Executive Decision (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on 20 Sep 2012 @ 1:13pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Captain Jonathan Holliday & Lieutenant Commander Pola Ni Dhuinn M.D. & Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Coleman & Command Master Chief Markum Quinn & Lieutenant Theron Rhodes & Lieutenant Kiri Cho & Rachel Hardaway Ph.D. & Anthony Hardaway Ph.D.

4,239 words; about a 21 minute read

Mission: Episode 01 - Project Sienna
Location: USS Galileo - Observation Lounge
Timeline: MD 10 - 0615 hrs

Previously, on Executive Decision (Part 1),

Evelyn narrowed her eyes at the doctor. "Computer, open Intelligence file, Sienna 0333-A through D, decryption code, Coleman-alpha 111-5 omega epsilon 892-delta. Restore these files to Project Sienna's data core." She spoke out staring at Hardaway. After hearing the acknowledgement from the computer Evelyn spoke, "the deleted files have been restored, and I suggest if you want to keep these files from being permanently deleted along with the rest of Sienna, you will work with us to get it operational. After all we're only talking about a total use of a minute and five seconds of use, not a nanosecond more."

Hardaway smiled at Evelyn, there was something chilling about it. "I don't appreciate deception. But it doesn't matter, it only takes half a nanosecond for something to go wrong, and another half for it to be too late to do anything. Sienna is our project, and we will test it when we are ready." Why he seemed so averse to using his project he did not say, but he was clearly adamant in his decision.

"Doctor Hardaway, I respect your decision." Evelyn said, "any other scientist seeing what this ship and crew has done to to ensure the safety of the project, the fact the Captain and I survived torture keeping the information secure and you alive. What was the casualty report? Twelve dead? And to still say no, and say it with a smile." Evelyn leaned back and gave him a smile in return, "Fine, if you don't want to participate very well. On behalf of Starfleet Intelligence, Project Sienna is hereby confiscated."

And Now, the Conclusion...

[ON]

Kiri felt rather relieved by what doctor Hardaway said this time. When you were talking about travel by bending your way though space one second was enough. If the ships inertial dampeners failed at impulse they'd be fired into the walls so fast they would be crushed. At warp or faster, Kiri didn't want to think about it any more than that. That wasn't even counting if they hit something in a level of space that was almost completely unknown. From the evidence they had, they might be travelling through somewhere that didn't follow normal physics and the humanoid body would just turn to dust. All those things and more seemed that much more real as she heard the Lieutenant's words. If they had a lab and months to carry it out, Kiri still wouldn't want to risk it. If the creator didn't want to try it, the expert on the matter. What chance did those who were only starting to look at it now?

Placing her hand against Anthony's arm, Rachel recognized the tone in his voice. The intelligence officer had just thread on dangerous ground. Looking across at the woman in question, Rachel hardened her eyes. "You know... instead of throwing your fancy powers around, think about what you are doing first. You take that project away from us, who is going to run it? It took us years to build and educate ourselves on it, you expect to be able to throw your weight around again and magically make it work? There's an urgency here, there isn't time for you to study it, understand it, make it work."

Taking a breath as she tried to calm herself, Rachel looked over to Anthony before looking back at the woman. "Instead of showing us aggression, treating us like our opinions don't matter, listen to our concerns. We have every much as right to voice our feelings as everyone else in this room. You forget... in those twelve people we lost people we have worked years with, we lost family.... You lost people you spent, seven days with? Don't throw around your facts and your figures without realizing we are as every bit a humanoid as anyone else."

Looking across at Jonathan, it was on the tip of Pola's tongue to interrupt. Feelings were high, not least of the crew and of Evelyn. They had to make a decision here, one in which the ship and it's crew could possible be saved instead of staying around like sitting ducks.

