The Hatter Family Sagas.

[Hatter3127]

Introductions.

Ensign Hatter paced up and down the cell awaiting judgement for a crime that had not been comitted. Well not technically anyway. It had been a long 6 months, and the Section apparently nolong required the services of somebody with Hatter's skills. Flying by the seat of your pants was a "neat skill" during war time, but since the peace accord between the Dominion and the Federation had been signed, not really too practical any more.

Something like this was bound to happen sooner or later, particually since Section 31 had let the way ward Ensign "loose".

The large doors to the brig opened up, and a Commodore, acompanied by 2 security NCOs, who could only described as "burley and surley" respectivly walked down the row of high security cells, being lit every few steps as he walked though one of circular pools of light that lined the corridor.

"Ensign Hatter." The Commodore said though his nose. "I'm glad we've finally caught up with you. I've read so much about you."

"I'll bet you have." Hatter said, still sat on the bunk looking the flag officer directly in the eyes. "You find anything intresting in there let me know." And the much younger ensign smirked.

"Well Honestly, it was quite intresting reading."

"What wasn't classified."

"Yes what wasn't classifed, exactly." And the greying flag officer flicked though the page. "Oh here's a good one." And he read through the article. "I guess you wont be having dinner at the Romulan Embasy on Basmal 7 again."

"What can I say, the Amabsador and I just don't share the same sence of humor."

"Hmmm, clearly not.... Oh here we go. Ting Tuhim of the Dontellne tribe."

"How was I ment to know they stored the remains of their dead in water. Best hang over cure though."

"Yes, clearly hillarious I'm sure. How do you explain your self this time then Ensign?"

Hatter stood up, pulled down his top and walked towards the forcefield. "Oh you know how it goes Commodore, boy meets girl, girl meets boy." Hatter looked towards the NCO the ensign had decided was "burley" and winked "Ya know I mean right?" 

"Ensign Hatter please, continue!" The Commodore raised his voice.

"Well, she said to me 'Tom, let's run away together', and ya know, what could I do, right? You were young and in love once right Sir?"

"Yes. And my wife and I are happily married young man."

"Exactly."

"My wife also wasn't the heir to the throne of Mariana Two."

"Ahhh yeah... Well, about that...."

The man across from Ensign Hatter looked down at the report, and back up again. "Did you really have to kidnapp her mother as well?"

"Honestly?"

"Honestly Ensign."

"Not really, but she didn't seem to mind as such really. Besides nobody really missed any of us."

"So, Ensign Hatter, you expect me to believe you failed to notice the fully armed fleet of the Mariana Royal Navy chasing you for 6 days across 9 sectors"

"Errrr... Yes please."

"Well seems you made quite an impression on the Princess as they don't want to press charges." Hatter beamed a grin across his face that he hoped was charming, but knew it was the one that usually got him into trouble.

Commodore "grey" held his hand out, and "surley" handed him a pad, from which he read.

"Ensign Thomas Hatter, you are hear by cleared of all of the charges held against you..."

"Even that Andorian trader, cos he seemed pretty mad." And Tom chuckled a little at the look on that blue face when all his cargo went driving past his starboard hull at 1/2 impluse. Now that was inspired.

"Even Captain Shoda. Seems you still have some friends in low places. May I continue." Hatter nodded his consent, still grinning like a chesire cat. "You have here by been reassigned to serve as the cheif helm officer on board USS Intrepid, efective immediately." And the force feild lowered, making Hatters cell appear darker. "And on a personal note, if I ever catch you in my brig again Hatter I'll see they hang you out to try. Now get out of my sight. Dismissed."

Ensign Thomas Hatter snapped to attention smartly. "Sir. Yes Sir." And stepped out of the cell, flanked by the 2 NCOs, heard to be muttering "Hey, you guys wanna get a beer on the way? I know this great little bar on Cestus 2. I'm sure the owners wife will have forgiven me by now, right?"

As the doors closed behind the trio, Commodore Sheen was seen to visably slump, and flicking though the pages on the way to the exit, let out a small chuckle.

[Hatter3127]

Author Notes:


I'm just gonna keep posting the story in here btw, keep it as a rolling thing. Any and all feed back is good, positive and negative. Either post in on here, or send me a PM with in. Thanks for those who have read it so far. Hope you all enjoy!

