A Temporary Reassignment
Posted on Tue Jul 11th, 2023 @ 8:11am by Captain Aloysius Grayson & Commander Agatha Oyihnmoda MD & Lieutenant Commander Vivian Ellis & Lieutenant Commander Vorix t'Rennikh
2,326 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
The Kriresian Gambit
Location: USS Haida, Shuttlecraft, Starbase 234
Timeline: MD 1 1500
[ USS Haida ]
[ Shuttle Bay ]
[ MD 1 1500 ]
The Haida's engineering teams managed to save the ship from any incident in drydock. Chantier Sector Command had summoned the Captain and Commanders Oyihnmoda and Vorix to the surface for an official inquiry into the events that unfolded earlier onboard the ship.
Captain Aloysius entered the Shuttle Bay with the Commanders standing by near the shuttlecraft Guujaaw. The shuttle pilot stepped out onto the loading platform, "Captain, Commanders. We are ready to depart to Starbase 234 when you're ready."
Agatha exhaled, "This is going to be fun isn't it." She said rhetorically, as the pilot signaled them she moved into the craft and took the rearmost position.
"You should be excited, Doctor," came the disturbingly cheerful voice of the chief engineer as he followed her onboard and plopped down in a random seat. "We're still alive and not in custody, innocent until proven guilty!" He clapped his hands together. "Praise be to the wisdom of the Founders of the Federation!" His cheery façade dropped into one of dead seriousness. "Trust me, be thankful. The other half of my heritage is far less forgiving. I bear witness to that fact."
"Let's take this show on the road," Aloysius grumbled and walked past the ensign into the shuttlecraft, passing both the chief medical officer and chief engineer. He sat down in the co-pilot seat in the cockpit. He looked over his shoulders at the pilot, "Hoy! What the hell are you waiting for?"
The shuttle was NOT one of the Haida's compliments. Vorix had strictly forbidden the use of shipboard transporters, or even one of their own small craft; while the emergency had been cleared, he wouldn't trust the top three officers of the ship to the potential of organic mistakes. He practically demanded that the starbase send one to pick them up personally. As such, the pilot was a junior officer with no experience dealing with gruff, grumpy Starship Captains.
The ensign turned around somewhat redfaced with embarrassment while he walked onto the deck. He pushed the button to recall the ramp and close the door before moving to the front of the shuttlecraft. He sat down and his fingers ran across the console.
The captain simply grunted with a head nod to confirm that they were good to get underway down to Starbase 234 on Chantier IV without giving him a verbal order. The ensign brought the shuttlecraft off of the Shuttlebay's deck and they entered space, "Let's take a bit of a detour. I sorta want to tour the Haida's hull."
"I'm on strict orders to bring you straight down Captain," the ensign protested. He didn't look over to the captain because he knew that the captain would be giving him a disapproving look, "He's giving me that look that captains give their subordinates, right?"
"I'd give him his request, Ensign," Vorix called up from the back. "God is seated next to you, and the Devil is behind you. I've no idea who the good Doctor here is," he continued, and turned to her. "Perhaps Siren?"
"It would be prudent to provide the Captain the brief tour of the ship as the provide him the ability to provide the brass with the most accurate assessment of our situation. You'd hate us to need to report that you were unhelpful." Agatha said.
"What's your name, ensign?" The captain inquired.
"Ensign Pritchard, Ensign Darren Pritchard, sir. Why?"
"If you want to be running shuttle flights from the starbase to orbit for the rest of your career you may want to follow through with my request," Aloysius spoke firmly.
"But."
"No buts, get onto it." Aloysius ordered.
"Aye Captain," Ensign Pritchard rediverted the ship to circle back towards the Haida, "what happened?"
"Above your pay grade," Grayson pointed, "bring us in closer, take us in approach from the stern to bow, starboard side first."
[ Space: In Bypass of USS Haida ]
[ Concurrently ]
The view from outside of the ship, on it's face, didn't look too bad. The warp drive and deflector were dark, as main power had yet to be restored. Most of the rest of the surface was clean and clear, with a few exceptions. Here and there were scorch marks. A number of sensor clusters and even two transporter emitter arrays were clearly damaged from internal overloads.
