NX-35 Vigilant
Vulcan Orbit
"Commander." Ensign Summers announced. "Shuttle One on approach, requesting permission to dock."
"Granted." McArthur responded, distracted. "Reel her in, Summers." He continued to study the maintenance report on the command chair armrest display. Until…
"Wait…" Henry frowned. "What the hell took her so long?"
"Sir?" She asked, perplexed.
Henry scowled back at her.
"Ensign Stone. Shuttle One." He grumped. "Try to keep up here, Summers."
"Oh. Vulcan Air Control, sir." She replied. "Their interface vectors are a little…ah…"
"Vulcan, sir." Achilla offered from Tactical. "Logic over expedience."
"Well…essentially that, sir." Summers smiled.
McArthur nodded, accepting.
"Well, no. Not exactly." Hsiao argued, at the Helm. "Vulcan has a few planetary anomalies they have to work around…"
When everyone began staring at him, he hastened to add. "Dampening fields, for example. Easy to avoid coming down but when you're trying to get escape velocity...especially in Vulcan gravity..." He shrugged.
McArthur frowned in earnest now. "We got an ETA on Shuttle Two yet, Summers?" He asked.
"No, sir. No report yet."
"Shouldn't be long, though, sir." Achilla Trindi supplied, nodding at the Tactical station before her.
"How's that, Trindi'?" Henry shot back.
"I still have Shuttle Two on overwatch, sir." She supplied. "Two of them returned to the shuttle a few minutes ago."
"Who?" He asked, turning to her.
"Sorry, sir. I didn't zoom in enough to tell." Achilla shrugged. "P'Trell wasn't one of them, though."
Henry simply grunted and looked expectantly at Summers, who promptly went to work.
"Shuttle Two, Vigilant." Summers demanded. "Report."
The response was quick.
"Vigilant, Shuttle Two. Rodriguez." Marisa's voice replied. "Shuttle prepped for departure, awaiting all aboard."
A quick glance at McArthur…yeah, that hadn't made him happy…
"Shuttle Two, ETA?" Summers continued.
"Uh…Vigilant, not at this time."
McArthur turned off the command chair display screen with a snap and stood up.
"Gimme here, Summers." He grunted.
She tapped the open channel bar and nodded, rather glad to be out of the line of fire all of a sudden.
"Shuttle Two, Command. What's the hold up down there?"
"Vigilant, uh…awaiting all aboard." Marisa responded promptly. "Captain Tucker and Ensign P'Trell, EVA."
"Shuttle Two," Henry snapped. "EVA doing the hell what exactly?"
"Vigilant, couldn't say, sir."
Well. That was just plain unsatisfactory.
"Shuttle Two, Command. Code comm." He growled, nodding to Summers.
She tapped the channel bars, transferring to a secure, encrypted channel.
"Vigilant, Shuttle Two. Code comm, go ahead."
"Shuttle Two, am I to understand you don't know where the hell your commanding officer is?"
…
"Uh…Vigilant, that's affirmative."
McArthur gritted his teeth. "Summers, get me the Captain."
Summers practically attacked the console, wanting very much to get herself back out of the way again. Clearly McArthur was about to get unpleasant.
"Shuttle Two, Vigilant. Stand by." Summers said. "Vigilant to Captain Tucker."
…
Nothing.
"Vigilant to Captain Tucker, respond."
…
Nothing.
Then….
"Vigilant, Tucker. Go ahead."
Whew. She tapped the bar and nodded, letting McArthur take over again.
"Captain, Command." Henry said tightly. "Status?"
"Vigilant, we are in transit. Tucker out."
Dead air.
McArthur's jaw tightened.
Oh, boy. Thought Ensign Summers. Here we go.
Vulcan Medical Institute
Shir Kahr
T'Pril pocketed her communicator and glanced behind her at P'Trell.
"Ensign, proceed more expeditiously." She advised.
She finished adjusting the disfigured "Teachings of Surak" and the extremely illegal subspace comm device in the meantime. She wanted them both well in view of security when they discovered the bound traitor behind her.
