Chapter Text
The Star Beagle Adventures
Episode 14: Close to the Edge Part III - I Get Up, I Get Down
Scene 5: Do We Deceive?
How many millions do we deceive, each day?
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Do We Deceive?
“That is a very devious plan. Not something I would have expected from you,” General Krank observed. “I like it.”
Krank and Lt. Cmdr. Zizira Gross were seated in the front of the U.S.S. Escort’s Shuttle 1. Lieutenant Christian Singleterry was observing from the helm of Shuttle 2 and Ensign Hiroshi Sanchez was watching on the forward viewscreen of Shuttle 3.
Captain Carter was the focal point on each of the viewscreens. She tapped the fourth pip on her collar. “It seems I have to keep reminding people that this thing didn’t just grow here… Okay, Zizira, before you power down your transporters, you might as well send the fatalities to me. We have more room for them. They’ll get a radiation bath in the weapons hold below once we engage shields, but that won’t harm them at this point. Any questions?”
Gross waited to give Sanchez and Singleterry the opportunity to ask a question, then seeing none, she replied, “Apparently not, Captain. I will arrange the beam over with Seprek.”
“Delegate it to a junior officer on your end, Lieutenant Commander. I will have Seprek do the same. Give our people work to do. Carter out.”
Captain Carter’s image faded from the viewscreens of the three shuttles.
Lt. Cmdr. Zizira Gross turned toward General Krank “Do you think her plan will work?”
“It is both shrewd and pragmatic,” Krank responded. “Not that either are any guarantee of success. However, given the situation, it is our best option. If we were to launch, we might be left behind with insufficient resources to return home and insufficient weaponry to protect ourselves against other hostiles. And we would be easy prey for, as Rhonda named it, Rocky.”
Krank got up out of his chair. The interior of the shuttle was hardly big enough for him alone. There was only seating for 6 and there were 9 present on the shuttle. The elderly general pointed to one of the crew members at random. “You! Come up with a plan to get everyone back onboard this shuttle within 15 seconds. Make sure everyone understands it and understands their role in it.”
“Me?” the startled transporter engineer responded, only to be met with a large, scowling klingon in his face.
“DO YOU REFUSE?”
“N, n, n, no sir…”
“The Lieutenant Commander and I have business with the other shuttles and the rest of the crew. No one else sets foot off this shuttle until this one…” Krank pointed at the random and now completely terrified transporter engineer… “Until this one is thoroughly satisfied that he can get all of you back onto this shuttle in 15 seconds. There WILL be a drill!”
The elderly klingon general whirled and stepped off the shuttle, followed by a very amused bolian first officer trying desperately to look stern and to not burst into laughter.
“You just about gave Engineer Thorpe a heart attack,” Gross whispered.
“I gave him an opportunity to develop some leadership and the others good reason to support him,” Krank replied.
“A good way to take their minds off our current predicament,” Gross observed.
“We will need a lot more of those,” Krank rejoined. “For now, the captain’s order is paramount.” He gestured to the other two shuttles.
Shuttle 1, which they had just exited, was on the starboard upper platform. Shuttle 2 was on the upper port side platform. Shuttle 3 was parked directly on the shuttlebay doors. Which was a violation of safety protocols, but was also the only way to cram 3 shuttles into the shuttlebay.
Lt. Christian Singleterry was just exiting Shuttle 2 with other crew members following her. Shuttle 3 remained sealed with crew aboard under the command of Ensign Hiroshi Sanchez.
“I’ll take Shuttle 3,” said Gross. “You take Shuttle 2…”
Lt. Cmdr. Zizira Gross grasped a quick access pole and slid down to the bay door level.
General Krank strode to the aft bridge between the two upper parking platforms. “What do you think you’re doing Lieutenant Singleterry? Back on that shuttle! All of you! NOW!”
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