Starting With a Bang
Disclaimer: Same as before…
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Turbolift 2
2376
"Good morning, Captain," Aaron said with a smile as they walked into the turbolift together.
"Good morning, Number One," Olivia replied before her eyes fell upon an olive drab colored bag made of heavy duty fabric in his left hand.
"My good luck piece." Aaron grinned toothily as they walked into the turbolift.
"You've fixed that bag so many times it's a wonder that it's still intact," Olivia asked.
"Liv, I disarmed over 372 unexploded bombs or booby traps from a dozen different civilizations with this kit issued to me upon graduation from EOD school," Aaron replied.
Olivia rolled her eyes. "And I'm sure it's the bag that's the important part, Aaron, not your skills or the tools inside of it."
"I do recall telling you that we're a little on the superstitious side in EOD," Aaron replied with a smile.
Olivia chuckled in amusement. "Just a little? Aaron I swear you're one step away from shamanism sometimes."
"Let's not forget that I did more than a few repairs and even alterations to our quarters back when we were married with the contents of this bag." Aaron added, hefting the bag with his left hand for emphasis.
"Repairs are one thing. Alterations that get Security and Engineering involved are another. Also, let's not forget some of the repairs you carried out were a bit on the jury rigged side," Olivia countered
"Okay maybe one or two of my handyman projects might not have gone quite so well," Aaron replied.
"Bridge," Olivia ordered, then she turned towards Aaron, flickering a stray strand of hair from her forehead before continuing, "That's the understatement of the last fifteen years."
"Oh come on, I think out of a hundred minor issues we've had anywhere we lived I've been able to fix ninety-nine of them!" Aaron argued.
"That's being generous. I'd say eighty, max," Olivia replied as the turbolift halted.
"I suppose we can continue this argument later," Aaron replied before gesturing towards the door.
As the door opened Olivia walked onto the bridge just in time to hear Master Chief Pickles shout out, "Captain on the Bridge!"
"Carry on," Olivia responded as she headed to her seat with Aaron close at her heels.
She glanced over as Aaron placed his toolkit in a compartment at the base of his chair before he took his own seat. Taking a deep breath she thought to herself. 'Alright, you've rehearsed what you're about to say a hundred times…to include in front of Aaron last night.'
"Mr. Olden, activate a ship-wide announcement," Olivia ordered.
"Yes sir," Olden replied before punching in a couple commands on his console.
Breathing through her nose, Olivia began. "All hands this is the Captain. I'm not one for long speeches, so I'll keep this brief."
After exhaling the rest of the breath through her nose, she inhaled again and spoke, "We're the newest Intrepid class starship in all of Starfleet and the vast majority of us are veterans of the Dominion War. To the newest crew members fresh out of training, I welcome you aboard."
Taking another deep breath as she shifted her weight in her chair, "This is a new era for all of us, veteran and neophyte alike, and I am honored and humbled at the same time to lead all of you into it."
'A pause, just like I rehearsed last night.' Olivia thought to herself before continuing, "Our first stop? Cardassia by way of Deep Space Nine to pick up a civil affairs team. We have the opportunity and the responsibility to impact a new and peaceful future for the galaxy. It is truly an honor to lead each and every one of you on this mission of peace."
With a nod Olivia turned towards Commander Olden who promptly closed the communication circuit. She looked over to Aaron's chair, seeing him smile at her and feeling the heat rushing to her face.
'Note to self, deal with personal relationships later.' Olivia thought to herself before issuing an order, "Mr. Finch, I believe you know the way to Deep Space Nine."
"Yes sir," Finch replied, fingers dancing across his console.
Olivia stared at the viewscreen as Finch expertly guided the Argos out of the docking bay and into open space. A quick glance over to Finch showed him entering some commands to link in with the Mars Traffic Control grid.
"Course to Deep Space Nine laid in and Mars Traffic Control cleared our departure, Captain." Finch reported.
"Take us to warp Mr. Finch," Olivia ordered.
"Aye aye, sir," Finch replied just before the bridge crew saw the stars on the screen elongate into streaks as the Argos went into warp.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Sickbay
2376
Dr. Ellen Hickle stepped into Sickbay, brushing a stray strand of hair from the right side of her forehead to get it out of her eyes. She saw the hulking form of Dr. Joshua Ramirez-Sweet, her Assistant Chief Medical Officer lifting a 80 kilogram chest of emergency surgical equipment over his head and placing it into an equipment locker.
"Whoa!" Cadet Lilly Huynh remarked.
"Josh, I hope you didn't damage anything in that chest with that impressive display of athleticism," Ellen began as she crossed the room.
"No sir. I ensured that every one of the pieces in the kit were packed properly," Dr. Ramirez-Sweet replied with a grin as he rubbed his hands together.
"I'll hold you to that, Josh," Ellen replied.
"I'll also check the equipment today, Doctor," Lieutenant Junior Grade Amanda Rollins, Ellen's head nurse, piped up as she walked into the room.
"Are you sure that's a smart idea?" Lilly asked as she regarded the bulge in Rollins' abdomen indicating pregnancy.
"Oh I don't intend to lift anything, cadet," Rollins replied with a smirk.
"I just volunteered myself didn't I?" Lilly sighed.
"That you did, cadet," Rollins said with a good natured pat on the shoulder.
There was a bark from the entrance and Lilly turned around to see Lieutenant Alexandra Borgia walking into the room with a small white Bull Terrier puppy on a leash walking about a meter to her right.
"And you're in luck, Cadet," Ellen interjected, "Sickbay's first veterinary call."
Alex crouched down to lift the puppy onto the examination table. The dog sat, scratching behind his ear with his right rear paw.
"Lieutenant Borgia, are you okay with Cadet Huynh performing the check up?" Ellen asked.
"Sure, Doctor," Borgia replied, putting her arm out to keep the dog from wandering off the examination table.
"Piglet, stay," Alex said.
