PO2 Lohkina: A Brief Message from Our Sponsors

[Tony Colella]

(( Outside VIP Staterooms, Deck 5, USS Octavia E. Butler ))

Lohkina certainly didn't expect Ehths to remain anywhere around his former stateroom, now that he had made it out. The question was, where would he go? In fact, that was one of only many salient questions. An important one, to be sure, but Lohkina also didn't know his ultimate goal -- his plan for getting there -- his intentions on the way -- or, truly, why he was even talking to her at all.

Ehths: =/\= ... If I wanted you to know where I was, I wouldn't have left. =/\=

Lohkina: =/\= No, I suppose not. But I will find you. =/\=

Ehths: =/\= Maybe, but not in time. =/\=

A dire threat, but only a threat, at least for the moment. She needed more information. 

Lohkina: =/\= Oh? Do you have a plan? =/\=

Of course he did. That, at least, she was sure about. Unfortunately, the lack of a robust intelligence or diplomatic file on Ehths prevented her from predicting anything else about what he might do. The captain's group and Ehths' time in Sickbay had helped, but when all their intel, other than a chance meeting on a world light-years away, was from the previous few hours, it wasn't much to go on.

Ehths: =/\= I control all communications on this ship now. Just listen. =/\=

Listen? To -- what? But she had only to think about it before she had her answer.

Computer: =/\= Hey this is your broodmate Krr’Wev and I’m here to tell you about the GREATEST ZET HERO OF ALL TIME, you all know him, you all love him, but how well DO YOU REALLY KNOW Executive Nik‘ulama’pao’en’bei’yie’Bahb?!. =/\=

Lohkina whipped around during the advertisement's playback, confirming with the security personnel that they heard it to -- and, in doing so, she saw that similar advertisements were playing all up and down the wall panels. Likely, something similar was happening everywhere on the Butler.

As quickly as they had appeared, the advertisements vanished, and left a ringing silence.

Lohkina: =/\= An impressive use of ours ops systems, if a little moronic. =/\=

Ehths: =/\= Response =/\=

Lohkina: =/\= I assumed as much. But at whose behest? =/\=

She would have taken a Ferengi daimon's bet that Ehths was not working to his own ultimate goals, even if he was working alone on the Butler. But, of course, that just raised additional questions. Of most immediate concern, though, given that he clearly had a strong working knowledge of their systems, was to stop him from doing anything more. Which meant that she needed to find him.

She hadn't meant to mention the ops systems specifically, outside of the deftness he'd displayed with their comms, but even as she reviewed her own words, she realized that the Ops Center would be the best place from which to organize her search. She set off at once, since it was close, sprawled across the two decks immediately below her.

Ehths: =/\= Response =/\=

Lohkina: =/\= No, I didn't. But you are willing to talk to me, and I can't help but wonder why. =/\=

Especially when the captain, Commander Katsim, and Lieutenant Lahl had reported that their initial visit to Ehths and his stateroom had resulted in very little conversation and a whole lot of silence on the part of their visitor.

Ehths: =/\= Response =/\=

Tags! and TBC!

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PO2 Lohkina

Diplomatic Aide

USS Octavia E. Butler

V238208LV0

she/her/hers (this character)