When the computer beeped to indicate that the download was complete, all that was needed now, was to get out of here. However, the Gibraltar crew seemed to be made aware of what was happening. Well, no worries there. It would just be a matter of stealing a shuttlecraft. The first one in the bay seemed to be the Bixby. It didn't matter what it was called: right now it became an escape craft. With the Gibraltar's tractorbeam disabled, they wouldn't be able to catch the shuttle, even *if* they found it missing. All the evidence that anyone was here, was, of course, erased.
As the shuttlecraft made its way out of the Gibraltar's shuttlebay, it's sole occupant grinned. This had been too easy.
Earth. Starfleet HQ. Even though it was good to be back here, Captain McMillan and the rest of the Gibraltar crew who beamed down, were not happy. Not happy at all. First all the valuable data from the Gibraltar was stolen, then the shuttlecraft Bixby was launched without authorisation, and to make matters worse, the shuttle couldn't be recovered because of a disabled tractorbeam. To say this was turning out to be a bad day, was an understatement...
"Alright, we've got quite some ground to cover." McMillan told his XO, Fearguis, and the rest of the crew who had beamed down. "We know the shuttlecraft is around here somewhere. We just don't know where." This was information that the crew knew already, but McMillan figured it wouldn't hurt to repeat. Back on board the Gibraltar, the crew had made the plan. It'd been Ms. Johnson's idea to pursue the shuttle with shuttles of their own. The Gibraltar wouldn't be manoeuvrable enough in the populated area that was Starfleet HQ.
A quick search under command of Commander Fearguis resulted in nothing... but the strange readings were still there. "Well something must be causing these readings," Fearguis stated, his voice betraying annoyance. McMillan couldn't agree more... it was as if they were being toyed with. He didn't like that. He doubted anyone would.
"Captain, I've got a clear fix on those readings now," Johnson reported. "They're... I don't believe it. Captain, they're up in the sky."
McMillan rushed to the science officer to check up on those readings. Not that he didn't trust her, even though she hadn't been on the Gibraltar for long. No, it was because he had to see it with his own eyes. "Interesting," he muttered to himself, only to turn to Petty Officer Thunderstorm a moment later. "Petty Officer," he said to the man who was still inside a shuttle, "Have a look around, and let me know if you find something."
Well, find something he did. Just a few meters above Infinity Station, a small building had appeared, out of nowhere. Taking the hoppers and shuttles, the crew managed to enter the building. It seemed to be a science lab. Upon a closer inspection of the place, it seemed to be a science lab from the Gibraltar!
"But how can that be?" Fearguis asked. Nobody had the answer to that... at least not just yet. "Captain," Fearguis then continued, "Look at these PADDs." It was classified Gibraltar information...
"Hey, I did this analysis last week!" Johnson stated, shaking her head. "How did this get in here?"
There were too much similarities to have this be a coincidence. This, McMillan figured, was where the stolen data was brought to. But for what reason? What purpose? And where did this building come from, as it seemed to appear out of thin air?
"It's a hologram." Fearguis finally deduced. "An incomplete one, I might add." he said, gesturing to the flickering of one of the walls. "Captain, this has to be the work of whoever cloned us. First we are duplicated, then the ship and the data. Whoever did this, has enough to start an invasion of Starfleet... without anyone ever noticiting."
McMillan let out a deep breath. "We cannot let that happen." he stated the obvious. "Search this place inside out... if there's any information on who's responsible for this, we need to know..."
As the Gibraltar crew went to work, a mysterious stranger flew away in the stolen shuttlecraft. These Gibraltar people were smart... but not smart enough. Yes, they might have found the hidden lab, but that was just a small setback. Pretty soon, all would be made clear. And when that would happen, everyone would know. And the Gibraltar would be there, to take the blame...
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