"Lights Out"
written by David Moody
based on a plot by Obsidian Fleet Command
Captain Lenti Utex

Lenti Utex sat placidly in the White Star lounge pondering the nearing arrival of the USS Victory at Starbase 416. He sipped his eggnog and smiled slightly at the thought of the base's foot-tall commanding officer and her tendency to chatter if excited -- which she always was when authorizing a vessel to dock at her base. Political tensions were on the rise in the area, and she had been wound up even more tightly than usualy recently. However, due to her diminutive stature, coupled with the fact that she looked like nothing less than a Terran squirrel in a Starfleet Uniform, Utex found the whole affect appealed to his sense of humor more than admiraltic fear.

Chef Novikov called over to the captain, "Innutheeng moor, sair?"

Utex nodded, "Another glass," he told the chef. "Syntheholic rum, if you don't mind, Vladimir." Lenti's knee was directly in his field of vision due to the fact that his right leg was crossed almost directly ankle to knee at the middle of his slouched position in the chair. He watched the stars streak by outside left to right off the starboard side of this prometheus class vessel and smiled once more as he took a deep breath and looked around the room. He was content here, he realized. More content than he had been in many years -- perhaps more content than he had ever been. Whether it was the atmosphere on the ship or the recent events that had given him a newly skewed outlook on life, he wasn’t sure.



Lieutenant Sito Jaxa stole into the lounge in deference to the captain’s apparent contemplative mood as she saw Utex sitting all alone in the room, his back to the door. She moved over to Novikov who was apparently about ready to call out to the Captain that his next round was ready and sitting on the bar, and silenced the man with a quick gesture of the hand. “Thanks,” she mouthed silently as she turned back to Utex.



Lenti Utex was staring at himself in the reflection of the windows. He stood, and paced his way toward the window. Nearing it, he looked at his uniform in the transparent aluminum and straightened himself, paying close attention to his gigline, his commbadge, and his pips. He smiled at himself in the mirror and checked his teeth, then considered getting a haircut, turning his head from side to side and looking at his hairline and growth. Then, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

Sito Jaxa had not meant to move quite stealthily enough to surprise the man so much, but nontheless was shocked when Captain Utex spun in place. No, that was not quite right. It was more like one moment he was staring out of the window, and the next, he was standing facing her, a glass of eggnog pointed at her – a drop falling to the floor. Shocked, she looked to her hand. The pilfered eggnog was, obviously, in the captain’s hand. She looked down, then looked to the Trill before her. “I’m sorry Captain,” she told him. “I was only trying to be helpful, sir.”

Utex smiled, and set the glass down on the table next to him. “It’s alright, Sito,” he told her. “I just didn’t—“

The room faded to black.

Utex, startled, stared around the room, “Mister Novikov,” he called. “You still have customers.”

Novikov’s voice floated back, “Eet wasss note me sair,” came the cryllic accented response.

Sito said, “I think we just lost power.”

Utex tapped his commbadge. “Utex to Bridge,” he called. “You guys okay up there?”

Just fine sir, came the response of Security Chief Revos. Did you need something?

“No, Commander,” he told the Betazoid. “I think the White Star module has come across some sort of error. We just lost lighting down here,” he said.

My apologies sir, came the response. We were simply running diagnostics in preparation for Alpha Shift to come on – I didn’t think anyone would be in there. Just a moment sir, the man returned facilitatingly.

As the power came back on, Utex spied Lieutenant Sito across the room, her fingertips jammed between the doors exiting the lounge into the outer passageway. She had apparently moved with some furtivity across the room and had been trying to force the doors apart with brute wiry strength. As the lights revived to full power in the lounge module aboard the USS Victory, the doors slid open with a salient hiss, spilling a bajoran helmsman into the hallway. She took a couple of steps she had not been prepared for, then came up short as she stabilized herself on the opposite bulkhead. “Unh,” she said.

Utex winced, “Thank you Revos,” he said quietly.

As the Captain moved toward Sito Jaxa to ensure that she was alright, Revos responded, Welcome sir.