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"Boomer Bust" by Lady Rainbow
Rating: PG-13 R/S pairing As usual: Comments and Reviews wanted and appreciated! Thanks! ;) Eight Now I know how it feels to sit in a captain's chair for six hours. It isn't all it's cracked up to be. I wonder if I could ask Trip to lower my chair a centimeter or two. Travis did his best not to slouch; it was as comfortable as it he wanted, and even came with its own cupholder and a vibrating massage button. He was tempted to try the massage, but knew it would only put him to sleep. He wondered how Captain Archer could do it, day in and day out. “ETA to Alpha Centauri, Thor?” he asked. “Twelve hours, fifteen minutes,” chittered Thor from the helm. “On course at Warp 2.” “I'm gonna get something to eat and maybe catch a few winks. Let me know if anything comes up.” “Yes, Captain.” Travis got up from the chair and went to the lift. He glanced over his shoulder to see Captain Sandosh's Vhrum pacing them at an easy speed. The Tellarite was glad to have command of his ship back; he insisted Travis take command of the tug, much to the enthusiasm of everyone else. He'd only gave an embarrassed smile and accepted with grace. Now, after hours of poring over star charts and possible entry routes into the Centauri system, he had a new respect for Captain Archer. Being captain of a ship, whether it be the NX-01 or an RH-900, was no picnic. Not only did he try to learn some of the tug's important systems, he discussed security tactics with Malcolm, helped Hoshi with some communication protocols and talk with Philippe about what they'd do once they reached Alpha Centauri and EdML. It wasn't until Trip pulled him aside and told him to take a break. “Travis, you're doing a good job, but you can't be everywhere at once. Even Cap'n Archer isn't superhuman. A good cap'n knows how to delegate to his subordinates. Let 'em do their jobs and you do yours.” “Yeah, you're right,” Travis admitted sheepishly. “It's just that--” “You don't wanna screw up. Yeah, I understand that.” “We nearly lost Philippe and Malcolm. I don't want to lose any other members of my crew if I can help it.” Trip nodded and clapped a hand over his shoulder. “Y'know, you sounded like Jon's echo for a minute. You gotta trust your instincts and trust your people. It raises the chances of 'em comin' back alive.” He managed a sad smile at the commander's words. In their years on the Enterprise, he knew people who hadn't come back. It weighed heavily on everyone, but he hadn't thought about how it would affect Jonathan Archer. Travis guessed that Archer probably remembered every face and every name. Not only Jon Archer. I remember after that deal with the Xindi how Malcolm visited the family of every person we lost, from Corporal Hawkins to Major Hayes. I'm sure he remembers too. He understood them better, now that he had joined their ranks, so to speak. “Thanks, Trip,” Travis said. “I'll remember.” Then he'd gone to the captain's quarters and tried to go to sleep. It still took him a long time. When he'd awakened, he went to the Bridge with a new purpose. “Travis!” Philippe shouted from behind him. Travis whirled around to see a freshly scrubbed Philippe in the casual clothing of a tug's helmsman. Of course, “casual” was a relative word. He grinned at the spidersilk shirt and pants. “I see you've recovered enough to regain your fashion sense, Philippe,” he teased. The younger man shrugged. “I had a chat with Oidra. She says she wants to talk to you.” “What for? I'm not gonna go into a room with her alone. She still thinks that collar would bring out the color of my eyes.” “She has an idea to slip us past my uncle Guillem's security protocols. Malcolm and Hoshi's with her now. Hoshi insisted on guarding Malcolm's back. She trusts Oidra as far as she can throw her and I don't blame her.” Translation: Hoshi's not taking chances on Malcolm getting into trouble again. The thought made him chuckle. “All right, I'd better see what Oidra has to say. C'mon.” When Travis stepped into the room, the tension was so thick that he wondered if he needed to wade in with a phaser pistol. The Orion woman sat on her bed, wrapped in little more than a satin robe, her fall of black hair cascading over her shoulder. Malcolm stood against the doorframe with his arms across his chest. Travis didn't see Hoshi at first, but then he spotted the communications officer sitting in a chair in the corner, a wicked blade laying unsheathed across her lap. He recognized it as an Andorian knife that General Shran had given her. He caught Malcolm's look of amusement, but that amusement faded as Travis faced Oidra. The Orion smiled brightly at him and patted the mattress next to her. “Care to sit down, Captain?” “I'd rather stand, thanks. I've been sitting in a chair for six hours straight.” He stood between the door and the bed, and Oidra gave him a look of hurt, which he ignored. “Philippe tells me you've got an idea to bypass Montclaire's security. Why do you want to help us?” Oidra smiled and leaned against her pillow, like a cat stretching itself. The satin robe shifted with her movement. Travis tried to turn his head away, but found that he couldn't. Hoshi's throat-clearing broke the woman's spell. The Orion woman