" Arrival "
(Previous Post was Tiffany's "Another Counsellor, Another Point Of View")
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 60326.1435
The young woman emerged from her office and made her way to the central chair closely followed by her Nausicaan bodyguard as the ANUBIS dropped out of warp speed allowing the GIZA nebula to be displayed in all of its splendour on the main view screen. This meant that their journey had ended and that they were home once again… but the joy that should have accompanied such a return was missing for an obvious reason.
"Status report." Rikar demanded as she eased into her chair taking only a brief moment to glance in the direction of Ensign Rostov as if searching for some sort of reassurance that everything would work out in the end. The Nausicaan said nothing, standing next to the CO's chair in as a menacing and protective manner as he could, wordlessly daring anyone to try and approach the ship's senior most officer.
"Ablative armour and sensor dampening fields are active and working. We will be in range of the tracking beckons in less than 5 minutes. All departments have reported in and are ready for final approach and docking." The ship's avatar announced from the Ops station. Although this had only been the second time Annie had faced this unique approach she had come across as if she had been part of this very same manoeuvre a hundred times before. Docking to a space station had never been an easy task for a ship the size of the ANUBIS, but hiding that station inside a moving asteroid amongst a field of planetoid-size rocks on the edge of a nebula that made sensors inoperative had been an entirely different story. Despite the condition of the ship the CO seemed confident that the vessel and its crew would survive the final leg of their journey home… after all that they had endured to get this far they would certainly not allow the natural defences of their home base get in the way… especially not if their avatar had anything to say or do about it.
"Helm… take us in." Sabrina ordered… the last time those exact same words had been spoken had been while she still had been this ship's ExO, so it had come as a slight thrill that she had said this. Unfortunately the hilarity vanished before it could settle in as the young woman thought ahead to another order she would have to give once the docking had been completed.
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Stardate: 60326.1438
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Section A, Level 1, C&C
"Receiving the ANUBIS' transponder signal… they are starting final approach." One of the officers sitting in front of what appeared to be a very complex control panel reported, triggering a well rehearsed sequence of events practice countless of times before.
"Confirm with tactical that no other vessels are in the region, then activate navigational beckons and long-range dampening field generators… update asteroid movement projections and synchronize base and ship computers. Have Viper Squadron 1 and 2 on launch stand-by… and tell docking station 2 to prepare to receive the ANUBIS… in the meantime I'll inform the Admiral." The officer in command offered without as much as hinting that this had been something out of the ordinary, or something that anyone should be concerned about.
=/\= Engineering team 2... Stand-by for return of USS ANUBIS. Base is now on *Yellow Alert*, all personnel report to your stations. =/\= The voice of 1 of the other offices echoed throughout the base with such force that it had been almost impossible to believe that anyone had not heard the announcement… including the Admiral himself.
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Stardate: 60326.1440
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
"Receiving NEW ALEXANDRIA navigational beckon signals." Elan announced from the FCO station, following protocol to the letter… all that had been left to do had been to wait for the CO's final order.
"And thus we enter the beginning of the end…" Sabrina sighed as she looked over her shoulder to make sure her ExO had taken her position and that everything had been in order. With a nod of her head Serenna confirmed that the ANUBIS' computer had been synchronized with that of the their base of operations and that updated charts had been received in regards to the location and movements of the countless asteroid that formed the belt around the GIZA nebula.
"Ahead quarter impulse… Annie, keep an eye on those asteroids… just in case. Tactical, defensive measure and keep a watch on the status of the armour… or at least what is left of it." The young woman offered in an overly serious tone. The ANUBIS, as well as the other ships of the same class had been equipped with the most up-to-date ablative armour for many reasons… deflecting the smaller asteroids present in the protective belt having likely been the first and most important reason.
Slowly… the ANUBIS began to make its way into the asteroid field, the view on the main view screen of the varying size rocks dancing about to the backdrop of the GIZA nebula had truly been an enchanting sight… and hopefully it would remain just that… a sight.
