Star Trek Mystery By: Brad Fore Based on Star Trek� created by Gene Roddenberry Engineer�s Mate�s Personal Log, Stardate 54561.7. Whitney and I had an excellent time last night. We went to a double dinner with Derek and our new counselor in the officer�s lounge. After dinner, we went to the holodeck, and tried out Derek�s new beach program. The sight of Whitney in a swimsuit... Ah well, I can hardly wait till our wedding. I don�t know if I can wait a full six months. She says that her grandparents will be there, and I know my grandparents will be. The wedding will be right here, on the Bozeman, in the Crew Lounge, where I proposed. The Bozeman is enroute to Thaxius IV, to search for a freighter that�s been missing since Stardate 54312. Well, I guess I�ll stop talking and get up to the Bridge to relieve Andy. End of Log Entry. The Bozeman sped along at warp six, it�s destination: Thaxius. Brad Foreman sat at the Conn, with Derek Kestner by his side at Opps. Brad found it hard to concentrate on his console, and often caught himself glancing towards Tactical. He could hardly wait until he and Whitney had their wedding. He knew he wasn�t the one making the planning, that was Whitney�s job, but he knew she had good taste. Captain Bateson broke his train of thought by saying, �All right, Foreman, slow to impulse for Thaxius orbit.� �Aye, sir,� Brad said. He pushed a few prompts on his console, and the Bozeman slowed to full impulse power. �Now reading full impulse, sir.� �Thank you, Mr. Foreman,� Bateson replied. �All right, Derek, I want a full sensor sweep.� Kestner replied, �Aye sir, full sweep.� As the sensors swept the sector, Kestner reported, �Sir, we have detected a life-form of human origin on the planet�s surface.� Bateson rubbed his neatly-trimmed beard and said, �All right. I want an away team to go down there and make contact.� Ms. Gallimore cut in, �Who, sir?� Bateson continued, �I�ll let you go, along with Foreman, Kestner, Counselor Rickman, and Gabe.� All of the assigned officers got up, and left the bridge. As they rounded the corner to the transporter room, Derek asked Brad, �Do you think that they�re from the lost freighter?� Foreman replied, �I guess so, Derek. I mean, Thaxius is uninhabited, and that freighter is the only one reported missing in the sector.� Stepping up on the transporter pad, the away team were handed phasers and tri-corders. Foreman stood beside Whitney, as the transporter engulfed them. The planet was barren. All that was to be found was the wrecked hull of a freighter, and a lot of boulders. The planet�s empty, windy surface lit up in the night as five figures came into focus. Gabe Bush, the Commanding Officer of this away team, ordered, �Scan the area.� Derek Kestner, the scientific specialist, replied, �Aye, sir.� As his tricorder came to life, he reported, �Sir, the life-form is due east.� He pointed in a direction, and continued, �About one hundred kilometers.� Ms. Gallimore asked, �Why did we land so far away from the life-form?� Foreman answered, �Because of the unusual radiation in the upper atmosphere. Our targeting scanners couldn�t precisely locate the exact location.� As the team began walking, the saw the hull of a marooned vessel up ahead. Kestner broke the silence, �The reading is coming from inside that hull.� Bush asked, �How strong is it?� Kestner answered, �If I�d have to guess at his health, I�d say he�s healthy as a horse.� The team continued on, and the man stepped out of the structure as they approached. Bush said, �We are from the United Federation of Planets, we�ve come to rescue you.� The man said, �Oh, good! My name�s Mark, Mark Gregory. I�ve been stranded on this planet for quite sometime now.� Kestner cut in, �Ten point three months to be exact.� As Bush and Mark continued to talk, Foreman noticed that Mark kept eyeing Whitney. He would steal a glance at her while saying something, looking her up and down. He didn�t think too much of this, after all, his fianc� was very beautiful. Bush said, finally, �So, if there�s no further problems, then let�s get you off this barren wasteland as soon as we can.� Mark replied, �That sounds good to me.� Bush tapped his communicator, �Bush to Bozeman, six to beam up.� As the transporter activated, Brad thought, Well, that was easy, almost too easy. Bateson smiled at a joke told by Mark Gregory. The entire Bridge Crew were dining in the Observation Lounge. Bateson said, �That�s nothing. One time, I heard a Ferengi say �I�m all ears�!� Everyone in the Lounge burst out in laughter. Foreman was sitting beside Whitney, holding her hand. Across the table, Kestner and Counselor Rickman were doing the same. Bateson continued, �Mr. Gregory, would you like to call it a night?� Mark replied, �Yes, I would, Captain. I haven�t had this much fun in ages, and I think I�ve had too much for one night!� Bateson got up, and escorted Gregory to his guest quarters. As the rest of the crew got up, Derek said to Brad, �I�m gonna take Ashley to my new holo-program.� Brad smiled and said, �Okay, I�m gonna turn in for the night.� He and Whitney left the Lounge, and went to their quarters. Later that night, as Whitney was getting ready for bed, she heard her door chime ring. She said, �Come in.� The door opened, and Derek Kestner walked in. He said to her, �I was wondering if you could help me with something?� Whitney said, �Sure, what is it?� Derek walked over to her, and said, �I need help with a relationship.� Whitney replied, �Well, what�s the problem?� Derek continued, grabbing Whitney�s arms, �I want to get into one with you.