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Emergency Breakaway
THE MIDDLE CHAPTER OF THE PEGASUS SAGA
After sufficiently satisfying his thirst, Captain Preast began to think, as his loosened brain cells arc’d and sparked.
‘Lessee,’ he thought to himself. ‘I have the dossier on the mission with me, which I can review enroute. There’s an awful lot of talking, and not enough action. I could sit here n’ continue to twiddle my thumbs, but that hurts after awhile. Hmmm…’
Tapping his comm badge, he spoke efficiently, “Mr. Shultz, inform engineering to make ready for emergency breakawy. ensure LCDR Palatsky is sufficienty instructed. Have him, activate cover music, lock onto my signature, and energize transport. Priority Alpha 36!”
"Aye aye, Cap'n. Stand by." Slightly shifting tones, CDR Shultz called out, "Engineering, XO..."
"Sir, yes sir!" came the reply from an ancinet sound Chief Engineer.
"Blue, Cap'n said make ready for emergency breakaway. I need the all engines online and ready to roll! You got me?"
"Sir, yes sir!"
"BLUE, YOU'RE MY BOY!"
After a few minutes, engineering called back to rthe bridge, "XO this is Blue, everything is locked, cocked and ready to rock..."
"YOU'RE MY BOY, BLUE! Break...Captain, XO. Stand by for beam out."
As the Determined's CO began to shimmer, an astonished 10of9 asked, “What’s going on here, Greg?”
“I gotta go see a rock about a ship. Anybody wants to come along, saddle up and catch up with me. ‘Sides, I got to open up the Determined’s engines and blow some dust out of the carburetor.”
“Carburetor?” everyone seemed to exclaim in unison.
The moorings dropped from Determined as she did a high energy turn to starboard leaving the pier. Captain Preast materialized in the center chair.
“Welcome back, sir.” grinned CDR Shultz.
”Thanks. We’ll see who comes along for the ride on this one.” Nearly growling with his true Southern accent out of one side of his mouth, the captain declared “I can’t believe how slow things are. Guess Kirk was right about not letting them promote you past Captain; you can make a big difference on your own bridge. You, suh, shall find that out one day. Take the hint.”
“Well, Skipper, you set a pretty good example. By the way, hate to add more fuel to the fire, sir, but we are missing two of our crew, LCDR Ellison and LCDR Murray.”
“WHAAAAT?!?,” roared Captain Preast. "On report. NOW! On second thought, belay that; I’ll have them dropped from the ship’s records, and see about having them dropped from the Maquis altogether. If you can swing weapons, I’ll work with Blue in engineering. It’ll be tough for me…”
“Permission to speak frankly, sir?”
“Granted.”
“You ain’t fooling me. I know you’d rather be in Main 1 or Main 2, with magna-spanners, torquing around deuterium or dilithium seeing what you can get out of the engines, or bumping up power to different systems. With your love for those engines, sometimes I swear you are the Miracle Worker, God rest his soul, reincarnated. Besides, what did you tell me about the record for number of jobs at one time by one person?”
”The record is five by Ensign Mayweather’s grandfather aboard the ECS Horizon” replied Captain Preast. "OK, enough of this jibber-jabber. Let’s go get that ship. Stand by for the jump to warp…3-2-1, an-n-n-n-nd, <<whoosh>> there we go."
The MFS Determined was on her way to the Devolin system to retrieve the hulk of the ex-USS Pegasus.
Meanwhile, Linwood Control Tower was picking up some interesting audio.
A very young Ensign was bobbing his head to the tune of “Here I Go Again ” by Whitesnake.
At the same time, Captain Preast was in Main Engineering, taking another sip from the flask, and chanting the same tune…
<TAG>
OOC: So now that we are underway, who’s with me?
Havoc...Ten-of-Nine's POV
Aboard LP Linwwod, Serendipity, Trinity, and several other minor ships and shuttles all hell was breaking loose. In Linwoods Briefing Room, a dozen communicator conversations were happening all at once. Shaking off his initial shock and disbelief at what had just happened, VADM Ten-of-Nine had a determined, cold steeled look on his face that few in the room had ever seen. He uttered one word, "Report".
The VADM listened intently as one report after another was given, silent except for the occaisional quiet yet clear question. After several minutes, things began to calm down. One of the last reports was from Harker who had been in contact with Linwoods Sick Bay.
"All right everyone" Ten said as the room quieted down. "Logan and Barb, please see that Trinity is made ready to get underway. Lizzie, same for Serendipity. Someone get a hold of the senior officer still aboard Linwood, the Ops Officer is my guess, and convey my desire to have a face-to-face report in fifteen minutes. The rest of you, finish up here and report to your duty stations as I am placing all units here on alert. If anyone has a comment on our mission plan, please register it in the computers mission file as you are able. Make it so! Dismissed people."
He turned and headed for the Linwoods Ready Room.
Havoc...Logan's POV
As the Determined's CO began to shimmer, an astonished 10of9 asked, "What's going on here, Greg?"
"I gotta go see a rock about a ship. Anybody wants to come along, saddle up and catch up with me. 'Sides, I got to open up the Determined's engines and blow some dust out of the carburetor." "Carburetor?" everyone seemed to exclaim in unison.
With that the Linwood CO vanished. Immediately on the heels of that event there was a flash outside the room's observation windows and everyone's communicators went off.
Logan tapped his badge and did his best to filter out the reports comming from his Chief of Comms, Cmdr Evans. In the midsts of it all, the VAdm barked out "Report". Logan had never seen that look in the former Borg's eyes, and hoped he never did again. The VAdm started pointing at people to get their reports. Logan took advantage of not being first to get further details from his ship.
