When it rains...

[WxMurray 0]

Murray was “arguing” Ensign Gamble over the use of the cloaking devices. Commander Shamor had gone off to see to their installation, leaving Murray and Gamble to forget he had said anything.

 

Gamble looked at Murray, appalled. “Oh, so you agree with this? Great. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

 

Murray wished Gamble would just let it alone. The commander had told them that he would take sole responsibility. Murray didn’t have a problem with that. Aside from staying out of trouble, it was Shamor’s idea in the first place. Murray had voiced his objections, but Shamor apparently was set to do this. It was his idea and his tuckus on the line, so when Shamor had ordered them to forget everything they had discussed, Murray had no problem with it. “Agree with what? I have no clue what is going on here.”

 

Gamble looked furiously at Murray and walked back over to the science station.

 

Murray glanced at the tactical console which was now beeping at him. “Hmm. Incoming transmission. Bridge to the Captain. We have an incoming message from the starbase.” He wasn’t quite sure if the captain wanted to take this himself and thought it best to inform him.

 

“Well, answer it….” …or not.

 

“Aye, sir. Opening channel.” As Murray opened the channel, Gamble turned back to him. “Permission to leave the bridge.”

 

Murray looked at Gamble and shrugged. “Go ahead. I don't care. You're currently top gun in your department.”

 

As Gamble entered the lift Murray turned his attention to the viewscreen and the incoming message. It was the commander of the station. “Go ahead, Starbase.”

 

“We have received a signal from a Bolian freighter, saying they have detected a large vessel of unconfirmed design. They attempted to hail it but failed to get a response. We are transmitting coordinates now.”

 

“Acknowledged, Starbase. Coordinates received.” Murray closed the transmission and turned to see the captain enter the bridge. “Sir, a Bolian freighter has detected a large unknown vessel. It has not responded to hails. The starbase has forwarded the coordinates.”

 

Michaels looked at Murray upon hearing this. “Compare the coordinates to the projected source path of the Amar’s transmission.” Could this be it? Could this be the ship posing as the I.K.S. Amar?

 

Murray worked his console and was not surprised by the results. “The unknown vessel is located on the transmission path of the supposed Amar, sir.”

 

As the captain took this in, Murray stared at him. How much did the captain really know? Shamor had been in the captain’s office before their discussion about the cloaking devices. The captain had also said that going face to face with the supposed Klingon ship was not an option. But the cloaking devices would be a way around that, wouldn’t they. And it was doubtful that Shamor could install and use the devices without the captain’s and engineering’s notice.

 

Murray came to a conclusion. The captain knew. And he was just in engineering telling them to prepare to install the devices. Now they just needed to hope that it was the Klingons and not someone who would know about the Treaty of Algeron. It was ironic that the Reaent had just finished a mission involving the Pegasus, who was involved in violation of the treaty, and they were about to do the same. When it rains….

Edited March 4, 2005 by WxMurray