hatch." She smiled and punched him in the arm.

T'Pol looked under the last seat in the row. She glanced at the Nausicaan in the aisle seat. She walked a few steps and stopped. 'I know him' She turned around and looked his way. Carmen was right by her. He looked where she was looking then back at her. "What's the problem?"

She took a few steps back near the alien. He looked at her. "May I help you?"

T'Pol glared at him. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

The Nausicaan looked to the side then her "You've walked past me five times since we took off...does that count."

"Are you from Vega?"

He looked to Carmen. "Am I being interrogated now."

T'Pol raised both eyebrows "All I'm asking you if you're from Vega."

He shook his head. "No, I am not."

Carmen put a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go."

As she turned around to continue to the front she heard someone say "What was that all about."

T'Pol watch as to stewards climbed down a ladder giggling. They both noticed T'Pol. "My daughter...you were searching for my daughter." raising an eyebrow. "I need to have a word with the captain again..." she reached for the nearest earpiece. "Will you get him on the comm for me, please?"

The female took the earpiece from her. "Yes, ma'am."

After the stewardess put the earpiece back the captain arrived. T'Pol just walked up to him. "Alright..could we look in the holds now?"

He looked at everywhere then at her. "Ms. T'Pol... there is no way a child could have gained access to any of the holds."

She went around him. "There is access to the forward holds from galley number two." She pointed toward it.

He turned toward her. "The call button's too high for a four-year-old to..."

She turned back to him. "As well is the overhead bin but her backpack is missing...she is with an adult. I told you..."

He grabbed her by the arm.. "What adult?" He pulled her to where the others were. "Every single passenger is in his seat."

"We already established that the passenger manifest is inaccurate." she raised an eyebrow.

"It is not inaccurate." giving her arm a shake.

"You have to search the holds now!" Still trying to hold the tears.

"I'm sorry, Ms. T'Pol I'm afraid I can't allow that." He let go of her arm. "Excuse me." he turned around to walk away.

"are you listening!" she scream at his back.

He turned around and got closer to her.

"Wait, wait, wait." Carmen put his arm between them. "I don't think it's such a bad idea."

The captain turned his head toward him. "What?"

"It might be good to have her below deck for a while." He nodded with his head. "She is making the passengers anxious." he bobbed his head. "Obviously I would go down with her."

"Mr. Carmen, I am responsible for the safety of every passenger on this shuttle." he turned his gaze at T'Pol. "Even the delusional ones and I will not have a passenger out of her seat bouncing around with the luggage bins in a cargo hold...any turbulence and you could be injured.." he turned back to Carmen. "And so could you, Mr. Carmen." He walked around them. "Now, we're going to continue to search this shuttle from the waist upwards." he turned around. "If you don't find anybody, I will send two members of my crew into the holds."

T'Pol gestured with her hand. "I just seen two members of your crew coming down that ladder...they did everything except look for my daughter." She had anger on her voice.

He looked down then up at her. "Ms. T'Pol there are 72 passengers on this flight...who are not receiving any attention at the moment...because every one of my flight attendants are looking for a child that none of them believe was ever on board." his voice was getting lower. "If you think we could be doing more to meet your needs, then I suggest you take it up with Starfleet after we dock."

"Captain, can I speak to you for a moment?" They all turned to the stewardess.

The captain turned back to them. "Mr. Carmen, this women is in your charge." he nodded. "I want her to remain in the passenger cabin... is that understood?"

"Understood."

"Do excuse me." The captain turned around and head to where the stewardess was.

T'Pol had the look when she discovered something. 'That Nausicaan.' she turned to Carmen. "I know where I have seen him before." She hurried out the galley and ran down the aisle toward the front.

TBC