USS Alexia

Alexia class Strike Carrier

NCC 61667

Main Sickbay

Rei walked into the small yet busy sickbay and kept a smile on her face. Alexia's small medical staff had taken serious damage today, with the CMO and most of the ship's senior medics perishing aboard Raptor 2-7.

Ani Kizuna, who held the bridge science officer station, was pulling double duty as acting CMO, if only because her undergraduate elective had been the first two years of nursing school.

Ani looked up from her desk and nodded at Rei. "Captain. Here to see our guest?"

"If he's up to it. How's he doing?" Rei asked as she sat down.

Ani pulled up his charts on her terminal. "The Orions punctured one of the tanks on his environmental suit before they beamed out to space. Suffering from minor vacuum exposure and burns. He'll be alright with post-exposure therapy."

Rei nodded, taking an effort to keep her anger in check. "Orion bastards. Any idea who he is?"

"According to his records from the Faetor, his name is Litax. I can't pronounce the Romulan name for it, but he serves in something like a Merchant Navy for the Republic. Runs officially chartered cargo that he collects a percentage of. No military records. Has a wife on New Romulus. I already called her on QC to keep her in the loop. When he's well enough to travel, she'll send a shuttle to pick him up."

"Has he said anything at all about his cargo or mission?"

Ani sighed, "He won't talk to anyone except Leftenant Rela. Typical for Romulans. Secrets about secrets."

Rei let a small smile creep across her face, "You sound like you know from experience, Ani."

Ani returned the smile, "My mom served as one of Admiral Grax's aides during the battle of Betazed. I grew up on Challenger, his flagship, and one of the first memories I have was playing with my ball and running smack into Tomalak's leg."

"Ouch," Rei cringed, "That must have been scary."

Ani shrugged, "He was nice enough to me. Gave me my ball back anyway. Of course, this is all before he went full Augustus Prelate and Imperial Romulan State."

"I don't doubt it. Did you know Grax very well?"

"He signed my graduating thesis, and we play poker on the weekends. I'll say Hi for you next time I talk to him."

Rei stood up, "Awesome. Keep up the good work Ani, I might even promote you."

"You damn well better, Skipper. Talk to you later."

Rei walked out of the CMO's office and over to the bio-beds. Rela watched as she walked up and snapped off a picture perfect salute.

"Captain Ma'am!"

Rei returned the salute, "At ease, Leftenant. Veisa hwi?"

"Close, Skipper. Your grammar is off. Since you're the Riov, and I'm just an Arrian, the proper superior to inferior question is Veisa khia?"

Rei shook her head, "I'll get it right one day. How's our guest?"

Litax leaned himself up on the bio-bed. He coughed hard for a few moments and looked at Rela, who offered a polite nod.

"Jolan Tru, Riov," he said with a raspy voice.

"Jolan Tru. My name is Captain Rachel Nechayev. You're aboard the Federation Starship Alexia. Are you up for some questions, Sir?" Rei asked as she sat down next to his bed.

"I suppose I can manage, but you'll forgive me if I don't shake your hand, Riov. It still hurts to breathe," Litax said, stretching out and clearly uncomfortable.

After stretching, he pre-empted Rei, "If I may though, I wasn't aware that Rihanns were now serving in Starfleet?"

Rela chuckled, "Actually, Khieu Ghekka. I'm the very first. Tell everyone you know about me. I'll be the most famous of all Rihann!"

"Varuul," Litax shot back, coughing as he did.

Rei smiled, but pressed on with business, "I'm sure the two of you can debate this forever. But If I may, I need to know what happened here. Why did the Orion Space Navy attack you? And what was so special about your cargo?"

"The Orions have been raiding convoys in this sector for some time now, Riov. The presence of their military is unexpected, but being as corrupt as they are, it's hardly a surprise," Litax replied.

"I'm not sure what you mean?" Rei asked.

Litax laughed slightly, but coughed more, "Oh, Riov, don't make me laugh. Lloann'na might be a happy little paradise of fat bureaucrats and military officers of the upmost integrity and personal character, but the rest of the universe still needs to work for a living."

Litax straightened out and turned his tone more serious, "The Orion military is an arm of the Syndicate in everything but name, little Hevam. For the right amount of latinum or favours, one can hire an entire battle fleet of the OSN for one's own use. Not to say they aren't without competition of course. Indeed, Black Star ECS has all but driven them out of the Alpha Quadrant. The Syndicate has been forced to… diversify."

"Elaborate that point if you would," Rei ordered, politely.

Litax sighed, "You can't really be this naive, can you?"

"Feanna Hevams," said Rela under her breath.

"Pretend I am, feh'il" Rei cursed back.

