"Dark Angel"
So'koth stood silhouetted against a large set of windows overlooking the Utopia Planitia fleet shipyards. A mug of steaming liquid held between his hands. "Chief Designer's log, the construction of NCC-53286 is coming along, though parts of construction are on schedule or well ahead others are behind. Admiral Roteger was not kidding when he said that this job was a balancing act. Granted its not my first rodeo but I have a lot to learn about operations here." He shifts his weight. "I'm told we only have a few days before we have to push the Dark Angel out of her berth. They will likely ha..."
"Lieutenant Prevela to Commander So'koth?" The voice of Admiral Roteger's aid called over the intercom.
"Computer pause log." He said and then hit his communicator badge. "So'koth here, go ahead."
"Admiral wants to see you, observation lounge deck one hundred nineteen room eight. As soon as you can."
He nodded setting his mug down on the small table next to the windows. He looked down at the vessel he'd been working hard on over the last several months. "I'll be right down, thank you Lieutenant." He said closing the channel. "Computer Resume Log!" He said. "No rest for the weary, I've been called to a meeting with Admiral. No doubt to discuss the ships discharge. End Log!" He said starting for the door.
It was a quick stroll to the turbolift, it arrived only moments after he hit the call button. Stepping inside he nodded to the young officer. "Hello Mr. Terry, how are things today?" He stepped to the side of the lift. "Deck one hundred ninteen." He said.
"Not too bad, I'm heading over to the ship to help engineering with an engine test. There have been some issues with the port side thrusters. I hear Transporter room two blew up on the chief a little bit ago. You might want to avoid her, she's apparently on the warpath." He said with a smile.
"That's not good." He said mournfully.
Van smiled wider. "Have you heard yet who their giving the ship over too?"
So'koth shook his head, "No, not just yet. I'm on my way to a meeting with the Admiral now. Hopefully we'll know today. We don't have much longer before she's getting kicked out of the dock."
"Well, good luck with the meeting. I'll see you aboard later?" Van asked.
He nodded. "Yeah, I should be over after this meeting. Don't have too much fun." He said watching the doors close as the young Lieutenant Junior Grade departed. He waited in silence the rest of the ride. The doors parted into a hallway which featured a long set of windows overlooking the ship yard. He took a moment to stop and admire the view. The vessel he was constructing was floating not far from the windows. Workbee's clambering all over the ships trying desperately to meet their push off deadline. He smiled and turned taking a deep breath before hitting the doorbell next to conference room.
"Come in!" He heard the familiar voice of Admiral Roteger.
He stepped into the room looking up to find not just his boss but several of Starfleet's brass, including a familiar face he had not seen in some time. Rear Admiral Dwain now it would appear. The two regarded each other for a long moment. "Reporting as ordered." He said coming to attention.
"At ease." Admiral Roteger said, "have a seat Commander." He said gesturing to the opposite end of the table from him.
Slowly he moved forward into the room and settled into the seat, but barely had a moment to sit before the Admiral addressed him. "What are you still doing here So'koth?" The Admiral asked.
"Sir?" He asked looking up. "Your aid asked me to come here." He stood abruptly. "Would you like me to leave?"
"No. Commander. I mean here at Utopia Planitia." He said gesturing for him to sit.
"Building ships for you sir." He said.
"No, no your not. Not anymore." He said sliding a padd the length of the table.
So'koth began to protest. "Sir, I've done everything by the book since coming here. You've said yourself I'm one of the brightest officers you've worked with in a long time." He picked up the padd and began reading. "I...is this a joke?" He asked standing.
Admiral Roteger was standing next him holding out a small box. "No joke son, congratulation Captain." He said clapping him on the shoulder.
There were smiles all around accept for Dwain, who seemed entirely uninterested. "Thank you sir, I wont let you down!" He said shaking the Admirals hand.
"You've got work to do son, your out of that slot tomorrow." The admiral said dropping back into his eat. "Get to it!'