Ensign Hatter paced up and down the corridor of intrepid outside sickbay. After a week onboard, 3 requests from sickbay, 1 demand from the CMO, a Doctor Latham, and a direct Captain Davin Sturdivant, Tom had finally decided to report for his annual medical. All be it 3 years late. And after Captain Davin Surlypants had made it clear that if he didn't attend he might the rest of his tour of duty onboard in the brig.
While the thought of spending 2 weeks in the ships brig (the exact ammount of time he estimated before he'd get bored and 'leave' the brig) was semi appealing, if only for the break, Tom knew that intrepid was also his last chance saloon. If he screwed this up, next place was a LONG time in a maximum security unit somewhere. And he knew that could only end one way. He'd either piss somebody off too much, or there'd be an "accident. Either way he'd end up "Disappeared".
Not something he relished the thought of.
And it was not that Hatter couldn't take orders, just that he found them futile sometimes, got bored and went off to do his own thing.
And still here was pacing the corridor out side sick bay, ignoring the glares from passing crew members. The order wasn't the problem... Well it was, but not for the reasons the Captain thought it was.
"Oh for Gods sake Tom, just man up and do it." He said to him self, took a deep break and walked into sickbay. "Alright, let's get this over with. I'm an unfit wreck of a speciman, give me the lecture, the diet plan, and sign me off. Or better still, skip the lecture and..."
"And what Ensign?" Doctor Latham said. Tom just stared at the Doctor for 30 seconds longer than he should have before replying.
"And... Yeah. Wow. Your...."
"Mr Hatter, please spit it out so I can go back to doing something productive, or should I take a chair while you string a complete sentance together."
"Yeah. Sorry. I just wasn't expecting."
"Expecting what?"
"You're a Girl." And he quickly added realising his mistake in stating the obvious "Not that there is anything wrong with that, I mean this is the 24th century, and girls can be doctors, and... stuff. Like pilots, and officers and... things... Just... OH hey, this the bed, I guess I'll just sit down here while you find my medical records Doc."
Dr Latham turned away from the not bad looking, but quite stumbling ensign Hatter, trying not to show him she was smiling. "It's Touc by the way."
"Pardon me?" Tom raised his voice so that the Doctor could hear him from her office.
"My name is Doctor Elenor Latham. Everybody calls me Touc. If you want to call me something call me that, or Dr Latham, or Ellie. I am not a Doc. Docks at what ships are birthed at."
"Oh. Errr, sorry Do.. I mean Touc." And with that Tom looked down at his shoes feeling like total @ss. Touc looked her head out of the sick bay office, quite pleased with her self.
"Right take it off."
"Pardon me?"
"The shirt. Off."
"Should I ask you for dinner or something first."
"I ment for the medical examination."
"Oh right. Yeah. That."
"You're quite sure of your self really aren't you?"
"Yes mam. So how about it?"
"Huh?"
"Dinner sometime? Owch!" He shouted out as Ellie pressed firmly on one of his older, but not fully healed battle scars. "You did that intentionally."
"Ensign Hatter, I am Doctor, my mandate is to do no harm, and maintain the health and well being of my crew."
"You're crew? Don't mention that in front of Captain Smartypants upstairs. He'll probably have you arrested for mutany, or treason against the crown or something."
"Hmmmm quite alot of your records are missing, and alot of these scars don't appear on any medical records, but it's clear you've had some treatment for most of them."
"I'm sorry but that's classified mam."
"Ensign Hatter."
"Please, call me Tom." He interupted.
"Tom" She smiled, and pressed the sore scar on his back, just below his ribs, just enough to cause discomfort, but not actual pain. "Where were you treated for these."
"Look, I can't tell you. That's classified way above even the Captains clearance levels." He said sternly, standing from the bed, all the joking leaving his voice and his posture. "I assume that's everything you need doctor." And he left sick bay, holding on to his shirt, and as the doors closed Touc heard him say to some poor NCO "What you've never seen an office shirtless before? Take a pict, it'd last longe..." And the doors slid shut.
"Well congratulations, you blew that one Touc."
"Pardon?" Said the nurse, just entering the sickbay through the doors at the other end of the room.
"Nothing Marria." Ellie said across the room, before sighing "Nothing again."

