Curiosity & the Cat Part 1

Posted on 10 Jul 2018 @ 10:51pm by Captain Akio Tachibana & Commander S’chqenr T’Jedf Tolkath (Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War) & Lieutenant Commander Iria Taltos & Lieutenant Harry Stevens

Mission: Ne Me'e Laua Na Paio - Heroes & Villains
Location: Taltos's Quarters - Deck 4, USS Hawaii
Timeline: 1230, 16 Jan 2389

[ON]

[Deck 4 - USS Hawaii: Taltos's quarters]

During her work shift, the repairs Iria had been working on with the station personnel in various sections had been mostly routine, she had asked some questions as they worked. While almost all of her questions got fielded to the side and after a while she had given up. Afterwards she spent some time helping a few civilians with some minor problems with their replicators, and food storage units Iria called it a day. Though now, as she was eating her dinner Cajun style tuna salad sandwiches, Iria sat looking at a PaDD of the repairs schedule and that got her wondering more. She looked more deeply at the details.

It was a huge puzzle, Decks 1-400 destroyed. 401-553 were untouched. Partial damage to 554-735 with the undamaged areas being secured. Decks 736 - 957, and Decks 958 - 1033, were destroyed.

Decks 1034 - 1214 and Decks 1215 - 1725, and Decks 1726 - 1945 were completely untouched bafflingly so. Though Decks 1946 - 2400 were nearly destroyed/inactive

Iria looked at the before and after scans of the station again with a frown on her features which for her was unusual. She looked again and started making notes.

With the way the damage was spread out and how some sections had little to no damage at all. Iria shook her head the idea was impossible, but it made sense and more so since the damage should have been played out through the whole station. If it was indeed the same weapon that had previously been used on a ship in which it had destroyed it, completely. The damage pattern and yield didn't match.

The damage was too localized to specific areas while mystiously the civilian areas were barely touched. The important areas such as computer control, operations, security, the R&D development department all gone or damaged areas as restricted.

The only way to be sure was to get better up close detailed, scans that meant an EVA suit and space walking. Admittedly once of her favorite parts of the job that she really did not get to do that often. Iria set aside her PaDD, and plate of sandwiches, and headed out of her quarters, and after a stop in engineering; she requested and got dressed in an EVA suit specialized to her petite size. After she double checked the air supply, the tri-corder, pikcked up her PaDD of notes again, and tools on her belt just in case.

It didn't take as long as she thought to walk outside the damaged areas of the station, mostly because she had only gotten three scans of areas done before the station's security personnel decided she shouldn't be out there.

[Deck 418 - XFY: Makeshift Security Brig ]

Now she sat glaring at the station security officer as she had flattly refused to turn over her tricorder's logs. Instead once she figured that she was being taken to the station's improvesd brig, she had forwarded everything that she had found; from the notes she made, to the completed scans she had run, to the Hawaii's Chief Science officer, Commander, Tolkoth.

Iria wasn't sure of what was going on with the station but she wasn't about to be played a fool. At least sending the information to the Chief of Sciences on the Hawaii meant someone of a higher rank and security level than hers could get some answers.

The Brig door opened and Tolkath arrived, along with Ensign Stevens.

Tolkath had been Bridge Officer when the call came over from XFY Security that they were detaining a member for the crew. He had also received the direct message from Taltos with her scan data. He had been going to pass the matter to Stevens until he happened to glance at the data. What he found there changed his mind, and he decided to come over personally.

"Ensign, please enquire as to the reason for Lieutenant Taltos's detention." He instructed Stevens

Harry walked over to the young officer and said "I'm Ensign Harry Stevens Chief Security officer of the USS Hawaii," giving the young man a smile, he continued" I understand that you have a Lieutenant Taltos in your brig," as he knew this looked bad for the ship and the Captain, as Sif sat next to him.

He finished "May I ask what charge?"

The young brig officer looked up on his screen and said " Ah yes, Lieutenant Taltos has been charged with Article 92 Sir," looking back at Ensign Stevens,

He said," You may both enter Sirs," as the door to the Cells opened and Harry entered followed by Lady Sif.