turned and gave her a dirty look. “I'm not trying to seduce your man again. If you'd like, I could give you some pointers later. These walls between rooms are so very thin.” Malcolm blushed and Hoshi only gave her a sardonic smirk. “No thanks, I can handle it on my own, thank you.” “Oidra,” Travis said, with a touch of menace in his voice. “I don't have the patience for bedroom games right now. Either get to the point or quit wasting my time.” His tone made her raise a surprised eyebrow, but she said, “Guillem Montclaire leased this tug to me. I have the codes to ensure safe passage through the Centauri system. If his people broadcast the prompt and you answer incorrectly, Montclaire will know our mission has failed and will blow us out of space. I can make sure you get to EdML in one piece for young Trieste--”she nodded at Philippe, “--to take his rightful place.” Philippe only gazed at her coolly as he said, “You're willing to switch sides against Guillem? Why?” She met his gaze. “Because even I can see that you deserve to be the head of EdML, not him. He is a fool, and he will bring down the wrath of not only Earth but the other colonies as well. Guillem will destroy the company and all that your parents have worked for. I certainly will not stand for that, and I know that neither will you, no matter how you feel about EdML as a whole.” Oidra reached over to the card reader at the side of the bed and slipped a datachip out of its slot. With a flick of her wrist, she sent it in the air towards Travis, who caught it easily. “Here is a list of ships and captains who are massing against Guillem Montclaire. You might find allies among them. Some of them are even attached to your precious Starfleet.” Travis scowled as he turned the card in his hands. “Really. There aren't many ships in the fleet yet, and none of them are within a thousand light years from Alpha Centauri.” “That's where you're wrong, Captain Mayweather.” Her mouth twisted into a grim smile. “Guillem has done something stupid to bring down the wrath of a very powerful man. One that has the power to order Alpha Centauri destroyed, if need be. All he has to do is give the orders to his ships and the problem is solved. And he would do it, too, if it would protect Earth.” Travis gritted his teeth. “You're kidding. Admiral Forrest can't do that on his own. Starfleet Command wouldn't let him.” Oidra only inclined her head at him. “Contact your Captain Archer. He'll know what I say is true. And my way is the only way for us to stop Guillem from provoking a bloodbath that would wipe out every Boomer in space. Because if he finds out what you've done, you're going to wish that all he did was kill you.” “You believe all this nonsense?” asked Captain Sandosh. The Tellarite scowled and leaned forward in the viewer. Travis shrugged. “I had Hoshi check over the communication relays; she's bypassed the Orions' spy equipment, but we can't be a hundred percent sure it's safe. I'm not going to contact Captain Archer anytime soon. As for the security codes, Malcolm's done a system analysis of what Oidra gave him. It's a random sequence, but Hoshi thinks she can find the right pattern.” “And what of your Admiral Forrest? She has grossly overestimated his abilities and scope of command. I doubt he could just order his ships to attack Alpha Centauri as she claims.” “Me too, but I won't underestimate what he can do. I hate to say it, but she's right when she said Forrest has a lot of influence in Starfleet. It sounds like he's connected with the Montclaires in a major way; I wonder what Guillem did to make him mad.” Travis shook his head. “I guess we'll find out pretty soon.” “Whatever happens, know that I and the crew of the Vhrum are at your disposal, Captain Mayweather.” “Thank you, Captain Sandosh. I'll contact you before we reach the Centauri system border. Raven, out.” Travis closed the communications channel and rubbed his eyes. He didn't trust Oidra; she was an opportunistic mercenary, willing to switch sides when it benefited her. Not to mention the fact she'd wanted to snap an electric collar on him like a dog. And the fact that she'd kidnapped Malcolm and Philippe and tried to transport them to Guillem Montclaire. And the fact that she'd tried to seduce Malcolm (Malcolm had privately admitted it, but he insisted he had acted like a gentleman) and Philippe (who denied any wrongdoing, even as he blushed like a tomato) and even him, in front of witnesses. What a slimy witch . Thank God not all Boomers are like her. A hail from the bridge interrupted his thoughts. “Yes, Hoshi?” “Travis, we're being hailed by a transport. He's insisting on talking to you. It's urgent.” “Who is it?” She tried to answer, but her voice caught. “I think you'd better answer it, Travis.” A large knot seemed to form in his stomach as he pushed the accept button. The face of his brother appeared on the screen. Travis started at the exhausted, harried look on Paul Mayweather's face. “Paul!” he burst out. “You all right? How's Mom?” “Travis, can you use some extra hands?” Paul looked directly at him, and the glaze of delayed shock stunned Travis. “Horizon's taken some pretty bad damage, and I'm afraid we're gonna have to abandon ship.” |
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