Grumpy Cat

Posted on Tue Jun 25th, 2024 @ 4:48am by Commander Kevin Lance & Captain Mira Rodale

Mission: Starbase 364
Location: USS Chuck Norris
Timeline: Current

{Captain's Ready Room, Deck 1}

The image on the monitor in the Ready Room showed Ambassador M’Niras with his ears back, pupils constricted and his fur standing on end. “Do you have any idea what you have done!” he screamed at Mira through the monitor.

Mira blinked blue eyes in confusion. "I haven't done anything. We heard a phaser on overload. The Romulans were arresting a Nausicaan who I assume planted it, and then I was told I was needed on my ship. Ambassador M’Niras what is it that I have done?"

M'Niras continued without pause, "Those same Romulans found the phaser! A Federation Phaser! And you and your crew were conveniently absent! Oh, the phaser was deactivated before it exploded but our hosts find it very suspicious!"

Mira frowned, then pulled out the PADD. "All our logs state all our phaser are accounted for. Besides, we want all our people working together. I wouldn't care if the Romulans joined the federation if they wanted to, and I have no problem with any of their people. I reported the phaser sound to Crus so I wouldn't interpret you and your talks. We had no authority on the Romulan base, so we stayed out of their hair while they hanled It."

"To the other members of the conference," M'Niras was very pointed, "it looks as if you planted the phaser and hoped to escape before it went off! Fortunately, the Romulans are incapable of believing anyone isn't as deceitful as themselves. I have them almost half convinced that you have been set-up. And you were told to go to your assigned quarters. Not your ship!"

Mira but her lip, "But no one said I couldn't go back to my ship. I hadn't expected to spend the night on the base so I didn't bring any clothes."

M'Niras placed a massive paw over his face as he replied through gritted fangs, "That. Is. Not. An. Excuse. You could have had your clothing sent over! You have a Yeoman!"

Mira had to fight a blush. " True, but my security chief did make it sound like I had to be on the ship. My Yeoman is very young and has a lot to learn. God only knew what she would send over. I ......" she moved a few things on her desk. "There is one more thing .......Someone was using this ." She folded her arms around her. She frowned. "It had a smell to it. For me, it brought on panic and fear. While my Klingon security chief, the smell brought on his hunting and fighting instincts. Lance seemed to be the only one not affected by it."

At last, M'Niras did not have an immediate comeback. His anger turned to thoughtfulness as he said, "We suspected that someone would try to influence the outcome of this conference. The working theory is that it is the Gorn because some reptiles are capable of emitting pheromones that elicit a response in mammals. But there is not enough evidence available to link them conclusively."

He was lost in a moment of reverie but then snapped back to his usual self. "Captain Rodale. I am disappointed that you absented yourself from the conference, abandoning your duty to protect the diplomatic mission. I am willing to overlook your transgression should you, will all due haste, return. I will even allow you time to pack some clothing since your Yeoman is so inexperienced."

Mira looked down and nodded. She knew the man had to save face somehow, Letting herself be taken back to the ship had caused him problems. "understood, Ambassador, I'll be right over."

"See that you are," he told her before the screen went blank, then her eyes met Kevin's.

“That is one grumpy cat,” Kevin observed dryly.

"Someone is trying to set me up. That Phaser was in the area that I had been assigned to sit. But I never went anyplace near that seat. Now this."

“The Ambassador is correct,” Kevin admitted, “that others will draw inferences from our sudden departure. We were ready to presume that the Nausicaans were the instigators because one of them tried to keep us from departing. Of course, he would have been in the blast radius as well.”

Mira nodded slowly. "My head still hurts from whatever was pumped into that room. It could have made the Nausicaan more aggressive. But my gut is telling me the Nausicaans and the Orions will be on the Gorn side." she frowned. "I am guessing we are stuck on the base until the talks are over. I am not happy about being away from Kolar that long."

Kevin nodded, "At least Auntie Zimia will be happy. Well, I had better go pack my bag. I doubt that the Romulans will have anything in my size. Oh, and you might want to check in with Doctor K'ner. She might have some thoughts about the pheromones or whatever they were."

Mira had finished packing a bag and drop it off at the transporter room before heading to medical.

{Sickbay}

Mira gave a little smile before she shrugged at the nurse. "Is the Doc around?"

"She is handling some haz stuff, but what can I help you with?" The nurse asked her with a smile.

"I have a headache after smelling something odd over on the Romulan base. Whatever it was made me feel uneasy and afraid. It made making decisions difficult, " Mira told her "Run what ever tests you think K'ner might want before I head back to the base. " Mira told her before laying back.

The nurse checked the readings and then nodded. "This should help with the headache, but it will take some time to get the rest of the test results back from the lab.
"Ok, let me know what you find out. I have to head back and act the part of a female. " Mira rolled her eyes.

"But you are female Captain?" the nurse said a little confusion.

Mira nodded "Well the Ambassador does not think so."

With a shrug, she headed back to the transporter room. walking in, she smiled "back to Viper city." Mira picked up her bag then stepped on the transporter pad "round 2"

:off

Captain Mira Rodale
CO USS Chuck Norris

and

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris