A task to complete

Posted on Thu Dec 8, 2016 @ 10:29pm by Fleet Captain Rhea Kennit & Lieutenant Commander Miguel Torres & Lieutenant Penelope Naroot & Lieutenant Cassandra Kennings & Lieutenant Nicole Anderson & Lieutenant Arashi Tanaka Mr. & Senior Chief Petty Officer Samantha Summers

2,807 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Silence
Location: USS Victory
Timeline: ---

USS Victory
Officers Dining Room

0730

Seated at the table set near the viewport, the Captain had her long legs stretched out on a second chair, legs crossed at the ankle as she slowly went about the process of enjoying her breakfast. A plate loaded with french toast, hash browns, and bacon. Delicious, thick cut bacon. In between bites of breakfast and sips of her third morning coffee, she was thumbing thru a backlog of daily reports filed over the past 9 days during her enforced incarceration in sickbay.

After being left with little option other than the flavorless slop brought in by one of the Doctor's nursing staff (a dour-faced woman the Captain had mentally dubbed Frau Blücher) real food was all the more enjoyed!

Her attention was diverted from the joys of eating a pleasurable meal by the arrival of Crewman 1st Class Vincent Strange who she knew to be on duty at the moment. Carrying a data PaDD in hand, he looked about as if searching for someone. "Are you lost Crewman?" The Captain asked.

"No ma'am." Strange replied. "I was looking for the XO, we received a transmission from Fleet command."

She gazed at the Crewman a moment. Not speaking. Waiting. When he didn't react quickly enough, she snapped her fingers with a loud, sharp sound then merely pointed toward a blank spot at the table near her. Strange jumped at the sound, then hurried to bring the Captain the PaDD. Accepting it from him, she still did not speak, only waved him off with a shoo motion of her hand.

She didn't actually read the message until she'd finished her meal. Once she felt inclined to evokes its contents, after reading she forwarded the message to Commander Hunter, at the same time contacting him to say, "We have orders directing us to a survey station to take on additional crew, from there we are to travel to the coordinates indicated to conduct a survey of a Class M planet detected by a drone survey."

On the bridge, Alec was reading over the message as Rhea contacted him. "So I see Captain. Seems pretty run of the mill to me. Go to a survey station and pick up more crew and then do a survey. Nothing in the message to indicate anything out of the ordinary. Maybe Command knows something we don't and if they do, I wish they would share it with us." He paused for a moment. "I'll call a meeting of the department heads for 1100 hours in conference room 2. Give them time to have breakfast."

"That works." the Captain answered. "Make sure everyone shows up on time for once. I don't think anyone has ever been keel hauled by a starship but there's a first time for everything..."

'Aye Captain, I'll make sure of it." Alec promised.

"Very good. Kennit out."

After Rhea had her say, he tapped his combadge, "To all senior staff there will be a meeting in conference room 2 at 1100 hours. To discuss our upcoming mission. Attendance is mandatory and so is being on time."

From her office, SCPO Summers looked up from her PADD. " Another one?" She asked herself. " Oh well, wonder what's up." Summers looked at the time, and continued eating her breakfast.

0940

Matt looked up from his desk. He'd been working the early morning shift, due to finish at 1200, so was in his office, catching up on paperwork. He noticed the message on his PADD, opening it and reading. "Meeting, 1100...should be finished just in time for me to get off shift and sleep for a few hours." He muttered to himself. He'd decided to fill in some of the sick shifts, rather than asking around the other staff, otherwise they wouldn't get covered.

1046

Yarin got up from his desk; he had gotten up early to work on some personal projects and had forgotten to eat. He went to his replicator and materialized some warm grek, before heading to the conference room and taking his seat.


1050

The doors to the conference room opened and Nicole walked inside, followed closely by Cassandra. Their proximity and Cassandra's continual lagging behind the doctor made it clear who was escorting who along the way.

Cass took a seat beside Nicole and crossed her legs, her expression neutral.

Summers headed towards the conference room, her mind occupied on what would the meeting be about, was everything in order in her section, millions of thoughts were going through her head, that she didn't spot the lower bulkhead in her way until it was to late. *Wam!!* Summers found herself on the corridor's floor. Getting up, she brushed herself off and took a quick look over with her little mirror. " Oh great, " She said to herself.. " Bruises to explain. Summer's brow began to furrow in an '?' as she saw an green spot build where she had banged her head.. " What the?" She continued on towards the conference room and entered and sat down, trying hard to conceal the greenish bruise.

As she sat, Nicole's eyes raked over the woman's forehead and she scowled, but held her tongue till after the meeting.

