The End of the Beginning

[Cmdr Ridire 0]

Aidan frowns and nods "Very well.  Cover positions."  He waits until the three security personnel move into position before letting the turbolift doors slide open.  No weapons fire greets them, in fact, the corridor is tomb silent.  Aidan glances at the two doctors "You two will be in the middle.  Lieutenant Sharilar will bring up the rear.  The rest of us will bring up the front of this little group."  I want Auxiliary Control and the Primary Computer core rooms swept first.  Shamor, proceed."  

 

      It takes a few minutes to ascertain that the other rooms in the corridor are clear.  Finally they approach the doors to Ten Forward.  As the group takes up positions, Aidan taps his commbadge and says "Computer, activate the PA in Ten Forward."  The Computer beeps it's acknowledgment of the order giving Aidan enough time to compose his words.

 

      Before he can say anything though the doors slide open to reveal a unkempt older man standing there.  The force field crackles as brushes against it.  His attention focuses on Aidan's rank pips before saying "Thank the maker."  The man holds up a antiquated looking phaser and continues "We surrender.  All we wanted was to out of there.  When our kidnappers panicked we also panicked and..."  

 

      Aidan frowns and holds up a hand "Hold it.  Before any explanations get said, what is going to happen first is that you and your...fellows are going to give up their weapons.    One by one your people are going to approach the door and toss your weapons out here.  If any of them try anything, we'll stun them.  Is that clear?"

 

      The older man nods and then turns to speak to someone else.  Before long a small pile of weapons is collected in the corridor and Lieutenant Sharilar confirms that nobody else in Ten Forward is armed.  

 

      Aidan taps his commbadge "Bridge, the situation on Deck 10 is under control.  Send some more security down here to help keep order along with a full medical team."

 

      Once the bridge acknowledges that, the Commander's group finally enters Ten Forward.  They find it nearly packed with what has to be at least a hundred dirty and unkempt people.  Aidan manages to keep from looking surprised at seeing a Horta nestled in one corner of the room.  He also doesn't fail to note the fearful look in the eyes of most of them.  Though the lone Tellarite and the lone Alpha Centauri were looking more angry then fearful.  

 

      Aidan glances at Shamor and Matthews and says "Start seeing to them."  He then switches his attention back to the man that "greeted" them and says "I am the First Officer of this ship, Commander Aidan Ridire.  You..and they are?"

 

      The man nods "Our apologies for any trouble, Commander.  I am Quinn.  I and the others are the last group of colonists that were on the moon."  

 

      Aidan gestures to a nearby booth "Very well, Quinn.  Let's sit down and you can explain everything to me.  The verbose version please."  

 

      Quinn nods and after the two are seated he starts in on the explanation.  How that when people started being transported from the surface of the moon, the people running the base, who were humans according to Quinn, panicked and that in the confusion the colonists used the opportunity to gain their freedom.  They managed to locate the massive transporter assembly that had been used to beam them to the moon in the first place and were attempting to beam back to the colony.  Unfortunately the abductors had destroyed the enhancers that they placed on New Rigel so the only place the colonists could beam to was the Reaent.  Quinn also informed Aidan that ten of the colonists had stayed behind on the colony in order to make sure the others escaped."

 

      By the time Quinn finishes his story, Aidan is rubbing the bridge of his nose in order to deal with the pressure of a headache that had quickly formed during the story.

 

     The physicians were in the middle as the security team prepared to storm Deck 10. Fortunately, there wasn't much to storm. The intruders weren't in the corridor. They'd moved into the Lounge. They were nothing more than colonists who had managed to commandeer a heavy load transporter and beam themselves to the Reaent.

   

     Debbie couldn't begin to express her relief. She felt like a two ton weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She hadn't even realized how tense she was until they'd been given the all clear.

 

     As she and Russ made their way through the crowd, they were pleased to find this group was also in fairly good condition. Aside from a few bumps and bruises, there was nothing wrong with these people that a good shower wouldn't cure. However, there was one thing that puzzled the two physicians.  Some of the newly arrived refugees seemed far more emotionally distressed than the colonists who'd been beamed into the cargo bay.

