S3:E1 CLONES

[Lyra]

[Innominatum Outpost -> Challenger - Deck 1]

When Ruth introduced her to the cadets Lyra nodded to them and gave them a smile. She wanted to say something but then suddenly things went south. From one moment to the other there was hectic action all around.

Obviously the Redav was leaving the dock for reasons unknown at that moment and Ruth acted fast and ordered everyone on to the Challenger and the shipmmade ready. So Lyra turned to the cadets and regretted for a moment, that she didn't have the time to properly get to know them. But that was starfleet.

"You've heard the Captain, let's go!" she said and tried to let her voice sound like a mix of her lecturing voice at university and what she had heard from Ruth.

When they reached the Challenger Lyra and the cadets followed her to Deck 1, assuming that she still wanted to talk to them. But therr things still got worse. The bridge was buzzing with activity and Lyra decided it was best, not to stand in the way.

"To the briefing room, come on. We'll figure out what we can do later."

It was pure coincidence that Lyra was on the bridge right there and then, when cadet Kenyi called. After Ruth ordered her to the bridge Lyra tapped her conbadge and called Kenyi again.

"Petty Officer Lyra to Cadet Kenyi: Report to Deck 1, briefing room, for now. We'll discuss everything else when you're here."

It was surely better for the bajoran to be also out of the way, until the cadets could be assigned their duties.

Concern showed on her face, but there was nothing she could do now. So she stepped into the room and the closing doors shut out the noises of the bridge.

Once again she tried to speak to the cadets, keep them calm, and once again, she was interrupted.

"T'Vei to Lyra. I have noticed that the plant specimen have arrived from the Redav. I also noticed that you are still have to extract them from their transportation containers. These are delicate plants that need to be taken care of. I hope you are still up for the task. Or should I assign someone..."

Lyra sighed silently and tapped her combadge. Oh, how she despised that cold and arrogant voice. Sadly, T'Vei was right.

"Lyra here. I appologise, Sir, but I have some cadets to look after, also, and as you are certainly awayre we have a situation. I'll get one of the lab techs to put them into the containment unit just like they are. They'll be okay long enough, don't worry."

T'Vei didn't give an answer and Lyra hadn't expected one. However, she immediately called the lab. Someone who sounded a little androgynous answered but Lyra cut him or her off before he or she could even state a name. She told the tech to secure the plants as they were right now and leave them there for her to handle later. Then she closed that channel.

What a day.

She turned to the cadets and looked each of them in their eyes. Her own eyes were warm and friendly. She had heard that the cadets were suspects. But until it wasn't proven that they were guilty she would give them the benefit of the doubt. Still, she would remain cautious, though.

"First thing I should maybe tell you, as you will be staying on this ship for a while and we're already in some kind of mess: I'd trust captain Sigurdsdottir with my life anytime and would walk into a fire for her without thinking. She may be a bit unorthodox, but she knows what she's doing. And you can expect her to be fair. No matter if you've done anything or not."

Again she looked everyone into their eyes and held their gazes for a moment. Neither could she read emotions or was specially trained in psychology. And while she had the same telepathical predisposition that every vulcan had, she never really used her abilities, so she wouldn't be able to read anyone without touching him or her. But still she hoped to see something. She'd hate it if one of these children really was working for Leyton

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

30 mins Earlier[Posting as Lt. T'Vei and Crewman Peter Davidson]

[Science Lab 7 - Deck 8 - USS Challenger]

"OK, " T'Vei shouted across the lab to Davidson, "...I'll leave the repotting to you, I'll contact Petty Officer Lyra as she should be dealing with them.  Well her and the CMO since this is a medical plant. After you're done, if you're finished before the end of your shift, call it good and get yourself away to meet that girl you've been dreaming about in The Pickled Pakled.  I saw you last night, I may be a Vulcan but you were displaying enough emotions for even us emotionally lacking species to appreciate it!" the department head said with what for her, who's face constantly represented an italian marble statue, a smile.

"Aye Ma'am" Davidson responded crisply, blushing deeply.  The ginger-headed, freckled young man looked barely old enough to be out of diapers let alone serving on a ship but he was in fact 23 years old.

Carefully, digging into the soil, his small trowel hit something, (he didn't know at this point that he'd split the bag) and feeling with his fingers gently he pulled out a small clear pouch of what appeared to be crystals.

He pocketed them (a couple fell into his pocket from the torn pouch) and carried on, thinking to hand them into T'Vei before he went off shift, then he found another 20 bags, each containing around 500 crystals, he was surprised the plants made it given how little soil was packed around them, and frowned. It was now already 10 mins to the end of the shift and he still had to get the rest of the plants, he had planned to go straight from shift so had his bag under the bench out of the way.  The gorgeous oriental girl hadn't given him her name but was smiling and she'd given him 3 crystals similar to these, and the promise of more.  Coupled with the ale he'd been drinking it had given him a buzz that he'd not been able to resist, he wanted more, both of the lovely visage of the girl, and some more of her crystals.

[Innominatum Outpost -> Challenger - Deck 1]

When Ruth introduced her to the cadets Lyra nodded to them and gave them a smile. She wanted to say something but then suddenly things went south. From one moment to the other there was hectic action all around.

Obviously the Redav was leaving the dock for reasons unknown at that moment and Ruth acted fast and ordered everyone on to the Challenger and the shipmmade ready. So Lyra turned to the cadets and regretted for a moment, that she didn't have the time to properly get to know them. But that was starfleet.

"You've heard the Captain, let's go!" she said and tried to let her voice sound like a mix of her lecturing voice at university and what she had heard from Ruth.

When they reached the Challenger Lyra and the cadets followed her to Deck 1, assuming that she still wanted to talk to them. But there things still got worse. The bridge was buzzing with activity and Lyra decided it was best, not to stand in the way.

"To the briefing room, come on. We'll figure out what we can do later."

It was pure coincidence that Lyra was on the bridge right there and then, when cadet Kenyi called. After Ruth ordered her to the bridge Lyra tapped her conbadge and called Kenyi again.

"Petty Officer Lyra to Cadet Kenyi: Report to Deck 1, briefing room, for now. We'll discuss everything else when you're here."

It was surely better for the bajoran to be also out of the way, until the cadets could be assigned their duties.

Concern showed on her face, but there was nothing she could do now. So she stepped into the room and the closing doors shut out the noises of the bridge.

Once again she tried to speak to the cadets, keep them calm, and once again, she was interrupted.

"T'Vei to Lyra. I have noticed that the plant specimen have arrived from the Redav. I also noticed that you are still have to extract them from their transportation containers. These are delicate plants that need to be taken care of. I hope you are still up for the task. Or should I assign someone..."

Lyra sighed silently and tapped her combadge. Oh, how she despised that cold and arrogant voice. Sadly, T'Vei was right.

"Lyra here. I apologise, Sir, but I have some cadets to look after, also, and as you are certainly aware we have a situation. I'll get one of the lab techs to put them into the containment unit just like they are. They'll be okay long enough, don't worry."

T'Vei didn't give an answer and Lyra hadn't expected one. However, she immediately called the lab. Someone who sounded a little androgynous answered but Lyra cut him or her off before he or she could even state a name. She told the tech to secure the plants as they were right now and leave them there for her to handle later. Then she closed that channel.

What a day.

She turned to the cadets and looked each of them in their eyes. Her own eyes were warm and friendly. She had heard that the cadets were suspects. But until it wasn't proven that they were guilty she would give them the benefit of the doubt. Still, she would remain cautious, though.

"First thing I should maybe tell you, as you will be staying on this ship for a while and we're already in some kind of mess: I'd trust captain Sigurdsdottir with my life anytime and would walk into a fire for her without thinking. She may be a bit unorthodox, but she knows what she's doing. And you can expect her to be fair. No matter if you've done anything or not."

Again she looked everyone into their eyes and held their gazes for a moment. Neither could she read emotions or was specially trained in psychology. And while she had the same telepathical predisposition that every vulcan had, she never really used her abilities, so she wouldn't be able to read anyone without touching him or her. But still she hoped to see something. She'd hate it if one of these children really was working for Leyton

Sighing, and figuring that he'd hand them into T'Vei once he got back, he dumped them all in his bag and didn't notice that he'd managed to poke a hole in one of the bags, a couple of crystals still lay on top of the soil (having fallen from the same torn pouch), unnoticed by Davidson, and the job half finished, but Lyra had said to leave them, so she'd finish up.

That being his chain of thought, and still under the influence of the crystals he'd taken for the last 3 days, he then ran down to the airlock and onto the base almost at double speed.

Throwing himself into a bar stool, he ordered himself a beer and waited.

Meanwhile in Veronique and Pema's Quarters - Innominatum Base

Having come to some agreement with The Traveller which was the only thing they could do in order to get him out of their quarters, Pema sat down with Veronique and talked slowly and calculatedly.

"We need those drugs and we need them fast.  I was talking to some Science grunt from the Challenger the other night, you were too busy with that blasted Ferengi to take notice, I let him have 3 crystals, I think I might be able to turn him." Pema said smiling at her co-operative.

