Lieutenant James 'Jimbo' Anderson was rather rudely awakened by a combination of low
voltage stimulus shocks to his spine and skull intermittantly applied between splashes of cold
water. When he came to he became achingly aware of a smoldering Colonel Snavely glowering down at him.
"Well, Lieutenant, just what the hell happened in that crapper?!"
Jimbo groaned and slowly struggled to a sitting position. "I..I'm not sure, Colonel. Buck and me went into this comfort room to arrest this older civilian guy." Jimbo winced as he reached to pull an electro stimulus patch away from the base of his skull. "And he was wearing sunglasses, just like you said in your announcement." Jimbo yanked the other stimu-patch away from the base of his spine. The movement caused him to slip on the watery floor and he fell back on one elbow with a grunt. "I.. uh.. I know I had my phaser out set on 'stun', but I didn't really think he was going to be any trouble because he didn't have any weapon that I could see and.. uh.. like I said, he seemed to be an OLD guy..." Jimbo floundered into silence.
Snavely leaned down toward Jimbo with eyes glittering menace. "So you allowed yourself to be DISARMED by this 'OLD GUY' and shot with your own phaser?!!"
Jimbo stayed in a half lying position on the floor with his eyes cast downward. "I dunno, Colonel... maybe.. There was some kind of movement and the next thing I know I'm wakin' up here!"
"PAH!" Snavely stood up straight and turned to a nearby security troop. "Take this sorry example of a security officer back to the quarantine area and place him under house arrest." Turning back to Jimbo: "Get some rest, Lieutenant Anderson. You're going to need it for further IN DEPTH interrogation when I get more time!" Snavely strode toward the door but stopped before exiting and looked at Jimbo one last time. "Oh, and by the way, Lieutenant, be advised that I am holding you and your incompetence as directly responsible for the death of your comrade-in-arms, Lieutenant Bernard Schotz!"
Cammander Blankenship finished entering the message in her communications console and looked back up at Ted for his approval before pushing the 'send' button.
"To: ANDORIAN SECURITY COMMAND
Be advised Andorian Ambassador Kallindra is being detained against her will, along with her husband, Kal'trax, at Starfleet Command Center. Colonel Snavely of Starfleet Andoria suspected of criminal activity. Request immediate investigation."
Ted nodded his head. "That should break open a nice little wasp nest to keep Snavely preoccupied and, hopefully, off our tail for a while." Ted returned to the captain's chair. "Paula, set a course for that spatial anomaly near the outer edge of this system. It's time we checked that out with our new equipment."
Paula worked the navigation console. "Course is set, Captain."
"Very well. At maximum impulse, enga..."
Lieutenant Cunning standing at the security post jerked and let out a little "Uunnhh!" All eyes on the bridge turned to Ken.
Ted: "What is it, Ken?"
"I'm not sure. It's Kallindra, I think and...maybe her husband..and..and some other Andorian down there at Starfleet Command talking...or thinking together..." Ken's eyes squeezed shut and his brow furrowed in concentration. Then: "It's that security guard Guy shot!"
Jimbo Anderson had been placed in a quarantine cell just two rooms away from Kallindra and Kal'trax. Their proximity readily enabled their telepathic abilities although Jimbo's was somewhat suppressed by the human skullcap he wore to hide his own antennae.
<James!> Kal'trax thought/spoke. <You're injured!>
<No, Director Kal'trax. Just recovering from a phaser stun that was necessary to help Liason Guy escape.> Jimbo projected the mental equivalent of a lame smile. <However, that stunt has placed me in detention ... just like you!>
Kallindra projected a warm smile to Jimbo. <I'm so glad you were able to help him get back to the Tycho, James.>
Jimbo: <I just wish I'd had time to get in touch with Andorian Security to let them know about your situation here. As you know, the telepathy block Starfleet puts around the Command Center prevents that from inside.>
Kal'trax: <I shouldn't worry about that, James. Our Security people won't be fooled for long by whatever klazh droppings Colonel Snavely offers them.>
<Besides> Kallindra added, <the Tycho crew will probably put out word of their own if Guy is safely back aboard.> Kallindra felt a sort of telepathic tickle. This was noticed by Kal'trax who was sitting comfortably in her lap like a boy, since he was about the same size as one. She had one arm wrapped around his shoulders and one of her antennae affectionately encircled one of his.
<What is it, Kalzie?> he asked.
