Season 2, Mission 4: Switch

[Leanna Mazal]

[Puzzles]

A short time later, as Felicity stepped over the threshold of Puzzles, she was taken aback by how different it looked to the last time she'd been there. Granted, her last glimpse of the place had been of murderous blue holo-elves trying to batter, bite or shoot everyone to death, but the area that greeted her now was less like the construction site she'd expected. The crew had made great progress and she could see the potential end result.

She was walking around a neat pile of building materials when she spied Leanna. "Hey!" She called out by way of greeting, giving the bar's owner a small wave. "I just wanted to drop by and find out how you were doing."

She continued toward Leanna, still gazing around the room, taking in the progress and additions. It was then that she noticed the elegant staircase and mezzanine, and her eyes lit up. She grinned, approving immediately. That is prime people-watching real estate. "And to see if you needed anything," she added, pulling her focus from the miraculous transformation happening around her and back to the woman in front of her.

[Puzzles]

Leanna grimaced slightly as she moved a crate of Liqueurs onto the back shelf earning her a look from Seamus that meant both concern and jest as to the nature why she was moving carefully and one she tried to ignore but in the end grinned back at him as she finished putting them in place. Turning round just as a familiar face entered the bar and greeted her before mentioning that she wanted to see how she was doing before adding if she needed anything.

Seeing Flick's reaction to the changes made Leanna smile and thought it was nice of her to drop by as she had immediately liked the Counsellor when they met properly in the Coliseum even if she had been injured during the destruction and chaos in the bar.  " Hey Flick, it's good to see you and welcome to the new improved Puzzles although by your reaction, I'm glad you like what we've done " she replied moving out from behind the counter and no doubt her new friend would also spot the way she moved and hoped the bruises and bitemarks weren't noticeable.

" As for how I'm doing, I'm great in fact better than I have been in a longtime" she said " Also thank you for your offer but I think I'm good although whilst your here, how about a drink and a tour?".

[Derek Black]

[ Medical Bay ]

"Good day Doctor," Jenna said trying her best to smile. "To be honest I feel like I am mulling through. I did get a glimmer of hope just before you walked in. I just heard Molly say I love you. I know I did not hallucinate. I know all too well sadly what that's like." She knew there was no hiding things with a doctor. Caleb, Leanna, and especially Molly warned her it was not the best idea. Especially when she had that run in with a nasty shock pattern. She did not move her hand from Molly's and she knew when Molly talked, if only briefly earlier, she grabbed her hand. It was then she noticed Dan walk in. It was nice to have company in there, though she did enjoy the alone time with Molly.

[Medical Bay]

Heard her say I love you? Derek kept the skepticism from showing, outwardly giving her a kind smile. She was full of hope, who was he to tread over it? With someone who obviously cared so deeply at her side, maybe some of that optimism would help Ms.Baker. "I think Molly's in good hands, Jenna. She's a lucky woman to have you." Picking up the PADD at the end of her bed, Derek scanned through the readings carefully.

The intracranial pressure was dropping, a good sign, albeit slowly. The longer she was in a comatose state, the higher the chances of irreversible damage; while their medicine was near miraculous nowadays, they still couldn't regenerate those priceless memories or emotions. "Are you back on shift today?" Derek asked conversationally, turning his attention back to the engineer with a critical eye. Working to cope isn't sustainable...she'll burn herself out before much longer. Before he could go much further, another officer slipped into the room.

Medical Bay
The doors slid open to the medical bay. He stood still for a few moments looking around. As the doors closed behind him, he ventured further in. He found them in a small room with Chief Black in there with them. He reduced his speed to as slow as he could, lightening his feet and slowly peaking round he tapped lightly on the frame, softly saying in a friendly way "Hey, how ya' doing?" There was a small compassionate smile on his face. He knew how close Jenna and Molly would be. It hit him hard, it reminded him of a situation he once faced long before he joined Starfleet and joint with the reason he joined Starfleet in the first place.

He nodded at Chief Black for approval before having the intention of ignoring any other response other than approval. He knelt down in front of Jenna, looking into her eyes he saw what he once went through. He grimmed it up before asking again softly? "How ya' doing.?"

