Missing Time - Part II

Posted on Mon May 29th, 2023 @ 3:28am by Captain Robert Burke & Lieutenant Sofia Gonzalez

1,384 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: EPISODE 1: SHAKEDOWN
Location: Canopeia Draco VII
Timeline: Four Months before launch

::ON::

[Three Days Later]

Sofia awoke with a start and a cry. Her bedsheets had twisted suffocatingly tight around her as she’d tossed and turned through her night’s sleep. Checking her bedside chrono, she saw there was an hour to her duty shift. Untangling herself she wiped off the sheen of sweat that coated her and headed for the sonic shower.

There was … an owl? Some writing. Something watching me?’ Sofia leaned her head against the cool ceramic as she tried to puzzle through the images that had flashed through her head in her nightmare. She sighed. They’ll settle down in a day or two. They always do, she recalled with weariness.

With half an hour to go until her shift she tugged on her maroon tunic, making sure the shoulder strap was done up tight, and tugged at it to make it sit across her frame correctly. Giving herself a once over in the mirror, she headed to the mess.

The mess was always busy. The project was a mixture of Starfleet and civilian academics – sworn to the Secrets Act they had signed – so there were always people milling around on break or starting their days. Glancing over she saw Dig Team Twelve tucking in to their breakfast, a large carafe of coffee being handed around.

Doug Hanks, the Cubs baseball-hat-wearing Chief Archaeologist of Team Twelve was notorious for long days and early starts. His currently-assembled team seemed to cope well. ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah! Should be a good dig out in Sector Seven. No team’s been out there yet – only just been scoped out by LIDAR!’ Sofia heard one of Team Twelve enthusing as they helped themselves to the coffee. Sofia helped herself to breakfast, grapefruit, cottage cheese and a milky bowl of cereal. Bussing her tray about the tables, she was attracted to the open section towards the rear. Passing a knot of Starfleet Intelligence officers, Sofia nodded at them amiably before stepping out on to the open veranda that allowed fresh air into the Mess.

The morning was already warming, heading to that muggy heat that defined the tropics. As Sofia breathed, she could feel the heaviness of the air. It, along with the scratchy darkness at the edge of her vision from the lack of sleep, did nothing to improve her mood. She picked up her fork, and looked down at her grapefruit for a moment.

Her communicator chirped.

Sighing, she held her head wearily in one hand as she flipped open the communicator. ‘Lieutenant Gonzalez,’ she declared in an officious voice.

‘Lieutenant, Commander Hales required a moment of your time,’ came the reply by way of the comforting voice of Ensign Vomek, Hales’ attaché. Sofia’s stomach dropped. Hales was the base commanding officer, the most senior officer in the sector as far as she knew. She chewed her lip for a moment, tiredness coming over her in waves.

‘I’ll be right there,’ she replied in a tight, clipped tone.

She pushed her breakfast to one side, no longer hungry, and got to her feet.

Passing another grouping of archaeologists she was on friendly terms with, she gave them a nod and a few non-committal replies as she fought the deepening pit in her stomach. Weaving her way across the Mess Hall, she reached its far side, passing through to the Starfleet facility proper by way of her communicator. Although they worked together closely, this part of the base was strictly off-limits to the civilian archaeologist teams.

Through the pneumatic doors, only the cold, impersonal strip lighting panels provided any illumination. No forefields or window ports offered views of the outside world. As she stalked her way through the metal corridors, Sofia tried to push away the reality that if the base were attacked, this would be the area project personnel would shelter in place.

The spartan, Starfleet-grey walls offered little comfort to her as her thoughts raced. She could count on one hand the number of times she had been summoned to Hales’ on her own. They must know about the other night, she decided. Her jaw setting grimly, she considered her likely punishment for the incident.

Her record was mostly spotless, save for an incident or two aboard the Templeton. Pure scientific research and Starfleet didn’t always go hand in hand. Something I have to remind myself of often. Likely her punishment would be relatively light. It wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that she would be kicked from this assignment for falsifying her records though.
That irony isn’t lost on me.

Still. Being transferred out in disgrace wasn’t exactly the way Sofia had anticipated leaving.

Arriving at the base commander’s office, Sofia made her presence known to Vomek. The Chelon inclined their head in Sofia’s direction, before palming the intercom on the desk in front of them. ‘Lieutenant Gonzalez has arrived … yes, right in,’ they waved in the direction of the doors for Sofia’s benefit.

Tugging on her uniform, Sofia stepped through the doors.

Hale’s office was sparse and minimalist in decoration. From her previous visits, Sofia already knew that nothing was out of place, and any item that took up space had a function. Commander Hales was not known for sentimentality, rather for efficient administration of her duties.

The Commander sat, arms resting on the desk in front of her, and fingers laced together as she contemplated the arrival. Sofia did the same as she came to attention. ‘Lieutenant Sofia Gonzalez, reporting, ma’am.’

Piercing blue eyes showed little emotion as Hales nodded in acknowledgement. Her grey turtleneck collar marked her out as Starfleet Intelligence, as expected given who had responsibility for the project. She was one of those women who’s age was indeterminate, Sofia had decided. She had Hale pegged for being anything from her late forties to early sixties. The blonde hair, pulled back tight into a severe bun when on duty, did nothing to advance the lieutenant’s guesswork.

For a moment, there was no sound save the hum of the Master System Display panel behind the Commander.

‘At ease, Lieutenant,’ Hales finally responded, before picking up a data slate. ‘How long have you worked with us?’

‘On Draco? Two-and-half years, ma’am,’ Sofia responded, eyes nailed to the MSD. She noted that the Commander had declined to offer her a seat. Not sure how to parse that.

‘And what has been your primary function with us?’

‘To collate data and provide an analytical framework to our findings based on my expertise in pre-Columbian archaeology. This mostly consisted of working the Delta shift to prepare the reports for the day for transmission to Starfleet Science and Intelligence.’ Sofia’s reply was succinct and to the point.

‘Sounds tedious,’ came a new voice from behind her.

Not allowing her expression to change, Sofia was chagrined not to have noticed a third person lurking in the room. ‘It was what I signed up for on this tour,’ Sofia replied, not turning her head from the MSD.

‘You’ve performed more than adequately,’ Hales filled in, before the almost-familiar voice had a chance to pipe up. Sofia’s expression creased in confusion momentarily, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

‘However, it’s felt your talents are wasted here,’ Hale concluded with a small, sour twist of a mouth the only betrayal of her emotions. ‘Transfer orders have been asked for.’

‘Commander, if I may?’ Almost-recognised opined from behind her, pausing only long enough for Hale to indicate that they may indeed, and that Sofia was to relax from her present pose.

Sofia turned her head quickly and noted who it was, lips quirking in a smile.

Burke smiled in return. ‘Lieutenant Gomez, I’ll keep it simple. I’ve been assigned Commanding Officer of the USS Hecate, with a five-year mission of exploration. We’re in need of a competent Intelligence Officer.

‘I believe you are that officer.’

The newly-minted captain nodded in Hales’ direction. ‘I’ll expect her on the next shuttle out.’

::OFF::

Captain Richard Burke
Commanding Officer
USS Hecate

Commander Barbara Hales
Commanding Officer
Canopeia Draconis VII Scientific Base

Lieutenant Sofia Gomez
Intelligence Officer
USS Hecate

 

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