� Whitney said, surprised, �Derek, you know I�m engaged.� Derek said, pulling her toward him, �That doesn�t matter, not anymore.� She tried to struggle, and Derek put his hand over her mouth. She fought him, but he was too strong for her. As he wrestled her to the ground, he said to her, �Who do you really want, me, or that idiot Foreman?� She physically couldn�t answer, because his hand was still tight against her lips, but she fought him furiously. He took his free hand, and put it firmly on her neck. He pressed down, and Whitney saw he vision beginning to blacken out. She was gasping for air, but none came to her. Finally, she slumped onto the floor. The computer, recognizing the unconscious Whitney, said, �Medical Emergency, Deck nine, Lt. Gallimore�s Quarters.� Kestner quickly got up, and ran out the door. Bateson rolled over in bed. He jumped out, and pulled on a set of off-duty clothes. he raced down the hall, to the nearest console. He placed his hand on the sensor, and said, �Computer, state the nature of the emergency.� The computer�s voice replied, �Lieutenant Whitney Gallimore is lying unconscious in her quarters. Security camera footage shows that Lt. Commander Derek Kestner choked her. He then left the room, and his current location is unknown.� Bateson then replied, �Computer, begin a ship-wide functional shutdown, limited to transporters, shuttle bays, engines, and cargo bays. Authorization: Bateson four three alpha gamma.� The computer answered, �All of these systems will shut down until further notice effective in one minute.� Bateson got on the nearby turbolift, and set out for the Bridge. Brad Foreman ran down the corridor towards the Holodeck. He rounded the corner, and stood in front of the doors. He said angrily, �Override lock. Authorization: Foreman two one seven delta beta.� The Holodeck doors slid open, and Brad went running through them. He ran down the sandy beach that was created, down to the shoreline, where he saw Derek Kestner and Ashley Rickman in the water. He splashed in the incoming waves, until he had reached the two. He lashed out against Derek, punching him in the face. Brad hit him again, sending him falling into the water. As Derek got up, Brad said to him, �I�m gonna kill you!� He ran at him, knocking him again into the water. By this time, a security team had found them, and were running down the beach at top speed. Brad was still attacking Derek, who, by that time, was bleeding in a few places. Two security guards grabbed Brad, pulling him off Derek. He fought them, saying, �He tried to kill Whitney, he tried to kill her!!� Two other security guards pulled Derek up out of the water, and one of them said, �You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Lt. Whitney Gallimore.� Derek replied, surprised, �But I was in here with-� The guard cut him off, �You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you in a Federation court of law.� As they handcuffed Derek, Morgan Bateson came running down the beach. He said to Foreman, �How did you know where to find him?� He replied, �He told me earlier he would be here. He just neglected to mention where he was going first.� Brad Foreman stepped into Sick Bay. He glanced around, and saw Whitney lying in a bed in a corner. He walked over to her, and said, �How are you feeling?� She answered, �Besides being a little hoarse, I�m fine.� Brad smiled at her. He then said, �What did Derek do to you?� She replied, �He tried to kiss me, and he kept grabbing me. He wouldn�t stop, and then he choked me.� Brad reached down, and held her hand. He said to her, �Whitney, I�ll make sure that he�s locked up and they throw away the key.� She smiled at him, and said, �I just didn�t think that Derek would do such a thing.� Brad replied, �Me either, but he did. Well, as much as I hate to, I�m needed on the Bridge, and I have to get up there five minutes ago.� Whitney laughed weakly as he turned and left. Derek Kestner sat in front of the Federation Council. He was in a forcefield, mainly for the safety of the Council, but also to prevent any attacks against Derek himself. Brad Foreman was in the witness seat next to the Council. The Head Councilman asked, �Mr. Foreman, where were you in the night of question?� Foreman answered, �Sir, I was in the Observation Lounge, dining with the Bridge crew and the rescued freighter captain. After dinner, I went to my quarters, until I found out that something happened to Whitney.� The Councilman replied, �And then what took place, Mr. Foreman?� Foreman replied, �When I found out who had committed this crime, I ran down to the Holodeck, where Derek said he would be.� �What next, Mr. Foreman?� �I entered the Holodeck, and ran down to where he was. I then began to lash out at him, punching him and kicking him. He had, after all, tried to kill my fianc�.� �That is all, Mr. Foreman.� �Captain Bateson, what is your prospective of this event?� Bateson cleared his throat. �Well, sir, I was in bed, asleep, when I heard the alarm for a security breech. I ran out of my quarters, and to the nearest console. Finding out what had took place, I was flabbergasted. But, it was my duty as a Starship Captain to serve my crew. So, I raced to the bridge, to try and help find the missing Kestner.� �And why couldn�t he be located on the ship?� �He must�ve taken off his communicator, that�s what the computer tracks Personel by.� �Thank you, Captain, that will be all.� �Ms. Gallimore, tell us what the suspect did to you.