The puppy panted, tongue hanging out as he sat on his haunches, head following the small glowing handheld tricorder attachment as Lilly scanned him.
"How old is he?" Lilly asked.
"He's eleven weeks," Alex replied as Piglet wagged his tail.
Lilly reached over and lightly nudged the pup to stand on all fours so she could scan his hindquarters.
"What's his weight?" Rollins asked.
"About eight and a half kilograms," Lilly replied before leaning over to do a visual exam of Piglet's teeth only to get licked.
"Ack! Hey! I already have a boyfriend!" Lilly protested as Piglet put his paws on her shoulders and continued to lick her, much to the amusement of everyone else in Sickbay.
Alex chuckled. "Piglet is really friendly."
Piglet barked, then gave Lilly another barrage of licks as his tail wagged mightily.
Lilly stepped back and wiped her face with her sleeve. "Well he certainly is an affectionate little fellow."
"Piglet, sit!" Alex said and the puppy sat down, panting with his tongue hanging out.
Lilly approached again and did her visual inspection of Piglet's teeth, ears, eyes and nose.
"There you go little guy, all done." Lilly remarked.
Alex lifted Piglet off of the biobed before setting him on the deck and then affixing his leash. As she did so Ellen approached and crouched in front of the dog, before digging around in a pocket of her light blue labcoat. She smiled when she found what she was looking for, as well as at an unexpected surprise.
'First things first,' Ellen thought before handing Piglet a small treat.
Piglet gobbled it up, wagging his tail before barking eagerly. Then he got up on his hind paws and started licking Ellen's face.
She scratched the dog behind the ears before standing up. As she did, she fingered a small round object. Pulling it from her pocket she found a small piece of paper in parchment style rolled into a small scroll and held that way by red ribbon.
Ellen unwrapped the ribbon and opened the parchment, smiling as she read the writing on the parchment.
In the lovingly penned script a single word was written on the parchment: Imzadi.
"I'll be in my office," Ellen said to her staff, smiling as she walked towards that section of sickbay, holding the small parchment against her chest.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Bridge
2376
"I'm amazed that you can find anything in that bag," Olivia remarked as she watched Aaron pull a spanner from his tool kit and adjust a bolt on his chair.
"Captain, I have my own system of organization," Aaron countered as he tucked the wrench into the tangled mess of tools and odds and ends in his toolkit. Then he stuffed it into the compartment under his seat.
"More like disorganization," Olivia shot back as she smirked. 'Aaron you haven't changed one bit.'
Aaron took his seat and smiled at her. "I bet a Dominion spy trying to figure out my organizational system would be stymied."
"Number One, anyone trying to figure out your lack of an organizational system would go bonkers. Me included," Olivia smirked. 'I've tried for the past fifteen years and I still can't fathom it.'
"Hey, I guarantee I can find anything in my tool bag. You've seen me do it," Aaron grinned toothily.
Olivia shook her head. "Even after fifteen years I still can't figure out how you do it."
"Well, Captain, we shouldn't be able to understand everything about the universe," Aaron quipped as he shifted his weight to face her.
"How Un-Starfleet of you," Olivia mused just as Master Chief Pickles walked onto the Bridge with a PADD.
"Captain, this communique just came in from Starfleet Headquarters," Pickles handed Olivia the PADD.
Olivia perused the contents of the message for a moment and a frown crossed her features. She looked over at Aaron. "Number One, my Ready Room. Mr. Olden, you have the bridge."
She stood, motioning Aaron to follow. Glancing behind her she saw him quickly fall into step beside her before he paused at the doorway to let her enter first. Olivia waited before Aaron had crossed the threshold before sealing the door.
"Alright Liv, what's going on?" Aaron began the second Olivia had sealed the door behind them.
"The Federation News Service wants to embed a journalist aboard the ship," Olivia replied tersely, holding the PADD in her hand as far away from herself as she could.
"Alright, I for one have no problem with that." Aaron shrugged his shoulders.
"I do! Becoming a human interest story is the last thing I want or need right now," Olivia replied as she handed Aaron the offending PADD.
As he studied the PADD Aaron shrugged a second time as he leaned back in his seat. "Liv, I don't think we have anything to hide."
"Aaron, that's not the point! Whether or not something needs to be hidden, doesn't make it less private." Olivia leaned forward, eyes narrowing.
"It is a matter of public record that you and I were married for eight years." Aaron set the PADD down, eyes meeting Olivia's.
"Again, that's not the point. Us as a human interest story is not a good idea." Olivia replied.
"Liv, If he wants to write an article, there damn sure are others. And sooner or later somebody else will. We know young Mr. Sisko. We know his dad. We know that he'll listen to us and be respectful of anything we ask him not to print. Let's get in front of this thing." Aaron countered, not backing down.
"I'm drafting a message to Starfleet Command." Olivia replied as she began furiously typing on her computer terminal.
"As your First Officer I recommend against that," Aaron interjected.
"As your Captain, you have three seconds to explain, Number One." Olivia stood up, straightening the front of her uniform. 'More like one if your attempt fails.'
"Very Picard of you, Liv." Aaron stood in response.
"Number One, get to the point."
"At the risk of repeating myself we can get ahead of this situation. Mr. Sisko would likely be more receptive to our input versus some random somebody." Aaron stepped back a pace at Olivia's response.
A brief silence followed as they stood, staring at one another, unblinking.
"Okay, Liv, tell me what is going on?" Aaron asked, a look of concern on his face.
'Damn you, Aaron!' Olivia thought to herself before she sighed through her nose. "You always were able to see right through me."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Liv, I've known you for fifteen years and know your tells about when something really gets you. Any other First Officer would have backed down…"
"…but not you, Aaron?"
"Liv, due to our fifteen years of history I know when to shut up and when to push an issue."
"Not always." Olivia managed a smirk.
"Hey, I might learn by making a big mistake but I do learn." Aaron took a step forward, the toes of his boots against the front of Olivia's desk.
