Stake Out

Posted on 30 Jan 2016 @ 5:15pm by Commodore Harvey Geisler & Lieutenant Parisa Rykov DCS

1,471 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Rude Awakening
Location: Captain's Quarters
Timeline: MD 9 || 1330 hours (Prior to Calling It In)

Doctor Parisa Rykov had made a few attempts to get into the Brig. Whether she made the personal request or attempted to arrange for a work order in the Brig, there was no budging. They would not allow her in, even on engineering business. She was simply told whatever repairs or maintenance could be done at another time. She usually avoided people, stayed confined to her own little world, and did not get involved in starship politics or scuttlebutt. However, when she was informed that Commander Kos had been placed under arrest and was being held in the Brig for treason or some nonsense, Rykov could stay in the shadows no further.

There was only so much scuttlebutt and a prissy yeoman could provide. Rykov wanted answers, and she wanted them now. 'The Captain is not to be disturbed' the little yeoman had told her when Parisa sought to present a list of her demands. Fine, her demands could wait, but this? This was a woman's career on the line. Had this been a Romulan or Klingon vessel, Commander Kos would have likely been killed already. Fortunately, she lived. She was just rotting away in a small cell.

The ex-Nurse turned Engineer waited for the right moment. She stood outside the Captain's quarters, pretending to be fixing something nearby inside a small access panel. It gave her enough reason to be in the corridor. She waited until the Captain came to retire to his quarters. "You know better" she said aloud as she 'finished' the repairs and began to put the paneling back into place.

Harvey, having just turned the corner on Deck Two, wasn't expecting to see someone waiting for him. Once he heard her voice and saw her face, however, he immediately wished he was elsewhere. It had been an extremely long day, nor was it yet over, and the last thing he needed was a lieutenant taking matters into her own hands while he was dealing with this troublesome convoy.

His first thought was of the "list" he took a glance at when his yeoman had delivered a half-dozen reports and requisitions. Harvey naturally wasn't going to even consider their contents until this situation had been resolved, and hopefully that would be in the next few hours.

Still, there was the unusual matter at hand. With whatever issue she had, why was she laying in wait here at his quarters and not taking the matter to Lieutenant Dicon or Commander Kos...

Mac is in the brig, his mind reminded him. He'd have to deal with that soon too.

Straightening his uniform and heading straight for the door to his cabin, he looked at her and scoffed, "Excuse me, lieutenant?"

"Mac" replied Lieutenant Rykov as she brushed off her uniform and straightened it, "Sir" she added gesturing him to proceed inside his quarters. "Unless you'd rather discuss the matter out here in the open. I could not care less either way" said the lieutenant flatly.

What the hell? he thought, wondering who the hell she thought she was inviting him in to his own quarters. Harvey instead, gestured for her to enter first as he had no intention of discussing this matter in the middle of the corridor. He didn't know who to trust on this ship right now and he wasn't going to add to the scuttlebutt. Harvey followed her inside.

Soon thereafter, Rykov leaned against a bulkhead. "I am sorry, Captain. I do not mean to bring this all on your shoulders right now, but I do not like 'counselors'" added Rykov. "There's no damn way anyone is going to convince me that she's a traitor. No way" groaned the woman.

"I don't suppose you can prove her innocence," Harvey countered. "As it stands, I'm the Captain. I'm the one that needs to be convinced that Commander Kos is innocent, and right now, all of the evidence points to her." He didn't go into his own feelings at the moment as those were reserved for others with higher clearance.

Somehow, Harvey knew that Rykov would not restrain herself like he was currently doing.

Rykov said some choice words in a mixed tongue of Romulan and Russian before looking back up at Harvey and into his eyes piercingly. "No, Captain, I suppose that I cannot prove her innocence to you as I'm simply a maintenance engineer" scoffed the woman.

"Needless to say it is a little difficult to prove her innocence when I cannot even speak to the woman or do any investigating. They leave that to security officers and those with higher clearance levels than me" countered Rykov. "Of course, I have to question whether they really are looking for things to clear her name or just damn her career and good name. It does not help matters when the crew hear nothing from the Captain except 'She's in custody and we are awaiting further evidence pending an investigation'" added Doctor Rykov bitterly.

She vacated her bulk head and looked at the Captain shaking her head. "Is this what service and comradery is aboard the Black Hawk? She was your First Officer for how long now? More than a few days, Captain. She's been at your side through thick and thin. If you were in the Brig and she was in your shoes, would she simply be waiting for information to go one way or the other? I sincerely hope not" said Rykov trying to control her anger. "I can't speak for either of you. But I would stand by either of you in her position and do my damn best to prove your innocence."

The Captain narrowed his eyes. The woman had touched a nerve, and thanks to all of the stress from the day, his own restraints were wearing thin. "You speak of service and camaraderie, Lieutenant. Do you have any idea what is happening around us right now? Friends and colleagues have turned on one another. You heard what happened at DS11, not to mention the dozens of starships stationed in this quadrant. Do I want Kos at my side? You bet your ass I do."

In that moment, Harvey realized many things that he hadn't allowed himself to think about. For now, he had no choice but to force them aside. "Today is a day from hell, I'll give you that. We have a fellow Starfleet ship off the starboard bow whose command crew may have committed treason. And, we have this mess aboard a convoy that we have to clean up. Commander Kos has to play the part of the victim right now. I want nothing more than to get her out of that brig, but the crew needs to know that sabotage will not be taken lightly aboard this ship. If the real saboteur is still at large, then you better believe we'll find them."

He looked her in the eye and added, "And if you really do care, then perhaps you should help track that person down."

Rykov smirked and nodded at the Captain. "Oh, I damn well intend to hunt the devil down who put Kos in that cell" said the engineer very sharply. "You don't think, I've tried to help? You'd be surely mistaken. In fact, do not be surprised if I end up in a cell as well. I probably will have security swarming my quarters by the end of the night" she confessed.

"I ran into a bit of a snag trying to access Kos' personnel files and some information about a Captain Julius Grady and several other of these incidents that have been popping up as of late" she said crossing her arms once more. "Commander Kos was taken into custody before she could approve my raise in security clearance aboard the Black Hawk. I managed to find a work around convinced to computer to raise it, justly, but my digging around trying to get into 'secure' files above my clearance level probably has caught the attention of ship's security. So, if you'd be a dear and let them know not to throw me in a cell, that would be appreciated" she said with a small wink.

"I'll do what I can," Harvey said, walking over to his desk to retrieve the three PADDs he came for. He thought about suggesting that Rykov pay Lieutenant Di Pasquale a visit, but surely that was already next on her list. "Besides," he halfway joked, "you might get off easy. With the way things are going, you might just be confined to quarters since we have a rather full brig."

"By the way things are going...this whole crew will be in the brig" replied Rykov throwing her hands up. "I'll leave you to enjoy your evening, Captain. I have work to tend to."

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