A Narrow Escape

[John Randall 0]

OFFICIAL LOG

LT. (j.g.) JOHN RANDALL

USS CHALLENGER

 

(Personal Log Stardate 11206.10)

 

The Starholme arrived at Beta Octavius IV some 6 hours later. "Dr.

Jones" contacted the spaceport and requested clearance to land at a

specific set of coordinates. He was told he had been cleared by Admiral

Baldwin of Starfleet Command, and permission was given. The doctor

and John looked at each other, and a mental sigh found its way into the

engineer's mind. John nodded back, and smiled slightly.

 

The ship landed near a dilapildated structure in the center of a

wooded clearing. The two men checked their bracelets, and the doctor

beamed out first. John then received the coordinates in his head from

the doctor, went through the routine, and, in a flash, was standing beside

the Argonian. The doctor instantly put a finger to his lips, and the young

lieutenant froze. About fifteen seconds later, Randall heard voices in the

nearby woods. The doctor moved to the entrance of the rundown building,

and motioned to John to follow him.

 

The two men quickly found places to hide, and John was glad he had

his personal (slightly illegal) phaser Mark II with him. His hand hovered near

the weapon clipped to his engineering belt as the voices came closer to them.

Surprisingly, the beings speaking with each other were conversing in Federation

Standard. "I tell you, it is nearby," came a gravelly, aggressive voice, and John's

eyebrows went up as he recognized the voice as belonging to a Klingon. Then,

the young engineer's blood ran cold as he heard the next voice.

 

"So you say, Krenn," the voice said. John instantly tensed as he knew that

voice was unmistakably Romulan. "We have found nothing so far." "Do you

doubt my word, T'Shorn?" came an angry reply. "Of course not," came the

velvety, honeyed tones of the Romulan, and John closed his eyes, fighting the

replusion swelling up inside him. The Argonian must have sensed Randall's

reaction, and turned his head slightly inside his hood.

 

Lieutenant, are you all right?

 

John shook his head negatively. I loathe Romulans, Doctor.

 

I see. Try to control your emotions. they will not do you any good at the

present time. And, by the way, nice projection there. Well done.

 

John relaxed somewhat at the compliment, and nodded. "But we must

find something soon, or even you would admit that this search may prove

fruitless," said the Romulan. The voices were coming through the opening of

the rundown structure, and the young engineer knew the two conversing were

standing just outside of it. "My source has never been wrong about anything

before," came the menacing tone of the Klingon. "We will find it." "As you wish,"

replied the Romulan. "Let us rest a bit first, then we will renew the search."

"Bah!" roared the Klingon. "You green-skinned fools have no stamina at all!

Not like us Klingons!"

 

"It is true, you have remarkable stamina, my friend," soothed the Romulan

as they entered the structure. The foot falls were unmistakable on the wooden

floor, and John's fingers closed about the butt of his phaser pistol. "But, do not

forget, there is only one of you, and there are five of us." The doctor and John

looked at each other, and for the first time, Randall saw the Argonian's facial

features. A mane of white hair adorned the scalp of the being, and the eyes were

dark green, no whites at all. The face was strongly framed, and, to Randall's eye,

wrinkled in wisdom as well. They looked at each other in surprise and alarm, and,

just then, heard other voices coming toward the building.

 

"Hah!" sneered the Klingon. "I do not fear any of your kind, much less how

many of you there are! It will be a glorious battle!" John then heard the rasp of

steel being drawn, and realized the Klingon was probably carrying a bat'legh, the

weapon of choice for their race. The other voices quickly died as footsteps sounded

on the wooden floor, and John knew the other Romulans had arrived. "Now, let's

not jump to anything, Krenn," said the Romulan. "Let me interrogate my colleagues

on whether they have found anything first, yes?" There was a few seconds of

heavy breathing, then obviously the Klingon agreed, because the Romulan began

speaking again.

 

"So, Stron, did you discover anything?" "Yes, my lord," came the reply. "There

appears to have been some activity to the west not far from here. There are signs of

digging, and something was removed from that area. We will need to transport back

to the ship to obtain the instruments to more closely examine the area." There was a

moment of silence, then the first Romulan said, "Very well. Get what you need, and

come back down quickly. Krenn and I will meet you there, yes?" The question was

obviously directed at the Klingon, and agreed upon. "Excellent. Give me the coordinates,

and hurry back." "At once, my lord," said the second Romulan, and John heard

footsteps going away from his hiding place. A few seconds later, an order was given in

Romulan, and there was a chiming sound.

 

"So, my friend, your source is proving to be true with his news," said the Romulan.

"If there was any doubt that I was expressing, I apologize sincerely." John heard metal

rasp again, then the Klingon said, "All right then, let us go to this place, and see what we

find." "Agreed," said the Romulan, and the footsteps sounded again, which stopped as

the two beings left the building. The two men waited about a minute, then rose from their

hiding place, John giving a huge sigh of relief. "Well," he said in a low voice, "I'm glad

that's over with, and they're gone. Thank you for the pep talk about my emotions, Doctor.

I will endeavour to do better in the future."

 

Some emotions are better handled than others, my friend. I understand that all too

well.

 

John nodded. "They obviously have found something," he began, but then broke

off as he saw the Argonian try to twist his mouth in a smile. "What?" asked the young

engineer.

 

They have discovered what I planted to keep them away from the true site.

 

John grinned in disbelief. "You planted that?" he asked disbelievingly. The Argonian

gave his version of a human nod. "Well, Doctor, I'm impressed again. You obviously have

knowledge of this sort; you've done this before, I believe."

 

What is the saying you humans have? This isn't my first rodeo?

 

John covered his mouth to hide the laughter behind it. "You have picked up the idioms

of human speech quite well, Doctor. My compliments."

 

Thank you, lieutenant. I continue to learn them. Come, let us go. The true site of the

remains the admiral was telling you about is northwest of here.

 

John adjusted his engineer's belt, and nodded. "Ready when you are, Doctor." The

Argonian tapped his bracelet, pushed his lever, and was gone. The coordinates appeared

inside John's stone; he duplicated the doctor's procedure, and was gone as well.

 

 

 

END LOG

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED