All Stop

Posted on Mon Nov 25th, 2024 @ 10:46pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant Commander Kelly Kerrigan

1,563 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: XO's Office |USS Arcadia
Timeline: Pre Dead Zone

ON:

Fang had spent the day between Engineering and the bridge. Now that it was third shift and, what the ship considered, night he had some time. He was in his office with the light burning bright going over reports of the past as well as the new ones that were coming in trying to condense them properly and figure out how to automate things so that the department heads would work easier and more efficiently.

He'd, logically, started with Engineering and was quite happy with how it worked out but then he was the chief engineer. He was working on Navigation and Helm reports when he heard his door open. Nobody had the code but he knew of two people who had override codes, medical and the captain. Fang looked up.

He smiled. "Hi. I was just going to come and see you. I have some updates on improvements I was able to make to the reporting system. Some departments heads seem happy, others are a bit hard to convince." He squeezed the bridge of his nose a moment feeling more tired then he had in days. "I've also started a take your XO to work day where I get to know the departments a bit more and you will be happy to know I finished the mandatory distance courses."

Kelly smiled. "If only they offered courses like that for being Captain of a starship" he replied. They did offer plenty of courses in command albeit most were not work, and just as the plans were with Kelly Kerrigan when he was assigned as Rhoda's First Officer, the field experience was to be gained under a seasoned mentor for these larger starships.

Poor Fang thought Kelly. Their predicament and arrangement had caused Fang to need a quick, condensed, and remote series of courses to step into the First Officer position, and the experienced mentor he was given? Kelly. Lieutenant Commander Kerrigan barely had a few weeks underneath him as a First Officer before his untimely advancement.

"It sounds like you've made more progress as First Officer than I had" stated Kelly. "Granted I was still trying to help the Captain fill department head positions, I didn't get time to coach them together."

"It's all a learning game, a life time learning game. I was an engineering bug all my life so my knowledge of other departments while not horrible still needs a lot. I'm just lucky we have a patient department head group...well except for the CMO but I will figure out a way around all that." He looked at the Captain. "Oh my god I forgot to finish the prelim report didn't I." He rubbed his hands over his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Take your time" Kelly replied. "We are apparently in a dead zone anyways. No communications outside of the ship goes anywhere" reported Kelly. "That's our most recent revelation from up top on the bridge, which means the expression in space nobody can hear you scream has regained traction."

Fang snorted. "Isn't that the whole point of space. Absolute deafening silence." He sighed. "I don't like where we're going. Something feels off."

"And yet we weren't content with silence" replied Kelly. "As soon as we began deep space travel, we've built communications relay, not looking to go much further than our communications reached."

Kelly nodded. "Yet they chose to change the cargo route and put it through an apparent dead zone. Feels off is right...feels wrong."

"Can I suggest we run under yellow alert from now on fully. Also I know we're running constant sensor sweeps but we should be doing internal sweeps just as well for anything...unexpected."

Lieutenant Commander Kerrigan looked at his First Officer. "Alert condition yellow for a ship-wide state of increased preparedness for possible crisis situations. Weapons offline but at the ready, defense fields energized. Sounds like you are expecting something unexpected."

"Call it a feeling. I just don't want to risk the safety of the crew and take chances. Well there is one crew member I'm willing to sacrifice but that's another story."

"That's a terrible way to think of my brother" teased Kelly. He knew that was not who Fang was referring to. "I am a bit cross with the Federation though. I think we were given this assignment for reasons unspoken. I don't believe the cargo was simply tools, building materials, and fabrics."

Fang snorted. "Your brother is a good kid. As for the Federation's reasons I agree with you. Tools, and fabrics aren't what you send one of the best ships for. "Were there any tells at the CO briefing on the part of the admiralty?"

Kelly scoffed. "I wish there had been admiralty present. Our orders came down from the government level. Tasked by the Federation's Secretary of Commerce, but I did getting briefly speak with Rear Admiral Snu'Pi, Seventh Fleet's Deputy Director of Logistics, Fleet Supply & Ordnance."

"Didn't get to finish the conversation before we hit this dead zone, but the Admiral was definitely choosing his words carefully. There was more than we were told or given."

"Which is Starfleet MO. I'm a Starfleet boy but man I hate it when they keep stuff to themselves. So as much as I'm all for the Fleet we've got a whole bunch of people counting on us. I did have an interesting suggestion to run by you."

"Yeah, I didn't think my rank of Lieutenant Commander was going to get me very far even if I am Captain of Arcadia. They definitely don't give us the same treatment as Pike and the Enterprise. What did you want to run by me?"

Fang stood and walked over to Kelly placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't do that. You may be Lieutenant Commander but you are the CO of this ship and while we're not the Enterprise we're the same class and you outmatch Pike by miles. This mission will be your victory and they will take notice." He smiled. "Weren't you the one who said confidence is necessary for command. Let that confidence loose and we'll make them eat shuttle exhaust for underestimating this ship and you as CO."

"I also told you I wasn't the most confident person, but I had to be in front of the crew. You are my First Officer now. You get privy to all the self doubt and wrestling with questions."

Fang smiled. "Yes but I will remind you that you are more then your doubts and when you have them I'll believe in you enough for the both of us. As for wrestling with questions we can work them out together. Deal?"

"Right now the biggest question is what the hell happened these cargo ships, Fang. The only way to answer that is to keep following the route they were meant to take."

"Which reminds me. the thing I had to run by you. Vance had an idea this ship has a lot of families perhaps it would be prudent to put them in a shuttle and get them to the colony about four hours from here. Vance can rig a not so Starfleet issued cloak to keep em safe. it's a Vulcan colony and they should be safe there. This way if all goes well it's a vacation for them and our people on ship can feel like their families are safe and if something goes belly up well then we save the innocent."

"Is separation of families ever a good decision regardless of what may happen to us?" Kelly countered on an emotional point. "If we did separate and something were to go wrong, would the family members be better off?"

"Honestly I don't know. I can't speak from personal experience so I wanted to run it by you especially since you now have family on board. I would say it's worth it to ensure the safety of civilians but I would guess everyone would have to choose."

"Then we hold position and make this a choice before we venture deeper into this dead zone" commented Kelly. "Not so Starfleet issued cloak, meaning something rigged and wired that may work temporarily" commented Kelly given the Federation had made very little headway regarding cloaking technology.

"Vance...the engineer has first hand knowledge of cloaks. It will hold. It's rigged up but the source well let's just say read Vance Adams' file and you'll see why Starfleet was so keen on having him sign a life time contract." He sighed. "I guess step one we communicate to the crew let them know it's an option give them a day to prepare."

Kelly nodded "That would be step one. My brother will be staying with us though. That much I do know" noted Kelly. If something was to go wrong, he was not going to abandon his brother.

He gave a nod. "Great I'll get things started with everything else." He looked up as if he was going to say something but then thought better of it.

"Work with our Ship's Counselor on this. She may be an asset in calming families and reassuring them" stated Kelly.

He gave a nod. "I will." He paused. "Thanks Captain."

Kelly have a nod. "Good work on this. It's a good idea, Fang. I need someone with ideas like this. Keep it up."

OFF:

 

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