Log Combined With Mission Brief

[Cptn Moose 0]

"Ahoy, Sailor" - Stardate 10408.25

 

It had been a long time since Yasmine Bleeth had last walked the corridors of a Federation starship. So long, in fact, that her memories seemed as if from another era or another life. The people were the same, scurrying here and there on some vital task, but the corridors were odd. She was used to the soft, gentle slopeS of the galaxy class Arcadia-D. The sharp contours of the sovereign class E did not appeal to her. But then, soft and gentle had always been her style.

 

She could feel the stares from the crew as she headed towards the Science Labs. Women instantly loathed her and men wanted her. That much was still the same, and she took great pride in it. Yasmine went to a lot of trouble to solicit those looks. Even in the 24th century, no one expected a pretty girl to have a brain. The first moment she was self aware enough to understand that people feared savants, she checked herself into a gym and learned how to camouflage herself. It suited her to be under-estimated. She got a lot more done that way.

 

She had boarded the Arcadia-E with Ambassador Moose when it finally arrived in orbit around Axaia. Dr. Telano was attempting to fix the Ambassador's molecular instability by grafting parts of Captain Moose's atomic pattern onto him. It was an experimental procedure at its least, and an improvised one at best. But Telano was as qualified as anyone to attempt it. Satisfied that the Ambassador was in no danger, she had moved onto another task.

 

"What's a pretty girl like you doing unescorted on a ship like this?" said a male voice quickly approaching from behind her.

 

Coming from anyone else, the line would have made her cringe. But she recognized the voice only a split second after she recognized the panting sound he made when over-exerted. "It's about time you came to rescue helpless little 'ole me," she said, affecting a southern accent and turning to bat her eyelashes at her stalker.

 

Sam Bailey gave her a great big bear hug. "I'm not sure I'm allowed to hug an Ambassador's attaché, but I'll risk the violation of protocol."

 

"You'd better," she said, hugging her old friend back. Yasmine and Sam had met back when she was a Yeoman Communications Officer on the Arcadia-D, and he was a new Ensign, fresh from the Academy. The had helped each other through the "new person" awkwardness. "Are those Lt. Senior Grade pips you're wearing?"

 

"Yep," he said, beaming. "Captain Moose recently awarded them to me," he explained. "I was finally able to piece together the transmission you sent from the Axain ship. That's how we found the Borg transwarp conduit that brought us here."

 

"I always knew you'd do well, Sam," she said fondly as she took his hand and made him walk her to the Science Lab. "And I want to hear every detail. But first, I need to find Lt. Cdr Lo'Ami."

 

"I haven't seen him," said Sam. "I'm not even sure if he's on board yet. Can I help with anything?"

 

"Only if you can allocate personnel and equipment. We've got a big problem, Sam." She paused, collecting her thoughts so that she could explain without burying him in quantum physics. "The Arcadia's former counselor, Dr. Virax, has been living with us on Paktar since we first established the Embassy. Coalition forces had decided that they needed the Ambassador's ward, David Quest, for some telepathic experiments. Before they could seize him, Virax and your Dr. Alces appeared in a Coalition Research Pod, and supposedly took the boy to safety. But now they're missing. We believe the Pod was damaged and should have left a trans-dimensional energy trail, which would be degrading as we speak. So our only hope of finding them is to identify the unique trans-dimensional signature and follow it to its ultimate destination. Until the Arcadia arrived, our only source of equipment was from the Coalition, and since they think we have David, Ambassador Moose didn't want to ask them for anything. But now the Arcadia is here and we need Lt. Cdr Lo'Ami to begin the search. Would you be a dear and give him that message?"

 

"I'll help you find him," said a shell-shocked Sr. Lt. Bailey.