"Glad that you are feeling goo'd Ensign"
 by Lieutenant jg T'Kang
 Chief Engineer - USS Intrepid


The Chief Engineer didn't like what was happening on his 
ship.  He didn't like it at all.   The Intrepid was host to the 
Mugarri ambassador, on a simple mission to transport her to 
a diplomatic conference.   Simple other than the fact that 
twice before the Mugarri ambassador's ship had been 
attacked, presumably by the Nharwak.  What was worse, it 
appeared the Intrepid had already be subjected to an attack, 
telepathically.  It made the Klingon's blood boil knowing that 
some faceless aliens would assault the ship in such a 
cowardly fashion.

T'Kang had another problem to deal with however.  It 
seemed that in the last attack, Shadow had dropped the 
container holding the mysterious telepathic goo, allowing the 
alien lifeform to work it's way into the ship's system to "make 
repairs" as Nal had put it.  *Telepaths are not to be trusted.* 
T'Kang thought, *You never know what they are thinking.*  
The stubborn Chief Engineer furrowed his ridged forehead 
while pondering over what exactly it was the goo had altered 
on the USS Intrepid.

T'Kang's thoughts were interrupted when Ensign Salek 
waited patiently outside his door, holding a padd in his hand.

The Klingon called out for the Assistant Engineer to enter 
when he pressed the chime.

"Ensign Salek reporting for duty sir." The Vulcan said evenly.

T'Kang regarded the Engineer for a moment.  It was only a 
few hours earlier that he had discovered Salek unconscious 
and bleeding near the Ambassador and being guarded by a 
large wolf.   Now, with his minor cuts and wounds treated, 
the Vulcan looked perfectly fit.   The Klingon motioned to the 
chair opposite of him while leaning back in his own leather 
chair. "Always so formal Salek.  Please sit down."

Salek took a seat and maintained his perfect posture as 
always.

"How do you feel?" T'Kang asked directly in Klingon fashion.

"I am fine thank you.  Eager to return to duty." Salek replied.

"I see that Lieutenant Donal has put you on light duty, so I 
have drawn up a routine maintenance schedule for you." 
T'Kang explained handing Salek a data padd with the 
assignments.

"Thank you.  I also have an idea that I wanted to share with 
you.  I have an idea for a tracking device. . . ." the Vulcan 
explained.

"Tracking device?  To locate the one that controlled your 
mind?"  T'Kang asked.

"Yes sir."  Salek nodded, passing the padd he'd brought with 
him to the Chief for his inspection.

T'Kang took the padd and squinted at it.  "You know, it would 
be foolish to assume that the person that took control of your 
mind to attack the Ambassador would stick around on this 
ship.  The smart thing to do after obtaining the information  
would be to leave."

Salek gave his chin a slight jog from side to side, "The 
impression I received while being under their control was 
that they we not finished with their objectives.  When they 
failed to succeed at using me to murder the Ambassador, I 
could sense frustration through the telepathic bond.  It is 
difficult to explain Lieutenant, but I do not believe they just 
arbitrarily wanted the Ambassador dead out of hate.  I 
believe it was part of their mission.  And do not believe they 
will be satisfied with leaving this vessel until that mission is 
accomplished."

T'Kang looked up from the data padd.  "They?"

"Yes Lieutenant.  I got the impression the being controlling 
my mind and actions was communicating with another.  How 
many I can not say."  Salek replied.

T'Kang let out a dissatisfied grunt.  "Forget about the duty 
assignments I just handed you Ensign.  I want you to go 
ahead and work on this telepathic detection device.  
Consider it your top priority."  the Chief Engineer said 
handing the data padd back to Salek.

"I will begin at once Lieutenant."  the Vulcan nodded, then 
began to exit the Chief's office in Engineering.

"Keep me posted of your progress." the Chief added.

"I will sir."  Salek replied before exiting.

T'Kang took in a deep breath and released it slowly.   Once 
Salek had departed, he returned his attention to the running 
diagnostic on the ship's system, still trying to figure out what 
that goo had been tampering with on his ship.   When he 
checked the results of the running diagnostic, his eyes 
widened as he realized something was not right.

"Computer, what are these extraneous readings being 
displayed here across the main computer core memory and 
control busses?"  T'Kang barked.

Computer> "Unable to detect reason for extraneous 
diagnostic readings."

"Hypothesize.  What could be source of these readings?"  
T'Kang ordered the computer.

Computer> 'Insufficient information available to for 
hypothesis."

T'Kang grunted in frustration.  "Computer, run analysis on 
extraneous readings and compare them to all known 
readings of this type on file."

Computer> "Working.  Running comparison now.  Please 
stand by."

T'Kang leaned back, annoyed at having to wait for his 
computer to complete such a simple task as comparing the 
Intrepid's entire data library against these readings.  
Impatiently he drummed his strong fingers across the desk 
top while he waited.   When the Computer began displaying 
the data on his terminal, T'Kang sighed, "Finally!"  before 
reading over the short list of similar readings.

His eyes widened when he realized what was happening.  
The damned goo was still in the Intrepid's computer 
systems.  The readings the diagnostic had detected were 
both higher brain activity and thought patterns.  Nearly a 
perfect match for a similar study Shadow had run on the gel 
earlier. Lieutenant Calenzie had stated that the gel was 
making repairs and that it would leave the Intrepid's systems 
once that was completed, and yet, part of the green goo still 
remained encapsulated throughout the Intrepid's inner 
computer core and strategic control systems, vital to all 
areas of running the starship. 

"Computer, what percentage of the Intrepid's systems exhibit 
these types of readings?"  the Chief Engineer growled as if 
angry at the Computer herself.

Computer> "93 percent of all computer systems are 
affected."

T'Kang clenched his teeth together, tightening his jaw as his 
anger swelled.  "Download information to this data padd 
now!"

A moment later the computer gave an acknowledgement 
tone.   T'Kang grabbed the padd and was headed out of his 
office even as the computer responded.

Computer> "Data transfer in complete."