"Contract killings. Theft and export of military equipment. Ships and men for hire. Smuggling drugs, weapons, supplies, even people. Anything they can earn a living on," Litax explained.

"You sound like you know from experience."

Litax stared at Rei. Not with anger. But from a much colder place.

"You're young. And you had the luxury of growing up on the paradise of Terha. I am no longer young. And I was already a man when Hobus burned Rihanna in white fire. Those were dark years, before the rise of the Republic and the Twin Butchers. I was forced to make… difficult choices. You do what you must to survive, Riov."

The equally cold look in Rela's eye suggested to Rei that she should move on with her questions.

"So, if we wanted to find this Syndicate, or Corsair, what's the best way to do that?"

"Solanna's," Litax said with a small smile, "In the Nerkit Expanse. It's a stopover for us thieves and scoundrels. Officially, the system is non-aligned."

"Unofficially?" Rei asked.

"Unofficially, well. It's not called the Orion Free Colonies without good reason, Riov."

"So, it would seem. And one last thing. Was there anything unusual about your cargo?"

"Unusual in what way?"

Rei sighed, "Unusual in the way that would encourage pirate raids, Captain."

Litax shrugged, "The cargo was picked up from Bolaris. The manifest said computer parts and technical equipment bound for our new friends on Kinshya. Fifteen large and heavy cases, sealed with Federation force field generators."

"You didn't peek?" Rela asked.

"Bad for business, Arrian," Litax replied.

Rei stood up, folded her hands, and offered a polite bow, "I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions today, Riov. Please feel free to call me if you need anything. Jolan Tru."

Rei turned and left Sickbay with Rela following close behind. Outside, leaned against the bulkhead with her arms crossed was Kayla.

"Well, what do you think Kayla?" Rei asked while taking a spot beside the new Major.

Kayla sighed, "He's lying about something. I think he knew what the cargo was. Or at least took a peek."

"Are you a telepath now, Kayla?" Rei teased.

"No," Rela answered, "She just knows things. It's annoying."

Kayla smiled to herself. Even behind a closed door in the corridor, she had heard every word of the conversation as though she had been standing beside the bio-bed. She had smelt the scent of burnt copper from Litax's wounds.

And her eyes could pick out the subtle differences in his breathing patterns when he lied.

"I'm inclined to believe you. Though it strikes me as weird that he would nearly kill himself to set us up," said Rei.

"You're the Captain, Rei. What do you want us to do?" Kayla asked.

"Set up him with guest quarters. He can have full access to the holodecks and the mess hall. But that's it. Can you assign a couple of your Marines to keep an eye on him?" Rei asked in turn.

"Sure. Visible or not?"

"Visible, for now. But I want reports on everything. And make sure to install some snoopers in the room."

Rela nodded at the Captain, "I'll take of that. Captain, Major."

As Rela left to begin her work, Rei tapped her comm badge, "Captain to Bridge. Set a course for the Nerkit Expanse and engage at max warp."

From the bridge, Logan's voice responded in confusion, "Uh, Skipper? That's outside Federation territory."

"I'm aware of that. I'll explain it later, just carry out my orders, Mr. McLeod," replied Rei, annoyed at having to explain herself.

Seconds later, the ship gently shook as she entered maximum warp. Rei involuntarily stretched her arms and yawned deeply.

"You should get some sleep, Rei. Can't have you getting tired on us," said Kayla.

Rei stretched again, "I mean, you're not wrong. I'm just too excited right now. We've got a mission!"

Kayla shook her head, "That's just the adrenaline wearing off. We call it post combat stress. Trust me, you'll need the sleep."

"Fine, fine. I'm going. You're good?"

"Still got a few things to do, but I'm not far behind you. Night, Rei. See ya tomorrow."

Without thinking, Rei again reached for Kayla's hand. The two held on for a long eternity of exactly thirty seconds.

Suddenly, Rei recoiled back, "I… I don't know why I did that. I'm going to bed."

Kayla giggled as she watched Rei scurry away. She could hear the Captain's heart pounding in her chest.

And it was a very nice sound to hear.

─•~:~•─

Captain's Log.

Stardate: 87613.51

We've recovered the Captain of the Romulan freighter Faetor. He was mildly wounded and is currently recovering in sickbay. According to the Romulan Captain, the Orion Syndicate – possibly backed by the Orion Space Navy – attacked and seized their cargo, consisting of computer and technical equipment bound for Kinshya.

At this time, based on my orders from Starfleet Command, I've chosen to continue Operation Blackbeard. Alexia is on course to the Nerkit Expanse to locate Solanna, which may yield further intelligence regarding the nature of these attacks.

Ship and crew are functioning well. End Log.

Supplemental:

Why does Kayla have to look that good? Its distracting.

─•~:~•─