Lieutenant Alara Ley as she was now known since her joining; was one of six passengers aboard the Raven-class corvette, being ferried to their new postings aboard the USS da Vinci.  Though in fact she was along for more than just the ride, she also had a job to do.

Few people had ever heard of the Orion woman going by the name of Navaar Orci; more than three years ago, and only a couple of those knew she’d been an Exotic Dancer prior to that.  So how exactly had someone seemingly insignificant become the leader of a small gang of Pirates, and how had she managed to pull of the impossible.

This crew were the only people who’d seen her face recently, and who were in a fit state to describe her in any detail.  Alara had read the reports they’d given back in February of this year, but she wanted to hear things from them, first hand.

She was sitting at one of the tables in the Officers Mess, drinking a cup of black coffee; one of those odd habits Alara had picked up, as it had always been her husband who’d drank the stuff in the past.  Such was the confusing and unorthodox situation of carrying the same symbiont he had.  She was no longer, just herself, she was the seventh host of Ley; Mar her late husband, having been the sixth.  But at the time; there had been no other choice.

‘Why are you nervous?’  It was his familiar voice in her mind; another quark of the joining.  Both reassuring and a little spooky in equal measure.  But it had been that voice that had given her the strength to carry on, and the resolve to request the XO position on the da Vinci, even if others felt it was too soon for her to return to active duty.  But Alara couldn’t just sit around on Trill and mope about; that sort of thing had never been in her nature, and even becoming a host, hadn’t changed that fact.

“I’m not nervous.” She replied. “Why would you think I was?”

‘I know you inside and out, both physically and metaphorically.’  Came the answer. ‘And you do realise you’re talking aloud.’

“Sorry I do that when I’m nerv.” She stopped herself. “Oh, very clever!”  She took another sip of her coffee.

She heard a polite cough indicating that Ensign Harris the ships New Zealand born helm officer, and the person she was waiting to see had just walked in on her talking to herself.

“Mister Harris.” She stood and smiled offering her hand. “Thank you for coming.” It had after all been a request rather than an order, once the young man had shaken her hand.  She offered and grabbed him a drink, topping her own up at the same time.

“So you want to know all about my encounter with this mysterious Orion woman.”

For the next half hour Ensign Harris went thought his recollection of the whole encounter.   How the ships then Chief Engineer Bellbrooke, having been left in overall charge of the ship at the time; had ordered them to go and assist a freighter by the name of Soufrière, breaking orbit around Y’Tec IV to do so.  How on their arrival they’d been boarded by a group of Orion Pirates and their leader who’d announced herself as Navaar Orci.  He was noticeably agitated as he recalled how she’d brutally murdered the Chief on the Bridge, and how he felt his turn would be next.

She’d already heard from Lieutenants Devron and Stuart about their dramatic and daring, successful attempt to retake the ship, which had resulted in the capture of Orci and her cohorts.  What none of them could have suspected; when a vessel baring the name USS Crimson Tide had arrived to take their prisoners, that it was in fact the USS Stavanger, the very Norway-class ship she’d stolen from Number 3 Decommissioning and Storage Facility.  One thing the Lieutenant-Commander didn’t tell any of them, at least for now; was the name of the person who’d arranged for a perfectly functioning and fully armed vessel to be transferred to the facility in the first place.  The very same Thomas Arthur Bellbrooke; who’d been aboard the Jaxartes when it was hijacked.  Alara hated coincidences at the best of times, but this one really stank.

**********

In another part of the ship another of the ‘passengers’ was been given a tour of the little corvette.  Hayley Green had in fact been working at Number 3 Decommissioning and Storage Facility; when the discovery about the missing ship had been made.  Questions had been asked. ‘How could they have all missed the fact that a vessel measuring some 252 metres in length and 156 high, with 11 decks; had completely vanished?’

