Mutiny

Personal Log Stardate: 2460419

Throughout the decades that I have served in Starfleet, I have never seriously considered mutiny against my commanding officer, that is, never until now. Commander Harris scares me a bit. Since Captain Devore disappeared, there has been little active effort on the part of the Leviathan crew to find him. Instead, Harris has been throwing dinner parties for Klingon.

Commander Harris has also admitted some sort of relationship with Section 31. A relationship confirmed by the evidence found in Lieutenant Anderson's quarters. Currently, Captain Phanan and myself are the only people aware of the location of this evidence and I have left orders for him that the location should not be revealed to Commander Harris. Upon my return, it will be needed to exonerate me.

End Personal Log

"Toran to Rashad, Ambrose, and Shaka." Toran said tapping his combadge."Meet me aboard the Hellcat in 15 minutes and be prepared for an extended trip."

*Now if only they do as I ask.* Toran thought nervously. He had waited until late at night, most of the crew was asleep and the Leviathan's night watch was nowhere near as responsive as the day crew. It would take the night crew much longer to realise what was going on than it would the day crew, and by that time, the Hellcat would be gone, and the Leviathan would be stuck in Nuan space. At least until Shaka returned.

Fifteen minutes later, the four of them had assembled on the small Bridge of the Hellcat. It reminded Toran of a runabout. The controls were set up similarly. The main difference was that there was a command chair in this room, and two more consoles. None of these extra amenities would be used for this mission though.

Ambrose was seated in the pilot's chair, with Rashad to his right manning the Ops console. Shaka had taken her place at engineering leaving the Tactical console open for Toran. Taking his place at Tactical, Toran prepared himself to address those around him, to tell the lie that had to be told.

"I guess you are a bit intrigued as to why you have been ordered here." Toran said as he surveyed the group.

"Quite." Shaka snapped back.

*Perhaps I shouldn't have chosen her,* Toran thought, "Commander Harris and I had a discussion two hours ago. In our opinion, the Leviathan's presence is needed here. The problem is, we still have to find Captain Devore."

"So the four of us are going." Ambrose asked, "It's been said that fortune favours the bold."

"Why isn't Commander Harris telling us about this ?" Rashad asked suspiciously.

Toran knew that she would have this question. Why would Harris send his newest trusted adviser out on a mission with Toran. Toran figured that she would chalk it up to Harris wanting Toran to be watched, however, he had prepared for this event.

"I am." Harris's voice called from the back of the room as Commander Harris entered the Hellcat's control room. "I don't have much to tell you that you don't already know though. You have two weeks to find the Captain and bring him back here. During that time, we will be assisting the Nuans."

"Aye sir." The group said collectively.

Touching a console, Harris called up a stellar map to the main screen, "That is your destination, it is the last known location of the Lynx."

"What if we don't find the Captain ?" Ambrose asked nervously.

"THAT is not an option Mr. Ambrose." Toran said as he took his seat, "We WILL find the Captain."

"Aye sir." Ambrose replied quickly.

"Good luck." Harris said as he exited the control room, "And godspeed."

*That seemed to appease Rashad.* Toran thought as his blood pressure returned to normal. Fortunately, he was able to hide his emotions well, even empaths had a hard time reading him.

"We launch in one minute Mr. Ambrose." Toran said as he read over his display. "I need a pre-flight system check from all stations."

"Engineering ready." Shaka reported.

"Tactical ready." Toran reported.

Rashad was the next to speak up. "Ops ready."

And finally, Ambrose."Engines ready at full power, thrusters available at your command."

"Open bay doors." Toran ordered as Ambrose's hands flew across the helm console.

"Doors open, aye." Ambrose replied.

"Release all moorings." Came Toran's second order.

"Moorings released, ready to engage thrusters." Ambrose reported.

"Take us out Mr. Ambrose." Toran ordered."And set a course for the Lynx's last known location, maximum warp."

"We are clear of the Leviathan, Commander." Ambrose replied."Course set 247 by 43 mark 8."

"Engage Mr. Ambrose."

"Aye sir," Ambrose replied as the Hellcat's warp drive hummed to life."We are at warp."

*It worked !* Toran thought. *Now if my handiwork on the Leviathan works half as well...*

Indeed, Toran's handiwork was working on the Leviathan and all too well. The Bridge crew was barely aware that anything had happened. They were all to busy trying to repair the new problems with the Slipstream drive and the comm system. Long range communications were dead, and the SS drive was not functioning. In addition, there was a message left by Toran for the crew.

[Commander Harris and the crew of the Leviathan.] Toran's voice rang through the comm system. [By the time you read this, myself, Lieutenant Rashad, Lieutenant Shaka, and Ensign Ambrose will have left the Leviathan aboard the Hellcat. I want everyone to know that I am the only officer who is actively participating in this mutiny, the three brave officers that accompany me are unaware that they are not under orders to find the Captain. Yes, that's right, NO ONE on the Leviathan seems to be under orders to find the Captain. Once the Captain has been retrieved, we will return to the Leviathan and I will face the proverbial music. Until then, good luck repairing all of the malfunctions aboard the ship, it should take you at least a week to track them all down and by then, you won't have a clue where I am.]

The members of the Leviathan crew just stared at each other open mouthed. Toran was right, in addition to the comm system and the Slipstream drive, long range sensors were out. The short range sensors were out as well, but Toran had rigged them to come back up within one hour, enough time for the Leviathan to lose track of the Hellcat. In addition to the sensor malfunctions, all of the ship's probes were disabled. The Leviathan was going to have one hell of a time getting out of this one.

Meanwhile on the Hellcat, all of Toran's rigging was working. Rashad was receiving what she thought to be normal communications from the Leviathan and was reading normal operations from the ship. Ambrose had the quartet well on their way to find the Lynx. Even Shaka was appeased.

*Everything is going according to plan.* Toran thought. *Now, if only the Captain approves.*