"Altering course to 0-1-3 mark 2-1." Elan announced with the calmness of a Vulcan as he moved the ship around 1 of the larger asteroids as it came tumbling through their flight path. As soon as the danger had passed, the ANUBIS was brought back on course as if nothing had happened.
After a few more such course correction, the view screen showed another large asteroid… one that their CSciO would have described as a Planetoid because of its sheer size had she been at her post on the bridge. The difference this time as compared to the others had been that the ship had made no effort to avoid it… instead heading directly for it.
"2000 meters and closing." The avatar announced as she kept a very close watch at the distance separating the large rock and the camouflaged hull of the ship.
"Synchronizing ship's lateral rotation… holding speed at 1 quarter impulse" The Oltharian who had taken on the role of FCO for this mission added in a way that made it seem as if he had also done this a few times before.
"1700 meters." Annie reported, managing to match the calmness of the FCO, something that many of the bridge's crew seemed to be having a much harder time with… especially the Nausicaan who was standing next to the CO.
"I will never get use to this part…" the ExO quietly admitted as she watched the features of the asteroid fill the entire view screen.
The young woman remained quiet as the thoughts of what was to come filled her head… if she could she would go back in time and change whatever had needed to be changed to not have to deal with what her responsibilities to the ship demanded of her.
"Steady as she goes..." The CO calmly offered with.
"900 meters and closing." The Ops officer interjected with, her focus having been on her instruments and not the image being displayed on the main view screen.
"Lateral rotation has been matched… adjusting drift… we are currently 3.35 meters off optimal approach vector." The Oltharian FCO announced, still sounding as natural and calm as if he had been flying a shuttle in an open sector of space.
"700 meters," Annie updated only a few seconds later.
"Remind me what the margin of error is for the approach vector?" The ExO inquired of the avatar in a concerned voice.
"10 meters." The avatar replied almost immediately without giving any indication as to whether or not that number had been large or small. As far as the robotic woman had been concerned the margin of error had been more than sufficient, but for Nico who had never experienced this sort of approach before, the distance seemed to be small… very small.
"400 meters." The FCO announced forcing the thoughts of the everyone on the bridge back onto the situation had hand
"Starting final approach… we are currently 4.12 centimetres off optimal approach vector." Annie added, her voice possessing an almost calming effect.
"200 meters to asteroid's surface." Elan announced just as the rocky texture visible on the view screen split into two parts, drifting away from each other at a rate of speed that perfectly matched the ANUBIS' movement forward.
As the ship made its way into the inside of the asteroid, the entire bridge bathed in complete silence, the image on the main view screen having changed from the rocky terrain to the amazing sight of countless decks and windows set within the rock face.
"We have cleared the doors." Annie announced, her voice as calm now as it had been all through the arrival.
"Dock the ship and secure all stations…" Rikar ordered just as the voice of the base's flag officer filled the room.
=/\= Welcome back home. Everything is ready as per your report and recommendation. Please report to my office as soon as you can. Koneki out. =/\=
"He doesn't sound overly thrilled to see us back." The half Human, half Romulan woman at the ExO's station announced with a sigh. True she had not expected a fanfare to welcome them back following their latest mission, but the hybrid would not have complained had the Admiral been a little less *cold* in his reception… this could only mean that he supported the CO's plan course of action even though he had not openly said so.
"Ens. Rostov please have a full compliment of security personnel meet us at Lt. Dawson's quarters…" the young woman ordered as she stood from her chair leaving the rest of whatever she had been wanting to say unspoken. Although many on her crew believed her to be vindictive in her actions Rikar knew that what she had to do next was the right thing to do… something had to be done before more people were made to share in the fate that Enaii and so many others had met during their last mission.
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Sabrina Jones {sabrina_sweet@hotmail.com}
Captain Sabrina Rikar
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
"We are Grey, we stand between the Candle and the Star, between the Darkness and the Light" 2005 post #412
-Entilza Delenn, Babylon 5