No one had been able to answer that, it was a big place, things go lost all the time; admittedly not usually something that massive.  Hayley had only been at the site for 8 months, so the ship had already gone by the time she’d joined the staff.  Now though, instead of helping take ships apart, she’d be helping keep one of them running.

Albert Torf was proud of this little ship and all the effort that had been put in to keep it running, despite what had been thrown at her.  So when a fellow engineer had asked to look around; he’d jumped at the chance to give the full guided tour.  He was the third person to hold the position of Chief Engineer aboard the ‘Jax’ in only a year.  It was meant to have only been temporary, but his predecessor and friend was still stuck on the ‘USS Chapel’ which was currently off on a disaster relief mission somewhere along the Cardassian boarder.

Stopping at one of the junctions, Ensign Green turned to the Betazoid Chief. “This is a great little ship you have here.  Can’t be easy for you; with so few engineering staff around to keep everything up and running.”

“It has been a challenge, yes.” But we get there. He tapped on one of the wall panels lightly with his knuckle.

“You do realise that panel is in upside down?” Hayley enquired.

Albert stood for a moment looking first at the panel then at his companion and back at the wall.  There was a vague recollection of a comment like that being made in the past; it had been a joke, he was sure of it.  Then the ‘light bulb’ clicked. “Did Dinari put you up to this?”

“Something may have been mentioned in passing.” She replied innocently.

“How have you got mixed up with that wayward rogue?” Torf asked. “Or don’t I want to know.”

“Let’s just say, he can be very charming.”

“He’s been very charming with a lot of people.”

“It’s not so bad if you pretend you’re the only one!”  Hayley knew very well she wasn’t the only pretty women to get ‘horizontally acquainted’ with the Namibian born Casanova.  She’d been in her last year of cadet training when their paths had crossed.  They had kept in touch since; just the odd message here and there; nothing serious.  Which is how he came knew, she’d be coming aboard the ‘Jax’.  Hayley wondered if Dinari had any idea what a serious relationship looked like.

Any further conversation on the matter; was halted by a ship wide announcement from Ensign Cho. “We’ll be linking up with the da Vinci in just less than one hour.  If all passengers could be prepare for departure and assemble in the transporter room at 15:00, ship time. Thank you.”

**********

It was in fact 57 minutes and 22 seconds when the two Federation vessels finally came within transporter range of each other.   Commander Salan had moved to his ready room, as the other ships Captain wanted a word with him in private,

When the face of Commander Anacostia-Bolling appearing on the screen, she didn’t look exactly pleased.  “Would you mind explaining to me what the heck is going on?” Her voice was stern yet measured.

“I’m not sure I follow you.” The Vulcan answered in his usual calm unflustered manor.

“Eight hours after we’d launched.  Eight hours mind,” She said it twice to emphasize how significate the length of time was.  “I’m sent a message to tell me that even though this is my ship and my mission.  You’re going to be babysitting me!”

“I wouldn’t class monitoring your progress, as babysitting, as you put it.”

“And what would you call it?” Anacostia-Bolling, shouted back.  “If they didn’t think I was capable of commanding a starship, why did they tell me how brilliant I was, and give me the da Vinci?”

“Your conduct of late has been commendable.”

“Of late, may be.  It’s the rest of my career that’s the mess!”

“I can assure you I’m not here to look over your shoulder.  Just to lend support if it’s needed.”

“You Vulcans can be so calm and logical at times!”

“Why thank you Commander.  We do our best”

She couldn’t be sure if that comment was meant to be ironic or not; Vulcans did have a sense of humour hidden under that blank facade of theirs. Blink and you could miss it.  “Ok I’ll play nice and not upset the apple cart.  Just send my crew over, and if you fancy sitting in on my first full staff meeting, it will be in 3 hours from now.”

“That won’t be necessary.  I have ever faith in your leadership.”

Anacostia-Bolling bowed her head slightly. “Very well, da Vinci out.”

Her face was replaced by the Federation logo on the screen.  Salan laced his fingers together; this was certainly going to be interesting.