"A helping hand" by Ensign T'Kang Assistant Engineer - USS Intrepid T'Kang was fuming after being put off by the Captain on his suggestion to set up some pattern enhancers on the surface of Frainar III in order to boost the transporter signal and bring the away team home. Like many of the humans T'Kang had observed, Celchu was over concerned for the Klingon's safety and well being as part of the Intrepid's crew. All T'Kang knew was he had the knowledge and technology available to bring the away team and his friend, Nal, home to the ship, but the Captain wouldn't let him do it. Harshly tapping in his computer access codes at the engineering station near the rear of the bridge, T'Kang didn't try to hide his disappointment over the Captain's decision. It was like the temperature on the entire bridge dropped twenty degrees, T'Kang was that cold. A few minutes of grumbling and pounding on the LCARS console with enough force to convince most officers on the bridge *not* to bother the Klingon, Captain Celchu came walking out of his ready room and straight towards the command chair, the whole time staring at the Klingon officer. Tensions rose momentarily on the bridge, the command crew not knowing what to expect as T'Kang stared back with unrelenting contempt. "Ensign T'Kang, make preparations to go to the surface". Celchu finally ordered. T'Kang's eyes narrowed for a moment. Did he hear that correctly? Did the Captain just authorize the Klingon's plan? Or was it T'Kang's imagination? Stepping forward, he responded, even using the proper address for good measure. "Yes sir." T'Kang then deactivated his station and turned to exit the bridge. "Mister T'Kang, be sure it'll work. I don't want any more members of my team stuck on the planet." Celchu warned with a hint of concern. T'Kang stopped and nodded. Then glancing at Ensign Reese, the Klingon signaled with a jerk of his head for the flight officer to join him. With a hesitant nod, Celchu agreed. Both men stepped into the turbolift and headed for Engineering. "Which shuttle shall we be taking T'Kang?" Jerry asked eagerly. The Ensign was rubbing his hands together as if to warm them up. No doubt an extension of his excitement over the assignment. T'Kang regarded the flight control officer for a moment. In many ways, he saw pieces of himself in Reese. T'Kang's first assignment out of the Academy had been at the Helm of the Akula. The Klingon himself was an exceptional pilot, something Reese undoubtedly didn't know. In a serious tone, and without looking at Reese, T'Kang said flatly, "We will not be using a shuttle." Jerry smiled, "A run-a-bout. Great! That's what I was thinking too. She will have more power to deal with the storming conditions on the planet. Excellent idea!" Reese said enthusiastically. T'Kang shook his head. "We are not taking a run-a-bout either." The Klingon responded just as evenly as before. A confused look formed on Reese' face over T'Kang's response. While he pondered it, the turbolift doors opened and the Klingon marched out using his long, full strides to walk away. Jerry quickly caught up. "Wait a second, . . ." Reese started trying to match the huge Klingon's stride as they walked through Engineering, ". . . if we are not taking a shuttle, and we are not taking a run-a-bout, how exactly are we going to get down to the planet?" T'Kang reached the supply room he was headed for and opened one of the aluminum crates. Extracting it's contents, he began handing the folded pattern enhancer stands to Reese. "We will be using the transporters." T'Kang stated without elaborating further. There was a slight hint of annoyance in the Klingon's voice, as if Reese' questions were all bothering the Klingon, like so much small talk. Jerry wrapped his arms around the nearly two meter long assembly. Just when he'd gotten a steady grip on the transporter pattern enhancer, T'Kang laid a second one across his arms. "Now wait a second. I'm lost here. . ." Jerry began, pausing to get a better grip on the second pattern enhancer assembly, "If we are not taking a shuttle or run-a-bout down to the planet, then why do you need a pilot to go with you?" T'Kang grabbed the third pattern enhancer in one of his hands and wielded it out of the container like it's weight was negligible, which was an impressive sight, since Reese was holding two of the assemblies across both of his arms and they were deceptively heavy. T'Kang handled it with one of his bulky warrior's arms like it was weightless. "I do not." T'Kang replied curtly, staring at Reese for a moment before walking by and exiting the supply room. Ensign Reese turned and followed T'Kang, carrying two of the three enhancers across his arms. Their great length caused Jerry to have to turn side ways when passing through the doorways in order to thread them through. "Well if you don't need a pilot, and intend to use the transporters to beam down to the planet, why do you need me?" Jerry asked. T'Kang continued walking ahead of Reese. His stride was urgent, understanding the pressing need to get Nal and the rest of the Intrepid crew back on board the Intrepid where they would be safe. Especially with so many Romulans down on the planet surface. After a short, but brisk walk down the corridor, T'Kang entered one of the Intrepid's transporter rooms. Reese quickly caught up, tired from lugging the two pattern enhancer assemblies along. "Damn it T'Kang, the least you could do is show enough common courtesy to answer a fellow officer when they are asking you a question!" Jerry chastised the Klingon angrily for his rude behavior in ignoring his question. T'Kang looked at Reese with the Klingon's usual sour expression and took the two pattern enhancers from his arms as if they weighed nothing. Jerry was glad to have them unloaded from his arms. The trip from Engineering to the transporter was relatively short, but the weighty equipment had left his outstretched arms quite tired. Reese rubbed his arms gently to get the circulation flowing while T'Kang silently turned and laid the disassembled pattern enhancers across the transporter pads in preparation to beam them to the planet surface. Jerry couldn't believe T'Kang still hadn't answered. "T'KANG! ANSWER ME!" Jerry fumed. T'Kang turned around and faced the helmsman. With an unconcerned expression, as if the Klingon was used to being yelled at like Reese had just done, he simply said, "Thank you Ensign Reese, that will be all." Blood raced to Jerry's face. The Klingon's disregard for his question was really making him angry. "I want to know what you needed me for T'Kang. And I'm not leaving until I get an answer. Understand?!" T'Kang inwardly smiled. He liked Reese. Not just because he was a pilot like himself, but because he was willing to stand up for what he believed in. Protocol be damned. "Very well. I needed your assistance in carrying the pattern enhancers. Now that they are here, your services are no longer required. You are dismissed." Jerry paused for a moment. His mouth opened, while he struggled to find the words but none came immediately to mind. In mild frustration, Reese raised his hand, shaking it slightly, but in the end he just shrugged his shoulders, sighed, then turned to walk out of the transporter room. "The least you could say is thank you T'Kang." Reese mumbled under his breath as he exited the transporter room and the doors swished shut. Tapping the controls on the transporter control panel, the Klingon paused and glanced at the doorway that Reese had just walked out of. "Thank you." T'Kang said in a matter-of-fact tone before finishing his adjustments of the transporter. The Klingon located an area of minimal disturbance on the planet, not far from the location of the away team, where the transporter signal could penetrate the storm's magnetic interference well enough to transport down. Beaming back up would depend on the efficiency of the pattern enhancers T'Kang was going to set up on the planet surface. Laying in the final coordinates, the Assistant Engineer activated the delayed controls and made his way to the transporter pad along with his tools and the three disassembled pattern enhancers. Soon they would see if T'Kang's plan would work, or if the Captain's concerns were indeed founded and one more Klingon would be added to the list of missing away team members. The transporter beam activated dematerializing T'Kang and the equipment off of the Intrepid's transporter pad and sending him down to Frainar III. <>