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"Boomer Bust" by Lady Rainbow
Rating: PG-13 More action in chapter 7, I promise. ;) R/S implied. As usual: Comments and Reviews wanted and appreciated! Thanks! ;) Six Captain Sandosh called them to his private dining room. It was much smaller than Captain Archer's on the Enterprise, barely large enough for a square table and four chairs. A large bowl of soup sat in the middle of the table, with platters of sweetmeats and fruit all around it. Travis made his way steadily through his second bowl of soup and a platter of luyn'tna fruit. Despite the crisis, he was famished. As they ate, Trip and Hoshi took turns telling Travis what had happened since his leaving the Enterprise. “Right after Risa, we were called to Nabut Eight,” Trip began. “The huge outpost for the Jamirans. Apparently, there was some kinda dispute between two of the factions and Admiral Forrest wanted the cap'n to mediate. So we get there, and while he and T'Pol are busy arguin' with the Jamirans, Hoshi gets a message from Cap'n Sandosh here.” Hoshi nibbled on a piece of luyn'tna, then set it aside. She nodded at Sandosh, who nodded back. “EdML had appointed Guillem Montclaire, Philippe's uncle, as the temporary head of their executive board. Montclaire's spy network extends far beyond Alpha Centauri. Somehow they'd picked up on your trail, Travis.” “But Malcolm's contacts said our cover was damn near foolproof--” Trip looked up, his face suddenly grim. “Harris.” “What?” Travis sank back in his chair, his appetite abruptly gone. “Harris, as in Section 31, Harris? Malcolm's old boss? The bastard betrayed us to EdML?” Hoshi's face was a thundercloud and Travis was suddenly afraid of her, very afraid. He imagined her with a katana in her hands and hoped that Harris would get what was coming to him. “He claims he didn't, but if it wasn't him, someone in his organization did. When Captain Archer found out, he hit the roof and went through it. That's when we realized Forrest had sent us to Nabut as a diversion, to get us out of the way. Jon decided to hell with it; we were going to get you guys back.” Travis blinked; he'd heard her swear before, but not with such vehemence. Trip gave him a knowing look, then continued, “But he couldn't break orders, or Forrest would've known somethin' was up, so he sent the two of us in a shuttlepod to meet up with Captain Sandosh. We hitched a ride at high warp to Auring Five and got here only moments before you did. We were too late to save Philippe and Malcolm, but luckily, Sandosh knew where you were.” Travis chuckled. “Considering we were on a impulse-only transport, you guys must've made damn good time to catch us all the way from Nabut.” Captain Sandosh laughed and slapped Trip on the back, nearly dislodging the piece of meat from his mouth. “Didn't I tell you my ship has had some upgrades? I've been a good friend of Sandrine Trieste for a long time; she's interceded on my behalf before.” “Sandrine Trieste. Philippe's mother.” Travis nodded sadly. “You were friends with her.” “ A good woman, may the Great Sow bless her soul. I wish I could say the same for her mate.” The Tellarite shook his head. “I served her, not EdML, as long as she lived. Then she met with an accident, and her husband dismissed me from the family's service.” “So you knew Philippe, then.” “Yes, I did. I taught him how to handle a ship, much to his father's chagrin. I told Monsieur Trieste that if Philippe was going to succeed him, he'd better learn how to pilot a transport, like his mother's ancestors, when they blazed a trail through the stars.” “Montclaire was his mother's maiden name,” Travis said slowly. “René Trieste married into the family and assumed leadership of EdML. I remember Philippe telling me that much, but he also told me he'd renounced his claim. Someone 'forgot' to file the papers.” “His mother.” “His mother?” Trip repeated, his eyes going wide. “Why the hell did she 'forgot'?” Sandosh sighed and looked down at his uneaten meat. “She objected to her son's decision to enter Starfleet, Commander. With Philippe out of the succession, Guillem Montclaire would assume control if anything happened to the Triestes. Sandrine's brother is a krakhu, Travis. He's worse than Trieste himself. She...was an overprotective mother, but she meant well, in her own way.” Overprotective, selfish, short-sighted...Travis held his tongue, for he knew Philippe adored his late mother. Obviously, he hadn't known just who had preserved his claim. “To choose between her son and the company,” Hoshi murmured. Travis glanced at her sharply, then she added, “Tradition. She reminds me of Stuart.” “Stuart--?” It took him a minute to understand. Admiral Reed--Malcolm's dad? She actually calls him StuartHe'd have to ask her about that later; for some reason, that sounded, well, odd, to his ears. Apparently, from Trip's reaction, he wasn't the only one who found that odd. He forced himself to concentrate on the present. “So now, Guillem's in charge, and he wants Philippe dead. I bet he was the one who contracted the Orions to get rid of Philippe, and Malcolm just happened to get caught up in the mess.” Travis sighed and shook his head. He no longer had any appetite at all. “Some captain I am. I go off and try to get information and while I'm gone, two of my people get kidnapped by the Orions.” He felt Trip's hand on his shoulder and Hoshi's reassuring squeeze on his other hand. “No one could've predicted the Orions would've known who Philippe and Malcolm really were. It wasn't your fault. All we gotta do is get 'em back.” The intercom chimed and Captain Sandosh said, “hu'reen, so btralion?” At least, that was what it sounded like, interspersed with high pitched squeals. Trip winced, but Hoshi didn't seem affected by the volume. In fact, she listened with interest. “Sdkhi, brtheia, kapitan,” came the reply. “Er'thai uugahan.” “We're closing in on them,” Sandosh said with a look of triumph. “Soon, we shall have them.” |
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