"Aaron, I see your point and…" Olivia began just before the room's lighting dimmed, and red emergency lights flashed.
"What the Hell!?" Aaron exclaimed, turning around.
"Number One, we will continue this discussion after this Red Alert," Olivia replied, swiftly on his heels.
"I look forward to it, sir!" Aaron replied just before he walked out the door and onto the bridge, Olivia a pace behind him.
"Report!" Olivia replied, forcing calm into her voice.
"Sir, we have a distress call, audio only," Hal reported before nodding to Lieutenant Derringer at the Tactical station.
Kat Derringer's fingers flew across the console then the distress call played on the Bridge. "This is the Bajoran antimatter tanker…we are under attack by…corsairs…many wounded…"
"Orders, Captain?" Hal asked.
"Mr. Finch, how far away are we?" Olivia walked towards the Conning station near the front of the Bridge as she spoke.
"We can get there in about seven hours at maximum warp. I've got a course laid in…" Finch glanced over his right shoulder.
Olivia stopped in her tracks and nodded. "Mr. Finch get us there and Ms. Derringer, have your security teams standing by."
"Yes sir!" Kat replied, issuing her own orders to the security department.
"Sir, Sickbay is standing by for casualty treatments," Aaron reported.
"I'm headed to Engineering. I've got a possible away team list for you too." Master Chief Pickles handed Olivia a PADD before he strode purposefully for the Turbolift.
"Very well, Master Chief." Olivia nodded and looked at the list of away team members.
Olivia took her seat on the bridge just as the viewscreen showed the stars elongating as the Argos went to maximum warp.
"Number One if we need to send an away team to the tanker you're in charge of it. If anyone can prevent a ship from going boom it's you." Olivia leaned back in her seat
"I'm an EOD tech, it's what I do." Aaron smiled back at her.
'Aaron, of all the times…' Olivia thought before glancing at the science station noticing Mr. Hollom's right hand reaching for his temple.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Sickbay
2376
Dr. Ellen Hickle felt her blood turn to ice after she heard the communication from the Bridge about the distress call. 'An antimatter tanker? My God something like that can literally go off like a bomb!'
She gulped and closed her eyes remembering the ghastly image of a Cardassian antimatter tanker that exploded during her time as a Prisoner of War held by the Dominion…
'It's alright, Imzadi.' A male voice with an Australian accent echoed into her head.
Ellen opened her eyes. 'You know it's sort of freaky when you do that!'
'I, again, apologize, Imzadi. It's just that your emotions were nearly a beacon the second that we got that red alert.' Ellen heard Charlie's voice in her head.
Ellen sighed softly. The thing about telepathic species was the propensity for them to know your emotional state almost instantly. Still…
'So my feelings just now were the telepathic equivalent of shouting?' Ellen stood up from her desk, pacing around her office.
'Basically. So what's the matter?' Charlie's voice again in her mind.
'Just a memory…from when I was a POW and a Cardassian antimatter tanker exploded.' Ellen shut her eyes as her heart raced. She headed out of her office, observing her staff preparing to deal with the injured crew.
"Make sure you have burn treatments readily available." Ellen directed to Rollins and Josh as they began to lay out instruments near the biobeds.
'I have to prepare sickbay.' Ellen thought as she saw Lilly handing out emergency medical kits to the corpsmen.
"Cadet, what injuries are you anticipating?" Ellen asked.
"Cuts, fractures and plasma burns mostly. Possibly radiation exposure, Doctor." Lilly handed the last of the pre-packed trauma kits to the last of the corpsmen as she spoke.
"Don't forget impaled objects," Ellen replied.
'Triage. Who can be saved and who can't. The worst decisions for a Doctor to make.' Ellen thought to herself as Lilly handed her a medical kit of her own.
"Are you ready?" Ellen asked.
Lilly nodded as she slipped the strap of the medical kit across her chest. She blinked her eyes and took a deep breath.
Ellen gave Lilly's shoulder a firm squeeze. "You've got this, Cadet."
"Thank you, Doctor." Lilly replied, her hands shaking a bit.
Ellen gave Lilly a reassuring look. 'Can you really be prepared for your first emergency call?'
Lilly's hands shook a little less and she managed a weak smile and nod.
"Benson to Hickle." Olivia's voice echoed over Ellen's comm badge.
Ellen tapped her badge with two fingers. "Hickle here, sir."
"Doctor, if we need to beam an away team to the tanker, you're on that away team. Link up with the team at Transporter Room 2 when ordered." Olivia said.
"Understood, Captain. Hickle out." Ellen nodded her acknowledgement.
She walked over to where Dr. Ramirez-Sweet was pulling a trauma kit out of an overhead compartment. "You're in charge if they send the away team. We may have some casualties heading this way."
"Got it. We'll be ready in any case." Dr. Sweet nodded his massive head as he looked down at her.
"Thank you, Josh." Ellen replied.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Bridge
2376, Hours Later
"Captain, long range sensors hold two Orion corsairs attacking a Bajoran antimatter tanker." Kat Derringer called from the tactical station.
"Time to intercept, 45 minutes." Finch reported from the Conn.
"On screen." Olivia ordered.
The large lumbering behemoth of the Bajoran supertanker cruised through space as two Orion corsairs vectored in for attack runs from above and behind it.
"How the Hell does it take seven hours to disable an antimatter tanker?" Aaron's brow furrowed as he shifted his weight in his seat to face Olivia.
"Antimatter tankers may be slow but they have heavy shields and they're heavily built, Number One. The pirates must want to capture the ship and its cargo and tow it back to their space." Olivia replied before turning towards Hal at the OPS station.
"Sir?" Hal replied as he looked over his left shoulder.
"Open a channel."
Hal complied, fingers flittering across his console like caffeine wired ferrets.
"Hailing frequencies open, Captain." The Englishman replied.
