Stardate: 60322:1400
Title: Friend or Foe?
Author: Executive Officer Abigail Winters
Time: After "Memory Lane"
Scene: USS Relentless Bridge/Captain's ready room/Sickbay


Sitting on the bridge of the Relentless Abby tensed as she felt someone approach.

"Commander Winters." Maxine Jenna the new Chief of Science and an old friend of Abby's stood before the XO.

"I'm so pleased to see you." Abby smiled as she realized that she now had a friend onboard.

"So what's the new Captain like aside from being an escaped felon?"

Abby laughed, only Maxine could take all that had happened in stride and still manage to joke about it.

"Well think about our old Captain and then think half the size and double the trouble."

Abby motioned to Maxine to follow her into the Captain's ready room so they could talk privately. As they sat on the sofa Abby went to put her coffee cup on the table but lack of sleep made her hand/eye coordination slightly off and the mug fell to the floor spilling out the last few dregs. Abby picked up the mug and quickly filled the CSO in on everything that had happened. Abby also gave Captain Deadilus' theory that it might be a black op.

"We have a communication channel open with the Horizon if you could work with them on getting the Captain back then I can focus on getting Relly ready to launch."

"Relly?"

Maxine looked momentarily confused.

"The Relentless."

Abby and Maxine left the ready room.

~

Reading the latest status report Abby smiled; the Relentless was almost operational.

"Abby." The XO looked up to find Maxine standing behind her.

"We have managed to locate the Captain and using the Starbase computers we have beamed him to the sickbay. Life signs indicate he is in poor shape and Captain Deadilus has beamed his doctor over. Using Captain Khavok's medical file we have made it look like he is on the Horizon as a decoy. Plus Captain Deadilus is using the Starbase computers to keep personnel busy on their side. "Thank you Maxine you take the bridge whilst I will check on the Captain.

~

After all that had happened Abby wasn't sure how she felt towards her new Captain. Having him on the Relentless was a big risk not only to her career but the safety of every other crewmember. The XO entered the sickbay unnoticed and she watched as Dr Matthews treat a very beaten and bruised Captain Khavok. It had to be the first time in their short acquaintance that Khavok's usual confident swagger was missing and now instead of the mischievous glimmer that usually lingered in his eyes Abby saw a dark swirl of buried emotion. He must have sensed her presence as he turned in her direction.

"Abby?" Khavok moved himself into a more seated position. "Give us a minute doctor" Ted looked like he was about to protest but the look on the Captain's face made him leave the room quietly.

A long silence stretched between Abby and Alex. They were both trying to gauge the others position.

"Thank you for getting me back here," Alex tried to smile but the bruises on his face must have made it painful as he gave up.

"Captain Deadilus is the one you should be thanking," Abby couldn't understand why she was being so cold to the Captain.

"Good old Scotty always comes through in a crisis." The lines at the sides of Alex's eyes creased slightly as he looked at the XO. She assumed he was trying to think of a tactic to reach her.

"And what crisis are we currently in?" Abby asked.

"I think it is some kind of black op I don't know what their goal is. But whilst we are connected to the Starbase we are vulnerable."

"Captain, I'm struggling with this whole thing." Alex didn't interrupt instead he waited for Abby to continue "Captain Deadilus has vouched for you and in your current condition I can see that whatever is going on isn't lawful. But really what am I supposed to do? If you stay on the ship we risk the whole crew and if I turn you over to the station personnel next time I might get you back in a body bag." Abby sighed and sat on the bed opposite Khavok."

"Tough first day huh?" Alex asked and Abby could only laugh.

The door opened and both the Captain and XO turned expectantly.

"Ah Darius" The Captain said to the man "Commander Winters let me introduce you to Lieutenant Darius Kell - Tactical Officer." Abby stood to shake the man's hand. However the man didn't let go of Abby's hand instead he pulled her towards him holding her tight around her neck whilst pointing a phaser at her head.

"No sudden movements" Darius demanded.

"What are you doing Darius?" The Captain stood beside his bed with a cold look in his eyes.

"My mission, If you want your pretty XO to stay pretty I suggest you turn yourself over to security personnel now".

Abby decided that it was about time she decided which side she was on. Taking a deep breath she pushed her elbow into her captor's stomach causing him to loosen his grip on her neck. She used the room to twist out of his grip. In the time that Darius was distracted by Abby, Alex smacked him hard in the face causing him to fall backwards. The Captain stood on his wrist and took the phaser from his hand.

"So what's our next move Captain?" Abby asked.


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