<USS Avalon> The Last Arrivals

The Last Arrivals

by Senior Lieutenant Anthony Manson

I rushed into the transporter room with three delegates already awaiting me. 
The formalities were given at the first meeting with the first six most 
important, which would explain why I was left to do the job. No doubt, Captain 
Flubb has his hands filled with the other twenty-seven. These were the last of 
the twelve that were late in their arrivals and I was happy that there wasn?t 
anymore. Give me a photon torpedo and some blood thirsty Nausicans anytime. It 
wasn?t unbearable, granted, but they asked too many questions. Some from 
Avalon?s history that I was around to witness, to engineering terminology I had 
long since forgotten after graduating the academy. What?s an Ops officer 
suppose to come up with? Especially when you have three to six delegates at a 
time drilling you with questions. 

But there they stood, the last three, and I was more then ready to see them to 
their quarters. This morning, I was informed by the night shift Ops officer 
about deck two being filled. That caused me to run late as I was busying myself 
with diverting nearly half the residents on deck three to decks four and five 
for the duration on the way back to earth. That included myself, but that was 
alright; Alder wanted me to stay with him anyway. But there was a more pressing 
issue at hand as I looked at the delegates, and they too seem insignificant to 
what happened last night.

The tall Rydyn spoke up first. He had the rank of Captain and his part a 
Lieutenant Commander and a Lieutenant respectively. "I am Captain K?quo, you 
must be Senior Lieutenant Manson." 

I simply nodded, "Captain K?quo, welcome aboard the Avalon. Commander, 
Lieutenant." I looked at the other two. One was taller, but not by much to the 
female lieutenant. "If you please, follow me, I?ll show you to your quarters."

I led them out, but my mind wasn?t on the delegation right now. What did he 
want? Well of course, to recruit me. But saying that I was a dedicated officer 
and that I made a good impression on them wasn?t enough. Could section 31 
seriously think that just because they were saying pleasant things to my ear 
would have swayed me? So I am doing my job, so I am serious about it? So what? 
There?s a dime a dozen out there. I turned the corner only to have heard, 
"Lieutenant, I asked you a question."

I looked at Captain K?quo, "yes the Avalon can support up to a hundred and 
forty people. How we?re doing managing with thirty extra is just diverting the 
crewmen to bunk in with others."

We entered the turbolift as it started moving for our destination, deck three. 

Section 31 was an Intel arm of the newly created Starfleet Intelligence more 
than a hundred years ago. But it was terminated, discontinued rather, when 
Intel thought it wasn?t necessary for such an arm. Apparently there were 
unaware that S31 still existed. Or if they were, they were turning a the other 
way around. 

Ships history? Repair? "Oh, yes, the Avalon has been through some rough times. 
Our engineering team is great at dealing with the damage caused to this ship, 
and not to mention Starfleet does have some automatic repair systems that can 
fix any sort of minor problems that would sometimes be overlooked."

I played the interview over in my head. There had to be some sort of chemical 
in the air inhibiting me to locate him. Or he was a telepath. Either way, it 
blocked me from sensing him. And why me, now? For all I know, the guy would 
recruit me only to use me as cannon fodder to fulfill his agenda.

"Lieutenant, what exactly are the Avalon?s capabilities."

"I?m not authorized to answer that, but I?m sure Captain Flubb or the 
Commanders could assist you with your inquiries."

And contact me again? This time he?ll probably want to know my decision. I 
wondered how he?d do that if I was bunking in with Alder. No doubt he?d do 
something to keep Alder out of the way. 

One last question popped in my head. If this guy did in some way convince me to 
join, and no doubt my entire existence would be dissolved; would Alder be next? 
Too many questions, one thing at a time. 

We had long since exited the turbolift and I had showed the Commander his 
quarters. The next was the Captain. And when we got to the Lieutenant?s, she 
paused and looked at me. Nice eyes, for cobalt blue. 

~You?re radiating with tension, is everything alright Lieutenant Manson?~

~You?re a telepath, if you were reading me, I suggest you get out of my head.~

The Lieutenant smiled, "no, I just sensed uneasiness in you. There aren?t many 
telepaths on Rydyn Prime. Besides, most of us have limited capability. I am, 
what you call, and empath? Yes, I think that is the right word. Some of us are 
full telepaths, like Lieutenant Commander K'sar. He didn't scan you if that's 
what you're thinking."

I just nodded, "alright. Well, don?t worry about it Lieutenant. I can handle 
this." Yeah, we?ll see, I thought to myself. I nodded as she entered her 
quarters and I left to carry out my duties. 


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