240011.10.0600

Lt.Talibah walked out of the bunkhouse, holding a cup of coffee in one hand and a pastry in the other, that the teams from the Osiris had been given as a place to use as both quarters and office. “Well I give you that, nothing beats waking up and smelling the crisp morning air of a planet.”

“ That’s the truth, ma’am. The area reminded me so much of home that I decided to grab a couple blankets and my pillow and sleep out here on this porch.” A sleepy eyed human said from the floor of the porch and slightly behind her against the wall.

“Oh, good morning..”

“Chief Samples ma’am, engineering”

“Ah, yes. Well good morning chief.“ She uses the hand holding the coffee cup and points at the surrounding area. “ Reminds you of home, you said? Where is that?”

“Alaska ma’am. Mom and pops run a hunting and fishing guide business so we were always out and about. The family owns a few cabins not much different in their use than this bunk house. Only think missing ma’am is a fire to warm your feet and the sounds. Nothing like the sounds of the Alaska wilderness to put you right to sleep.”

“Hmmm yes, so I’ve heard. You know if you want we could ask if they would allow us to build a fire pit area. I remember reading that were often used for communal activities, Singing and storytelling were two popular ones if I recall.”

“Yes, ma’am. We always did that at night as a way to pass the night and bring an end to the night before everyone hit the sack. I’ll have to ask the folks I’m working with sometime, guess it can’t hurt to ask.”

“Nope, it never hurts to ask.” She said while taking a bite of the pastry and drinking from the cup.”

“Anymore of that ma’am” As he ran a hand through his hair.

“Well the coffee is from the replicator so always plenty of that, the pastries were left on the table inside, I’m guessing they must be setting up some sort of a communal eating facility here. They seem to be a cross between a doughnut and a croissant, they’re actually quite good. May have to ask them for the recipe.”

“ Ugh, replicator coffee. We will have to do something about that. Cant have the scenery ruined by that.” he started to get up and then realised he was in nothing but his boxers.“Oh, ummmm sorry ma’am should have warned you.”

Her eyes went wide for a second as she hid a smile behind her coffee cup.” Nothing to be sorry about, chief. I disturbed you, remember.” she chuckled as he tried to wrap himself in the blanket and make his way inside, couldn’t help but to turn and look as he made his way inside. Hiding another smile.

“ Oh, ma’am. Lt. Mathison said we should inform you if we see anything peculiar,” the chief said from inside. “Well, last night I could have sworn I heard some movement in the woods towards the right of the bunkhouse’s porch. When I looked that way I saw some shadows a little ways in the woods. I don’t think it was the local wildlife, it didn’t sound right. Spend enough time in the woods and you know when something sounds or looks out of place.”

Lt.Talibah looked in that direction. “Hmmmmmm. Do you think you could show Lt. Skagath, where you think you saw them?”

“Yes ma’am” he said as he walked back towards the bunkhouse entrance, now wearing his uniform pants and boots with a pastry in one hand.

“Ok’ I’ll have him get with you later today. Don’t say anything about this to anyone just yet.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She walked back inside, grabbed another pastry and went to the smaller round table that she had claimed as her work desk and started to read her PADD.

“How long have you been up, Lieutenant?” 

“Since around six this morning, I’ve just been reading through the morning reports.”

She looked up to see the Doc putting a plate with a pastry on the table and sitting down with a cup of coffee, or was it a raktajino. “ ahhh anything new from the Osiris and the team they have putting together one of these subspace trumpets?”

“Yes there is an update, i had just finished it and was going to look for you when i had finished the whole morning report. Looks like they will be ready to test it tomorrow and they wanted to know if both the counsellor and yourself would be available? What should I tell them?”

“Tell them that if they try to turn that machine on with me being there and I’ll make sure that the next time they need medical attention I’ll find the newest member of my medical staff to draw their blood.”

“Oooohh ok, so i’ll just put you down as available and ready when they are.” she chuckled.

“ So I’m scheduled to do a walk through of the hospital compound with my counterparts who have been standing it up, would you care to join me Number one.”

“Sure, I would be glad to. That was on my list of things to do.”

The Doc took a long sip from her cup.”Ok, I’m supposed to meet with them at 0800 at the arched entrance to the compound.”

“Ok” she took another sip of her coffee and then looked at the chrono on her PADD.” gives me enough time to shower.”

“I was just thinking the same thing as soon as I finished this pastry and Raktajino. I’ll walk with you ma’am unless you have other things to do before then.”

“Nope, nothing else on the agenda this morning. Was just going to tag along with the engineers.” As she stood and walked into the bunk room.

