Spacedock Ballet (Part 1 of 3)

Posted on 03 Mar 2015 @ 6:42pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Lieutenant Asahi Kita & Lieutenant Min Zhao & Commander Norvi Stace & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D. & Lieutenant Jared Nicholas & Lieutenant JG Wakeham Paul Alasia Ph.D. & Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy & Lieutenant Prudence Devin Ph.D. & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Alexion Wylde & Laeon Wylde & Lieutenant Olsam Mott & Lieutenant JG Ethan Walker M.D., Ph.D & Lieutenant JG Grayson Jones & Ensign K'os Beaumont & Chief Petty Officer Pax Inyo & Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark

4,317 words; about a 22 minute read

Mission: Episode 08 - NIMBUS
Location: Starbase 84 - Internal Docking Facility
Timeline: MD -03 - 0005 hrs

[ON]

USS Atlas

On the bridge of Starfleet's crowned Sovereign-class heavy cruiser, Lirha sat impatiently in her center command chair while anxiously tapping away at her chair's armrest consoles in an attempt to retrieve the latest status reports from the rest of the task group and also ascertain what the hell the holdup was with their scheduled departure. It had now been over four hours that the group had been delayed -- apparently by some sort of software glitch in the base's tractor beam array programs -- and the rear admiral had just about reached the limitations of her patience. They had a deadline to meet and needed to get underway soon, and did not desire to take a verbal lashing from her Klingon counterpart who would no doubt lecture her about timeliness in battle if her Starfleet warriors did not show up at the arena in time.

"Lieutenant Kita, status report!" she barked in a high voice, clearly not pleased with current events. "Are we ready to depart? Have there been any recent messages from dock control?" These were the same questions she'd more-or-less been asking for the past hour, and the Orion was quite ready to simply undock and set sail for the open starbase bay doors even if she didn't have the required authorization.

Every time Lirha demanded an answer out of Asahi, the engineer-turned-temporary XO nearly had a heart attack. If there wasn't so much political backlash on the line, he would have been more than absolutely happy to stay in the dock and admire the rest of the Atlas. The ship was so big, and it was overwhelming to know that he was here, standing in the spot he associated with both his father and his grandfather.

Unfortunately, however, he had no positive answers to make the situation less stressful. After regaining his bearings, he nodded and eyed his PADD. "The docking team have assured me that they're only five minutes from sorting this all out... And they actually seem to mean it, this time."

Lirha rolled her eyes and bit down on her lower lip in frustration. "Really? five minutes?" That was what she'd been told 30 minutes ago and now didn't believe it for a second. "Inform dock control they have exactly five minutes to sort out their problem before we depart under manual flight control," she ordered not too happily.

The first thing Asahi wanted to do was protest about procedures and how certain things should be followed, if not for the ship's condition, than for the headache it would have caused the dock workers. However, he nodded. "Yes ma'am." Looking up from his PADD, he eyed Min. "Lieutenant Zhao, if you would, relay that message to the fine folks at dock control, please?"

"Relaying Now." Min knew better then argue with an Admiral. Problems with the dockmaster would be Lirha's, not hers. In the interests of efficiency, and maybe some incentive to the dock workers that the Admiral meant business, Min began prepping her umbilicals for disconnection. The dockmaster would see that and know they meant business. "Umbilical disconnects on standby Admiral. We're ready to disengage on your order."

Asahi took the moment to give the rest of the Atlas' crew a half-hearted smile, as if detecting the slight air of judgment on the bridge. Those who hadn't expected Lirha of all people to appear on the ship sure as hell didn't expect either the Orion or the young human following behind her to look so... well, young. He was fairly certain he heard whispers of disapproval before they stepped onto the bridge, all of which went eerily silent the moment there was trouble leaving the docking bay. Judgmental as they were, no one was going to cross paths with an angry woman, Orion or not.

The engineer frowned when he caught the annoyed gaze of a blue-shirted female, who immediately went back to her work to avoid eye contact. 'Yeesh, everyone's so damn critical around here.'

Lirha had been twiddling her thumbs and doing a manual five-minute countdown in her head when the bridge's comm panel chirped to indicate an incoming transmission.

"Signal from the Dockmaster Admiral. We're cleared for departure."

