Shore Leave-Qaplah is the new order

Posted on 30 Dec 2010 @ 2:05pm by

1,500 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: M7: Shore Leave - Mercer Colony
Location: Somewhere near Mercer Colony/Mercer colony
Timeline: Before Achilles arrival/Achilles Arrival

It had been almost too long since shore leave had been offered to the crew. The USS Rosen had narrowly escaped the battle at Wolf 359 and was enroute to starbase 27. Hyrum had asked for a transfer six months before and had heard nothing since. The Mrine corps mech engineer expecting to reach Sgt. Major sometime soon, but as usual starfleet was being slow about it. It was as if six years of service wasn't enough. As Hyrum worked on his personal mech his thoughts returned to shore leave and the time he would finally have with Shal and the boys. He knew that they were only three now, but he had missed them and when the opportunity for shore leave came around and he saw himself on the list, Hyrum immediately sent a message to his lovely wife to meet him on Mercer Colony in three days. HIs masonic studies were also in the rears. There was a great deal of catching up to do if he was to make the twenty-ninth degree on time. This was as important to him as the ascension rite was to the Klingons. There was not ime for this now he realized as he went back to making adjustments to his mech and recalbrating her targerting and propulsion systems. It was then that the Captain Sedek Llewellyn came in to bid a solemn farewell to the best marine Mech engineer he'd ever had.

"Seargent", Sedek called out to him, "How's the tinkeering coming along?"

"Just fine," Hyrum said nearly banging his head on the edge of the targeting systems compartment,"I was just finishing up. What can I do for you?"


"You can take this dad-burned promotion Gunny and take some leave. You deserve it. I would personally suggest Risa."

"Well, sorry to disappoint sir but already have plann with the family on Mercer Colony; alittle family rime before they join me on my next Billet sir."

"A fine billet it is two, though I suspect he will have problems with your wife being a Romulan."

"Why is that sir?"

"Your next skipper is a Klingon. To them Romulans, no matter who they are or what information they carry have no honor."


"Understood, sir,"He carefully inspected the man who was his skipper. He hadn't expected his transfer to comeback this soon. Maybe it wasn't specific where he wanted to go that made it clear so quickly," Sir. it has been an honor to serve with you adnI will never forget my time Aboard the Rosen."

"No gunny, the honor was ours entirely," Sedek said handing Hyrum his new pips and his orders for The USS Achilles and saluted his former Mech Engineer. Whith that there was only one more thing to say to this marine,"Live long and prosper, Kenderson."

"Peace and long life, Captain." Kenderson returned his hand now outstretched for a hand clasp. The two right hands met in a firm clasp. This meant he was dismissed from his duties for the rest of his shift. It couldn't have come to soon as Hyrum still had packing to do.

Four days later Hyrum met his family on Mercer Colony. It was a beautiful place. The coordinates of the town were locked into his shuttle's navigation system. Shal had chosen a town outside the main city. When he landed, Hyrum was met with warm embraces and a long passionate Romulan kiss that very nearly embarassed his sons.

"Get a room," Thomas piped up.

He turned to his young son, taking the remark as a suggestion,"You're right Thomas we should go get a room, maybe a suite for the four of us." Hyrum laughed.

Thomas and Timothy each took a hand and skittled along with their parents to the nearest inn. It wasn't far which was a good thing. Hyrumm could tell that the two had been playing with their mum for a long while today adn were probably tired adn famished. When they entered the small hotel the atmosphere was more than freindly, but something began to irk Hyrum. He could swear that he could see someone eyeing them from afar off. Out of the corner of his eye Hyrum noticed a young Romulan. He was out of place here. His attention was fixed on his tw young sons and he hoped that Romulan hearing was not as powerful as that of Vulcans.

When the innkeeper handed Hyrum the keys to their room he remarked,"I'll keep an eye or three on him sir. He has been here for two days eyebaling these yougn chaps of yours. Is your wife involved in something?"

"I'm not at liberty to say, sir," Hyrum said leaving him some extra credits,"we can use all the help we can get."

Hyrum led his family upstairs to their room. He told Shal of the uneasiness he felt, She agreed with it and promised to stay in as much as she could. It wasn't like there wasn't more work to do on hfindings.

"Dearest, we will be safe as long as we are with you," Shal offered with another passionate kiss that was ended with a high-pitched sterephonic "ew, don't you to ever stop?"

"We did for a while when we knew you two were coming."

This made the boys go to their room in the luxurious suite. Their leve of independance for their age was a good thing and it made things go easier wherever they happened to be. It was almost dinner time and Hyrum made arrangements while Shal bathed and redressed the children for dinner.

"Mommy," who was that man?" Timothy asked with all of his youthful curiosity.

"We do not know, little one. Did he scare you?" Shal responded.

They both nodded,"we don not feel safe here."

Shal took a long, deep breath into her lungs. Her children were scared. Should she tell Hyrum how they felt or leave it be for now. She did her best to comfort them.

"Your father and I are here to protect you the best we can and we will do that. Do you understand? Do not be affraid."

The whimsical air smiled and splashe their mother as she finished cleaning them up. They tried not to worry, but but some of that emotion was still there. It wasn't as much as before. The dinner went well and nothing happened to disrupt it. The unknown Romulan male wasn't even there. Still, HYrum could feel something was up.

"Lock their windows tonight. Don't ask me why, just do as I say. I think we are going to have visitors tonight."


Hyrum summoned a waiter to sit with Thomas and Timothy. There was just one last thing he needed to say but couldn't in front of the boys. As the waiter took a seat, he gelped Shal out of hers and took her out of earshot to say his next sentence.

"I cant help feelin that our watchful friend will come after the boys to get to you."

With a nod Shal concurred,"A byproduct of my intelligence gathering. I have been expecting this. The windows will be shut tight. However, it is doubtful that this will prevent their entry and kidnapping of the boys."

"I know, and that's what pains me so."

They returned and spent a few more hours with the boys before putting them to bed. Shal locked their windows tight. Later that evening, two sets of Romulan eyes peered into Tom and Tim's window satisfied that the two boys were sound asleep. The light in their parents' room was still on so they waited. Finally, the light went out and they thought the couple had gone off to bed themselves. The two black clad Romulans could not have lied to themselves more. They had been waited upon, expected. Hyrum burst in to find the second of them already headed out the window with Timothy. Hyrum drew his phaser and fired twice missing their assailant. The boys were gone and only a note was left behind.

"Surrender the intelligence information you have stolen or die!" in Romulan official script.

It was then that they knew exactly who had the boys...the Tal Shiahr. 'You would die first,' Hyrum pledged crushing the note in his strong, sinewy digits, 'and I will take great pleasure in the killing.'


The next morning the Achilles pulled into the colony. The whole crew seemed to be arriving on the surface. Everyone but the skipper. HYrum decided to take the to his news and the information his wife had to the new skipper. He was understandibly nervous for two very potent reasons. One, skipper was Klingon and two wife was Romulan. Hyrum didn't quite know how the meeting would go over, but he had to try. The lives of his sons were at stake and no one would get in the way of him rescuinng them, not even the new skipper Klingon or not.

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MGSGT Hyrum Kenderson
SNCO

 

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