Change in plans - Part 1

Posted on 14 Apr 2013 @ 10:39am by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

1,244 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: M10: Divine Intervention
Location: USS Achilles / SB-80
Timeline: MD 1

Ciara's resignation had come at a bad time; with only hours before the Achilles was due to depart he only had a few options. He could proceed on without an executive officer and place more duties on his support staff, especially his yeoman, or he could push them and himself to find if there was an officer with in sector that was qualified for the job in the time remaining.

Such a task while not battling an enemy would still be a challenge. Yelling out he called for his yeoman that was just through the door, "LANCE!"

The Chief sat working on the next set of padds to take to the Admiral, one pile for the ship the other for the Task Force, and for the first time in all the years working for Da`nal he heard him actually yell his name. Once he was back inside his skin he scrambled into the Admiral's Ready room. "Sir?!"

Da`nal had already begun the search; pulling up the rosters of the ships in the area and within proximity to their destination. Without looking up from his terminal he handed over the padd containing Ciara's resignation. "Commander Brannagh has resigned & I want to either have the new XO aboard or a rendezvous set before we depart. I want a list of every command level officer certified for a Prometheus class ship on my monitor yesterday."

"Sir we're supposed to leave in only a few hours?!"

"Then you better hurry. Drop everything for now and get me those names and their records."

Lance knew better than to argue. "Shall I contact Station operation for assistance as well."

Nodding approvingly, the more eyes looking the faster they could find what he needed...hopefully. "Permission granted. Lets get to work."


[Operations Starbase 80]

It was quiet evening in Ops, Beta shift had been on duty for a couple of hours and so far it was turning into another routine shift. The Communications Officer was quietly monitoring her comms panel. She had just given clearance instructions to an out-bound convoy when she received an alert tone for an incoming transmission from the Task Force Flagship, USS Achilles, which was currently docked with the Celeste Class station.

As she activated the link she noted that the transmission was on the Task Force Command priority channel. "Eighty Operations, go a ahead Achilles"

She listened with interest as Rear Admiral Da'nal's Yeoman gave her a series of instructions "Acknowledged Achilles, I will pass on the Admiral's request immediately, Eighty Operations, out"

She crossed to the duty Operations Officer desk "Sir, we've had a personal request from Admiral Da'nal. He needs us to check all transit personnel for Lieutenant Commanders or Commanders with operational command experience. Then if we find any, we're to have them contact his Yeoman, Master Chief Nelson, as soon as possible"

"Did they say why?" He asked

"Apparently the Achilles needs a new Executive Officer immediately, sir"

The duty officer sucked his lip for a moment, these kinds of matters were usually handled by Star Fleet personnel division but it didn't do one's career much good to say “no” to Admirals. "Ok, well let's see who we have..."

He leant over his panel and with a few taps brought up a list of the personnel currently aboard the Station who were in transit or on shore leave. Then narrowed it down to Lieutenant Commander and Commander ranks. "This is like looking for a needle in a haystack..." he reported aloud. A couple more taps brought up current divisions and orders. He scanned through them.

Two were Science Officers, en route to a biology conference; One was a former Commanding Officer heading back to Earth but was he retiring in six weeks; One was an Engineer and she was down in sickbay awaiting a knee replacement operation. Another was a Lieutenant Commander, currently in transit to the USS Los Alamos, to take up the Executive Officer position on that ship....and the search continued.


[USS Achilles - Ready room]

The search was over. Both his, the Chiefs, and the Station finding where before him and now the narrowing had to be done. Da`nal's terminal was deactivated and retracted into the desk itself. His desk normally neat and orderly was strewn with padds. Lance sat across from him and together they went through padd after padd...the possible went into one pile and the rejects were unceremoniously tossed aside like a scrap during a Klingon banquet.

"What about this one?"

Taking the padd Da`nal reviewed the record nodding here and there, until he glanced at the last review. "No." And tossed that padd over his shoulder before returning to the file he had been looking over.


[SB-80]

Lantiq stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. He'd spent an hour in the gym working out and two hours before that wandering around the shops and stores on the station's extensive promenade. Now he had work to do. He'd arrived at Starbase 80 yesterday afternoon and was in transit, awaiting the arrival of his new ship, the USS Los Alamos. When she got there, he would be taking up his next post as the ship's new Executive Officer.

He had been awaiting the move for some seven weeks, since passing the selection board interview with Captain Harrington. Harrington was a noted explorer and as taking the Galaxy Class Los Alamos off on a three year cruise to the Gamma quadrant, on a voyage of discovery and diplomacy. Lantiq was looking forward to the challenges of his new position, taking him a step closer to his own command and also excited to be heading off to the Gamma quadrant.

Harrington was known to be a good commander, but he also expected a lot from his crews and Lantiq had been left in no doubt that he was required to up to speed on all things Galaxy class related by the time he set foot on the Los Alamos' decks. To that end, he had a bag full of PADDs and tech manuals that he had been working through for weeks.

He dressed casually in sweats and sandals and decided to do his studying in a place of comfort, the Starbase's arboretum, which he had discovered yesterday. He grabbed a well worn manual off his desk, pointedly ignoring his commbadge lying next to it and headed out.


[USS Achilles]

The pace had finally slowed and a more careful review was now under way. While Da`nal reviewed the records Lance to the time to pick up the scattered padd of those rejected and placed them in the replicator for recycling. Once finished he returned to his seat across from the Admiral with a hot cup of ra'taj for him.

Looking up at his yeoman he let out a guttural sigh, "Thank you Chief." Setting aside yet another rejected candidate, he picked up another padd and was taking a drink as he began to read. Setting the cup down he focused his attention digging deeper into the record in his hand.

Seeing what was happening Lance stayed where he was and wait for what he expected to be the inevitable.

Continuing to read Da`nal pulled at his beard. Without closing the evaluation he had been reading he handed the padd to his yeoman as he stood and picked up his ra`taj. "I want him. Have him report here immediately."

"Yes sir."



TBC

 

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