[ Chantier IV ]
[ Starbase 234: Conference Room ]
[ Forty-five minutes later ]
An aide-de-camp escorted the three officers into a conference room, "Would any of you like refreshments?"
"Coffee, black, for me," Aloysius replied.
"Of course, Captain. And for you, Commanders?"
The engineer shook his head. "Water only. I don't expect this to take long enough to need anything stronger."
"Black coffee." The Doctor replied.
"Just a moment."
The Captain remained standing as they waited for the Admirals to enter. The aide-de-camp returned with their hot beverages before three Admirals and two lieutenant commanders in the command division uniform.
Vivian remained silent, jaw clenched and her breathing reasonably shallow. All she focused on was the semi-hollow clipping of shoes on the floor as the small group entered. The scent of coffee made her stomach turn, as it always did which forced her to exhale long through her nose and purse her lips before sitting several seats to the side of Vice Admiral Hathaway. Her chocolate eyes scanned over the faces in the room, once more, silently.
"Thank you for coming to see us," Vice Admiral Hathaway greeted the Captain. The Vice Admiral sat down at the head of the table. Another sat at the foot and the other sat in the center, standing across from Captain Grayson.
The Captain then seated following the lieutenant commanders in the room, "Captain Aloysius Grayson, we met at your father's first retirement party but for the sake of introductory purposes to the rest of your staff, I'm Vice Admiral George Hathaway, Sector Commander."
The Captain nodded, "I remember you, Admiral."
"I am Commodore Carlisle," said the second member of the panel. He was a gruff-sounding human, and clearly displeased with the recent chain of events. "I know of you and your crew, Captain, but by reputation only." He eyed Vorix for a moment. "Some reputations are more flattering than others."
The Rear Admiral was the second non-human in the room, "I'm Rear Admiral Richard Montague, Deputy Sector Commander. And these are Lieutenant Commanders Vivian Ellis, she's the Roosevelt's first officer, and Gosia Nowicka with Starfleet Intelligence."
Tag Vorix
Agatha nodded respectfully to the senior officers but remained silent.
Vivian was silent through a majority of the conversation but she sat up in her seat as she spoke after being introduced, "Captain," She nodded toward him and then looked to the other two strangers, "Commanders." Another nod in their general directions before her back rested against the chair and she fell silent again.
"Captain and Commanders," Lieutenant Commander Nowicka responded in a hint of a Polish accent.
Then the eyes moved to the Vice Admiral at the head of the table, "Captain Grayson and Commander Vorix, we have read your reports on the situation that unfolded onboard the Haida in the twilight morning hours. The Chief Fleet Inspector has signed off that the Haida is incapable of interstellar operations for the unforeseeable future. We don't have a timeline in place at this point for her return to service.
"Effective immediately, Captain Grayson you are to take command of the Constitution III-class USS Roosevelt and seek out this saboteur, one Lieutenant Mahvehokiskovar. He's a Kriresian, so that might be something to go on."
"The Roosevelt's CO is okay with that?"
"He doesn't have much to say about it, Captain. He's dead." Came a cold-toned reply from the Roosevelt's XO, hands in her lap as she looked up at the Captain across the table from her. "Our former Captain submitted to a genetic defect that he'd struggled with for most of his life and as we were out in space, there was little our own CMO was able to do."
The captain looked over at the lieutenant commander and he replied in an empathetic-yet-cold tone, "My condolences on the loss of your captain, Commander Ellis."
Nodding as she accepted the condolences, her head tilted as she responded, "Thank you sir. He knew his time was short, so, thankfully, his crew was aware and had time to process his limited time with us all."
"It is the sad-yet-unfortunate circumstances. The Roosevelt and the Haida crews will come together and seek out this saboteur," Vice Admiral Hathaway reiterated what he said earlier, "saying that Commander Nowicka will fill you in. She'll act as a mission advisor and in the capacity of your strategic operations officer to carry out your mission, Captain Grayson."
The captain nodded his head and then gestured, "Please Commander Nowicka."
"Thank you, Admiral, Captain." Nowicka continued while she rose to her feet and walked over to the viewscreen mounted on the wall. She gestured her hand to pull up her presentation, "We have combed through the Lieutenant's personnel record. He has had an exemplary service record with a few citations. I reached out to his guarantor captains that signed his application to attend Starfleet Academy and they say this is completely out of character for him.