"Hey chief. I am alright I guess. Look Molly grabbed my hand," Jenna said pointing to Molly's hand that gripped Jenna's lightly. There was no indication that Jenna forced Molly's hand to make it look like Molly grabbed it. Jenna would be damned if she was called crazy because she knew what she heard and felt. It was just before Black stepped into the room and just after she ended the prayer. It was a faint whisper and it was just enough to keep her going. Whatever happened the rest of the day was nothing because she just got the small sign of what she needed.

"Commander." Derek greeted Howell, nodding nearly imperceptibly in return. He was gladdened that the Chief Engineer would take time out to check on one of his staff, even with busy round-the-clock renovations needing his attention throughout the station. Derek had intended to speak with Jenna about her personal situation, though now that her boss was in the room, it was only proper to hold off. Placing the PADD back in it's receptacle, he placed a light hand on Jenna's shoulder. "I'll leave you some privacy. Stop by my office before you leave please." Derek stepped off, patting Howell on the back as he passed. "Have a nice day, Commander."

Leaving the room, he continued on his rounds, checking in on their in-patients. Some had family or friends by their side, others were by themselves. It was a luxury to be able to speak with those who were awake; when the medical bay was near capacity, it was inevitable that everyone would become a number and statistic. After a brief, but pleasant, chat with a recovering Caitian officer, Derek returned to his office with a mildly reinvigorated step.

[Auzual Knox]

[Mess Hall]

ISAAC motioned with his hand toward a chair as Knox sat. "Please, Lieutenant Commander," he said in an unimposing voice while studying her movements. "My database provides me with a basic understanding of the station's capabilities, but I would surely benefit from a better understanding."

"Have you not had the chance to link with Analyn yet? I had assumed that you were very familiar with our systems by now, Isaac. Would you like to become better acquainted?"

Knox studied the android for a moment. He seemed to want to pass himself off as humanoid. She wondered as to why, perhaps to better fit in. Though, with so many races and cultures, the eclectic nature of the Station meant that all could be themselves and fit in.

"How long exactly have you been on the Station?"

[T'Prina]

[Main Science Lab]

T'Prina turned away from the bustling laboratory filled with engineering crewmen and the scientists who were hovering at their elbows while new equipment was being installed. She stifled a yawn, and brought a fist to her mouth to disguise the movement. Overseeing updates was necessary per regulations, but it was boring.

Bored. That's what she felt. The lethargic feeling of apathy had been slowly pervading every aspect of her life for a while now. If she had to pin point a specific date, it was the day he left. It had annoyed her, having gotten so attached to someone who had proved to be... inconsistent. He had left without saying goodbye, which was really such a small inconsequential thing to be hurt over. So in typical Vulcan manner she buried it, went through the motions of her life. The motions became routine and now routine was... Boring.

" Adeyemi to T'Prina. Report to the Neural Core immediately. "

T'Prina nearly flinched, startled from her introspective thoughts by the loud cheery chirp of her commbadge. She quickly tapped it in response.

"Affirmative, Admiral. I will be there presently."

The Vulcan turned around and got the attention of Ensign Dorset who was currently inflicting an engineering tech with his dubious attitude. "Dorset, you are in charge until I return. Make sure nothing explodes please." With that said she turned sharply on her heel and exited the lab.

[Neural Core]

After an uneventful trip in the turbolift, T'Prina found herself at the entrance to the neural core. The atmosphere inside was tense but she paid it no mind. She strolled in as coolly confident as if she were in her own lab or quarters. Her eyes moved almost disdainfully over O'Connell, completely bypassing the ensign, as she reported in directly to Adeyemi.

At least the commander had managed to pull herself together following her completely disgraceful emotional breakdown. There were deep lines under her eyes, most likely due to some sort of medication, medically or self prescribed. O'Connell was weak willed and no matter how tall she stood or how much she polished her pips, the fact remained.

"I am here as you requested, Admiral." The Vulcan deferred to Adeyemi. He was the true authority in the room, despite their often conflicting viewpoints.

[ISAAC]

[Mess Hall]

[Mess Hall]

"Have you not had the chance to link with Analyn yet? I had assumed that you were very familiar with our systems by now, Isaac. Would you like to become better acquainted?"

Knox studied the android for a moment. He seemed to want to pass himself off as humanoid. She wondered as to why, perhaps to better fit in. Though, with so many races and cultures, the eclectic nature of the Station meant that all could be themselves and fit in.

