Round and Round: Continuing to Orbit SB39 Sierra

Posted on 24 Apr 2023 @ 2:29pm by Lieutenant Commander Remington Dodd & Lieutenant Lamia ‘Mia’ Kildare & Ensign Drevas & Lieutenant JG Dahone Izel & Ensign Autumn Cole

3,500 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: S3 Episode 5: Diplomatic Incident/Hydaransz Again (Incidentals)
Timeline: Part 3 of Orbiting SB 39 Sierra

- ON -

Dodd returned to the Bridge and relieved Backstrom from covering Command of the ship.

"Ensign Backstrom, you relieved from bridge duty, please enjoy some down time and in twenty-four hours please find me no matter where I am and we can talk."

Backstrom acknowledge the Commander and then exited the bridge.

Autumn watched as Backstrom left the bridge. She will have to have a meeting with the Assistant Chief of Intelligence at a later date to get to know him. She then turned her eyes back to what was going on, bridge wise.

"Ensign Cole, how were things here while I was helping in the Nacelle with the gel pack crisis?" Dodd asked of the young ensign.

"So far so good sir. Everything has been proceeding as best as they can." Autumn reported as she went to attention whilst in the XO chair.

"Great, I trust you are enjoying acting as the XO for the time being?" Dodd again asked of the ensign before him.

"I am enjoying the opportunity, Commander Remington. Thank you for the experience." Autumn giving a bit of a smile.

"Sir, There is an incoming message for you from Lieutenant Commander Smithson." LT Smee stated as he was back at communications.

"Thank you, send it to the Ready Room, I will take it there. Replied Dodd. "Cole you have the bridge for a few moments." Dodd stated as he stood up and then headed to the CRR. He took the incoming transmission and spoke with LTCMDR Smithson and got news that new officers were reporting to the ship. Once he was done he exited the CRR and to the captain's seat on the bridge.

"Well it appears we will have some new additions to our family." Dodd stated as a bit of good news. "So I will have a short informal briefing with them as soon as they report. Smee, monitor the communications and let me know when the transport arrives and docks."

"Yes, sir, Commander Dodd." Smee replied and then resumed to his duties.

"Out of curiosity, Sir, who are the new people? And what department?" This was something that Autumn truly wanted to know. "Will they be coming on to the bridge as well?"

"Well, the four new officers will be starting their duties right away. Ensign Drevas is our new security / tactical officer and he will be taking his post here on the bridge effective immediately. Then there is a new deputy chief medical officer who will be reporting to sickbay to take over until Dr. Cahill returns. There is Master Chief Michelle who is a new Security Investigator reporting to Security. And finally Lieutenant JG sh'Zoarhi who is to report to engineering as the new deputy chief engineer. Once there, I will have Lieutenant Arderne report to the bridge to cover the bridge station to monitor engineering and also act as the ship's counsellor." Dodd replied.

Autumn nodded, "Okay that sounds good, sir. Now just need to get our orbit to where it can be more controllable?" She looked back out towards the planet they were orbiting.

"Our orbit will be adjusted accordingly once engineering has finished their diagnostic of the Port Nacelle's systems. We are still with in transporter range of Starbase 39 Sierra and all is acceptable. But I am happy to see you are aware of the issues happening on the bridge ensign." Dodd replied.

"Sir, all is still with in parameters with the away team on 39 Sierra and the mission monitoring is still working properly even with all the influx from the situation in the nacelle." Smee added as an update for Dodd's awareness.

=/\= Doctor Izel, just letting you know that the new Deputy Chief Medical officer is on her way down to Sickbay to take over. I appreciate you stepping up to cover things. Please make sure Lieutenant Dex is aware of the status of thing and make her feel at home. Also, once you can get me a report about the infection,, I would appreciate that.=/\= Dodd advised.

Izel replied, =/\= Aye Captain, Glad I could help.She just arrived. =/\=


=/\= Dodd to Arderne, I am sending Lieutenant sh'Zoarhi to report to you as she is assigned to us as the new Deputy Chief Engineer. So please go over all you can and introduce her to Nelson and once she seems comfortable, I would like for you to report to the bridge for the rest of this shift and take over the ship's counselor duties as well as monitor engineering from here for me. =/\= Dodd stated to Arderne.