1052

Alec left the bridge and headed towards the conference room. The last thing he wanted was to be late to the very meeting he called. Entering the room, he saw most of the senior staff was already here. " Good Morning to you all." He greeted the assembled group. His eyes falling on Nicole and Cass, the latter nodding in acknowledgement, as he took his customary seat and waited to see if Rhea would show up.

The assembled group spent the next several minutes in silence, no one speaking. The silence stretched on as the minutes passed, no one sure if the Captain would join them or not.

1057

Matt walked into the conference room, carrying a PADD in one hand, and a Toffee Latte in the other. He walked round to his seat, put down his drink, and sat, waiting for the Captain to arrive.

Penny slipped out of her seat as her stand-ins for Helm and Ops slipped in and she moved quickly to the briefing room, slipping into her seat on Cass' other side.

1100

The doors parted with a soft hiss, admitting the Captain into the briefing room. She was dressed in uniform--of a sort. Uniform top, jacket, and snug fitting trousers that hugged her legs like a second skin. Knee-high lack boots completed her ensemble. She walked to the side of the room, dropping into a chair there rather than at the table indicating the XO would be in charge. With a wave of her hand, she indicated for him to start.

Alec resisted making a comment on the Captain's 'uniform' rather he gave a subtle nod of his head in acknowledgement of Rhea's wave of her hand. He addressed the group. "We have orders for our next mission. We're to go Station Theta 7, where we'll pick up additional crew. From there we'll proceed to the Algira Qornor system and do a survey of a Class M world." He looked over at Rhea. "Anything to add Captain?"

Miguel had been sitting, reading a padd, while waiting for the Captain to arrive. For the last several months all he and his staff had been doing was working on improving every system on the ship in order to maximize efficency. They were tired, hell he was tired, but they were on their own for the most part and had to adapt. He went to drink some of the coffee he had with him when he heard the door and looked up in time to see the Captain walk in. It almost went down the wrong pipe, but even with that he still managed to hear the briefing from the XO.

"We will need a number of separate teams focused on specifics tasks. One team will focus on geological information, and conduct a survey to determine if there are any resources here which can be utilized to assist in the rebuilding of Federation assets here in the Delta Quadrant. A second will conduct a survey of potential food sources. While a third will assess the planet for possible future colonization," Rhea said.

"Captain, I will head the team to conduct the food survey. Hopefully we will find something useful," Yarin said.

Rhea looked at him, one eyebrow raised in response. "Will you now...hmmm. Interesting." Looking at Commander Hunter, she said, "and the other teams...who will be assigned for those tasks?"

Alec thought about his choices before making a reply, finally he spoke, "I'll head the team that will decide if the planet is suitable for a colony. Mr. Yarin has already volunteered to lead the food survey team. The third team will be headed up by Ensign Dylo. Other team members will be Dr. Anderson, Chief Summers along with personnel from science and engineering." He looked over at Rhea to see if she had any recommendations to make.

Summers squirmed in her seat before standing up, with clenched fists on the table, looking directly at Alec, her eyes squinting. "Do you believe that we will encounter a hatham on the planet's surface?" Summers felt herself quaking inside as though something wanted to come forth.

Nicole's head whipped around and she stared in surprise at the standing officer, ignoring Cassandra's tugging at her sleeve.

Alec looked at Summers,his gaze meeting hers. "As this is a unsurveyed world, I believe it would be wise for us to expect the unexpected." He answered in a calm and measured tone. "Unless of course you have some information the rest of us aren't privy to."

Summers shook her head as to clear it of cobwebs before she spoke. "Nooo, I...don't think so..." Summers shook her head once more.

The Captain sat with a slight scowl on her face, still looking intently at Summers. "A better question would be to ask just what the hell is a "hatham," Kennit stated, her intense gaze never wavering from where Summers still stood.

Summers raised her head, looking directly at the Captain. Her eyes tried to focus. " A hatham is what you hevan or humans would call a 'predator.' " Summers began to breathe heavily..." No...now is *not* the time....'Secure ship...wait..for orders...disable...." Summers's eyes blinked. "What?! Captain.. I am...Tal...Sh.." Summers blinked and looked at the Captain. "Yes, Captain?"

Penny turned and looked at Cass, both of them looking equally confused.

Nicole tensed visibly. Regardless of her human appearance and ancestry, a lifetime spent on a planet of Vulcanoids had the advantage of knowing root words. But hearing the phrase "you humans" immediately made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She slowly sat forward, her nails already sharpening and her lips pulling back.