"Orion corsairs, this is Captain Benson of the USS Argos. Cease and desist your actions immediately." Olivia replied.
No answer was forthcoming, at least by comms. One of the corsairs turned towards the Argos firing its phasers as it went. Finch jinked the ship to starboard, narrowly avoiding impact from a photon torpedo.
"Ms. Derringer…" Olivia began.
"On it, Captain." Kat tersely replied, firing the Argos' own phasers in reply.
The ship shook with the impact of a second photon torpedo fired by the Orion corsair when it flew above the Argos.
"Aft torpedoes! Let him have it!" Olivia ordered.
Kat tapped another couple commands firing two torpedoes towards the Orion corsair. The first torpedo impacted the Orion vessel from below and behind it. The second torpedo hit a second later, just slightly to the rear of the first's impact.
"Orion vessel is dead in space!" Kat reported from her console.
"Sir, the other Corsair is using the tanker as cover…I'm maneuvering us in for a shot!" Finch reported.
Olivia looked at the viewscreen, gripping the handrests as Finch maneuvered the Argos into position. 'This guy is good. He's keeping the tanker between us and any clear shot..'
"I can't get a clear shot!" Kat looked over one shoulder as she spoke.
"Bloody Hell! The bastards are shooting torpedoes into the tanker!" Hal blanched from the OPS console to Finch's right.
"Captain, that tanker will go off like a bomb when its shields collapse." Aaron turned to face her, looking away from the viewscreen.
"Tanker's shields are collapsing! One more torpedo and they're finished." Kat's voice.
"Orders, sir?" Aaron asked.
'A Bajoran antimatter tanker crew complement is about 35 people. I need to drop the shields to rescue that crew. But that Orion could easily damage us if I do that.' Olivia thought as she quickly surveyed the Bridge. Aaron's questioning look hadn't ceased.
"Bridge to Transporter Team, beam the crew of that tanker the second we drop the shields." Olivia ordered maintaining her grip on the arm rests of her seat.
"Aye sir!"
"Orion corsair is turning…they've got weapons locked!" Finch shouted from the CONN.
"Captain, we've got the tanker crew 100% accounted for!" Hal called out from the OPS console as he stood behind Hal.
"Shields up!" Olivia ordered.
The Orion ship flew directly towards the Argos, firing as it went. Olivia felt the ship shudder violently under the phaser blasts before it flew past.
"Sir, the Orion corsair is towing its partner away." Kat reported.
"Acknowledged. Keep a lock on those corsairs till they're out of weapon range." Olivia stood up and ordered. Kat nodded in reply.
"Tanker's warp core is about to go critical…" Finch reported as he maneuvered the ship on the nearest vector away from the tanker at full impulse.
On the viewscreen the tanker exploded, causing the Argos to shake violently as the shockwave impacted.
"Engineering to the Captain," Audrey's voice came over the comm just then.
"Go ahead." Olivia exhaled.
"Captain we have reports of a bomb on Deck 15 at the Plasma Relay!" Audrey ordered.
'Oh my God!' Olivia thought to herself, her jaw clenching as Audrey made her report.
"I've evacuated the deck, sealing off the Plasma Relay. We're about to beam it off…" Audrey replied.
"Captain, I recommend against that." Aaron interjected.
"Number One you better have a good reason for it." Olivia turned to face Aaron as he walked towards his own seat.
"I'm our best bet to disarm that thing to prevent severe damage to the ship. Especially if the device has a 'transport trigger' for an anti handling device." Aaron crouched down, pulling his toolkit from the compartment under his seat.
Olivia nodded, mulling the plan. 'He's right. Damn. If he disarms the device we prevent damage to the ship and get some intelligence on a pirate tactic of beaming bombs onto Starfleet vessels attempting rescues.'
Aaron slipped the carrying strap across his chest, tightening it for positive control. Olivia stood from her seat.
Aaron stepped backward a pace, about to tap his comm badge to beam him to the site via a site to site transport when he noticed Olivia about to speak.
"Number One?" Olivia began.
"Yes Captain?"
"I know we're in good hands." Olivia replied. 'I'm still worried but I know we're in good hands.'
Aaron nodded in acknowledgement before tapping his comm badge. "Computer, beam me to Deck 15, outside of the Plasma Relay Room." Aaron
Olivia watched Aaron disappear in the shimmer of blue light thanks to the miracle of transporter technology as she felt a lump in her throat.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Deck 15
2376
"I know we're in good hands." Olivia's last words before he beamed to Deck 15 burned into Aaron's mind. 'I heard that little quiver in her voice with the 'in good hands'. None of the crew might've picked that up, but I sure as Hell did.'
He exhaled as soon as he stood outside of the Plasma Relay Room. The Long Walk. The lone bomb disposal operator standing between death and destruction. 'This ship, and the lives of my shipmates are on my shoulders…Olivia and Noah's included.'
He tapped his comm badge. "Begin recording and transmit the following to the Bridge."
The electronic chirping noise resounded in Aaron's ears, comingling with the pounding of his heart. 'Everything I say now will be recorded for posterity. So even if that thing goes off, future bomb disposal operators will learn from my mistakes.'
"Unknown explosive device beamed aboard USS Argos (NCC-14229). EOD Technician, Commander Aaron Carlyle."
He looked around the room, examining for any possible secondary devices that could be in the area visually then using his tricorder as well. He continued his running commentary.
"Scanning the room visually and through my tricorder to account for any secondary devices…"
His device showed no other explosive material present minus the device.
"Carlyle to Ramirez. Can you put the crewman on duty on the line?" Aaron asked.
"Yes sir. Crewman Otay!" Audrey's voice echoed over the comm system.
Aaron heard the sound of footsteps in the background on the other side of the comm before Otay responded, "Sir?"
"Crewman, I understand you were the one who reported the bomb. Can you tell me what you saw?" Aaron asked.