"I'm afforded the same information that any member of our crew is afforded, though it could be said that the information is always at my fingertips," ISAAC offered in response to Knox. While his data banks provided him with more than an adequate collection of information concerning the station, he concluded long ago that expressing a willingness to learn more would be conducive to productive working relationships. "I've read a profile on Analyn, but I have not been formally introduced. Perhaps you would be willing to make arrangements."

"How long exactly have you been on the Station?"

"How long, exactly? Well, according to my activity logs, I first synced with the station's computers precisely 45 hours, 36 minutes, and 22 seconds ago. How long have you been aboard?"

[Auzual Knox]

[Mess Hall]

"I'm afforded the same information that any member of our crew is afforded, though it could be said that the information is always at my fingertips," ISAAC offered in response to Knox. While his data banks provided him with more than an adequate collection of information concerning the station, he concluded long ago that expressing a willingness to learn more would be conducive to productive working relationships. "I've read a profile on Analyn, but I have not been formally introduced. Perhaps you would be willing to make arrangements."

"How long, exactly? Well, according to my activity logs, I first synced with the station's computers precisely 45 hours, 36 minutes, and 22 seconds ago. How long have you been aboard?"

Finishing her tea and placing the cup onto the table, Knox wondered if her new android friend had a sense of humor. She raised her right eyebrow.

"I am surprised. Have you never been curious to delve deeper into the systems? I wish I could simply plug myself in and process all of that information."

Knox attempted to remember how many years it had been and then attempted to remember the star date. Alas, it was no use.

"I have been here since the Collector crises."

"I believe Analyn is currently with the Admiral undergoing some form of evaluation. And, I recommend you carry on your person a strawberry holopop at all times."

[Kyan Mackenzie]

:: SBC | Briefing Room ::

Kyan peered out from behind the lecturn - and from atop the stepstool upon which he stood - to address the group of mostly cadets seated before him. Peppered in too were some enlisted folk and a few officers, but they were few and far between. Behind him, what looked like a photon torpedo hung in the air, rotating slowly.

"Merry Met all of you. Fer those folk who don't know me, Oi'm Lieutenant Commander Kyan Mackenzie. I'm in charge of security here on the station, an Oi'll be commandin these battle drills on the Gibson. It's a tree day trip so it is. We'll be doin some battle simulations against several different opponents." Kyan indicated the holographic image behind him. "This what you see here is the Enhanced Combat Holo-Opponent, or as the Science folk loik ta say... the E.C.H.O. It'll project a holographic image of an enemy ship, and mimic tactics known to be used by them."

Kyan keyed in a command on the padd in front of him, and the torpedo morphed into several vessels in sequence. included were Romulans, Klingons, Dominion, Orion Raiders, and Cardassian Warships.

"This thing is new so it is, but it's been tested by the egg heads what built it and they say it's the best way to simulate a good foight. Also, it's s'posed ta be synched up with the holo projectors on the ship and so it can simulate battle damage, boarders, dead bodies, an all sorts of other things that you'll see in real combat."

Murmered conversations sprang up among those seated, growing in volume. Kyan narrowed his eyes as he waited for it to die down. When it had gone on for a few seconds longer he spoke up.

"Shut yer mouths and listen. Yer here to be learnin the now, not flappin yer grup gums about Starfleet's new toy. Show of hands, how many of you baby grups have ever been in actual ship to ship foighting?"

A few hands went up.

"Ok, an how many of you ever fired a phaser at something ya meant tae kill, or had someone loikwise fire at yerself?"

No hands went up.

Kyan nodded. "So safe tae be saying then, that yer all still in possession of yer vitue so far as killin goes. Well guess what? I ain't. An Oi'm not standin up 'ere on this stool givin this briefin so that you can have a few days of fun an games with this toy, what won't kill you. Oi'm here on account of because Starfleet needs you tae be ready for a foight with real people who WILL kill you. An it's not talking about it that'll get you ready. It's training that will, and no mistake. So pay attention!

The room went silent.

"Good. Now, let's be talkin over a few scenarios that might happen....