"Tomorrow? Right, Aye..." He said as he headed for the door. He stopped just outside of the conference room holding the small box containing his Captain's pip in it. He couldn’t help but smile broadly looking out at his new ship. Turning he headed down to the turbolift and stopped his finger inches from the call button hearing a familiar sound. Growling. He slowly backed away from the turbolift as the doors parted. A very angry half Klingon, half Vulcan woman charged forward out of the lift a finger immediately burring itself in his chest.
"Those stupid engineers couldn't fix a sonic shower let alone a transporter room." She growled.
"Hello chief." He said and was about to ask what went wrong.
"Don’t you hello me So'koth!" She said poking him in the chest several times. "Those morons blew up the damn transporter while I was working on the buffers trying to fix it from the last time they blew it up." She pointed to her hair which was nearly standing on end. "It will take weeks for me to get my hair to sit back down." She poked him in the chest yet again. "That's it, I've had it!" She said pushing past him and towards the conference room.
He opened his mouth to try and stop her but she had already walked into the room. He blinked unsure of what to do. Something loud went bang inside the room causing him to flinch. He just turned and hit the call button. "Good luck!" He muttered as the doors parted. Two security guards rushed out past him. The last thing he could see was them trying to get the door open.
The doors parted to admit K'lyn to the conference room, she had not even given the occupants the option of giving her permission to enter the room she just overrode the locking mechanism. She charged right up to the table and planted both hands on the glass table. Prompting a few of them to stand up and back away at the level of hostility she was displaying.
"Lieutenant Commander, what is the meaning of this!" One of the admirals said.
She reared back and pointed at the table. "Your engineers are morons!" She pointed to her hair. "They blew up the damn transporter again."
"Lieutenant Commander this is entirely inappropriate. You will file your grievances through your commanding officer. This is not h.."
"Shove your grievances!" She yelled and launched the chair across the room without thought. It slammed into the display behind the admirals sending a shower of sparks across the room and everyone scattering.
Admiral Dwain hit his communicator. "Security to Conference room eight, deck one hundred nineteen." He said backing to the wall.
"K'lyn you will stop this madness this instance." Admiral Roteger said, his voice stern and booming. "Do you hear me!"
She suddenly straightened as if she was struck in the face.
He came around the table until he nearly stood nose to nose with the woman. He only broke eye contact for a moment when someone began pounding on the door. Clearly security attempting to get in. "You will go with those men, straight to the brig and stay there until I decide what to do with you!" He said meeting her eyes. "Am I clear?" He asked.
She nodded. "Yes, Sir." She said calmly.
"Dismissed!" He said loud enough to cause her to jump.
She turned and walked to the door, and released the lock. She was met by Members of Starfleet Security who nearly fell through the door when it opened abruptly. They both drew weapons and leveled them at her. "Is everyone alright?" One of them asked.
"Fine, escort her to the brig!" The admiral said tugging his uniform tight.
"Aye sir." He said returning his weapon to his holster. He gestured for her to exit and she did heading for the turbolift a slight grin on her lips leaving the brass to their meeting.
"What are you going to do with her?" Admiral Dwain asked pushing his chair back to its place at the table. The others looked to Roteger.
"Court martial. This cannot be let to go. Let's pick this up and the discussion of her for tomorrow. What do you say?" He asked looking at the mess left behind.
Most nodded, and Admiral Dwain headed for the door and smarted as he hit the door when it didn't open. He hit the release on the door and it failed to yield to his request. He glanced back realizing they were stuck in the room. "Great." He said.
Admiral Roteger hit his communicator. "Roteger to Maintenance."
"Really Jes, you should invest in some new cloths. Those old leathers of yours have seen better days." Kitty said as she leaned on the bar pouring a drink.
"I don't like that replicated crap!" He said gruffly tossing back the drink. "Besides, these give me added character." He said.
She shook her head. "That may be, but if you get any more character you might become a holonovel." She said.
"How do you know he's not?" Nate Horn said as he approached his usual spot at the bar next to Jester and Kitty. "We don't call him Jester for nothing."
"How long have you had that duster?" Jester asked looking sidelong at Nate.
"Longer than you've been alive." He said settling on his stool.
Kitty shrugged pouring them both a drink now. "Maybe you both need a change in cloths!"
