The Request

Posted on Tue Mar 31st, 2009 @ 6:31pm by Captain Vorn Krace

Mission: Dark Discoveries
Location: USS Iapetus - Bridge, Ready Room
Timeline: MD4 1300hrs

"Captain, I've got a communication coming in for you from one of the nearby Federation Starbases. It's a Commander Earlond, Starfleet Security division. He said he'd like to speak to you privately."

Commander Earlond.... Vorn pondered the name. It only sounded vaguely familiar, but... "Earlond of the USS Tethys?" he asked, remembering his brief encounter with the Captain of the starship prior to his assignment of the Iapetus.

"No Sir; he says that his only assignment is Federation Security. I've checked the LCARs database Sir; it looks like he's with the military police."

Not that Earlond then. "Put it through to my ready room." Vorn ordered, as he stood and moved off to the door at the side of the bridge.

Sitting down behind his desk, he touched the control which caused the screen to rise from the top of his desk, displaying the white-on-blue logo of the Federation of Planets. It was soon replaced with the face of the gold-collared Lieutenant Commander Earlond.

"Captain. I'm Lieutenant Commander Earlond, as your communications officer no doubt informed you." Vorn nodded. "I'm at Starbase 281 right now, and I believe we have someone onboard-station for your pickup. Elizabeth Narton?"

The name instantly rang a bell with Vorn. Elizabeth Narton was the ex-Starfleet officer who had requested an observation posting onboard a starship. Since part of the Iapetus' design brief was for her to carry up to one-hundred civilians, Starfleet offered her a bunk onboard. As far as Vorn knew his orders to be, he was simply to collect her from Starbase at the earliest opportunity. "Yes, what about her?"

"What would it take to ensure a speedy collection of her from Starbase?" the Commander asked.

"We're quite busy with an important matter, Commander. I don't the luxury of an option to divert to pick up a civilian passenger." Vorn replied. Did this man really contact him just to ask him to come pick up a 72-year-old woman? Vorn doubted it was because the person presented any sort of risk, given her age and prior service record from her time in Starfleet.

"I understand, Captain. I only ask because there has been a... misunderstanding involving Ms. Narton, myself and her son. I think it would be best if we could get her off the station as soon as possible."

It was at this point that Vorn noticed the surface injuries on the Commander's face. You didn't get beaten up by an old lady, did you? he thought, causing a smile to grow on his lips. "Alright, fine. But the Iapetus can't be diverted right now, Commander. I'll be sending a shuttlecraft for her; that's the most I can do."

"Thank you, Captain. It is highly appreciated. I'll make sure to inform her of that. Earlond out." and with that the channel closed.

Vorn wondered what exactly this 'misunderstanding' had been. No matter; if it was anything important, he was sure that Ms. Narton would bring it to his or Peter's attention at some point.