"Early mornings & missing crewmen"
 by Sogh T'Kang
 First officer - IKV Jachyoj
 http://come.to/tkang


T'Kang awoke with a start.  His warrior's hair was loose and 
hung from his shoulders when he sat up in his bunk and 
stared across the empty barracks on deck Red 9.  It was 
dark, except for the minimal illumination offered by the exit 
poles near the deck's doorways.

Looking around, the warrior noticed that the others were not 
in their bunks.  Checking the chronometer, he could see it 
was 04:40 am. Tumek, Roshka and Reshtarc should have 
finished their evenings festivities in the Deep Blue lounge 
and returned to the barracks long ago.

"Something is definitely wrong here."  T'Kang muttered to 
himself while getting out of his bunk and putting on his 
Klingon uniform.

The Sogh finished dressing with a firm thrust of his foot into 
the steel pointed toe of his warrior's boot.  Standing, he 
reached for his bat'leth before marching out of the barracks 
to investigate.

Walking quickly through the still, quiet and somewhat 
foreboding space station, T'Kang took to searching the area 
for his lost officers.   Somewhere on level Blue 96 he came 
across Lieutenant Arianna Reese, whom appeared to be out 
for her morning jog.

"Good morning T'Kang.  You are up early this morning."  the 
Counselor smiled while running in place as she spoke.

"I am looking for some of my men.  They failed to return to 
the barracks last night."  T'Kang grumbled.  The way he was 
standing, holding his bat'leth in one hand, along with the 
general "grumpiness" of his tone told the Counselor that 
T'Kang was worried for their well being.  

"Do you think they have disappeared like Doctor Smith and 
the rest of the medical staff?"  Reese asked while stopping 
her in place jogging.

"That is a possibility.  I gave them specific orders to return to 
the barracks after their meals at the Deep Blue last night.  
They would not have disobeyed knowing the work that lays 
ahead today with the arrival of the Jachyoj and Yeager."

Reaching across her chest, Counselor Reese activated her 
comm badge.  "Counselor Reese to Captain Mec.  Come in 
Captain."

T'Kang winced slightly upon hearing the Lieutenant hail the 
Captain.   He had hoped to do some investigating himself to 
find out what happened to his warriors before reporting 
anything to the Captain.  He hated having to report his own 
ignorance of where his men where, or what happened to 
them.

After a moment, Captain Mec's scratchy voice responded 
over the channel.  ["Mec here, go ahead Counselor."]

"Sorry for signaling you so early Captain.  I was going out for 
my morning jog and I came across Mister T'Kang.  Three of 
the Klingons have disappeared sir.  They failed to return to 
their barracks last night." Arianna explained.

Captain Mec responded over the channel, ["This is getting 
serious.  Let's assemble a search party and go over every 
section of this space station inch by inch."]

Arianna nodded, "Mister T'Kang has already begun to do 
that sir.  He was checking Blue level 96 when I came across 
him."

["Is T'Kang there now Lieutenant?"] Mec asked.

Nodding, the deep voiced Klingon responded for himself, "I 
am here Captain."

["Assemble a search party T'Kang.  Get Counselor Reese to 
assist you, along with whomever else you can locate. Get 
Commander Morgan in Engineering, Lieutenants Teril and 
Stanton, and anyone else you come across to help in the 
search.   I'll meet with you shortly.  One way or another we 
are going to get to the bottom of this and figure out where 
our people disappeared to.  Mec out."]

When the channel closed Counselor Reese glanced at the 
bear-like T'Kang.  His face said everything.  It's sour 
expression relaying his feelings on the entire matter.

"Well, it looks like we will be working together Mister T'Kang.  
I should probably go get a phaser and a searchlight."  
Counselor Reese stated.  Her jogging uniform was not 
exactly a Starfleet issue uniform, but that didn't seem to 
bother her, so it didn't bother T'Kang either.

"We can get those things as we come across them 
Counselor."  T'Kang grumbled while reaching for his belt.  
Withdrawing a Klingon disruptor, he handed it to Arianna.  
"In the meantime you may take this.   I have my bat'leth 
should the need to defend ourselves arise."

The Counselor took the pistol-like weapon and looked it 
over.  It felt odd in her hands.  She was much more used to 
the feel of Federation weaponry.  "Very well T'Kang.  Shall 
we get started then?"

T'Kang nodded.  "I've already checked all the Blue levels 
below this one.  I have been working my way upwards 
through the station."  the warrior explained.  "So far half of 
this deck has been searched.  I was headed this way."  he 
pointed.

Arianna nodded.  "Lead the way T'Kang.  We can recruit the 
other's help as we come across them." the Counselor 
explained.

T'Kang let out a confirming grunt, expressing his agreement, 
before marching off across the deck of level Blue 96.  
Counselor Reese followed just a step to his left while they 
began their search for the missing crew members of station 
D'Alaan 27.