Reunification, Part 3

Posted on Sat Oct 17th, 2020 @ 4:53am by Captain Wilkan Targaryen

1,181 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Reunification

Commander Guri zh’Aald kept close behind Admiral Teagarden as he walked into the Enterprise ’s Sickbay. The clinic area, as Doctor Fula called it, was surprisingly empty for this time of day. With the size of the Enterprise ’s crew and her mission to assist with the evacuation of an entire planet the Andorian had anticipated the room to be a flurry of activity. Instead it was just Doctor Fula, a couple nurses, and Lieutenant Jakali.

“Report,” William Teagarden’s voice sounded gruffer than she remembered.

The Enterprise ’s Caitian Chief Medical Officer looked up from the body on the biobed. The universal translator matrix kept up with the Doctor’s native roars, “Not much to report… yet at least.”

Guri felt like she needed to play the diplomat before the Admiral had a stroke and Doctor Fula needed to save his life, “How about the basics then, Doc?”

The lionesque alien returned his attention to the biobed’s patient. “This is a typical Vulcan patient. Heart rate, respiration, brain patterns are all congruent to a normal Vulcan of his age.”

“What is his age?” The Admiral asked as he came alongside.

Lieutenant Jakali answered, “74 years old.”

“And how long was he in the freezer?” Guri interrupted.

“Less than a week,” Fula answered. “I ran a scan through the Security Network using the DNA patterns of his Vulcan. Our access is somewhat more limited to Vulcan information than normal, but I was able to find a partial match. This man’s name is Levak and, I hate to put it this way, but he’s not a really important Vulcan. He’s a mechanic.”

William crossed his arms, “With Vulcan being part of the Empire now why would they have him in stasis for travel? It’s not like their colony ship isn’t Warp capable.”

“Maybe we should ask him?” Jakali suggested.

That had the Andorian XO’s interest piqued, “Could we?”

“Of course we could,” the Caitian replied. “The question is if we should.”

“Explain, Doctor,” Guri ordered.

“This man is not a citizen of the Federation any longer. He’s a Romulan national who was on one of their vessels.”

Jakali interrupted, “We wake him up and its assault.”

Zh’Aald added, “Or, if he was kidnapped, we’re rescuing him.”

“Your call, Admiral, but I think you need to be aware of the reality,” the Doctor explained.

Admiral Teagarden took only a moment, “Do it.”

Fula nodded and picked up a hypospray with his furry hand. “This medication should take only a few moments,” he explained as he injected it into the Vulcan’s neck.

And it only did take a few moments. In less than half a minute the Vulcan’s eyes fluttered open and he was surveying his surroundings. “Where am I?” He asked.

Now it was William’s job, “You’re aboard the Starship Enterprise. I’m Admiral William Teagarden and I’m the Captain of this ship.”

“ Enterprise ? Starfleet?” He asked processing the information.

“Take your time,” Fula said supporting the Vulcan. “You’ve just come out of stasis. It may take a few moments for you to gain your bearings.”

The Vulcan looked puzzled “Stasis?”

“You were aboard a Romulan Ship – the Gevius – and on course to Romulan territory,” Jakali reported.

“I don’t remember any of that,” Levak answered.

Teagarden spoke, “What do you remember?”

“I was going for a medical examination. My spouse had seen that the High Command was completing a DNA profile procedure and she felt that it would be logical for us to be involved. She has always been a strong proponent of the sciences. We went to the Science Academy and… where is my wife?” His readings were going off the scale. “Where is my wife? What have you done to her?”

The Doctors tried to keep him calm, but he was becoming more and more belligerent. Levak pushed Doctor Fula away and was grabbing for Lieutenant Jakali when Admiral Teagarden, moving faster than zh’Aald had ever seen a Human move, grabbed a hypospray and jammed it into the Vulcan’s neck. He crumpled to the biobed.

“Are you crazy?” Fula shouted at the Admiral.

“He could’ve killed you, Doc,” William said.

The Caitian challeged, “And you could’ve just killed him. Fortunately the sedative wasn’t high enough to cause permanent damage.”

“I need to know more about what is going on,” Teagarden explained. “What kind of DNA profile procedure did they run on him? What are they after?”

“That’s a question for them,” Fula said as he studied the readouts. “Now, if you could, please get out of my sickbay while I try to keep this man alive.”

William nodded, “Very well. Keep me updated,” he ordered as he glared at Commander zh’Aald.

Guri didn’t hesitate and she fell into step behind her Admiral. As the two left the Sickbay she couldn’t help but say it, “Admiral, what the Hell is going on?”

“I don’t know but I sure as Hell don’t like it,” he said as he approached the turbolift. Stepping inside he continued, “A DNA profile procedure being used to capture Vulcans that are being sent to Nova Roma? It just doesn’t make sense. Bridge.”

Guri crossed her arms, “That’s not what I meant. I meant what’s wrong with you.”

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“You just assaulted that Vulcan, you act like you don’t want Commander Vassen anywhere near this ship, and you’ve been colder than usual. What is going on?” The Andorian laid the cards on the table.

William decided to pick them up, “This whole business with the Vulcans has me worried. Vulcans secedes from the Federation and joins the Romulans? It doesn’t add up. Now the whole thing with Levak was to stop him, but I’m worried about all the Vulcans at this point. I don’t trust the Romulans and now I don’t trust them either.”

The lift started to move toward the Bridge, “I hate to say this but you better find a way. Right now this ship is in the middle of Vulcan space and the Romulans are watching. If we ever have any hope of bringing them back to our side we need to put our best foot forward, or Vulcan will be lost forever. We can’t let ourselves be clouded either by bias. Now you’re Captain of this ship and I’ll follow your lead, but, if I think that you’re compromised by this mission I will have you relieved and you just made sure that Doctor Fula sides with me.”

Admiral Teagarden stared at Commander zh’Aald as the lift slowed. He nodded, “Alright. I’ll do my best.”

The lift doors opened and the two stepped out onto the Bridge. As the Admiral turned and went one way, Guri went the other. Standing on the opposite side she asked, “Orders, Admiral?”

“Set course for Vulcan,” he ordered. “Maximum speed.”

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