[Hatter3127]

Gallant

"Aproaching standard orbit of Kenfurry Sir." Ensign Hatter reported in, momements after dropping out of warp. Another bog standard mission for the fleet.
Tom realised that this is what ordinary life with in the Star Fleet must be like, but to be honest, after 3 years of high action service, running highly classified ops on a regualar basis, picking up a contingent of medical crew to transfer them to a star base half a par sec away wasn't his idea of "big fun".
"Captain, I'm picking up alot of disturbance in the upper atmosphere. Dust particles and clouds made up of heavy metals all over the northern hemishere. Looks like it's triggering an Ion storm. Beaming is going to be out of the Question." Lt. Glazowska said from the opperations console to the rear of the command seat.
Sturdivant looked to his left before his XO spoke, pressed a button on his console and spoke.
=^=Dr Latham and security detachment 3 report to shuttlebay.=^= And with out even a word the CO's orders were being carried out to retrieve the medical team by shuttle, as if by telepathy, although such methods were banned for the issue of direct orders. A fluid, function method. The sign of a crew working together as a well oiled machine. "Ensign Hatter, you're with me."
Tom nearly missed the order, busying him self with the elusive business of maintaining the perfect standard orbit. A task man had only been trying to perfect and trim since 1959. It was all about angles and mass, speed and rate of fall. Either way he'd be almost at what he considered a break through, for about the 100th time in his life, when the order was issued.

"You're going to pilot the shuttle for me Ensign." Commander Blorin said, rising from his chair heading toward the turbolift. "That's unless you're too busy here of course?"
"No Sir." Hatter replied and made his way quickly from his chair to the door being held open by the ships XO.
"That's what I thought."

In the shuttle bay Hatter busied him self with the work of preping a shuttle for launch. All round hull integrity checks, life support checks, navigational checks, engine checks, each with their own list of systems attached. An average final year cadet could complete the checks with in an hour. A good pilot, 20 minutes, and the elite pilots of the fleet could have the complete with in 10 minutes.
"Green lights all across the board sir. We're good to go." And Tom stoped a stop watch on the console. 7.593 seconds. Not exactly combat speed, but still not too shabby.
"Take her out Mr Hatter."
"Yes sir." Tom answered with gusto. =^=Intrepid, this is shuttle Gallant requesting depature clearance.=^=
=Gallant, you are cleared for departure, launch controls set to manual as requested. Have a nice trip guys.=^= Replied the Cheif of the Watch of Intrepids single shuttlebay. 
"You look tence Doctor." Ensign Hatter said with out looking back into the crew compartment, concerntrating on manovering Gallant out the narrow shuttle bay opening by eye sight, and touch.
"I'm not tence." She replied back tersely.
"Yes you are. I can tell."
"I assume you've done this before?"
"Piloted a shuttle into an atmosphere? Sure. Hundreds of times. It's just like falling. You've just gotta remember to forget to hit the ground."
"That doesn't fill me with confidence Ensign. Besides, you know exactly what I mean?"
"You mean enter an atmosphere that's highly charged with an incoming Ion storm?"
"Yes. That"

"Sure."
"Sure?"
"Yeah, sure. About 3 or 4 times I guess. Never flown through a cloud of dence heavy metalic dust."
"And is that going to be a problem Ensign?" The XO interupted, who was sat in the 2nd pilots chair to his left.
"Dunno. Shouldn't think so." Tom turned his chair round look at his passenegers, including, Dr Touc, who was now trying to hide the fact the she was gripping her chair for dear life. "What's the worst that can happen right?" He added with a broad grin, and turned his chair back to his console, and annouced "Hold on to ya hats people, we're goin in."

[Hatter3127]

Down

=^=Hatter to intrepid. Lost both engine, and main power. Handling is down to 25% normal. We are going down, repeat we are going. Oh sh...=^= And the transmtion ended as the com line closed "Grab on to something pople, we are sooooo going down, and it's going to be rough! Tom held on to the control desk infront of him desperately trying to keep control and make the "landing" as smooth as possible, either way it wasn't going to be pretty.