Cousellor Sia walked into the main room, made her way towards the replicator, ordered a double espresso and grabbed two of the pastries.

“Told you trying to outdrink that Ferengi was not a good idea.”

“Pruzax, I don’t need you starting on me this morning”

“Hmpf, you’re not the only one in here you know.”

“I’m aware. But hey we had to be diplomatic and he did say that  Starfleet officers were weak and pathetic. I had to prove him wrong, didn’t I.” GRRRppla GRRRP. “ oh, crap. Excuse me” She bolted out the door and barely made it to the edge of the porch.”

“That’ll teach you. That wasn’t synthol, you know.”

“I’m aware.” as she made her way back to the table, sat down and started to eat the pastries and drink her espresso.

“I didn’t make any other mistakes last night did I?”

“Ummmmm, well you did try to drunkenly flirt with that guy who was trying to sleep on the patio. Not one of your best attempts if i may say so myself”

“Uggghhhhhh.”

The Doc walked over and gave her a hypospray without even asking. “Not for you counsellor, more to save Pruzax from having to go through the day living with the effects of the stunt you tried to pull last night. If it was up to me I’d tell you it was your own actions not mine so you get to live with the consequences.”

“Doc, has anyone ever told you that your bedside manner sucks.”

“All the time, I just remind them that I’m half Klingon and to live with it.” 

“I told you I like her, typical Klingon straight and to the point no BS.”

The counsellor chuckled at this. “Doc, you have a fan.” she pointed at her head

She chuckled “Thank you, Pruzax”

240011.10.1800

USS Osiris – Captain’s Ready Room

“As you can see from the report sir, Skagath and Chief Samples were able to find boot prints in the area that the Chief believed he saw the movement. From what they could figure out through their observations it was three humanoids going in a northwesterly direction.”

Kr’Antren looked up from his PADD and pulled up a map of the site on his LCARS. “I find it just as interesting though that while they were, how did he put it ah yes, looking for possible locations for recreational activities. They found another set of tracks heading in the opposite direction on the other side of the site and that these tracks were also three humanoids, two different from the first set, the third being the same. What does that say to you?”

Lt. Talibah pulls up the map on her LCARS and highlights the two sets of tracks. “ Looks to me like we have a local acting as a guide, maybe two, people who know the area, know where to walk and where not to, people who know where and when folks will be in the area. Which means they would have to be part of the sites construction teams.”

Kr’Antren balls up one of his hands and lightly bangs it on his desk. “Exactly, lets see what science can find on the scans, next we need to figure out who and why?”

“Yes, sir. What about the Ferengi side?”

He relaxed his hand and then sat  back and steepled his hands in front of him resting his head on them. “We need to catch them somehow, we can’t just make accusations against them with nothing to back it up.” He pulls up a crew roster on his PADD. “Ahhhh there we go, Lt. Zenzo the transporter chief and deputy operations officer. He handed  the PADD to his number one. “Could Skagath and you work with that?”

She read through his file and started to chuckle. “Yes, I do believe we could. Just have to figure out how to get him in. Hmmmm know anyone with a spare ship laying around?”

“Not sure if hand, but I heard a rumour that the Vondem Rose was seen at the wormhole.”

“I’ve heard stories, sir.”

“Haven’t we all”

“However, they would be a final answer. Let’s see what we can come up with on our own first.”

“Yes, sir”

“Next on the agenda, the asteroid issue.”

“Yes, sir”

“If you’re ok on the surface, I’m going to take the Osiris and go have a look. See what we can find. That ensign has a good idea, one that I think will work.”

“I believe so, I’ve looked over his work. Smart, extremely good at what he does, liked by his peers, has a thing for older ships.”

“I’ll send down a few more crew, including a couple more security with investigative experience and the Desert Sands.

“I can work with that”

“The doc and counsellor will go with us, I’m being told the team we put on the subspace trumpet should have one ready to go by the time we get to the asteroid site. I want them there to monitor that device and be there for what we may find if we get in that dome.”

“I can make that work, Skagath?”

“He can stay on your team, till we need him. Use him number one. He may be a crotchety ol’tellarite but he knows his job and other then you he probably has the most experience looking in places that no one else would think to look.”

She chuckled at this. “I don’t think he would let us do anything else.”

“That’s true.”

Kr’Antren knocked his knuckles on the table, it’s becoming a new habit he guessed. “Ok than number one, I believe we are finished here. We will leave for the asteroid site at 0800 tomorrow morning. Get whatever supplies and personnel you need and start moving them to the surface.”

“Yes, sir”