=Engineering Section=
=NX Detector=
When they beamed over to the Detector a couple of hours earlier, Rick
was thankful that it didn't take as long as it did with the shipyard to
regain power. Partially as it was, they did have enough power through
a small, temporary generator to get key systems up and running.
A small team, including Rick and Jo Weathersby, along with a couple of
engineers from Jameson were joined by four security crewmen from the
Qashqai, who were currently patrolling the ship to make certain they
were the only ones on board.
"Just as reports said, only crew quarters and portions of hull not
finished," Rick said. "Rest of ship seems to be in good shape. With a little
work on engines, can probably even get underway on her own power."
"I wonder why she was abandoned?" Jo asked.
"I not know. Logs not specify what happened with ship prior to starfleet
pulling out of system. Maybe they had planned on returning, then things
changed and they not return."
"It still doesn't make any sense," she said.
"What else doesn't make sense is that room that sealed off. Something
keeping door locked. Unable to open," Rick said.
"Seems like someone was intent on not allowing anyone access," Jo
surmised. "With the logs pertaining to the room encrypted, someone
definitely wanted to keep whatever is in there secret."
"Seem that way," Rick said. "But I plan on finding out."
He walked out of the engineering section toward the sealed door. Jo
followed. He starred at it for a long moment, wondering what could be
keeping it locked. Their sensors couldn't even penetrate the bulkhead. For
all he knew, the room could be empty. Then again, why seal off an empty
room.
As he continued to stare, Rick knew that he had become obsessed, not
with the mystery surrounding the room, but the Detector as a whole. She
was an impressive ship for her time and just as impressive by today's
standards. He hoped that he could hold on to her long enough to get her
at a hundred percent.
"I think I rename ship," Rick said.
"Oh, yeah. What are you going to call her?" Jo asked.
"U.S.S. Rick. Got a catchy name, you think?"
"The hell with that! After all, I did discover her in the shipyard's data bank.
So I should get to rename her myself."
Rick turned to face Jo, "What you name her, then?"
"The U.S.S. Jo Weathersby is the greatest engineer of all time. All should
worship the ground she walks on."
"Catchy," Rick said with a grin. "Probably not fit on hull, though."
"We'll just have to make her into a bigger ship," Jo said.
Rick chuckled as two of the security crewmen walked up to him.
"Sir, we have secured the ship," the crewman reported. "We were unable to
find anything suspicious."
"Very good," Rick said.
+tap+ "Rodgers to Jameson. We ready for that tow back to shipyard at
earliest convenience."
+tap+ "Understood," came the voice of Captain Richards. "Have you been
able to determine what is hidden in that room?"
+tap+ "Not yet, sir."
+tap+ "Then I shouldn't have to tell you that I have no intention of towing
that ship until we find out what we're dealing with."
+tap+ "I understand, sir."
+tap+ "You have two hours to find out or we will have no choice than to
scuttle her."
+tap+ "Acknowledged. Rodgers out."
Rick looked around at the others gathered.
"Lets get in that room," Rick ordered.
Commander Rick Rodgers
Engineering Officer
Starbase Unity
and
Chief Petty Officer Jo Weathersby (npc by Rick)
Chief Engineer
U.S.S. Qashqai
and other npcs by Rick
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