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"The Batty Engineer"
Rating: PG-13 Please R&R...even if you haven’t reviewed before. I’d like to hear what you all think. Thanks much! :) Thanks, Pesterfield! Six The moment he materialized back on Enterprise, Phlox headed to Engineering, with Hess, Rostov and Kelby close behind him. The bat squawked and waved his wings at crew members going to their posts. More than one person did a double-take at the creature on the Denobulan’s shoulder. “Um..Boss, do you think the warp core’s gonna harm it?” Rostov asked, peering at the bat with a look of distrust. “Or that it’s gonna start flying in circles over our heads?” Phlox sighed. “The Rangers assured me that Pyrithian bats are hardy creatures. As long as he behaves, I see no reason to confine him right now.” Hess grinned and added, “Besides, Michael, I think he’s kinda cute.” Rostov snorted, but he still grinned. Kelby only rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Of the three junior engineers, the bat seemed to get along with Hess the best, though Kelby kept his distance. They burst into Engineering, which was a hub of chaos. Phlox saw screens flicker on and off, while the lights turned blue, then red, before becoming clear again. “Status!” he roared, using his bass “operatic” voice that never failed to get his staff’s attention. “Gremlins, looks like,” Massaro replied. “Gets worse as those ships get closer. They’re emitting some sort of strange radiation—“ The young engineer tapped his screen, which immediately went blank. He slapped his console and the information returned. “Some sort of weird frequency. Lieutenant Commander Tucker raised the new shields, and they’re blocking most of it out, but what’s leaking in is enough to make the equipment go haywire.” Phlox muttered a Denobulan curse under his breath, then he got an idea. He hit his comm. “Phlox to Mayweather.” “Mayweather,” came the voice of the science and first officer. “Commander, I’m curious...the radiation patterns that are affecting us...are they similar to the ones coming from Pyrithia?” “Similar, but not exactly, Phlox. They seem to share some characteristics. I’ve got exogeology and exochemistry running scans on the mineral samples you brought up from the surface, but the results will take a while. Since the ships seem to belong to those prospectors—“ Travis’s tone darkened, “—I bet they’re connected in some way.” “You mean the stones, whatever they are, are the source of the problem?” “That’s what I suspect, though I don’t have any proof. Call it a gut feeling.” “Ah, an educated guess.” Phlox chuckled, despite the situation. “I’d be curious to hear those results, Commander. It may assist us down here in Engineering.” “I’ll get them as soon as possible, Phlox. Mayweather, out.” Phlox closed the channel and glanced at the bat. “It seems like your instincts are correct, Little One. You keep listening to them. Massaro, give me a spectral analysis on the radiation particles—“ “Already ahead of you, Chief.” Massaro switched screens and put up the information. “Got this from Chimoka over in Astrosciences. He’s highlighted the cycles—here and here—“ Hess tiptoed over Massaro’s shoulder and read the results. “Bucking for a raise, Brian?” she asked with humor in her voice. “Nah, just making good use of contacts,” Massaro replied with equal humor, then he became serious again. “If we modulate Lieutenant Commander Tucker’s new shields to match these harmonics, we could dampen even more of these ‘gremlins’. I don’t think we can shut all of ‘em out, but it’ll make our lives easier.” “Do it. Anna, assist him. Any shred of protection will help us. Richard!” Kelby’s head popped up from the warp engine console. “Chief! We’re starting to show some problems with the warp drive. We might have to shut it down temporarily until we get it under control.” Phlox vaulted onto the platform next to Kelby and saw that he was correct. “All right. I’ll inform the captain. Michael, Eleyna, Darren, let’s—“ Just then, the lights went out, and the sounds of machinery ceased. “Aw, crap,” said Kelby. The bat shrieked and waved its wings; Phlox’s hand automatically went up to soothe it. Then the lights came back on and the Engineering team went on as if nothing had happened. “Bridge to Engineering!” “Here, Captain!” Phlox shouted. “Report to the Bridge immediately!” Captain Sato’s voice was unusually sharp. “Someone wants to talk to you.” “Talk to me?” he repeated. Who would want to talk to him right now? “I’m on my way. Richard, you are in command.” “Yes, Chief.” Phlox burst out of the turbolift and onto the Bridge, then stopped short. A familiar face peered at him out of the viewscreen with a mixture of bewilderment and trepidation. Phlox grinned and a responding smile slowly spread over the other’s face...a smile punctuated with sharp teeth. Phlox crossed his right arm over his chest (nearly dislodging the bat in the process). “NuqneH!” (Hello, or literally, “What do you want?”) the man greeted. “And I see you have a pet.” “Hello to you as well. I see they saw it fit to reward you with your own ship now. Quite a promotion from a junior engineer in the Denobulan Engineering Exchange, eh,” Phlox replied, ignoring the stunned