Nightsea reacted with her customary instinct, and bent low, away from the sudden movement of the green arm.  One hand had already plucked a small thin blade from her sash, before she had even thought of her phaser. As she sought the target in the dim light, Nightsea was mentally brought back to the dark Abodean ocean where mysterious forms had loomed suddenly before her in the water, blurry and indistinct. As she had found in the watery past, slicing the creature in a non-vital area bought her time to determine its intent, and perhaps to preempt the need for further bloodshed.

The blade struck deep, through the arm, and the snarl of rage Nightsea heard told her much about her still mostly unseen opponent. "Mammal, green skin, black talon nails, warm red blood," she cataloged to herself. "Humanoid, sentient, slender build suggests female." Her defensive fear of the being ebbed in a quick wave as the burst of adrenaline was over.

The emerald-toned female, however, had also had a moment to recover from the shock of the intrusion, and the slight wound, and was now approaching the pair and the illuminated doorway with claws and teeth ready to rend.

Sornal was of course astonished at the scene, but reacted calmly, raising an eyebrow and his phaser in synch. The stun setting crumpled the being to the floor.

"I had not assessed the likelihood of this room being occupied." he said in his bland tone, as he bent to examine the unconscious form with his medical tricorder. "However, even if I had done so, I would not have expected this variety of occupant."

"Oh?" Nightsea queried.

Her next comment was directed toward the ceiling of  the compartment, "Computer, lights!"

Sornal watched the look of surprise as Nightsea finally named the species prone below her.

"An Orion Slave Girl!" she exclaimed, seeing the creature in the new illumination. "I haven't seen her species often, they are so scarce."

The brightness also revealed a shocking array of equipment and mess in the small space. Tubes, wires, bottles, replicated food remnants, half eaten, sat beside datapads and actual paper, loaded with scribbled notes and formulae. Pieces of clothing, obviously belonging to the female, were strewn about with abandon. Cushions lined the floor in untidy heaps. The back wall was aglow with a dizzying panorama of colored flashing lights, half hidden by a large number of storage containers.

"Seems someone has been keeping secrets in here," Nightsea mumbled as she continued to examine the contents of the quarters.

Reaching over the stunned female and kneeling Vulcan, she extracted a datapad from the pocket of a uniform jacket which had been carelessly tossed across a cushion.

"And someone's name is Ingotay!" she smiled coldly at Sornal after reading the pad.

"Indeed. I had determined a command officer used this space before our visit, however, I did not know for certain which of the crew was responsible for the coded entry," Sornal replied in his calm tone. He continued to administer aid to the wounded Orion on the floor as he spoke.

"Willing to cross a bridge officer for a bit of mental discipline? Why Sornal, that kind of disloyalty impresses me for one of your race." She noted how her statement had made him look up sharply, but saw no anger on his features.

"On the contrary, I was willing to investigate the space only. I had not intended to leave evidence of our intrusion." Frowning slightly he tilted his head down in the green figure's direction again.

"Mmmm, I was planning to involve myself in Ingotay's sloppy life soon anyway, now it seems I must begin immediately. We can't leave her locked in here any longer, that's for certain. She must have been stowed away in here for a very long time already...by the looks of things."

"Your assessment is correct. This woman is malnourished, and has suffered from light deprivation, and physical abuse for months. I recommend we take her to sick bay for treatment."

"I'm afraid you know that's not possible. She must be treated in secret. You know as well as I do the havoc her mere presence on the Ghidorah would cause if detected. Males and authorities alike would go berserk. Such creatures are so rare and their sensuality so sought after, that riots would be the least of it, were she brought forth. No, we must continue to hide her until she can be smuggled off-ship."

"She may remain safely in my care. Logically, there is nothing to be gained from any union with her." Sornal's dispassion was convincing.

"While I believe you, Vulcan, I think that perhaps her stay would be better concealed in my own quarters...they are, after all, only a wall away. Less risk of detection getting her there than to your section of the ship. Besides, we cannot have her telling her tales of kidnapping to anyone who might visit you. As yet, there is no-one brave or foolish enough to regularly disturb me at home. Additionally, and this seals the argument, I have another set of eyes to monitor her, in the form of my dolphin companion."

"Agreed. But, as party to her abduction, I desire to provide for her welfare. She must be given the opportunity for an independent life upon leaving the Ghidorah. Freeing her from slavery is a worthy endeavor, selling or trading her, is not."

"Sornal, you wound me suggesting I'd have it any other way." Nightsea said while she prowled the apartment in search of other discoveries.

Her prodding yielded a bounty of illicit materials; private yet banned scientific research, a large cache of addictive medicines, and small torture devices which had obviously been applied to the poor Orion woman by Ingotay. Feeling her anger at the man grow to violent proportions, Nightsea vowed to put a quick end to this mad genius.

His scientific scrambling in the room included a protomatter reactor simulation, dabblings in occult reanimation and mechanical stimulation of corpses, as well as other highly volatile and controversial theories and practices. The man seemed obsessed with harnessing energy in any form. His apparent understanding of the subject went beyond the obscure formulas plastered on the very walls of the compartment, and into the realm of pure abstract ideas. Frightened a bit by the sheer extent and scope of the ravings, Nightsea read silently from various sources.

Scribbled on a replicated menu from a holodeck program: matter becomes energy...harnessing the synthesis of forms would lead to absolute untamable power? this ultimate vacuum, between points...between matter and energy can human minds grasp this point? can machines? is there a way to tame and use this non-place, non-time?

The man's notes were everywhere. On multiple datapads in a slovenly pile she found: Dimensional rifts display the power output at a ratio of 9648 to solar year of displacement minus (and factoring out) the mass of the object moved by the effect now...to get more stability and control of this reaction! Revised formula does not include mass of objects contained in vessel independently...I've mistakenly assumed mass as a solid instead of the oxygen, people, bulkheads, and empty space in your average ship...these affect outcome of this experiment! Find a formula to average these factors? or always assume each material has a set value? (ex, crew compliment weight as a constant? should I break down further...if so, to what level? I can't very well weigh all the atomic masses....this method won't lead to predictable results) Every damn tribble aboard would have to be considered for this to work!

The man's drug addled mind still seemed to be spewing forth ideas, but Nightsea doubted if anyone but Ingotay would ever understand. No, his potential for discoveries did not give this man the right to abuse women, to flaunt his own disgrace about this vessel, or to drag the Ghidorah, the Empire, and most especially, Nightsea herself along for his insane ride. His time was up! His stint as jailer and master of this green girl would end now. His position aboard would end at his death, leaving a coveted vacancy.

His work in this room...mostly a waste...except perhaps for the small holoprogram running the protomatter reaction tests.
This one theory seemed on the verge of fruition. If the Captain needed proof of Nightsea's abilities to handle the science officer role, perhaps this revolutionary science might supply the very thing.

Resolving it all to her satisfaction, Nightsea turned to Sornal, who was completing his ministrations to the unconscious Orion, and signaled that time was up for this visit.

“I have mended the cut you afflicted, and many other minor abrasions. She is in stable condition now, and should respond well to simple injections which I will deliver to your quarters.  I suggest we do not delay this transfer of locations for our guest” Sornal said, standing and stowing his tricorder.

“She will awaken angry, I am certain.” Nightsea nodded at the frown frozen on the otherwise attractive face.  “You had best bring a sedative as well, or I will have to repeat the stun.”

Stepping forward toward the now closed door, Nightsea noticed a small glow from the interior control panel set beside it.  The indicator light’s glow appeared beside her own name, displayed on the console. Tapping a few places on the screen indicated that the room was assigned to her in the computer’s memory!

He has the nerve to use my name, does he?  We will see who uses who, Ingotay! The jest I made about this room being full of seashells will come true.  I will indeed spill over to fill up your den, your position on this ship, and the rest of your life!

Seething, Nightsea stepped back to allow the now burdened Sick Bay Attendant to get closer to the doorway.

Sornal’s tone remained unchanged by the extra weight, due to his Vulcan strength, “If you step forward, and detect crew members, signal me with a sharp gesture of the hand...I will remain here until you proceed forward to be certain we will not be overseen.”

“Understood” she said, passing through the swishing portal.

Settling the barely-dressed woman onto her bed, Nightsea noticed a pleasant smell about the female, even after her former living conditions.

Some form of pheromone?  An autonomic function of the body regardless of circumstances. Obviously, mating while unconscious isn’t normal mammalian behavior! I see why the Galaxy has so few of these beings. They entice without meaning to.  A shame the males aren’t also noted for eroticism.  Perhaps if they were, however, the species would truly become extinct!

To Be Continued...