When Ten pointed at him, Logan reported, "All ship systems are functioning normally. We had two Bees out doing hull sweeps over the RAAS generators to see if the modifications were holding. They got caught in the impulse wake. Minor damage. They've been tractored into the fighter pylons and Doc's checking the crewmembers out now. I also have a report of two people in damaged EVA's. They were beamed straight to our sickbay. Badges identified them as LCDR Ellison and LCDR Murray of the Linwood. As soon as they are stable we'll beam them to the station's sickbay."
The other reports were given including some from the station crew. Then the VAdm spoke up.
"All right everyone" Ten said as the room quieted down. "Logan and Barb, please see that Trinity is made ready to get underway. Lizzie, same for Serendipity. Someone get a hold of the senior officer still aboard Linwood, the Ops Officer is my guess, and convey my desire to have a face-to-face report in fifteen minutes. The rest of you, finish up here and report to your duty stations as I am placing all units here on alert. If anyone has a comment on our mission plan, please register it in the computers mission file as you are able. Make it so! Dismissed people."
As everyone filed out, Andrews told his First Officer, to go ahead and make the ship ready then turned to the VAdm. "Sir, about Mr. Huff? Will he be traveling aboard the Trintiy or the Serenity?" <<huh?>>
- <<fill in Huff's or Steve's reply>> The Vice Admiral looked straight into the eyes of the six foot tall Caitian. For the first time in what seemed an eternity, he let escape the barest hint of a grin then quickly recovered. "Logan, as much as I'd love to have Chris onboard SERENDIPITY, I really think we need him more on the sensors onboard Trinity. My understanding is that he has been like a kid in the candy store while working to integrate your alternate tecnology with ours. We may need that edge. So take him with you. Now get going."
"Very good, Sir. We'll be ready to depart within the hour." Logan turned and left the ready room. He made his way to the transporter room. Entering he said to the officer on duty, "Beam me to the Trinity, Transporter Room 2, please."
"Aye, Sir"
Private Comm Link
Entering the Ready Room alone he [Ten-of-Nine] sealed the door and ordered communications to establish a secure link to Determined. A private conversation for Captain Preast. After what seemed to be an excessive delay, a chime went off and the view screen showed the Determined's Captain with an odd silly grin on his face.
"Captain Preast, are you alone and is this channel secure?"
"Yes Sir."
Ten continued before more could be said, "I need a straight answer. Yes or No. Was there a bonifide emergency that precipitated your departure?"
"No Sir, but..."
The VADM continued, cutting off anything more that Preast was about to say, "It is your turn to listen until I ask for a reply. The Maquis have invested a great deal of time, manpower, and resources in taking on this mission that you requested. There is NO excuse for a starship captain to risk the lives of his crew, others in the vicinity, and Maquis ships and stations simply on what could arguably appear to be a drunken whim. In that regard you have disgraced your self and the uniform you wear."
"In addition, you have continued to show a lack of interest in doing the things required to ensure this mission minimizes the chance for loss of life or serious injury. You also seem to disregard the real life physics and engineering principles that constrain us. By the way, you keep referring to the 'Miracle Worker' as if he is dead. We both should know that Captain Scott is alive and well despite his lengthened life span and is still the Commanding Officer of Starfleet's Corps of Engineers [SCE]. I believe he would take exception at the news of his apparent passing. I also would like to point out that his reputation is not actually the result of miracles, but rather his knack for exaggerating his time estimates and his engineering genius at determining inspired and innovative ways to effect the seemingly impossible. He understands and respects the laws of physics at an intimate level. I dearly wish his loyalty to Starfleet was weakened to the point where he would join the Maquis, but I know that is impossible for a man such as he is."
"By the way, you might be missing some of your crew if you have not already noticed. We found both LCDR Ellison and LCDR Murray barely still alive in the wake of your departure. Station logs show they were EVA in the vicinity of Determineds impulse power exhaust ports doing inspections when you decided to have your 'fun'. They presently are in intensive care in Linwood's Infirmary."
"I am NOT going to request your resignation nor relieve you of command at this time. What happens from this point forward shall determine your future, but I strongly request that you seriously consider the lessons to be learned from this. It also might be advisable for you to choose to transfer command of Determined to CDR Shultz at this time. If you do so, simply say that you need to concentrate on the Pegasus Mission right now. Indeed that is a truth and I will support you in that. I believe that also answers your dilemma about who might pilot Pegasus out of the asteroid. You wanted to volunteer anyway. Just humor me and stop loosening your brain cells. You're going to need them all. By the stars, 'I' need you functioning at 100 percent if we have any hope of pulling this off."
"Lastly, you might want to find somewhere to stop until the rest of your TEAM arrives. Seriously, I do not know what you were thinking. You know you can't get to Pegasus by yourself and without the IPCD you have little hope of retrieving her. Do we have an understanding?"
- << insert your response here >>
"Right then. Lets get serious about the Mission, shall we? See you soon. Ten-of-Nine out." Link broken and the screen goes dark. Another chime. "Sir, Linwoods Ops Officer to see you" an unfamiliar voice said with a touch of discomfort.
"Computer. Release the locks and allow entry." The door opened...
<< OOC >> Thanks Greg for supplying this opportunity add a little drama to liven up this sim. It was starting to drag down. You are a good sport. Steve
ps- Playing this part is why I did NOT want to sim at my actual rank... LOL
- < TAG >
Trinity
"Welcome back, Sir. FCapt Adams said to tell you she's on the Secondary's Bridge."
"Thank you, Ensign." Logan headed out of the transporter room and made for the PtP pad. Had he known she was going to be in the Secondary's hull, he had asked for a nearer transporter room.
The Trinity was a ship from another universe. In this one the Federation had control of all of the Alpha and the Beta quadrants. The Trinity had been built to patrol the boarders. It was essentially a warp-capable space station. As such it's Primary and Secondary hulls could separate and remerge similar to the Galaxy Class ships. But both were warp capable and battle ready. Each had it's one bridge.
With the ship being over three miles long, that universe had developed a special Point-to-Point transporter system. These individual transporter pads had special wave guides bulit into the hull of the vessel and were independent of the standard transporter system. While there were several, they were only near the key locations; the Bridges, the shuttle bays, the fighter pylons, and others. Transporter room 2 was near the Primary's bridge.
Andrews reached the PtP pad. He stepped up and and said, "Secondary Main Bridge." In even less time than a standard transporter he was stepping of the PtP pad near his destination. Not for the first time did he wish he could figure a way to build this speed into the regular transporter. But his Chief Engineer kept talking about how the wave guides bypassed the targeting algorithms or something like that. He entered the Bridge.
< TAG >
- :OOC: I have to stop there due to time constraints. I'll finish later.
LT Harker
- NARRATORS NOTE: Harker had just left the Briefing when CAPT Preast decided to stir things up... When the alerts sounded, she sprinted back in time to hear the VADM request, "Report". Following those intense minutes, the VADM dismissed the meeting with, "Make it so! Dismissed people."
- ::IC::
She left the room heading for the Serendipity while the Station Security Chief, who was walking with her, filled her in.
"You've got to be kidding me." Lizzie Harker said as she looked at the Station Security Chief in disbelief. She had gotten the emergency call and had hurried back only to find that Captain Preast had done some kind of emergency breakway.
She rubbed her eyes and looked at the unhappy man walking with her, "Let me get this right, because he's bored he decides to just go ahead?" In total disbelief she couldn't even think of an appropriate 'well this is like' connection. She waved at the Security Chief as he turned to his own duties and she continued for the Serendipity. "What was he thinking?" she wondered to herself. She met him--thought he was pretty alright. He was a bit weird but then again so were all the maquis.
They could ill afford to take on missions without proper prep--it's not like their resources were limitless. She hated inaction and smypathized with Captain Preast but wow.. She shook her head in confusion and entered the Serendipity. Arriving on the bridge she began getting it ready for immediate departure. Fortunately it was pretty squared away as the limited crew knew the jobs.
A part of her mind wondered, as she prepped the ship, when this could all be over. When could they stop digging through other peoples trash for ship and equipment. She hoped soon, it was her most burning goal to see the maquis come into it's own. She took the increasing respect and assistance by others as a hopeful sign but she knew it would be a long road. She only hoped she would live to see it....
time passed and she got on the comm,
+com+ "Harker to Admiral of the Vices, Sir ship is ready when you are."
Headed for Devolin
Just over an hour after Determined's departure Ten-of-Nine had completed a weeks worth of meetings in a non-stop sequence. As he boarded Serendipity he headed straight for the bridge and was pleased to find that LT Harker had everything and everyone secured and prep'd for departure.
Lizzie formally snapped to attention and called out "Admiral on the Bridge". She had a huge snicker grin barely concealed because she knew that Ten hated such formality, especially on Serendipity.
"Just for that, Lizzie, you get to pull first watch. You've got the ship." Ten grinned at her then he activated his comm badge. "MFS Serendipity to LP Linwood and MFS Trinity." When both acknowledged he continued, "Linwood, please clear Serendipity and Trinity for immediate departure. By the book. This is NOT, repeat NOT an emergency. Please advise when we are cleared for departure. Serendipity out."
Turning back to Lizzie, "I am going to try for some rest in my cabin. Get us underway along with Trinity for the Devolin system. Along the way, swing by and have Determined join us. CAPT Preast was requested to lay to and wait for the mission fleet. Keep us at something reasonable, say warp 6. We have three days travel and we'll need time to finish getting the special mods on-line. Wake me if we have a real emergency. Anything I forgot?"
"I doubt it, your Worship. Have a nice regeneration..." as she turned to her bridge duties.
Ten-of-Nine headed to his cabin after making a 15 minute informal inspection tour of Engineering and the modified Cargo spaces on the lower deck. By then they were underway.
- <<TAG>>
- ::NOTE::
As previously promised-- Temporarily assigned to MFS Trinity for transport in addition to Trinitys own craft:
- << MFS Scavenger, Side# RS-41, call sign= "JOAT One", a T-Rex class Raider, part of Recovery Salvage Squadron 4 [VRS-4]
- << part of Space Control Squadron 24 [VS-24], (1 ea) Apollo Class ship Side# AJ-806 and (2 ea) Artemis Class ships Side#s AJ-802 and AJ-804
- << (11 ea) Type 9 Shuttles, (8 ea) Type 10 Shuttles , and (15 ea) Type 18 Shuttles -- these are standard general shuttles that have been optimized for use as make-shift fighters.
Quick mission plan recap...
Sometime the next day, while in transit to the Devolin System, CAPT Preast tight beamed a comm link to VADM Ten-of-Nine aboard Serendipity. He asked a number of questions about the mission plan.
The VADM replied with the following supplemental file [somewhat third person]:
I hate to beat this to death, but most of what you ask is covered in the briefing http://wiki.maquis.com/w/MFI_RP_SIM/MFS_Serendipity/Pegasus_Mission
Are you having a problem viewing it?
RECAP: Think huge asteroid field with some asteroids that are huge themselves. The hulk is trapped in Gamma 601 about two kilometers deep. Note that does NOT mean that the center of the asteroid is 2 klicks, the whole asteroid is a lot bigger--like a small moon. It is also gravitationally and seisemicly unstable whith a high probability of cave ins. The hulk is deep inside a fissure that is currently blocked due to enemy activity during the last Enterprise mission.
There is a high chance that someone else may be active in the area. Romulans, pirates, prospectors, criminals, the Feds -- who knows? We have to try to discourage interferrence first via steath if possible and then by force if needed. We do have some significant firepower.
There is also a good chance that Romulans or someone else have tried to salvage the ship already [or parts of it] following the Enterprise mission.
We intend to clear the debris blocking the fissure. We have a couple of ships outfitted with modified Borg tech tractor and cutting beams that should be able to do that, provided that the asteroid is stable enough. Trinity and Determined have the big guns to overwatch the operation. Serendipity and the Salvage Raider will do the digging.
Once clear, Serendipity will enter the asteroid and navigate the fissure to the hulk. The plan is to do a quick survey of the hulk, power up systems needed to propel Pegasus out while cloaked, install and activate the IPCD when time is ready. Prior to that, all but a minimal crew [maybe three +/- ?] will transfer back to Serendipity and that ship will navigate out of the asteroid BEFORE the IPCD is activated. There is a high probability that the phase cloak will disrupt the non-phased rock causing massive collapses. So this is pretty much a one shot deal.
Questions about why a VADM or a CAPT would risk themselves...? Well, they are foremost engineers who promoted up and are very much hands-on still. Maquis are not so concerned about restricting ranks activity to keep them out of the trenches. [an aside: Kirk would have been a likely candidate to join the Maquis... doncha think?] Plus we are the sort to lead from the front... like Teddy Roosevelt.
I plan for the VADM [myself] to go in and see that everything has the best chance of success, then get Serendipity to safety. CAPT Preast is welcome to pilot Pegasus or pass that duty to someone else.
Assuming Pegasus is moved free, we will disable the IPCD as soon as possible. Then I expect that Pegasus will need a tow home to wherever she'll be repaired.
Sounds like a good plan. We shall see what we really have to do once we get there...
Following sending this file, Serendipity resumed comm silence...
- ::OOC::
Just wanted to share the general plan with everybody. If someone wants to add anything or request something special, please speak up!
The Next Move - Devolin System
- ::IC::
Once SERENDIPITY and TRINITY had arrived at the predetermined coordinates, Determined’s navigator reported their presence to Captain Preast.
“Good. Now let’s see where things stand and get this show on the road. Open a channel to Vice Admiral Lackey…please.”
“Greetings from the Determined, Admiral, and welcome to the Devolin system. I presume all is well, and your trip was blissfully uneventful…?”
“Thank you, Greg. You presume correctly.”
“Good to know, sir. Now that we are here, may I suggest a meeting, ship of your choice, of the main players in this mission? I’ll bring coffee, no ‘special’ ingredients.”
Barely managing to squash a grin, 10 replied, “That would be a great idea…but what’s on your mind? You seem to be holding something back. What is it?”
“Sir, I know you have the excavation/entry covered with the Borg tech, Serendipity and the Salvage Raider. I have some concerns about the feasibility of re-opening the fissure that the Romulans sealed up, if we decide to do that. On top of that, do we actually have a location and position of the Pegasus WITHIN the asteroid? My main concern, however, is personal and post- mission.”
“Go on. Better to deal with it now than have it hanging over our heads for later. Takes away your focus and concentration. Spill it.”
“Well, Admiral, I hope that either Commander Shultz or myself will eventually have command of the renamed Pegasus, provided we get her free. Rob and I are as close as two men can get without being born brothers. Once we get the hulk free, I would like the honor of having Determined tow her to the repair facility, keep watch over her, and stand by with her until she is fully functional and re-commissioned. Sister ships, if you will. Plus Rob and I need to confer on crew assignments. Just food for thought right now. Maybe it would be better to kick the idea around at the conference.”
“All worthy topics, Greg. Glad to see you’re brain cells have tightened back up. Your concerns are duly noted. We’ll cover them at the meeting. I will let everybody know time and place for the action meeting. Get some rest, and come ready. We’re going to do this. I have no doubt.”
“Aye aye, Admiral.”
- <<TAG>>
Serendipity COSEC
- ::IC::
Lt. Lizzie Borden...er...Harker ;).
Cosec
MFS Serendipity
She sat at a station on the small dippy (Serendipity) bridge reading a PADD. It was the summary of the plan. She sighed, they were going into an unstable hunk of rock on the off chance people hadn't ripped the ship dry. She sure hoped it was worth it.
She scanned the PADD and on a console was typing out the list of equipment they would need--suits and transporter transponders(inbedded in the skin) were just a few of the items. It seemed to her most of the threat was from the environment rather than enemies but she still had her top people on duty and one of the egineers had just finished overhauling the sensors. If anyone was coming they'd know it.
She started making back up plans for when things went wrong. She had no idea if things would go wrong but she lived by a few simple mottos. Besides the one that said "Just because I am paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me" it was "Better to have and not need then need and not have"
Harker was irreverent and a bit off but one thing she wasn't was careless. She finished the contingency plans, including having the shuttles on stand by, then sent the lot to the Admiral, or as she was calling him today, "the square of Pi"... She couldn't help it she never took rank and such seriously. The fact she did what the Admiral said was a great sign of her respect.
The funniest thing was she continued to read from one PADD, typing into a console and giving routine orders to the bridge crew. She thought nothing of doing 3 things at once, even as a part of her brain kept her eyes hovering to sensors readouts every so often. Though she looked busy she still kept track of everything that was happening as the preperations reached completion....
- <<tag?>>
Mystery Ship
- ::IC::
Once the Pegasus Task Group arrived at their destination, the Fleet had their first look. The Devolin system was a desolate place, similar in some ways to parts of the badlands. The most notable features were the massive amounts of ionizing radiation and the huge asteroid field. Many of the asteroids were as large as moons or even small planets. Anyone or anything could easily be hidden there. Because of the ever changing mix of asteroid positions and alignment, gravitational flux kept the larger asteroids in constant seismic turmoil.
Using Federation data borrowed from contacts sympathetic to the Maquis, asteroid Gamma 601 was located within an hour of arrival in-system. Surprisingly asteroids Beta 671 and Alpha 331 were still relatively close by.
At approximately 3 miles in length, the massive "traveling starbase" Trinity was forced to find a clear spot a bit farther away than the rest of the task group. Immediately Space Control Squadron 24 runabouts AJ-802, -804, & -806 launched to begin their sweep of the area accompanied by most of the various fighters and armed shuttles who were assigned to patrols protecting the task group. MFS Scavenger launched and joined in formation with Serendipity, awaiting the start of salvage ops. Nearby, Determined's fighters and shuttles were doing much the same thing.
Aboard Trinity, LCDR Christopher Huff was intently focused on his console. He had been diligently working integrating, upgrading, and tweaking the alternate technology of Trinity with the more familiar tech most of the galaxy was familiar with. In fact during the time preparing at LP Linwood he had seemingly worked miracles in getting everything to function. Few if any could lay claim to being better at sensor ops.
Something caught Huffs eye. On the fleet secure channel he announced (to all of the ships and pickets) "Alert! All ships. I am getting an intermittent ghost reading in the near vicinity but I can't pin it down yet. I think there may be one or more cloaked ships nearby. Be on the ready. Fleet Ops out."
Moments later a mottled, shadowy ship shimmered into view. Even fully un-cloaked, something about the ship made it hard to fully make out the details, but it appeared to be a form of Raider. Aboard Serendipity, Ten-of-Nine's command console registered a direct transmission, data only, keyed to his eyes only. Immediately Ten keyed the fleet channel, "All Ships! Standown. This bogey is friendly, one of ours. Resume patrols. Ten out." Ten reviewed the data and then keyed, encoded, & sent a reply. The ships image once again shimmered to nothingness. It could be gone or still there. No one could tell for sure.
The VADM thought for a minute as he read the data and then again. He activated a direct comm to Huff, "Chris, this is Ten. I am sending a special data file to your console as we speak. It contains some detailed scans of the system that may be of help. VP-16's LF-9 [see http://wiki.maquis.com/w/Cell:MFS_Compliance/Support_Vessels#Patrol_Squadron_16 ] has been here for several days in advance of our arrival lurking, listening, and watching. See what you make of it and let me know if you find anything. Ten out."
Then he called Trinity and Determined, " Ten to Greg and Logan. Now is a good time for that meeting that Greg requested. Given the choice, why don't both of you and your XOs beam over to Serendipity. The meet will be short. Following that we will initiate recovery. Ten out."
- <<TAG>>
Determined transports
- ::IC ::
"Roger, 10. Determined copies all."
After complying with 10's request, Greg tapped his commbadge and got on the proverbial horn, "Captain to XO and CHENG. I need you both to the bridge. Now..."
"Aye, sir" came the reply, almost simultaneously.
"Rob, you and I are going to beam over to Serendipity for a pre-excavation meeting. Blue that means you're in charge."
Rob, barely manging to contain his concern, glanced in astonishment from the gleeful Blue to the Captain.
"That means no tricks, no funny stuff. I trust you to protect our ship and our crew in my SHORT absence, and to make this ship bear her teeth if need be."
"SIR, YES SIR!"
"You're my boy, Blue. Engineering is waiting for CDR Shultz and myself in the transport area. Attention on the bridge, this is Captain Preast. LCDR Palatsky has the conn in my absence. Any orders he gives you are to be carried out as if I had given them to you. Understood?"
"Aye, sir," replied the bridge team as one voice.
"Blue, any questions or problems come up, contact me, priority BR-549. OK?"
"Sir, yes sir."
"Again, you're my boy, Blue!" With that, Captain Preast and Commander Shultz made their way to the transporter, took their positions. Upon Captain Preast's order to energize, they were beamed to the Serendipity.
- <<TAG>>
Meanwhile, Trinity shows off...
"Ten to Greg and Logan. Now is a good time for that meeting that Greg requested. Given the choice, why don't both of you and your XOs beam over to Serendipity. The meet will be short. Following that we will initiate recovery. Ten out."
"Pete, acknowledge that message and then patch me in to the Secondary's Bridge."
"Aye, sir" Lt Cmdr Evans tapped some keys and then said, "FCapt Adams, Sir" hitting the switch that put the XO on screen.
"I take it that it is time to put what we discussed into motion, Admiral?" she asked, smiling. She had developed the plan in majority and Logan had complimented her for thinking like a Klingon.
"Indeed Barb. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to take your own XO away. He knows the cloak better than anyone and I need him commanding the Primary if anything goes wrong."
"Understood. I'll order the cloak engaged after the Imbri leaves."
Logan stood and started for the turbolift. "Computer transfer main ship's operations to the the Secondary's Bridge."
"Transfer complete."
"Logan to Fox"
"Fox here"
"Eng, I want the Primary's warp core brought up to hot stand-by and then I want you to transfer to the Primary. You'll be in command if the need to separate comes while I'm away."
"Aye, Sir"
Logan rode the turbolift down to the Primary's main hanger where the Imbri was sitting, waiting to go out. "Trin, finalize takeoff procedures," he yelled towards the open hatch.
"I'll give you final if you don't stop yelling at me like that!" came back from the hatch. Logan whirled and glared, cutting short the chuckles from some of the enlisted men working the deck. Then he boarded the runabout and took off heading into the asteroid field.
Onboard the Serendipity, Harker sat upright not believing her eyes. Her fingers flew across her panel as she tried to make sense of what she saw and what she wasn't seeing. "Engineering, do a level 5 diagnostic on the port ventral sensors, NOW!"
After a few minutes, the answer came back. "All sensors are working fine, Sir. Would you like a more in depth check?"
"Negative. But prepare to do a level 2 if needed. I'll let you know in a few minutes." Lizzie was one for joking around and being irreverant, but when the situation got tense, she went into "battle mode". People tended to respond faster with the traditional method of orders and responses when the pressure was on and the moments counted. "Bridge to Admiral Ten. The Trinity has vanished!"
The Admiral was on the bridge in seconds. "Are you sure? Maybe she cloaked."
"That was my first thought too. But look at these scans." Ten came to stand beside her and peered over her shoulder. "When a ship cloaks or decloaks, we'll get readings similar to this..." She pointed to a earlier set of readings from when the LF-9 decloaked and cloaked. "But there is nothing here. One moment she's patrolling the outer edge of the field and the next...poof!"
"Show me the visual" Harker punched in the command and the console screen shifted. They watch as Imbri launched out of the back of the saucer section and then Trinity slid behind a huge asteroid....and not come out the other side. "Replay" Harker complied. "Once more." When the third viewing finished, the former Borg began to chuckle. "She's still out there. I don't know what you are so worried about."
"WHAT!?! Where? It's not like she stopped behind the asteroid. I'm compensating for that. A ship that size holding station would affect the asteroid. The asteroid is acting exactly as if the ship passed behind it, not parked by it."
"Exactly. Look at that visual again." She played it again, running the sensor data along the side to prove her point. "See? The asteroid shifts as expected. Ten pointed a finger to the large asteroid nearby. "So?"
"Where did it come from?" Confused Harker played back the log. The new asteroid came from behind the one that the Trinity had disappeared behind. Lizzie blinked at the images, the thought tugging at her mind before it all clicked.
"That's that new cloak of theirs isn't it?"
Smiling, the Admiral straightened. "I would imagine so. I never realized that the transition was so smooth. I must say that I'm rather intrigued with that other Federations technology. I don't think their Borg will find them any easier to swallow than we were. Send the Captains to the Wardroom when they arrive."
"Aye, Aye, Admiral Pi," Harker said, stepping down from her "battle mode".
No one noticed the slight shimmer that detached itself from the Serendipity's hull and drift slowly towards the asteroid that contained the Pegasus.
- <<TAG>>
Time for action...Serendipity pt 1
Serendipity's deck two Wardroom was the largest meeting place onboard the spartan ship. Maquis Raiders were known for the extreme lengths the Maquis Corp of Engineering went to squeeze every bit of functional space out of the converted hulls. Serendipity was one of the best examples of that work. Ten-of-Nine had barely come down from the Bridge when a crewman escorted CAPT Preast and CDR Shultz in from the port side personnel transporter pad.
Standing at the replicator he was just requesting his selection, "Green tea, sweet with lemon, hot." Turning with his selection in hand, "Thanks for being prompt Greg. You may have met the CDR in charge of the salvage raider MFS Scavenger." Ten nodded to a quiet Andorian already seated at the table. He was drinking a strange purple liquid that bubbled as frost-smoke rolled over the top edge towards the deck. It had a slight glow to it as well.
"Yes Admiral. I believe we had a brief conversation when his ship first arrived at Linwood." Greg and Rob (his XO) exchanged greetings with the Andorian.
"We should be starting shortly," Ten said as he glanced at his briefing monitor. "I see that Logan's shuttle Imbri is almost along side and I expect them to transport the rest of the way any moment now. Please. Help yourselves to the replicator. You'll find our secret luxury on such a small ship is the food and drink. Our menu capability is equal or superior to any capital ship. We have an excellent selection of coffees, teas, and exotic beverages."
As the two ordered their refreshments, Logan silently slipped into the room. His arrival brought a grin to Tens face, "You always were a bit of a show-off. Nice effect with that cloak. Sometime you'll have to tell me how you manage launch and recovery of your support craft. Can you do that while maintaining the cloak?" Not waiting for an answer he continued, "Go ahead and get yourself some refreshment. Perhaps a saucer of warm cream...?" he teased.
Glaring in mock indignation, Logan served himself and took his place at the table. "You don't mind if I keep an open scrambled tight beam link to Trin, do you?"
"Of course not, I expected that," nodding and shifting into buisness mode. "We already know the general plan. I intend to start clearing the crevasse entrance as soon as this meeting is over. I need to know three things."
"First, who is going to pilot Pegasus out. Greg, Rob, or someone else? Whoever it is will need to stay on-board Serendipity when we enter the asteroid. Second, Logan, has Huff found anything in those intell reports dropped off by LF-9 that should concern us? Third, does anybody have anything to say about what we've missed in our planning? Anything...?"
- <<TAG>>
- ::OOC::
Woot Hoot! Finally! Excellent post Logan but I gotta say that if that shimmer has anything to do with section 31 I may melt down. Really. Thanks for a little mystery...!
Tweak my post as needed. Didn't know if Trin has a portable emitter, etc... yadda, yadda
Time for action...Serendipity pt 2
- ::IC::
"Coffee, Jamaican Blue, hot, black," ordered Captain Preast.
Savoring the aroma, Greg smiled and let out a relaxed sigh. "Ahhhhhhh...the simplest pleasures are the best. Hey Rob! Come over here and smell this."
"I can smell it all the way over here, Skipper," declared the Determined's XO from across the room. "You always did like your coffee strong enough to peel paint."
After a raucous group laugh, CAPT Preast began: "Well, Adm'l, I can't speak for your second question, but I can roger up the first one for sure, and the third one may take some input from everybody."
"Continue, please, Captain."
"Well, sir, I have a bit of an engineering background, so I would like to volunteer to spearhead a group to go over and get the thrusters operational onboard Pegasus. CDR Shultz would already have the Determined's conn. Know of anyone else who might want to volunteer?" inquired the Captain, trying ever-so-subtly to appeal to 10's engineering knack.
Not waiting for an answer, Greg continued: "It would then make sense for me to pilot Pegasus outta the rock. No sense wasting time bringing someone else in when I'm there already. After all, I didn't qualify Squadron Commander for nothing. Granted, Pegasus is bigger than a fighter or shuttle, but the principle is the same."
"As to what we may have missed, stabilizing the resultant empty space of phasing and moving the ship out of the asteroid...ideas and/or thoughts on that, other than drive her like a bat out of...well...you know?"
"Yet another item: I got no problem driving a 'ghost ship.' But disposition of the remains of the dead honorably bears some discussion. I have ideas and Rob and I have experience in funeral and honor traditions; however, I would like to hear from the group."
At that point, both Determined's CO and XO's commbadges beeped simultaneously. Greg waved Rob off, indicating he would take the comms. "Blue, this is the Captain. Go ahead."
"Skipper, we got a problem. I'm not sure what it, but sensors have picked up something...well, out there. It's a large something, possibly a large group of ships."
"Who are they, Blue?" asked Rob.
"That's just it, Commander. Their signatures are there, but the ships are cloaked just well enough for us not to be able to identify them. No response to hails either. They still appear to be a good distance off. Hard to tell exactly when they'll be here. I'd bet on sooner than later."
"Thanks, Blue. We'll wrap up onboard here, and be back shortly."
- <steve>
The Vice Admiral activated his comm badge...
- COMPUTER-- Send the coded and encrypted burst to notify the task force that we are are holding just short of Red Alert. All defenses are to be made ready. Hold to our pre-planned assignments. If some threat presents itself in a more deliberate way, all units are to go the Red Alert. Ten out.
"Right then" said Ten "We have been dancing around, over, and through this plan for weeks now. This is how this Op will run will run-- Serendipity and Scavenger will immediately start to clear the fissure blockage. Neither ship is intended as a warship, despite the options we do have once our hand is forced. Trinity and Determined will serve as our security and watchdog along with our mix of shuttles, fighters, and whatnot. Greg, you can stay aboard Determined until we are ready to send Serendipity inside to find Pegasus. We'll give you notice when to join us on Serendipity."
Greg exchanged a look with his XO Rob then, grinning broadly, "That would be excellent, Admiral. You do know how I would fidget while waiting if something else was happening."
Ten continued, "Serendipity will enter, locate Pegasus, and send over the engineering and security teams to start work. Maintain environmental isolation using the suits unless and until medical clears the atmosphere over there. Using portable fusion units, strap-on thrusters, and whatever we can coax out of her own systems we will prep Pegasus to move. Once all is up to speed, we'll install the IPCD and recall all except a skeleton crew, headed by Greg."
"The IPCD shall NOT be activated until Serendipity is clear of the Asteroid. We'll relay a signal to Greg who will activate the cloak and hopefully move out of the rest of the Asteroid. Once free, the IPCD is programmed to shut down. We do NOT want any repeat of the conditions that stuck Pegasus here originally. Determined shall then place the Pegasus under tow and we all head home. Serendipity will resume custody of the IPCD once Pegasus is free. Sorry Greg. HQ is a bit concerned about giving you such a dangerous toy."
Gregs face lost some color, but he soon recovered "Understood Admiral."
"Logan, you already know what we need from you. I expect your usual undaunted resourcefulness and creativity. You shall be in command of the Security Group outside of the Pegasus Recovery Group. Harker will handle those. Assuming everyone is clear, any questions?" Ten concluded.
- </steve>
Turning to 10, Greg made his request. "Admiral, with your permission, I recommend we adjourn this meeting and continue via tactical comms. I'd like to get back to Determined and get ready for whatever is coming our way. With all our ships, I think we have both the brains and muscle to handle whatever comes our way and still meet our objective. Thanks for the hospitality as always."
"You are welcome, as always. Good luck to you both, Greg and Rob. And happy hunting."
"Thanks, sir. To you and Logan as well." With that, the two top officers of Determined re-materialized on their own ship.
"Blue, you stand relieved. Good eye finding those ships out there. You're still my boy."
A very perspirant Blue wiped his brow. "Whew, that's a relief...uh, I mean thank you sir. Rekon we'll see some action?!?" Grinning, the Captain put a reassuring hand on Blue's shoulder. "Time will tell, my friend. Time will tell."
<<TAG>>
While the meeting was on-going, aboard Serendipity's bridge...
" *Thunk!* *Thunk!* " could be heard on the bridge of 'The Dip' as Lizzie privately called her home away from home. While the brass where having their meeting. One Lt. Elizabeth Harker, Chief Security minion of the The Dip, sat watching her security/tactical console as it continuously scanned the area. Of course waiting was not something the somewhat mercurial security officer did well so she was bouncing a baseball off the hull near her station. That is until the guy at the helm turned around, "I surrender! I'll tell you what you wanna know just make it stop!" He pretended a crazed voice, "The bouncing, always with the bouncing!". Lizzie sighed and put the ball in her pocket.
To the applause of the bridge crew. "Smart-Alec's the lot of you." her earth British accent very much in evidence. "Don't you have something to be getting along with?" Her glare had the deserved effect as they continued to smile good naturedly they turned back to their stations. And Harker put her full attention onto her own station, she just gotten some odd readings that merited further investigation, what she wouldn't give for the Trinity's Cloaking System. Damn near gave her a heart attack earlier it did, she was practically drooling over the smoothness of it and wondered if if the Trin would loan them one of their engineers when this was all over.
Until then she had work to do, a silent and unknown group of ships was approaching. They didn't answer on the maquis channels so they couldn't be allies..she looked at the readouts puzzled as she tried to fine tune the readouts. "OI! OPS can you give me anymore for sensors...I'm still getting ghost images...."
The Ops officer nodded, "Totally I can try to help clean it up but the interference..."
