Explanations

Posted on Friday 21 May 2021 @ 15:50 by Captain Melody Jones & Lieutenant Marbim Rejal

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: USS Merlin
Timeline: MD7 1200
2373 words - 4.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Having been inoculated Melody and Commander Rajel has returned to the ship. Melody wanted the XO to be present when she spoke to Lieutenant McPhee and the pair headed straight for the bridge.

When they reached the bridge. Melody walked over to Mathias. "Lieutenant. It's good to see you again. Ships status report please."

Mathias having been lost in thought, seated in the command seat and staring out towards space he jumped and looked up a bit startled. "All is getting back up to par, Captain and Commander. There is still a bit of work to be done but it is being taken care of swiftly and brilliantly. All hands on deck have reported in their status. And welcome back. I have the full details here." handing the PaDD to Melody and also standing up from the command chair.


Melody accepted the PADD and after hearing his report, Melody gestured to her ready room. "Would you please join the commander and me."

Mathias gave a nod, his shoulders slumping slightly as he had the feeling of foreboding. He straightened up his shoulders though and followed in after the Captain and the XO.

Miles appeared upset and was mumbling to himself in Cardassian as they entered the Ready Room.

As they entered Melody indicated for the others to take a seat, as she did herself behind her desk. "So Lieutenant, Would you like to explain why you beamed up from a planet infected with, what was then unknown disease and potentially expose the entire ship to it?"

Mathias waited until she was seated then took his seat. "Captain, I did what I felt was necessary. I wasn't of much use being there, there was no communication between us and the ship. And I had a feeling, a very strong feeling that something was wrong. And... it was.. So terribly wrong." his voice cracked with heartfelt emotion. "I am not sorry I left without permission. I would do it again without hesitation." Mathias growled out. His hands closing into fists. "Do whatever you wish to with me, but only after she is found."

Melody held a hand up. "Woah, back up a minute. After who is found? Are you talking about Commander Miller? Where is she anyway?"

"Melody... I mean Captain, she's gone!" Mathias's voice broke with emotion. "I arrived just in time to say goodbye to her and she made me Second officer. She had gotten word that her grandmother was dying and wanted Caroline to be with her until the end. Then she left. Later on when a new counselor came I received this.." bringing out his PADD and handing it to Melody with his good hand. "Imagine my horror in receiving that message: Help, SOS. It's from Caroline...I fear the worse has happened. What else could go wrong, Captain? You getting kidnapped, the explosion on the planet, making a deal with a she devil, leaving without permission and Caroline leaving and finding that?"

Miles stopped grumbling, "Wait, where did this communication come from and where did the ship go that Caroline left on? I thought I told you to monitor all ships entering and leaving the area..."

Mathias looked at Miles, "Sir, Caroline leaving happened before that order came. Things happened so quickly. When I arrived on the ship, she immediately beamed me into the ready room, we said our tearful goodbyes and she made me the second officer. She then left, I had no clue that the ship she was going on, supposedly to go be with her grandmother in her final days wasn't what it seemed. The new counselor had come on that ship, not knowing that the ship he came on would be the instrument of her leaving and also not taking Caroline to see her grandmother. " he stated, "And when I was taking care of Counselor Bumble cursory reporting in, I was making tea, for him a bitter lemon, sat down at that very seat." nodding towards where Melody was seated, "I noticed a message was sent to me and I opened it and to my dismay, it was the SOS, a plea for help."

Miles reached out and put his hand on Mathias's arm. "Well find her my friend. I can only assume that this is more trouble caused by the Mirror Universe criminal. We need to figure out which warp trail belongs to that ship and try to follow it, or at least send a probe after it." Miles looked to Melody for her input, concern on his face.

"As much as I would love to put the blame for all of the trouble at the feet of MU Fox, I think that this deal with Caroline, is something else entirely. If MU Fox had the ship come take Caroline, and along with her, I don't think I would have had that sort of deal making with her. She could have taken me with her, having had me beamed up and I wouldn't be here talking to you two at this time. Sure she is smart, devious, and loves to have control over the situation. However, MU Fox doesn't have that sort of reach that would have entailed kidnapping Caroline. MU Fox was desperate and she was controlling the area she could control until she found a way out. And she found it. And not by that ship." Mathias stated firmly.

Melody shared Rajel’s concern. “We can track the ship that took Caroline by following its warp trail. It should be in the sensor log then we can...” she stopped at she picked up on something Mathias has said “Wait a minute! What do you mean you made a deal with MU Fox? You spoke to her?”

"Yes, I spoke to her as she held a weapon on me. And the deal was what I needed to make to get you back, Melody. At first, she wanted me to get her 100,000 bars of gold pressed latinum. I told her I could get it but it would take time. Apparently, she was desperate to get off the planet. Instead, she decided to change her deal to a thousand gold pressed latinum and a runabout, and I agreed. She gave me the information but I still had to do the deal. It was figured that Ransa could possibly have something he was willing to give up. I had help, I pressed Lance Corporal Pearl Bijoux to help me, we got the money, and the runabout. Then I sent Pearl to go take what information I had gotten. Bijoux took the information to Scarlet while I waited for MU to arrive. She did and I gave her the case that had what she requested. She gave me more information which led to helping you be rescued, without any more loss of life. I figured to immediately take it to Scarlet." he paused and looked at Melody, hoping that they would, could understand why he did what he did.