In a moment her scan of the device would be complete. She'd already copied the encryption program.
"Just a couple more..." P'Trell grunted, still in the process of binding the unconscious Vulcan. With his own bed linen, no less. It was the only material available sufficient for the task.
Finished with her own efforts and a full scan of the device now stored in her tricorder, T'Pril turned to assess his progress more directly.
After a moment…"That will do, Ensign." She nodded.
"With respect, Captain, he's Vulcan." P'Trell grumbled. "Or did you miss the fight?"
Indeed, P'Trell had quite obviously won but had done so while hoisted well off his feet, against the wall. One-handed, in fact. The traitor's other arm broken in the initial assault, else the outcome would likely have been less certain. Still, he'd managed to render the traitor unconscious before T'Pril could even secure the hidden phaser he'd been after.
"Nevertheless." She replied. "These linen are khara weave. That will be quite sufficient to restrain him."
With a muttered expletive in Andorian, Rexas shoved the still unconscious man away, allowing him to slump to the floor in an undignified position. Once on his feet he nodded sharply.
T'Pril proceeded out the door with P'Trell following, exhibiting no discernible sign that he'd fought for his life only minutes before. His uniform wasn't even especially disturbed.
"Did we get what we came for, Captain?" He asked, with a smirk.
"Indeed." She assured.
She waited but no further questions were forthcoming. And while grateful for that she doubted it was anything more than a temporary reprieve.
NX-35 Vigilant: Shuttle Two
Vulcan Medical Institute
They waited a full three minutes before they began to suspect Summers had just forgotten about them. So Marisa finally worked up the nerve and tapped the channel bar.
"Ah…Vigilant, Shuttle Two. Nothing heard."
A short pause.
"Shuttle Two, Vigilant. Nothing more."
She let out a breath of relief, though really she wouldn't mind knowing what was going on up there. But McArthur had obviously gotten a burr up his butt about something and the less she had to do with that the better.
It was quiet in the shuttle for a moment.
"You ever get the feeling you're in trouble but don't quite know how?" Jenny asked.
Marisa looked over at her, considering a moment.
"Worse." She frowned at last. "I'm kind of getting used to that feeling."
"Okay, what is going on!" Jenny exclaimed. She jumped up and moved to the shuttle pod door. Peering out, she grumbled, "Where are they?"
"Well, the Captain's doing something she didn't want us to know about…"
"And the Commander's mad, so he didn't know either." Jenny finished.
Marisa wondered. "So did P'Trell know?"
Jenny pondered that for a moment.
"I think when the Captain ran the Assistant Director off, that's when he figured it out. At least, I hope." Jenny said. "I should have then. But I was more worried about you."
Marisa looked at her speculatively.
Glancing back, Jenny caught the look. "Right. You weren't there." She said. "The Captain started some kind of philosophy debate right in the middle of the hall on our way to get you. Ended up…well, pretty much insulted the whole Vulcan race or something. At least I think so. The Assistant Director got angry and stormed off, anyway."
Marisa was surprised. "Got mad? And stormed off? The Assistant Director of the Institute?"
Jenny nodded, looking out the window. "It was something to see. The Captain…well, I don't know. She's...I couldn't even follow what they were talking about." She turned back to Marisa.
Who was still staring, shocked.
"Yeah." Jenny nodded. "She had her…what's her name, V'Sen? Spitting mad in two minutes flat."
Marisa shook that one off with some effort, pondering furiously.
"Okay, what the heck is going on here?" She murmured to herself.
"They're coming." Jenny announced from the shuttle door.
NX-35 Vigilant
Vulcan Orbit
"Vigilant, Shuttle Two." Marisa's voice broke across the silent bridge.
Summers jumped. "Shuttle Two, Vigilant. Go ahead."
"Vigilant, all aboard. We have departure clearance, sending vectors. Can you confirm?"