=/\= Understood Commander =/\= Lamia smiled, she couldn’t wait to get up to the bridge, and at least partially assume her normal duties. =/\= I’ll be there as soon as I can. =/\=

"So Ensign Drevas, what is the current status of the tactical systems?" Dodd asked of the ensign who had a few moments to have familiarized himself with the station on the bridge.

"Status nominal, sir. Our tactical sensors are clear thus far." Sure, it certainly did seem like a whole lot of nothing was happening at the moment, but Drevas knew that things could change at the drop of a hat - and then the ship would rapidly transform into a flurry of activity. Silence was always appreciated, however.

Autumn hadn't realized that the new tactical officer had come onto the bridge, and turned to see what the officer looked like, then her eyes widened, She'd not seen one in person but Autumn knew of the Kelpiens. "Greetings Ensign Drevas, welcome aboard the USS Tomcat."

Drevas had long since become accustomed to the wide-eyed stares of people who had never seen a Kelpien in their iives. With his lack of any head hair whatsoever, big golden amber eyes, lanky and slender frame and very obviously un-humanoid visage he tended to turn heads - not usually for the right reasons, though.

By and large people treated him just like any other crew member though, and that was fine by him.

"Greetings to you as well." Drevas replied smoothly. He studied the brunette briefly, trying not to look like he was staring. She had lovely eyes, he thought, though he couldn't see clearly what color they were "I don't think I've caught your name."

"Oh! I am Ensign Autumn Cole, acting XO for the time being." the redhead remarked blithely. "I can't believe I'm doing this." giving a bit of a happy smile. "However it is a great honor to be having this chance." her demeanor going a bit more serious. " How long have you been out of the academy, Ensign Drevas?" This was Autumn, she had to know information.

"Two years. This is my second assignment." He replied. "And yourself?" Acting first officer? She had to have some experience then, more than him at least. Surely they wouldn't let an ensign fresh out of the Academy handle the responsibility.

"This is my third assignment." Autumn answered. "My specialty is languages." giving Drevas an assessing look. "Do your people have their own language?" Autumn trying to remember what all she had read about Kelpiens, though it seemed there was still some blanks to be filled.

Part of him wondered what would make her think that an entire species wouldn't have its own language - but that was a secondary thought. "Of course we do." Drevas replied with a slight smile. "I'd be pleased to teach you if you'd like, though I also ought to admit that I might not be the best teacher when it comes to language."

"Well we can actually figure that out. Probably some language programs to learn the language that sort of thing." Autumn replied. She went over in her mind as to the current conversation, what she said, what Drevas said, then she blushed. She was such an airhead. "Um Ensign Drevas, sorry for a momentary lapse of mine. Your people would have their own language, whoops"

"No offense taken." Drevas, surprisingly, did not comment further. No use creating more trouble than was necessary. "My offer stands. Perhaps we might even learn something about my people together. I was born and raised on a Starfleet vessel, see."

Autumn gave a nod towards Drevas. "Okay that sounds like a plan then, education about your people. I'm in." Giving a smile.

"Very interesting, Ensign Drevas." Dodd added. "To have been born on a Starfleet vessel and now to serve in the fleet almost seems like a complete cycle for you. But we are glad to have you with us. So Drevas, please be aware of the status of the station as well while you review your monitor, we need to be able to get the away team off the station at a moment's notice if there is anything wrong detected there." Dodd firmly stated to the young ensign.

"Yes, sir. All sensors register nominal change so far." Drevas replied.

Autumn turned her gaze towards Commander Dodd, giving a nod in agreement. "I do hope they are doing okay" she murmured softly.

Drevas turned back to the redhead then. "Once this mission is over I'll contact you with a time and date for us to meet and do just that. How does that sound?"

"Okay that would be great." Autumn replied, "I will be looking forward in learning more about your people." giving a nod.

Then Autumn looked back at the station they were orbiting. "Question Commander, will we be finding out just what the ship had been infected with?

"The gel packs appeared to just have an infection which is one reason we have eliminated most of their use but some ships continue to use them as they are adaptive. But I would say that an analysis would show a strain of influenza or such is what caused out issue. But I have asked medical to get me a report about the infection to include in my reports." Dodd replied.

Dodd could feel the mood on the ship in a state of flux and it felt odd to him as he felt that something was about to happen but yet he just dealt with the nacelle issue and was hoping nothing else would happen on his watch.

"Oh my gosh that is awful!" Autumn exclaimed. "I had never come across something like that before. I have read about it though. Sort of like a living body becoming ill due to being exposed to well like the flu or a cold. I would hate to deal with ship systems that caught a cold." her mind going in that direction, wondering just what it would be like. Autumn gave a shudder. Never a good thing to let her mind go wandering.

Stepping out of the turbolift Lamia smiled warmly as she made her way across to Remington. “The gel packs are all in good working order again Commander, final checks were good. I’ll keep an eye on the Engineering readouts from here.”

"Glad to have the counselor on the bridge. I do appreciate you covering engineering as well, but I know I am more confident with your position on the bridge covered." Dodd replied to seeing his friend and crewmember. "I know you will keep me grounded." oO She should feel the sense of dread I have been feeling and she will be able to help me figure it out. Oo "Now I also appreciate you monitoring Engineering from here to help out as the new deputy chief gets settled. So Lieutenant Arderne, Ensign Drevas is our new security/tactical officer and I am sure we will all enjoy having him on our crew as he is an interesting addition to my bridge staff in our current situation."

Lamia nodded politely to Drevas. “It’s nice to meet you Ensign. Welcome onboard.”

"Thank you, Counsellor. I am pleased to be here." Drevas replied, nodding at the Betazoid before promptly returning to work.

Turning her attention to Dodd, Lamia gave him a curious look. “Commander do you have a moment to talk... in private?”

"Yes, we can go to the ready room." Dodd replied to Arderne. "Ensign Cole, you mind taking command of the bridge for a moment?"

Autumn's face lit up when she heard of the success of the gel packs being fixed. "Yes Commander, I'll do so at once." moving from the XO chair to the command chair for the time being. She gave a smile towards the counselor "Nice to meet you, Lieutenant Arderne."

“Likewise Ensign” Lamia smiled warmly at Autumn.

"Great, Arderne and I will be in the Ready Room if you need us but we should not be too long." Dodd replied to the young ensign with a subtle yet passionate grin.

"Lieutenant, shall we go have our talk." Dodd stated to Arderne as he stood up and stepped towards the ready room. Once he got to the door it slid open. They both entered the room and allowed the door to close.

Once the door had closed Lamia gave Remington a concerned look. “You know why I asked to speak in private, I sensed that you’re feeling... Shall we say apprehensive? What is it you’re picking up on?”

"You know me so well, I not only feel apprehensive, I just feel lost in this mission." Dodd replied. "I am feeling a pending dread and that things are not what we think they are. I can't pinpoint the source of this feeling but I would say it is coming from the station." Remy looked blankly at Mia. "I can honestly say that I have not felt like this in a long time and it worries me. Do you feel it or just what I am feeling?"

Lamia shrugged her shouders. “To be honest I’m not sure. I’ve been feeling my own sense of dread looking after engineering!” She offered a wry smile. “Being Chief of Ops was one thing, but being Chief Engineer was something else.” She paused. “Maybe what I have been picking up on it, I just thought it was because I was doing a job I wasn’t sure about.” She gave Remington a curious look. “Do you trust me?”

"At this point in my relationship with you, I trust you with my life. I feel you are like a sister which is because I don't really communicate with my sister on Earth but you are actually closer to me than she is at this point." Dodd replied.

*Smiling warmly* “Open your mind to me, let me feel what you’re feeling. Maybe between us we can pinpoint where it’s originating from.”

"So we are going to attempt our version of a mind meld, this ought to be interesting but anything to figure out where this feeling is coming from." Dodd responded.

Lamia smiled. “It’s not exactly a mind meld, it’s more of a brief connection. I’m not sure if I’m feeling what you’re feeling, if I can get a sense of it from you then maybe we can clear up the mystery. Just guide me.”

"I was just razzing you, but yes, I hope we can figure this out. I will say what I am sensing is about great pain and suffering." Dodd stated as he looked Arderne directly into her eyes and put his hand on her shoulder.

Mia nodded. “Do you think that this sense of pain and suffering is coming from the station?”

"I really do feel that is where I am getting this sense of dread from." Dodd replied and looked toward the window.

Walking over to the window Lamia looked out at the view. “Maybe I haven’t sensed it as much as you because I haven’t allowed myself to. As Chief Counsellor I have to be open to what’s out there, and not let my own fears get in the way.”

"I am hoping that once Commander Parker and the team he took over there with him return to us, this sense of dread will cease." Dodd replied as he held his hand to his forehead.

“Perhaps it will, if not we’ll need to get a better idea of just what it is, and see if we can pinpoint exactly where it’s coming from. Let me see if I can...” she closed her eyes letting her mental ‘shields’ slowly down.

"I hope I am over analyzing this sensation and would really hope is not what we feel it as." Dodd was on his way to the replicator to get something for his headache that was getting stronger.

“I sense....” Lamia paused as a chill ran down her spine, the sense was giving her goosebumps. “Pain... fear... such suffering!!!” She slowly sank to her knees as the sensations completely overwhelmed her senses.

"You need something to help, I am fighting it back with all I can mentally muster. I am sorry you opened yourself up to this sensation. I am dreading how it is overwhelming you." Dodd stated as he still held the side of head as he felt it would somehow make him feel somewhat better.

Snapping herself out of it, Lamia wiped her eyes as she took a moment to recompose herself, standing up as she wiped her eyes. The sensations she felt were still there just not as badly as before. “Where is it coming from? Why haven’t others onboard complained of sensing this?”

"I am the afraid I opened you up to this dread. I am sorry for how it is affecting you. I just had to talk about it. We can get through this and I am not able to pinpoint one specific origin point. It may be the built up emotions from the crew about what is happening off ship."

Lamia nodded as she settled herself down again, now she’d closed off her mind she wasn’t feeling quite as bad. “It’s possible, but it didn’t feel like it was coming solely from onboard ship.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m glad you confided in me, don’t regret that.”

"We, you take your time and I will head back out to the bridge and see how my young bridge crew is doing. I appreciate you and letting me off-load my thoughts and I am am sorry to have burdened you with the emotional baggage." Dodd replied as he did the Picard maneuver and offered a hug to his friend and crewmate.

“Don’t worry about it” Lamia smiled as she returned Dodd’s hug. “Let’s get back out to the bridge.”

Dodd then turned and exited the CRR and returned to the bridge.

:: Bridge::

Autumn looked over at Drevas, "So do you have family? Aunts, Uncles. Siblings? " the redhead was on a roll in wanting to know more. After all who could have this chance to even ask all this.

"My mother and father are serving members of Starfleet." He replied. He did not mention that they'd been missing for years - or that Starfleet had never mentioned what happened to them or their crew. "The rest of my family still resides on Kaminar, working as merchants and restaurateurs. How about you?"

"Well, I have an uncle in Star Fleet and the rest of my family are in Scotland. My father is a historian and my mother is a linguist. I'm actually the only one in my immediate family who joined up with Star Fleet." she wasn't going to blab about her uncle being in Intelligence as that just wouldn't be proper.

"So Acting XO, what do you have to report from when I was off the bridge?" Dodd asked as he approached the captain's chair.

Autumn immediately stood up from the captain's chair giving a bit of a smile. "Everything is okay for the moment, Commander." she answered moving to the XO's chair. "And you have the bridge now sir."

Walking round to the Engineering station Lamia checked the readings making sure all was stable before settling down into the seat. She was still spooked by what she’d sensed, but right now there wasn’t much she could do about it.

The away team had made it back to the ship and Dodd was awaiting them to make their way to the bridge to report on their excursion and to provide the information to move away from the starbase and see some action.

-OFF-

OOC: Start adding your signatures, please.









Ensign Liam Backstrom

LT JG Dahone Izel
Medical Staff

 

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