~ 20 minutes later ~

"...and that was it soit was, the sadness of it. The grup lay there, bleedin out and t'wernt nothin done on account of the other folks didnae know what tae be doin. He's dead now, like some of you will probably be because they was too busy trying tae get some girl tae get naked instead of focusin on 'ih duties. Oh well. So sad... but Ensign Silly grup probably got to dip his wand in Ensign Big Hooters so... all's well roight?" He paused. "Twas rhetorical! All IS well. Yer all alive...for now. But what the lot of ye need to be pondering is what YOUR job is, and WHY your job is, and HOW to do it, because chances are better for you to be random dead grup and lucky sex grup." Kyan shrugged. "We'll be seein though. Gibson is leaving in two hours. Don't be late. Security folk stay here. Everyone else can go."

As the murmuring conversations picked back up - at a much lower volume - the assembled cadets and officers piled out, some of whom were looking pretty startled. Soon they were gone, and only the handful of security personnel were left.

"Ahh good! Oi've a special mission for you lot." he said happily as a predatory grin made it's way across his otherwise cherubic features.

[ISAAC]

[Mess Hall]

Finishing her tea and placing the cup onto the table, Knox wondered if her new android friend had a sense of humor. She raised her right eyebrow.

"I am surprised. Have you never been curious to delve deeper into the systems? I wish I could simply plug myself in and process all of that information."

"It's been said," ISAAC started, hoping to explain in a way that would be easy to understand, "that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence." He paused momentarily, simulating a deep breath by enlarging his chest slightly. "What fascinates you is readily available to me...and vice versa. In that sense, it seems that we're quite similar."

Knox attempted to remember how many years it had been and then attempted to remember the star date. Alas, it was no use.

"I have been here since the Collector crises."

"I believe Analyn is currently with the Admiral undergoing some form of evaluation. And, I recommend you carry on your person a strawberry holopop at all times."

"I shouldn't like to insert myself where my presence isn't required. Analyn and I will undoubtedly become acquainted in due time."

ISAAC removed his hands from the cup in front of him and slid it to the side as he leaned forward, hoping to convey an interest in changing the subject.

"Now, about those new developments to the station...what can you tell me?"

[Felicity Ellis]

[Puzzles]

Leanna grimaced slightly as she moved a crate of Liqueurs onto the back shelf earning her a look from Seamus that meant both concern and jest as to the nature why she was moving carefully and one she tried to ignore but in the end grinned back at him as she finished putting them in place. Turning round just as a familiar face entered the bar and greeted her before mentioning that she wanted to see how she was doing before adding if she needed anything.

Seeing Flick's reaction to the changes made Leanna smile and thought it was nice of her to drop by as she had immediately liked the Counsellor when they met properly in the Coliseum even if she had been injured during the destruction and chaos in the bar.  " Hey Flick, it's good to see you and welcome to the new improved Puzzles although by your reaction, I'm glad you like what we've done " she replied moving out from behind the counter and no doubt her new friend would also spot the way she moved and hoped the bruises and bitemarks weren't noticeable.

[Puzzles]

"I really do," Felicity affirmed as Leanna moved from behind the bar and gauged her reaction to the new decor and refurbishment. Truth be told, Felicity was more than impressed by the change, and would very much look forward to the re-opening. She'd be there front and center, with all bells and whistles. Though perhaps next time, she'd go a little easier on the whiskey. Thankfully, their Klingon friends with the innate knack for leading them astray had already left the base. Speaking of...

Felicity could not help but notice the stiffness with which Leanna carried herself when she moved. It was somewhat to be expected, considering the extent of the injuries she'd received during the attack, but her concern sharpened her observational skills and she watched Leanna closely. She thought she saw a mark, bruising her skin, with what looked like indentations.

" As for how I'm doing, I'm great in fact better than I have been in a longtime" she said " Also thank you for your offer but I think I'm good although whilst your here, how about a drink and a tour?".

The slight frown on her forehead disappeared and her lips quirked upward in a small grin as realisation dawned. Bloody Deg'arf. She'd give him some credit though; Leanna had declared she was feeling better than ever, and if the lively Klingon had contributed to that in any way then she'd forgive a multitude of misbehaviours. She was beyond pleased to find that Leanna had bounced back so determinedly after the attack.

"If you have the time to spare, I'd love a tour," Felicity responded enthusiastically to Leanna's offer of a drink and a tour. She spread her arms outward, still taking in their surroundings. "I can't believe how much you've done in such a short time!"

