The Alice Part II
Posted on Sat Apr 19th, 2025 @ 5:18pm by Commander Rhupert Tyree & Lieutenant Tavana Kolan, Daughter of Kretorg & Lieutenant Katya Davi & Lieutenant Amy Gordon
3,849 words; about a 19 minute read
Mission:
The Foragers
Location: Treadis System, Moon V871. Cardassian Space.
Timeline: Five weeks after Get the Party Started.
But only for a moment. There was work to do and his work was to keep an eye on the new crew. Disco was monitoring the engine space, the heart of the ship while he wandered and made sure the new little idiots pulled their weight. Grunting to himself as he reached the port side docking hatch, he reviewed the life support gear there and was happy to note one of the escape capsules was still in place. After making sure the door was well sealed and the mechanism was convinced it would work, he turned around and began working his way back to check on the newbies.
Reaching what would be the tubs weapons bay, he saw the new Klingon breed and stopped. "Sightseeing?" He grunted out. Not likely to get into a pitched battle unless we actually get the hrakat moving?
Tavana gave a chuckle. "If there were anything to see, it would be great," she said. "I am going to try to see if there are any other salvageable weapons, but this is not looking too good," she said. "How is it going on your side?"
Franks half scowled at everything as he looked around and then toed a busted crate that had been left behind. "Not surprised, is how my part goes. Since there isn't weapons, how about you start running checks on the shields and deflector systems. What Nob hired you for."
Tavana nodded, pulling the corners of her lips down. "I will make my way through there. As she made a way through the crared, she pulled back in surprise. We have a few torpedoes here, crated - they seem to have been transporter her. And they are intact. If we can get them modify them to fit the launchers, we may have something," she commented as she opened the containers and inspected the torpedoes. "Franks, if I can get anyone here to help me, we can jimmy rig this to get them to work perhaps. Maybe there are a pulse canon or so further back. But I will first check out the deflector and shields."
Tavi was agile and small enough to use the Jeffreys tubes to follow her tricorder to where she suspected the shield generator should be. She was more or less right. She slipped through a hatch and jumped down to what must be the room where the shield generator was housed.
Franks nearly facepalmed himself and said. "That's great. Weapons. When we need to be getting this tub out of here..." He broke off as Kala disappeared. Mumbling, he continued on his rounds.
Good help was hard to find.
The other ship systems were being looked at and worked on. Amy though decided she'd check out the head or heads. She counted that as part of necessary ship system. She noted that there were loose bolts and a leakage on the sink. This she set to get worked on, as she worked, there was something amiss on the wall on the other side of the toilet. Curious Amy went to check it out. The wall panel seemed to be just a small touch askew. She hadn't noticed it at first due to how the light she held had been angled but her movement of the light brought it to view. She wedged the panel open and to her amazement, she found a collection of small/mini bottles of alcohol! These could be useful. Amy pocketing them in to her cargo pants pockets. Medical her next stop, got to see what they had there for something useful...
Kat wanted to have a look at the crew quarters. They were less likely to be ransacked by the Cardassians, and it would be a good place to hide something if anyone planned to find the ship later. It wasn't likely, but once the thought took root, she had to look. She finished her repairs and double-checked that the air filtration system was working, then she activated the temperature controls and counted to thirty. When she felt the gentle caress of warm air she was so happy she wished she could hug someone. Okay, NOT Thing One and Thing Two, but someone. Instead, she gathered all her tools and the remaining parts and headed back to where she knew Rhu was working. On the way, she began to sing Hot, Hot, Hot by Buster Poindexter and dancing her way through the ship.
She was very careful to stop before she got close to Disco or Franks. When she saw Rhu, she grinned. "The heat is on." Then she spun around and went in search of Amy to help her with her idea.
"Good," Rhu said, his mind moving through the dueling purposes. "I'm going to get on Communications. Disco and Franks will be interested in passive comms. We'll want to control that. There's a hub below the decking on the bridge, so I'm headed there next. Controlling the bridge and engineering will give us everything."