[Hatter3127]

And Out

"Alright genious, what now?" CMO Latham asked.
"You're asking me?" Ensign Thomas Hatter asked, taking the emergency kit out of the shuttle craft.
"Yes I'm asking you." Touc stated, becoming more iratable.
"Well you're the senior officer I'm just some 'dumb @ss who can't fly a stupid shuttle right', remember" Tom replied, still a little hurt by her earlier comment, and trying not to sound too please to have something to throw back at her.
"Well then, in that case Ensign, consider this a staff meeting, and I am asking your oppion on what we should do next." Ellinor Latham said, now becoming even more annoyed.
Ensign Hatter sat at the edge of the shuttle, and weighed up their options. "Well we either wait here, and hope in the unlikely event that Intrepid manages to get a shuttle down here, and discovers exactly where we are, and how far off course we are, that we get rescued."
"Or?" The Medical officer asked, refusing to sit down, even thought she was very keen on the idea of staying put. Then she watched the helm officer start walking. Quickly she jogged to catch up with him "Or what?" Ellie demanded?
"What, you've never been on a hike in the woods before? I recon it'll only take us 2 or 3 days to get to the settlement. 5 tops. Call it camping out!"
Dr. Touc stopped in her tracks, before realsing the young ensign wasn't going to stop. She jogged to catc up. "I hate hikes. And I hate camping out."
"Oh good. You're one of 'those' ones..."
"And what the hell does that mean?"
"Nothing Lt. Come on, we need to make some decent ground before it gets too dark to see..." And Tom smiled, hearing the CMO pause and then jog to catch up again.

[Hatter3127]

Sorry not posted anything here for a while. Work has been kickin my butt and creative juices been running low, with just enough to rp on redemption. Current sit-rep = Very tired, but feeling very creative... Which has now become my facebook status.

Tough Mudder.

Ensign Hatter walked into the colonies ops center looking little de-shelved, but not less triumphant.
"Are you the only survivor of the shuttle crash Ensign?" The star commander of the operations center.
Tom didn't say a word, but instead raised the index finger on his left hand, and half turned towards the door he had entered through expectantly.
Moments later entered Touc, covered from bottom of her boots to her shoulders in mud, looking 100 times worse off than the previously entered Hatter.
Tom waited till the CMO dropped her bags and visibly slumped before walked off the deck.
"Commander, what..." Started the outpost CO, before he was cut off by a stern, and exhausted look from the medic.
"Don't. Even. Ask." She snarled. "Now somebody get me a coffee and point me towards the showers before I forget my oath to do no harm," She raised her voice craned her head slightly to the left and forward in the direction Ensign Hatter had head "AND DO SOME SERIOUS HARM TO A CERTAIN PILOT!"

[Hatter3127]

Crash!

The bridge of USS Intrepid shook as she dropped out of warp. Nothing major, but just enough that a good helm officer would note it. Nothing more than a simple field miss-alignment. Tom set about making the adjustments in due course. Nothing really major and the ship would fly just fine with out it, but as chief helms man, Intrepid was his baby, more so, he felt, than that of the CO or any of the engineering staff, including the chief of the department, and getting the ship flying "just so" was his daily task. An unending task, as something would change every day to just touch something out of alignment.
Tom had spoke with other CHO's in the past, and many had professed to such a task. It was, so it was said in the right circles, their blessing to have such a feel for things and their curse to strive for perfection.... Regularly on his of duty Hatter could tell what speed they were doing, the environs, such as being at warp, cruising at impulse, or orbiting a planet, and, of late, even which of the 3 crew members in his team was at the helm.
In fact on one occasion, he remember with a smile, he could tell when chief N'kie had taken the ship into....

Hatter would shaken from his task and his remembering by another shake. This time bigger. An impact. He quickly glanced across his console. 37.6 seconds since they dropped out of warp, they should be coming up on a small M Class moon orbiting a J class planet at half impulse speed, but instead something had hit the deflector shield, but looking at his forward scanners that wouldn't last, as more objects were in the area, particularly as they got closer to the colony... "All hands, brace for impact." Ensign Hatter announced across a ship wide channel, as he saw further impact with larger impacts was completely unavoidable...

[Hatter3127]

"Crap crap crap crap, crap." Ensign Hatter muttered as he manoeuvred the 15 deck, 342 and a half meter long ship through the debris.
"Problem Mister Hatter?" Captain Sturdivant asked from the command chair sitting forward slightly.
"Nothing I can't handle sir." Tom replied leaning in as the ship made a sharp tilt to the left, the inertial dampeners struggling to keep up the manoeuvre.
"Well if you could keep my ship in one piece I'd appreciate it." The Captain suggested to the younger Ensign.
"I'm working on it sir. She's a big girl Captain."
"Keep at it Ensign."
Tom struggled with the helm controls as the lumps of rock closer to the moon got gradually bigger and more densely packed, all clustered around the largest of the rocks, each of the smaller exerting their own gravitational forces and stresses up on the ship.
"What the hell... Tom check our location"
"Aye sir. We're exactly where we're supposed to be sir. That in front of us sir, is Oswestry Colony...