Evelyn's eyes shifted to Rachel, her posture remaining firm. "I shared my concerns of the situation with you Doctor when we were in your lab on Starbase 152," she began addressing Rachel, "In hope you could get through to your husband the severity of the situation. It was you who replied; "While I never savor in the loss of life, I simply only care about my project." So forgive me if I question your sincerity. As for Sienna, yes I...we would rather a proper test be conducted in a more ideal environment, and I recognize the time and dedication the two of you had put into this technology. And Doctor Hardaway," she shifted her gaze to Anthony, "I believe we all understand the Galileo is in no ideal shape in doing a test run, but our options are very limited." Evelyn's demeanor remained cool. "I'm not your enemy, we are all in this together. Sienna is the key to us getting out of here and the two of you back in a lab to perfect Sienna. Now let me rephrase the question so we don't waste anymore time. Is there are a way we can incorporate Sienna, even a smallest detail that we could use for a fast escape?"

Having gotten nothing from Jonathan, Pola leaned forward in her chair, latching onto the last part of Evelyn's statement. "Hum...we have three options here it seems. First being, we stay where we are, ignore the fact that we have Sienna and die. The second option is that we make use of the Vorta onboard and see if he has any knowledge surrounding the idea which the Commander has put forward. The third option seems to be that we look at breaking Sienna down into smaller pieces, pieces which could possible be utilised to improve the engines we currently have onboard. Of these three ideas, which is more plausible?"

Turning her body, Pola looked directly at Anthony, the one person here who seemed to be the decider in all of this. "Doctor Hardaway. You devoted your life to this experiment to creating Sienna. Do you want your life's work to be nothing? We die if we stay here. If we die trying to use Sienna, is that not worth it?"

"I have had quite enough of you Starfleet officers," Anthony informed them all, though his gaze was fixed on Evelyn ever since she suggested confiscating the files. "I will consider. If you try to access the files without my permission, I will refuse to help you, and I can assure you that without our help you will destroy this ship." They still might, even if he did help, he thought. He turned to leave.

Evelyn wanted to scream. She turned towards Anthony, "Doctor please stay." Evelyn said, "If you agree to help us... I'll give you the solution to the problem that you and your team have been struggling to solve. The solution that has been eluding you from finally completing Sienna. To finally push you beyond the cusp of understanding the universe to knowing." She said, and then lifted up the small box she had brought, "It's in here, Doctor. Agree to help us, and I'll share with you something Starfleet has forbid me to disclose. This way you have something against me should I violate your demands."

Before he could walk away, Rachel grabbed him by the arm. As much as she felt a great anger towards Evelyn, on this situation she found that she agreed with the woman. "Tony... there isn't time to sort this later. Please... hear Evelyn out... if she really does have the solution then it could be the end to all of our issues." Staring into Anthony's eyes, Rachel pleaded. She knew that her husband knew she despised Evelyn, it took alot for her to say what she did aloud. She was tired of fighting, tired of what this was doing to them and to their people. Eric was in the brig, others were dead. This project was meant to be a salvation for the Federation, not the destruction of everything they knew.

Only his wife's words seemed able to sway him. Though stone-faced, he sat down. His eyes studied Evelyn intensely. "This had better be worthwhile, Lieutenant..."

Kiri felt her heart drop a little more with each passing second, what they were going to be trying to do became clearer. The only thing that distracted her from that was Lieutenant Coleman's actions. First threading the only person that could help them. If she was braver and felt it her place Kiri would have stood up then, while she'd gone though bad things it was no excuse for how the Lieutenant was acting. Then things, go stranger? What was in the box, how did the Lieutenant get it if the Hardaways were the foremost experts? Yet it was here on the ship, whatever it was? If it was planned Kiri didn't understand, if it wasn't, she still didn't understand.

"Enough!" Holliday shouted out, leaping to his feet from the head of the table before the conversation around him degenerated into nothing more than a fistfight. The situation was too critical for them to be arguing amongst themselves when there was a fleet of Klingon vessels bearing down on them with nothing more than the destruction of the Galileo on their minds.

"The decision has been made. We use Sienna. If anyone wants to complain, feel free to make an official protest to Starfleet Command when we get back to Earth."

Looking around at the group, particularly the two Hardaways that had managed to oppose this mission from the moment the Galileo had arrived at Starbase 152, Holliday settled back down into his chair after a moment of silence.

"If anyone wants to disagree with me right now - feel free to escort yourselves to the nearest airlock and fling yourselves into space - it would save me the job. My orders stand."

Picking up the PADD in front of him, Holliday quickly tapped in a series of commands to transmit orders to each of the officers around him for their own reference.

"Chief, I want you and your team to work with the Vorta to improve our power situation and make the necessary preparations for Sienna's installation. Coleman will assist you - watch that Vorta... I still don't trust him as far as I could throw him."

Holliday knew that Engineering could handle their own affairs, there was enough to be worrying about other than micromanaging departments that had proven time and time again they could hold this ship together.

Evelyn looked at Quinn and then back at Holliday, "Rodger that." she said then shifted her focus to her small box.

With a nod, Quinn leaned back in his chair, "Aye-aye, sir."

"Pola - focus your efforts on the captain - I need her back in action and brought up to speed before we make our attempt - she's your number one priority as of now."

Taken by shock by Jonathan's sudden harsh words and jump to his feet, Pola just nodded, uncertain what else to do. The CO was her priority without her even needing to be told so. Sure hadn't she not wanted to leave sickbay, even for this meeting?

That cleared up most of the situation, in fact, it would probably have covered most of the jobs that needed to be done before Sienna could happen, but then again, there were always plenty more options to cover.

"Rhodes... I want that Vorta under escort for the entire time he's out of his quarters - Rice seems to have a pretty good relationship with him - use her."

"Yes Sir." Rhodes replied smartly, but even though he had a concern about using the Vorta, he had more of a concern about the device. He recalled something in the Tandaran past about such a method of transport and its side impact.

"Cho... you'll be working with me. We need to start figuring out how to integrate Sienna's targeting systems in with our existing helm controls... the standard warp piloting systems just aren't going to cut the mustard here."

Kiri was tense, worried by the implication, "Yes sir." She didn't really have much of a clue how one would navigate while using the device. Plotting a course would be possible, once she knew the realities of the device. There was a reason why adjusting course at warp wasn't advised, doing so while bending reality to your whim, that was even less advised. The young ensign would still rather drift home rather than use it however.

That left only the civillians around the table to worry about. These were the two that Holliday was least looking forward to dealing with - as civilians they technically didn't report into his chain of command, but nevertheless, with the situation as it was, he would be damned if he was going to let them get in the way of his mission.

"Mrs. Hardaway - you'll assist Ensign Cho and I with our calculations for the Sienna jump... I trust you're up to the task. Mr. Hardaway, you'll assist in Engineering - if anyone knows the power requirements of Sienna, it'll be you. If you don't want to help, fine, I'll have you confined to the Brig. Make no mistake, we will be using Sienna... and there's a far better chance of us not turning into space dust with your help... understood?"

Looking at Jonathan, Pola resisted the urge to just bang her head against the table. Lee-way... they'd actually been getting somewhere and he'd barged right in and sent the pieces scattering. Bloody, blasted people needing to take charge. Hadn't he learned anything during this meeting that the Hardaway's did not respond to pushing and threatening. If they'd learned anything it was that the Hardaways were the key to this.

Looking at the ship's XO, Rachel held her breath. She realized that as much as she could do to help, this all hinged on Anthony helping out. Even though this had been a joint project, he was the pushing factor. Turning her head, she looked at him while awaiting an answer.

"What you need to understand, Commander," Anthony Hardaway informed John, giving the commanding officer a condescending look, "is that my wife and I have full control over Project Sienna regardless of whether or not you choose to imprison us or confiscate our files." He stood up from the table once more, shrugging off Rachel's hand. "Your actions towards me will not change the laws of physics. Without me, you will never get Sienna to work in time." Having said that, he turned and left the room at a brisk pace.