"Up until at least three months ago and then placed a transfer to the Haida, for the position of Chief Engineer."
"He ASKED for this particular ship?" Vorix seemed a bit perturbed at that thought. "I know it's not uncommon for rising stars to be granted the latitude to ask explicitly for their next assignment. It does have me wondering what's so special about the ship, crew, or perhaps our operational area here. Who would gain, and what, from having a starship out of position, or possibly permanently removed from the equation."
Lieutenant Commander Nowicka nodded, "The Starfleet Personnel Administration sent off his request to Captain Grayson with a citation." She looked over to Captain Grayson, "Could you read that citation out, please?"
"Why?" Grayson looked around the table, "I don't feel like this has anything to add to your debriefing on Lieutenant Mahvehokiskovar. I didn't put the citation in his service file."
"Commander, please move forward with the debrief," the Vice Admiral cautioned.
"Where is Lieutenant Mahvehokiskovar's current whereabouts?" The Captain inquired.
"He departed from Starbase 234 the evening he was transferred off of the Haida, he got onto a transport to Starbase 24."
"Time arrival? They should be arriving within the next hour. I have requested that Starfleet Security apprehend him once he arrives at Starbase 24," Nowicka explained.
"No."
"Explain, Captain?" Rear Admiral Montague interjected.
"I just have a hunch that this might lead to something bigger. The Kriresians. What do we know about them, Commander?"
The Rear Admiral nodded.
"They were subjects of the Romulan Star Empire before it splintered into multiple states. They're presently in a star system being controlled by an unidentified warlord. Not much to go on."
"Starfleet has never directly made first contact with the Kriresians," Montague interjected.
"Then we will make the beeline to Starbase 24 then," Captain Grayson looked over to Commander Ellis, "When can the Roosevelt depart?"
Vivian seemed to relax for the first time since she'd entered the private conference and it mirrored in her tone as she looked to her soon-to-be CO, "As soon as your..." Stopping herself, she caught her words and continued, "The remaining number of the new crew are aboard. Those that have remained on the Roosevelt have already been briefed as required."
"Thank you. See to it that arrangements for a speedy transition are made Commander Ellis," Grayson replied.
Vivian nodded as the Captain spoke, "Consider it done." Her form remained relaxed as she then took in the figures of who would be joining her as senior staff on the Roosevelt, watching the Captain also, his mannerisms silently.
"Commander," Grayson pointed at Aggie, "I need you to let the senior staff that I want to debrief them immediately when we return to the Haida, prior to the transition." He looked over to Lieutenant Commander Vorix, "Following the senior staff debrief I need you to liaise with Commander Ellis to begin to transfer personnel over."
"Aye Sir." Agatha replied.
Tag Vorix
"Also Commander Ellis," Grayson continued, "to speed up the process please bring the Roosevelt to Drydock Epsilon-Three. There we will get underway immediately."
Vivian nodded silently as she continued to take in her new Captain's mannerisms, his interactions with the Haida senior crew and also his tone when addressing herself.
"Where do you need me, Captain? I'm happy to assist with the transition onboard the Haida," Nowick interjected.
"I will have you head up to the Roosevelt to assist, Commander Ellis," the Captain answered.
Vivian's line of sight caught Nowick as she curtly nodded, smiling a little, warmly at the other officer.
The Captain panned his eyes around the table and realized his coffee had remained untouched during the meeting, "Apologies for taking over the briefing there, Admirals, Commodore."
"That's not a problem," Hathway replied, "You're all dismissed."
Agatha got to her feet, she waited to follow the Captain out and head to brief the senior staff.
Vivian stood smoothly, the small smile remaining on her features as she stepped away from the table and shifted her chair back in to it's place. She felt a surge of excitement with the upcoming change.
OFF:
A Joint Post By:
Captain Aloysius Grayson
Commanding Officer, USS Haida NCC-42063,
Lieutenant Commander Vivian Ellis
Executive Officer, USS Roosevelt NCC-47180
Commander Agatha Oyihnmoda
Chief Medical Officer & Second Officer, USS Haida NCC-42063
&
Lieutenant Commander Vorix
Chief Engineer, USS Haida NCC-42063
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