Pacing helps

Posted on 24 Mar 2016 @ 2:50am by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal & Lieutenant Commander Michael Garabaldi & Lieutenant Commander Samuel Killpatrick & Lieutenant Kordah Himars & Lieutenant Shawn Hamilton

1,469 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: M13-C: Shattered Time
Location: Bridge

Da`nal sat in the center seat while the XO and Mr. Garabaldi led their away teams to the vessels. The capabilities of this vessel continued to impress as he glanced from the main view screen to the holo-displays to his left hand right. the holo-displays showed the tactical data on both the vessels and what data they had on the away teams themselves. The only problem was that that data hadn't changed is some time.

He had never been one to micro manage his people but the one burden of command he hated was the waiting. After deactivating the displays he rose from his seat he slipping the small blade he always kept in the back hem of his uniform jacket and began a walk of the bridge...scrapping his thumb over the blade.

After circling the bridge twice he decided to pause at the various stations he passed.

His first stop was the helm, but seeing that Mr. Xanth had things in hand he continued moving onto Ops he looks to Himar's. "Any change in readings on the away teams?"

What seemed like hours to the Operational chief, was only a set of minutes. Which, for the Bajoran warrior, felt odd for him. With him at his station, quietly observing the two away teams. One on a ship, that mirror an known vessel with in Starfleet, but, only by so much. While the other, was beyond anything Starfleet had encountered. yet, something still felt wrong and the warrior Operation chief couldn't place it.

"Some, but, nothing out of the regs. The Terran vessel Generators have been switched on and from the reading, the main engine is going to be following shortly. As for the Alien vessel, from what I have gathered, sir, is that the team is starting to re power her up"

Nodding he moved to continue but was stop.

"Sir, if I may speak?" asked Himars to his house leader

"I don't like this one damn bit" returned the warrior "first off, we are here with three unknowns and a ship that we somewhat know. I am surprised, that the Empire or one of the other known allies and enemies to the Federation hasn't been snooping this sector of space out, due to the mysterious energy out there. Second, with the Terran ship here, again, I am surprised, the Terran's haven't come following out of no where." Krodah was of course, showing caution, let alone itching for some sort of action. Yet, the whole time he spoke his thoughts to the Admiral, he remained steady and cool.

Da`nal grinned at his officer's comments. "And since when is your comfort is a requirement? The fact that no one else is out here examining the energy from this anomaly tells us that this in a new phenomena...worthy of both caution and examination. The condition of the one Terran ship and that there aren't other Terran vessels in area suggest that they too are engaged in some kind of activity outside of known space. Remember for a time they paralleled the Federation but only since the Dominion war has it been reported that they are re-surging. They rule through intimidation and fear and have no honor. They have to steal technology to advance and that will be their downfall...but keep our weapons at the ready, just in case."

Himars nodded his head "that does make sense, sir." he paused and looked the weapon system of the ship "All standing by, sir. Should I deploy probes to scan for cloaks?"

"Not at this time. I don't want the tachyons emitted to reveal our Berlin."

With a hiss of the lift door opening, crew of various types poured out. Some quietly chatted to each other. One however, had his hands clasped behind him as he looked left and right and saw the Commodore, speaking with Operational Chief.

Seeing the new chief engineer step onto the bridge he was curious, not that the chief couldn't manage things from here. "Shouldn't you be in Engineering Lieutenant?"

"Oh, normally I would be there, but, something told me to be here where the action is a little more forth coming" returned the master of the Engines.

He smirked slightly, "Very well. Have you managed to find any additional issues created by your predecessor?"

"An update on his misgivings" Shawn said plainly "we've check several times in all the programs that keep the ship afloat and purring like an happy kitten and we found nothing. However, if there is something in the wood work, we won't know until it happens. We're damn lucky that he fumbled the football on the comm buoys. So, the tech crew is checking them still, but, if we really want to make sure, dry dock is the answer."

Shaking his head Da`nal killed that idea instantly. "We are not about to head back at the first little glitch we encounter. Station."

With that he ended the current conversation and continued his trek around the bridge. Lieutenant Commander Killpatrick, not only the ships Chief of Intelligence, but also served as the ships head of Strategic Operations and he approached his station. "Have the fighter patrols reported anything unusual Commander?"

"Not as yet." Sam replied, it was inevitable that they would, Sam's sense of danger was ringing a claxon in his head, responding to something his subconscious had picked up, but he was as yet unaware of. "I'm not looking forward to another meeting with Temporal Affairs." Sam added conversationally, the division of Starfleet that monitored, logged and addressed issues involving time travel and interactions with parallel universes. Sam had had the displeasure of meeting with them on a number of occasions, in every one, he had ended up being reamed, even when he had been working for them to resolve an issue, and done everything they wanted.

Da`nal chuckled. He had had his own encounters with Temporal Affairs and understood his apprehension. "Well if this mission is successful it will be 70 years before they can get their hands on us."

"Now you say that, but I wouldn't put it past them to send someone back in time to interview us in a more timely manner." Unfortunately Temporal Affairs were some of the worst bureaucrats in Starfleet, and if anyone would tamper with time for something so trivial as getting a timely report, it would be them. Sam could even name the Admiral who would sign off on such an action. of course that would mean that whoever was sent back in time would need to be interviewed themselves, but that was a price the Temporal Affairs Office was more than willing to pay in Sam's experience. "I swear they will do anything to justify that rather impressive budget they've been granted." Sam added, he'd had occasion a year or so ago to see the budgets for a number of black bag operations and had been shocked to see how much sent to temporal affairs.

The jesting, even if only short lived was a welcome respite from the troublesome shadow growing in his mind. He clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Nor would I...we will just have to be sure that we don't mess with our timeline. And as I hate bureaucrats; lets make sure they expend their resources on others." Da`nal knew of and was sure Killpatrick knew of the Federation's future where time ships patrolled the centuries as easily as they a star system, but that knowledge was known as fact to only a few.

Himars reviewed the latest status of the ships. "Sir, I'm reading power returning to normal on the Terran Vessel as well as the Alien ship as well"

Da`nal turned his attention back forward section of the massive bridge. "Excellent...Open a channel to both away teams."

Himars nodded his head and did as order "Channel open sir"

"Da`nal to away teams. I see that power has been restored, well done. Report your status."

"Garibaldi to Achilles. No life signs, sir. looks like the crew all died of some kind of rapid aging, or... mummification, strange as it may seem. Further medical analysis or autopsy may be necessary to determine exact cause of death."

Stone reported on the events on the unknown vessel and Da`nal was intrigued. After listening to initial findings from both, "Very well. Power transfer approved and I will consider meeting this AI you mentioned once we know what the Terran Empire was up to. Upon your return, have a skeleton crew dispatched to both vessels. First priority should be the log on the ISS Berlin as well as getting the ships operational. Have some of the remains transferred to sickbay for examination. I want a meeting of the senior staff innn...2 hours."

 

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