"Yes sir. It was a large cylinder, about a meter or so long. Looked heavy and it was beeping when it arrived." the man replied.
"Thank you, I appreciate it. Was there anything else you could see?" Aaron asked.
"No sir."
"Again, my thanks Crewman." Aaron replied. 'Alright, I know marginally more about the device than I did a few minutes ago.'
He blinked his eyes, took a deep breath and began tapping at the panel beside the Plasma Relay Room. The door opened and Aaron walked into the room, again with his tricorder out. He saw the bomb in the middle of the room, a meter behind the relay console located to the center of the room.
'Beelining for the bomb. Tempting, but failing to scan for secondaries has killed many an EOD tech.' Aaron thought.
"Starting preliminary scan of the room after sighting device, one meter behind Plasma Relay Console. Bomb is partially obscured by the console. Steady beeping noise still evident." Aaron scanned the room.
Now a decision needed making: to turn right or to turn left. 'Just like in training, don't set patterns. Don't let enemy observers figure out how you search for secondaries, otherwise they'll get you the next time.'
"Commencing scan for any secondary devices not detected by internal sensors. Initial inspection it looks like a cargo container for liquids." Aaron stepped to the left to get a better view of the bomb. He saw the meter long cylinder, metallic, a cargo container for liquids.
Aaron turned left and walked around the perimeter of the room, scanning and looking from overhead to deck visually and with the tricorder to look for secondary devices. Nothing. Now the long walk.
He walked towards the device, approaching it from a 45 degree angle. 'If I was trying to kill an EOD tech I'd position some sort of proximity device on the bomb, either on one side or on the top or bottom of the container.'
"So far no visible proximity devices, but approaching the device from behind and at an angle outside of the cutoffs of most close proximity sensors." Aaron continued before he approached. He pulled a small mirror on the end of a telescoping rod from his toolkit.
"Using a small inspection mirror to see if there are any proximity sensors on the device." Aaron glanced at the mirror.
"No proximity sensor on the bottom." Aaron continued his commentary as he repeated the procedure with the top half of the drum. Craning his neck he noticed an oval shaped device affixed to the other side of the drum, about 15 centimeters long.
"Visually confirmed the timing and power unit." Aaron reported, "Going around to assess."
"Commander, I just received a transmission from Admiral Cragen…" Olivia's voice echoed.
Aaron let out a frustrated sigh as he ran his tricorder over the explosive, conducting an X-ray scan of the device.
"Captain, I have about 250 kilograms of explosives with a transporter triggered anti-handling device directly in front of me right now! If Cragen wants an update he'll get one from my full report after I've disarmed this device and not one millisecond sooner!" Aaron replied.
"Number One, is that all?" Olivia asked.
"Yes, feel free to give him my exact words," Aaron shot back. 'Of all the times and places for Cragen to get involved.'
"Noted, Commander," Olivia replied.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Bridge
2376
Olivia Benson took a deep breath then slowly exhaled while mentally counting to five as she saw Aaron Carlyle disappear in the shimmer of the transporter beam. 'Calm down. Aaron is a trained bomb disposal operator…he knows what he's doing.'
Olivia's jaw clenched slightly as she heard Aaron's running commentary as her pulse whipsawed between each of his reported actions. 'He's being very methodical about this. But then that's what I need from him.'
She stood up from her chair, tugging downward on the hem of her shirt before reaching up to tap her comm badge.
"Benson to Hickle."
Ellen's voice echoed back over the line, "Hickle here."
"Status on the tanker crew?" Olivia asked.
"Twenty-two wounded crew members. I've got Major Girani dealing with the healthy ones," Ellen replied.
"Captain, incoming transmission from Admiral Cragen." Hal reported from the Ops console.
"On screen." Olivia ordered.
The face of Admiral Donald Cragen appeared on the viewscreen just before he spoke. "Liv, heard a report that you tangled with a pair of Orion Corsairs."
"That's true, sir. We disabled one of their vessels but they managed to destroy the tanker," Olivia replied, pacing to her left as she spoke.
"Casualties?" Cragen asked, gaze following her movements.
"Twenty two of thirty five crewmembers in varying states of injury. Our Bajoran Liaison Officer is working with the healthy ones for their statements and the wounded are being treated in Sickbay right now." Olivia turned around and began walking in the opposite direction.
"Alright, Olivia, I assume you're back on course for Bajor right now?" Cragen asked.
"We're holding position for the time being, sir. The pirates beamed a nasty surprise aboard when we rescued the tanker crew." Olivia tensed as she spoke.
"What nasty surprise?" Cragen's eyes narrowed.
"A bomb beamed directly into our Plasma Relay Room. If it goes off it could destroy at least one of our fifteen decks if we can't contain the blast," Olivia reported as she glanced at her PADD and the projections Engineering was making in case Aaron failed to disarm the device.
'Stop thinking about that!' Olivia thought to herself as she took in a deep breath. Holding it briefly she deliberately exhaled before Cragen interrupted her.
"Liv…" Cragen began.
"Sir, Commander Carlyle is on the scene and he's in the middle of conducting render safe procedures." Olivia quickly interjected.
"Alright, just how large of a bomb are we talking about?" Cragen asked.
"Standby, sir." Olivia tersely replied, before tapping her comm badge and nodding to Olden.
She saw Hal's fingers go across his console, putting Cragen on mute before she made the call to Aaron. "Commander, I just received a transmission from Admiral Cragen…"
She heard a frustrated sigh echo over the comm line as she heard the steady whine of the tricorder as Aaron made his scan of the device.
"Captain, I have about 250 kilograms of explosives with a transporter triggered anti-handling device directly in front of me right now! If Cragen wants an update he'll get one from my full report after I've disarmed this device and not one millisecond sooner!" Aaron's cross reply came over the comm.
'Good thing I muted the comm. Aaron you haven't changed one bit…' Olivia thought to herself.
She stepped away from standing over Hal's station, looking over the operations console. "Number One, is that all?"