Was she braver now? Kiri had been given time to think of the options, what might work, what wouldn't. She'd heard of what happened to the captured crew, that they had been tortured horribly and most killed. Even if this project went as badly as it might, it would likely be better odds than staying here. So someone had to do something, he disliked Lieutenant Coleman and Commander Holliday, he wasn't listening to them or his wife. Kiri was the Science Officer in the room, then she was also the lowest ranked person here. For a spilt second, her mind warped into fight or flight, standing up her voice sharp and frantic, "Computer, erect a level two forcefield." A look of pure terror now flashing across her face she glanced at the other officers. She hadn't thought this through completely, she could hardly apologise for the others actions without offending them. She had also technically kidnapped someone by preventing them from leaving. Shivered started to shake across her body as the enormity of the trouble she was in sank in. She'd started now though, she was responsible for Science matters and this was one of them, mostly. Voice meek and quaking, "I, um, sorry." Deep breath, almost tripping over her chair, "I'm sorry Doctor Hardaway, apologies." Kiri hardly appeared as a good example of an officer as her face went paler. Knees almost at the point of knocking, "If we can't use your project to escape, then chances are the Klingons will obtain it, or we all die." The situation was grim, but there seemed to only be two real answers, "You know we can't do it without you, but you can't do it without us either." The biggest problem was forcing the project to fruition, "I know its almost impossible, but if we don't try to use Sienna on the off chance, then we've already given up." He had put his life into this work, she really hoped he wouldn't cut off his nose to spite his face, "So please, for the seventy five lives on the ship, can we try?" Her voice broke with a deep shivering breath. She'd placed herself in a situation she was not equipped for, that she had little idea of what to do and made a fool of herself. This was going to hurt, she backed away a little bit, eyes flicking back to the table with an almost flinch before settling back on the doctor.

Ens. Rhodes was utterly started by the erection of the forcefield. He wanted to jump up and stop this, but was not sure of all the dynamics playing out or if the Commander knew what was taking place. So, from under the table using a PADD he began to access the computer authorization code override system. He wanted to be ready to bring down the force field at the calling of the Commander.

Anthony didn't seem particularly surprised at the forcefield, though he pulled up short to avoid running into it. "I am aware of the statistics, ensign," Hardaway said sharply, though he did bother to actually meet her eyes when he addressed her, a gesture that probably wouldn't mean much to the Starfleet people. "Now lower the forcefield. Unless you are placing me under arrest, I will not stand to be restrained. Commander Holliday." He waited expectantly for the man to order the forcefield lowered.

Evelyn used the small incident to prepare. She tapped the top of the box three times with her index finger. The rounded edges of the cube began to illuminate blue. She stood up from her chair as she placed the index and middle fingers on the top of the cube to keep it stationary, and her thumb and index finger of her right hand were pressed against opposing faces of the cube. She then pulled. Instead of removing a portion of the cube, it lengthened with her movements. When Evelyn was done, her small cube was now a 1"x2'x1" rectangular prism.

"Doctors," She began ignoring what just happened "believe it or not you're following the same paths as the Mak'Ti'Gragorians." She began speaking as she moved the prism so it was perpendicular to the edge of the table. "Now I never got a chance to visit them, but my brother did. He went there, did some listening and was impressed by their advancement. The propulsion system they've developed was on a similar concept as Sienna." She then pushed in the elongated face of the prism, and as she removed her hand, the compartment opened like a drawer. Inside were four rows of twelve glass 5cm thick tablets. "This was about 1,000 years ago when he visited, anyhow. You two are on the cusp of the discovery of a new science, Spatial Multidimensional Mechanics. Now the solution for your problems," She pulled up one of the glass tablets, her fingers darting along it, activating it. She made her way towards the replicator as her eyes skimmed through the contents. Evelyn tapped the small button for the equipment closet, and pulled out a data PADD. She transferred the necessary information from the glass tablet to the PADD. She returned the glass tablet to the draw. "If you're going to do something that not only transcends Space-Time, you have to make sure you know your Dimensional Geometry." She smirked as she tapped the container once, and it automatically returned to its original shape, a small cube.

