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Table of Contents
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Admiral Sulu was 'knee deep' in reports, both incoming and outgoing, when his comm channel whistled softly. That wasn't supposed to happen. As far as anyone was concerned, he wasn't in and the aide knew it. So the interruption was either inexcusable or unavoidable. If the interruption was inexcusable, then a certain lieutenant was in deep trouble. The morning had begun with a big headache and his condition had not improved. After two days of nearly non-stop parties, reunions and celebrations, his head felt like a watermelon filled with cotton.
To make things worse, there was a meeting scheduled with Chekov and Scotty for thirteen hundred hours today. The three would compare notes and turn in a comprehensive report on the mission and the shakedown cruise. It was going to be a lengthy and difficult process, complicated by the fact that his report was only partially complete. Even more disturbing to Hikaru, was the knowledge that Walking Bear would be examining the report very closely. Those factors did nothing to make him feel any better and, now, an interruption!
Hikaru stabbed at the intercom control as if he were a coup de grace in a fencing match. "What is it, Lieutenant? Did you forget my standing orders about interruptions?"
"No, sir," replied the apologetic voice. "It's Admiral Kensington, sir. You're to report to him, immediately."
A puzzled look replaced the scowl on Sulu's face. Why would Kensington want him now? "Lieutenant, did the Admiral say what he wanted?"
Again, there was the apologetic voice, "Sir, he said he had a package."
"Oh, brother," Sulu said out loud. Then he realized his intercom was still active, "That will be all, Lieutenant. Thank you."
A 'package' was Starfleet jargon for any one of four things: a new assignment, a promotion, retirement or proceedings for court martial. Since he was just recently promoted he could safely rule out two of the possibilities. That left a new assignment or a court martial.
The last thought was very disturbing. After all, the assignment to recover the captives on Romulus did not go exactly according to plan and there were casualties... too many, in fact. Added to those items, there was Klingon sabotage, nearly destroying the Enterprise and more. Well, better go face the music.
On his way, Sulu tried to come up with a way to explain why his report was late. Maybe that was the reason for the meeting. Or maybe Command decided they had enough evidence for a court martial without the report.
Kyle still had not returned to duty, so Kensington was standing in the outer office, waiting. "Glad you could make it, Hikaru. Got something for you in my office; want some tea?"
The question came as a surprise. Sulu's fondness for a cup of tea was one of his few vices. But he didn't know his habits were common knowledge in Starfleet Headquarters. "Thank you; no, sir."
Kensington shrugged and then entered his office. As he walked, the department chief spoke. "This won't take long, but your presence was necessary, as you'll soon see."
As Sulu entered, he caught sight of a person dressed in Romulan robes. When the person turned, Admiral Hikaru Sulu nearly fainted. "Kevin!"
"Never fear, Riley's here!"
"How the devil --?"
Kevin smiled a characteristically impish grin. "Well, Admiral, so glad to see you again. Hope you had a pleasant journey."
Sulu sat down in the nearest available chair. "How did you do it, Kevin? I thought you were a prisoner of the Romulans."
"I was, but knowing how long it takes Starfleet to set up a rescue mission --" Kevin grinned again "-- well, let's just say I didn't want to wait eight years or spend any time in a stasis unit."
While the two were talking, Kensington had taken a seat behind his desk and now invited Kevin to sit next to Sulu. "Sit down, Riley." Then he turned to face Hikaru. "I asked him to hold off on the explanation until I had someone to be a witness and who could corroborate his tale."
Hikaru wasn't sure if Kensington was trying to make a joke or not, but sat quietly while Riley enjoyed his 'telling of the tale.'
"To keep it short, I'll start where it counts." Kevin settled into his seat and seemed to enjoy his position as 'master of ceremonies.'
"Right after I got the order to finish the final cut, it occurred to me that a very valuable item was being left on the primary hull. Since Scotty was going to be busy for a while, I thought it would be only fitting for me to rescue a certain antique."
Kevin paused and gave Sulu a wink, but Hikaru wasn't sure why. "Anyway, when I heard Scotty say he was giving up on the e-bolt, I thought I'd give it a try. My idea worked, too. Unfortunately, I was still in the primary hull when separation occurred. I couldn't affect a transport as shields were up on the secondary hull. Communications were out of the question. After all, I couldn't ask the secondary hull to come back after they had just made a pretty impressive getaway. So I decided on my own command.
"It was great, except I had no crew, so I had to run the ship myself. I could do just about everything, but I had a devil of a time. After Spock dumped the computers, a one-man show was really difficult.
"The Romulans boxed me in pretty quick, but they really surprised me when they transported me off. As soon as I felt the transporter effect begin, I knew it was either Admiral Sulu or the Romulans, so I played it safe. I had just enough time to give the final destruct command as I transported out. However, it didn't work. The ship either thought I was still a civilian or the program was damaged."
Kensington nodded an approval but remained quiet.
