Racing Back to the Ship

Posted on Wed Apr 2nd, 2025 @ 4:13am by Captain Kelly O'Connor & Lieutenant Haarris Zim & Lieutenant JG Cara Ross

1,069 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Mission 8 - A Blast from the Past
Location: Shuttle to Shuttle Bay
Timeline: 2296/03/13 1500 hours

It was a long way back to the shuttle but the tied up Romulan did not show any signs of waking up. As the party headed back to the shuttle, the pollen became even thicker, sometimes swirling so much to completely obstruct vision. Occasionally O'Connor coughed, but even so, she would glance over at Zim with a crooked smile. "If that Romulan becomes too much for you to carry, Zim, I can handle her." I could handle you too, she thought deliciously. Stop it, Kelly!

The Assistant Security Chief simply smiled in response to the Captain. He had the Romulan on his shoulder and jogged to the shuttle. The fact was he would be happier once they were aboard the shuttle. There was something about these people, and this place that put the Cappelan on edge. Zim felt that the sooner they would be back on the shuttle, or even better back on the America the better.

"I'm going to guess that there is no signal from America and that there's too much interference still. Can anyone get a signal up to America?" the Captain asked as they continued to run.

"Negative ma'am," Cara chimed in, then let out a mighty sneeze. "Jaysus fecking - er, sorry. This pollen," she shook her head and rubbed her nose, blinking and feeling a blush crawl up her neck. She licked her lips and shrugged apologetically. "Once we get back and I give these readings to the department we should be able to configure scanners to break through any interference, but I'll need the main computer to crunch the numbers."

Why did she feel like she was floating?

"Any sign of when this pollen will stop?" O'Connor asked as she coughed after inhaling some more into lungs. As she did, her cheeks began to pinken. Zim should carry me like that. Oh, yeah.... That would be nice. Suppressing those thoughts, she continued, "I think I see the shuttle ahead!"

"Not a clue, ma'am," Cara replied, almost giddily. She was skipping, but didn't notice. "I dinnae have enough data to properly map that. And I presume you don't want me to stay put to get it," she added cheerfully, before sneezing (again).

"No," O'Connor confirmed. "We have a Romulan prisoner and one that I've waited for a long time after what she did to my crew." O'Connor fought off an urge to punch the Romulan while Zim was running. However, anyone looking at her could see her right hand balled into a fist. "Zim, can you open it remotely or do you have your hands full?"

"Yes, Captain I have the door for you." Zim slung the Romulan over his shoulder and accessed the shuttle's command systems on his tricorder. It took some doing as he typed the commands in while running. But he got it done and the door opened. Zim did not know why but he had to get out of there. He had the urge to get as far away from this planet as he could, and as quickly as he could.

So reliable and polite, O'Connor thought to herself as she favored Zim with a sultry smile. As everyone entered, the shuttle filled with more pollen. "I can fly while you watch her, or you can fly while I watch her. Your choice, Zim."

Zim thought on his feet. If the Captain would leave it up to him, he would not risk the Captain's safety. "I have the prisoner, Captain."

"Alright, then, I've got the helm," O'Connor told Zim with a crooked grin. "I always like taking control and flying the ship." Anyone listening could hear some innuendo there. She coughed as some pollen floated into her throat. After regaining her breath, she said, "Hold on folks, we're flying fast and going home." She turned back to Zim once more and said, "Make certain neither you, or she, get a concussion. I have uses for your heads."

"Aye Captain." Zim said as he pushed the Romulan down into a seat. He wiped some sweat from his brown and turned on his heel his phaser wheeled with him. There was a feeling like there was someone else in the shuttle. Someone that would look to do harm to them all. Seeing no one he trained the phaser back on their prisoner.

O'Connor watched as Zim wheeled on the Romulan woman. She always admired someone that took their security job seriously. It was just, well, sexy, to watch him do this. Best to get the shuttle back as soon as possible. Then, we get back, I can tell Radars he can go back to his dark pit of engineering, and when shift ends, I'll have to see if I can entice Mr. Zim to "protect me" more.

Without warning, O'Connor hit the buttons to make the shuttle take off. It was a jerky takeoff, but it worked nonetheless, as she headed back to America at full impulse.

Nestled into the co-pilot seat, Cara Ross swept her hair back from her head - dislodging a cloud of pollen from the red locks. Her face was flush, her cheeks almost burning red with blush and a matching smile. Drumming her fingers on the top of the tricorder, she found herself flung back into the seat as the Captain took off like a rocket, and giddy laughter filled the cabin as the shuttle rose away from the landing site.

O'Connor turned her head around and saw her Chief Science Officer's face. "Take off too quick for you?"

Still smiling, Ross shook her head no - then nodded her head yes. "A tad ma'am. Was nae prepared. But sooner off, sooner home."

O'Connor answered, "Agreed, but I have a feeling that we will be back all too soon. We still don't know what happened to our crewmates and we're expected to be back at the conclusion of this whatever it was thing to negotiate. Not to mention we're going to have to explain having their Romulan 'ambassador,' with us."

Zim secured the prisoner and then took a seat at an alternate console. He knew that the Captain had the right of it. There would be a lot explaining that would have to be done when they got back. He was glad that he did not have to be the one to make the explanations.

 

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