"The agents in the area have increase dramatically it seams" Charles stated sipping his drink skimming a PADD"
Michael looked across the table to him picking up his drink "What do you expect, the war is due to start soon according to Mr Nool's predictions. Want another Martini?"
"No Thanks" replied Charles as he got up "Something non alcoholic maybe? Hot Chocolate?"
"Sure, Computer, 2 hot chocolates"
"Knowing my luck after all these years of anti-shapeshifter training I will get thrown out an airlock in the first week" Charles said as the computer materialised the mugs onto his desk.
"Oh by the way the tech department has a last minute present" Michael said handing over a small box. "Its an optical display device incorporated into a contact lens, invisible to the naked eye"
"Great and if I lose it? What does it do" he said putting it in his eye
"It links into the stations sensor network and tells you about every person within 50 meters, it takes some getting used to and you have to learn the command codes which are a series of eye movements."
"Must be fun" he said as the system came online. A display flashed across his line and a 3D map appeared locking onto every bio sign on the ship. He looked up at his friend and on the display came a profile packed with data. "How can you store all this information and hardware in a lens?"
"It has nano-circuitry projecting a holographic image, all the main hardware and data comes straight from the stations computer core, as long as you are within 100 meters of a Starfleet interface you know everything about everyone. You can also adjust it to bring up data from the security systems like cameras which is useful if you are being followed"
"Fascinating, now I must pack I am supposed to be on the transport in an hour. Thank you and good bye"
Location: Gabon Class Civilian transport Vessel
Saila materialized in a small dark room on the transport, as he tapped his commbadge he noticed the arm of his coat was in the bulk head "Saila to Blue Bird, what the hell are you playing at another centimetre to the left and I would have lost a finger, my coat is in the wall! Besides I though you were transporting me into a rest room not a." he looked around and noticed what he was standing in wasn't quite solid and there were tubes entering the room with flowing liquids "septic.tank."
[Sorry Charles, targeting scanners are on the Fritz, you OK?] a voice replied down the comm
"Oh yer, jolly" he said desperately trying to find away out "Pull out the schematics and tell me where the hell the hatch is!"
Location: Starbase 901 - Command Centre - 30 Minutes later
Saila stepped off the turbolift into the command centre. As he made his way past all the unfamiliar faces he scanned them from his lens eventually making his way to the CO office and chimed the door.
"Enter," a woman's voice said. As the door opened, Kitty was busy going over PADDs strewn across her desk. She looked up and smiled. "Hello there, Lt. Saila," she said. She made a final notation and set the PADD in her hands down. "Welcome to Starbase 901."
Saila entered the office and as the door closed pulled a PADD out from behind his back "Greetings Captain, thank you it is a pleasure to be here. I have my orders, personal data base information and medical information on this PADD, sorry it couldn't be transmitted there was a problem with a relay stations connection to memory prime." As he handed over the PADD his lens picked up the profile of the captain, it seamed a bit out of date from the accompanying image.
She took it. "Thank you. I'll be sure this gets where it needs to go. So . . " she smiled and leaned back. "What do you think of the station so far? Have you had a chance to look around?"
He folded his hands behind his back and replied. "Only what I have seen on my way up, sir, I am familiar with this class of Starbase though."
Kitty laughed and shook her head lightly. "Sir is okay, but Captain or ma'am, is better," she said with a wink. "Now, I expect hard workers and team players. People that follow orders, but are not afraid to come to me with new ideas. Are you a team player, Mr. Saila?" she asked looking at him. There was a seriousness in her green-brown eyes.
He gave a slight smile, "I can be. captain. and I will be. And I always work to the best of my ability. May I ask a question si-" he stopped, mentally kicking himself, "Captain?"
"Certainly," she replied. "I always welcome questions."
"I did a tiny bit of research before I left, but there's one thing I did not find out. Do you have any concerts onboard? It has been 2 years since I last heard some live Brahms."
"There's always live music. All you have to do is check the registry and see whose playing at what establishment. It will tell you what they're playing as well. And sometimes there are concerts in the Arboretum . . . We have a small orchestra on the station and they hold 'Concerts in the Park' so to say," she replied.
