The Chat

Doctor Damson Rhee was in the main drafting office of the Daystrom Institute. Before her, out of the window was a warp engine built like one never seen by Federation. Long and slender, it looked like no more than a brightly glowing blue tube capped at the fore section with a red bullet. It was being towed by several workbees to it's mounting point on the USS Centauris.

"So pretty." She mused to herself.

Beside her, Doctor Leah Brahms clapped once, then folded her hands beneath her chin, holding her arms close to her body. "I thought so to. I'm glad you like it."

"For the last time………." The ebony skinned man with the blue eyes spoke. "…..it's not pretty." He chided. "It's spectacular. It's like going warp seventeen on today's standard starship." He added.

The two women looked at each other, shaking their heads. "Pretty." They told him, a moment before exchanging a hearty high-five.

Lieutenant M'eko J'ross h

ad finally pulled herself away from her examination of the Hellcat. She'd been reading Doctor Rhee's preliminary reports on the stellar core fragment she had been working on and saw that the Doctor was in the holodeck working on ways to get technology out of it.

She decided she would go down and check what she was trying to do. Maybe she could infuse some ideas. After all, the Taurus was essentially waiting for what was coming next. They had all systems up and running, all damage had been repaired and there was nothing to do but scan space.

She walked into the holodeck and saw Doctor Rhee high living someone she had never seen before. And there was a man there who was unfamiliar.

"Pretty ship." She said glancing out of the window and walking up next to Rhee.

"Oh…." Rhee said, startled by the stealthily silent appearance of the Caitian on the holodeck. Looking down, she said, "…..your boots are so quiet -- um . . ." She trailed off, deciding that the rest was self-evident and better left unsaid. "Computer freeze programme." She turned to face the feline woman. "Is it your turn, Commander." Rhee asked. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to encroach on--"

M'eko put both her hands in front of her "Woah. Slow down Doctor. Slow down." She said while trying not to chuckle. "First of all, I know I am quiet. Kind of a trait, right ?" She said to calm the situation down with a bit of humour. "Second, unless I have been promoted recently without my own knowledge, I am a Lieutenant."

She paused after that with a small smile on her face. "Don't worry Doctor. It's not my turn. In fact I didn't even reserve any time today. I just read over your reports on the stellar core fragment and wanted to see what you were getting from it here. I was an Engineer for about ten years before this assignment, so it is one of those things I have to see." She finished.

"Oh." Doctor Damson flushed as she spoke, knowing she had just embarrassed herself. She let out a quick chuckle and briefly apologised for her rashness before requesting that the computer continue with its program. Outside of the window, the warp engine was just finishing it's mounting procedure. Leah Brahms, next to Rhee, appeared startled to have just witnessed the Caitian appear from apparently nowhere.

"Normally…." The ebony man said, rising and ambling amiably across the room to where the three women were gathered, said. "….I would think my visor was playing tricks on me." He tapped the side of his forehead while refocusing his technologically intricate eyes.

"But it's been a long time since those days. Is it my eyes ?" He looked questioningly toward Brahms.

Brahms said, "You know, Geordi; I don't remember coming into this room. If I didn't know any better," I say at least two of us are . . ."

Geordi snapped his fingers, "Holograms !" He marvelled. Patting himself down, "Whoa." He marvelled. "This feels so real." He finished.

Rhee smiled warmly. "Kind of ruins things when I have to feel bad about deceiving you," She said, speaking to the holograms.

"No no no," Geordi waved his hand toward her, palm. "This is really neat. I've never been a hologram before."

Brahms shot a lopsided hologram at him, "Yeah ? Well now you know how it feels."

The two Taurus officers watched the exchange with wondering amusement as it continued. "This is kind of weird." Rhee noted in a whisper.

Geordi said, "So . . . what year is it ? Where are we really ? Is it a ship -- is that a real drive in use today ? Wh--"

Brahms held up a hand, stopping him, "Geordi. Let them answer one question at a time, if they want to." She looked expectantly at the two women, then settled her gaze on the Caitian, one brow raised sharply. She noticed the uniform M'eko was wearing and how it was very different to the ones she had seen.

M'eko leaned over and whispered to Rhee, "Maybe we should show this to Captain LaForge if we ever see him."

"Captain LaForge ?" Geordi said with amusement. "I thought I was just a full Commander. Come on, what year is this ?" He continued, obviously enjoying the exchange.

"2385, Commander." Now this was turning into pure amusement rather then scientific curiosity. She could look over Rhee's experiments after this played out.

"Heck, that's three and half years from now. Do I get a Sovereign ? What ship am I commanding right now ?" Geordi called out. He was getting even more anxious.

"Geordi, give them a chance." Dr Brahms said turning back to M'eko. "Lieutenant…" She said emphasising the fact that she did not like being out of any loop. "Is this a ship ?"

"Yes, this is the USS Taurus. New Orleans Class. We are in the Gamma Quadrant right now. The good doctor…." She said, motioning to Rhee. "….is running experiments on the technology you see out this window. It's not in use, you're not missing out." She said with a smile.

[Taybar to J'ross] Aki's voice rang out over M'eko's commbadge.

"Our Captain." M'eko said to Dr Brahms and Geordi.

[J'ross here, Captain.] M'eko replied, tapping it.

[M'eko I need to see you in the main briefing room in half an hour.] Aki said rather quickly. [I want the senior staff to hear what I have just been told.]

[Yes Captain. I'll be there.] She replied.

"Captain, would it be OK if I missed the briefing." Rhee interrupted. "I'm kind of in the middle of something."

[Is that Lieutenant Rhee I just heard ?] Aki enquired.

"Yes Captain." Rhee replied.

[How long do you need ?"] Aki asked.

"Hard to say." Rhee replied. "It could take an hour or it could take the rest of the day."

[Come and see me when you have the time and I'll brief you on the meeting.] Aki said. [Bridge out.]

"Too bad you'll miss the rest of this." Rhee said as she motioned to the two holograms.

"I have half an hour. This is too interesting to pass up," M'eko replied as she and Rhee kept talking with Dr. Brahms and Geordi.

Conversation and exploration of the possibilities of applications of the findings from the fragment continued heavily for the next half-hour and on into the early evening after the departure of the Executive Officer. By the time the Doctor was ready to leave the holodeck, the Taurus was already underway.

"Better go and see the Captain." Rhee said to herself.