"Yes, feel free to give him my exact words!" Aaron's annoyance felt palpable to Olivia.
"Noted, Commander," Olivia replied. 'Aaron we really should talk about you and diplomacy some time.'
Olivia nodded to Hal who put the comm line back to Cragen.
"Sir, paraphrasing Commander Carlyle he's got 250 kilograms of explosives with a transporter triggered anti-handling device. I will make sure you get his full report," Olivia replied.
"I'll hold you to that, Liv. Cragen out."
Admiral Cragen's image faded out, replaced by the starfield. Olivia walked to her chair and sat down. 'Alright, that's Cragen off our backs…Come on Aaron you've got this…"
"Brief questioning from Starfleet Command mitigated by Captain Benson. Returning to my evaluation of the device's timing and power unit." Aaron's running commentary resumed.
'Still a smartass as usual.' Olivia thought to herself.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Deck 15, Plasma Relay Room
2376
Aaron listened briefly over the open commline as Olivia dealt with Cragen. Then he went back to his running commentary. "Brief questioning from Starfleet Command mitigated by Captain Benson. Returning to my evaluation of the device's timing and power unit."
He moved around to the other side of the device, crouching beside it, feeling the plasma relay console against his back. Looking at the oval shaped 15 centimeter long device on the device he saw a digital display with 0:03 on the readout.
"Timing and power unit affixed to the barrel with a :03 second fuse. Timer isn't running, device appears to be initiated by other means." Aaron reported, running his tricorder over the device yet
again.
Aaron's eyebrows furrowed as he looked over the display of his tricorder. There was something very familiar with the composition of this device.
"Explosive composition contains heavy doses of tri-nitrogen chloride. This appears to be an improvised plasma charge. Similar to improvised grenades used by Bajoran resistance fighters during the Cardassian occupation but scaled up by a couple hundred kilograms." Aaron commented before focusing the scan around the timing and power unit.
'What is the primary way to make this thing explode? Clearly not timing…it would've blown up a long time ago…' Aaron thought to himself.
"Device does not appear to be a time bomb due to timing display showing a 3 second fuse. Based on scanning it looks like this device is designed to explode if a beam out is attempted. Possible secondary would be booby trap depending on how I tackle the timing and power unit." Aaron ran the tricorder up and down the 15 centimeter unit.
He switched the tricorder's scanning to chemical detection mode, aiming it at the timing and power unit again. It whined yet again as it ran through a database of every possible explosive compound. He set it to rule out tri-nitrogen chloride. 'Already know that the main charge is tri-nitrogen chloride, gotta figure out the timing and power unit. That's the heart and brain of this thing.'
Aaron took a step back, nearly falling backward over the console and biting back a curse. "Tricorder reading indicates a half kilogram of nitrilin, highly unstable substance and perfect booster charge for the relatively more stable tri-nitrogen chloride mixture."
Aaron set the tricorder aside, retrieving his inspection mirror to have a look at the edges of the timing and power unit, noticing a small access panel. 'Now we're getting somewhere!'
"Noting a small access panel underneath the timing and power unit, scanning it with tricorder now. Looks like it's frequency locked. I'm using a Ferengi earpicker device to defeat the panel and lock to tackle the timing and power unit." Aaron set the inspection mirror aside, and retrieved the device in question.
He connected a pair of earbuds to the eight centimeter long probe to allow him to hear at the same frequencies a Ferengi would. He activated the device which hummed steadily at a low pitch.
Taking a deep breath he pointed it at the panel, He heard what sounded like an interrogating tone from the panel. The trick to defeat this thing was to figure out the resonating frequency for the auditory tumblers to defeat the lock.
'Five resonating frequencies for five tumblers. Just got to figure these out. If I get this wrong…kaboom!' Aaron thought as he audibly swallowed.
The interrogation tone sounded again, more urgent this time. Aaron selected a frequency and held his breath when he hit the contact button with his thumb. An affirming tone in response. Again he exhaled loudly.
Then the second interrogation tone sounded. Aaron responded with a second tone, and the affirming tone sounded quickly. Then a third interrogation tone…
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Bridge
2376
Olivia's pulse dropped a bit when she heard Aaron had identified the timing and power unit of the device only for it to shoot back up again when he made his next report.
"Noting a small access panel underneath the timing and power unit, scanning it with tricorder now. Looks like it's frequency locked. I'm using a Ferengi earpicker device to defeat the panel and lock to tackle the timing and power unit."
She leaned forward in her seat and closed her eyes before she forced them back open. She looked over at the PADD in her right hand, the one Master Chief Pickles handed her. Engineering had erected force fields around the Plasma Relay Room so if the device went off damage to the ship would be significant but not so severe as to destroy all of Deck 15.
'Audrey, good call on evacuating Decks 14 and 15.' Olivia thought to herself as she looked at the casualty projections.
She'd heard enough of Aaron's accounts of disarming bombs to know that attacking the timing and power unit of a bomb was a very involved process. And given he was using an earpricker he wouldn't be able to hear any questions.
'Come on Aaron…' Olivia thought to herself, heart pounding.
"Commander Olden, you have the Bridge, I'm on my way to Sickbay to check on the casualties." Olivia began, standing up from her seat.
"Pardon me, sir," Pickles interjected.
"Yes, Master Chief?" Olivia asked.
"I think I'd be better off to check on the Sickbay situation, sir." Master Chief Pickles stood from his own seat as he spoke.
Olivia regarded the older man as he spoke. His tone was respectful, but there was something along the lines of a 'best be followed' suggestion lurking in that last sentence.
'Damn him, he is right. As the Captain my place is on the Bridge right now…throwing myself at whatever is going on in Sickbay isn't going to settle what I'm dealing with right now…' Olivia nodded, her heart racing again as he thoughts shifted back to Aaron and his efforts to disarm the bomb.
"I'll be in Sickbay," Pickles said as he walked towards the Turbolift.