"Charged, or detained pending investigation?" Tolkath enquired of the brig Officer, interested to learn quite how the Station's Security personnel had managed to carry out their investigation, complete the appropriate documentation and formally charge Taltos in so short a time. Something did not sound quiet right about this.

The officer looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "The charges are still pending." He said quietly.

Tolkath gave Stevens a short look, wondering if the Hawaii's own Security Chief was also concerned at the unusual speed of events.

Harry thought to himself ' first Cortez and now Taltos, do they like making me have a headaches' as he looked back at the science officer, he asked "Explain to us why you are in here Lieutenant?"

Iria gave a shake of her head, "They wanted me to turn over my tri-corder scans and other information. I refused, been having a lovely staring contest since." There was a bit more to it, but her version gave them details without her giving away anything she had sent to Tolkath. She hadn't yet been told fully why she was sitting there, but she wasn't going to give the station's personnel her PaDD or tri-corder unless so ordered by Tolkath, the first officier, or the Captain. The situation didn't sit well with her and she could be more than stubborn plus she was still hungry. Being a brat was more natural when her stomach was rumbling. It let her ignore it until she could eat.

Tolkath listened to Talto's explanation then turned back to the Brig Officer. "And what is the basis for the allegation?" He asked. "Since Lieutenant Taltos was carrying out an Engineering inspection, to assist with repairs to this station, further to the instructions passed on to the Hawaii's crew at the briefing earlier today.

Before the man could reply Tolkath's commbadge beeped.

[Deck 1106 - XFY: Spacecraft Operations ]

Akio was on the station during planning meetings. Part of being a Captain and headed into battle was participating in leadership meetings discussing strategy, commander's guidance, and all sorts of intelligence briefings (or in this case, the lack of intelligence so far). Many of the meetings largely discussed the state of affairs for assets and repair plans for XFY. It was odd not being on the upper decks, yet XFY was still reeling from the attacks.

While those meetings largely hailed the Hawaii for its action in combat along with bringing its crew to assist in repairs, Akio felt guilty on both accounts considering the Wyoming was sacrificed and the Hawaii would be leaving soon to head back to the front per Admiral Banda's orders.

"Sir, do you have a moment?" Lieutenant Commander Neirbo, the acting station commander had addressed the Captain after one of the briefs.

Akio stepped aside as Neirbo continued, "I was just informed by security, one of your officers was apprehended."

Akio closed his eyes and felt himself breathe hard. Another officer in the brig?

"Who and on what charge?" Akio asked bluntly.

"Lieutenant Junior Grade Taltos and Article 92," Neirbo informed Akio.

Disobeying a lawful order. This better have been good, although Taltos had just joined the crew... from the Wyoming. Her latest foray into trouble piqued Akio's interest.

"Thank you, Commander," Akio said to the overwhelmed station commander as she attended to the multitude of fires screaming for her attention. =/\= Tachibana to Tolkath, have you heard about Taltos? =/\= Akio transmitted. He knew Tolkath was currently on bridge duty and therefore operationally responsible for the crew at the moment.


[Deck 418 - XFY: Makeshift Security Brig ]

=/\= Yes Captain. Ensign Stevens and I are in Station Security dealing with the matter now. Will you be joining us? =/\= Tolkath replied

Iria offered up her cheeky grin at seeing Tolkath, he had her trust so far out of the crew she had interacted with briefly, though she was certain given time she would trust more of the crew eventually. She grinned wryly at Stevens as he stepped in with the Chief science officer.

**~~This night could have been so different if I hadn't gotten curious.~~** the thought was private as Iria kept quiet waiting for the right time to speak or at least wait for an order from an officer she didn't mind listening to. Though her stomach rumbled quite loudly in her opinion, making her blush, Iria made a mental note to keep her curiosity at bay until after she had eaten properly for the next time.


[Deck 1106 - XFY: Spacecraft Operations ]

=/\= I am on the way =/\= Akio replied as he veered into a turbolift.


[OFF]

To be continued...

Akio Tachibana, CAPT, SF
CO

Tolkath, CDR, SF
2XO/CSO

Iria Taltos, LTJG, SF
ACHENG

Harry Stevens, ENS, SF
TACSEC