Evacuate

Posted on Thu Jan 28th, 2021 @ 7:30am by Vice Admiral C’Raal & Captain Emmalyn Marcus
Edited on on Fri Feb 12th, 2021 @ 10:06am

Mission: Welcome Aboard
Location: USS Montana
Timeline: Current

Admiral C’Raal led Thelin and Marcus to sickbay, moving at the same smart pace he set en route to Security.

Marcus was impressed how well C’Raal seemed to know the ship. But the deck plan was pretty standard, really, after she thought about it.

Too soon it seemed to Marcus, Admiral C’Raal was inside Sickbay, and she glanced at the nameplate before following Captain Thelin in herself. Just to be sure this really was Sickbay. You know. Just in case this was all just dream or something.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Bailey had reportedly arrived at Utopia Planitia on Mars and boarded the ship quickly without incident and checked into his quarters.

“Lieutenant Bailey?” Admiral C’Raal boomed.

Marcus thought he sounded angry but she wasn’t used to Caitians yet as she kept reminding herself. Hell she wasn't used to anything. Starfleet wasn't new. Command was.

“Lieutenant Bailey?” The Admiral called out again and turned to Captain Thelin who was moving into the Doctor’s actual office and stopped to turn and look at Admiral C’Rall and report.

“Not in here, sir.” Thelin announced.

C’Raal looked at Marcus as he moved into the exam room.

Suddenly Marcus felt uneasy.. Would she be expected to play doctor? She was certainly no Mcoy.

Captain Thelin caught up to Marcus as she entered behind Admiral C’Raal.

C’Raal didn’t stop moving as he moved through sickbay and eventually back into the main room where they entered.

“Captain,” Admiral C’Raal addressed Thelin directly, “locate the Doctor.” Then he turned to address Commander Marcus. “I’ll let you brief him on the surface if necessary. Let’s get to the Bridge and you can order the evacuation.”

Admiral C’Raal studied Commander Marcus for a moment before asking if she was alright. “Any questions, Commander?


“No, sir,” Marcus replied. This seemed strange that Bailey was not here but somehow her thoughts drifted to getting more supplies at Starbase 23 where they will be picking up an old friend. Emmalyn smiled to herself.

“Very well,” C’Raal nodded and turned to exit back into the corridor.

En route to the Turbolift Captain Thelin announced a few updates.

“Admiral. We have a situation at New Providence.”

Admiral C’Raal stopped and turned around. Captain Thelin handed him his PADD. C’Raal scanned it and looked up at Thelin, then over to Commander Marcus.

“You’re not going to need to stop at New Providence, Commander. And fortunately, you still have a Chief Engineer. Lieutenant JG T'Ponga Shemara is on the surface waiting to report as Assistant Chief Engineer.”

C’Raal signed off on the PADD and handed it back to Thelin.

“I’ve just transmitted orders to you, her and Captain Harrison. She’s now your Chief Engineer. Lieutenant Bracco will not be reporting to the Montana. You can contact me for more information after you read up on the orders. Let’s get to the Bridge and evacuate this ship. We can also debrief on the surface but this ship needs to launch. It should have been gone already. I’ll have that Admiral… Star was it? He should be in the Brig.”

Marcus laughed. She didn’t notice a reaction from either C’Raal or Thelin as they entered the Turbolift but she acted quickly to change the subject. “Bridge,” she ordered as the door closed behind Thelin.

“I wonder if the De’Luvia’s are still on the bridge” Emmalyn thought to herself as the Turbolift hummed along.

When the Turbolift opened onto the Bridge, Emmalyn was surprised to see that it was nearly deserted. There was only one crewman aboard. An Ensign whom Marcus was not familiar with.

C’Raal and Thelin looked around. The Ensign snapped to attention.

C’Raal replied quickly and in a calm and soothing manner as he stepped off toward the Engineering Station beginning his tour of the Bridge. “As you were.”

Ensign Newsom relaxed. Marcus spoke up quickly.

“Ensign?” Marcus began.

“Newsom, ma’am. Navigator Ensign Andrew Newsom.”

“No one on the bridge?”

