Miranda, Part 5

Posted on Fri Jan 25, 2019 @ 12:11pm by Commander Caleb Ryan

884 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: USS Peacemaker/Theta Tau Nebula
Timeline: MD01 2200

“Captain to the bridge. We are approaching the last nav beacon,” came Boo’s voice over the comm.

Eve and Ash stirred from where they lay naked on the deck in the makeshift gym. Ash groaned as Eve moved off of him and found her clothes. She checked the chronometer “Eight hours, Anzio? I’m impressed,” she said. “You shaved two hours off your best time.”

“I’m getting used to it, sir. And I think we caught the nebula in a relatively calm period. I can’t guarantee the same time on the way back out.”

“Understood. Be there soon.”

Ash groaned and stretched his bruised, sore muscles as he stood and looked for his uniform. His tongue tentatively touched his bruised lips and then he held up the torn jacket, shirt, and pants. “I think I’m going to need a--”

“New uniform?” Rilasa finished as she stepped into the gym with a new uniform folded in her hands. “I figured you would.”

Eve and Rilasa stared daggers at each other as Eve and Ash finished dressing. Eve finished first and gave Rilasa a superior smirk on her way out.

“Wait!” Ash said, grabbing both their hands. “You two need to stop this,” he told them, looking both women in the eye. “I love you both. But I don’t think I can survive being the piece of meat you both are fighting over. You two need some sort of a...truce.” He rubbed at the obvious hickeys on his neck.

Eve and Rilasa looked at him and then both turned to leave.

Ash arrived on the bridge as the nebula gases were clearing from the viewscreen to reveal an expanse of open space in the center of the nebula. A small, bright white star illuminated the space and a tiny, lonely planet circled that star.

“Welcome to Miranda,” Ash said as he limped up to join Rilasa and Jera in the back. Eve was already standing in front of the commander’s chair directing Anzio to settle them into a high orbit. Everyone on the bridge gave Ash a knowing smirk.

Jera stabbed Ash with a hypospray.

“Ouch! What was that?”

“Dr. Desatu thought you might need it after your little...exercise,” Jera said with a smirk.

Ash rubbed his neck where he’d been hypoed. “Yeah, okay, she was probably right,” he said as the analgesic kicked in, easing his bruises away.

“Away team to the transporter room,” Eve ordered. “Calis, get those pallets ready for transport.

“Yes, sir,” came Nestor’s voice over the comm as Ash, Jera, and Rilasa turned to head aft. The long range transporter was set just before the modular rear of the ship, and they moved out of the way of the four Marines as they rolled from their berths and headed aft to prepare the cargo. Ash paused at his bunk to change into civilian clothes.

Eve and Bubasti joined them at the transporter room, the Caitian’s tail swishing behind her. “You know the drill,” Eve said.

“We don’t,” Jera and Rilasa said.

“No tech of any kind goes down to the surface,” Ash explained. “Not even a comm or a phaser.”

“And me?” Rilasa asked, arching an eyebrow.

“You’re lucky you’re going at all, Cyborg Girl,” Eve said.

Rilasa’s fist clenched and Eve gave her a look that dared her to try a rematch of their first encounter. Neither one had proven really able to beat the other.

“Knock it off,” Ash snapped.

Jera rolled her eyes. “Unprofessional,” she added, until Ash gave her a look that she wasn’t being helpful.

Ash removed his comm and handed it over to Bubasti. “Moia’s intelligent and wily,” Ash explained as Jera and Rilasa handed over their padds and comms. “We’re not risking her being able to contact anyone outside of this nebula. I doubt she could, but we’re not taking chances. We will have a scheduled beam out at dawn every day to make a report and return with anything additional that Moia needs. Otherwise we are on our own.”

“Don’t miss your beam out,” Eve said. “I don’t want to have to send Nestor and his ground pounders after you.”

Boo did a quick scan with her security tricorder. “They’re clean,” she announced.

“Cargo is loaded for transport,” Nestor said as he came up. “Have fun, Danrisa.” He grinned.

Ash grinned back. “I always do.”

Eve scowled, and Ash cleared his throat and stepped up onto the platform beside the pallets. Jera brushed back her long, beautiful blonde hair and joined him, followed by Rilasa.

“Energize,” Eve said, and Bubasti slid her fingers over the transporter controls. With a shimmer of blue light, they were gone.

FIN

Ltcdr. Eve Three
Commanding Officer
USS Peacemaker
NPC Caleb Ryan

Lt. Anzio Mira’ni
Chief Flight Officer
USS Peacemaker
NPC Caleb Ryan

Ltcdr. Ash Danrisa
Intelligence Officer
USS Peacemaker
NPC Caleb Ryan

Rilasa Graeca
Intelligence Asset
USS Peacemaker
NPC Caleb Ryan

Myru Jera
Intelligence Asset
USS Peacemaker
NPC Caleb Ryan

Lt. Bubasti P’Rurr
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Peacemaker
NPC Caleb Ryan

Ltcdr. Zoe Desatu
Chief Medical Officer
USS Peacemaker
NPC Caleb Ryan

Cpl. Nestor Calis
Marine Commanding Officer
USS Peacemaker
NPC Caleb Ryan

 

RSS Feed