Olivia heard Aaron exhale with relief over the comm line.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Deck 15, Plasma Relay Room
2376
Aaron exhaled audibly as the panel in the timing and power unit popped open after he hit that fifth tumbler. He removed the earpricker earbud from one ear and made another report.
"Opened the panel on the Timing and Power Unit, looks like it's wired into both the transporter anti-handling device and into the charge."
Aaron scanned the timing and power unit with the tricorder's diagnostic function. Now that the panel was open he would be able to get a more detailed scan with an optronic relay.
Pointing his tricorder at the small two millimeter by two millimeter square he saw a data readout from the timing and power unit. He smiled. 'I was right! The wiring is meant for a collapsing circuit. Meaning if I sever connections this thing will go boom in three seconds.'
Aaron stepped back a pace, breathing hard before making yet another report over the open commline. "Device looks like it's designed to go off either through attempted beam out or failure on the part of bomb disposal efforts."
He sighed one more time. 'So I better not fuck this up…'
Aaron's left hand rummaged through his toolkit, pulling a pair of electrical shunts from his toolkit. With a combination of fusion cutter and electrical splicer he connected first one and then the other electrical shunt. These would serve to make both the anti-handling device and timing and power unit think that they were still connected while he severed their connection.
'Here. Goes. Everything.' Aaron thought to himself, holding his breath as he cut the connection, forcing his eyes to remain open. The last thing he needed was to accidentally burn through the container with the fusion cutter and set of the device that way.
"Timing and power unit disconnected. I'm going to carry it out after I sever it physically from the main charge."
Aaron audibly exhaled with relief. Then taking the fusion cutter again he severed the welds holding the timing and power unit to the device. Carrying it out of the Plasma Relay Room, he set it down on the deck before attaching a capacitor to the shunt and switching it on to drain the device of electrical power.
Now the most volatile part of the device was neutralized and now one more task remained. Attaching another capacitor to the shunt connected to the antihandling device, he watched the capacitor's power reading go from 0% to 15% and climb higher until it hit 100%. Now both means to initiate the device were drained of power.
"Carlyle to Bridge. Device is neutralized. I repeat, the device is neutralized…" Aaron reported, wiping sweat from his brow.
"This is Benson, acknowledged. Great work, Number One." Olivia's reply over the comm echoed into the room.
"That's 373 devices down," Aaron exhaled as he wiped sweat from his forehead as several engineers and security personnel came into the room. Already he was imagining celebrating with a beer in the Nostalgia…
'Beer? Hell, this is worth a mojito…' Aaron thought, exulting.
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Bridge
2376
"Carlyle to Bridge. Device is neutralized. I repeat, the device is neutralized…" Aaron's voice floated through the comm system.
Twelve words caused Olivia Benson to feel the weight of the galaxy fall off her shoulders. She closed her eyes and audibly swallowed, forcing down the emotional wave by sheer force of will.
"This is Benson, acknowledged. Great work, Number One." Olivia exhaled with relief, her eyes darting about the bridge.
'That exhale felt louder than a church choir on a high note…I hope no one noticed it.' Olivia thought to herself.
"That's 373 devices down…" Aaron's triumphant declaration jarred her out of her self conscious thoughts.
"Alright, Number One, congratulations. Ensure you don't go too heavy on the celebratory mojitos, I'll need that report." Olivia rose from her seat, tugging down on the hem of her uniform top.
"Aye aye, sir!" Aaron's reply echoed over the comm.
In her mind's eye Olivia saw the jaunty touch to just above the right eyebrow accompanying his words. Despite herself she managed a weak smile.
"Mr. Olden, get me Admiral Cragen." Olivia ordered as she stepped to the right of her seat.
"Yes sir," Olden replied.
"Report," Cragen said as his bald visage appeared on the viewscreen.
"Sir, the device was neutralized by Commander Carlyle. I have my crew working on forensics pertaining to the device. It's our first chance to have a look at the kinds of devices pirates have been beaming aboard Starfleet vessels." Olivia paced to her left as she spoke.
"Very well, Liv, I'll be expecting your full report." Cragen nodded, a faint smile creased his features.
"Yes sir. Anything else?"
"Be sure you give your crew my congratulations for a job well done. Cragen out." Cragen nodded and then the viewscreen reverted to the stars yet again.
"Mr. Olden, stand down Red Alert. Mr. Finch, I believe you know the way to Deep Space Nine." Olivia headed back for her seat and sat back down again.
"Aye aye, sir!" Finch replied, fingers dancing across his console.
"Sir, we have a report from USS Centaur. She's taking up pursuing the pirates." Kat Derringer reported from tactical.
"Acknowledged." Olivia nodded. 'Centaur. My old ship. Give those Orions Hell…'
Olivia's train of thought halted when she heard the turbolift open. Craning her neck she saw Aaron walking into the bridge, a toothy grin on his face. She stood up, turning to face him, saying, "Excellent work, Number One."
USS Argos (NCC-14229)
Bridge
2376
Aaron stepped out of the turbolift, smiling with the triumph of a job well done. As he turned towards his seat he saw Olivia stand up from her chair. She looked right at him and said, "Excellent work, Number One."
Aaron gulped as he stopped in his tracks. 'No one else on the Bridge heard that quiver in Olivia's voice, but I sure as Hell heard it loud and clear.'
"That's 373 devices down, Captain." Aaron smiled.
"And I take it you intend to celebrate with a mojito or two after getting off shift?" Olivia asked with a wry smile.
"You know me all too well." Aaron continued his walk to his seat, Olivia falling into step beside him.
"I have known you for the past fifteen years, Commander." Olivia's smile widened as she took her own seat.
"Well, Captain, if it isn't too bold of me, would you be interested to have a post Red Alert drink?" Aaron asked, smiling back at her, still standing.
"As long as we don't re-enact a Jimmy Buffett song, call it a date," Olivia replied as she took her own seat.