Holding up the PADD, "Hardaway, we need you. Alright? WE NEED YOU!" Evelyn exclaimed, "And I'm willing to help you overcome your problem, if you just help us with ours." She extended her hand, offering the PADD to him. "Computer, lower the force field." The energy dissolved and she looked at Anthony, "Please, Doctor."

"Well....if my crew are done messing about with our internal security systems....we have a job to do. Everyone report to stations and get to work...You have four hours to get Sienna operational, by then we won't have much nebula left to hide in."

Holliday had, for the last few moments at least, sat back to allow his team to work out their own differences. Usually he wouldn't have let something like this get quite so out of hand, but short of locking half his senior staff in the brig, he didn't have time to waste.

"Move out people."

Kiri had drifted back from where the was standing away from the door and everyone else. Shame washed over her to the point where figurative thunder clouds hung low over her head. The Ensign waited for the female Hardway and the Commander to leave before following them, hoping for the chance to apologise for how stupid she had been.

Ens. Rhodes had stood when Kiri had moved back from the door. Before she exited he had looked at her directly and shook his head subtlely to the negative. Even for their friendship, he could and would not have helped her.

Evelyn handed the PADD off and retrieved her library cube, her eyes drifted to Kiri, making a mental note to get to know the young woman better. She spun on her heels and walked towards the exit but froze in place. Feeling the hairs on the back of her neck rise. The was a flash of blue in her mind's eye, and that is it. She blinked, shaking her head and walked out.

Looking over at Jonathan, Pola realised that she needed time to think this over. Ok time wasn't on her side but she didn't have time to sit around and argue and the XO didn't either. Nodding her head briskly in his direction, She got to her feet and headed for sickbay and her patient.

Still seated in her chair, Rachel couldn't tear her eyes away from Tony, they were the only two left aside from the XO. They'd been so close and then it was snatched away. She didn't like that they'd been separated in order to help these people. He still hadn't replied to the XO or Evelyn. In a show of support to him, she got up and stood by his side. "Help them Tony....if not for them, then for us and our people."

"Our people?" Anthony asked with a frown, eyeing Evlyn as she left. "Oh, yes, all of them grateful for what we do, like Anderson." He looked at John squarely. "None of them deserve our help."

"Whilst you might have your own reservations about the effectiveness of those around you, I can assure you Doctor that we will all be very much dead within the next couple of hours if we don't do something - I assume self-preservation is well-established within your personality? If anything do it for yourself."

Picking himself up from the chair, Holliday quickly brushed past the two doctors, and out onto the Bridge, leaving the two of them alone to make their final decisions. It didn't matter what happened now, either Galileo would escape, or she would be destroyed, either way, their mission would be over very soon.

Watching Jonathan walk away, Rachel got to her feet and looked over at Anthony. "Fine... if you've no reason to do it then don't. Don't do it for me, don't do it for anyone. I'm sick and tired of this. this fighting, this bickering, this death. We created this project together, we worked on this together, we made it part of our lives where we had nothing else but each other. Now is the time that it has to be used. I always thought that together that would happen but if you want to stand your ground that's your choice... my choice is to help them save us and everyone else." Staring once more at Anthony as a tear fell down her cheek, Rachel walked out of the room, uncertain what would happen now.

[OFF]

Lt Cmdr Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Kiri Cho
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Theon Rhodes
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo

Chief Warrant Officer Markum Quinn
Chief Engineer
USS Galileo

Lt. JG Evelyn Coleman
Chief Intelligence Officer.
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Pola Ni Dhuinn
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Narrator
USS Galileo
NPC'd by Lirha Saalm

Rachel Hardaway Ph.D.
Lead Scientist
Project Sienna
NPC'd by Pola Ni Dhuinn

Anthony Hardaway Ph.D.
Lead Scientist
NPC'd by Amril
Project Sienna

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