Lataro answered, "We'd be walking into a lot of unknowns over there, Captain. I suggest we take a minimal party at first: heavy security, science and engineering to make scans. If we determine the area to be secure, then we can beam down larger details to begin the dilithium and tridanium extraction."
Maruu pondered the plan a few seconds. Finally, he said, "Very well, Jon. The initial landing party is at your discretion." He addressed the entire assembly. "We need these materials for our general repairs and for our new transwarp drive. Let's get this done people."
"Mr. Benton, Lt. Tomme. Meet me in Transporter Room One in 10 minutes," Lataro said, heading out the door.
"Yes, Sir," Benton acknowledged. He is in a hurry!
The door closed shut behind Lataro as he headed for the bridge. Lt. Commander K'Lara was at the helm when he came on. "Commander Lataro," he said with a smile. K'Lara face remained glued to the viewscreen with a small section of the asteroid in site as the Virgo was in standard orbit. "Um, Commander. I was calling you," Lataro said softly.
"What, Jon, I mean, Commander?" K'Lara said, recovering from her daze.
"Well, Commander Lataro, I called you and you didn't answer me."
"I'm sorry. I heard 'Lataro', but I thought that someone was calling you," she said with a smile.
"Get used to it, Mrs. Lataro. You have my last name now."
"Oh really!" she said with a devilish smile. "What if I decide I want to go by something else?"
"Like what?"
"Like Commander K'Lara-Lataro, or just keep it K'Lara."
"Now I guess we have to talk about that," Lataro said with a smile.
"I guess we do. So what is it?"
"Well, the captain wants me to go down to the surface and do a prelim investigation."
"Okay. When?"
"Now."
"Oh. Well I guess the honeymoon will have to wait," she said sadly.
"Well just keep the bottle of champagne chilled. I plan to be back before the end of the day."
"Okay."
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"Okay you two," Captain Maruu said, coming on the bridge. "Jon, you had better get going. We need to start the mining procedure as soon as possible."
"Yes, Sir," Lataro said. "I will see you tonight, Mrs. Lataro."
"Can't wait, Mr. Lataro."
Commander Lataro left the bridge and went to the transporter room. On the pad, Tomme and Benton were all ready there waiting. "It is about time, Commander," Tomme said jokingly.
"Now. Had to say goodbye to my wife," Lataro said with a smile as he got on the pad.
"Well, you will be back before dinner," Benton said.
"Newlyweds, Lt. Benton. You'll see," Tomme retorted.
"Okay, Sir, I have your coordinates. Ready?" the transporter chief asked.
"Go ahead, Chief. Energize," Lataro ordered.
The familiar procedure started and their atoms begin to scatter and dissipate. A few moments later, the transporter panel started to flash, noting to the chief something was wrong. The pattern buffer was being purged by something. The chief began trying to rematerialize the officers back on the pad, but something flashed in the isolinear chamber, and everything began to smoke.
"Captain. This is the transporter room. We have a problem."