"He'll be fine, K'Lara. Why don't you go and get some rest?" Captain Maruu said walking over to K'Lara. Lataro was laying on the biobed. He had turned his head over to where K'Lara was and stared at her through foggy vision. The minor concussion had produced a splitting headache that caused his sight to be slightly impaired. He saw the captain and K'Lara talking about something but couldn't quite make it out.
"I'm staying here if you don't mind, Captain." K'Lara spoke insistently.
Oh I see now. K'Lara wants to stay here, but Captain Maruu wants her to go. Please K'Lara don't go. I am not ready for a butt chewing session, not now!!! he thought. Lataro hoped that K'Lara could hear his thoughts. "Don't make me turn it into an order, Lieutenant. Go get some rest."
K'Lara's eyes flashed again, but she nodded and hopped off the biobed. She gave one last look to Lataro before she left the room.
No!
Captain Maruu approached the side of Jon as Lt. Richardson finished his treatment.
"Well Lieutenant, is he going to be okay?" Maruu asked.
"Yes, of course, thanks to my superb medical skills!" Richardson said arrogantly.
"Uh, yeah. Whatever." Maruu's attention was faced to Lataro. "Jon! What were you trying to prove?"
"Sir. I was just trying to get more information on that cruiser!" Lataro began. "I figured that I could have been there and back in no time and have more of the reason why that ship is here. I got a lot more information about that thing."
"And you almost got yourself killed! Jon, what possessed you do go over there, especially by yourself?"
"I told you, Captain. Besides, after the failed first away mission I... I..."
"What, Jon?"
Lataro looked away. "Sir, I just wanted to let you know that I am can do my job!"
"Jon. I already knew that. You are a fine officer and you don't need to be taking stupid risks like that! Especially if you would have gotten yourself killed. I would have had to find another officer to take your place, and K'Lara wouldn't have taken it too easily. I had to practically run her out of here!"
"I know, sir. I just want to impress you! I don't want to be stuck Chief of Security all my career. I want command one day. Preferably sooner than later!"
"Don't push it. One day I guarantee that you will get a command position, but first, you have got to learn patience. It took me a number of years before I got command and now you must pay your dues."
"Yes, sir."
"Besides you are third in command. What more do you want?"
"First Officer," Lataro smiled.
"I think that Surok might have something to say about that."
"I know, sir! I am ambitious. It is in my nature!"
"And, Commander, that is a good thing. But now you must concentrate on patience. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, so tell me what you have found out."
"Well that ship was attacked by a Kirusan battle cruiser. Their chronoton missiles are something else. That area where the bridge was was the result of a missile attack. The crew was sucked out of the numerous holes created by the explosion."
"Don't the Klingons have those emergency force fields like we do?"
"Yes, sir. But with the amount of damage those missiles did, the force fields couldn't lock out the atmospheric depressurization."
"What about the animals? Or how about that Kirusan?"
"Looks like that Kirusan that attacked us had made that old shell a home. When you two came in, I was just coming around and I saw the size of that guy. He was even bigger then the guy I saw in the Kirusan ship. I couldn't believe the size of that guy. He came from behind and surprised me. What did he look like to you though? Was he dressed as a warrior? It looked like that the cages and all were specimens that the Klingons were gathering and that Kirusan was trying to free them? I am not sure. Probably that Kirusan was an infiltrator who destroyed the battle cruiser from within." Lataro's eyes widened. "Sir, what if that Kirusan was some type of infiltrator? We don't know anything about these guys and their tactics. What if they do do something like that? A kamikaze."
"Kamikaze?" Maruu asked puzzled.
"A 20th century Earth ploy used by a nation-state called Japan during the planet's World War II. They flew aircrafts on missions that were made to destroy the enemy ships. They had no landing gear and no ejection mechanisms and were loaded down with tons of munitions and fuel. They would fly and dive into the ship and kill themselves as well as sink the old time battleships."
"I don't like the sound of that."
"It was very effective."
"Okay. So what do we do now?"
"Well, sir, I recommend first giving my tricorder reading to Ensign Trent so that he can analyze the information, then we need to leave this area. I will begin to establish security drills and possibly enhance the ship sensor sweeps to pick up Kirusans."
"Okay. You rest first. Then when you are released, get right to work on it. I am going to the bridge. If you need anything let me know."
"But, sir, I am ready to report for duty. I feel fine." Lataro sat up quickly and his head suddenly turned into a dryer and his brain swirled around in his head. The room began to flip and turn sideways. "Whoa!" he said slamming back into the bed.
"No, sir!" Maruu said pushing him back down. "You stay here until the doctor releases you."
"I think that may be a good idea!" Lataro said throwing his forearm against his forehead.
"It is! Besides Ensign Garza and Ensign Sitto Lan can take care of it for a while."
"Ensign Lan?"
"Yeah. You may need to look at his service record while you are here."
"Hmm," Lataro said kind of disgusted at the fact of being bedridden for a time.
"Well, Jon, I am going to get going. Remember to call on me if you need anything."
"Will do, sir. Remember, I am interested in command position at anytime."
"We'll see, Commander Lataro. We'll see! Dr. Richardson, I would like for you to examine the body of that Kirusan we have. Maybe that will give us an insight to this unknown enemy," Captain Maruu said as he left Sickbay.
"No problem, Captain. I will get to work on it as soon as I take care of the sick and injured here," he said looking at Lataro with an evil grin. Captain Maruu left, and Dr. Richardson approached Lt. Commander Lataro. "Okay, Lieutenant. Be a good boy. I need a temperature!" Richardson said pulling out an old fashioned thermometer and turning him over.
"Lieutenant? No, Doc, it is Commander! All righty then!"