"Shuttle Two, stand by." Summers went to work quickly tracking the vectors Vulcan Air Control had provided. Trying to ignore Commander McArthur's breathing down her neck for the moment.
"Shuttle Two, Vigilant. Vectors confirmed. You have overwatch. ETA?"
"Vigilant, ETA is 1 hour, 15 minutes." She reported.
"Give me overwatch here, Chilly." McArthur ordered quietly, gesturing at the main viewscreen.
"Sir." Acknowledged Ensign Trindi, patching the video feed through.
Henry watched Shuttle Two taking off from the south landing pad of the Vulcan Medical Institute. His jaw still clenched tight.
"Put me through, Summers. Code comm." Henry said flatly. Summers tapped a command into her console.
"Shuttle Two, Vigilant. Stand by for Command, code comm."
"Vigilant, code comm. Go ahead, Command." Marisa confirmed.
"Captain Tucker, Command." Henry said. "Do you have anything further to report, ma'am?"
A long pause.
Then T'Pril's reply.
"Nothing to report, Command."
McArthur let that stew for a few seconds.
"Very well. Standing by to receive you. Command out." He said at last.
NX-35 Vigilant: Shuttle Two
Vulcan Interface
Marisa just focused on flying.
West frowned at everyone. Either trying to work up the nerve to ask what was going on or trying to figure out just exactly how to ask.
P'Trell sat comfortably, looking quite amused with himself. Or amused with somebody anyway.
Captain Tucker was as blank a slate as ever. But the way she'd answered Commander McArthur…and the way he'd asked what he'd asked for that matter…
Well, if she didn't know any better…if everyone involved had been Human…she'd be certain McArthur and Tucker were chaca chaca. And that the Captain just got caught running off to hump P'Trell.
And…well, that was just loco.
But it was also the only thing she could come up with that fit.
So yeah, Marisa decided she'd just focus on flying. Eyes front. Plenty to occupy herself with here on the console. No meterse en líos. That was going to have to be her new motto. Stay out of trouble. At least until this whole thing blew over anyway, whatever it was. Can't expect somebody to live like that.
And besides, she was way over due for getting good and properly laid herself. So that probably had a lot to do with it.
Then Jenny suddenly found her mark.
"Captain…" She said, turning in her seat to face her more directly. "I think you need to let us in on what's going on here."
Oh, yes. Focus on flying. But maybe we can spare one ear…
T'Pril cocked her head slightly to the side, whether considering or listening Jenny couldn't tell. So she plowed ahead.
"Right now I'm thinking you have some kind of medical condition you wanted to consult someone about. Something you wanted kept private." She said. "And if that's the case, then I don't want to intrude on your privacy…"
Huh. Marisa hadn't even thought of that. That made more sense. See, now? She really needed to get laid. It was doing her brain damage.
"But if it isn't something like that, something private or personal, then it seems to have stirred up a lot of trouble."
Jenny waited a beat in case the Captain wanted to jump in anywhere…but she didn't.
"I mean…you intentionally provoked the Assistant Director back there…"She continued. "You forced P'Trell to be almost insubordinate to keep you from going off on your own and Commander McArthur sure seems to be overreacting to the whole thing, which suggests there's more going on there besides."
Another beat.
"I can give you a logical argument if you like, Captain…"
"Excuse me, Ensign." T'Pril said at last. "That will not be necessary."
Jenny was almost surprised. "It won't?"
"Indeed." T'Pril replied. "I was already in the process of determining the most effective response to alleviate this situation. When we return to the Vigilant I will call a staff meeting of all senior officers and explain what has occurred."
"Oh." Replied Jenny.
A pause.
"Suppose you can let me and Marisa in on it now?" She asked. "Since we're already here?"
Ha! Marisa decided then and there that she really admired Jenny. The girl had brass in her ass.
T'Pril actually seemed to be considering it. Enough that Marisa decided she could divide her attention between flying and a little bit of exposition after all.
Having come to a decision, T'Pril turned in her seat as well, facing West directly herself.
