Key on the lock

Posted on 16 Feb 2023 @ 9:48pm by Lieutenant JG Ron Bumble & Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari

Mission: Through the looking glass
Location: Science department
Timeline: After "coming in hot"
942 words - 1.9 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Ron had changed out of his AU civilian wear back to his uniform. Boy did he feel a lot better. The "other him" had been put under a security guard and allowed into the science department. And he had no clue what had happened the AU Natasha.

He knew one thing, he couldn't wait to get back to "his Natasha"

"Sir," he stood to attention as he walked in, the other him behind him looking round as if he had never seen anything like their labs in the universe. The security guard just looked bored. He had of course got egg head duty.

"I assume you have had chance to get your head round some of this?"

"Some," the Trill acknowledged quietly, "but some requires expertise that I don't possess."

"You are a .... Trill?" the other Ron said. "In my ..... erm here. You're hunted. Lesser species. Like us, humans. Unless your useful. Trills are exotic though ... they like the spots. Ive never seen a Trill scientist."

"Unjoined but yes I'm a Trill, and not much of a scientist I guess." Aidan smiled wryly. "I sort of rolled into this position but I'm a linguist by training. Why are we a lesser species? I get the spots part..." Another wry though now somewhat uncomfortable smile. "In my universe, they're considering exotic too... Asking how far they go seems to be an ongoing theme..." Another pause. "Are there no Trill scientists here? Surely there's those who study and care for the symbionts?"

“Perhaps on the conquered home world,” Au Ron said. “Where is Natasha,” he demanded.

“Safe as you demanded,” their Ron said. “The deal was we brought her too, you help us. Sir he’s the expertise we don’t possess.”

“I demand to see her,” the other Ron stood rigid.

Their Ron sighed, wondering what the rules were in assaulting your mirror. “The Captain and the security chief will need to sign off on that,” he stated with as much patience as he could muster. “I’m sure helping us crack this will help immensely with your request.”

“And if I refuse?” He demanded.

Ron looked at Lieutenant Datari and opened his mouth but was beat by the security guard,

“Then my orders are to return you to a cell and you will not get to see her.”

Both Ron’s looked at the guard and seemed to realise how big he was at the same moment.

“Well then,” the other Ron said after a moment. “You didn’t have the inter dimensional math right. I can see you never found the artefacts we did. I mean your premise was close but,” his hands started flying across the console, entering math,” you just needed. To tweak things slightly here … and here….

And you need some red.”

"Red?" Aidan queries as he tries to follow the math being entered. "Red what?"

“The drug, you must have the drug over your side,” he said looking at the as if they had 2 heads.

"Drug..." Aidan looked to Ron, his universe Ron, for help. "Remind me, what drug?"

“I believe it’s green in our universe sir,” Ron said. “It’s mined by the cartels.in the area of space referred to as “the graveyard.”

"Oh that drug." Aidan nodded, "do you know if there is a difference in consistency what causes the difference in colour? Or is it simply because red is the complementary colour of green?" He sighed. "Where are we going to get this red, and what exactly do we need it for?"

Ron was looking through a file search on the substance. He smiled suddenly. "We don't need to. Well if its only a small amount required. It seems sir, that while the away team was away, Commander Fox and Lieutenant Matthews returned back to the Marketplace and had an encounter with .. the Captains double. Who furnished them with a joint of red each. Its in analysis now,"

"What we don't know is how it works with the gate," Ron looked over at his own counterpart.

"You need someone with extra sensory abilities to use it at the time you operate the gate. We do not know why. All we know is the "Red" is from the time of their creation or we speculate it was part of the biology of the creators. To use it grants people with health and wonderful experiences. Any person, but only the extra sensory people can use it. The Emperors species for example, Vulcans, there is whisper the El-aurians may even be able to," he said curiously. "They are so mysterious. Do you have them in your Universe?"

"Our captain is Betazoid, or at least half-Betazoid," Aidan answered, "and we have Vulcans on board too. I'm an empath of sorts myself too.... El-Aurian..." He pauzed to think. "I think we do have one," he finally said, "so we need a Betazoid then?" he shook his head. "The captain probably would but I don't think we should allow himself to expose himself to such risk."

Ron nodded in agreement. "Although he won't like it when you tell him that. I suppose we should go report this to him?"

"I know for sure he won't," Aidan answered seriously, "but he will do it himself regardless of what we tell him. I doubt he will be convinced to have someone of...less importance...do it." He picked up his PADD. "Let's go then."

"Come on," Ron said to his counter part from the AU and the security guard.

OFF:

Lieutenant Ron Bumble
Science Officer
USS Andromeda

AU Ron Bumble
npc Jon Reynolds

LtC Aidan Datari
Chief Science Officer