On the bridge of the Beyond, Nix rubbed her temples. At the sound signifying a hail coming through again she cursed aloud and marched over to a communications panel.
"Damned Cardassians..." she grumbled under her breath, "where's the damn mute— Ah~hah there you are..."
She bowed her head in relief as the pips cut out.
"Commander Nix." came a panting voice from behind. She cursed under her breath and swerved around.
"What, what is it now?"
Three science officers stood before her, all sweating profusely— one even trembling—although it was difficult to tell whether this was because they were exhausted or nervous about confronting their superior.
"It's about the research equipment, sir, we—" began one of them, a young man who had a distinct pallor accentuated with heavily bagged eyes.
"Yes, yes have you finished assembling it yet?"
The three officers followed their superior anxiously she she darted here and there on the bridge, checking data pad after data pad. They gave each other fearful looks before once again addressing her.
"No, sir, we… we can't unload it ourselves it—"
"You haven't even unloaded it yet?"
Nix stopped moving around the bridge to look at the officers.
The pale one gulped and his mouth gaped open nervously several times. The others seemed too nervous to speak, their jaws clenched tightly shut.
"Well?"
They started at her sharp tone.
"Sir we just can't physically—" the sickly looking one started, finally able to force his words out.
"If we could just get a detachment of security officers to help us get it to a transporter—" another insisted.
The Commander laughed loudly.
"And let those brutes damage my equipment again? I don't think so. One day you kids will learn you have to do things yourself if you want them done right. No, no, no. Get back down to the cargo bay I want my lab up and running before the day's end."
"Un… understood, sir, we'll…"
The ill looking young man's eyes rolled back into his head as he sank down onto the floor with a thud. There was a cry from the two that had accompanied him but the rest of the crew around the bridge seemed not to notice, and Nix seemed more annoyed than concerned. The two officers looked up at her, too shocked to respond.
"Well don't just stand there. Pick him up and get him out of the way!"
"Un… understood, sir, we'll…"
The ill looking young man's eyes rolled back into his head as he sank down onto the floor with a thud. There was a cry from the two that had accompanied him but the rest of the crew around the bridge seemed not to notice, and Nix seemed more annoyed than concerned. The two officers looked up at her, too shocked to respond.
"Well don't just stand there. Pick him up and get him out of the way!"