He smiled "Thank you captain, you have been very helpful".
"Did you leave anyone behind when you came here?" Kitty asked. "You file is adequate . . . but I was just curious if you had a significant other . . . children . . . friends .. . . I like to get to know those I work with."
"None, I have never seen it of an immediate importance, I work to help the Federation in whatever form I can, at risk of sounding like a Vulcan, other things would compromise my judgement. What about yourself captain?"
She smiled. "I serve the Federation's best interests," she replied. "And I do that by trying to do my job well and helping those around me do their jobs to the best of their abilities. But it hasn't stopped me from having a family, or friends," she said. "Sometimes it is those very friends that end up saving your life." She spoke from experience as memories washed over her.
"They can do the opposite, and I would rather not take unnecessary risks." He paused and gave a sigh "However, I will take your view into account captain."
She nodded. "Good! Open-mindedness is another quality I look for. Someone with a closed mind is a liability. They can't think outside the box, so to say . . ." she smiled. "I think you'll do just fine here, Lieutenant. Do you have quarters assigned already?"
"Not to my knowledge, Captain"
"Then take this," Kitty handed him a PADD. "Take this to the Quarter Master. He'll set you up. Then tomorrow morning you can report for Alpha shift," she said. "Welcome to the family," she smiled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I still have several reports to go through."
"Of course, Captain" He turned round and started to walk to the door. "Be seeing you"
"You can count on that," she replied, with a soft laugh.
Saila exited and the door closed behind him.
Location: Starbase 901 - Personal Quarters
After visiting the quarters master Saila made his way to his new quarters and unpacked his things. He took out 4 metallic boxes, one small old tattered book and a Violin. Picking up the book he searched through it looking for a page number then resting on page 3131 he placed it on his desk and opened an audio comm channel.
[About time, you were supposed to report in 12 minutes ago] A voice said booming down the comm line]
"The quarter master insisted on telling me a story, I have the surveillance disrupter active though I almost forgot what page you stuck it to!" he said with a slight chuckle.
[Maybe next time we should stick book mark for you as well, as soon as you have finished your shift tomorrow begin placing the surveillance equipment, and see if you can use the sensors to track down the Seth's signatures so we can beam over.]
"Aye, will do"
[And be careful, we don't want to replace another agent]
"What do you mean replace another! ... hello?" he closed the comm channel rather concerned. He decided to go through his mission equipment in the morning, right now he wanted to check on the registry. After seeing that he could catch the end of a small performance he headed down.
Location: A small performance hall, promenade
It was a small performance though the small group on stage, a pianist, a cellist and a singer, were very talented. After the show he caught the Pianist coming out of the hall.
"Excuse me" Charles said approaching the man "Hi, I'm Charles Saila, the new operations officer."
"Hugo Peterson, pleased to meet you" The man replied shaking hands.
"I was wondering, you look very familiar, have you been anywhere else around this quadrant?" Charles inquired as his lens brought up his profile
"Well we did some work on the out lying region of the Puni sector on the Romulan border"
"Ahh I remember, I was visiting a relative, a Starbase 48 right? Didn't you have a Violin player?"
"Yes, he got eaten"
"I won't ask"
"You play anything?"
"A bit of Violin and Piano though I haven't had an opportunity to practice these last few years"
"Well if your any good we could do with a new player"
"Thanks, I'll consider it. Anyway I have to go now, be seeing you"
Location: Lower decks of starbase's primary power core.
After returning to collect his Violin Charles scanned the station for a suitably quiet area of the station with acoustic properties. After locating that the lower decks of the power core was perfect he went down to search for a good cross section.
The corridors were large and elliptical shaped to take all the power lines and large pipes down its sides, it wasn't a smart area of the ship as no one ever went down there, with open conduits and unconcealed network of pipes it was sufficiently messes for there not be no one around and the open spaces of the large corridors with open Jefferies tubes having no hatch let the music echo well. After strolling through the corridors for an hour or so she found a lovely cross section with a large hold in the roof going straight up the Starbase containing auxiliary supply cables. He sat on one of the large solid pips and continued playing for the rest of the night.