"I like my cloths!" Nate said. "I've worked hard to disobey the uniform code of conduct and I intend on keeping I that way until it suits my needs thank you!" He said knocking back his drink.
“Besides, Starfleet and the Federation is supposed to be about diversity right?” Jester said.
“Exactly.” Nate said setting his glass down and asking for another.
“Justify it how you want. Your cloths are both outdated.” Kitty said smiling.
“And yours aren’t?” Jester asked regarding her.
She smiled broadly. “They might look old, but they are new.” She said striking a pose. “You wouldn’t know it by looking but my vest is actually Targ leather.”
“Really?” Jester said with mild curiosity.
She nodded knowingly. “That’s what I said. Then I tried it on. It has the same feel and texture but its twice as durable as traditional leathers and it retains warmth so much better. Helps in places like this where the temperature is controlled for the benefit of the whole.” She nodded to the exit where the rest of the Station was.
Jester reached out and touched the leather, holding it between his fingers a moment. “Nice. I may have to look into one of those myself. Where did you get it?”
“Botts, second level. He custom tailors so you know it will fit.” She regarded him a moment. “Assuming you can stay one weight and size for any length of time.” She said flatly.
He let out a low rumble. “I’m the same bloody weight I was when I left Starfleet!”
“Sure you are!” she said pouring him another drink.
“You may be the same weight, but your likely just as slow.” A rough voice called from behind. “Perhaps you should have him Tailor you a vest in the size of a shuttle pod.”
Jester and Nate slowly turned to regard the man, a Klingon and his companions who had just settled into a table behind them. “Mighty big words coming from a single celled organism such as yourself.” Jester sneered.
“Now boys, behave!” Kitty said in a warning tone. “You know what happened the last time you got into it. The station commander said you’d be banned. We don’t want that now do we?” she asked eyeing the Klingon.
“Indeed.” The Klingon quipped.
Both Nate and Jester turned back around to face the bar, and held up their glasses to Kitty before drinking them down. Nate regarded his glass for a moment mournfully before putting it back down. “So where you off to next Jes?”
Jester watched as Kitty poured them another drink. “The Antares system, hauling some exotic cargo for an interest there. Mostly agricultural supplies.” He shrugged. “Nothing special.”
“Farm equipment, how nice.” Kitty said. “At least its honest and profitable.”
“No Risk, no Reward!” one of the Klingon’s said behind them. “Perhaps you’d be better equipped to haul garbage instead.” He let out another obnoxious chuckle.
Jester’s face flushed red, but he held his ground and just took another drink. Kitty peered past the two at the Klingons who were laughing at the situation. “Pipe down or your out!” she said sternly.
The Klingon’s head came around, a sneer on his lips. “Who’s going to make me leave, you?” he asked grinning back at her.
“Yeah, me knuckle head.” She snapped. “One more negative remark. Give me a reason!”
His grin deepened as he stood and turned toward the bar. “Here I am. Perhaps I grow tired of this scum sucking establishment. Your booze is watered down as is the company!” he said. “Your Starfleet lap dog and this thing!” he said gesturing to Jester. “Are no better than idle threats to buffer you from the real men. If you want real strength, you want a Klingon bouncer, not these two humans!” he snapped.
Slowly Kitty walked the length of the bar, both Nate and Jester watched as she lifted the end of the bar out of the way. She had a grin on her face as she sauntered her way down the length of the bar now in the customer space, she strolled right up to the Klingon stopping well within his reach. “Leave!” she said pointing to the door. “Or you’ll be leaving on a stretcher.” She remarked and her grin grew wider. “I hope you choose to stay so I can wipe that stupid grin off your face.” She said.
The other two Klingon’s slowly rose from their seats as did both Nate and Jester who slid off their stools. The Klingon in front of Kitty continued to grin. “Make me!”
The Klingon barely had enough time to finish his sentence before she snapped his head back with an uppercut which landed right on his chin and sent him sprawling to the ground in surprise. The other two looked down at their fallen comrade who was slowly getting up off the ground. “Ready to leave now?” she asked.
The Klingon merely grinned and threw a punch.
