The Damsel In Distress, Part 1
Waking Up Mama Bear.
Reggie Tohanna had done everything an alum could do, including not washing her officially licensed University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball jersey until the season ended. The Orion woman had retired from Starfleet as a captain with one goal in mind which was never to miss another Kentucky Wildcats game during basketball season.
Her husband, Dr. Joachim Schenkle wasn’t necessarily a fan of basketball or the University of Kentucky, having grown up on the European Subcontinent, but he was an ardent fan of his wife, and he knew how much this meant to her. He sat on the couch trying to get into the game and cheering when points were scored and frowning when a foul was called on the Wildcats.
Joachim was trying his best to be supportive and even Reggie knew he was faking it as well as he could. She loved him for that and in fairness, would make sure he went to operas and ballet, his passion, as much as possible.
Kentucky was currently in the top ten behind Indiana University, Mombasa Masai Tech, and Beijing along with other powerhouse basketball programs in the mix. The Wildcats could very well make it to the ancient and revered college basketball tradition known as March Madness and then to the championship.
It was a tight game against number 2 rated Zagreb. It was a nail-biter and the home team Croats were not laying off. A loss wouldn’t end Kentucky’s play-off hopes, but a win would almost guarantee a good seed in the bracket.
No interruptions allowed. Communicators were set to silent with only emergency calls allowed. Snacks were on the coffee table.
beep beep
beep beep
Reggie’s communicator began chirping from its nest in a basket on an end table next to Joachim. She turned to Joachim horrified. What has happened now. If someone wasn’t missing a toe then this had better be damned important.
Joachim reached over and grabbed the disruptive communicator popping the holographic caller ID up. It wasn’t the kids. It wasn’t Marie Reese, mother of Vonn, the son in law. It was Starfleet, specifically one Lieutenant Leslie Nash, of Starfleet Intelligence, using an emergency channel.
Joachim looked at Reggie who rolled her eyes.
“If this young man called the wrong house there will be hell to pay, “ Reggie said angrily as she took the still ringing communicator.
“Reggie,” Joachim answered calmly in his thick Bavarian accent. “Do not blame this Lieutenant Nash. He may have been ordered to call you.” He relinquished his grip on the communicator as he handed it to his agitated spouse. “Besides, they do not make crank calls on sub-space emergency channels.”
Once she had the device in hand she rose from the couch and looked forlorn at the holovid game. She walked into the kitchen to get away from the noise as she answered the call, voice only as she was currently in a bar-b-que sauce stained basketball jersey, jean shorts, barefoot, and not wearing a bra.
“Tohanna,” she said. “This had better be damned important, Lieutenant.”
“Captain… I mean, uh, Doctor Tohanna,” he said nervously. “I… I assure you it is.”
“Well, then, what is it?”
”There has been an incident.”
She paused, breathed in and out slowly while pursing her green lips trying to maintain composure. “I would hope so given that you called me on this channel… during a Wildcats basketball game.”
“Yes… y-y-yes Ca… uhm, doctor, “ He stammered. “I was informed that… this would be a very bad time to call.”
“And yet, young man, here we are,” she said in a voice oozing contempt.
“Uhm… I am very sorry, capta… I mean Doctor”
“Look, Lieutenant,” Reggie said, doing her best to maintain some sense of patience for this junior officer who had been tasked with waking up Mama Bear. “I don’t care how you address me: Doctor, Captain, Mrs, hey you, whatever… just tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Uhm, yes Captain,” he said with a sound that Reggie could have sworn sounded like a salute. “Well, there was a kidnapping of a Hysperian Noble-woman, a Princess Sarah of Millin, by a group of Orion pirates.”
Reggie grimaced and pinched her nose bridge then sighed.
“And this is an emergency because?” she asked.
“The Hysperians are threatening war on Orion if the Princess isn’t returned, and the Klingon allies of the Orion have said they would intervene if Orion was attack. The pirates are reportedly hold-up near Klingon space, and there are many Orions in House Qi…”
”House QiRos?” she said, completing the lieutenant’s sentence. “Which means, if this isn’t handled quickly and correctly, we could have a nice little war right here close to home.”
“Uhm, yes Captain Tohanna,” he said.
“And, this is my problem because…?” she asked.
“Well, Admiral Loctini felt that you would be a better choice because…”
“I know Captain Krang?” she answered
“Yes, yes exactly that you have familiarity with the… uhm…”
“Orion pirates,” she said with a scowl. “It’s not a dirty word, Lieutenant.”
“Uhm… yes.… exactly… uhm sorry,” he said nervously. “The Admiral also felt that given that you…. that you are a… uhm…”
“Oh-ri-uhn?” she said with emphasis.
An exasperated sigh could be heard on the other end as a young junior officer was re-evaluating his life choices.
“Yes, Captain. Uhm the Admiral felt your knowledge, experience, and background would be perfect for this mission. He also…uhm…uh…”
“He also what, Lieutenant?” Reggie asked, closing her eyes and shaking her head as she knew what was coming next. “Spit it out.”
Another heavy sigh as though the Lieutenant was hoping that this would again be a sentence completed by the infamous Mama Bear. “He also reactivated you under the emergency reactivation clause… I am so sorry, sir…" There was a long pause.
There was a long silence as Reggie stood in her kitchen, holding the communicator in her hand. She stared at the mid-20th century kit kat clock that on the wall as the tail swung to and fro with each half second indifferent to her current aggravation.
“C-C-Captain?” the Lieutenant probed nervously.
“I’m still here,” Reggie answered.
“I’m very sorry…”
“Stop apologizing, Lieutenant,” she said in resignation. “You are just following orders. How long is this mission?”
“It’s through June, Captain.”
“Christ…” she said underbreath. “…gonna miss the play-offs.”
“Well, maybe not, Captain,” the Lieutenant shot back. “The admiral told me to tell you that once this is solved, he will place you back on inactive reserves! Uhm… and I’m confident that you can. Everyone here says that you were the best choice.”
“Great. My many admirers,” she said sarcastically.
“Oh yes!” The Lieutenant said not picking up on the sarcasm. “We all get to hear of your missions. You’re practically a legend… Captain Tohanna! The Mama Bear, ya know!”
“Wonderful. Great. I’m a legend. Whoo, yay…Truth is I would rather be left alone.”
“I know, Captain. Again, I’m sorry.”
“Seriously, Lieutenant. Stop apologizing. “
“Oh, I’m sorry. I mean… I…oh… uhm… said I’m sorry again.”
Reggie chuckled at the poor Lieutenant’s awkwardness. “Alright, seeing as Admiral Loctini has me by the figurative balls, send me the details, and… oh… where am I going and when am I leaving?”
“Tomorrow, 2200 UTC, you are to be on the USS Cranston at Earth Space Dock that will take you to Deep Space 13. There you will proceed to receive further instructions from Arco Command and the command of the 38th Fleet, as you will be detached to…”
“Okay, okay, okay… I know the drill. This ain’t my first rodeo, son.” She paused and thought for a moment. “The Admiral must really be worried seeing as he is sending me on a Starfleet vessel instead of the regular shuttle.”
“Yes, Captain. He said the shuttle will take too long so he had me give orders to the first available ship.”
“Alright then. Beyond the dossier and orders you are sending me, is there anything else I need to know?”
“No Captain,” the Lieutenant replied. “That should be it. If there is anything else I will contact you as soon as possible…and I’ll try to avoid interrupting basketball games in the future.”
“If it’s an emergency, that’s fine.”
“Thank you, Captain,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief that this call was about to end.
“Is that it, then, Lieutenant,” she asked sternly.
“Yes, Captain Tohanna,” he said. “Uhm, it has been a huge honor talking to you.”
“Alright, Lieutenant, that’s enough.”
“Yes, Captain. Sorry… oh uhm… oh… well…”
“Bye, Lieutenant,” she said.
“Bye… Captain…”
The channel went silent. She could see messages from the Admiral regarding her recommissioning, a passage manifest for travel to Deep Space 13, and a message from the Lieutenant with the information regarding the case. She sighed and ran her long green fingers through her green and gray hair.
“Shit,” she said flatly. She popped back into the living room just as the post game analysis was coming on.
“The Wildcats won,” Joachim said cheerfully. “106 to 105.”
“Well good,” Reggie said. “At least there’s that.”
“So what is going on, my love?”
“The usual shit,” she said in a drawn out fashion that over-emphasized her Kentucky drawl. “I gotta put the uniform back on and go back out there.”
”What? Why?” Joachim asked, in a concerned tone. “They are not sending you into harm’s way again are they?”
“No, honey, nothin’ like that. Apparently more diplomatic in nature. Gotta save a damsel in distress.”
Joachim furrowed his brow in confusion.