"Hang on, let me get this right,.." teased Veronique.  "You were flirting?"

"Pot, kettle, black.. and not really, didn't need to, his eyes were on stalks and his tongue trailing like in those old old animated shorts that children like." Pema pulled a still from one up on her PADD.  "Like this.."

"Ah, so you were just taking advantage of that fact?" her friend teased.

"Yup, so you continuing with this double-crossing Ferengi or not?" Pema asked.

"Well, I suppose we have to keep him sweet, otherwise, I'll give him the Oomox as that was promised but otherwise.  No... he's done his job. C'mon I want a real drink and you might be able to pick up your little Scientist friend." Veronique answered with a touch of regret.

[The Pickled Pakled - Innominatum Base]

The girls wandered in and Pema spotted her friend from a few nights ago propping up the bar.

"What's a nice Science crewman doing in a seedy joint like this?!" she asked with a semi-apologetic look at Pickle who shrugged good naturedly, knowing it was just a chat up line and actually pretty accurate!

"Oh hi... Pina erm.."

"Pema, sweetheart, but nearly right!" she purred. "What ya drinking?!"

"Erm just beer normal Terran beer."

"Make sure he has another Pickle, my tab.  So, I'm sorry handsome, I didn't get your name last time."

"Crewman Davidson, ah... I mean Peter, my name's Peter."

"Well Peter, how did you find your little pressie?"

"Oh, I was hoping to see you because I like them, but funny you mention that, I found these repotting some stobolin plants they look just the same!"

Peter pulled the damaged pouch out of his pocket, it dropped a few onto the counter and Pema immediately scooped them up and into her hand, also pocketing the pouch.  "Are you crazy getting them out in public?  Everyone will want them! Where's the rest of them?"

"Well, in my ba..."

Peter didn't get any further because he was cut off by a message from the Captain.

Sigurdsdottir to Operations, if those space doors are not yet open stop the Redav from leaving, Sigurdsdottir to all hands report to duty stations immediately. 

"I dunno what's going on but that's my cue to be outta here, hopefully get to see you again beautiful lady!" Peter said swilling down his first beer quickly, and running out without his bag.

Pema looked after him, then at the crystals in her hand, smiling.  She bent down to open Peter's bag and waved over at Veronique down the other end of the bar.

"Operation Quartz is a go..." she said when Veronique came up to her and she opened the bag to reveal enough drugs to keep them going for several months.  Little did they know these were 10x the dosage.

[USS Challenger - Bridge]
[As Cadets Mr'aarra and Rosario]

Mr'aarra nodded at Lyra and went over to the Briefing room at the back of the Bridge as requested.  She looked back for the other cadets hoping that in doing everything to the letter things would settle down and the suspicion would be off her. She'd deliberately gone up the ramp as far from Sukal at the Ops station.

Pauline Rosario followed her up with a look to the CMO, as if to say, 'Well you know where I am if you need me.'

She caught up with Mr'aarra and grabbed the medkit off the wall of the Bridge.  "Here, once we're inside let me deal with those pads of yours, they can't be comfortable."

"To be honest,.." replied Mr'aarra, "... it's either adrenaline, shock or something else but I haven't actually registered pain, but my olifactors can still make out the smell of burnt fur."

"Well, can't do much for that, but with your permission I can trim down the burnt hairs, not shave, but you have pretty dense thick fur, it's lovely, it would only leave you with a thin fuzz covering but it might stop you smelling so much burn scent."

Mr'aarra nodded and let the Medical cadet do what she needed to do and felt much better.  The two sat in silence then waiting for Andrew and Kenyi to arrive.

[AS RUTH]

"Belay that Cadet Olivia, take the helm.  At least until Crewman Labinjoh shows up, once she relieves you then please join your fellow cadets in the Conference Room.  Cadet Kenyi unless Lt. Sukal has a use for you here, join your peers." Ruth said while inside a little voice was saying to her 'What mad eejit decided to sign up to join the Fleet... oh yes that would be me!' and another saying 'We're not done yet Leyton... we'll catch you and then you'll be sorry.'

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Bridge - Challenger]

Ruth gave a wry smile as Lizzie appeared on the Bridge.  She was glad of the doctor's presence.  "Short version - all hell's broken loose.  Slightly longer version, Leyton has been around, I assume on base too which is seriously alarming, and has infiltrated the Redav.  He and Admiral d'Arth are absconding with the Redav and most of her senior staff are... well ... here..." she gestured at Thompson and the rest of the senior staff of the Redav standing at various points around the bridge with a sympathetic look.