Rhu was nearly standing on his head, deep into the Alice's guts. He'd pulled bridge decking and was into the comm's suite deep enough not to be seen. So far, Disco hadn't ventured out of Engineering and Franks had been by once, muttering something or other but Rhu had ignored him. The ops/engineering station was right next to the comms relays. So far he'd powered the systems up and everything he'd touched was holding maintaining power.
They were getting to the point where they'd have to deal with the pirates and make off with the Alice.
Katya had gone in search of tools. That was true enough, but where she'd gone to look for them was the crew quarters. She'd noticed some denser pockets of shielding around one of the storage areas. When she'd looked more closely, she found that those pockets were actually layers of shielding. But they were now empty. Mostly. She found a box of stem bolts and another of magnets, but nothing she needed at the moment. Still, she pocketed them both and, after asking Amy to provide a distraction, went to the crew quarters.
She didn't have much time, so she scanned each room, then walked around and listened for the ambient noise to soften. It was the next-to-last room that she found something. Or, rather, she didn't. She quickly masked her telepathic voice because she had no idea if this, too, would be empty, but she really hoped she would find something. Because if she knew her ship was being tracked by Cardassians and that they'd take everything of value, she'd hide her most valued possessions. And those would most definitely include her tools. Plus a few other items of personal worth. She was not going to make a hole in the wall, in case she wanted to leave whatever she found intact, so she took her time to find the hidden panel. To add to her excitement, when the panel moved back, she saw "platonic solid + deltahedron ="
and a series of shapes. Grinning, she pressed the icosahedron. The panel slid back, revealing a rectangular space filled with parts and...a box of tools. That time, she did let her mental shields slip for a moment. This was just what she hoped to find.
Kat carefully took out the dozen parts. They were for the transporters and communications. Was that because they didn't want anyone getting off the freighter or calling for help, or to give the Cardassians trouble? Either way, she was tickled to have them. She sent Rhu a quick telepathic message with a visual image of the parts. Then she pulled out the box of tools.
It was a set much like she had on the Valiant, but there were one or two she didn't have. Like a nice little sonic screwdriver. She slipped that into her case. There was also a quantum flux regulator. She looked back over the parts. Yep. There was a flux capacitor. Good. Those may come in handy if the transporters weren't working. She slipped the quantum flux regulator into her kit. She added an interphasic coil spanner and an ODN recoupler to her tools as well.
But she wasn't sure how she'd get the rest out...or if she should. She ran her hand around the small space and found one more item. When she pulled it out, she realized it was a type 2 phaser. That she would give to Rhu. She put the tools she didn't need back in the box.
She paused for a moment, thinking. She really didn't want anyone else finding those tools, so she put all the parts in the box. Might as well take the whole kit and caboodle. Then she carefully closed up the hiding place--it might be useful later.
Amy was successful in finding something to make a mickey, she had planned to drug the two guys who were watching them and get them out of the way. Well, she could have used a hypo spray but that wasn't anywhere she could find. Unless there was one hidden. She hadn 't found one yet but she'll keep on doing so. Amy stepped out from medical, just in time to see Katya coming down the corridor. "I have been able to find some drinks." she said quietly.
"Great." Kat/Kimi held up the box and grinned. "I have the tools I need to fix the transporters, but I don't want Tweedledee and Tweedledum to know. So, if you could help by being a distraction, I can take care of that now."
"Okay so you want me to occupy them with drinks, i can do that, be a distraction. " The redheaded Natasha made her way to where they were at. "Hey Disco, Franks ya got time for a drink? I've found some if you are thirsty." holding out the bottles she had found. "You two care to partake?" giving an inviting seductive smile towards them adding a little bit of a sensual swing to her hips. as she approached. "So lads, something to wet your whistle? "
Disco was leaning casually against a panel, keeping an eye on the feeds as the ship woke up. They were about on schedule and the newbies seemed to be doing their jobs. As one of the human women entered, he raised an eye and smiled lasciviously. "You found booze on this crate? That's a surprise."
Franks stared at the redhead as she entered and shook his head. "Aren't you supposed to be working? "
Natasha gave a chuckle, "I have been working, checked out the head which is in working order now, by yours truly. Checked out medical, the instruments that are still there are recalibrated." She had shed her bomber's jacket early on as it was getting warm, leaving her shoulders bare from the burgundy tank top she wore. "So can't a girl have a little bit of a small break? hmmnn?" drawing near both Frank and Disco. "You've been working hard as well." holding out the drinks one to Frank, the other to Disco.
