Mariner spun, dropped to one knee, and aimed her phaser carbine at the figure in the door behind her and T'Lyn. "FREEZE!" The she realized the man standing there was a Vulcan and had already raised his hands, pointing his phaser at the ceiling. "Wh—a Vulcan? Mariner to all points! I think I found our life form."
8
8
Ransom and Boimler found their way into what looked like an office building. The place looked like it had been trashed.
Boimler checked the other rooms and came back to the office. "No sign of anyone, Commander."
"Dammit," Ransom groused. "What the hell is going on here?" He saw Boimler's attention had been drawn to a shelf behind the desk. "What have you got there, Lieutnenant?"
The shelf had a statuette of a Vulcan and a bust of a human with a mustache. Boimler said, "This is strange, commander. The statuette is of Surak, but I don't recognize the human."
"You're talking about the people who adopted chess and acted like they invented it."
"That's true, sir. But I can't think of any human Vulcans would revere as much as Surak."
"Huh. Take them back to the ship. Try and identify who that is."
"You think it's important, commander?"
"I think, Mr. Boimler, that given how this day has gone-"
Mariner's came over their communicators: "Mariner to all points! I think I found our life form."
8
8
The Vulcan male looked to be about T'Lyn's age and was dressed in the tan robes of a Vulcan scientist.
He said, "Forgive me. I thought you might have been one our attackers."
Mariner turned her carbine's muzzle away from the Vulcan and got to her feet. "Should have checked before you shot her."
"My weapon is set on heavy stun. I have a first aid kit. May I be allowed to revive her? It's the least I can do."
Marriner nodded. The Vulcan male knelt next to T'Lyn and rolled her over. "Curious. She looks like someone I knew once." He injected T'Lyn's neck with a hypospray.
T'Lyn's eyes fluttered and she looked up at the Vulcan male. Her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Curious…Sumevini?"
"T'Lyn," the Vulcan said as he helped T'Lyn to her feet. "I thought I recognized you. It is agreeable to see you again."
"Indeed. Mariner. This is Sumevini. He and I studied together at the same learning center when we were younger. Sumevini. Allow me to introduce Lieutenant Junior Grade Beckett Mariner of the U. S. S. *Ceritos.* She is an esteemed colleague and a good friend."
"Indeed," Sumevini said. "Peace and long life to you, Lieutenant."
"Back at ya, Sumevini. So, you and T'Lyn go way back, huh? No way that's a bad omen. What were you doing way out here on this hunk of rock?"
"I-" Before Sumevini could answer, footsteps came from outside. Ransom, Boimler, Shaxs, and T'Ana entered. More introductions followed.
Ransom said, "So, Mr. Sumevini. Who attacked you?"
"I am afraid I have no information you would find useful, Commander Ransom. Although the Kzinti are rumored to operate in this sector."
"They haven't been known to attack Vulcan outposts," Ransom said, "but right now, we can't rule anything out." He turned to Shaxs and T'Ana. "What did you two find?"
Shaxs said, "No survivors, Commander. Only him. No sign of the enemy, either. There is a building on the far side of the compound that's locked and shielded. We couldn't get in."
Sumevini said, "I have many delicate experiments under way. Their safety is paramount."
T'Lyn said, "What experiments? In what field?"
"Biology and genetics."
Mariner said, "Biology research in an off the books outpost in the middle of nowhere?"
"I am sure there is a record of our expedition," Sumevini said. "Most likely this is a clerical error."
Mariner barely hid her skepticism. "Most likely."
"Mariner," Jack admonished.
"Sorry, sir."
Sumevini said, "Her skepticism is understandable. My situation is unusual at face value."
"I suppose. But Lieutenant Marriner will behave herself from now on. Won't you, Lieutenant? Let's get back to the ship."
8
8
After Ransom, Boimler, and Mariner stepped off the transporter pad, Shaxs, T'Ana, T'Lyn, and Sumvini beamed up.
Ransom said, "Mr. Shaxs, show our guest to the sickbay. I want to have a word with Mariner."
The rest of the landing party left, and Ransom nodded to the transporter chief. He left.
Mariner sighed. "I know, Jack, I have a big mouth-"
"Exactly." He softened his voice a little. "Having suspicions isn't a bad thing. Blabbing them in front of our suspect is."
"You think he's on the level?"
"You don't."
