" Concerns "
(Previous Post was Cady's "Sometimes You Don't Need The Tennis Ball To Get Hit")
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Stardate: 60322.0945
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
The young woman stood at her station near the back of the bridge, her skin having lost its emerald green colour and her hair having found once again its lustrous red glow. Unfortunately, the ExO's hair had been pretty much the only thing *glowing* on the ship as the mood of the crew following their latest mission had been rather gloomy… almost depressive.
James, who had shed his Andorian persona, had literally locked himself in his ready room to review the reports each and every member of the senior staff had filled out. The ANUBIS' CO knew that he would have to give a detailed report to Admiral Koneki… and Simmons had not wanted to leave any details out. Although he knew that his report would be only half of the official final mission statement, the other portion coming from the ship's ILO, the Co had still wanted to make sure that the Admiral received a complete picture of the events that had led to the mission's unexpected conclusion.
Rikar glanced down at her instruments and confirmed that the ship had been on course for NEW ALEXANDRIA… their base of operations… and that they had just under 12 hours to mentally prepare before they would return *home* and likely be called into the Admiral's office to offer a verbal account of the mission to support their written report.
"Maya… how are you doing?" The young woman inquired as she turned around to the science station and say the Shillian sitting at her post, her natural features having reasserted themselves with apparently no negative consequences.
"I'm fine Commander… I was just performing a long-range scan of a nearby nebula, supervising the computer's research into some quantum theories that I picked up during our stay on the TANGIERS ORBITAL and exploring the possibility that what Serenna reported about the Stone of Gol could in fact be accurate and that it was not destroyed as the Vulcan government had claimed." The scientist replied in a single breath almost making the ExO's concerns invalid.
"Thanks… but I meant how are *you* doing? Personally?" The young woman clarified, her background in the field of alien medicine having made it easy for the redheaded officer to imagine that the Shillian had been through a unique experience thanks to her ability to shape shift.
"I am fine… it was actually harder for me to stop my metabolism from undoing the work done by Ens. Summers than it was to recuperate once I allowed my body to attack the alterations and restore my normal appearance." The Shillian explained, only hinting to her relief at no longer having to fight her own body in order to pretend to be someone else.
"Glad to hear it… nevertheless though, I want you to take it easy for a little while… at least until we reach NEW ALEXANDRIA." The ExO added, certain that the CSciO had not regained all of her strengths… be them mental or physical.
The young woman's attention was brought back to her duties when the Ops officer who had also returned to her natural state… that of a half Human, half Romulan woman instead of a Tal'Shiar Operative pretending to be a Vulcan commodities trader, called out from the front of the bridge.
"Cmdr. Rikar… we are receiving an encoded communiqué from NEW ALEXANDRIA… normal priority." The Ops officer announced, already suspecting that the man on the other side of the communication signal had been none other than Admiral Koneki who likely wanted explanations as to why the ANUBIS had been on its way back so much ahead of schedule.
The ExO debated for a moment as to passing the signal over to James but after a few seconds the redheaded woman reconsidered. Although she had no real wish to speak to the Admiral and try to explain what had happened, Rikar knew that the captain had been in the exact same position and that it would have been unfair of her to simply send the ball over to his side without any advanced warning.
"Put it on the main view screen." The young woman ordered as she braced herself for what she was sure would be an unpleasant experience.
[/\] What is your ETA? [/\] Du'Kim, the Cardassian in charge of the base's external security asked without ceremony. Even if the signal had been encoded, it was clear that the commander was not one to spend any more time than required on any type of communication channel.
"At our current speed we will arrive in approximately 12 hours." The ExO promptly replied, actually relieved that the officer whose face had appeared on the main view screen had not been that of the Admiral.
[/\] Perfect… I will inform the Admiral… and be aware that you will be picking up a new senior officer once you arrive. [/\] The Cardassian announced before the signal was terminated from his end confirming what the ExO had suspected about Du'Kim and his not wanting to be on any communication channel for any longer than he absolutely had to.
"Maybe we are being assigned a new CEO…" a human Ensign at the helm jokingly stated before he became the target of numerous glares emanating from the ExO, Ops officer and CSciO respectively.
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Eva stood with her hands behind her back… her gaze lost amongst the streaking stars passing on either side of her. Although the Observation Deck only gave a reverse view, meaning that the starts were moving away from her, the sight had still been a most enjoyable one. During the last 4 years of training, the Cadet… now Ensign… had seen countless simulations representing this same view… but the real thing was just beyond description. Hopefully she would be able to say and feel the same way about the ship that she had been assigned to… the ANUBIS.
The information contained in the PADD given to her by Cmdr. Du'Kim had been extensive, and had required Eva to spend the greater majority of the day reading and re-reading the specifics in order to get a solid understanding of the ship and its capabilities. From what she had been able to deduce, the ANUBIS and its base of operations… NEW ALEXANDRIA… were operating in the grey area between SFI and the scum of the universe that threatened the stability of the Federation. Beyond that the half Edo, half Betazoid woman had not been certain as to what to expect and could only wait until she arrived at this secret base to find out more than she had been told.
Although it was late, Eva did not feel tired and debated on what to do in order to occupy her thoughts. Cmdr. Du'Kim had been kind enough to inform her that 1 of the holodecks on board the NILE had been reserved for her and programmed with a wide variety of training programs including hand-to-hand combat as well as starship combat simulations… options which made the hybrid suspect that her assignment not only dealt with Intel but also Security onboard the ANUBIS. The Cardassian had also been kind enough to clear her access to the bridge of the NILE with Cpt. Stoba… but the Ensign had not been all that certain that she had wanted to visit the command deck white the *Klingon* was there. If Stoba was anything like Du'Kim, Evan feared that she might not be able to control her temper as well as she had the last time.
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"We are Grey, we stand between the Candle and the Star, between the Darkness and the Light" 2005 post #214
Setting: USS NILE, Observation Deck
Stardate: 60315.2100
(Time Index… 1 week earlier)
Sabrina Jones {sabrina_sweet@hotmail.com}
Commander Sabrina Rikar
Executive Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
-Entilza Delenn, Babylon 5
