Dinner

Posted on Sun Dec 31st, 2023 @ 3:39pm by Captain Maia Sterling

Mission: Double Dealing
Location: Captain's Quarters

Lieutenant Barth walked to the Captain's private quarters and rang the chime. He stood there waiting to hear that he could enter. He had been in and out of Starfleet so much that the higher-ups couldn't give him a promotion over the past few years. He had gone to the Academy with Maia, but after the War he resigned from service. The thing was that he was damaged goods.

"Come," Maia said.

Colin walked into Maia's quarters. He looked around and saw Maia wearing a beautiful emerald green dress. Colin smiled. "You are wearing the same color dress you wore when we were on our last undercover mission. Does that mean something?" He walked over to Maia and put his arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. "Maia," he said, "I never stopped loving you."

"Green is my favorite color, Colin. I am pleased you remembered my dress that night. It was the only thing I had that made me feel even remotely feminine. It's hard for a woman to shine knee-deep in mud, in a war zone." Maia said smiling.

"Would you like some wine, or perhaps something stronger," Maia asked.

"Vodka and Tonic please," said Colin as he looked at Maia. "My dear," he said, "it feels a little warm in here, huh?" He walked closer to Maia, put his arms around her kissed her.

"Control yourself, Colin" Maia said.

She then mixed him a vodka tonic and handed it to him.

"You are much more aggressive than I remembered. The old navy had a saying, "Been a long cruise eh, Sailor." Maia joked.

"I apologize Maia," he said, "It has been far too long since we have been alone," Colin took a sip of his vodka tonic and smiled, :I mean you are still as sexy as you were when I first met you in the academy."


"Hardly. Now I am a Starship captain and believe it or not I am seeing someone else. I am simply not available at this time," Maia said.

Colin smiled and sat down on the couch. "So Maia how long has it actually been love?"

"About 15 years now, The last time I saw you I was a lieutenant on the Tecumseh, after that, I took an assignment on the USS Tomcat and quickly rose through the ranks from science officer to chief science officer to executive officer and then a chosen man for the SFMC," Maia said.

"What about you, what did you do with your life?" Maia asked.


"I been in and out of Starfleet," said Colin, "I had married a woman years ago but she died along with my child during child birth. I still love you Maia."

Colin took a sip of his drink.

"I apologize for coming on so strong," he said.

"Its not really a problem, but apology accepted. I am quite a bit different from that girl you fell in love with. I just didn't want you to build up a memory memory version of me that doesn't exist anymore. So what would you like for dinner?" Maia asked.


"What would you like to eat?" asked Colin, as he sat down. He was studying Maia's every move. "We both are different people these days Maia." he said.

Colin downed his Vodka and tonic and looked right at Maia. "So my long lost love," he said, "would you like to come sit by me?"

"If I get any closer I will be sitting in your lap,"

"That might be a good thing," said Colin.

"Look I am seeing someone, and this is really bad timing on your part," Maia said.

"Ok," said Colin, " I think I am just gonna leave now. I have made things to uncomfortable for you. I apologize." Colin gets up and starts to leave. Just then a message comes in from Starfleet Headquarters for Maia.

"Yes, what is it"? Maia asked.

"An incoming message from Starfleet Headquarters," said the computer.

Colin looked at Maia. "You want to answer that message?" he asked as he looked right at her. Colin stood close to Maia now.

"I'll take it here."

Maia pulls up the message and reads it.

Colin knew that this was the message that would change everything. He looked at Maia and smiled. "So Maia," he asked, "are you ready?"

Colin walked over and sat down just waiting for Maia to answer him.

"Ready for what?"

"Look at the screen love," he said, "it will help you free your mind."

On the screen there was a strange pattern of light flashing as Maia looked at it.

"Just focus on the screen." said Colin.


Message On Screen: You have been chosen to take on a more important mission. Trust Barth only, he will be the only one you can rely on.....


The message disappeared fast, and the strange flashes started again.

Maia contacts security.

"Security trace that last message," Maia ordered.

So what is this about an important mission, Mr Barth?

"It is from Fleet Captain," said Barth, "so where were we? It said you can only trust me right?"

Colin put an arm around Maia and smiled, "This is a very top secret mission from Fleet."

Colin knew he had to think fast. "Maia," he said, "let me trace that message for you."

"No security can do it, you have some explaining to do... I think it's about time you start telling me the truth," Maia said.

"Look Maia," said Colin, "I am not who you thought I was. If you want that Colin Barth back, you are gonna have to work with me here."

Barth grabbed Maia's left arm and looked her right in the face. "Listen to me and do as I say or else Colin and the others you care about will all be killed."

Say what?

"Did I whisper?" he asked, "I told you I am not Colin Barth. He is being held in a penal colony somewhere. I am a Barth, but I am his dopleganger. See Maia, the Orion Syndicate has plans for Colin and the rest of the people you care about. If you don't cooperate with me, I will have no choice but to tell my contacts to kill Colin and the others."

"Are you an Orion then?"

"I am a clone of Mr. Barth," said the man, "a transporter accident made a copy of Barth and the Orions got their hands on a pattern buffer I was stored in. After some major reworking of the buffer, they managed to program my makeup."

"I didn't think they had access to that kind of technology, so what is it that you want from me?"


"Just act as though I am the real Colin," said the imposter, " I will give you and your crew the coordinates to where the Orions are holding Barth. So in acting as though I am the real Barth, I want you to act as though you and I, or should I say Colin have rekindled your romance. Once that is in play, I will contact my superiors and negotiate to have Barth released. You get what I am saying Maia?"

Is this some kind of blackmail scheme, what are you playing at?
Maia said.

"It is not a blackmail scheme," said the imposter, "it is a stay safe and keep the others safe plan for you."

The imposter Barth looked at Maia. "Are you gonna cooperate with this plan?" he asked.

"In my way," Maia said.

OFF

________________________________________

A post by:

Captain Maia A Sterling
Commanding Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Lieutenant Colin Barth
Asst Chief Operations Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916
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