"No. He wouldn't be the first Vulcan to go psycho."
"I'm not getting that kind of a vibe off him, but you're right, there are things that don't add up. Do me a favor, ok? Go about your business as normal. If you can't keep your mouth shut, watch what comes out of it. If he's legit, he'll chalk it up to you being a crazy human. If not, we give him enough rope to hang himself."
"And hope the rope doesn't get around our own necks."
"Got a better idea?"
"Nope."
"So?" Ransom prompted.
"Eyes and ears open, don't say anything crazier than normal."
"Not the answer I was looking for, but I'll take it. Let's go see the doc."
8
8
"You're ok," T'Ana said, passing her medical scanner over T'Lyn. She and Sumevini were sitting on biobeds. Mariner, Ransom and Shaxs stood to one side. T'Ana went on, "That Vulcan cranium of yours doesn't even have a dent in it. You and Mariner can return to duty."
T'Lyn got off her biobed. As she and Mariner stood to leave, Nurse Westlake came over to T'Ana. "Doctor?"
"Ah." She accepted a PADD from Westlake. "Sumevini, your test results are in."
"Tests?" Sumevini asked.
Mariner and T'Lyn stopped by the door. Mariner echoed, "Tests?"
"Just few minor things," T'Ana said. She took a deep breath and started reading from the PADD: "Well, Sumevini, you're a Vulcan, which means you are not one of the varieties of shape shifters we have on file." (Out of the corner of her eye, T'Ana could see Mariner smile and shuffle nervously.) "You have no Romulan DNA lineages and there's no sign of cosmetic surgery. You don't have a brain parasite. There's no metaphasic energy. Your telepathic neurotransmitters are normal-"
"Forgive me, Doctor, but these do not sound like standard tests."
"No, Sumevini, these are extra tests requested by-"
"Starfleet regulations!" Mariner interrupted quickly. "You know, those wild and whacky Starfleet regulations. They still have regs on what you can and can't feed the captain's beagle."
"Yeah," T'Ana said, reveling in Mariner's barely hidden embarrassment, "regulations."
Sumevini said, "I see."
Ransom managed to conceal his own amusement. "Sumevini, the captain wants to see you."
After T'Lyn, Mariner, Ransom, and Sumevini had left, Westlake said to T'Ana, "Think Mariner will pay you back?"
"Oh, yeah," T'Ana smiled. "But after dealing with per paranoia all these years, it'll be worth it."
8
8
"I wish I could tell you more, Captain," Sumevini said. He was sitting in a chair on the other side of the desk from Captain Freeman. Ransom stood to one side, and Shaxs was by the door. "But unfortunately, I do not have any information you would find useful."
"That's a shame, Mr. Sumevini-"
"Sumevini, Captain-"
"—unpronounceable Vulcan last names, right. But as far we can tell, your attackers used standard phasers and photon torpedoes. It was a heluva firefight, but other than that, without more eyewitness testimony, we may never narrow down who they are."
"Most unfortunate. But given Starfleet's success in solving similar mysteries, it is logical to conclude that you will eventually identify the miscreants."
Freeman smiled a little bit. "Thank you for the vote of confidence."
"You are welcome. Captain, I would like to return to the planet. I have several experiments in progress that will require my personal attention."
"I'm sorry, Sumevini. We won't be able to guarantee your safety if you're planetside. We've arranged quarters for you aboard ship, until we're certain there's no further danger. Mr. Shaxs will show you to your cabin. You'll be our guest for the time being."
Sumevini looked at Shaxs, then back to Freeman. "A guest?"
"Yes, of course. Other than not allowed access to sensitive areas, you may enjoy the facilities aboard our ship. Lt. T'Lyn has said our replicators are satisfactory at making Vulcan food."
"That will be acceptable. Thank you, Captain."
After Shaxs led Sumevini out, Freeman turned serious and said, "What do you think, Jack?"
"Marriner doesn't like him."
"Marriner doesn't like anybody. She's come a long way, but she still has issues."
"I know. Problem is, her instincts are rarely wrong. And something about this isn't adding up."
"I know. But we can't lock him up on a feeling. But we can keep him where we can keep our eyes on him."
8
8
"Thank you, Mr. Shaxs," Sumevini said.
Seeing he was dismissed, Shaxs left.
Sumevini surveyed the room, then crossed to the console at the replicator…