Star Trek: Erin

Part 39: Guess Who ELSE is Back

     Glasgow gripped his jaw where I'd punched him. "What the hell, Cobos?"

     "That's for 'strange events.' Fuck you, we almost died."

     He spread his hands in a continuation of the 'what the hell' theme.

     I smirked. "You're getting slow, Glasgow." I considered my stinging hand. "Now that's out of the way, what are you doing here?"

     His hand dropped from his jaw. "Is your handler here? I refuse to deal with your immaturity right now."

     Marple was watching this play out with a slack-jawed expression, but he stepped forward at the mention of my 'handler.' "That would be me. Lieutenant Marple. You are?"

     "Operative Glasgow." His smile looked genuine, but it was hard to tell with Glasgow. "Welcome to the mirror dimension. My organization will have you and your underlings back to our dimension as soon as possible." He tilted his head. "Yes, although I'm from a less well-known Starfleet branch."

     Liar.

     Glasgow shot an annoyed look at me.

     Marple's eyes widened. "Did you just...?"

     "As humans like to so eloquently put it, I'm a mind-reading alien, although there are more pressing issues at hand."

     Hold on. "Glasgow, do you have a communicator link with our dimension?"

     "Unlike main Starfleet, Section 31 actually has a competent R&D department. So, yes."

     Marple held out his hand. "We need to contact the Enterprise."

     Glasgow eyed Marple's expectant hand with barely concealed disdain. "I'm only connected to my compatriots, since you must know. I'm assuming I punted several puppies in a previous life, considering fate wouldn't be so cruel otherwise to put me in this nightmare dimension with you hazards a second time."

     "How do you think we feel, Glasgow?"

     "I don't have to guess."

     I glared at him. "Anyway, are you going to do the one thing you're good at and get us home?"

     "Not this time."

     Why? What happened to your wizard?

     "She's dead," Glasgow said flatly.

     Marple stepped between Glasgow and I. "Cobos, explain how you know this man. And you, what do you know about getting home?"

     Glasgow poked his head around Marple. "As much as I dislike you, Cobos, you're easier to deal with than this fool."

     "Excuse me?" spluttered Marple.

     Glasgow raised an eyebrow. "Oh, seems I misspoke. I'm ranking officer here, but we need to work together. I'm working on getting us back, if you can check in with the men. Get them ready to move. I'll ask your thoughts when I have a concrete plan."

     Marple considered the words, weighed them, and nodded.

     I watched Marple join Nowak and Michael. Nowak raised an eyebrow over the distance. I grinned and turned back to Glasgow. Wish I could use that card.

     He gave an elegant shrug. "Power's the only thing he seems to understand. So I gave him some."

     I'm touched you like working with me.

     "It's relative. So, you had a plan before he started giving orders?"

     Not a great one. Michael's an engineer. We were going to get her to Engineering.