“No ma’am. The De’Luvia’s left soon after you did. The workers from Utopia Planitia mentioned that they were all done. I just inspected my station and was enjoying the bridge. We’re ready to go here I believe.” Newsom was a bit nervous with all the Brass surrounding him. He was pretty sure the Admiral was a Caitian although he’d never met one in person.

C’Raal sent Thelin over to Newsom ahead of him and Newsom backed away as C’Raal approached to inspect the Helm. The Admiral seemed to smile, Emmalyn thought. It was a nice Bridge. Brand-spanking new.

After a few moments of silence C’Raal glanced at Thelin’s PADD then. He nodded at Thelin and then motioned toward Marcus at the Turbolift.

“We’ll transmit orders to you Commander. I’ll leave you in charge to order the evacuation and sterilize the ship. I don’t foresee being able to meet on the surface but you can contact Captain Thelin if you need me. We are in a bit of a rush.”

Commander Marcus took a deep breath. She got the feeling she was being handed off custody of the ship. It was a giddy sensation.

Admiral C’Raal reached out to shake Marcus’ hand and she eagerly returned the gesture.

“Congratulations, Commander. Regardless of anything else, be sure not to leave this drydock until you are one hundred percent satisfied that everything is in perfect, pristine condition. It is your ship until you receive Captain Harrison.”

Marcus exhaled with great joy. He almost called her Captain. Well, sort of. That’s what it felt like anyway.

Captain Thelin shook Marcus’ hand next. “Commander.”

“Captain.” Marcus replied.

When the Turbolift closed Marcus repeated it in her head. Technically, she was the Captain. Literally, she was the Acting Captain. “That didn’t take long and there wasn’t even a mutiny.” She thought to herself.

She jumped a bit when she turned around to see Newsom staring at her from the Navigation station.

“We’re evacuating the ship, Ensign. Due to a Security issue we need to decontaminate and inspect every inch of the vessel before we leave drydock. You heard the Admiral.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Get me Lieutenant Mason,” Marcus motioned to the Communications station and then her gaze lingered as she looked back across the Captain’s chair to the Main Viewer.

“Well, I’m definitely sitting there en route to Starbase 23” she thought. She took another satisfying breath and moved to sit in the Captain’s chair where she paused briefly after taking her seat.

“On the main viewer,” She smiled very broadly because, you know, Newsom was behind her anyway and couldn’t see. “I’m going to get very used to this,” she thought to herself as she relaxed very completely in the conn.

Newsom panicked again. He was a Navigator! But all Bridge Officers were trained on all the stations for simple tasks like this. But he found the comm channel, and contacted Lieutenant Mason.

“Mason here.”

It wasn’t on the Main Viewer!

Newsom scrambled for a few seconds. “This is Ensign Newsom on the bridge, ma’am. Commander Marcus wants you on the Main Viewer.”

Lieutenant Mason straightened herself a bit and replied “Go ahead.”

Ensign Newsom managed to get the channel open with video on the Main Viewer.

Commander Marcus greeted Lieutenant Mason. “Lieutenant. We have a security issue with the Chameloid. We need to evacuate the ship and confirm it is not compromised in any way before we leave Drydock. Admiral C’Raal has authorized any means necessary to confirm the ship is in pristine condition before we leave.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“So I’m leaving the details to you. After I order the evacuation, I’ll meet you in Security. We will be the last two off the ship.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

Marcus turned to Newsom who was watching the Main Viewer and indicated that he cut the channel which Newsom promptly and accurately did.

“Shipwide,” Marcus ordered. She was feeling it now. She was the Acting Captain and this was a good gig!

Ensign Newsom stiffened but reacted quickly as he tried to recall the difference between opening a specific channel and a shipwide channel. It took him only a minute, it seemed like he just did this at the Academy, which was true. He was just at the Academy several weeks ago. He was still wearing the rank pins awarded to him at graduation. He had another set but he liked these and hadn’t yet needed to outfit a second uniform.

“Ready, ma’am.”

“Attention all personnel. This is the Captain.” Oops, Marcus thought. “Acting Captain. This is Commander Marcus, your First Officer. Evacuate the ship. Everyone report to the planet surface. We have had a security incident on board. There is no danger but report any suspicious activity to Security who may follow with further instructions. We will assemble at Utopia Planitia prior to re-boarding. Orders will follow. That is all.”