Finally!, Lirha practically yelled inside her head while also resisting the urge to celebrate. But common sense prevailed and instead she tapped the comm device on her command chair and opened a frequency to the task group. "All ships, this is Admiral Saalm. We are cleared for departure on my lead. Marching order is Atlas, Aventia, Nautilus, Galileo, then Chronos. Hold ten-kilometer separation until we have cleared the solar system's inner belt then assume standard formation," she instructed before closing the channel and looking over to her first officer. "Mister Kita, take us out, maneuvering thrusters until we have cleared spacedock."

Asahi nodded, attention turned from what he assumed was a critical eye, the tiny amount of confidence in his chest faltering when he realized a he hadn't the slightest on what the Conn officer's name was. This would have easily been remedied with a quick glance to his PADD, but, in the moment, he forgot the roster list had been called up to begin with. "Ensign, let's not keep the KDF waiting. Thrusters at stationkeeping, retract the moorings...er..." He paused briefly to stare at the PADD. Wouldn't a trained ensign know how to do half of this? There was a distinct impression he was supposed to say something along the lines of 'make it so,' but he truly didn't want to upset Lirha. "Back us up and take us out of here."

"Yessir." came the reply, followed by a much more sheepish. "... Do I use the RCS thrusters for that?"

'Uhhhhhhh...' Another quick glance to the PADD. "Yes, and make sure we're facing the exit before cruising us out, Ensign."

The response that followed came at a yelp, causing the engineer to cringe. "Yessir!"

---

Meanwhile, aboard USS Galileo...

Bridge

Stace flicked at her fingernails as she shot yet another disillusioned glance towards Allyndra. The now-familiar bridge of the Galileo had begun to feel stuffy and still, the eager anticipation that once surged through the hands at the consoles now remained listless and limp. She took in a breath and casually leaned onto the armrest beside her.

"Cadet Wintrow," she sounded out, breaking into the silence for its relief, "any further word from the Starbase?"

Wintrow resisted the urge to correct her, and tell her he'd be addressed as 'Cadet Paragon', not 'Cadet Wintrow' as he was half-Betazoid, not Bajoran. But he didn't, as he wanted to make a good impression and he was nervous enough being at the conn as it was. "No ma'am," he replied as he studied his readings, "none that I can tell ma'am."

Stace rolled her eyes and then pursed her lips to her commander. "I don't know how much more I can take of this sitting around."

"I know, but for the Cadet welcome to Fleet. It is all hurry up and wait. I do not think anything for most military styled organizations across even most worlds has changed a bit." Allyndra chuckled, "If we were a Klingon crewed ship there probably would be fights already just to relive the wait."

There was an exhilaration of being on the bridge of a starship again. Allyndra could feel the slight surge of adrenaline being here again. I had been a long time it seemed from the Firebird. A whole colony on a real world in between to this ship. Though she had decided that Command track was not exactly for her, much preferring her medicine and science, none the less there was that itch that sometimes made its way under her skin. She stood behind the center chair with Stace in command. She would get her chance at sitting there during part of journey.

She hoped that there would be time to test her theory out and she needed to talk to science or what was left of it here which included her new Captain and to Kohl as well. The upgraded deflector array would be the key to it all. No matter how good the visual and thermal cloak of ship might be there was one thing that no ship could do and that was hide its mass. There would always be a slight bending of space-time and that with the sensitivity of Galileo's new array could be picked up.

Gyce had assumed her tactical station on the post naturally. Though in all honestly, with this being a wargame, Gyce doubted her expertise in ordinance would not have much of an effect. There was just honestly not nearly enough said for her to have a good idea of how to prep. But give the array of ship classes in this wargame fleet. Gyce was content to prepare for just about anything.

Jared stood by the sole remaining science station that wasn't in use. Checking the readings. Everything seemed normal at the moment, but he was a linguist primarily. The only science he really knew was navigation. Still he was on the lookout for any anomalies the sensors might pick up.

The ops station chirped signalling an incoming transmission, and Lirha's distinctive light voice sounded across the channel. " "All ships, this is Admiral Saalm. We are cleared for departure on my lead. Marching order is Atlas, Aventia, Nautilus, Galileo, then Chronos. Hold ten-kilometer separation until we have cleared the solar system's inner belt then assume standard formation."