Kitty deflected the punch wide and sent his follow up down and away before she landed an open palm right to the center of his chest sending him back a few steps sliding on his feet. The surprise at her strength was written all over the Klingon’s face as he grinned and moved back toward her to press his attack, punching and kicking at her.
The other two Klingon’s wasted no time moving quickly towards Nate and Jester. Nate Yawned, which sent his opponent into a rage and he came on throwing punch after punch which Nate batted aside with no more than what seemed like a flick of the wrist.
Jester on the other hand had a cruder fighting style, he had taken a couple of punches in the opening barrage but managed to hurl himself at the Klingon and take him to the ground where the two continued to pummel each other on the floor.
Kitty took a few steps back as her Klingon Opponent pressed his attack, harder and harder. She blocked his three punch combination but a hook came through and got her across the face drawing blood from her lip, and one of the two forward facing kicks landed in her gut which caused her to lose some ground as well. But she quickly recovered catching him across the jaw twice and nearly missed with a glancing blow to his shoulder. It happened to send him backward a few paces giving her enough from for a roundhouse kick which sent him hurling backwards and into another table full of bystanders who had no trouble tossing him off and into another table. The entire bar suddenly erupted into a brawl.
Nate had finally grown tired after being hit a few times by his opponent, he threw a punch of his own putting enough force behind it to send the Klingon back about two feet sliding on the floor and left him holding his chest for a moment. But the Klingon wasn’t done yet, he rushed back in this time angrier and committed as ever to this battle. He threw a flurry of blows Nate’s way and to his frustration any that landed didn’t seem to even make him flinch. The Klingon started to slow already, Nate pressed his own attack. He landed a blow to each shoulder stunning the Klingon. Then hit him square in the chest again sending him sliding back several feet. He glided over the ground spinning and planting a roundhouse into the Klingon’s chest and sent him flying up and over a booth divider and sprawling across the floor. He took a moment to look around, the bar was in full-fledged chaos now.
Jester stood up next to Nate suddenly, “Hey, this is fun!” a hand adorned in leather and fur suddenly shot up from the ground and grabbed the back of Jesters clothing pulling him back down the floor. The two continued to pummel each other.
Nate blocked glasses and beer bottles as well as flying bodies. He managed to knock an Andorian clean out in one blow as he came at her in a drunken rage. He could see Starfleet Security starting to arrive outside, they were getting ready to come into the room but were waiting for enough backup.
Kitty suddenly appeared next to Nate. “This is not good!” she said, her chest heaving a little out of breath. “Fun. But not good!” she said looking around.
Starfleet Security entered shouting for people to stop. Most did but some continued and were stunned for their trouble. It didn’t take long for them to secure most everyone. The bar was a disaster. One of the officers approached Nate and Kitty. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with me.” He said sternly.
“Great.” Kitty said looking around one more time before following the Starfleet Security officer. “Damn Klingon’s. Every time!” she muttered.
“You need to stop letting them get your goat!” Jester said.
“Your one to talk!” Kitty snapped back at him.
Nate shook his head. “Well we all participated in this one. It’s all our faults!” he said flatly.
“I’m going to lose my bar aren’t I? “Kitty asked the Starfleet Security officer.
He nodded. “As much as I’d had to say it, yeah that is a high probability seeing as your bar has the worst reputation for this sort of thing.” He waited as they all piled into the Security office and were led by others back to cells to await what was to come next.
“This probably ended your career.” One of them said mournfully to Nate. “You’ve been in here far too many time’s yourself.” He shook his head. “Damn shame if you ask me.”
“I didn’t!” Nate said as the force field snapped to life between them. Nate settled down onto one of the seats and leaned back against the wall.
Kitty regarded him for a long moment. “Part of you wanted that fight, you’ve been trying to decide on leaving Starfleet anyhow and you just let this happen didn’t you? To give you an out?” a bit of irritation filled her voice.
“Not exactly, but it works.” He said without even bothering to look up.
Kitty dropped hard into one of the chairs. “Unbelievable.”
Jester regarded the two of them. “But…”
She looked up at him sharply. “But what?”
“You started it!” he said.
“Shut Up Jes!” both Nate and Kitty said at the same time.