Hope you like Gagh "
By: Dr. Alyssa Caitlin Northrop, Intel Officer, [PST]
Ian Hunter, Commanding Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58205.08 1810

Alyssa Northrop arranged her thoughts as the Turbolift took her upwards towards the bridge. She'd felt them come to a stop not that long ago....and hoped that she'd be able to catch the Captain before he ran off somewhere. She was finding life aboard this ship to be increasingly unpredictable....which wasn't something she found comfortable.

When she stepped out onto the bridge, she heard the Captain's voice....ordering them to fire on a Federation ship which was on the view screen. However.....it was with antiquated weaponry. How very odd. The Deck plating rattled a bit, but the Zion took no damage as the ships exchanged pot shots. She shrugged.....figuring that perhaps someone on board that other ship meant something to the Captain.

Once they were ordered away and under cloak, Northrop stepped forward, "Captain....may I have a word with you?"

Hunter, who had a distant look on his face turned to Alyssa, and drew a deep breath. "Sure."

He stood up and went to his ready room with Alyssa following.

Hunter sat down behind his desk and waited for Alyssa to speak.

"Captain.....I have a line on a possible destination for our would-be kidnapper, Sir. Apparently he's been dealing with a Ferengi named Garmoth. He in turn works for a man named Ramok. I wasn't able to get much on either of them. Apparently they've been able to make most everyone out this way very afraid of them. One of my informants, Zrek....he looked like he was about to lost control of his bowels at just the mention of the man's name. Anyway....Birkhoff may be headed for a planet called Pentara V. According to a Dr. Paul Sparrow, our boy had been making frequent transmissions to that planet. This was prior to Dr. Sparrow coming over to our side. From what I understand, it would appear that Mr. Birkhoff has a brother here in the Maquis...Garrett Birkhoff. I haven't been able to run down his personnel file as of yet, Sir. If it wouldn't be too much trouble....I'd like to borrow a shuttle and go see what I can find on Pentara V."

"Pentara V?" Hunter felt a little exasperated with Alyssa at the moment, Pentara V was 45 days away by shuttle. "Have you consulted with Atwood on this matter."

Standing at attention, "No Sir....I thought that you would want to hear this directly from me, Sir."

"Please, have a seat."

Leaning back, Hunter further interrogated Alyssa, "Do you know anything about Pentara V?"

"Not much, Sir. I haven't had the opportunity to consult the Database as of yet."

Hunter drew a deep breath, and tried to keep patient. "I appreciate your eagerness for justice, but you need to do some more home work on this matter. Atwood and Carter barely escaped alive from there. Talk with them.

Hunter could see Alyssa was disappointed.

"Besides," said Hunter, The high command has put a bounty out on Birkoff. I'm sure he won't get far, every ferengi in the universe will be looking for him."

Alyssa had never been one to take getting chewed out well. It was probably one of her more bull headed qualities....but none the less, there it was. From her chair, "Pardon my candor Captain.....but all the bounties in the universe are fine and dandy...but Birkhoff has something of mine that I want back. Very much, Sir. In addition to that....I don't appreciate him hijacking the ship I reside on as well as attempting to sell me into slavery. Add to the the beating I took at his order, you might say I have a very strong motive for wanting him in prison, Sir. And as for Commander Atwood and Lieutenant Carter....I read that mission report. They were sloppy and it nearly cost them. If I've learned anything in my life, it's when NOT to dive head long into something. I can handle myself, Captain. If the Maquis Fleet hadn't agreed with me, they wouldn't have put me on your ship."

She knew she was pushing her luck a bit with her comments. The little voice in the back of her head warned her off, 'Easy Lys.....don't go getting in the man's face.'

Reigning herself in, she mentally kicked herself. This sort of attitude didn't work in this particular part of the universe.

Hunter leaned forward and put his hands on his desk, This young lady definitely had a discipline problem.

"Alyssa," said Hunter as a frown creased his brow, "The Maquis academy may certainly have seen something in you, hopefully it was more than a pulse..." Hunter stood up and circled around behind her as he continued to dress her down: "...whatever they saw certainly doesn't make up for your lack of discipline which borders on insubordination. Your candor isn't your problem, it is your impulsiveness." Hunter circled back and continued, "Birkoff stole a lot more than whatever he took from you. Their may not be any way to recover from this mishap other than to move forward."

Hunter took his seat, he had a gut feeling she was right, there was unfinished business on Pentara V but nothing could be done about that right now. Hunter was about to dismiss Alyssa, but he considered that her irrational behavior needed to bare consequences.

"In less than 18 hours, the we're going to enter Klingon space. We'll be escorted to Rura Penthe for the prisoner drop.... now, traditionally, the Klingons like to exchange officers." Hunter smiled. "How would you like to spend 4 days on a Klingon Bird-of-Prey?"

She looked at Hunter like he'd lost his mind. "Excuse me, Sir? Did I just hear you say that you want me to spend 4 days on a Bird of Prey?"

The brunette bit back the last part....which would have been, 'Do I have stupid tattooed on my forehead?'

Not waiting for him to answer her first question, "Why me, Sir? Or are you simply trying to teach me a lesson here?"

Hunter deferred his answer, replying instead, "Seeing how our allies conduct their ships might do you some good."

Hunter sat back and entwined his fingers behind his head. "I will give you two options to help you adjust to life in the service and experience you suffered nearly becoming a slave: a half hour of counseling with Zoei and 4 days on the Klingon ship, or 6 hour-long counseling sessions with Zoei and remedial academy studies on ship-side procedures."

Hunter watched as Alyssa weighed her choices.

Her eyes narrowed upon hearing her 'options.' Neither of them sounded very palatable. Northrop glanced at the floor for a few moments. The more that she thought about it...the more she was beginning to regret making the decision to join the Maquis. She should have known that something like this would have happened. So...what would it be? Counselors and Klingons or More Counselors and More boring Military procedures?

The archeologist smirked a little, thinking back on everything she'd ever learned about Klingons. She wondered if living with Klingos for any amount of time would really make her less of a pain in Hunter's ass. Considering that if a decision that a higher ranking officer made was one that you didn't agree with....you could challenge. So long as you won.....things would go your way. Of course....they food was awful, the beds would be harder than sleeping on a rock at a dig, and it was going to smell....but was that worse than having your childhood analyzed by a Counselor? Add to it a bunch of work she had no interest in.....then maybe the safer bet was the Klingon Ship. Though in the end...that was giving Hunter what he wanted. Maybe she should just stay put on the Zion...and let him send someone else to the Klingons. Assuming he hadn't just made this up on the spot to beat her over the head with. What the hell was she going to do onboard a Klingon Ship? A human woman....she shook her head. "Ok Captain...I'll take your little field trip. Four days, you said?"

"Four days there nights." replied Hunter matter-of-factly.

"So...when do I leave? And should I pack my leather?" she quipped.

"Be sure to try the bregit lung its actually not to bad." said Hunter with a smirk as Alyssa headed out the door.