[Hatter3127]

Reporting in.

"... And there's not a trace of anything in the area?"
"No sir." Replied Ensign Hatter to view screen. Sat around the table in the conference room was the Captain at the head the opposite side to screen, Doctor Latham, the operations chief, who's name escaped Tom, and recently appointed XO, Lt. Commander Williams. All were there for a briefing with Fleet Admiral Bosh, the regional CO.
"No traces of a warp signature, no sign of borg transwarp, no chronotons, no EM signatures of any sign sir. It's almost as if..." Tom paused in his brief, sensing the next words might seems stupid.
"Go Ensign." The Admiral urged, his dark features betraying some kindness, tainted with a heavy dose of concern.
"As if the moon just fell apart Admiral."
"And there was no sign of this being a natural disaster Captain?"
Captain Studivant straightened up in his chair and leaned forward on to the glass desk. "Non what so ever Admiral. Like Tom said, it's as if it just fell apart. I'm sending a fu..."
=^=Captain, there's a ship just dropped out of warp. Cardassian. Gallor Class.=^= The CO was interrupted by the voice of the Duty Officer, sat in the command chair on the bridge next door.
=^=We're on way Lt.=^=
The senior staff all stood from their staff and hurried towards the exit, onto the bridge.
"They've scanned the debris field and it looks like they've sheilds and armed their weapons." The Lt said rising from the command chair as Hatter and the senior staff took their places.
"Understood Lt. Open a channel and hail them. Let's see what they're after..."

[Hatter3127]

Warrant.

=^=This is Gul N'rek of the Rative, representing the Cardassian Central Command, whom am I talking to?=^=
=^=This Captain Studivant, of the Federation Starship Intrepid. You're a long way from Gul N'rek.=^=
=^=As are you, Captain.=^= The Cardassian commander virtually spat the last word out, and Ensign Hatters eyes narrowed at the Gul.
=^=That's true enough. What business do you have in the Federation today Gul N'rek?=^= Davin attempted his best to keep his tone light and informal as he could, even shuffling on his chair to lean his weight on his right hand side.
=^=Well Captain, if you must know we are on a mission to collect a fugitive, who has committed atrocities against the Cardassian people during the occupation by the Dominion. I'll send you over a copy of the warrant for the arrest and extradition. You'll note it has been approved by the Federation council and Star Fleet Command Captain.=^= N'rek nodded to somebody off screen, and the data file was sent across the channel.
Studivant looked down across to ops, who nodded and send the file to the command chair. Ensign Hatter this time visibly tensed up.
=^=Hmmmmm He began reviewing the record "Everything seems to be in order. As you can see, we're having a little bit of an incident here Gul N'rek, with regards to an attack on the collony you came here to find. Being as we're now at peace why don't you disarm your weapons systems Gul and I'll contact my chain of command to ask further instructions. We don't want any more.... Incidents here today.=^=
=^=Agreed, Captain. We will also conduct our own investigation into this attack. However if we find this is a Federation trick to hide a convict then the Central Command will demand reparations for your actions, Captain. You have one hour. N'rek out=^=

And the screen returned to view the debris field.
"Lt. Devy, get Admiral Bosh back on the Line.
Tom span round in his chair to face his CO. "I don't trust them sir. Not for one minute."
"I know Tom."
"I'm sorry Captain, but a warrant for arrest? They've already decided who ever it is they want is guilty.
"What can I do, the papers are all in order and appear authentic."
"You know what they do to no Cardassians on trial sir."
"That's enough Tom."
"It'll be a god-damned white wash Davin."
"Stand down Ensign." Studivant tried to interject.
"And as for occupation by the Dominion, what a load of crap! Were they under the heal when the killed...
"THAT'S ENOUGH ENSIGN HATTER." The Captain shouted, rising from his command chair, silencing not only Ens. Hatter, but the whole bridge besides the ever present noises from the computer consoles. "Ensign Hatter, you are here by relieved of duty until I have time to deal with you. Now get the hell off my bridge. Dismissed!"

With out another word Tom Stood from his chair walked pass the CO and made his way to the turbo lift at the rear of the deck.

[Hatter3127]

The Bay.

"They said I'd find you here Ensign." Captain Studivant announced loudly from the door of the holodeck. He looked about as he casually walked up the green pasture hill, towards the wooden bench that Ensign Thomas Hatter was sat on, feeling the warm single sun on his cheeks and the sea breeze drifting up his nose. "You know, when they said I'd find you on the holodeck, I didn't expect to find you here."
"Hmm." Said Tom non comitedly, taking a pull on his large Latte.
"I always expected your time on the holodeck more... I don't know.. Exciting? Adventurous maybe?"
"Sorry to disappoint you sir." Hatter said, feeling a little frustrated by this intrusion into his off duty time.
"I've been reading through your record Tom." Davin said looking over to his Chief Helm Officer, who intern continued to look out over San Francisco Bay, out towards the Golden Gate bridge, and Fleet HQ. "I didn't realise you'd spent 6 months in a Cardassian holding cell during the war. I'm so sorry."
"It was a long time ago sir." And he said quietly into his drink "A lifetime ago now..."
"Hmmm indeed... I don't get it though."
"Pardon me sir?
"Cut with the BS Ensign. Your record has massive holes in it."
"Yes sir."
" 'Yes sir' " Studivant half mocked his subordinate "You're a God Damned certified hero Tom. Christopher Pike Medal of Valor, Karagite Order of Heroism, Legion of Honor, Federation Citation of Honor, Cardassian Legate's Crest of Valor. Hell you even got awarded the Klingon Star of Kahless!
"Yes sir."
"What I don't understand is you were awarded all of these while on what your record calls "medical leave". There's no record of you even moving out of the medical facility they took you to after the got you off Cardassia for about 5 years, until one day you turn up, in a different quadrant doing a 'supply run' in a heavily damaged ship that you had to be rescued from by USS Carpenter."
"That information is classifed, Sir. And the ship was called The Lost Profit sir. They've mothballed her for now." Tom took another long pull on his coffee "Good ship."
"Not for another 2 years after that they didn't Ensign. See I carried on reading. There's plenty of activity, but no official assignments. Just a trail of chaos that you managed to sow across your life.... And that's what I don't get. They don't just let you fly round in a ship with no orders, nobody to report into, no mission. It just isn't done. It's almost as if you were... Cut loose."
"Yes sir."
"You were busted right down to Ensign, and from what I understand you're lucky not to be in some cell somewhere, let alone have your commission in tact. Kidnapping a single member of the of royal family of Mariana Two is enough to get you executed, let alone the Heir to the throne. AND her mother too!"
Tom grinned as he remember Princess Violet-Rose. Now that was an adventure, trying to out run their royal naval fleet, and then allowing him self to get caught sat on a throne next to the Princess in the royal palace.
3 hours after their wedding.
"We needed a legitimate witness sir."
"So I gather Ensign. Or should I said, you're Highness, Royal Consort to the Throne of Mariana Two?"
Hatter tried to hide the smile behind his coffee cup, but had to admit that his current CO was good.
"Tom, you're a cowboy. But you're a damned hero too...
"Permission to speak freely sir?" Ens. Hatter asked, looking at Captain Studivant for the first time since his CO had arrived on the holodeck. Davin nodded assent. "If this is gonna be one of those 'Straighten up and fly right' speeches, then stow it. Sir.
"I've heard them a thousand times before Captain, and with all due respect, people much higher up in the fleet than you sir. And I'll tell you what I told them, sir. Save your breath. You wanna kick me out of the fleet, then kick me out. I can find you about a million excuses, but till you can make one stick, then I'd suggest you tread carefully around me sir.
"I'm dangerous, and there's about a million people who'd like to see me dead, or disappeared, and the only reason I'm still around is that I know too much. Now unless there's anything else Captain I intend to return to my quarters until you restore me to active duty... Sir." And with that Ensign Hatter stood up, and walked towards the door, leaving his cold coffee cup on the wooden bench sat next to Captain Davin Studivant

[Hatter3127]

2.1 - Well earned break?