"I received information prior to our departure from Jupiter Station that an individual residing at the Medical Institute was in possession of a Romulan encryption device. Which he used to relay intelligence to them. I was offered the opportunity to retrieve it."
Whoa. Que chingados?
"Who did you receive that information from?" West asked.
"That is precisely the question I attempted to avoid by procuring the device alone." T'Pril replied. "And so I will respond now as I realize I should have originally, had I properly informing the senior staff of my intentions. By not answering."
Jenny frowned at that…but recognized there probably wasn't anything she could say to it.
"So did you get it?" She asked instead.
"Indeed." T'Pril said simply.
Jenny suddenly turned around swiftly to confront P'Trell. "You couldn't let us in on this, Rex? Don't you think we needed to know?" It was clear she was hurt by the perceived betrayal.
P'Trell raised a hand in supplication. "I didn't know myself until now, vithi." He assured. "I knew only that the Captain intended something, not what. And even that only just before she made the attempt."
West slumped back in her seat then to think it over.
"Well, I'm not going to ask to see it." She said at last. "But what are we going to do with it now that we've got it? Turn it over to Starfleet Intel?"
"Disposition of the device has already been arranged." T'Pril replied. "However, I intend to forward a full scan and a copy of the encryption algorithm to Starfleet Intelligence."
"So Starfleet Intel isn't your source…"
Marisa realized suddenly that a warning indicator was flashing on her console. Trying to draw her attention to something she should have already noticed.
Giving it her attention finally, she realized she probably should have focused on flying after all.
NX-35 Vigilant
Vulcan Orbit
"Hm…Commander…" Achilla hesitated. "Probably nothing, but…"
"Spill it, Chilly." Henry ordered, when she dithered a second too long.
"Well, I've got a contact about 100k out from Shuttle Two." She said. "Just came out of nowhere."
Henry sat up straighter at that. "What do you mean 'came out of nowhere'?" He demanded.
"Looks like…" Her hands played across the Tactical console for a moment. "I guess they were over the Forge until just now. Above the dampening field there, so they didn't show on passive sensors…"
"What's it doing, Ensign?"
"Just…moving the same general direction as Shuttle Two…three quarter speed…" She replied. "Looks like…standard civilian shuttle. Almost on intercept, but not quite."
"Scan it."
"Sir?" Trindi said, surprised.
"You heard me, Ensign."
"Yes, sir…"
"Commander." Summer supplied. "Vulcan Air Control might not appreciate…"
"They'll get over it. Trindi?"
"Having some trouble, sir…" Achilla was biting her lip now, trying to get the scan to make any sense…
"You accountin' for atmo deflection, Chilly?"
"Damn! Sorry, sir. Hold on…"
Ride it all to hell. Chilly was supposed to be third Tactical. Barely knew how to find theTactical Station, much less how to operate it. She was security, not bridge Tac'. But they had no second and Rexas, damn his hide, was off gallivantin' with the Captain…
"Their armed, Sir!" She exclaimed. "Some kind of missile! I think…"
"Confirm, Ensign!"
"Uh…confirmed. Low grade missile system…"
"Sum'bitch!" He exclaimed. "Tactical alert. Power weapons, lock on 'em."
"I…yes, sir." Achilla acknowledged. "Sir, I'm third Tac…"
"Shut up and do it, Chilly. Summers, warn Shuttle Two, then contact Vulcan Air Control and notify them."
"Tactical alert! All hands to battle stations! This is not a drill!"
"Helm, tie in with Tac'. Help her out."
"Yes, sir." Hsiao replied tightly, hands playing across his console.
"Sir, VAC wants to know why we're…" Summers began.
"Tell 'em, dammit!" Henry barked. "Report, Tac!"
"Uh…they're on intercept with Shuttle Two now…" Achilla was begin to sweat. "Oh, god! They just fired on Shuttle Two!"
"Focus, Chilly. Get me that lock!" Henry ordered.
"Yes, sir!…Sir, we can't fire into Vulcan airspace…" She began.
"Now, Chilly!"