The Message

Posted on Sat Dec 23rd, 2023 @ 11:59pm by Commander Michael Murphy & Captain Jackson Adams & Lieutenant Steve Ryan & Lieutenant Kestra Ral & Lieutenant JG Aubrie Fox & Petty Officer 3rd Class Valentia Ferrón & Lieutenant Stuart Mann

Mission: Home Sweet home.
Location: Somehere outside of Romulan Space
Timeline: After Leaving Space Dock

"Captain's Log Stardate 82110.6, the ship has been traveling at high warp for almost six weeks. We are now as close to the Romulan-Federation border as we can be, without crossing over. My crew appears to be on edge. Is this a one-way trip? Only time will tell."

(0200 Hour on the Bridge).

The Captain had been on duty for almost 84 straight hours when the news he had been waiting for finally came in. "Captain, we are now 22 minutes from the Federation and Romulan Boarder," said Lt. Mann at the helm.

"Very well, Mr. Mann, bring us out of warp."

Looking over at the Communication station the Captain continued, "Communications, please notify the Senior Offices to come to the bridge. Oh, and tell our Chief Medical Officer that means her as well."

"Yes, sir" came the response.

[Arboretum]

Walking in with her gardening tools, Kes walked the whole Arboretum. It seemed at some point someone had tried to make things look better. Oh well, it was her job now, she thought.

She tossed her knee pad down and started to pull weeds and trim the brushes, trees, and plants. It would take more than a day to get this done, not that she planned to spend the whole day working on it just a few hours a day in her free time.

Her comm went off. =/\= All Senior Offices to come to the bridge =/\=

They must be at the Romulan Boarder, she thought, feeling all the tension that had been gathering in the last 20 minutes.
Slipping on her uniform jacket, she started to close it as she walked out


[First Officer's Quarters]

Murphy had been on edge for most of the journey, and had decided that if the Captain wasn't going to be sleeping he would at least give it a try. He was roused from his half sleep by the comm going off. =/\= All Senior Offices to come to the bridge =/\=

He slipped back into his uniform, ran a brush through his hair, and headed for the Bridge.


[Enlisted Crew Quarters, Deck 6, D-Ring, Block 2-2]

=/\= All Senior Offices to come to the bridge =/\=

Valentina snapped awake at the alert. The Captain had ordered her off the Bridge at the beginning of the first watch and she had fallen into a fast sleep in her bunk. She hadn't even heard when her quarters mates return.

Her quarters mates got no such consideration as the Yeoman's comm badge informed her of the Captain's summons. To the chorus of their sleepy reprimands, Valentia got up and threw on her uniform. Grabbing her boots in her hands, she tried to leave the quarters with as little noise as possible.

[Engineering]

Steve was sitting on one of the work benches with his arms crossed as he was watching Deborah working hard on a piece of electronics that, to an untrained eye, could possibly be some junk components tossed together.

"You see, everything can be fixed" she told him watching the small device in her hands before glancing with a serious gaze to Steve's nose. "It just take some time"

Steve laughed, "Not really" he breathed "Sometimes things are beyond repair..."

"But not this time, right?" she echoed back

As the lieutenant was about to answer her, his comm badge beeped and he was required to reach the rest of the senior staff on the bridge.

"Duty's calling" he shrugged "We'll continue this chat another time" he smiled her and left headed towards the bridge.

[Bridge]

Walking unto the bridge, Kes smiled at the 1st officer and Captain "Sirs?" she gave a nod in greetings.

Captain Adams was lost in thoughts and readings.

Murphy nodded back. He meant to speak but didn't, probably due to fatigue. He wished he had stopped for a cup of coffee on his way to the bridge.

Kes put her fingertips to her forehead, rubbing a pain away. With all the tension on the ship, it was difficult to deal with. Seeing both Murphy and the Captain so fatigued worried her. She was surprised Ferrón hadn't informed the Doctor about this. Becker seems to take health issues seriously. Kes was about to ask if she could get them both coffee, but she was sure that Ferrón was bringing some at this very moment. Kestra had been ordered here for another reason, so she waited.

Fox walked in and stood near by waiting for the others.

As the doors of the bridge slid open, Steve stepped in exchanging nods of salute with the rest of the crew, he quickly made his way towards his posting and went trough the console logs while waiting for the captain to explain why he wanted everyone on the bridge.

Captain Adams turned to talk to his senior staff when suddenly a message came into communications. "Captain we are receiving a message with a Starfleet code attached."

Captain Adams said, "On screen."

A minute later a message from a white-haired Admiral came on the screen.

"Captain Adams and crew. By now you should have reached the Federation-Romulan border. Your orders are to adjust your heading to 324 Mark 7 and, when you reach that area, your mission will be clear. This mission is classified and your ship is expendable. Good luck, Starfleet out."

Kestra raised an eyebrow at the mention of the ship being expendable but she said nothing as she just stood at attention. The Tension was almost unbearable so she pushed it down. Yea she was going to end up with an ulcer.

Steve pursed his lips as soon as the communication mentioned the classified task. This time wouldn't be an easy mission. He laid back into his position and awaited further orders.

Murphy was taken aback, but didn't show it. He had never heard of Starfleet referring to a Federation vessel and crew as expendable. He knew this had to be because of the level of importance of the mission.

Aubrie had the look of anger. Did he just say this ship was expendable.....Oh...I am gonna lose it...

Kestra winced at the anger coming off Lt Fox. She wanted to touch her arm and calm her, but humans sometimes didn't react well to the touch both mentally and physically. So she didn't. "He may think what he will. We are not expendable, and we will show him how wrong he is. " She let years of her diplomat training on Betazed take over. "Where is 324 Mark 7?"

Murphy was glad to have the question asked, because he wasn't sure where the heading would take them, either.

Petty Officer Ferrón entered the bridge carrying a tray with six steaming mugs. She walked to the Captain's Conn and slightly offered the tray to him.

Captain Adams took a mug, and gave a quick smile to Ferron.

Commander Murphy then accepted his. "Thank you," he said, and he knew his sincerity came through.

Lieutenant Mann glanced back from his console. "Captain, the heading of 324 mark 7 takes us to Chaltok IV."

Murphy knew that sounded familiar, but it took his mind a moment to place it. "There's a research facility there, if I'm remembering right."

Steve's fingers quickly moved on his console recalling all the information he could from the main computer and starting to analyze them as they appeared on his screen.

There wasn't a lot of information to show. Romulan intelligence was very limited. The computer did confirm a research facility, but had no information about what kind of research was done there.

Murphy wondered if the Captain had more information, or at least might have access to more information.

The coffee distributed, Valentina took a place at the back of the bridge where she could observe the entire crew.


------------------------------------------------
OFF:

Captain Jackson Adams
Commanding Officer

Commander Michael Murphy
Executive Officer

Petty Officer 3rd Class Valentia Ferrón
Yeoman

Lieutenant Steve Ryan
Chief Communications and Operations Officer

Lieutenant Kestra Ral
Chief Science Officer

Lieutenant JG Aubrie Fox
Assistant Chief Security Officer

Lieutenant Stuart Mann
Navigation Officer, NPC