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Main Science Lab]

T'Prina nearly flinched, startled from her introspective thoughts by the loud cheery chirp of her commbadge. She quickly tapped it in response.

"Affirmative, Admiral. I will be there presently."

The Vulcan turned around and got the attention of Ensign Dorset who was currently inflicting an engineering tech with his dubious attitude. "Dorset, you are in charge until I return. Make sure nothing explodes please." With that said she turned sharply on her heel and exited the lab.

[Neural Core]

After an uneventful trip in the turbolift, T'Prina found herself at the entrance to the neural core. The atmosphere inside was tense but she paid it no mind. She strolled in as coolly confident as if she were in her own lab or quarters. Her eyes moved almost disdainfully over O'Connell, completely bypassing the ensign, as she reported in directly to Adeyemi.

At least the commander had managed to pull herself together following her completely disgraceful emotional breakdown. There were deep lines under her eyes, most likely due to some sort of medication, medically or self prescribed. O'Connell was weak willed and no matter how tall she stood or how much she polished her pips, the fact remained.

"I am here as you requested, Admiral." The Vulcan deferred to Adeyemi. He was the true authority in the room, despite their often conflicting viewpoints.

[Neural Core]

"Admiral, the personality subroutines have been completely corrupted. The system is notÁ¢â,¬""

Adeyemi nodded when T'Prina entered. He raised his voice to cut off O'Connell's.

"Lieutenant T'Prina, this is Lieutenant Commander O'Connell from the Daystrom Institute. Analyn's creator." The admiral cleared his throat gently, knowing the next bit was going to be tough on his Chief Science Officer, Vulcan or not. "She has some questions for you."

"Indeed I do," O'Connell said darkly. "Lieutenant, over the past few months since the implementation of the ANaLYN system, you haveÁ¢â,¬""

The Irishwoman was interrupted by the appearance of Analyn herself. The little girl swirled into existence. Instead of legs the little girl had a mermaid's bottom half. Adeyemi blinked. No, she was wearing a costume: a silvery blue fish tail that fanned out to the front, a top made of what looked like seaweed but was just some glossy green material. She had a seashell necklace, seahorse earrings. For all the world Analyn looked like she was entering a costume contest and her stay at home parent had done a bang up job making her outfit.

"Greetings from under the sea!" The little girl intoned in a theatrical voice. "I am the Neptune Queen!"

O'Connell was stunned. Wordlessly, face darkening, the woman turned away and barely restrained herself, lips tightening.

"Whats wrong with her?" Analyn asked loudly, oblivious to the underlying awkwardness in the room.

"Analyn..." Adeyemi said.

"Mack Á¢â,¬ËœEm! Mama Pwina! Here, have a fishy." The little girl reached into her long, flowing brown hair and somehow produced a tiny little clam, a crab, and an octopus. All of them were kitschy toys, the kind of cheap thing one would find as a prize in a crooked Ferengi game for kids. She held them out.

Saying nothing, Adeyemi accepted the crab. Analyn held out the remaining two, one to O'Connell and one to T'Prina.

"Mama Pwina? Ockapuss?"

" Petty Officer Oz to Admiral Adeyemi. Sir, your presence is requested in the hydroponics bay. "

Thank God. Adeyemi thought to himself. He stood and straightened his uniform.

"Ladies, duty calls." He said. "Analyn, be on your best behavior. Lieutenant T'Prina, please contact me when your interview is finished. Mind the child. Commander O'Connell, I am sure you will keep me informed."

Before the still raging O'Connell could speak, the admiral gratefully slipped away. He didn't envy T'Prina, not one bit.

[Leanna Mazal]

[Puzzles]

"I really do," Felicity affirmed as Leanna moved from behind the bar and gauged her reaction to the new decor and refurbishment. Truth be told, Felicity was more than impressed by the change, and would very much look forward to the re-opening. She'd be there front and center, with all bells and whistles. Though perhaps next time, she'd go a little easier on the whiskey. Thankfully, their Klingon friends with the innate knack for leading them astray had already left the base. Speaking of...

Felicity could not help but notice the stiffness with which Leanna carried herself when she moved. It was somewhat to be expected, considering the extent of the injuries she'd received during the attack, but her concern sharpened her observational skills and she watched Leanna closely. She thought she saw a mark, bruising her skin, with what looked like indentations.

