Post 520: Parting Is Such Sweet. . .Whatever

Stardate:71025.2300
Title: Parting Is Such Sweet. . .Whatever
Author: =/\= Zanh Liis
Scene: Bridge, USS Independence
Time: Immediately following "Judgment Day Part Three"
==========================

Rising from the center chair once again, Zanh Liis took stock of their current situation.

She knew that they had hours, if not days, of work ahead of them, and she was anxious to do as much as she personally could to help handle the needs of their incoming visitors.

First, though, she had to make a call to Starfleet Command.

She needed to brief the Admiral on the condition of the Alchemy. Also, on the outcome of the Yensul IV "negotiations", and to ask him where she was to take the nearly five hundred cast-off Yensuli women and children from here.

She doubted Kelly would want her to bring them all the way back to Earth aboard Indy; though likely that was where they would end up, for a time. Surely new orders would be waiting for them as soon as she filed her report stating the Yensul mission was finished.

Her main concern was that there were glaring security and tactical issues that she needed to address before they could, in good conscience, leave orbit.

True, it would take time to get the Alchemy back into space and towed into Starion's bay. But it would take far longer to broker any sort of tentative agreement between Andara Maffe and the Federation, and Zanh worried what would happen to the fifth planet the moment Independence left if there was not a commanding Starfleet presence there to watch over it in her place.

She was entirely certain that Tegget and his cronies from the fourth planet would have no compunction about stripping the mines bare of monocrystal cortenum before the Federation could set up shop, if they were allowed to get away with it.

Zanh had ideas how to prevent that from happening, but she needed
Command's blessing and support if she was going to make them a reality.
Therefore, getting that blessing was priority one. Then she would deal with housing the refugees, getting Alchemy back aboard, and then, whatever orders may follow.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zanh watched Corbinsky. He'd been chatting with Samson and Dengar, and then suddenly his hands, which were still hovering over the science station panel, began to input a rapid series of commands.

>Warning,> the computer announced >the level ten force field encompassing the bridge has been disabled.>

"Xander," Zanh began sternly, but she knew it was no use. With all the time he'd had to work with the computers and sensors, surely he had not only figured out how to drop the field that kept him in the present time and place but also how they had detected and caught to begin with.

*The same bag of tricks will not work in future.* Liis thought.

Corbinsky backed away from the panel slowly and across the bridge, the two exchanged a knowing glance. He considered his work here to be done, and intended to leave.

"Very clever, indeed, Captain. Tell Mr. Blane that he may have bested me this time- but it shall not happen again." He smiled at her and Zanh couldn't quite tell if his next remark was meant in jest. He seemed, for some reason that escaped her entirely, to be serious when he said, "I'm going to miss you, Zanh Liis."

Liis wasn't sure if she'd miss him, so she reserved comment on that subject. She was, however, truly grateful for all he'd done. "Thank you for your help, doctor. We are in your debt."

"Several times over, by my estimation." Corbinsky informed her. "I intend to collect on those debts at a future date, Captain. Mind that."

"Damn, I knew you were going to say that." she groaned. Zanh Liis hated little more in life than owing favors to anyone- even though she knew in her heart that she did, in fact, owe Corbinsky. Big time.

"Next time I visit, and be assured, there will be a next time," he took a few more steps and N'Dura moved for her phaser, but Zanh waved her off. It was time to let the doctor go- for now. "I hope we can skip the formalities of the search and the prison stay. I'd prefer guest quarters."

"I'll think about it. I'm not making any promises."

Corbinsky stood tall, and with his hand over his heart declared, "Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow."

"Romeo and Juliet?" Zanh continued to stare at him, unfazed. "You're quoting Shakespeare to me and Romeo and Juliet is the best you've got?"

"Perhaps you'd prefer this instead," He changed stance, took another step, and raised a hand into the air. "Gentles, do not reprehend. If you pardon, we will mend."

"Puck you, Corbinsky."

Doctor Xander T.Corbinsky merely winked at Zanh Liis in reply, and then he vanished, right before her eyes.

-------------------------------------------
=/\= Zanh Liis
Acting Commanding Officer
USS Independence NCC-90791