<I'm not sure, Traxie> she replied. <I seem to be getting a fuzzy thought signal from outside.> She focused for a moment. <Why, I believe it's Lieutenant Cunning! From the Tycho!!>
<How is that possible?! The command Center is telepathy blocked for Andorians!>
<I have no idea, Traxie. But Lt. Cunning isn't Andorian... he's HUMAN..... I think?!>
Jimbo chimed in. <Isn't he the one who got sick at the formal reception last night?>
<Why yes! I had arranged for the Tycho party to 'inadvertantly' be fed Andorian food in order to 'blu-ify' their skins. Liason Guy easily passed as Andorian when we came in here earlier.>
Kal'trax projected a mild rebuke. <Kalzie! You were playing a risky game with their physiology! True, Andorian food will change the skin color of humans. But in rare cases it can also alter their brain chemistry! An overdose could even be fatal! Your Lt. Cunning is fortunate to be alive!>
<I had medical people readily available, Traxie. However, I hadn't counted on Lt. Cunning's allergic reaction.> Kallindra paused as she focused on the strengthening incoming mental projections. <Oh my! Apparently the good lieutenant's ability can surmount the telepathy block around this building! The Tycho is getting ready to leave orbit for the spatial anomaly outside our system!>
Kal'trax slid off Kallindra's lap in sudden agitation. <Wait! There's something I must tell them before they go! Help me focus, Kalzie. You too, James! This could be critical to their survival!>
Colonel Snavely was hastily organizing a pursuit craft detail when he was interrupted by a young lieutenant in the Starfleet Commcenter. "Sir. I have an urgent message for you."
"Not NOW, Lieutenant! We have to nail that terrorist science vessel before it leaves the system!"
"But, Sir; the commander of Andorian Security is demanding to speak with you immediately!"
Snavely shut his eyes and did his best to suppress a shudder of frustration. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Very well, Lieutenant. Put him on screen."
The visage of Andorian General Kal'sunu stared coldly from the comm screen. Snavely profferred a game smile. "Always a pleasure, General. You call at an extremely sensitive moment, but perhaps this is very fortunate. I .. and the Federation .. would be very grateful if you could aid us in tracking down and eliminating a terrorist rogue science ship about to flee Andorian space."
General Kal'sunu regarded Snavely cryptically a moment before replying. "Andorian Security routinely tracks EVERY starship in our system, Colonel." The general arched an eyebrow. "But we will not be 'eliminating' ANY vessel until I get to the bottom of this!"
"But, General, this rogue ship is escaping with some VERY dangerous materi..."
"Never mind that!" The general cut him off. "What I want to know..NOW.. is do you have Director Kal'trax and Ambassador Kallindra in detention?!"
Snavely rolled his head and stepped a half step back with a weak chuckle. His left eyelid began dancing. "Oh, ha ha, General, they're not in 'detention'! We merely have them in temporary quarantine for their own safety! As I previously advised, there was a dangerous radiation leakage incident and I naturally wanted to..."
"Colonel!" Again the cutoff. "I am sending a med unit directly over to your command center to pick up our director and ambassador. When the unit arrives, you will immediately hand them over to our own medical personnel...who will handle whatever 'radiation' problems they may have." The general leaned forward. "Are we CLEAR on this, Colonel?"
Snavely squeezed his eyes shut and then opened the right eye only as he quietly replied, "Crystal clear, General."
"Good! General Kal'sunu out."
Snavely thought to himself: 'A little earlier than I would have preferred, but I think it's time to bail.' He pushed another comm button. "Launch bay, this is Colonel Snavely. Ready my personal shuttle. I'm going on an inspection tour."
After several long moments of quiet concentration, Lt. Ken Cunning finally opened his eyes to the concerned stares of the bridge crew. "Well....?" Ted prodded.
"I've been, uhh, talking to Director Kal'trax down on Andoria." A slow smile of wonderment floated across Ken's face. "What an AMAZING experience!"
Ted, with a slight tone of exasperation: "Yes, yes, I'm sure it is. But what did he SAY?"
"Oh, uh, he says Pandopost has been monitoring the gravitonic radiation from Pandoria for quite some time and they noticed a marked increase a few months ago ... right around the time they think SPROC started mining dilithium crystals. So Pandopost focused its attention around the SPROC area. Then they noticed the gravitonic emissions seemed to concentrate into a broad band shooting out from SPROC toward the outer edge of the system -- the same general area as that spatial anomaly." Ken paused and smiled approvingly. "So Kal'trax had Pandopost devise a couple of small probes to lock onto the graviton beam and follow it out to its destination... wherever that might be. However, both probes stopped sending back signals, presumably destroyed, when they reached the same area of space not too far from the edge of the Andorian system."
Ken took a deep breath. "Kal'trax says if the Tycho wants to follow that graviton beam to the outer edge of the system, we'd better not get too close to it!"