At that point her Admiral walked in, "Hey Chief" Harker called, "Got some company inbound but we can't get an accurate count, got ghost images like you wouldn't..." She stopped looking at the new readouts, "They're a bit closer now only..they seem to be coming from two different area...yes it appears there are two groups...they've slowed...." Her whole focus was the on the readouts..."Sir..." A sign of how serious this was she was going into her 'battle mode'. "Sir...I'm getting signs of what could be weapons fire on each other..."
Time for action...Serendipity pt 3
"Thanks, sir. To you and Logan as well." With that, the two top officers of Determined re-materialized on their own ship.
After sending the Andorian CDR back to his ship Scavenger and seeing Logan away, Ten headed for the bridge...
________________________________________________
At that point her Admiral walked in, "Hey Chief" Harker called, "Got some company inbound but we can't get an accurate count, got ghost images like you wouldn't..." She stopped looking at the new readouts, "They're a bit closer now only..they seem to be coming from two different area...yes it appears there are two groups...they've slowed...." Her whole focus was the on the readouts..."Sir..." A sign of how serious this was she was going into her 'battle mode'. "Sir...I'm getting signs of what could be weapons fire on each other..." _______________________________________________
Methodically and calmly Ten listened to Lizzie's report and answered, "Keep an eye on the sensors, but I want you to move into position outside of the crevasse and start to work with Scavenger clearing the way in. The special Borg tractors and cutting beams should work without triggering any more collapse. Use the scrambled tactical channels to keep Logan apprised of the bogeys. He's in charge of watching our backs while we work. You are in charge of our work area security. You keep the CON a bit longer, I have to take care of one more task... waking sleeping beauty." He then headed back down to the second deck...
Entering the small sick bay, Ten paused to check the readouts on the container that was brought aboard back on DS9. All was normal. It was a stasis chamber. Ten still didn't understand the mystery surrounding the eyes-only sealed orders he received with the container. However now he entered multiple strings of characters into the PADD panel. Following the last, the panel sharply increased in activity. It was done.
Ten knew he had roughly 20 minutes to wait for the process. He replicated a ship's civilian jumpsuit followed by a steaming mug of green tea, sweet, for himself.
At the appointed time, the seals on the container popped open. Out stepped a man wearing only white shorts who was busy removing a multitude of sensors, lines, and tubes from his exposed body. His eyes seemed strangely alert, considering his recent awakening. Handing the mystery man the jumpsuit and an electrolyte drink for his vocal cords, Ten spoke the immortal words, "Doctor James Evans, I presume?"
Serendipity bridge about ten hours later
Ten of Nine had been on the bridge for just over ten hours now. He was alert, yet in some way the tedium of the fissure clearing had drained some of the color from his face. The hours seemed more like weeks had passed. As he monitored a remote of the work site on his screen he was alerted to an incoming comm . It was the Andorian in command of MFS Scavenger.
"Sir, I believe we shall be ready for entry within the next 30 minutes. The remotely piloted probe we sent beyond the blockage was operational long enough to show that the way beyond is clear. At least until we lost all contact and telemetry. We believe it was the unstable magnetic forces that caused the failure but Serendipity should be big enough to pass safely."
"Excellent! My compliments to your crew, CDR" answered Ten.
"Scavenger out."
Ten chuckled to himself as he thought of the Non-Andorian members of Scavengers crew. In the common areas, the normal ships temperature was low enough that they all wore heavy jackets as a normal uniform. He then shifted into action setting the next phase into motion.
"Comm. Notify the away team roster that we are to be ready in one hour. Ask LT Harker to see me as soon as it is convenient for her. Be sure to tell her it is NOT a rush." Upon getting confirmation from the crewman manning comm, Ten activated his own link "Doc Evans, in about an hour we shall enter the fissure and navigate to Pegasus. I request that you accompany the away team to evaluate the environmental conditions aboard Pegasus and to do what you can to preserve any former crew remains that may be there." "I was hoping you'd ask, Admiral. I shall be ready" the Doctor signed off.
Next, "Serendipity to CAPT Preast." A moment later, "Greg, it's show time. You need to get over here along with any other crew you plan to take inside. We set off in less than an hour." The CAPT acknowledged and once again the link was broken.
Just as Ten was getting in a secure link with Trinity, Harker entered the bridge and headed straight for him. The look on her face was bereft of humor as she was all business.
"Admiral, I just was informed that LF-9 has missed her second check-in in a row."
Nodding, Ten continued with Logan on the comm, "Well, I was just calling to let you know we are about to enter within the hour. I also was wanting an update on the intell concerning any company we may have. Now with this news that our VP-16 squadrons 'silent sentinel' has missed two reports in a row, I am getting a bit more concerned. What do you think? I would hate to scrub the mission considering how much has gone into it so far. However we shouldn't get too fool hardy. Your thoughts? "
<TAG>
Logan...
Lizzie...
Preast...
Doc Evans...
anyone else...
Captain Preast reports back to Serendipity
Following his acknowledgment of of 10's order, CAPT Preast turned to Commander Shultz. "Alright, Rob. This is it. You know how this is supposed to turn out--we leave here with a vessel for the Maquis, under your command, and you always have a sister ship in Determined. Are you still in contact with...?" as he tapped his foot three times.
"Affirmative, Captain," grinned Rob at the CO's gesture.
"Good to know. It shouldn't be necessary, but..."
"Just in case. I got this, Captain. We read each other just fine."
Shortly thereafter, Captain Preast donned his environmental suit in order to report to 10 already dressed to go to Pegasus. Standing on the bridge of Determined, he passed the conn to Commander Shultz, who, of course, made CDR Palatsky his Second.
Once aboard Serendipity, 10 looked aghast. "Only yourself, Greg?"
"Aye, sir. I have the most engineering experience of my crew, " then with an admiring grin, he declared, "plus, I couldn't pass up a chance to work with you. Determined is in good hands with Rob and Blue. As for myself, I'm ready to get this show on the road. Mind if I get some coffee while we wait?"
