Wrong Place, Right Time

Posted on Mon May 15th, 2023 @ 1:16pm by Commander Steven Greco & Lieutenant Evelyn Stewart & Lieutenant Commander Keishara Davaris & Senior Chief Petty Officer Rufio Dulay & Gunnery Sergeant Matewa Natana
Edited on on Mon Jul 3rd, 2023 @ 10:42pm

1,651 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Prologue: Centre Predominate
Location: USS Moore - Shuttlebay 2
Timeline: MD 013: 2030 hrs

The shuttle maintenance overhaul was taking longer than expected. Stewart was beyond frustrated by the situation. They only just now replaced the physical components on the last shuttle to be having trouble with the diagnostic calibrations on four of the shuttles warp engines as well as not being able to find the cause for the issues with inertial dampeners on another two.

Muttering to Dulay that these particular models are obsolete as it is, she asked for his ideas on how to work around the aging technology.

"New shuttles." Rufio commented. Evelyn looked at him as if he'd spoken in his native Filipino tongue. "New shuttles would solve all our problems."

Stewart was so tired and frustrated with the situation she couldn’t help but laugh at the suggestion. “Unfortunately that’s not an option, Chief.”

Stewart looked at one of the shuttles. “Lieutenant s’Lovok has some experience with engineering and ship mechanics. Maybe we should get his input.”

Stewart tapped her combadge. =A=Stewart to s’Lovok=A=

He had noticed a slight increase in whispers and hostile glances his way of late. Amarok just did his best to just do his job and prove them all wrong. He had done nothing to the Federation and if they want to be idiotic then that’s their problem. His combadge chirped.

It was the navigator. Amarok tapped his badge. =A=This is s’Lovok, Lieutenant what can I help you with?=A=

=A=We are having trouble with the warp engines and internal systems on some of the shuttles. Engineering has their hands full. Think you could come down to Shuttlebay 2 and lend us a hand sorting this out?=A=

His eyes widened in delight, a technical problem to work on. Amarok tried to not sound excited. =A=I can, on my way,=A= he may have done a little fist pump he’d seen young humans do when they were excited.

Stewart shrugged at Dulay and they went back to work running diagnostics on the downed shuttles.

Once inside the shuttlebay, Amarok glanced around for Stewart as there were many shuttles. They were in a variety of states. The Romulan rolled up his sleeves as he jogged around the back of each shuttle that was open to find Stewart.

He found her in the fourth shuttle. "Lieutenant, Senior Chief," Amarok greeted the two as he approached them. "How goes things?" He asked.

Stewart was focused on running another diagnostic on the warp engines with Dulay and didn’t hear Amarok approaching.

Seeming out of no where an ensign ran right into Amarok. But instead of apologizing, the officer just continued to push at the Romulan until he was backed into a corner, out of sight from the main space of the shuttlebay.

Three more men greeted them, two being marines and another Starfleet officer. Without a word, one of the marines grabbed Amarok while the another punched at his gut to keep him quiet before a series of punches and strikes from different directions were being rained down on the man.

The scientist was about to express his apology when the additional shove and forced placement into an enclosed space with Starfleet officers encircled Amarok.

He suddenly realised what was happening and while he had to fight the urge to defend himself. He didn't want to give them what they wanted.

Then the punches started and he tried to react but with fists coming from all directions. He was a sitting duck and became a rag doll. Green blood burst from Amarok’s mouth and landed on the officer punching his chest, it seemed to enrage that particular officer further resulting in more forceful throws.

He hoped that Stewart would hear the cry of rage and quickly come to investigate.

The officer with Romulan blood on his uniform grabbed a metal pipe that had rolled over from one of the shuttles being worked on and whacked it into Amarok’s ribs with a crack, followed by a blow to the head to knock him unconscious. The marine subsequently dropping the Romulan to the floor as they began kicking at him. A few insults being muttered in their grunts about Amarok being Romulan scum.

Hearing the sounds of faint grunts and people in the shuttlebay, Stewart looked up from the conduit and looked at Dulay. “You hear that?”, she asked confused.
Getting to her feet, she led them out of the shuttle to follow the noise.

"No?" Rufio questioned as the Lieutenant left the shuttle at epeed. He followed her and began to hear the noises she was referring to. Was someone being beaten?

