The Plot Thickens
Posted on Tue Jul 1st, 2025 @ 2:53am by Captain Marc Kidd & Commander Mariko Tao & Lieutenant Christopher Blake & Lieutenant Sarah Graesyn
Edited on on Tue Jul 1st, 2025 @ 7:52pm
1,193 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Episode 2 - The Sins of History
Location: Shuttle Repair Bay - Deck 8 - USS Artemis
Timeline: MD011 0900 hrs
Sarah stepped off the shuttle and looked to Chris once they were fully docked and then she glanced to the hull plating that was missing from the Leto. “Good flying out there Lieutenant. I am sure it was more nerve wracking for you than for us. I think we should meet with the Captain about these events; something seems off about the entire scenario.”
Chris shrugged off the compliment, but still smiled a little. "It's what I'm here for. And you're right. Why let us leave with the target and then set an explosive like that?"
Sarah nodded. “I would like to have my team do a level 10 inspection and diagnosis of the Leto; but I want to make sure that she won’t be necessary for that time.” She reached up and tapped her commbadge =/\= “Graesyn to the Captain, Lieutenant Blake and myself have safely docked the Leto. I have concerns that I could use yours and Commander Tao’s insights on.” =/\=
"I am on my way. Kidd out." Marc replied into the comm system. Blake had just been appointed into the position of Second Officer after Benson's transfer. If he thought this merited the Captain's eyes then it was pretty important. Marc stepped into the turbolift and exhaled sharply through his nose as he wondered what fresh new hell this was about to become.
In minutes he arrived into the Shuttle Repair bay and saw the state that the Leto was in. "Lieutenants what do you have for me."
“I had to detach the hull plating to remove the device from the Leto. It should be unshielded now however I highly doubt that it is completely inert. If we bring it aboard I insist upon redundant level 10 force fields surrounding both it and the lab we beam it into. I don’t much fancy trying to hold the Artemis together if it goes off in an unshielded area.” Sarah rubbed at the back of her neck as the tension from working in the Badlands plasma storms to remove the device from the Leto caught up with her.
"We should also do a full scan and diagnostics for the Leto." Chris mentioned. "We found an explosive device, but that doesn't mean there's no other surprises waiting for us." He glanced at the flyer and shook his head.
“Agreed; I think it may be prudent to isolate her from other shuttles and systems as well… perhaps in a different shuttlebay?” Sarah voiced her assent.
Mariko had entered the conversation just as Lieutenant Blake had spoken. She heard Sarah speak and furrowed her brow a little. "We don't have any other space large enough to house the shuttle, not somewhere that would be adequate for what you'd need to do. The shuttlebay is the main space so you'd have to keep the Leto as far from everything as possible if you wanted to inspect it fully. If you suspect it is dangerous another option is taking it off the ship and leaving it quarantined for another Starfleet ship or crew with better facilities. Although, I'd rather solve it inhouse." she looked over at the captain.
"Keep the Leto here in the Repair Bay. All other shuttles can remain in the main shuttle bay. If they need repairs the repairs can be done there. As to the explosive device do we have any leads. Obviously the device was meant for our prisoner. The question is was it meant to free them, kill them, or what?" When he accepted this command Marc did not realize how many questions arise from answering another question. Perhaps this was why he never went into security.
“From my past experience with Cardassians… the fact that Vamcet was brought in alive and without a fight from him would be a massive embarrassment to his government. I don’t want to throw too much conjecture around but if I had been in their shoes I would have been hoping that the device took out not only the embarrassment but his captors as well. Two birds with one stone sort of deal.” Sarah looked around the repair bay; noting that it at current the Leto was alone in it with a small smile. “Isolating her here is perfect.”
"Keep me apprised," Chris said with a nod. "If this happened once, I want to make sure we have safeguards in place so it doesn't happen again." I don't like risking the lives of my crew, he added to himself.
Marc turned to Sarah and nodded his agreement with her assessments. "If they wanted to silence Vamcet. The next question is why. What does he know that we and by extension the Bajorans don't already know?"
Sarah gave an affirmative nod to Chris before directing her full attention to the Captain. “I could only guess; he has served the Cardassians as a Gul for many years. He and the gods are the only ones that hold the keys to the secrets locked away inside his skull.” She scoffed harshly before continuing. “I doubt very highly that he will share any of that knowledge until he sees it as in his better interest.”
“Who do we have in Ballistics, Commander? I will likely need their assistance in the project.”
"Petty Officer Rix." Mariko responded. "He's our ballistics and explosives expert on board. Although I didn't expect his expertise to be needed so quickly." she mused. Rix was a complicate and somewhat awkward man in Mariko's mind, even though she'd only had one interaction with that man.
“I will be sure to loop them in. Thank you, Captain. Commander.” Sarah bounced slightly on her toes; she was eager to get this investigation underway.
Marc watched as his Chief Engineer bounced away. Then he leaned in toward Mariko and Blake almost conspiratorially. "You know I have never seen someone so excited about an explosive on a ship. Add to that I didn't think our job would be this complicated. I mean run around the galaxy round up the bad guys and lock em up. How complicated is that?"
Mariko arched an eyebrow, her tone wry but measured. “If it were ever that simple, Captain, I suspect I’d be back on Qo’noS, sipping bloodwine and negotiating fishing rights. Complication seems to be part of the uniform.” She glanced back at the damaged shuttle, her expression tightening slightly. “Let’s just hope this one doesn’t come with too many bodies attached.”
A Joint Post By
Captain Marc Kidd
Commanding Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Commander Mariko Tao
Executive Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Lieutenant Christopher Blake
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Artemis
Second Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Lieutenant Sarah Graesyn
Chief Engineering Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
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