Allyndra quipped to Stace, "Well at least we are not going to be the last out." At least they were getting underway.

"Sir," Lieutenant Alasia glanced up from his small bridge terminal. "Starfleet has forwarded us the ceremonial invitation pursuant to Article VI of the Khitomer Accords. It is thusly added to the official log that The Klingon Empire eagerly anticipates our presence."

Allyndra nodded but did not respond that was the Captain prerogative. It was more just that she understood. Well once they were underway she could leave her and start the more routine part of making sure the ship was operating alright before her own watch.


Sickbay

Looking around her, Dru was beginning to realise that she seemed to keep finding herself back in this place time and time again despite her position having nothing to do with the area. Turning to Prudence, the counsellor smiled a little, "So....how's your medical skills? I assume they have more need to us to put people back together than for us to fix people's minds.

Prudence met her eyes before giving a small smile. "I did a medical degree a lifetime ago..." she held up the PADD she was reading. "I am just refreshing my knowledge of triage. Thank God I have kept an eye on medical advances."

Glancing at the PADD, Dru smiled as she peered at it over the bosses shoulder, "Could I borrow that when your finished? Beyond the basic we were thought in the Academy I don't think I'm able to do much more."

"Don't worry, we'll keep you in line," Dr Alexion Wylde said lightly as he passed them, rolling the sleeves of his jacket up. There was a hint of jest to his voice though as he moved to his own station, letting out a long breath. Everything was in place and ready now, all they could do was wait.

Prudence smiled gently, looking Alexion before nodding. "Well, we will do whatever we can to help," she said before offering the PADD to Dru. "Here. I think I remember the basics..."

Taking the offered PADD, Dru skimmed the information as butterfly nerves tossed about in her stomach. It genuinely had been so long since she had last had to put her medical skills to use. She just hoped that they wouldn't fail her now. She wanted to stay focused on these nerves and not let anything else interfer. She had a job she needed to do.

Olsam shuffled over and grinned at the two counselors. "I think all we'll need are the basics, anyway. Combat is about plasma burns and torn off limbs and asphyxiation and arterial blood loss and...well, lots of other stuff. But it's not like it takes detailed phoretic analysis or anything. Just a quick triage - 'Is he or is he not going to die?' - and then piece them back together. It's like playing with building blocks, except the blocks are people pieces."

Looking up at the Doctor, Dru smiled a little before looking back at the PADD she was holding, "The only issue being that as we are only trained as basic medics; beyond a dermal regenerator, tricorder and some basis pain relief we are unable to administer much more to a patient. We can also do shoulder to cry on and a hand to squeeze through the pain of course."

Prudence chuckled, watching Dru. "I have a medical background," she said, because it was true. As a civilian she had done a medical degree to be able to become a psychiatrist. "While rusty, I can do more than than basic. A lot will come back to me...like riding a bicycle after all," she said and looked at Mott. "As a psychiatrist, I can prescribe some...medication. Although I will defer to your judgement as you are the senior doctor," she added to him, knowing he was aware of that.

"I am?" Olsam asked, lifting his eyebrows. "Oh. Right. Yes, you're right, of course. I am the senior doctor. Acting Chief Medical Officer. Ship's Physician. Don't worry, you're in safe hands."

Laeon Wylde watched on the interaction with wide eyes, bringing up the PADD he held to try and cover the fact he'd had to press his lips together to stop a smile at Mott's seeming confusion of reality, and the hope he didn't get sick any time soon.

From across the room, Alexion Wylde caught sight of him, pointing a finger directly in warning at his son to not laugh, but there was a small pull of a smile on his own lips from the same observation.

Dru subconsciously pulled back from the Doctor as she focused on the PADD in her hands. The incident of a few hours earlier still played on her mind, "We will be continuing our counselling duties during the next few days or did you wish to run some simulations to bring us all up to date on triage medicine Doctor?"

Prudence looked over at Mott, a small smile on her lips. She didn't mind whichever. Her door was open if anyone left on the ship wished to see a counsellor. She looked over at Laeon with interest. He was very young to be here, so...there had to be a reason. And she would find it out eventually.

"Huh? Simulations? Oh. Well. I suppose we could," Olsam said, giving both Drusilla and Prudence a good look up and down. He thought it was probably best if counselors stayed in their office and counseled, but they would be suffering from a lack of personnel so he might have to draft them anyway. Better they were trained. "I suppose that's wise. I'll schedule some training exercises on emergency medicine, and young Mr. Wylde here can join in. No harm in getting you all some certification, hm? Uh, so long as you can all promise me you won't kill anyone... I have an ongoing bet with a rival from Starfleet Medical to keep our mortality rates below five per year, and I'll be damned if I lose to that smug bastard one more time."

Prudence raised an eyebrow at the words, a soft chuckle escaping. "Is that five per doctor or per sickbay?" she asked, teasingly. "I promise, we will not contribute to...ruining your chances, Doctor Mott."

Standing in Sick Bay in his white lab coat, tricorder in pocket reminded Ethan of all the million reasons why he's chosen to study medicine at Starfleet Academy and why he chose to maintain his credentials. He may not have been a cardiovascular surgeon, but he knew his way around the field and enjoyed the academic aspect of it just as much as he did the healing process.


Engineering

K'os was anxious just like anyone else. Indeed, if he had allowed it to, that anxiousness might even have blossomed to full out nervousness. Instead, he maintained a steady, even grip on his emotions; standing at a rigid but relaxed 'at ease' position with his hands tightly behind his back. He expression was stoic and blank. Behind him a small team of enlisted crew members and Petty Officers stood in a small group, with their hands similarly behind their backs. They talked quietly amongst themselves, waiting for K'os to issue them orders relayed from the Chief. The launch was being delayed and it was making them all restless. They were his supervisors and team leaders. The talented people that really made Engineering run the way it did. They were ready, and had been for awhile now. Like a tightly coiled spring, K'os stood waiting for orders from the other 25 year old in Engineering, his Chief, Grayson Jones.

It was his first time in command of the section, with no one around for backup. Nerves were his companion today, but not this friend. He had to stand tall, act like a leader, sound like he knew what he was doing. Grayson did, he had to show it. "Alright team, lets show them what we have got. We are the best in the fleet."

With some kind of, hopefully, rousing opening remarks out the way, he began issuing his orders for standard departure proceedings. "K'os, lock down the power regulators, make sure power doesn't slip to the core by accident, it has a habit of wanting more when it doesn't need it. Keep it on thrusters." He turned to a group of other engineers and began issuing commands to lock down non essential systems for the time being and to stand by their stations. "I'm going to start spooling up the impulse reactors to hot standby and prime the warp coils. Get to your stations, holler if you need me."

K'os nodded and issued a quick, "Yes, Sir." before turning to the group behind him. "You heard the Chief. Standby stations, and keep on your crewmen to do the same. I'll come around soon for status reports to give to, LT." He turned as they scattered and issued another quick nod back to Grayson before striding to a console to get on the power regulator as requested.

"Great work so far everyone, green across the board. Engineering reports ready," Grayson smiled as he looked around, finally believing in himself, he could do this. Calling over to his crewman, "K'os, you'll make a great Assistant and one day Chief at this rate."

K'os returned the smile, though it was partly elicited after a crewman nudged his back with her arm and whispered a quiet, but lighthearted 'teacher's pet' from behind him. "None essential systems on standby, Sir." He called back.

"Great work everyone, we are good to go," Grayson said as he glanced over at the mock master engineering display he had made, so he could quickly check over all essential systems and everyone's work and progress.


Security Office

It was quiet in Security while the rest of the ship was preparing to shove off. Pax had all her ducks in a row, everyone had been issued their hand phasers and the rifle lockers around the ship were fully prepped and stocked. As she sat with her feet on the desk, looking at the empty brig, she listened to the intercom to the bridge as everyone checked in before chiming in herself.

"Chief Inyo to the Bridge, we're all square here in Security. Nothing to report."

She took her lute out to tune it and after a moment of instrumental warm up gymnastics, began to sing an old sea shanty with a bit of added pep.

"As I walked by the dockside one evening so rare
To view the still waters and take the salt air
I heard an old fisherman singing this song,
Oh take me away boys, me time is not long

Dress me up in me oilskins and jumper
No more on the docks I'll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates I'm takin a trip mates
I'll see you someday in Fiddler's Green

Oh in Fiddler's Green is a place I've heard tell
Where sailormen go if they don't go to hell
Where the weather is fair and the dolphins do play
And the cold coast of Greenland is far far away"

Pleased with the acoustics in the empty brig, she was picking out a busy instrumental in place of the chorus on the strings when she looked up and realized that she hadn't turned off the ship intercom. She laughed and shrugged and figured if no one wanted to hear it they'd cut her comm so she kept right on playing, picking up the next verse.

