USS Edinburgh – Bridge – 1145

“We’ve got 95% of the crew reported in and we’re working on finding the remaining 10 crewmen, Lieutenant.”  Ensign McCafferty showed the first officer the remaining names as she stood by him in the alcove station at the rear of the bridge.  “We’re reliably informed where 5 of them are, but the last 5…we’re still trying to track them down.”  

Reid thanked him, stepped back onto the bridge, and soon sat in the chair to the right of her CO.  “We’re down to five missing without any kind of clues.”  She handed him a PADD, “Five are most certainly stuck in an infirmary and detained by security.  We’re basing that on injuries sustained in a bit of a scuffle last night on the promenade.  All five are crewmen and are part of the security team.”

Harris glanced over the PADD. “See if we can get the charges transferred to us along with the offenders to our sickbay. I suspect Mr. Kondo will have plenty to say to them and punishments to hand out.”  She accepted the PADD back and returned to the alcove stations.  The CO stood and walked to the front station where Ensign Prentice was busy working his console, “How are you feeling about this, Ensign?”

Will glanced up, “I’m feeling…good.  Been practicing with the command sequences on the holodeck and programming commands as I go so I can work the board better.  I appreciate you putting me on the duty roster for the first shift, sir.”

“It seemed the right thing to do.  Check in with engineering and see where we’re at.”  The ensign slipped on his earpiece and tapped at his console.  Harris returned to the center chair but did not sit.  He’d made a habit of waiting to take the seat, and he wasn’t sure what it meant or if there was a purpose…it just seemed like the thing to do as the ship’s commander.  The morning had started off well enough but the remaining crew missing bothered him.  They’d probably get the five idiot security officers moved, but the remaining five mystery wasn’t as easy to shake off.  What had happened to them?  He finally sat in his chair, and tapped at the consoles on the arms.  He still had work to do.

Reid had moved to sit next to McCafferty as she worked with him to track down the remaining five.  “It says here they were scanned onto a Raven class transport yesterday morning here,” she pointed at the screen as the map traced their departure point and calculated the distance to Starbase Bravo.  “They should have arrived six hours ago.”  She returned her hands to the console and drew up sensors reports, communications reports, and wherever else she could find.  “Ships don’t just disappear like that…especially in Federation space.”

“Lieutenant? I have something.”  The Romulan Chief Science Officer called from her station and Reid saved her scans and walked to the science station back on the bridge.  Thasaz pointed to a map section and the various readings she was able to extrapolate, “You see here, and there?  Those are faint warp signatures.  Romulans are notorious for masking signatures and hiding things from prying eyes.” She let out a dry chuckle, “Thankfully, I don’t care a damn measure about them, so their secrets are yours now.”  She tapped the console once more, “You see?  The signature of that Raven class is still faintly detected…and right there…that’s a Romulan ship’s signature.  They’re getting better at hiding these things.”

Reid felt her mouth drop open, “You’re saying a Romulan ship went into Federation Space and…did what to our crew?”  Harris overheard the discussion and stood beside his FO.

Thasaz sighed, “Whoever is doing this isn’t part of the main Romulan Empire…or even the Reman.  There are plenty of governors, commanders, and more that have ships of their own, even fleets.  When the Empire broke apart, everything scattered.”  She tapped at the console, “Something happened to that Raven and my gut tells me they’re not going to make it on time.”

Harris felt his stomach sour and gestured to her ongoing screen, “Lieutenant, compile that information and send it to my console.”  He returned to his chair and asked Prentice, “Hail Starbase Bravo Command and mark it priority one.”  A nod was his response and a moment later a fleet admiral filled the screen.

=^=Commander Harris.  Report=^=

Ambrose took the report from Thasaz and sent it to the Admiral, “Sir our Chief Science Officer has reason to believe that our remaining five officers who were in transit to Bravo have been compromised by an unknown force.  We have a theory but we’d like to investigate the matter.”

The grey-haired Admiral pulled up the date on his console and his frown deepened as he read.  “This is not good news, Commander.  Your request is granted.  You have my personal clearance to depart as soon as we’re done speaking.  Keep us updated with regular transmissions.  Bravo out.”

A science officer next to his chief muttered, “Shit,” and then immediately reddened.

“I’ll forgive that one, ensign as this is our first day on this bridge together.”  The officer, properly chastened, turned back to his station with a look of thanks.  Harris returned to his center chair, “Mr. Prentice, plot an intercept course to the location our science chief has identified.  Lieutenant Thasaz, task your team with every single sensor record both historical and real-time you can get your hands on…dig into it.  Everyone else – we didn’t expect to be in it this quick…but as we trust in each other as a command team, we trust in you to follow our lead.”  Heads slowly nodded across the bridge and into the alcove.  “Mr. Prentice, maximum warp – get us on our way.”  For the first time, the USS Edinburgh surged forward to warp speed and into whatever was coming next.