The slight frown on her forehead disappeared and her lips quirked upward in a small grin as realisation dawned. Bloody Deg'arf. She'd give him some credit though; Leanna had declared she was feeling better than ever, and if the lively Klingon had contributed to that in any way then she'd forgive a multitude of misbehaviours. She was beyond pleased to find that Leanna had bounced back so determinedly after the attack.

"If you have the time to spare, I'd love a tour," Felicity responded enthusiastically to Leanna's offer of a drink and a tour. She spread her arms outward, still taking in their surroundings. "I can't believe how much you've done in such a short time!"

[Puzzles]

Leanna smiled at Flick's comment before she picked up on her friend looking at at her and no doubt she had noticed the stiffness and perhaps the trace of a bitemark on her neck which she knew she would and well there wasn't much she couldn't deny or pretend not to admit if asked. Although that was soon followed when it clicked into place and her smile became a grin.

Deg'arf had been more than just a lover during their brief fling, he had ignited her old self the one who refused to give up anymore and let the negative thoughts win. He had also taken care of her as she recovered from her injuries and knew she wouldn't meet anyone like him ever again.

Then when Flick agreed to her offer before mentioning that she couldn't believe how much had been done in such a short time,again she smiled before replying. " Great and I do as we're not that far away from finishing and Seamus can handle things here " she replied " Thank you, I can't believe it either but we were determined not to have it closed for too long and we have good contractors also yes you were right, Deg'arf helped a lot and yes that's his bitemark" she said grinning sheepishly before asking. " How about the tour first then we can have that drink in my office?".

[Auzual Knox]

Mess Hall

"It's been said," ISAAC started, hoping to explain in a way that would be easy to understand, "that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence." He paused momentarily, simulating a deep breath by enlarging his chest slightly. "What fascinates you is readily available to me...and vice versa. In that sense, it seems that we're quite similar."

Oh? Now that is intriguing. I wonder.... What is readily available to me that would fascinate him so much. Symbiot? Shaving? Sex? Very intriguing.

"I shouldn't like to insert myself where my presence isn't required. Analyn and I will undoubtedly become acquainted in due time."

ISAAC removed his hands from the cup in front of him and slid it to the side as he leaned forward, hoping to convey an interest in changing the subject.

"Now, about those new developments to the station...what can you tell me?"

"How about I show you?"

Knox got up and gestured ISAAC to follow and spoke as they walked to the turbo lift.

"Columbus is not your average Starbase. We upgraded to bio-multiphasic shields following the  Ops tragedy. Before your time. Opposing forces to prevent the Station from falling out of orbit, however lead to complete hull depressurization and destablization. Yes, I think it does not take your computing power to figure out what happened."

Knox's voice trailed off as she recalled being interrogated by Inspector General Atal. A chill ran down her spine just remembering his austere persona.

She stopped and turned to ISAAC.

"There are a couple of things we are attempting to still figure out and I think you are just the right man for the job."

"Ops."

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Hydroponics Bay]

Adeyemi felt like he was breathing the most delicious air he had ever tasted.

The life support from the hydroponics bay was the same as anywhere else on the station. But in the bay itself the air was rich with the smell of tomatoes, fresh peppers and pungent onions. It smelled life affirming, and it made one hungry after a while.

He moved amongst the shelves and barrels full of leafy plants and flowers. He saw and smelled that the fresh spices he had requested were being implemented. Adeyemi was glad; he could somehow always tell the difference between replicated and real curry.

"Oz?" The admiral said into the mass of plants.

"Right here, admiral."  A senior enlisted man in blue stepped out from the trunk of a Norwegian elm, gloves on his hands, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The bare skin on his cheeks and arms was spotted with dirt. He had a potted plant in his hands.

"Report, petty officer."

"Sir, our prize flower has gone missing."

Adeyemi studied the man in frank amazement. He knew the hydroponics section of the science department regularly won prizes throughout the sector for its plants and flowers. But why he would be bothered with such a triviality was beyond him. He narrowed his eyes and did not speak.

"Only two people have access to that flower," Oz went on, seemingly unintimidated. "One is the head of Federation Science in San Francisco. The other is me."

"So who took the flower?"