Ensign Hatter sat relaxing on the cream padded wooden lounger on one of the complex's many private balconies, over looking a stretch of jungle which seemed to end directly on the sure of the calm azure ocean. During the high season the other 2 beds on the balcony would have also been filled, but Tom had arrived the week after the end of the wet season, and the resort was relatively empty.
"I see you." Hatter said with out even looking up from the Padd he was reading. "I saw you yesterday too. By the bar. You didn't think I saw you, but I did, sipping that tall glass of water with that slice fruit in it."
Tom reached over to pick the glass of some dark, toffee coloured liqueur, and took a small sip of the drink "In fact I saw you coming before you were even born."
"You don't even know how right you are sir." The disembodied voice behind him said.
"Sir? Hmmm, I see. Well that was a little unexpected. That means you were sent." Hatter quickly span around on the bed, swinging his legs of the bed taking a quick glance the figure before continuing. [color:2a08= #0000ff]"So, who was it? The Admiralty need another favour? No, not the Admiralty. Who else then? Fleet intel? You're too pretty to working for fleet intelligence for very long, and they'd never send a newbie out this far. That leaves a few options. Well it wont be the Section. Or it shouldn't be after the last time, with means either some one side of the fleet all together, or... Hatter took a long look at the person in the door frame. Somebody new...
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that sir."
"No, of course you can't. Let's see, Human, or at least humanoid, female, blonde, 6 foot tall, aproximately my age, slightly tanned, looks like you are quite fit, but from your posture not by choice more by profession. Somebody who knows my type that's for sure." She threw the Padd in her hand neatly into Ensign Hatters lap. "Good aim too? What's this anyway?"
"Orders. Sir."
"Well, unless you hadn't noticed, I am on vacation. The only orders involving me on vacation are drinks orders." And Tom swung his legs back up onto the lounger, placing the Padd down on the table and picking up his drink. "Large drinks at that
"Yes. We know."
"In fact come to think about it...
"How did we find you?" The lady, took a seat on the edge of the lounger to the left of Ensign Hatter "We've always known how you were going to get here. Although you didn't make it easy. Dropped off by your ship at star base 17, hired a shuttle to Yakovs reach, where you then ditched it, hitched a lift on a frieghter under an assumed name, then commercial transport here. Which you have yet to pay for... Or for that matter tell the captain you were even on board the ship. By the way, does Admiral Holmes know you're secretly his daughter?"
Tom took a long draw on his drink before answering "Not as such. I did meet his niece though."
The tall, leggy blonde stood up again and made towards the exit to the balcony. "We know. She sends her regards by the way. See you at Oh Six Hundred sir."
"Ohhh I like her." Tom said quietly to him self before hearing a distant voice shout.
"We thought you might Lieutenant Hatter."

[Hatter3127]

2.2 - Up that hill.

"...And... We.. Couldn't have just... Transported here?" Ensign Hatter asked, panting, as they climbed up the mountain overlooking the resort complex.
"Oh, come on now, where'd be the fun in that?" Shouted the blonde from above him.
"Oh yeah. Right. The fun." Tom hears a bit of scree slip and fall down towards the mountain base below him, and resists the urge to look down towards the impending death that the ground presents. "How could I forget that feeling."
"Listen Hatter, you didn't have to come." Ms Deluka said, helping to haul Hatter onto a plateau, before taking a drink from her silver and black lined decanter.
"A strange, good looking woman comes up and offers the chance of fortune and glory, laced with traces of near death, and totally physically exhausting exercise. How could I refuse." Deluka grinned across at her male companion. "Besides, what man doesn't like to proved to him how out of shape he is.
Hatter looked over the precipice, viewing the dense jungle surrounding the complex he had spent the previous 10 days, some 5 kilometres away, not to mention the 600 foot of rock down.
"Tell me something truthful then."
"Like what?"
"Oh I dunno. I mean you seem to know everything about me, down to my shoe size, and the college I attended."
"Size 9, and you didn't" She said smugly.
"See. Exactly. And here I don't even know your first name or anything."
"And what is it you think you want to know?" And she took another long draw on her flask. "If I told you I wasn't exactly how sure how old I am any more, or that my planet is nothing but a lost, war torn rock. What if I told you I lost all my family along time ago? How about that mister Hatter? What has that achieved you? It hasn't gotten us to our goal. Hasn't gotten us any further up this mountain. Break over."
And quickly Deluka stood up and started to climb again. After she was about 3 up she shouted down "Becci. My name is Becci."
"Right you are Becci. I do hope the have a med station somewhere near the top." Ensign Hatter muttered to him self.
"They don't." She shouted down.
How they hell does she keep doing that..."
"I'll tell you when you're older!"