Melody exchanged a worried look with Rajel. “Erm Lieutenant…. I think you’ve been deceived here. Not only was MU Fox responsible for creating the disease on the planet, but she was also in charge of the mercenaries that attacked us. She also killed the colony administrator in cold blood. Do you know where she is?”

"Wait... what? She was the instigator of the emergency? She was the boss of the mercenaries? She... killed Ransa?!" Mathias made to rise from his seat but his legs gave out, him collapsing back into the chair. "How... did... he...die?" he croaked out, feeling like a new level of a nightmare creeping upon him.

Melody took a breath. "She made a security recording of the whole event. Apparently, she wanted his family to watch him die." She took another breath. "Not... Well..." Melody finally said, which was a major understatement. "She used a Varon T disruptor on him." Melody felt she did not have to go into details as she was aware that Mathias knew about the slow, agonizing death that the weapon caused and saw no need to run salt into the wound. "So she betrayed the people she had hired in order to save her own skin. No wonder she wanted to get off the planet as fast as she could." Melody shook her head "Unfortunately, I can't say this surprises me. It sounds like something she would do. Was there a tracker with the gold or on the runabout?"

Mathias felt like a knife had been stabbed into his very heart, Ransa dying like that, turned pale, feeling like he was going to faint. "No... and no I didn't put a tracker on the runabout nor the bag of latinum. I didn't know she was like this... I am sorry I failed Captain. I hadn't thought of putting a tracker. I just wanted to get you rescued..." he covered his eyes with his uninjured hand, feeling like he was having some difficulty in breathing.

"Calm down Lieutenant. She played her hand well." Melody said as she reached under her desk and produced glass and a bottle of Aldebaran whisky. She poured a generous measure and placed it in front of him. "Here. Drink this." She placed her hand on his, trying to treasure him "Look, forget about MU Fox. If she had found a tracker, I'm guessing she would have not taken kindly to it. No doubt she'll give us an opportunity to apprehend her in the future. Right now, the Marines are rounding up the mercenaries on the planet's surface. I'm guessing that after she betrayed them some might be willing to give us information on her. The Doctor has the disease under control. Our next priority should be finding Caroline."

Mathias nodded, taking the drink almost spilling it due to his hand shaking, he tossed it back then set the empty glass down. "Thank you." his breathing calming down.

"Look, Lieutenant, It's been a long day and an even longer night. Get some rest. Let the marines do their thing and then we'll find Commander Miller."


"I think I will go check in on Doctor Kyhl and see if she can check out my arm, first. Then try to get some sleep." rising from the chair feeling a bit stronger. "Welcome home, both of you, and we have to find her." giving a nod.

"Yes, we will find her Lieutenant. Dismissed." Melody said.

Mathias made to leave, then paused, "One thing that I had forgotten until now, is that our new counselor, he stated that he came on the ship that was supposed to take Caroline to her grandmother, and it operated out of SB 308. He said that he had sent out some feelers to get a ride to here and one offered to bring him here. The name of the ship was, Psema, a privately owned vessel. I hadn't heard of the ship before but my aunt may have heard of them. However, I will speak with you later." with that Mathias left the ready room.

Melody turned to Rajel after Mathias had left. "Your thoughts commander?"

Miles sighed, "I know it's wrong, but Cardassia has it right, these Mirror Universe people need to be dealt with and harshly. Now, we know that this MU Fox planned the virus for both the Merlin and the planet. I'd like to know how she got past our computer's security. As you said, I feel like she is up to more than what we just witnessed. She sounds very skilled at manipulating those around her to do what she wants so her hands are clean so to speak. I also watched the video of Ransa's death. She used a disruptor, one that is illegal in almost every system. It's a slow and painful death. My other question would be, did she draw us here initially for a reason other than what she's pulled, or were we her test subjects so she can pull this stunt with another vessel. Her with a starship under her control makes me worried. I'd like to know more about who is after Caroline if it isn't Fox."

Melody thought for a moment. "When she was on board the Andromeda, she impersonated the first officer so she's obviously gained a lot of knowledge on our security protocols and Starfleet procedures. As to if this was a trap for us specifically, I'm not sure. It was just a coincidence that Starfleet chose us to answer the colony's distress call. All I know is that she's out there and we have to find her but right now, the safe return of Commander Miller takes priority.


Caroline was lured onto that ship by someone who had knowledge of her, so it suggests someone with who Caroline might have had prior dealings. I'm, going to look back through her service and personnel records, see if I can get any clues from them. Get tactical and science on investigating the sensor logs to locate the warp signatures of that ship that abducted Caroline, then may I suggest Commander, that you get some rest yourself. You had a pretty intense experience on the planet also." She added with a supportive smile.

Miles nodded, "Yes Mam. As your XO, you also need rest and to see your family. I don't know what happened up here, but it can't have been good." Miles stood up and grinned at Melody, tapping his comm badge he asked, "Computer, what's the location of Commander Tillitax?" A female voice answered, =^=Commander Tillatix is on the Flight Deck=^=. "If it's alright with you, I'm going to surprise my fiance, I'm not sure she knows we're back on board."

Melody laughed. "OF course Commander and yes, I will be getting some rest too. I've just got our new security chief to see first and bring up to speed on current events."



OFF:

●● Lieutenant Mathias McPhee
Chief Operations Officer
USS Merlin


●●●● Captain Melody Jones
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin


○●● Lieutenant Commander Marbim Rejal
Executive Officer
USS Merlin