Preparations

Posted on Sat Jul 6th, 2024 @ 4:38am by Commander Kevin Lance

Mission: Cat in the box
Location: Romulan Base
Timeline: Current

on:
{Romulan Space Station, Guest Quarters}

Mira was up early, as was her custom, for a morning run before the beginning of negotiations. She moved quietly to not wake Kevin. He was awake but pretended that he was still asleep. He needed her gone from the quarters before he could put his plan into action.

Fortunately, she was quick. Once she had departed, Kevin sprung out of bed and grabbed his duffle bag, stuffing dirty uniform items into it. He needed to get back to the Norris and wanting to get clean clothes gave a plausible reason, one that fit with his normal behavior.

Once packed, he set his PADD to capture the electronic identity of Ensign Jackson. He didn't care if his crew saw him but he didn't want a record of his departure in the Romulans' computer.

As expected, Jackson and D'klala were still standing watch but another Romulan had taken Centurion Kocas' place.

"Good job in keeping anyone from disturbing the Captain," Kevin complemented Ensign Jackson as he discretely activated the PADD's scanning function, "She is feeling much better this morning."

"Thank you sir," Jackson replied through a yawn, "I thought as much myself when she stepped out a few minutes ago."

"You look tired," Kevin observed, "Why not rest in Lieutenant Kronnelti's quarters. It is Klingon themed but we moved him to my assigned quarters. Would save you a trip back to the Norris."

"I will sir," Jackson replied happily, "Crewman Rogar is due to replace me in thirty minutes or so."

Kevin looked over his PADD as if reviewing a report but he was really waiting for the scan to finish. "Good man," he said stalling for time, "You'll be back on duty tonight?"

"Yes, sir." The PADD indicated that the scan was complete.

"I am heading to the ship for a change of clothing," he lifted the bag to highlight it, "Tell the Captain that I will return in time for breakfast."

{USS Chuck Norris}

Kevin beamed over to the Norris but the base's computer recorded the departure of Ensign Jackson courtesy of the clandestine software. Kevin had purposefully selected the back-up transporter because it wouldn't be manned during the current watch. The clandestine program on Kevin's PADD also suppressed the creation of any record of his arrival.

Kevin then activated a preset message on his PADD ordering a no-notice Haz Team drill. The drill would sent Lieutenant K'ner and her team to the shuttle bay and keep her occupied for a good twenty-minutes, longer if she decided on a random inspection of the team's gear. He watched as an icon departed the sickbay heading for the ship's armory.

Checking his PADD for any indication of crewmembers along his path, Kevin proceeded through an empty messhall and crossed the hallway to the science/medical lab. He locked the hallway door and the adjoining door to the sick bay, then began searching the computer inventory of the stores in medical inventory. He found the Gorn venom that K'ner had been studying, retrieved it and transferred the contents into an auto-injector. He decided not to replace the vial with a decoy. It wouldn't fool the medical officer for long anyways.

The next part was a bit tricky. He pulled up the records from the autopsy on the Gorn juveniles and with some additional programming assisted by the ship's computer, replicated a mechanical version of the creature's jaws.

He then filled a second auto injector with a fast acting, short term amnestic. It suppressed the part of the brain that formed short-term memories for several hours, creating a "lost time" effect. It would also allow him to remove the memory of him from anyone he might encounter.

He retrieved the replicated Gorn jaws from the replicator and put the dirty uniform in. The replicator dematerialized the fabric and leather.

It had taken about 15 minutes to accomplish these tasks. Kevin checked his route back to the back-up transporter room to confirm that he wouldn't encounter any crew members. His last act was to remove evidence of his actions from the ship's computer.

{Romulan Space Station, Guest Quarters}

Kevin had found a maintenance access panel near the guest quarters to hide the jaws and the auto-injector with the venom in. He didn't know if they would be found but it was a risk that he needed to take. He didn't want to hide the things in Mira's quarters. He didn't want her to find them and then there was the problem of trying to sneak them out of the quarters.

He was shaving in the bathroom when Mira returned. "Did you have a good run?" he asked.

"Yes, I did," she smiled as she stripped out of her workout clothes, "I'm going to take a shower. You want to join me?"

Kevin smiled back at her image in the mirror, "Silly question."

:off

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris