Finally Home/Ceremony preperations

Posted on 18 Dec 2023 @ 10:45pm by Lieutenant Colonel Alexandria Somers & Lieutenant Commander Paul Sharpe & Lieutenant Commander Remington Dodd & Lieutenant Leland Hawksley & Lieutenant JG Tosrol Ze & Lieutenant JG Ted Silver & Lieutenant Paul Winchester

2,169 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: S3 Episode 5: Diplomatic Incident/Hydaransz Again (Main)
Location: Various/SB51
Timeline: MD:120

[ON]

After a lengthy travel time, the Tomcat finally arrived at Starbase 51, Winchester was now back at Helm and Alex had finished her report gathering and was now back in the COs chair, others currently on the bridge were Commander Dodd, Lieutenant Hawksley at the bridges after bridge engineering station, Lieutenant Silver at Science, Lieutenant Sh'shraaqir at communications, and Lieutenant Ze at Tactical taking back over from Armitage who was only too eager to leave the bridge sitting in the Counsellors seat to Alex's left sat Lieutenant Arderne.

As the Tomcat dropped from warp and proceeded towards SB51 Somers looked at Thyra "Lieutenant get us docking permission" she said to Sh'shraaqir.

"Aye Captain" Thyra responded and carried out her instructions.

With a nod in response "Mr Winchester take us in slow and steady, this old girl has been bashed around enough in combat so be gentle, last thing you want to do is upset the Fleet Captain" she said with humour in her tone.

"Aye Sir," as Paul tapped in a few commands and then looking back at the station coming into view, he thought to himself oO it is good to be Home Oo as he hoped that Serina was ok, he also was looking forward to seeing the girls and catch up with Paula.

"Just want you alert Lieutenant" she said and looked at Silver "Mr Silver collate all gathered data we have and prepare to send it to the SB51 database" She said.

“ On it now ma’am,” Ted said as he ran his hands over the science console.

With that completed she twisted to look at Ze "Okay Lieutenant secure all tactical systems both offensive and defensive, and any sensitive security data" she said.

At the aft Engineering Station, Leland was beginning to get heartburn, burning deep within his chest, and recoiling up his throat. This. The retrofit. The retrofit might as well be a gut job and rebuild of a Starship. The Akira class was no small feat to rebuild as it had many unique and sensitive systems. He was a Starfleet Chief Engineer. He was not a Starfleet Designer, Architect, or Autobot who could test each system and replace each system onboard. His mind reeled off what was being asked of him as he viewed the Autobot procedures for taking apart the Tomcat hull and gutting the interior while Hawksley and Lt. Commander Sharpe oversaw this... Call it building a Starship.

He would have to have years of his shore leave to rebuild what was being requested of him. Hawksley was almost as white as a ghost. Underneath his breath, he uttered. “I… I need a drink.”

Ze had gotten back on board, his entire team managed to get back with him. Ze was at his station, looking directly at the viewscreen, his had pounded like he'd drunk an entire bottle of tequila. He was shell-shocked to the ninth degree, Phaser burns adorned his right cheek, and his hands filled with burns he looked like hell in a hand basket, he hadn't noticed he'd been holding in a breath, but as soon as they dropped out of warp, The young betazoid almost cried when the tension released from his shoulders and his jaw "I need a whole bottle of whiskey..." He spoke as he clutched the sides of his station his knuckles white as he stilled his heart and mind.

Thirty Minutes later...

The USS Tomcat enters Starbase 51 "Lieutenant Winchester three quarters thruster speed if you will" she instructed.

"Aye Sir, Three quarter thruster speed" replied Paul as he began to slow the ship down, he said " Sir, Starbase 51 is asking for clearance code,"

*Sighs* "Tell them to check their flight log it was automatically transmitted, but better send it again in case that system is fried," Somers said.

" I already have Sir, we are to slide into Docking Bay 1" replied Paul as he felt that it was good to be home and see Paula and Divina and the twins, he also knew that there was a wedding coming up, he hoped that nothing would go wrong with this mission.

"Excellent," Somers said and flipped a switch on her chair arm. =/\= Attention all hands, congratulations on a job well done, we took a few serious hits, but we are still flying, the Tomcat is a tough ship, and we will be fully docked with the Starbase soon when it is safe to do so you may disembark if you do not have Starbase quarters get some there is plenty left, also I would like to remind you all of the upcoming Awards Ceremony that will be taking place in the Auditorium of the Starbase, it will be dress uniform, you will all be notified closer to the time, but otherwise well done and enjoy extended shore leave, Bridge out =/\= Somers said and signed off.

She looked back at Ze "Lieutenant, when your system is locked down after docking get you to medical I would suggest Starbase Medical as our Medical is not exactly spruce" she said looking at his injuries.

Ze looked to the captain "Understood captain" he said as he started to close down his station, his hands trembling a little as he tried to do everything in motion "I'll make the necessary arrangements as soon as I'm off the bridge captain" he said running his hand over the burns on his cheeks, it wouldn't be long before his station was closed down.

With the orders given the station's capes connected with the Tomcat the power was switched over to the Starbase and the crew finished closing down their consoles and

One Hour later...

- Arrivals - Service Dock -

The Tomcat had docked like the public section this area had an Arrival/Departure dock but it was for only Starship crews, Paul and his kids were waiting patiently as the gang-ways extended and connected to ship docking hatches which finally opened and the crew started to disembark, both newly five-year-olds could not contain their excitement at seeing their mother for the first time in a long time.

Eventually, Alex descended the walkway and arrived at the Arrival, both children rushed to her shouting "MOMMY!" Paul saw the surprised look on his wife's face and stood within eye line of her but back to allow her kids to get some attention.

As Alex stepped into arrivals her eyes widened and she dropped her carry bags crouched down and scooped up both her kids, she was overjoyed to see them and made sure they knew it, she put them down, looked at Paul and then ran at him and jumped into his arms, legs around his waist, arms around his neck as she kissed the dear life almost out of him, eventually she calmed down and stood on her own feet, stepped back a little as the kids caught up with her.

"How, why, and what are you doing here?" She asked happy.

"I have a temporary Detachment to the Starbase I am here to supervise the Tomcats Retrofit, so I thought I would bring the kids along to see their mother, I also brought a nanny, in case you wanted some alone time with me!" Paul said he saw the look in his wife's eyes at the comment.

"Oh you bet we will have some quality time be celibate for over a few months, momma needs her spice!" Alex said.

Sharpe looked at the Reader and smiled knowing what would happen in private, then he returned his attention to his wife, who had been saying something, he missed it, but said.

"Go get your items and we will head back to yours, how much longer before Serina returns, I have her ordered alcohol?" He asked.

Returning to her items "Last report the Roosevelt suffered some serious damage and is travelling back at Warp Six, you spoken to Jasmine about the Retrofit, yet?" Alex asked.

"No, she has been having some final but regular check-ups. also, she is dealing with a crew replacement for the Rifles, so we have some time to ourselves," Paul responded.

Leland was finished being briefed by the Lt. Commander of SB51, Starfleet Corps of Engineers. An Ian Maxwell. Hawksley liked the Lt. Commander since he was a no-nonsense, practical, non-chit chatter. This helped Hawksley because, along with Lt. Commander Sharpe, they had a lot to overhaul and update on the USS Tomcat. The Vessel would be stripped down to its space frame and re-modalized. This sounded not too bad; however, many technicalities were involved, and technicalities could make or break the vessel's timeline to berth at SB 51.

As the engineering was cold shut down, Hawksley had seen the last of his engineering crewmates disembark. When they arrived once more, they would be in entirely new, compartmentalized, upgraded Engineering. Leland had finished signing the maintenance and upgrade layovers to himself and Lt. Commander Sharpe. Components would be swapped out, and structural space frame scans and attenuations would be completed.

Hawksley took the time to fetch Hercules, his Golden Retriever AI, with talking technology. “Hawker. Holy Hawker! Busy…. Busy people, every hallway…” Hercules, his self-learning AI, was taken aback by the changeover of a busy Starbase.

Entering the dedicated umbilical concourse to the Starbase, Leland chuckled. He turned to Hercules trotting alongside, his golden tail swishing from side to side. “Herc see Lilli, Lilliana. Leland mate bond. Mate and Mate, long Lilli.” Hercules once more spoke. This time, Hercules touched on Leland’s Wife and their absence for what seemed like an eternity.

“Yes. It is busy on the Starbase Herc.” Leland explained tiredly but happy to do so to his canine companion of decades. “Lt. Commander Sharpe and I oversee the Tomcat retrofit and upgrade. That means we will be making things new again.” Leland blushed and laughed at Hercule's following comment. “And yes. It has been too long since I’ve been with my Mate Herc!” Leland grinned to himself, a twinkle in his brown eyes.

“New…. New… No… No Herc chewies. Chewed sofa. New Sofa.” Hercules comprehended the meaning of a Starfleet retrofit.
“Yup.” Leland met the docking personnel transfer point. This was where he logged in to the SB main computer and announced his arrival into the system. He passed his Tomcat badge over the sensor, and a beep was overheard as he made his way through the check-in gates.

“New Sofas for everyone, Herc! That’s right.” Hawksley added as he hiked up the shoulder strap on his silver briefcase, full of Engineering PADDs and specs for the new Tomcat. Even though the Tomcat mission was officially over, Hawksley’s would get busier.

Dodd had just finished packing up his quarters for the retrofit just in case there was a need to move it to storage on the starbase and to have his necessary gear moved to the ship they would use for the next mission will the Tomcat is gutted. He had been reviewing the data about the new retrofit or upgrade to the Tomcat. He knew his pal, Leland would be quite occupied during this supposed layover at Starbase 51. He would make it a point to get with him a time or two before the next mission started.

Dodd has also reached out to clarify that his standing hold on a holosuite would be accessible to him during his time on the station. He also made arrangements to have a picnic in the arboretum with Cole and Rocky, who was now thriving on Starbase 51.

One last trip to the bridge to officially transfer his necessary command codes to the Themistocles since that would be his temporary home for the next mission which would be a return to Arth for retrieval of Lt. Lee and to complete the purpose for the first mission.

[OFF]

 

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