The tellarite captain of the Maraxle, who had been walking down the corridor with Alik, suddenly stops and puts a hand out to stop Alik as well. He turns to speak with Alik face-to-face:
”You’ll coordinate with my Engineer? Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better!”
He points a stubby finger in Alik’s face. ”You, my human friend, are now my favorite starbase technician.”
The captain laughs and claps Alik on both shoulders. He walks over to a nearby comstation to summon his chief engineer. Alik spares a glance toward his work crew only to find them rolling their eyes, shaking their heads, or glaring at him. His offer to the captain doesn’t seem to sit well with them. Poljos isn’t willing to explain the whys with the captain within earshot, he simply tells Alik, “It’s standard procedure for us to do our work aboard ship without the input or even the presence of the ship’s engineer. It’s a good policy when we can manage it, and I think you’re about to find out why.”
A few minutes later, another tellarite steps off an elevator and walks toward you. He’s dressed casually, as if his shore leave plans planet-side were just cancelled. The captain introduces him: ”This is Lieutenant Orom, my chief engineer. Well, I think you all have much to discuss, and much to do. So I will take my leave.”
The captain walks to the elevator the engineer just stepped off and disappears behind the doors, all the while smiling his big smile and chuckling to himself. Lieutenant Orom picks up where the captain left off, only he’s not nearly as cheerful: ”So you’ve agreed to coordinate your work through me? ‘bout time you saboteurs thought to ask someone who knows what they’re doing. Let me be clear: This is my ship. You may know how to follow the pictures in your assembly manuals and install your canned software, but I know what makes this ship hum. Got it?”
The other members of the work crew look to Alik, waiting for him to answer. They obviously view this new member of the team as Alik’s baggage.
Jacob:
Lt. Commander Carter makes a point of listening to Jacob and talk about the situation with him. It’s hard to tell if the Commander genuinely values Jacob’s input or if he’s simply humoring the junior officer to make him feel part of the team.
“The break-in was deliberate, but I’m not prepared to assume the vehicle breakdown is anything more than a coincidence. If the two are related, then getting the vehicle working again will foil their intent and, as you suggest, may prompt a second attempt. And that only works if we keep the authorities out and we get this earthmover moving again. Well, I think that settles it, then.”
Carter stands and speaks with a loud voice, addressing the whole team:
“Alright team listen up! After careful deliberation we have decided to keep these events to ourselves, for now. We don’t know what we are up against, but I have faith in our combined commitment to this project. Starting tonight, we post guards in this supply cave. Tonight, I’ll stay afterhours, Cadet DeVries will come and relieve me at midnight. I’ll announce tomorrow night’s sentry tomorrow morning. We will rotate this assignment. Everyone will get a turn.”
“Also, we can’t blame the Orion for this situation, but he hasn’t been ruled out as a suspect. Avoid him if you can, but don’t accuse him if you can’t. Report to me anything you hear him say. Don’t say anything about the vehicle not working.”
“Last of all, but first on our priority list, we need to get this vehicle moving again. Since it is fairly new and still under warranty, we will contact the company for help. What’s the manufacturer’s name? Avocado Industrial Industries, or something like that? Anyway, if we are lucky, there is a sale associate nearby. If we are really lucky, there is a company repairman nearby.”
Shur:
Nearly an hour after the Murray incident, Cadet Serao informs Shur that he has an incoming call from starbase security. Certain that his bad day is about to get worse, Shur takes the call only to find it is Cadet Campeador:
“Hey, good news: I’ve been granted increased security clearance so I can help your friend Jacob. Wait, Jacob is Alik’s friend, not yours. Sorry. Anyway, we can check the computer banks this evening and see if my clearance is high enough to find anything new about his ship.”
“I was granted this higher clearance because I was able to convince the security chief that our Orion friend needs to be investigated. So, that’s kind of why I called. I was hoping you had access to a sensor array and would be willing to scan his ship and send me the results.”
“Normally, someone higher ranked than me would ask someone higher ranked than you to do it, but my superior said he has a history with your superior and that I’d be more likely to have my request granted if I asked, especially if I knew someone else at OPS.”
“Between you and me: From what I’ve seen, this whole base is a barely functional collection of carved-out petty fiefdoms, grudges, gossip lines, and pissing contests. The sooner we get out of here, the less likely we get dragged in.”
“So, anyway, do you have access to a scanner and will you do me this favor?”