"Where the skies are all clear and there's never a gale
And the fish jump on board with a swish of their tails
Where you lie at your leisure - there's no work to do
And the skipper's below making tea for the crew

Oh! Dress me up in me oilskins and jumper
No more on the docks I'll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates I'm takin a trip mates
I'll see you someday in Fiddler's Green

And when you are docked and the long trip is through
There's pubs and there's clubs and there's lassies there too
Where the girls are all pretty and the beer is all free
And there's bottles of rum growin off every tree"

She whistled and tapped as she strummed in place of the chorus once more and then finished off the tune with the last verse

"Oh I don't want a harp nor a halo, not me
Just give me a breeze and a good rollin sea
And I'll play me auld squeezebox as we sail along
With the wind in the rigging to sing me this song"

She picked softly, winding down from the song and with the last ringing note reached back to the console and switched off her comm.

Moving into the security offices, Gabriel Stark had to pause for a moment, holding his breath and looking around with confusion. Had he heard singing? He shook his head gently, dismissing it as his imagination as he moved around the desk to log in his return. "12 o clock, and all's well," he declared to himself in a sing song voice of a town watchman with his first checks finished. After a good, long shoreleave, he was ready to get back into work, restless with it almost. At least if they were on the move, things were heading in the right direction.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Atlas

Lieutenant JG Grayson Jones
Acting Chief Engineer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Wakeham Paul Alasia
Diplomatic Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy
Assistant Chief Counsellor
USS Galileo

Petty Officer 2nd Class Rebecca Williams
Commanding Officer's Yeoman
USS Galileo

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Chronos

Cadet Sarah Gardiner
Security Officer
Red Squad Cadet
USS Chronos
[NPC'ed by McCarthy]

CMDR Scarlet Blake
Commanding Officer
USS Nautilus

Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl
Executive Officer
USS Nautilus

MWO Alexion Wylde
Doctor
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

PO1 Siren Hex Saalm
Intelligence
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

Laeon Wylde
Civilian Crew Family/Sickbay Volunteer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

PO1 Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

Lieutenant (J.G.) Tuula Voutilainen, M.D.
Medical Officer
USS Galileo

MWO Amon Mormont
Sec/Tac
USS Nautilus
[PNPC Markos]

Lt. Commander Amynta Markos
Commanding Officer
USS Aventia

Ensign Mieko Argyris
Flight Control
USS Nautilus
[NPC Markos]

Major Gerard Evans
Marine CO
USS Nautilus
[NPC Markos]

Ensign Annikafiore Szerda
Chief Operations Officer
USS Nautilus
[NPC Kohl]

Lieutenant JG Richard Holmes
Flight Control
USS Aventia
[NPC Markos]

Ensign T'Vanna Murray
Operations Officer
USS Aventia

Lieutenant j.g. Naois Mercy
Medical Officer
USS Nautilus
[PNPC T'Vanna]

Cadet SO Wintrow Paragon
CONN Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Jaana Voutilainen
Stellar Cartograher
USS Galileo

PO3 Aeleni Loni
Operations Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Jaana]

Lt. Jared Nicholas
Language Specialist
USS Galileo

Lt. Min Nicholas
Chief of Operations
USS Galileo

Jonah Chaparral
Civilian Doctor
PNPC Jared Nicholas
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Asahi Kita
Executive Officer
USS Atlas

Lt. Prudence Devin
Chief Counsellor
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Avery Harlowe
Science Officer
USS Aventia
[NPC Devin]

Lieutenant JG Aria Rice
Security Officer
USS Aventia
[NPC Devin]

PO3 K'os Beaumont
Engineer's Mate
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Commander Norvi Stace
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Commander Dea Mialin
Executive Officer
USS Aventia

Chief Petty Officer Pax-Inyo
Master-at-Arms
USS Galileo

LCmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Acing XO
USS Gallileo

CMCPO Markum Quinn
Chief of the Boat
USS Gallileo

 

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