Waking Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed

Posted on Wed May 4th, 2016 @ 1:10pm by Admiral Lucius Hawke & Lieutenant Commander Leto & Lieutenant Commander Gilroy

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Aros' Quarters / Admiral Hawke's Quarters

* Security Offices *

A sharp alarm sounded, causing several junior officers to jump to attention and scramble to determine the source of the alarm. One did just as Gilroy exited Oz’s to see what the commotion was about. “Sir! An explosion on a Fleet residential deck. Officers are heading there now,” she told him the deck and quarters.

“I’ll join them, Ensign,” Gilroy answered and turned to head out. He looked back at the woman. “Come along. It’s time for you to get out of the office a little bit.” He turned away before seeing her happy grin.

* Guest Quarters *

The smell of burning electronics greeted the officers as they exited the turbolift. Down the corridor to the left, smoke was seeping out from beneath a door and the alarm lights were flashing. A muffled boom reached them, then the sound faded as the smoke grew heavier.

“Fire suppression! Computer, vent this deck, section F!”, a responding Security officer shouted as he and others hurried towards the affected quarters. Coming to the door, the officers called for the door to open, but it refused; it bulged slightly outwards from the pressure of the blast. Immediately, the team set to forcing the door open.

Several minutes later, the door was open and Security rushed in. The computer had cleared the smoke so the scene was easy to see.

The wall to the right of the door was black and mostly destroyed where Nevros had caused the computer panel to blow. The destruction had spread further along the wall past the kitchen entrance and it was easy to see that a chain reaction had occurred, causing more, smaller explosions. Aros lay on the floor at the kitchen door, unmoving. The shorts he wore were singed black and his bare back, legs, and arms were severely burned.

Part of the team called for a medical transport; the other part checked to ensure that the chain reaction was at an end. It was and with the injured man removed, they began running scans to determine what had happened.

Minutes later, Gilroy and his ensign arrived on the scene. “Report,” Gilroy ordered.

“Sir,” the lead lieutenant answered, “It started here with a disruptor overload, which triggered an explosion in the console. That triggered a chain reaction, ending here. The occupant, Aros, currently assigned as Commander Kh’ali’s nanny, is severely injured and being tended to at Piper. There’s no evidence of who set the disruptor to overload or if it was an accident; we’ll know more once Aros is awake.”

Gilroy looked around the scene, moments of his own brush with an explosion coming to mind, and nodded. “Put a guard on Aros in Piper, in case this wasn’t an accident. I can’t imagine Aros being careless with a weapon, but... one never knows.”

He entered the bedroom and stood for a moment, again looking around. Then he called to the lieutenant: “Aros is a single male, isn’t he?”

“Aye, sir, no partner on record.”

“Even so, he had company. I have the feeling this is a bit small for him,” Gilroy held up a thin chemise. The ensign he’d brought along grinned, until he looked at her, “Find out who he’s dating... or whose commbadge that is on the night stand.”

She saw the badge and picked it up to scan it. “Yes sir.”

Gilroy went back out to the living room.

The front doors opened once more and Leto hurried into the quarters. Seeing Gilroy she stopped, took a very brief look around, then turned her attention to him.

“What happened here Gil?” she asked. “And where is Aros?”

“Piper; he was injured in the blasts here,” Gilroy pointed at the damage. “Disruptor set to overload, chain reaction,” he summarized the event quickly.

“Sir?” His ensign came out of the bedroom, looking worried, “this commbadge belongs to Aia Rios.”

Gilroy frowned then looked at Leto and asked, “Don’t suppose you’d like to be the bearer of that news, would you?”

Leto’s eyes widened. “Why is her comm badge here? The next question seems obvious, but why is it here and not attached to her?” She frowned and then continued. “Computer, locate Aia Rios-Hawke.”

=^= Aia Rios-Hawke is not on the station =^= came the reply.

Turning towards the lead lieutenant, Gilroy asked, “Are there any organic traces in the debris from the explosion?”

“No, sir, we checked that already. It seems that the only injury was to Aros,” the lieutenant replied.

“So what am I supposed to say?” Leto turned back to Gilroy. “Sir, your wife vanished from another man’s quarters and left only her comm badge and nightie behind? Yeah...no. If I tell him that it will be on a comm call from the Alpha Quadrant.”

“Coward,” Gilroy muttered with a slight smile. “I’ll tell him; we’ll have some questions for him. We’ll get scans started to determine how Ms. Rios might have left the station.”

“Thank you. Let me know as soon as you have something. This is the second disappearance in as many days and my suspicious mind thinks they are related somehow, even if the people involved are not.” Leto took another look around. “I’m going to Piper but any issues with your team if I come back here after?”

“Even if the people appear to not be connected...,” Gilroy said slowly, “Ian Bren was working on the sphere; Aros helped retrieve it. The quarters will be sealed but I can create a passcode for you.”

“Thanks. Maybe Aros can shed some light on Aia. I’ll call after I’ve seen him. Good luck with Admiral Hawke.” Leto gave Gilroy a sympathetic look, then hurried out.

* Admiral Hawke’s Quarters *

Gilroy had called ahead to make sure the Admiral had a minute. He entered the room at the man’s invitation. “Admiral Hawke,” he greeted him.

“Good morning Commander. Have a seat. Would you care for some coffee?” Lucius was dressed casually still, and the little-girl sounds of Saye could be heard from deeper in the quarters.

“Ah, no thank you, sir, but don’t let that stop you,” Gilroy said, taking a seat. He perched on the edge of an armchair. “Sir, was Mrs. Hawke planning a trip off-Station?”

“No, why?” Lucius returned from the kitchen and settled on the sofa. “She just recently returned from a long trip to Betazed and insisted she didn’t want to see the inside of a ship anytime soon.” He smiled and sipped his coffee, then lowered the cup. “You are on edge, Commander. What’s up?”

“Earlier, we responded to an alarm for an explosion on a guest quarters deck. The affected quarters are those of Aros. The apartment is badly damaged and Aros was being tended to in Piper Medical. When we searched the rooms, we located a commbadge that is assigned to Aia Rios. She isn’t on the Station, Sir.”

Lucius’ expression was stoic at the news. “She isn’t on the station? How is that possible? How is Aros?” He didn’t seem at all surprised at Aia’s location, only that she was gone. Already his mind was moving at light speed, trying to connect the dots and not liking where this was leading.

“Aros was burned and badly torn up; the doctors tried to save him, but he succumbed to those injuries. We don’t know where Aia is. You’re aware, of course, that Ian Bren, the scientist working on the sphere, has also disappeared?”

”I am. Get Ehlana in there and let her go over his quarters. If Aia was there and then suddenly not on the station at all, it stands to reason that perhaps she’s gone the same route as Mr. Bren. Apparently, someone is trying to cover their tracks wouldn’t you say?” Lucius sighed and placed his mug on the coffee table. “I should have set a watch on them. If I had, she might still be here and Aros would be alive.”

Gilroy tried to keep his thoughts on that to himself. “I agree, sir; there’s something happening because of that sphere. I’ve already asked Science to run some scans, but I’ll call Commander Winter as well. If this is a Krenim agent... the agent could arrive on the Station days or weeks into the future and skip backward to cause issues. We could close the ports to ships coming in from Krenim space.”

“We could but if he’s time jumping, stopping the ships won’t matter,” Lucius grumbled. “Anyone who is related to that thing should be guarded closely. That means Lt. Sukotav, Commander Leroy, anyone else in science. Seal those floors. I suppose that includes me and Li as well. At least Seren is off the station.”

Gilroy’s brows rose and he stared at the admiral for a moment. He realized that another unpleasant message had been left for him to deliver. “Sir, Li isn’t on the Station, either. She’s on the cha’Do with Admiral Wegener, Captain Blackhorse, and Commander Darwin. They are heading off to investigate the sudden lack of communication with the Kohanna, the ship Seren is on.”

A muscle twitched in Lucius’ jaw. “I see. So Gilroy, is there anything else you need to tell me?”

“Commander Zeferino is back on limited duty...,” he said, knowing that was a small thing compared to the other information he’d just imparted. “Beyond that, sir, I have nothing else to tell you.”

“Well that’s good news at least. I know Oz and being off-duty makes her restless. A restless Oz is not a good thing.” Lucius finally smiled. “Intel has been informed? If so, I’ll get with Leto. We have some calls to make to others involved in this mess.”

“Yes, Leto was on the scene. I’ll send a report to Oz. She’s a touch concerned about being acting CO; she might appreciate being able to give you the updates on this herself.”

“I’ll stop in and see her,” he assured Gilroy. “If anything comes my way, I’ll let you know immediately.”

“Thank you, sir,” Gilroy rose and headed for the door. “I’ll pass anything we find along to Oralia.”

***************
Lt. Commander Gilroy
Lt. Leto
Admiral Lucius Hawke
Security Team