� Whitney swallowed, and said, �I was getting ready for bed, when my door chime sounded. I said, �come in�, and Derek stepped into my quarters. Seeing my friend, I wasn�t afraid, or even the least bit worried. He asked me if I could help him with a relationship, and I told him yes. Then he put both his hands on my arms, and said, �I would like to be in a relationship with you�. I was a bit surprised, and I said, �Derek, you know I�m engaged to Brad�. He then tightened his grip on me, pulled my face up to his, and said, �that doesn�t matter, not anymore�. I was very frightened, and I began to fight him. He was too strong and forced me down on the floor. He took his hand and put it around my neck. He pressed down hard, and everything was getting dark. The next thing I remember is waking up in the Bozeman�s sickbay.� The Councilman said when she had finished, �Thank you, Ms. Gallimore, you may be excused.� �It is the final judgement of this Council that you, Derek Charles Kestner, be sentenced to thirty years in the Vulcan Penal Rehabilitation Colony. After your thirty year term, you will be dishonorably discharged from Starfleet, and you may never join again. Also, you are to not come within fifty meters of Ms. Gallimore or Mr. Foreman. Effective immediately.� The Council stood, and left the room, as Derek was taken from his seat, and out to the awaiting shuttle. The crew of the Bozeman stood silently, and walked out the doors, with Brad and Whitney holding hands beside each other as they left. Counselor Ashley Rickman sat at her desk in her quarters, reviewing the security tapes of Whitney�s assault. She was reviewing this particular scene, when Lt. Commander Brad Foreman walked in, along with Lt. Whitney Gallimore. The two walked over behind the Counselor�s chair, looking along with her at the sequence being played on the screen. Foreman said, �Hold on, something about that sequence don�t look right.� The three looked at the sequence again, and again, until Whitney spat out, �There!� She pointed to the screen, at a mirror in the background. Foreman leaned over, and tapped a few buttons on the display unit. The image enlarged to the mirror, and Foreman said, �See there? You can see Whitney�s reflection to the right, but who�s reflection is attacking her in the mirror?� Rickman answered, �That�s Gregory! I knew Derek was innocent.� Foreman, turned, saying, �And I owe Derek an apology.� He walked briskly out the door, leaving Ashley and Whitney to follow. Bateson sat back in his chair. �Well I�ll be damned!�, he said, looking again at the image. Foreman said, �Sir, what do we do now?� Bateson looked up at him. �We turn the Bozeman around and overload the engines back to Earth!� Foreman replied, �I�ll be in Engineering, sir, Scotty�s been missing me on those late shifts.� Bateson stood, saying, �All right, Foreman, tell Scotty we�ll need every spare anti-matter charger he�s got, we�re gonna get Mr. Kestner outta there!� �Aye, sir.� Derek Charles Kestner was enroute to Vulcan to serve out his sentence. As he lay in the Brig of this runabout, he thought of who could have done that to Whitney. He didn�t see how the evidence had stacked up against him, when he knew he was with Counselor Rickman the entire night. Counselor Rickman. Another woman he�d probably never see again. Ever since he was introduced to her at the Academy, he had grown to care for this Betazed Lieutenant. As he lay there, he thought of at least two important friendships that would never be again: Brad Foreman�s and Whitney Gallimore�s. He knew that they both thought that he really had tried to kill Whitney. And he knew that Brad would never forgive him, even though he had never done anything. He soon fell asleep, until the guard woke him. The guard said, �Get up, you have a communiqu� from Captain Morgan Bateson of the Bozeman. Derek stood, and went over to the communication console. He said to Bateson�s face, �Yes, sir?� Bateson replied, �Kestner, I want you to order that shuttle to turn around.� Kestner answered, �But, sir, have you forgotten, first of all, I�m under arrest, and secondly, I�m no longer in Starfleet.� Bateson smiled. �That�s where your wrong!� He held up a padd to the screen. Bateson zoomed the focal point up to the padd, and continued, �This is a direct order from the Federation Council granting you a full pardon and reinstatement as a Lt. Commander. And, since the highest ranking officer other than yourself on that runabout is a Lieutenant, then that gives you seniority.� Bateson laughed, and Kestner replied, �Sir, does that mean that-� Bateson answered, �We found out who actually tried to kill Ms. Gallimore. It was Mark Gregory. Turns out he�s a shape-shifter, and he seemed to have a fascination with Ms. Gallimore. Well, Kestner, take control of that runabout and meet me at coordinates seven-two-five-six-mark- twenty.� �Aye, sir!� Brad Foreman sat at the head of the table in the Observation Lounge. He turned when Derek Kestner walked in. Foreman stood, and said, �Derek, I owe you an apology. What I did to you is unforgivable.� Kestner replied, �Brad, I�ve known you since the Academy. We�ve been through a lot together. And if I suspected that you had hurt Ashley, then I�d have done the very same thing you did. Brad, your apology is accepted with some to spare.� Brad reached out, and grasped Derek�s hand in a firm handshake. Kestner said as the two left the lounge, �Hey, how about a dinner date tonight, you, Whitney, me, and Ashley?� Foreman smiled and replied, �Sounds fascinating...� A special thanks to Derek for creating the plot for this story. |
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