 

     Debbie picked up on it almost immediately as did Russ. Even one of the security officers commented that a few of the colonists seemed to be emotional wrecks. They were rambling on about those left behind. The CMO asked him to point out one. He nodded toward a young Baron female with a small child in her arms. It didn't take an expert to see the woman was extremely upset.

 

     "I'm going to talk to her," said Debbie nodding toward the woman. "Maybe she can shed some light on who was left behind and why."

     "Good idea," replied Russ. "I'll ask around too."

 

     It only took a couple of minutes for the sobbing woman to explain what was going on. There were still ten colonists on the moon. They'd stayed behind to operate the transporter so the others could escape to the Reaent. All of them had spouses and children now huddled in 10 Forward. There was growing panic that the remaining colonists would never be seen alive again.

 

     All Debbie could think about was more dead heroes. She took a deep breath and approached Commander Ridire. He looked like a man with a problem. If he didn't have one already, she was about to hand him a biggie. "Sir, may I have a word with you?"

     

      Aidan glances up at the Doctor and frowns slightly.  He gestures to the seat across from him that Quinn had vacated a few seconds earlier.  He then tiredly says "What is it, Doctor?"

 

       Debbie glanced at the chair and then slowly sat down. She had a feeling Ridire already knew about the colonists who stayed behind to operate the transporter.

       "Ten stayed behind,"

       "I know."

       Debbie sighed. "They're all males and they all have spouses and children who happen to be in this particular group of refugees. Needless to say, the families are on the verge of panic."

       The Commander looked at her and nodded.

       "I have to tell these people something," continued Debbie. "Before I start offering words of encouragement, I need to know if there is any hope of retrieving those ten men."

 

      Aidan sighs inwardly and says "I notified the Bridge and the transporter chiefs once Quinn explained about that.  As far as I know right now they're trying to get a lock on them to beam them up.  The problem is that they might have tried to beam here after our shields were up.  Depending on the timing, the transporter signal might have been bounced and..."  

 

      It was a fortunate thing that Aidan intended to cut himself off there, having not wanted anyone to hear what he was alluding to.  Because at that precise instance he had let his gaze wander to the window and if he still would have been speaking he might have swore audibly.  Several curses run through his mind as he registers what he was seeing on the moon below.  One small explosion had quickly given away to several more and so on.

 

     His eyes narrow and the cold expression he had on his face earlier returns in a heartbeat.  He jabs his commbadge and says just audibly "Computer, black out all windows on deck 10."  Even as the computer complies with the request Aidan looks to make sure that no one else had noticed what was going on with the planet below.  

 

      Aidan turns his attention back to the Doctor as he says quietly "Doctor, get them all down to Cargo Bay 2 right now and keep them there.  Don't let them wander.  And for God's sake keep them calm."

 

      He watches as surprise gives way to the beginnings of annoyance in the Doctor's eyes.  He holds up a hand to forestall whatever she was going to say.  With a cold tone he says "Doctor...Lieutenant..I gave you an order, carry it out.  This is not the time to let your inherent Doctor's intransigent curiosity to have some leash.  Now go."

 

             For a split second, Debbie debated whether or not to argue the point. She  quickly glanced over her shoulder and saw the windows had been blacked out. The CMO immediately chose to follow orders. She wasn't sure what disaster lay beyond those windows, but she knew by the tense expression on Ridire's face it couldn't be good.

 

       Debbie abruptly stood and nodded. "Yes, sir. We'll move them out of here."

       She started to walk away but turned back after taking only one step. "Please let me know what's going on as soon as you can."

 

      Aidan nods and says "Of course, Doctor."  She hesitates still so he asks "Is there anything else?"

 

      Finally she shakes her head "No...nothing that can't wait."  

 

      Aidan frowns to himself as he watches the Doctor turn and walk away.  He muses to himself that being, at times, confusing must be a universal constant with medical personnel.