"And while I wouldn't normally recommend it, and I promise once this settles down a little I will rest.  Can you give me a booster jab of I dunno, caffeine and adrenaline or something to keep me going for about another 2 hours or so."

A call came thru from Kenyi Haihes and the Captain gritted her teeth forcing herself to speak civilly.

Report to the Bridge, we'll sort our details later.  Lt. Sukal will order you elsewhere as needed.  Sigurdsdottir out. 

The girl had annoyed her not coming for the meeting, but this was an emergency situation, and the person she was most annoyed with was herself and the fact that Leyton had been right under their noses and once again slipped the noose.

Ruth wasn't sure where first to look but looked to the staid, solid dependable figure of Sukal, so grateful that he was there.  It could be said that she had come to rely on him, but the ways of Vulcan had always calmed her. so it wasn't solely attributable to Sukal. She turned to him glad to have someone who would snap to orders before she even needed to give them.

"Lieutenant, good to see you where I need you most. Can you have someone check who's missing from our manifest, I wanted everyone to duty stations 10 mins ago and get Dr. Jex cleared for docking and up here pronto, alternatively have him fly into the Challenger's shuttlebay, we have room. Either way I want the crew on board...yesterday!" the Captain said her voice chillingly calm.  Sukal would remember if Ruth was not talking animatedly and babbling buoyancy, then it was advisable for people to walk around her with care.

She made a mental note that if this was the sort of response she got to 'Battle Stations' and the ship being at Red Alert, then a few drills were going to have to be run to bring the crew up to speed.  They'd been too complacent sitting around a base for a couple of months.

She looked to the helm, no Crewman Labinjoh yet, and the flight cadet, Olivia, probably was wondering if he should be on the Bridge since Haihes didn't know her duty station they likely hadn't been allocated. While Ruth herself could take the controls having started her Starfleet career in flight, she shouldn't have to baring an emergency. 'Ok,..' she thought to herself, '...different kind of an emergency, like the helm had been killed and the autopilot not working, falling out of orbit...'  she shook her head to get back on track and let out a weary sigh.

Bridge to Cadets Olivia, Rosario and Mr'aarra.  Report to the Bridge.  Your department heads will sort your locations from here. Bridge out. 

Ruth turned to Lizzie "I know the suspicion surrounding Rosario which is why I didn't have her go directly to the Sickbay.  However, fingers are now pointing more at Leyton since it's likely it was he that was the shadowy figure seen by Mr'aarra in the Shuttlebay of the Redav, and it's not exactly beyond the realms of possibility that it was he who attacked Alex d'Arth given that he's now on the Redav, that all ties in.  There are still a few things that don't add up but we have more pressing things to do, keep an eye on her but beyond that... let her work as normal."

As the Admiral spoke she whirled around again.

That's where you're wrong Admirals, you picked the wrong captain and the wrong ship, we will hunt you down even if we have to follow you to the ends of the Universe. Ruth stated with a vehemence of which her Viking ancestors would have been proud.

Bridge

Lizzie gave a smile at Ruth's request.

"I'm not sure that a combination of caffeine and adrenaline would be helpful." She replied. "In fact, it would most likely condemn you to my care for several days while your body recovered." She added with a grin. "If you want caffeine, I suggest you get it the old fashioned way and have a cup of coffee. And I will not be administering adrenaline to anyone who is not having a heart attack outside of Sickbay." She finished adamantly.

She took her PADD and activated the crew search function.

"Also, according to the computer, all Crew are accounted for." She added after a few seconds. "Do you need me to take over at the Helm?" She asked. "It's been a while since I flew a Starship, but I'm still rated." She added.

Posting as Cadet Kenyi Haihes

Deck 13 - Secondary Computer Core

Haines panicked a bit, hearing the Captain's tone. But she had her orders.

Aye Captain. I'm on my way. Kenyi Out.

She left the maintenance area and headed up to the Bridge.

Bridge

Haihes exited the turbolift to see a rather crowded Bridge. The three senior officers were there as well as some she recognised from the Redav. Ignoring anyone else, she went straight to the Captain.

"Cadet Kenyi reporting as ordered Captain." She said, standing at attention.

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

Bridge

Lizzie gave a smile at Ruth's request.

"I'm not sure that a combination of caffeine and adrenaline would be helpful." She replied. "In fact, it would most likely condemn you to my care for several days while your body recovered." She added with a grin. "If you want caffeine, I suggest you get it the old fashioned way and have a cup of coffee. And I will not be administering adrenaline to anyone who is not having a heart attack outside of Sickbay." She finished adamantly.

