The Keepers (part 2)

Posted on Sat Mar 5th, 2016 @ 5:01pm by Captain T'mpest Michaels & Commander Rylie Cattmor & Lieutenant Commander Orin ch’Valri & Ensign Belle Maryweather

1,101 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: A Civil Act
Location: Underground city

[CONTINUED from part 1]

[OLD]

"Uuhh... Are you all right, captain?" Belle absolutely didn't want to be disrespectful, but it seemed the captain knew a lot more than she should. At the same time, she looked at the computer terminal. It seemed the same type of language as was on the wall in the main room, and while the translator on her tricorder was slowly getting through the screen, there was no way T'mpest would've been able to read that at the speed she apparently did - especially without tricorder altogether.

[NEW]

"I am fine," T'mpest said. "I am gathering data to take back to the Ranger."

She couldn't help but filter through the noise in her head to Belle's thoughts, and Rylie could do nothing else than agree with the Ensign's feelings, or gut-instinct. Not wanting anyone else to get alarmed, and acting as per her duty of X-O, Cattmor approached T'mpest still looking over the details on the screen. "This is of course your prerogative, captain," she started in a hushed tone, "but would you mind explaining your logic and sudden understanding to at least me?"

"You don't hear them?" T'mpest asked, quickly receiving the negative head shake from Cattmor. "The computer is talking to me. And, I...remember. Bits and pieces. I can read the language now. I think they're trying to help us."

"Apart from the mind burst that put you out," Rylie replied still in her quiet tone, "and gave me this splitting headache, I haven't received any arcane knowledge or heard any voices in my head... well apart from the away team." She adjusted her stance slightly to face T'mpest a little more head on. "Captain, I'm concerned about what happened to you, and the apparent effects of it, and if I could, I'd advise you, forcefully, to go to sickbay. Whether you trust this computer or not, I would at least like you under medical supervision because I don't trust... it."

"There is no sickbay here," T'mpest reminded her. "I do not know why you cannot hear them. Perhaps it is because I have studied many ancient civilizations. Perhaps it is because I have talked to the AIs on Abydos. I do not know. All I know is that I can now read and understand the language. And I hear them whispering to me and to each other. When we get back to the ship, I will report to the doctor for a full medical evaluation." She looked around for Orin, but didn't see him. "You can ask security to keep an eye on me if you still have concerns."

With T'mpest returning her attention to the screen in front of her, that signaled the closure of that conversation. Cattmor stood fast however for a number of seconds and stared intently at her commanding officer, before glancing quickly at the screen and then turning away catching up to the searching group. "Commander." she called to the Andorian security chief. "This thing with the captain is not sitting right with me; I don't want either yourself, or one of your people leaving her side, no matter what happens."

"She hasn't left my sights yet so I don't plan it now, Commander." Orin replied as he walked into view, Addy close behind him. "Just taking a moment to survey the area. It's a Marine thing." He said as he walked over to T'mpest, a slight smirk on his face. "Mister Addy, Stick to the Commander's Six."

"What?" Jack replied quickly, looking over to Cattmor for a second before looking back to Orin. "Umm.. Boss. Don't you think I should do my thing and recon ahead of the group?"

Orin stopped by T'mpest's side and looked toward Jack with a stern look. "What did I tell you about thinking, Kro?"

"That it never works well and I should stop before I get myself killed?" Jack replied quickly, almost without missing a beat.

"Exactly." Orin commented with a nod.

"On it, Boss." Jack said sternly as he walked over to Cattmor. "I'm be on her six like she were one of those irresistible trashy Orions." He paused for a moment looking to Cattmor nervously, her expression one of poker-faced disapproval. "Not that I'm into those kind of things. To each his own, I guess." His eyes widened again as he cleared his throat. "Not that you look like a trashy Orion, Commander. You are very.. umm... attractive in an assertive kind of way. Matter of fact if I wasn't in a relationship I would- never mind." Jack said abruptly ending his thought as he looked toward Orin and T'mpest. "Shutting up, now."

"Good." Cattmor said simply. "I wouldn't want to have to find a spade for you to continue digging a bigger hole." she continued before starting to move off and suddenly turning back, "And I'd get that thought out of your head, Mister Addy." she said pointedly, easily picking up a stray thought from the ex-Marine.

T'mpest turned to Orin. "Do you hear the voices?"

It was a question Rylie didn't want to over hear, or ever hear, T'mpest ask, and she couldn't help the feeling that these 'voices' were somehow coercing the captain, maybe even controlling her. Vulcan strength of will was something else, but it would not have been the first time that a Vulcan would have succumbed to an alien presence. She glanced back with a concerned crease of her brow, then continued on--for now, the captain was in good hands, and on some level, so was she.

Orin raised a brow. "I don't know. My normal instinct is to tune out peoples surface thoughts and emotions." He than paused slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But now that you mention it, there are these three that I don't recognized. I can't block them out like normally. They are very insistent, but not overwhelmingly so. You know?"

She nodded. "Yes. They are the computers that keep the city alive. I do not believe they wish us harm, but Commander Cattmor is...wary. I need to learn more." T'mpest turned and looked around the room for a long moment while she thought. Then she headed out the door and down a side corridor.

(To be continued...)

Ensign Belle Maryweather
Science Officer
USS Ranger

Captain T'mpest Michaels
Commanding Officer
USS Ranger

Commander Rylie Cattmor
Executive Officer
USS Ranger

Lieutenant Commander Orin ch'Valri
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Ranger

 

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