Stardate: 60316:1300
Title: Is The Truth Escaping Us?
Author: Executive Officer Abigail Winters
Time: After "Renewing Old Acquaintances"
Scene: Starbase 9 / USS Relentless


Abby smiled as she listened to Captain Deadilus telling a story about Alex and himself in their academy years. It seemed their chivalry had got them into hot water quite a few times and before they had reached the heady heights of command they had both been in there fair share of trouble! 

The Ensign who was escorting them tried to give the appearance of not listening but from the way his mouth was curving Abby could tell he was enjoying the story. As they approached the brig the XO noticed that the Ensign
seemed to pale and as she followed his line of sight she found that there was one of the security guards from earlier blocking their entrance.

The Security Guard was Romulan with huge hands that looked quite capable of crushing skulls. He also had an arrogant stance that said he thought everyone was below him in the order of the universe. Abby thought he should really meet Loula that would knock him down a peg or two. As they approached Abigail noticed a smirk lingering on his face as if he was enjoying a personal joke. Looking at Scott she sensed no apprehension instead he was still giving out calm authoritative vibes. 

"We are here with Commander Frank Burgle's authorization to release Captain Khavok." Scott didn't given any sign that he felt threatened or even that annoyed by the security officer's blatant disrespect for his higher rank.

"Well we have a small problem - your Captain Khavok has escaped." The security guard looked from the XO to the Captain.

Abby and Scott stood for a moment absorbing the news.

"And I'm going to have to ask you two to return to your ships." Before they had chance to speak he continued "As there is an escaped criminal on the loose and we are now going to shut down the Starbase." The Romulan folded his big arms across his chest. Abby was about to protest but she felt Deadilus' hand gently pulling on her elbow. They turned to walk away but after only a few steps Scott turned back to the security guard. The move had obviously been designed to disarm the guard but he had been well rehearsed.

"Please send copies of the footage you have of Alex's time in the brig and of his escape to the Horizon." Abby hadn't thought of the footage but it seemed like a good place to start.

"Well it seems the Captain on his escape has tampered with the files and erased them." Abby noticed that the Security Officer broke eye contact and moved from one foot to the other. Captain Deadilus merely nodded and continued back the way they had come. When they were out of sight of the brig the Captain dismissed the Ensign and said they would find there own way back to their respective ships. A few moments of silence passed.

"Do you think Captain Khavok would have escaped?" Abby didn't know her new Captain that well but something about it didn't feel right.

"I have no doubt that if Alex wanted to escape he could. However, Alex is a responsible guy and he would know they wouldn't be able to keep him long."

"It does seem strange especially when they put him under arrest he was so compliant and the recording footage of him being missing seems very suspect." Scott nodded at what Abby was saying. 

"The Starbase lockdown seems a bit over the top, but I can imagine Burgle is a guy who likes to use all his power when he has it." They both fell into silence.

"What do we do now?" Abby ask as they approached the Relentless.

"Well I suggest you go back to the Relentless and I go to the Horizon, the ships are probably being watched and I get the feeling this station isn't the safest place to be at the moment. Is the Relentless operational?" The question
threw Abby as technically her first shift didn't start until tomorrow but after losing Loula, dealing with Owbron, having a drink with her new Captain, getting into a fight, being given temporary command of the ship and dealing
with Starbase 9. The XO hadn't really looked at the ship. 

Scott sensing her hesitation and did the gentlemanly thing.

"Why don't you check the status of the Relentless and I will do the same for the Horizon just in case we need to break away and then we can gather our staff and perhaps devise a game plan." Abby agreed with Scott's plan even
though she knew Scott already knew the status of every nut and bolt of his ship. 

~

As Abby entered the bridge it was to find Godron Owbron waiting for her.

"The scandal, I knew it was a mistake to join a ship with such a young and impulsive captain." Abby kept moving and Godron followed her.

"What do you have to say?" The Administrator demanded and Abby just couldn't resist herself.

"Why don't you ask the Captain yourself?" Abby pointed behind Godron and the man visibly paled. However, when he turned and found that Abby had tricked him his face flushed an embarrassed red and he flounced off the bridge.

*It was worth ten minutes without Godron*

The XO asked for a full status report of the ship and whilst that was happening she tried to contact the Horizon. After a full five minutes it became clear that their signal was being blocked and when she tried to access any of the stations logs she found that she was being denied as part of the shutdown. Sinking in her chair Abby tried to decide what their priority was. With only a skeleton crew it would be difficult to get the ship operational, work on a communication link with the Horizon and try to hack into the station computer. It was then that the first thing went right.

[Commander Winters, this is Autumn Falls Operations Officer of the Horizon. I have secured this channel for communication please stand by.]


========================
Lt. Commander Abigail Winters
Executive Officer
USS Relentless
NCC-11966 
========================