She took her PADD and activated the crew search function.

"Also, according to the computer, all Crew are accounted for." She added after a few seconds. "Do you need me to take over at the Helm?" She asked. "It's been a while since I flew a Starship, but I'm still rated." She added.

Posting as Cadet Kenyi Haihes

Deck 13 - Secondary Computer Core

Haines panicked a bit, hearing the Captain's tone. But she had her orders.

Aye Captain. I'm on my way. Kenyi Out.

She left the maintenance area and headed up to the Bridge.

Bridge

Haihes exited the turbolift to see a rather crowded Bridge. The three senior officers were there as well as some she recognised from the Redav. Ignoring anyone else, she went straight to the Captain.

"Cadet Kenyi reporting as ordered Captain." She said, standing at attention.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ruth chuckled "Well, since the Doctor orders me to have a coffee!..." she said with a grin.  "I don't plan on having a heartattack, and yes actually, go on, I'll let you have a treat, take the helm. Cadet Olivia report to the Conference Room with the other cadets and Petty Officer Lyra."

As Cadet Kenyi came to the Bridge she looked somewhat coldly at the cadet.

"At ease. While I understand your tardiness for attending to a battle station since you weren't aware what your battle station might be, and, given the..." the Captain looked for a suitable word.  "... situation, you may not have fully read your welcome pack which I'm pretty sure my second officer handed you the moment you came off the turbolift, but that's by the by.  What I am a little annoyed about and on this occasion prepared to overlook, is that you were hailed and asked to report with the other cadets to Conference Room 4 on Innominatum before.  Since the other cadets responded, granted Cadet Mr'aarra was already there, am I to assume that your commbadge is faulty?"

Ruth relented and said "No matter, make yourself useful, grab me a Ratkajino, strong, then report to the Conference Room.  Dr. Vaughan take her out 217 mark 039, Warp 2.5.  Once Labinjoh arrives have her take over and join me in the Conference Room." She didn't want to come over as a tyrant but she also wasn't a pushover, it was important to establish this early on with crew.

[Lizzie Vaughan]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ruth chuckled "Well, since the Doctor orders me to have a coffee!..." she said with a grin.  "I don't plan on having a heartattack, and yes actually, go on, I'll let you have a treat, take the helm. Cadet Olivia report to the Conference Room with the other cadets and Petty Officer Lyra."

As Cadet Kenyi came to the Bridge she looked somewhat coldly at the cadet.

"At ease. While I understand your tardiness for attending to a battle station since you weren't aware what your battle station might be, and, given the..." the Captain looked for a suitable word.  "... situation, you may not have fully read your welcome pack which I'm pretty sure my second officer handed you the moment you came off the turbolift, but that's by the by.  What I am a little annoyed about and on this occasion prepared to overlook, is that you were hailed and asked to report with the other cadets to Conference Room 4 on Innominatum before.  Since the other cadets responded, granted Cadet Mr'aarra was already there, am I to assume that your commbadge is faulty?"

Ruth relented and said "No matter, make yourself useful, grab me a Ratkajino, strong, then report to the Conference Room.  Dr. Vaughan take her out 217 mark 039, Warp 2.5.  Once Labinjoh arrives have her take over and join me in the Conference Room." She didn't want to come over as a tyrant but she also wasn't a pushover, it was important to establish this early on with crew.

Bridge

Lizzie gave a nod and seated herself at the helm.

"Aye Captain." She replied. "We are clear of the station, setting course 217 mark 039. Speed Warp 2.5." She replied.

As she had said it had been a while since she had needed to man the helm of a Starship, but she kept her rating up for occasions like this. It took her a few seconds to orientate herself to the controls but she soon had the correct course and speed input into the navigation system. Seconds later there was the familiar sight on the viewscreen of the ship travelling at Warp.

"We are on course on 217 mark 039 speed Warp 2.5 Captain." She reported.

Posting as Cadet Kenyi Haihes

Haihes nodded rather nervously. As far as she was aware her com-badge was working properly, after all she had managed to call the Bridge. But she did not remember receiving the call to attend the meeting. Since the Captain was not going to say anything, she decided not to mention it unless the Captain did so first.

"Yes Captain. One strong Ratkajino coming up." She replied.

Nipping into the Conference room to use the replicator situated there, she replicated the Ratkajino as ordered and brought it back to the Captain.

"One Strong Ratkajino as ordered Captain." She said, holding the large mug out.