"Yeah," Disco said with relish as he ogled the red-head and accepted the drink. "I could use a break. Franks wouldn't know a good time if it leaned on him and checked him for a hidden weapon."
Franks bit at the inside of his lip then said, "Disco. If brains were antimatter, you couldn't power a half-watt display. You half-wit. Play around with the hired help if you want, but make sure this hunk of junk is running or Nob will have your dangles in a jar."
Disgusted, Franks turned on his heel, twisted his shoulders and exited from the engineering compartment, to be someplace else.
Sighing with contentment, Disco sipped at the drink he'd been given and said. "Thank you for the drinks. But you must join me. And if you're getting warm, well remove your clothes woman. I'm not shy."
"Of course you aren't shy." Natasha giving a winsome smile, she handed Disco the doctored drink, opening it up for him, she opened one of her own. "Drink up" raising her own small bottle to her lips. Amy was worried that Frank was going to interrupt Katya and Rhu in doing what they were doing. Taking a gamle she thought hard towards Katya. She didn't know if it would work, the only thing she could do was try. [Katya, Frank has left the engineering room. I've got Disco occupied for a moment. ]
Smiling at Amy as he sipped at his own drink, Disco reclaimed his chair and looked her over again. "You know. I am familiar with some human customs and there are those that absolutely somewhat trouble and ... well." He wiped at his mouth as his drink dribbled, "And fascinate too. Have you ever heard of something called Coulrophilia?"
Good heavens Disco seemed to be in some bizarre habits. "I've heard of that, but I don't indulge in that.Is that something you are into?" Amy was wishing she had soemthing a bit more stronger to make Disco drop to the floor. She may have not made it strong enough. Maybe if he were to drink the bottle meant for Frank. "Oh it looks like you're almost done with you drink. Care for another?" Amy prepared to slide away out of his possible grab.
"Well, don't mind if I do," Disco half burped as he accepted the next flask. Raising it in toast to Natasha, he tipped his head back and began pouring. And his head kept going...his body following as he dropped like a pole-axed vokcal steer.
Kat/Kimi quickly made her way to the transporters. She didn't have long and hoped this would be a fairly simple repair. If not, she would have to go on another treasure hunt. Luck was again with her. She had all the parts and tools she needed. She silently blessed the person who removed them without doing any real damage. That reinforced her theory that they planned to return and use them.
When she was done, she slipped onto the bridge and smiled at Rhu. "Need a hand?" Telepathically, she added, "Transporters are working again, and I found a phaser."
~Good work,~ Rhu sent back. ~Keep the phaser for yourself. I have my Akai in my boot if need be. We'll see if we can get Franks and Disco distracted enough. I've also wired in a sensor ghost that would indicate that the Cardassian patrol ship arrived early, when we need it.~
"Perfect. It'll work better than my hypospanner. What do you need me to do now?" She thought back as she began to look over what was basically the ops console. She was pleased to see that most systems were now operational. "I could set up a second transponder signal so Nob wouldn't be able to track the ship--if he has that capability to begin with. Or do you want me to work on something else?" She was pleased with what they'd accomplished so far and wanted to add some additional tricks for the Alice to make it easier to slip away.
Rhu thought for a few minutes, a plan coming together that he thought would work. He was pleased. His team was coming together and working toward things getting done. That was perfect.
Mentally, he clawed for the telepathic link to Katya and sent, ~I like it but I need you to come up with something we can add to an explosive device that will make it look like we had a warp accident. Not a breach but something that looks like the core popped off. I want to flood the area with netrino's and tachyon's maybe. Make it look like when we tried to go to warp, we had a malfunction. We'll have to get Disco and Franks to that escape capsule. Then have them think we went barreling off at warp and got lost."
She paused, her new sonic screwdriver humming. What could she do? "I think I can do that...anything specific you want or don't want?" She had a light, flirtatious tone as she added, "How much fun can I have with this?"
~It's only wrong if they arrest you for it~ Rhu thought back, his eyes threatening to roll as he moved to what was supposed to be the comm's interlink with the sensor array and began talking the panel into revealing it's secrets.