The Captain listened to the master-at-arms outburst silently, her only visible reaction was a single, very slow blink of her eyes when Summers stopped speaking. Moving in a slow, deliberately fluid action the Captain stood. "Commander Hunter, Chief PO Summers is speaking Romulan, and almost implied an affiliation with the Tal Shiar. Have her taken into custody and escorted to the brig under guard. If she attempts to resist or escape...the use of force is authorized."

Hunter acted instantly, tapping his combadge, "Hunter to Security, report to the conference room and take Chief PO Summers to the brig where she is to remain until further notice. If she attempts to escape the use of force is authorized."

The reply was quickly forth coming. "Aye sir." An instant later two security officers entered the room and moved to either side of Summers. "Let's go Chief."

Summers looked at the Security detail then at the Captain, and then patted her stomach. "I won't struggle, Captain." Summers then shouted...." Computer, initiate program 'Stillness!'" Summers then looked back at the Captain. "Your ship is about to, for better words, 'Go to sleep'. " Summers turned to her guard. "Shall we go?"

The Captain, with everyone else in the room, stood in silent waiting for a moment to see what response might occur. Other than a low tone indicating an auto-rejection of the order issued, nothing else happened.

Summers, or what ever her name really was, looked all over the place for an conformation of the ship's shutting down. A furious look came to her face and she looked at the Captain. "Youuuu..... " That was all she could mutter before the Captain approached her.

The Captain shook her head, then approached the wayward officer and without speaking a single word, lashed out and drove her tightly closed fist into Summers' face. The Chief's nose shattered under the full force of the Captains unchecked, full-strength blow (which the enhanced strength of the Borg implants lacing her body combined with her already considerable strength gained by her El Aurian heritage) and a splatter of bright tell-tale green blood went on the Captain's fist. Along with breaking Summers' nose, the punch also rendered the woman unconscious before her body fully hit the floor.

"No. I don't think so." Kennit said then. Looking at the guards she said, "Pick up this trash and now you may deposit her securely into a high-security cell. If she gets too annoying when she wakes up. Shoot her."

Then apparently noticing the reactions of the other staff officers, save for the Doctor who was smirking in approval, the Captain said. "What? The moment she was placed under arrest all computer responses to her voice were deactivated."

Arashi and his partner examined the SCPO, deciding how best to carry her and bent down to lift her up and carry out to a high security cell. He tapped his combadge and had Security prepare the cell and Sickbay send an antigrav gurney to help get her down there. Arashi was wondering what was going on and how SCPO had become some kind of infiltrator or whatever, but right now he had a job to do so he got to it.

Then the Captain said, "mister Torres, have an engineering team find whatever garbage she may have installed into the computer systems and clean it out. If that's been enough nonsense for the afternoon, let's set course toward the Starbase as ordered to pick up our new crew waiting on us, so that we can continue our assigned mission."

Miguel blinked a few times as he realized that it wasn't just how she was dressed, it was how she was acting as well. The Rhea he knew wouldn't have done that. Was it something that being exposed to the Borg again had brought out of her. "Aye Captain we'll get to work on it right away." he said even as he still contemplated what had been going on recently.

For his part, Alec remained silent as he watched Rhea. He knew her better than anyone and this behavior was so unlike her. He contemplated talking to Sanders about Rhea's behavior. However, for now he would continue to observe her.

Aloud he answered her. "Aye Captain." Nodding to Penny, he spoke again. "Set course for Starbase Theta 7, Warp 6."

"You got it," Penny said, jumping to her feet and running out of the room and back to the bridge.

He looked across at Rhea. "Anything else Captain?"

"Captain I also think you might want to have Security investigate anything the SCPO had high level access for, after all she was the ship's master at arms," Torres suggested.

"A good point," the Captain answered. "Mr. Tanaka, see to it."

"Aye, captain." He said and took the SCPO out to the secure cell. He had to wonder why whoever it was would want to sabotage the ship or whatever they planned to do. The investigation had to start with the SCPO and he wanted to make dang sure that she wasn't going to harm the personnel or the ship in any way. He called down to the transport officer and had her beam to the cell. "Hey Doc, I'll need you to give her a physical before we start asking her questions. Make sure that she isn't going to do anything or hurt anyone, I guess."

"I'll give her a complete physical," Nicole said, her eyes blazing with anger. "THIS is why I get annoyed when people skip their physicals," she groused.

Matt was still slightly in shock. He'd been sitting there, with his mouth hanging open for a minute, then he'd sat there in silence, thinking on his encounters with the Master at arms. Nothing seemed odd about them. He turned to the Captain. "Permission to be excused, Captain." He said, now wanting to find out just what was going on.

"Permission granted.." the Captain answered. "We're done here for the moment."

~*~

 

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