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"Looking for Something"
[previous post was "Shadowhunting" by the frustrated Jayson]
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck A-4, Intel Gathering Center
Stardate: 31199.2040

The large circular room had been designed by Admiral Koniki himself to be the apex of efficiency, at least that had been the official story before the ExO / ILO had enlisted the help of the ship's CEO and Avatar to bring in some upgrades.  Thanks to these subtle modifications Shar'El could now keep an eye on every sector surrounding the ship for several light years in all direction as well as monitor with great ease every square centimeter of the ship.  From behind the secured doors of the IGC there had been little that escaped the scrutiny of the Intelligence Liaison Operative.

"Lieutenant Paquette is reporting in," one of the IGC technicians announced. "Work on power conduit C-124 has been completed."

"She's good," the ExO / ILO admitted with a beaming smile, the CEO having proven the extent of her skills to perfection. "Initiate site-to-site transport to her next stated objective," Shar'El ordered. Using the IGC's internal sensors insured that Sonja's every move were followed and that she would not waste a single second going from one location to the next. Using the sensors and transporter in this manner gave the rest of the crew the impression that their Chief Engineer had super-human skills, a perception that the First Officer had no intention of dispelling anytime soon.  After all, any transport initiated from the IGC were not recorded on the official ship's log so there had been no way for the general crew to know how the CEO had been moving about so quickly from one section to another.

"Receiving a communication from the BASTET," another IGC technician reported. "It's Lt. Cmdr. Janeel."

"Transfer to my station," the ExO / ILO ordered curious as to what might have prompted her ILO counterpart to contact the ANUBIS this way.  "What can I do for you Janeel?"

=/\= Need you help with something. =/\= the BASTET's ILO / Mission Specialist said hesitantly. =/\= Are your sensors operational? =/\=

Out of sheer habit Shar'El glanced down at the IGC's system status readout and confirmed that although the sensors had not been working at 100% they had been well above the standards set by Starfleet.

"Sensors are working and we are keeping an eye on those miniature mines," the ExO / ILO reported.  "Looks like we managed to stop them for good, at least in our immediate area."

=/\= Can you scan the inside of the BASTET? =/\= Janeel asked, the bluntness of the question having taking Shar'El somewhat off guard.

"Yes," the ExO / ILO replied cautiously, "what's going on?"

=/\= Are you picking up anything weird? =/\=

"Aside from your request?" Shar'El shot back not having expected to have another ILO be so vague, especially when dealing with a fellow member of SFI.

=/\= Sorry, =/\= Janeel sighed. =/\= It may be the stress, maybe the oxygen scrubbers are not working as they should, but I saw something that was not normal. So either I am losing my mind or there is *something* onboard with us. =/\=

"Something?" the ExO / ILO repeated with emphasis.

=/\= Shadows moving in a way that is... not natural, =/\= the BASTET's ILO explained, the tone of her voice making is evident that she had begun to question her own sanity.

"Station 5, initiate a full sensor sweep of the BASTET. I want every life form pinned and identified regardless of how small or faint the signal may be," Shar'El ordered before returning her attention to the monitor displaying her counterpart before issuing her next set of orders.  "Station 4, give me a full power readout including energy distribution. If this *something* is energy based instead of biological I want to know where it is."

=/\= Thank you, =/\= Janeel acknowledged. =/\= It's probably nothing, just my nerves and fatigue. =/\=

"Probably," Shar'El agreed as she glanced over to the technicians at stations 4 and 5 to see if they had completed their scan.  As she did so Shar'El saw something completely unexpected.  As she scrutinized a shadow that the ExO / ILO believed had moved as Janeel had described, the woman continued speaking.  "Then again we both know that there are things out here that go well beyond our immediate understanding.  It is not a question of losing one's sanity but accepting coming face-to-face with things that we can't explain. At least not at first."

Without saying anything more, the ExO / ILO pressed several controls completely isolating the IGC from the res of the ship.  Maybe it had only been a strange shadow, but it had been anything else Shar'El would make sure to figure out its intent in the quickest possible delays.

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Tiffany Reeve

Lieutenant Commander Janeel
Intel Liaison Officer / Mission Specialist
USS BASTET

Lieutenant Commander Shar'El
Executive Officer / Intel Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS