A funny thing happened on the way to the turbolift ...

Posted on 11 Jul 2009 @ 12:56pm by

1,574 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: M2: Aggressive Negotiations
Location: Diplomatic Facilities & Isha's quarters
Timeline: Whilst at SB47

It happened as Isha was returning to her quarters after a somewhat uncomfortable meal with Elek, Da’nal and the uncommunicative executive officer.

She was a little surprised to find Webb waiting for her outside the diplomatic function room as it was Sato who had taken her there room but she did not remark on it.

"I think I am ready to return to my quarters," she said, a touch of weariness in her tone.

They had gone only one floor before they were joined in the turbolift and had Isha not been so preoccupied with other thoughts she might have noticed sooner. As it was she was turning the options over in her head - the Klingon was doing nothing to improve her opinion of his species, indeed every time they met he seemed to confirm one or more of the little prejudices that one learned about such creatures as a child; she could not trust him further than she could throw him. Elek, was full of good intentions and their executive officer - well, for all the interest he had added to the discusion they might as well have iinvited a Vulcan ... perhaps it was that thought that drew her attention as the lift stopped again and a Vulcan stepped into the lift-car.

Isha blinked and averted her gaze as coolly he looked directly at her before turning to face the door.

Where had she seen that man before?

Isha glanced at Webb. “Do you know that man?†she asked quietly – the answer of course ‘had’ to be yes otherwise an escort should not have allowed him to enter and travel in the same car as Isha.

Webb too was thinking of other things at the moment. He allowed his mind to wander. Before he realized it, someone else was in the turbo lift with them. ~SHIT!~ he thought to him self. ~Not him in here. ~ Webb moved slightly to reposition himself between Nerok and the Ambassador. Webb shifted his weight slowly to a modified tactical stance. His senses were on high alert. He moved his hand near his weapon just in case this was some sort of trap. His investigation was almost complete. He had received the background information from Vulcan on Nerok everything checked out but, he was waiting for current picture to confirm visually. Webb ignored the Ambassador's question focusing completely on Nerok, watching his every move but being careful not to spook Nerok.

Obligingly Isha drifted slowly back behind Webb; she noticed his increased tension and she tried not to study the Vulcan too closely, her fingertips traced over the embroidery on the edge of her cuff, a deep green pattern of leaves with tiny flowers picked out in scarlet beading… all she could think about was the poisonous flowering bush that she had found in the arboretum of DS5 (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/DS5IC/message/383
) … she had never yet worked out how it came to be there … Isha realised that she was not breathing as they reached her floor.

"Our floor ma'am" as Webb waited for the Ambassador to depart first.

She stepped out and waited for Webb to join her. “You were concerned about his presence, why?†she asked as soon as the car had departed.

"He made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. When that happens there is something wrong. I was just over reacting because he is new. He just came a board fresh out of the Academy. Besides, I would rather over react than both of us be dead." Tim said jokingly trying to loosen up the moment.

"Were you really?" Isha looked closely at Webb, "Then let's not bicker in the corridor," she said, "Please, sweep these rooms for devices that are not your own,." Isha was not naive enough to believe that a diplomatic suite was not overheard, however ...

"And please do it before you inform T'Pal," Isha added, "I don't trust T'Pal," which was entirely true, not that Isha thought she might be working for her husband's brother, she simply did not trust her, and before she made any suspicions official she wanted to be sure of them.

Webb pulled the tricorder from its holster and began to methodically sweep the room for electronic listening devices.

Isha swept over to her dining table where she had left her computer still quite unable to place the man - that in itself made her nervous. "Webb," she said after a minute or two, is there anyone on this ship who is not currently indulging themselves on the starbase who might be competent enough to help me recall a face?" The man in the lift could not be fresh from the academy, he couldn't; there was no way she could have seen him before otherwise.

Webb stopped scanning and closed the device. "You should put you dislike for T'Pal aside and trust her. You are going to laugh at my next answer........Mindmeld with her. That's the only way that I know of someone to help you remember other than hypnosis. I don't know anyone on board that can do that......."

Webb was correct, Isha did laugh. The boy was insane!

He was also wrong, Isha did not 'dislike' T'Pal, she had no strong feelings either way but the woman made her feel desperately uncomfortable, Isha tended to feel that way about people who viewed her existence as optional. T'Pal was the last person that Isha wanted to have that sort of access to her memories.

"Did you find anything, Webb?" she asked ignoring his suggestion for now.

Webb handed the Ambassador a glass of water with two thumbnail sized electronic devices setting in the bottom. "Don't drink it." he said smiling.

He looked at her with a stern face. "I am right. I don't care what it is between you and T'Pal, you and her need to put it aside and work together. It is the only way to get to the bottom of this. If we do not, we may wind up dead. T'Pal had me run a check on this science officer. His records check out but, no one has a picture of him so I can verify who he actually is. That's why I acted funny in the turbo lift, that and my neck hair. He gives me the creeps. There is something not right about him, I just don't know what. We need that mindmeld. I see no other way to help you remember........

Isha nodded. "You say that he is fresh from the academy, yet I would wager half of my fortune that I have seen him before ... he has dead eyes, just like T'Pal's - I think that that is what struck me the most."

One did not forget a passing glance from a stranger if that glance suggested that the stranger knew how he could have you dead on the floor in the space of two seconds, Isha had also learned along time ago that instincts were generally best trusted.

Isha shifted the glass watching the liquid move; "Do you know their origin or do you need to analysis?" she asked, "no, let me rephrase that ... humor me, and speculate, Ensign Webb."

"Madam Ambassador, I didn't say he was fresh out of the academy, I said his records indicate that. I have no visual reference to verify that this man is actually him. He is more than likely an impostor. We both know where those devices came from. I can stand across the room and tell you that ma'am and I would wager all your fortune."

She rested her elbows on the table and ran her fingers into her hair, not far because it was still piled on the top of her head, "I need options, Webb," Isha said looking at her own reflection in the tabletop. If he was an impostor as Webb suspected then he knew where she was ... had he been coming here?

Isha dropped her hands and got to her feet, "Tell me that there is another way to know," she demanded.

"I would like to tell you that ma'am but, you and I know there is no other way. This whole situation is closing in on us. He was probably ready to make his move in the turbo lift but, I was there and not Sato. The turbo lift would be perfect. Confined with no place to run. We have to do the meld soon or it will be too late. I also think it will be better if I stay with you at all times including here in your quarters."

"That's awfully forward of you, Ensign," Isha quipped, though she understood the seriousness of what he was saying even if she had not quite accepted it. "Could we not simply move me somewhere else?"

She let the suggestion hang before she spoke again.

T'Pal had wanted some proof that she could trust her, this must be enough, even for her, Isha reasoned. "Get her," she said, sitting once again, "and do it now."

Webb tapped his com badge, "Webb to Lieutenant T'Pal, please report to the Ambassadors quarters immediately."

Slightly irritated to be interrupted, but she tapped her badge anyway. "On my way," she said, glancing at the man with her with a look that clearly asked..~what the hell is it now..~

To be continued ...

 

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