Sensing he was off the hook, Riley continued. "When I found myself on a Romulan ship, I had to improvise. I thanked the Romulans for my rescue and explained it was just in time since the nasty Klingons had set me adrift in a crippled ship about to self-destruct. When the Enterprise did self-destruct, and right on cue no less, they began to believe me. I knew I had them!
"Anyway, I told them I had been kidnapped by the Klingons because I was very important! Immediately the Romulans became interested. After a few hours of pleasant conversation, I made an agreement in which, for exchange of certain classified engineering secrets, the Romulans would give me safe passage home."
Sulu stiffened noticeably. "Kevin, you didn't!"
"Ah, but I did!" The Irishman was smiling in his devilish manner again. "I gave them the secret of transwarp drive!"
Both Kensington and Sulu fell apart laughing. When Kensington recovered, all he could say was, "How could you?"
"Yeah, Kevin, they're not that bad." Sulu added, "They'll spend billions just to find out it doesn't work!"
"A real pity, huh?" Kevin smiled and sat back in his chair, relaxed.
"It's wonderful!" Kensington was genuinely delighted. "It's just the sort of thing that Starfleet needs. It'll keep the Romulan engineering and research people tied-up for years to come."
"They'll be mad as hell when they realize what's happened." Sulu looked at Kevin. "I can't figure out why they believed you."
"Easy, I'm Senior Vice President of Cochrane Industries. I was more than happy to give them one of Starfleet's most 'closely guarded secrets.'"
"Most closely guarded nightmares, you mean," Sulu corrected him.
"That's why it's such a secret. I'll tell you one thing. I wasn't sure it would work, but they have an amazing espionage network within the Federation. The Romulans confirmed my identity and position at Cochrane in less than six hours. Then they put me on a terminal and I loaded every spec on transwrap that I could remember. When I finished, there were a few gaps here and there, but the chief Romulan engineer was very impressed. He made a recommendation that I be released and Admiral Jamak agreed to return me. He wanted the Federation to know that he had foiled a plan to advance the technology of the Federation and the Klingons. He really seemed to take delight in that!"
"So you gained your freedom after that?" Kensington eased back in his chair and relaxed considerably.
"I sealed the deal with a round of drinks and a few Irish ballads."
"They were probably glad to be rid of you after the ballads," deadpanned Sulu. Then he added quietly, "Confuse, confound and bewilder."
"How's that again?" Kensington was puzzled by the remark.
"Nothing, sir, just a little something that Chekov and I had discussed during the rescue mission."
Kensington muttered something quietly and spoke in a manner that was official and deadly serious. "Okay, you two, what am I supposed to do about Mister Riley's reenlistment? What's this little-known, seldom-used, reserve activation clause I've heard so much about, lately?"
Sulu was genuinely embarrassed. "I'm afraid that was my idea, sir --"
"You acted correctly, Admiral, we couldn't have a 'stowaway' on board a Starfleet ship." Kensington finished on a smile that suggested a friendly conspiracy. "Yet Kevin did help the mission considerably, correct?"
"Yes, sir," Sulu stated matter-of-factly.
Staring off in deep thought, Kensington remained silent for some time.
Just as Kevin started to get nervous, the Chief of Special Operations stood and approached Sulu and Riley. "You two are going to be a problem for me. Give me a day or so to figure this one out. Cochrane Industries pulls a lot of weight in Starfleet and the Federation. It's going to be a difficult task explaining Mister Riley's disappearance and his sudden reenlistment." Turning to face Riley, he listed a few recommendations. "Better call your office and friends. Let them know you're safe. Tell them you're working on the Enterprise. Otherwise, remain quiet and unavailable, understood?"
Riley's lighthearted mood disappeared, "Understood, Admiral, maybe Sulu can take care of me for a while?"
Hikaru swallowed hard. "All right, Kevin, but by the book or I'll have you in the brig. Right now, you can help me fill in some details in my report for Walking Bear." He then turned to Kensington, "Is his little adventure to be included in any official report?"
"Not yet, but have Kevin put it in writing. I'll present it to Walking Bear when the timing is right. Now, you two get out of here and get cracking on those reports!"
The two old friends stood and walked out slowly. Sulu spoke for both he and Riley, "Understood, sir. And thank you." The pair hurried out of the office and into the corridor.
"Kevin, that escape story is incredible. Have you seen anyone else, yet?"
"Are you kidding?" Kevin almost choked on the words. "As soon as the Romulans dumped me on one of those remote outposts, Kensington found out somehow and had transportation arranged. When I got here, I was escorted directly to his office; no sightseeing or calls!"
The two walked back to Sulu's temporary office slowly, but before entering, Hikaru grabbed his friend's sleeve with a sudden thought. "Kevin, just how did you loosen that stubborn e-bolt?"
"It was a rare but most effective combination of Irish spit and five hundred year old Scotch whiskey!" Kevin produced the bottle from deep inside his robe. "It's the antique I was talking about!"
To Be Continued...
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© 2024 Brad McDonald / U.S.S. Kitty Hawk
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