From: neale@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Neale Davidson)
Subject: STTUQ 10/15
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 21:46:29 GMT

 
  - STAR TREK      ---------------------------------------------------
  - THE UNFAIR QUO ---------------------------------------------------
 
  Part Ten of Fifteen
 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
  CHAPTER TEN
 
        The fact the Saavik had, for that night, decided to
  accompany Riley would have been more appealing if Riley's mind
  hadn't been so pressed on Grissom's case.
        The two were in his apartment now, studying over records
  and reports about Grissom from over the past six years. Riley
  was determined to find something, anything, that could give
  clues.
        Saavik watched him with a sense of wonder. Riley was,
  perhaps even more that she, comprised of two distinct sides.
  Sometimes Riley was the soft and caring companion she had been
  seeking, and at other times he was he stern and determined
  Captain she respected.
        He was almost two different people, and she decided that
  she was in love with them both. "Thomas," she began, looking
  through her makeshift terminal's records, "You have been
  looking over her files for over three hours. You do need some
  rest at some point."
        "Not now," he replied, turning to her. "One of my crew's
  been attacked, and I want the bastard that did it."
        "I understand," she offered. "I am concerned about you,
  and your sudden shift in behavior. I appreciate that it is
  largely an emotional concern."
        Riley lightly bit his lower lip, reaching out for her
  hand. "If it is a Star Fleet officer, he's going to be gone
  as soon as his ship is ready to disembark. I've got to get
  through this bureaucratic mess to get some answers."
        Saavik gently accepted the offered hand. "Personell files
  of the EXCELSIOR?" she quizzed when she looked over his
  shoulder into his monitor.
        "Yeah," Riley explained. "It was her last assignment
  before the ENTEPRISE. Sulu's ship is in drydock, so her crew is
  planetside along with us." Riley tumbled through record after
  record, looking for descrepancies or conduct reprimands.
        "If you don't find anything there?" Saavik asked
  curiously. "Where will you look?"
        "Then I will look through the ACUTIS's files," he said,
  suddenly taken by realization. "Grissom got defensive last time
  I brought up the ACUTIS with her," he trailed.
        "Defensive?" Saavik asked with her trademark raised 
  eyebrow. "When did you bring it up with her?"
        "When I was looking for Romulan spies," Riley answered 
  cooly. "She had abruptly transferred from ACUTIS to EXCELSIOR 
  for no apparant reason. When I asked about it, she tensed up in 
  a major way."
        "Someone on the ACUTIS then?" Saavik pondered, punching 
  up the data on her own terminal. "Some of higher rank than she, 
  then?"
        "Everyone was higher rank than she was," Riley reminded 
  her. "But it was someone in charge of her, I'd imagine. Someone 
  she was too afraid to report or fight back."
        "Apparantly," Saavik commented as the new data flooded 
  her screen, "she wasn't the only one. There have been six 
  abrupt personnel transferrs from the ACUTIS in the past seven 
  years. No explanation was given, though they were all approved. 
  All six of the cases involved human females with an ensign 
  rank," she explained. "Of them, three of which are still in 
  service. Lieutenant Kala Marshall aboard the CUTLASS,
  Lieutenant Janis Oyoto aboard the BEHEMOTH, and Lieutenant 
  Commander Tierra Washington of Star Fleet Command."
        Riley cracked a small grin, he had gotten what he wanted. 
  "What of the other three? Where are they now?"
        "Former Ensign Lea Thomas has retired and is living in 
  Bonn, Germany. Former Lieutenant Mary Quix is living in Mexico 
  City. Former Ensign Uteo Jasala was killed in a shuttlecraft 
  accident two years ago," Saavik answered flatly.
        "Get their detailed adresses and hand them to me," Riley 
  ordered. "I'll talk to them about their experience," he 
  explained. "I need you to talk to Paula when she's ready."
        "I understand, sir," Saavik countered as Riley sipped on 
  his Mister Pibb that Tago had so politely brought him a few 
  moments before.
        Riley raised Saavik's capture hand to his lips and gently 
  kissed it. "Thanks for putting up with me during this, Saavik. 
  I know I should be spending more time with you instead."
        "No you shouldn't," Saavik countered. "You are showing 
  your repsonsibility as captain of the ENTERPRISE. I cannot 
  fault you for that."
        And for the seventh time that day, Riley seemed to have 
  run out of words. He quietly took the list that had been 
  printed out, and headed for the door.
 
        She slept, knowing of the world around her but helpless 
  to take part in it. Her body lay still, unmoving, unwilling to 
  move. There is nothing but pain in the world, she told herself, 
  it is better to retreat to within.
        But she was cared for in the world, by one completely 
  alien to her. She could see him off the side of her bed, his 
  injured rocky skin covered by makeshift patches. He was in 
  pain, yet he made his way to see her.
        How could she know, he thought to himself, just how much 
  I want to hold her. Could she know how much I curse the fact 
  that I don't have hands to hold hers, eyes to meet hers, or 
  even lips to kiss hers.
        And she still looked at him, for once finally 
  comprehendinng his feelings for her all this time. She had 
  attached to him because she thought him harmless. They had 
  served together for six years on three starships, and had been 
  through battles and peace and had struggled through it all.
        They had always been together, she realized during these 
  moments. He had been closer to me than anyone in the worlds. 
  How could I have been so blind, Gahrut? she asked, though her 
  lips refused to say the words.
        But her hand moved, slowly over to the Horta's injured 
  body. Carefully, she carressed his hide. This mismatched pair 
  had been through so much, and there still would be so much to 
  go through. He would help her through this suffering. She could 
  tell him, if only she could speak.
 

-- 

"Our crew's living quarters have left the ship."
			- Secundam Yto aboard the IRON CLAW II
Neale Davidson, another writer wanna-be. neale@mentor.cc.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative