"We're off to see the Wizard (part 7)"

Posted on Mon Sep 12th, 2022 @ 12:33pm by

Mission: In-Between (S1:E3-S1:E4)
Location: Alexandria II, - Talaxian space
Timeline: Mission Day 13 at 0600
1296 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

As Micheal and Kaleigh slept, Rebecca was busy going over various bits of information that they had collected during their mission. She had already sorted and catalogued most of it for Mistress to look over before the sent the next information packet back to the Vengeance.

Suddenly, something caught her attention. She had discovered a piece of information that could be completely game changing for both her Master, Mistress and the entire Terran Shadow Fleet.

It was a very rough piece of third hand comm chatter between various freighters several light-years away. However, before she did anything else, she scoured the rest of her collected intelligence files, seeing if she could find anything to corroborate this small nugget of information.

Twenty minutes later, after going through every single byte of memory that she possessed, she thought she had something, though it was still extremely vague. However, in their current situation, she computed that every bit of Intelligence was crucial to their survival.

Though it was early and Master and Mistress were still sleeping, the A.I. felt that this was important enough to wake them for. Activating her avatar in their suite, she calmly started to access Master's CPU, while also speaking soft to both of them. "Master? Mistress?"

Kae came awake slowly, “hmmph? Becca?” she mumbled as she wriggled next to Micheal and opened sleepy eyes. She blinked and focused on the AI.

Micheal stirred, opening his eye and looking at Rebecca. "What’s wrong, Rebecca?" As she had activated his CPU, he was fully awake, unlike Kaleigh, who had been awakened.

"Apologies for disturbing your sleep cycles," Rebecca had an apologetic look on her face as she spoke. "I was going over the intelligence that was gathered from the mining vessel's computer banks, and I discovered something unexpected. I then ran through all of my other collected memory and believe that what I have corroborated, though admittedly still extremly vague, could very well have drastic consequences for us all."

Kae sat up and rubbed her eyes. “Ok. What have you found Rebecca?” She asked as she ran another hand through her messy hair.

Micheal sat up as well, his attention fully turned to the A.I.

"It seems, Mistress, if what I've found is truly accurate, the ISS Vengeance is not the first Terran warship in the Delta Quadrant."

"What?!" Micheal sputtered as he held himself up on his right arm.

Kaleigh sighed and climbed out of their bed, uncaring that she was naked and began getting Micheal’s limbs ready “Ok.. coffee Rebecca. We will need Coffee”

The A.I. nodded. "Yes, Mistress. I shall have some ready and waiting for you both in the dining area." She then vanished, leaving husband and wife alone again.

Micheal took his offered left arm. "Thank you, my love." As he connected it, he asked, "Another Terran warship?? I wonder who in the Hells it could be?!"

“Whoever it is,we need to find out and report back to the Captain” Kaleigh replied. She handed him his legs. And reached for her own robe.

After thanking Kaleigh for her assistance, Micheal reattached his legs and stood. He pulled on a pair of boxer briefs and a tank top, then started to head forward, towards their small galley, glancing back at his lovely wife, seeing if she was ready.

Kae pulled her hair into a pony tale and nodded at him as she padded after him. “Lets go” she said softly.

Micheal opened the door and let Kaleigh go through first, giving her behind a softly playful pinch as she went by.

She gave him a smile and blew him a kiss before heading to where Rebecca had prepared their Coffee, it was her one cup a day and she was going to savour it.
“Thank you Rebecca” she said as she picked up the cup.

The A.I. smiled from the nearest screen. "Of course, Mistress," she said happily.

Micheal stepped into the small galley and picked up his coffee as well. After taking a sip, he closed his eye and made a pleasing sound in his throat. "Rebecca, that really hits the spot!"

“You are welcome Master, I know how you both like your coffee.” The AI paused “My information is on the screens Master”

Micheal moved closer and looked at the information Rebecca had compiled. There wasn't much, though, it was enough…just enough…to start rumors with. "Is this part of any of the information that we have been seeding in the Talaxian systems?"

“We cannot be sure Master, some maybe, but others... unless it is the Vengeance itself putting forth such things or people who have witnessed their acts,... not 100% sure though.”

He kept reading the information. "Are there any scan images?"

“Not great images. Grainy.” A few images appeared but they were so grainy and distant, it was hard to tell “Maybe someone is using our work to further their own means?” Rebecca suggested.

Micheal studied one of the images. Something about the faint colouring was familiar. "Can you enhance this one?"

The AI nodded and the image slowly began to get closer to clear. But not enough.

Micheal manipulated the image some, slowly rotating it one way, then the other. Something about the faint colorings was familiar….but from what??

Kae leaned against him. “What do you see?” she asked softly. She was curious about what he was looking at.

Micheal kept looking at the very fuzzy image. "Well…while I can't make out what ship it is, the general shape of her, and these colored sections, the two red bits here and her, followed by the blue bit here…it…it almost resembles…" He thought a bit more, then something occurred to him. "Rebecca, using what information we have, how closely does this image resemble a Galaxy Class Battleship?"

Kae shook her head “Can’t be. Be reasonable Micheal”

“While there are some similarities, it is hard to determine if it matches based on the data” Rebecca replied

"I know it sounds crazy," Micheal admitted, 'but…something is familiar about those lines and color patterns though…"

After a few beats, he shook his head and turned away from the screen. "I dunno…" He shook his head some more. "Maybe I've been out in space too long, starting to see things?" He chuckled softly as he spoke.

Kae smiled. “Come, we need to go back to the Vengeance with all speed.”

Nodding, Micheal leaned in to give Kaleigh a tender kiss on he lips. "You're right, my love." He then made his way to the cockpit and lowered his bulk down into his command seat. After bringing up the flight controls, he increased their speed to maximum warp. "E.T.A. to Vengeance…" He looked over the long range sensors. "About twelve hours. They seem to be on another planet already. Hope the first one was uneventful." He was quietly hoping that Daphne was safe.

“Good. Rebecca and I will get the information packets ready for the Captain and the Chief of Intelligence” Kaleigh smiled.

Micheal nodded. "Good idea. I'll keep an eye out for any trouble along our course, while you two concentrate."

“After I shower and dress” Kae added as she kissed his cheek and headed back towards the refresher unit.

Micheal wanted to join her, however, things felt a bit more serious to him now. He had to stay focus on getting them back to their daughter.

Kae knew the pull he felt, she felt it too, She had never been away from Daphne for so long since she became her guardian. But she headed off and showered and dressed and was soon sipping weak tea and helping Rebecca compile all the information they had gained.

~TBC~