"Well, I haven't been arrested yet. And here, we can blame Frankenstein and his monster."
A small wisp of a mental call from Amy, to Katya letting her know, Frank was on the move, this was the first time Amy had attempted to contact her this way.
Katya rarely picked up random thoughts directed her way, but since she'd been keeping a mental eye on the rest of the team, she heard Amy's message. Bigfoot wouldn't find her doing anything amiss. She doubted he'd notice anything wrong if she cross-wired every station. That gave her an idea... If Rhu wanted problems that would make the troublesome twosome run, she could start with a little shock therapy.
Rhu yelped. Stuck a knuckle in his mouth and stared at the panel. It had come loose alright, barking...well biting at him. Some might call it playfully nipping but he didn't know the Alice that well.
Blinking, he stared around him and shook away the weirdness in his brain and peered in and up into the panel, actually finding the relays he'd been looking for.
Wonder of wonders.
Catching a flicker of thought from Katya, he sent back ~Yesssss??~ Keeping his tone light. They were all under enough stress as it was.
"Amy says Franks is heading this way. I was thinking that I could short circuit one of the consoles so he gets a little jolt when he checks it." She shrugged. "But it's only a thought."
She was going to see if she could come up with something to harass the goon squad. A level ten force field was not out of the question. It would depend on what she could find and how much time she had before trouble arrived.
Once he had Katya moving, Rhu buttoned up his project and went to find his security officer. It took a moment to find her wormed into the deflector housing, which was about as big as a double broom closet. "Heya Kala," he said, pushing in close as if peering over her shoulder (which he did). "Nice work. I've got a plan and need you to rig one of those torpedo's you found so we can beam it between us and the others, then detonate it. It's going to have to be close enough to mask us so you'll have to work some magic.
Tavana/Kala had managed to fix the wiring that resembled a crow's nest, which it still did but just a better looking one. There was (hopefully) one more thing. She had been struggling to push a rusted lever down. The only way was to use her weight. "Hang on. Your timing is perfect, but if this doesn't work, you will fire me. No pun intended...". In a swift movement she used his body as leverage to get a bit higher and then jumped down onto the lever. It buckled and power spluttered through the cables.
"Yay, we are not burning up," she said matter-of-factly. "Sorry about that... I am heavier than I look," she said as she turned around. They were standing literally face to face only her face was facing his upper chest. She lifted her chin looking up with a grime smeared face up with a wide grin. "It worked, no explosion, so no firing me. It seems today is good for magic," she said as she wiggled past him, eyebrows raised, blowing imaginary air through rounded lips . If he knew how close they were to blowing up, he would probably fire her.
Rhu blinked and breathed. Relieved that nothing (including the torpedo) had gone off. Counting to five, he turned and made his way toward the bridge again. Looking at his crono, sent out a thought to his minions. ~Right. We need to deal with Disco and Franks then get this show rolling.~
Kat had to focus now to keep a light mental touch on the other three in case they got into trouble while she worked on internal force fields and transporters for containing and removing Thing One and Thing Two. A part of her mind was sifting through ways to make the ship look like it had the warp core was about to pop off. Easy enough to do, but to do it safely on a ship in this much need of repair was another matter. Did the Alice have an emergency beam out protocol? Could she make one? She cut the end of a rusty wire and reattached it, then made sure it was properly grounded. Yeah. She could do that. She could set it for their signatures only. Maybe even time it for after the engine room started sparking and spewing. Yes. That idea had merit. She finished her task as she mentally mapped out what she had to do next. "When this is all over, I'm going to need a shower. Or a bath. Or a shower and then a bath," she thought to herself. She started humming Steam heat as she thought about getting clean again.
As she gathered her tools and checked her work, she realized she'd lost track of everyone else. Kat sighed. Well, she'd hear if there was a problem. Her head was feeling a little fuzzy. How long had it been since they ate last? She was able to program a level four containment field and an emergency beam out of Franks and Disco to an escape pod on command. Now she had to make it look like the warp core was breaching. After that, she'd go in search of something to eat. For incentive, she started thinking about that bath again.
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