Rounding the corner behind some storage containers, Stewart saw the marines and officers kicking and beating a man that looked to be Amarok. “Hey!”, she shouted to get their attention before running over with the Chief.

The attackers realizing they were discovered, quickly dropped the pipe and ran out of the shuttlebay, doing their best to tuck their heads and hide their faces.

Stewart gestured to Dulay to check for others while she ran to Amarok’s side, tapping her combadge. =A= Stewart to Sickbay, medical emergency. I need you and security in shuttlebay two.=A=

Quickly she felt for the unconscious Amarok’s pulse before looking up at Dulay. “Anything?”

Rufio had done a quick whirl around the shuttle bay. No souls but their own. "No ma'am. It appears the cowards cut and ran, we are the only ones here." He looked down at the green blood spattered man. "Is he alive?" He asked.

Stewart nodded. “Yeah,” she said grimly, looking up at Rufio. “Get Natana down here with Davaris too. Those were marines too.” She focused her attention on Amarok’s head wound, pulling off her uniform jacket to apply pressure in an attempt to slow down the bleeding until medical showed up.

Within minutes, she saw security officers and medical personnel coming into the shuttlebay and rushing to the Romulan.

Keishara was just behind her security officers who moved in and quickly assessed the scene. Beyond them ran the medical staff who rushed to a down person not too far from them.

"What's going on?" She heard from behind her as she turned to meet Natana.

"Reports of an attack. Just about to find out now." she moved into the shuttle bay. Kei found it strange he was there, but didn't question it so far. "Report." she stated.

“Amarok’s been attacked.” Stewart shouted to the two of them over her shoulder before moving out of the way for the medical personnel to stabilize and beam the Romulan directly to Sickbay.

Standing, she turned to the Chief of Security and the highest ranked marine on the ship as she stood with Dulay. “They were both Starfleet and marines.” She said bluntly, not hiding the accusation in her tone. She knew the marines and security officers in general were close on this ship and had a strong suspicion it was security officers in the assault.

“Why didn’t he have proper security on him?”, Stewart demanded of the head of security for the ship.

"Lieutenant s'Lovok does not merit a personal security detail." Keishara responded dryly. She could have told her of the other security measures set up, or that the Captain had declined personal security for the Romulan at the objection of both the XO and herself, but that would have caused friction for the Captain when there need not be. Kei protected him in more than his person.

"Can't believe my guys would do this..." Matewa rubbed the back of his neck in almost disbelief.

“You knew the risk against him.” Stewart countered to Kei’s reasoning, ignoring Matewa. “You are chief of security. It’s your responsibility to keep everyone on this ship safe and the ship itself secure.” She practically shouted at the other woman, scolding her in front of her officers.

"Thank you Lieutenant. I had forgotten what my role was." Kei scoffed. "I mean I've only been in security for over 20 years, but it's nice to be told what my job is from someone who's not even out of the Academy 10 years. Thank you! Thank you so much!" Her fake enthusiasm pouring from her lips.

Matewa coughed to break the tension between them and Kei looked at him. He thought better of the comment he was going to make.

"Sadly we cannot predict the behavioural patterns of a random attack. It's like someone suddenly choosing to push you around in a corridor with no warning. Completely unpredictable behaviour." Kei added.

Stewart just gave her own soft scoff and smirk at the comment, shaking her head in disappointment. “Yes, it’s a real shame when your situational awareness is so poor it makes you run into others. I imagine it’s a seriously deficiency to overcome as a security officer.” She said sarcastically, throwing Kei’s words at their previous exchange back at her.

Glaring at the other woman, Evelyn knew it was neither advisable or necessary for her to give her statement to Keishara and looked at Rufio. “Chief, why don’t you give your statement to Commander Davaris. I can speak to Matthews.”

"I wouldn't know, I've never 'ran into' anyone else. I was aware of my surroundings quite perfectly but as I said the freak behavioural patterns of the deraigned are often hard to predict, even in close quarters." Kei smirked. "Yes, Chief you come talk to me and we'll get you on your way soon.

Kei looked to the medical staff. "Get him to sickbay once he's stable please, and I'll talk with the Captain as to why my initial recommendation for s'Lovok's protection was a very valid point." she sighed.

The ensign from Sickbay nodded in acknowledgement of Keishara’s orders and called for the transport of the medical staff and Amarok to Sickbay.

 

RSS Feed