"I sure didn't and Admiral J'Pok in Frisco sure didn't." Oz replied in frustration. "That flower is an extremely rare Kadupul flower. They bloom perhaps once a year, and only for a few hours. It's priceless, admiral. It's so transient it cannot be observed but for a few hours every few years. It's seeds came from the legendary  Wickramasinghe family lands in Sri Lanka. To even witness a Kadupul flower bloom is exceedingly rare. But thanks to hydrostasis technology we had managed to suspend this particular flower while it bloomed. It's unheard of, and we had it blooming indefinitely. We had a fleeting and poetic beauty captured, a miracle of nature and science. It's simply the rarest flowers in the galaxy."

"Your point, petty officer?" Adeyemi asked, still confused but beginning to see the implications.

"My point is that I am the only one in lightyears that could have stolen that flower. And I didn't. It's guarded by any number of security protocols and always, always requires my personal voiceprint and DNA to access." Oz said, beginning to break down. Tears began to cut a clean path through the dirt on his cheeks. "And now it's gone."

[Torpedo Bay]

The device was unexpectedly small. It was a misshapen cube, looking more like a stray piece of masonry than equipment of unimaginable power.

The three men sat around it, in the darkness of the weapons bay. Their location was advantageous for many reasons: not many people frequented it, it was small and remote, and the signatures from the nearby, active ordinance should confuse a standard sensor scan.

"All of our tests have succeeded." One of the men said. "The woman, the flower. No one is aware."

"Agreed. It's time to begin in earnest. Clear your minds."

The trio bowed their heads. Between them, the alien cube began to glow and hum.

[Michael J. Tritter]

[Location: Command Deck]

Tritter had been focused on overseeing the retrofits and such of the Starbase, he was trying to keep his mind occupied while he waiting for his Husband to return, as they were gone for a few days for a job interview. He was a bit nervous as he knew they were not necessarily too thrilled about the whole thing.

He didn't necessarily mind what he had been assigned. He than was interrupted by one of the crew that was working on the retrofit. He than stated "Sir, theres something I think you need to look at" Tritter looked over the Lieutenant curiously and nodded slightly. He would than rise to his feet and make his way out of the Command Deck.

He followed the Lieutenant down to the weapons pods, the Lieutenant proceeded to point out a few transmitters that were placed there that did not belong. Tritter proceeded to grab one of the transmitters, unceremoniously ripping it from the wall with his large left hand, the Lieutenant had a curious look on their face.

Tritter looked it over, it was slightly familiar... He had seen them before, but he needed to find out from where. He than stated, "Lieutenant, work carefully, I will send someone to remove the others, do not disturb them" The man nodded slightly, the Commander turned on a heel and made his exit.

[ISAAC]

[Mess Hall]

Mess Hall

Oh? Now that is intriguing. I wonder.... What is readily available to me that would fascinate him so much. Symbiot? Shaving? Sex? Very intriguing.

"How about I show you?"

Knox got up and gestured ISAAC to follow and spoke as they walked to the turbo lift.

ISAAC watched Knox rise from her seat, which prompted him to stand. "Yes, please do." As she began walking, he followed and listened.

"Columbus is not your average Starbase. We upgraded to bio-multiphasic shields following the  Ops tragedy. Before your time. Opposing forces to prevent the Station from falling out of orbit, however lead to complete hull depressurization and destablization. Yes, I think it does not take your computing power to figure out what happened."

The pair walked toward the turbo lift, and ISAAC listened to Knox as she described the station. It was easy to see that the station had its fair share--if not more--of action. While the station's archives contained plenty of information about past events, ISAAC preferred first-person account.

"It's surprising to me that a station like this would not have utilized multiphasic shields even prior to the Ops Tragedy. Wouldn't the nature of the station's role in the fleet warrant such protection?"

Knox's voice trailed off as she recalled being interrogated by Inspector General Atal. A chill ran down her spine just remembering his austere persona.

She stopped and turned to ISAAC.

"There are a couple of things we are attempting to still figure out and I think you are just the right man for the job."

"Ops."

ISAAC felt what could only be described as anticipation at the thought of getting to work. Down time served little purpose for a being that tired neither physically nor mentally.

"Perhaps you are referring to the transporters. While my arrival would be considered more of a subspace transmission than anything else, my body was transported aboard just like yours. My logs contain some anomalies which could be handled with some simple...adjustments."

After pausing for a moment, ISAAC continued.

"Or did you have something a little less rudimentary in mind?"