Aaron's heart jumped a somersault in his chest. 'Did she really just say date? Great, here I go overthinking things…again.'
He saw Olivia's eyes go wide for an instant before she composed herself.
"I have to say I love your taste in music, sir." Aaron smirked.
"What can I say, island escapism rubbed off on me after fifteen years," Olivia replied
"Told you there was a lot more to Buffett than alcoholism, food, and unrestrained partying," Aaron leaned back in his seat, smirk turning into a smile.
"Yet the lyrics of all of his songs and most of the words in his novels do echo such themes, Number One." Olivia let out a sigh of relief.
The sigh told Aaron everything he needed to know. "I take it you'd like a word, Captain?"
Olivia nodded as she stood up and announced, "Commander Olden, you have the Bridge."
"Aye sir." The Englishman replied with a nod as he stood up from the Operation console. He ordered a young ensign over to his station.
"This is Commander Olden, I have the bridge." The Englishman nodded deferentially as he took the Captain's seat.
Aaron followed Olivia into the ready room. 'That sigh told me so much.'
He heard the hiss of the Ready Room door shutting behind him. Olivia let out another sigh mirroring the hiss of the door closing.
"Liv, what's going on?" Aaron asked immediately.
"That was some incredible bomb disposal work, Aaron…" Olivia began.
"I'm sensing there's a 'but' there." Aaron stopped short of the viewport, where Olivia stood, staring out at the stars.
Olivia turned to face him, a rueful look on her face. "You know me all to well."
"Fifteen years will do that, and it works both ways. I mean you can see through me just as easily," Aaron exclaimed.
"Honestly, Aaron, I was worried," Olivia replied, a small crack in her voice.
"I'm pretty sure I know why," Aaron replied stepping closer to her. 'That quiver in her voice just got louder.'
Olivia nodded, with an audible gulp.
"If something had gone wrong I would have lost not only a First Officer, but the father of our son too…" Olivia's voice trailed off.
'What she's not saying is telling. Things just got complicated…Oh Hell, when was anything in this ever simple.' Aaron thought to himself.
"Liv, we both knew this would be complicated going in and this is just one way."
"Commander Obvious strikes again," Olivia managed a wan smile.
"I have to say I find your use of my rank for that one a good zinger," Aaron countered with a wry grin of his own.
"I suppose I'd be Captain Obvious if I agreed with you about the complicated thing,"
"And you're really emphasizing our respective rank differences here," Aaron quipped.
"At the end of the day if anyone had to deal with that bomb it had to be you. But giving that order was not easy for me," Olivia replied.
"It's what I trained to do, Liv. And besides, I've disarmed 373 explosive devices of different kinds over the years, especially when I was with Felix."
"That was back when I was Admiral Gromek's Aide-de-Camp. I had my datapad on an alert for any reports from Felix. The Cardassian War kept you guys busy." Olivia hugged her arms to her chest and shuddered slightly.
"Well over half the devices and booby traps I disarmed as a bomb disposal operator were done with Felix Squadron." Aaron grinned faintly.
"That was a hard time for me. But at least then I wasn't in charge of you. I didn't have to give you direct orders to go after a device," Olivia confessed.
After a brief silence, Olivia added. "I know as a Captain that comes with the territory and I have to take emotions out of it…but damn do they come back to reap their vengeance."
"I'd honestly worry if you didn't get emotional about life and death decisions." Aaron replied.
"I don't know how any Captain does it, Aaron. Especially if it's someone they care about…" Olivia replied.
"Olivia?" Aaron asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I never stopped caring about you. Even after our divorce." That quiver in her voice again.
Aaron managed to prevent an audible gasp, but just barely. He saw a slight twitch in Olivia's body language as she spoke. 'I've never known Liv to be twitchy in all fifteen years I've known her.'
Looking into her eyes Aaron saw the light glisten off of unshed tears. 'Oh Hell, this runs over the delineation of complicated at maximum warp.'
"Olivia, I never stopped caring about you either," Aaron replied.
"You do realize things have become really complicated right now, after what we just said to one another?" Olivia replied.
Aaron nodded. "And I meant every word, Liv. I might stick my foot in my mouth on occassion, but I mean what I say."
"And that's something I've always admired about you. You always speak your mind," Olivia sighed.
"Well, that trait hasn't always been appreciated by people that outrank me."
"I always have appreciated that aspect of you, Aaron. You with a filter just isn't…well, just isn't you."
"Liv, you're one of about maybe three people in Starfleet that feels that way," Aaron faintly grinned.
"I will bet you a drink it's more than three people in Starfleet."
"Based on a few calculations I think we'd have time for a drink apiece when we get off shift, before we have to pick up Noah from school." Aaron smirked.
"Wait, you actually calculated that?" Olivia asked.
"Admittedly I already had the base set of calculations figured out beforehand." Aaron sheepishly grinned.
"Wait, this is that same equation you and Stiffler came up with years ago?" Olivia asked.
Aaron nodded, his grin widening. Olivia chuckled before glancing towards the chronometer on her desk.
"We have a crew and a mission to attend to." Olivia softly admitted.
"Fair enough," Aaron replied as he headed to the Ready Room door.
"Aaron?"
He stopped in his tracks, turning around to face her. "Yes Liv?"
"I'm glad we had this talk." Olivia replied before she fell into step beside him.
Stopping at the Ready Room door Aaron said, "After you."
The door hissed open as Olivia stepped through the threshold with Aaron in tow. Both officers stopped by the Captain's chair. After Hal made a quick report on the ship's course and speed he stood up from the chair, heading back to the Operations console.
Olivia and Aaron took their respective seats, watching the stars through the viewscreen. After a few minutes, Aaron quipped, "Talk about starting things off with a bang, Captain."
Olivia nodded, a small smile on her face at Aaron's joke, before turning back to look at the starfield through the viewscreen…
TBC