Are two heads better than one?

Posted on Thursday, 30 April 2020 - 5:04pm by Lieutenant Alex Kingsley & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali
Edited on on Thursday, 30 April 2020 - 5:08pm

Mission: Operation: Recall
Location: Science Lab
Timeline: Current

With her meeting with the Commander over T’Lanna made her way to the Science lab to see if she could find Alex. They hadn’t really gotten to know each other yet so this would be a good chance to do so. Reaching the lab she stepped inside and looked around hoping she wouldn’t disturb Alex if she was busy.

Sitting on the edge of a workstation, her back to a storage locker, Kingsley focus was on the simulation data. The information by this point almost burned into her brain as she had the computer calculate variables which she could walk through in astrometrics later. Hunched over the PADD propped up in front of her, she made a few final adjustments before realising she had company.

She really needed bells on the doors...

“Lieutenant, what can I do for you?” Even as she spoke she realised where she was sitting and, untangling her legs she slid down to stand on the floor.

T’Lanna smiled. “The Commander asked me to come and see you to get your help with pinpointing possible planets where we might find Captain Stillwater. She said we could use Stellar cartography as well.”

“Oh, right,” she said slowly. “I’ve been in a bubble with the sensor data. Do you want to fill me in with what you have?”

T’Lanna smiled and nodded. “Well the Commander and I have come to the conclusion that Stillwater will most likely be on a planet settles by the Romulan refugees. Somewhere outside of Federation influence, more or less completely independent. Perhaps even used by ex-b’s to settle away from the mainstream.” She paused, she was starting to feel a little light headed. “I’m sorry do you mind if I replicate a snack?”

“In here it is fine, in the other labs no,” Alex nodded.

“Thanks” T’Lanna headed over to the replicator and came back a few moments later with a selection of sliced fruit and a drink of juice. “Sorry, I guess what they say about eating for two is right!” She politely tucked in as she pulled up some charts on her PADD.

“Sorry?” Alex blurted out, not sure she had heard correctly.

“Oh sorry!” T’Lanna grinned. “I’m pregnant.” She smiled warmly.

“Congratulations,” the science officer offered with a warm smile. “So, your manhunt ... I am still catching up but why are you thinking one of the refugee colonies? You realise very few were settled in Federation space before -“

She couldn’t say it. After a slight hesitation she went on, “before the mission was abandoned. Did he have ties to the refugees?”

“Not any specific ones that I’ve discovered” T’Lanna looked at Alex. “He does however feel very strongly for the refugees and not very fondly of Starfleet. I think he’d prefer to be as far as Federation influence as possible.”

“I hope there is a great plan to change that,” Alex commented. “Okay. There are the colonies who took in survivors, a lot are farming and mining colonies. You need something though... is there anything unusual about him? A medicine he needs or something he can’t do without and might need to have shipped in? I’d take anything to help narrow it down.”

“That’s a good question.” T’Lanna paused to eat some of her fruit while she looked through her PADD. “There’s no mention of any medical conditions in his personnel file unfortunately. I don’t have enough information to go on right now, what I have so far is straight from the Starfleet records.”

Which was next to useless... Alex sighed. “I’m not sure how much we can do without data.”

T’Lanna nodded. “Are there any colonies that are outer lying? In areas that aren’t controlled? Captain Stillwater wants nothing to do with Starfleet at all. He’ll want to be as far as from Starfleet as he can possibly get.”

“There are a lot of colonies along the border and while Federation colonies, a lot of people were far from thrilled when Admiral Picard decided to bring Romulans to this side of the neutral zone,” Alex pointed out. “I suppose if he felt an affinity with them then ... Vashti?”

T’Lanna raised an eyebrow in a typical Vulcan manner. “Good thinking.” She smiled and made a note on her PADD.

“I can provide you data on the other colonies who accepted refugees, including climate, industries, geological data... perhaps you will find something in old psych evaluations or something that will point to other candidates.”

T’Lanna nodded as she popped some more fruit into her mouth. She finished eating before speaking again. “That will be great, any help we can get with finding Stillwater the better.” She paused. “May I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“When we were aboard the shuttle, did you have a nightmare?” She looked at Alex curiously.

“Yes,” she replied, “which was probably understandable in the circumstances. Why?”

“I just...” T’Lanna paused. “I guess I just wanted to be sure that Raith and I weren’t the only ones.” She offered a smile. “The Doctor has confirmed that the Borg we found is my mother.”

“I’m sorry,” she offered, “it must have been hard. I’m sorry, I couldn’t risk lowering the force field. I wasn’t trying to be cruel.”

“I know, it’s okay” T’Lanna offered a smile. “I wasn’t thinking straight back then, you were right. She could have been dangerous.” She frowned. “I just wish I knew how she came to be floating out there. Why here and now?”

“Good questions, we just don’t have answers yet,” Alex offered with an apologetic smile.

“I know...to be honest I’m not sure I want them. I have a feeling I’m not going to like them.” She remembered her shared nightmare with Raith. “My nightmare was...truly one I don’t ever want to experience again.”

“Likewise,” Alex murmured.

T’Lanna smiled. “I think we can all say that. I guess it’s good to know you’re not the only one who experienced something.”

“I’ll send the data to you,” Alex advises, having no wish to dwell on her own experience. On her dream of her father. “If you still need stellar cartography I can program the data but it is already running some simulations on the nebula right now...”

“No, it’ll be fine thank you for your help.” T’Lanna smiled warmly.

“Anytime,” Alex assured her.

“I’ll keep the Commander updated” T’Lanna smiled warmly as she headed for the door.

{OFF}