Commander David Rogers stepped off the transport pad and paused while the security team re-scanned him for proper identification again. Security procedures for star base Lotus had been beefed up since the captain of the USS Horizon's security protocols had been adopted throughout the entire facility; including all her attendant ships. Getting the nod from the senior lieutenant, David turned and exited the transporter room on deck three, turned toward the turbo shaft and awaited its arrival.
Pulling his personal PADD from its holster, David opened his orders and read them again for the fifth time:
Stardate 88662.4
To:
Commander David Rogers, Lotus Fleet.Current posting Chief Engineer, USS Phoenix.
Per orders from Commander in chief, Hromi Sector and Star Fleet Security chief, Sol III, you are hereby ordered to report for duty as Executive Officer and Chief Engineer aboard USS Lotus, star base Lotus, Hromi Sector. Report directly to Captain Connora'tu Felez.
Signed:
Fleet Captain Allen Samji, Star Base Lotus, Hromi Sector.
In and of itself, the orders were standard issue for transfer. But David had an uneasy feeling when he again read the orders origin. Star Fleet Security? Having had no real dealing with fleet security, David none the less got a somewhat foreboding feeling when seeing that.The turbo lift doors chimed and then opened to admit him and Rogers stepped aboard the small elevator and directed it to the bridge two decks up. A short five second ride opened the doors to reveal the Lotus bridge, from the perspective of the left aft turbo lift position.
A young Bajoran with ensign pips glanced up and practically skipped over to him "Commander Rogers?" but he didn't wait for the reply. "Welcome aboard the Fleets oldest and most respected vessel in the quadrant Commander."
"I'm afraid Captain Felez was.. detained.. and will be meeting with you later, in the mean time I'm to assist you in settling in to your station." and smiled pleasantly.
David looked the young Bajoran security officer over whimsically, recalling his own tenure as an ensign. But, as protocols required business before pleasure, he got right to the point.
"Very well, thank you Ensign. I have had my belonging's sent to my quarters already, so I will just get down to main engineering and see how the Lotus held up in dry dock. You can inform me when the captain arrives."
So saying, David about faced and re-entered the turbo lift. As the doors swished shut behind him, he ordered it to deck eleven.
As the level two diagnostics on the ships sensor systems wound up David initiated a level one diagnostic on the computers. Weapons and shields diagnostics had already been completed, and the main and secondary computer systems were all that was left. He had left them for last because their newly integrated Decatur Nanite Enhancement.
The one hundred percent efficiency granted by the DNE was surpassed only by the USS Phoenix systems, the original testbed for Decatur's enhancement. As the diagnostic began, David summarized the ship wide diagnostic into a concise report and placed it into his personal PADD. It would be available for the captains approval once he boarded the ship.
Rising from his office chair in main engineering David pocketed his PADD and, with a shrugging stretch, eased the tension in his shoulders. After the take over of his body and mind on the Pheonix mission to the other universe, he had found that the damage inflicted during that encounter ... although treated and cured ... still had a tendency to knot his shoulders after prolonged sitting times. Exiting the office, David made his way out of the bay to the turbo lift, entered it when it sensed him and opened, then ordered it to deck five. He knew, and dreaded, the upcoming summons that was inevitably ... the comm badge on his chest chirped.
"Commander Rogers, please report to medical immediately".
David groaned at the universe granting his worst nightmare with its usual cosmic joke.
'Great', David thought grudgingly. 'I take it upon myself to do the proverbial end-run around that saw bones and report for that damn physical before he can berate me for not coming, and he and the great cosmos take the fun out of it.'
Tapping his badge to respond, Rogers answered the order.
"On my way, Doctor."
The turbo lift surged slightly to a stop and David stepped through the opening doors. Walking casually; At least attempting to, David strolled into the medical bay and saw Doctor Ellagio Nasaro-myth standing near a bio bed. Knowing their past interactions David felt it necessary to continue his tirade regarding the usefulness of medical updates on every posting.
"So Doc? You have seen the transporter records of my beaming aboard the Lotus? Anything changed in the last few hours?"
"The machine didn't tell me, So let me check..."
Elliago served him his dazzling smile. He had served before with the engineer on the USS Phoenix' maiden voyage and new his typical Starfleet officer annoyance with medical examinations; an annoyance that grew proportionately with rank. He also knew such nonsense was affectation for almost every one of them. They wanted to appear indestructible to lower ranks and so went by as if they were immune to pain, illness, fatigue, stress and all the little ailments of life, including age. Sensible and straithforward officers like Captain Felez were the exception.
The Deltan knew all this; yet, he didn't mind playing the game with the likes of David Rogers... although this time, he could feel something was truly amiss. There was a subtle stiffness in his neck and shoulders that resonated into his forced casual tone of voice. He knew him; this was not his usual affected annoyance. Something was really bothering him.
As the Half-Romulan sat on the biobed, the built-in sensors quickly read his biometrics and compared them to both Starfleet records and transporter scans. At the same time, he placed the tip of his sensitive fingers on his cervical vertebraes and up the base of the skull, probing with a natural sensitivity that could match any instrument.
"Well Rogers, I would suggest you have yourself a good drink, a good book and some sleep before we depart. You are as fit as usual but you seem overtly stressed. I guess this upcoming investigation assignment is puzzling you as much as it puzzles me."
David, with a quizical glance over his shoulder at the doctor about his last statement, answered with curiosity.
"Investigation?" David started, as his heart rate picked up a couple beats per second. 'What could I possibly be of value for in a security investigation?"
"My guess would be your technical expertise," Elliago answered.
David thought quickly. Verbally, he continued on the same puzzled tone.
" Doc, my orders were to report to the Lotus, by order of Starfleet security and the CIC. I haven't seen the captain yet, so I know nothing about any investigation, or even our mission orders.".
"I myself was just told I was summoned for my xenoforensics specialty; and since it was from Starfleet Security, it could only be for an investigation... and quite the serious one at that, to drag me from the Horizon and all the way from the Azimuth universe."
Sliding off of the biobed, David started to turn away from the Deltan and his probing fingertips.
"I had better get to the captain now."
Elliago let him go. His medical check was done anyway; but he had sensed the sudden mounting tension in the Half-Romulan's body as they spoke. He had felt the pull away coming but did not insist. Not only would it have been rude, unjustified and unethical, but he understood his state of mind; or at least he thought so. Being half-Romulan and being unexpectedly and unexplainably called out by Starfleet Security alone easily explained such a reaction. Elliago himself, even being from a well knwon and respected member species of the Federation, nevertheless didn't feel as confident and relaxed as he was making it appear to be. Anything involving Starfleet Security was bound to be something to worry about.
He smiled at Rogers.
"Well, you were the last one I had to check so, I will also answer the summon of our glorious leader as well and go with you, if you don't mind."
By Ray Pasqual on 01/27/2016 @ 1:50pm
changed the title to make it clear and descriptive instead of vague and evocative, as stipulated for this season.
By David Rogers on 02/05/2016 @ 12:04am
Added the Doctor in order to finish out this thread.
May I suggest we three get into one thread soon ... perhaps Captain Felez can start a Lotus thread encapsulating us all, starting with his mission briefing mentioned during his medical exam with the doctor.
By Kheren on 02/07/2016 @ 3:59pm
Guess you can start that briefing room scene anytime now captain Sir :)