stares from the Bridge crew. “And I see you have been assigned to a non-Denobulan ship yourself,” the other answered. “Quite a demotion, is it not?” Phlox shrugged and his voice grew harder. “On the contrary, my friend. I am learning much from Humans...they are more innovative than you give them credit for. Oh, and speaking of my esteemed colleagues—“ He turned and favored Hoshi Sato with a slight bow. “May I introduce my captain, Captain Hoshi Sato of the Enterprise. Captain Sato, may I introduce Captain Klaang of the Wachboc, in service to the Klingon Empire.” Klaang glanced at Hoshi and gave her a brusque nod. He didn’t seem impressed at Hoshi’s relatively small stature, but that didn’t seem to be a priority for him right now. “Lady Captain. On behalf of the Klingon Empire, I bid you greetings.” “And on behalf of Earth, I return the greetings,” Hoshi said. “NuqneH!” She gave it the same stress and intonation Phlox had; Klaang raised his eyebrows in pleased surprise. The Klingon’s eyes drifted over to Jonathan Archer, at the communications station. There was a flash of something like recognition, though Jon had a look of confusion. Klaang refocused his attention on Phlox. “QuaStaH nuq?” Phlox asked. What is happening? “We have some lost baby targ, whom we believe belong to you. They gave up without firing a shot, F’loch, and they were carrying these.” He held up a broken shard of a red-orange crystal. “Radan.” Suddenly, Travis’s face dawned with comprehension. “Radan...a rare mineral used for statuary and jewelry.” “Yes, young one.” The man chuckled at Travis’s words. He sobered again and addressed Phlox. “We are ordered to deposit them onto your Earth ship without harm.” Phlox bowed slightly. “You are quite kind, my friend.” “Do not expect us to be so lenient the next time we meet. They have intruded into our space and we do not tolerate interlopers so lightly. I am not exactly following protocol in conversing with you; it is only because I know you that I am even attempting to do so.” Klaang glanced over his shoulder and barked an order. Travis nodded and said, “We’re receiving transporter coordinates and settings, Captain.” “Lieutenant Commander Tucker, assemble a Security team to meet our ‘guests’ in Transporter Room One,” Hoshi ordered quietly, and Trip headed for the lift. “My gratitude, Captain Klaang.” “I suggest you keep a better leash on such targ, Captain Sato. As I said, I will not be so lenient to intruders the second time.” Klaang inclined his head. “Perhaps we will meet on the field of battle someday.” “Perhaps,” she said in a neutral tone. “Though I would much rather have you as an ally than an enemy, Captain Klaang.” Klaang threw back his head and laughed. “Perhaps. I wish you success, Captain Sato. And my friend F’loch, until we meet again.” “Until next we meet, Klaang. In the meantime, you might want to check the calibration of your impulse engines, just in case.” Klaang growled, but his eyes sparkled. “And you should check the quality of your air circulation systems, F’loch. Your Denobulan females pollute the air.” “I’m the only Denobulan currently on board, Klaang, and that last time wasn’t Feezal’s fault.” “Ah, so she claims. Be wary of her; she can give my mate a run for her money.” Klaang laughed again, then saluted Phlox. “Qa’pla!” The Klingon’s image disappeared, then his ship made a one hundred and eighty degree turn away from Pyrithia and vanished into warp. Silence fell onto the Bridge. “Pleasant guy,” Travis commented. “For a Klingon, he is, actually,” Phlox remarked. He shrugged and exhaled a long breath. “They are a warrior culture, Captain, but they pick and choose their own battles. You don’t usually see them stray out of their own territory much...unless they feel threatened. Then they have no mercy.” “And he used to be an engineer?” Jon Archer asked. “Yes...a good one as well.” Again, Phlox reached up and stroked the agitated bat on his shoulder. “It’s all right, Little One. Klaang isn’t a bad person, truly. Bats are not a delicacy among their kind.” Laughter rang over the Bridge, from all but T’Pol, who only raised an eyebrow. “I did not know you were familiar with Klingon culture, Commander,” she said. “It has been forty years since I last saw Klaang,” he answered, “and I hadn’t heard from him since he returned to Kronos, his homeworld. I am willing to share what I know about his culture, but I’m afraid some of my information might be outdated.” “Any information might be helpful,” Hoshi remarked. She gave Phlox a 'We’ll talk later' look, then tapped her comm. “Sato to Tucker.” Trip replied, “Sheez, this Klaang guy got these people completely spooked, Cap’n. They followed my Security guys like lamb to the slaughter. No muss, no fuss. What'd he do to ‘em?” Phlox sighed and deadpanned, “He did his usual convincing, it seems, Lieutenant Commander, and it can be quite effective.” He glanced at Hoshi. “With your permission, Captain, I’ll return to Engineering.” Hoshi nodded her permission and Phlox headed back to the lift. Travis asked in low voice, “I guess you and Klaang have some...inside jokes between you two?” Phlox smiled. “You might say that.” Then he left the Bridge. |
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