[Hatter3127]

2.3 - Secrets inside

"Ahhhh we're here." Becci Deluka announced delighted.
"And here is?" Tom asked out of breath.
"Our destination."
"Well duh!" Hatter muttered under his breath, as the younger blonde climbed down into the cave, which was surprisingly well lit. He followed her down before she announced it was time to stop, handing him a tricorder. "And this is for?"
Becci kicked a stone forward a little which little up a green / purple sheild. "Borg-Andromedan hybrid shielld technology. It wont just shock you if you touch it, but rather disintegrate you."
"Toasty." Tom muttered again, stepping closer, looking for an imitator array.
"Exactly." Becci watched the older man looking around and looking at his tricorder "You won't find it on there."
"And how do you know what I am looking for." He replied spinning around "never mind. Forget I asked. Andromedan you say. I thought they were just a myth. I read something about them from the original Enterprise log files."
"I'm sorry I'm not allowed to talk about that. You need to enter your security clearance on that and press send. The shield should descend."
Hatter did as he was asked and before him the shield wall deactivated neatly. ""Well what'd ya know..."
"Come on, let's go in."

*******

500 yards further into the cave, after a brief period of darkness, the pair enter an opened out cave, full of crates, each branded with an odd looking variant of the Starfleet symbol.
"Don't touch ANYTHING!"
"Yeah yeah." Hatter said wandering around the cave storage facility, and touching the boxes saying. "Touching, touching. Oh look my fingers slipped. Oh hello, what are you..." Tom announced. In front of him, at a well dead end in the system, there was a stack of crates up to table hight, with a PADD on the top.
He wandered over casually, looking behind him for his companion who was desperately searching through a footlocker, which appeared to contain a collection of clothing items, of all shapes, sizes, types, and varieties. Satisfied Deluka was busy, Ens. Hatter walked up to the PADD collecting it up in his hand.
Blowing off a layer of dust, Toms thumb grazed the touch pad, and the screen came to life.

FAO: Captain Thomas Hatter, USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-E
EYES ONLY

"What ya found there."
Tom spun around quickly, deftly keeping his hand behind his back, to present him self face on in an 'at ease' stance, to a closer than expected Becci Deluka. "Nothing. Just looking around."
Becci paused a minute, raised an eye brow and a curious, but knowing smile "Oh good, cos I told you not to touch."
"I wouldn't even know what to look for..." He said, slipping the Padd into his rear pocket, watching Deluka step slowly forward like an animal stalking it's prey "Besides, what is there to touch? Looks like all you found in that one was pretty dresses..."
"Oh I can think of something...." Becci now close enough to whisper.
"I don't know what you..."
"Shut up Lieutenant." and she kissed Ens. Hatter squarely, passionately on the mouth.



Behind her, 3 crates, each with a red flashing transponder, disappeared in an ice-white transport field.

[Hatter3127]

2.4 - Troubles

"I mean what the hell do you think you were playing at?" Captain Studivant yelled across the briefing room.
"Well,"
"We received your request for leave, 5 hours ago, from a Lt. Deluka. An assumed alias of yours?"
"Not exactly sir."
"Not exactly sir. And what is that supposed to mean?" Hatter went to open his mouth to answer "You know what Tom, I don't even wanna hear it. You've been AWOL for nearly a month. A month."
"Sorry sir."
"You disobey orders at will."
"Sometimes." Hatter muttered, which produced a stifled chuckle from Lt. Latham.
"You are insubordinate Mr Hatter." Cpt. Studivant accused loudly. "I'm afraid you've really left me with no option this time to report your conduct to Star Fleet Head Quarters." The CO said, and standing, holding a Padd, and concluded "To Captain Studivant, Commanding Officer USS Intrepid, with regards to you're latest reports regarding Ensign Thomas Hatter, Chief Helms Officer, USS Intrepid. It was at this point Davin chose to take in a deep breath and pause, while slowly walking around the table towards its foot, where Tom stood ram rod straight to attention "We are inclined to agree with your recommendation for this officer, and hence forth approve the promotion request to the rank full Lieutenant, with all the rights and privileges that go with it. I'm sure he will make you a fine senior officer, warmest regards Admiral Holmes, 4th Fleet.
Anything to say to that, Lt. Hatter."
"Errr.... Thanks, I guess."
"I guess. Tom you are a damn fine pilot, and one of the finest officers I have ever had the miss fortune to serve with. Congratulations Lt."

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