" Rush "
(Previous Post was Francois' "Ending With a Bang")
==========
Stardate: 60339.1400
The young woman walked down the narrow tube with her daughter in tow…
the adventures of the HATHOR now well behind them. The latter part of the
shakedown cruise had proven to be completely unexpected, but the comet
had been emptied of its hidden cargo long before it came to crash on
SENMAAR II. As an observer the ANUBIS' CO would be able to report that the
mission had been a success despite a few problems… such as the severed spine of the ship's former Sec/Tac officer. The severity of the injury would force
the Nausicaan to remain in the care of the base's medical staff for a long
while which had been beyond the help of anyone else.
In hindsight the redheaded woman had agreed with the decision of her ExO to conduct an unscheduled test to see how the crew would react… and Rikar
had even fully endorsed the use of the Marines for the task. That said though the ANUBIS' CO knew that the exercise itself would have unfolded very differently had she been the one to request it, setting some very clear and precise guidelines for Lt. Pravat and his men to follow. Experience had long ago taught the young woman to expect the unexpected… therefore making her try as best as possible to prepare for as many scenarios as possible.
"Welcome back to NEW ALEXANDRIA Captain Rikar." The Andorian female who
went by the name of Lt. Cmdr. Nabus (emphasis on the *S*) said as she
welcomed the mother and child duo.
"Thank you lieutenant." The redheaded woman cautiously replied silently
wondering why the Chief of Base Internal Security for the Delta shift
had come all the way to the docking day to meet them.
"Admiral Koneki and Commodore Simmons are waiting for you in the
Admiral's office." The female Andorian announced without any advanced warning
prompting the young woman to sigh. Instinctively Rikar looked down at
her feet to confirm what she had suspected and discovered that she had not
been entirely correct. Nabus had been kind enough to allow the ANUBIS' CO
to set at least one foot on the station before springing her surprise on the
mother and child.
"Let me guess… do not pass *GO* and do not collect $200?" The redheaded
woman offered with disdain, recalling one of the many board games the
mother had played with her daughter.
"If you mean that the Admiral wishes for you to report immediately to
him, then yes." The blue-skinned woman replied in an almost Vulcan manner
making the young woman sigh once again.
==========
"Alright… what's going on?" The young woman demanded the moment she had
set foot in the office of the base's ranking officer.
"What makes you think that there is something going on?" Admiral Koneki
grinned from across his desk.
"Because Allyson did not once ask me if Talia or I wanted something…
you and I both know that your receptionist can be *annoying* with her constant
wanting to do something for those who come into the reception area… but
this time she just motioned for us to step right in. So I will repeat my
question, what is going on?" The young woman inquired as she stepped
further into the office followed by her daughter.
"How are you Talia?" The Admiral asked of the little girl completely
ignoring the previous demand of her adoptive mother, the ANUBIS' CO.
Being her mother's daughter, Talia held no love in her heart for the
middle aged man in command of the NEW ALEXANDRIA complex, and having displayed
this on multiple occasions the Admiral knew better than to walk too close to
the child whom he saw as the future of the Draxx Project.
"James… what is going on?" The young woman demanded of her former CO,
now the Chief of Operations for the base which was home to the ANUBIS,
SEHKMET, HORUS and HATHOR amongst others.
"You might want to have a seat," Commodore Simmons replied as he
watched the Admiral casually return to his seat on the other side of the desk.
==========
All of the members of the ship's senior staff had reported in as
requested by the ANUBIS' CO none of them remotely anticipating the bomb that the redheaded woman had been about to drop on all of them.
"Ladies and gentlemen… I will get straight to the point. Less than a
hour ago I was informed by Admiral Koneki and Commodore Simmons that this
ship's ILO, Lt. Cmdr. Enaii is *not* dead." The young woman announced, her
voice still clearly carrying a tone of shock and disbelief.
"You're kidding… right?" Lt. Dawson unhappily growled. As much as he had been happy to hear of the possibility that the life-mate of his CO and mother to Talia had not perished as everyone had believed her to, the idea that he had faced a court-martial listing his responsibility in the ILO's death had proven to be more than the engineer could handle at this time.
"I am not… and don't ask me to explain it because to be entirely honest
I am not all that sure that I understand it myself. All I know is that both
the HATHOR and ANUBIS have been dispatched back to SURIAL III." The
redheaded woman announced drawing looks of confusion and scepticism from the
gathered officers.
"Both ships?" The ANUBIS' ExO inquire as she tried to visualise which
crew would be where.
"Yes… because of the numerous dangers present in that sector, rogue
Cardassians and Romulans being only 2 of many, Commodore Simmons
thought it best to have both the HATHOR and ANUBIS make the journey. The HATHOR with its speed and cloaking device will provide tactical support to the
ANUBIS which will be heading this expedition. Part of the reason for this is
that the ANUBIS is better equipped to deal with what we will need to do once
we reach SURIAL III and also because the HATHOR's weapon systems are
currently in better working condition than those of the ANUBIS." The young woman paused for a moment allowing her words and their meaning to sink in and
giving the chance for anyone to voice whatever comment or even
objection that might have come to their mind.
"Will the entire crew be reassigned to the ANUBIS or will we split
between the 2 ships?" Marine 1st Lt. Pravat inquired, curious to see if they
would have to deal with another crew atop of the situation.
"Because of both our expertise with the 2 ships and the nature of this
mission, Admiral Koneki expressed his wish that *we* handle this by
ourselves… which means that the crew will be split." Sabrina announced
as she scanned the faces of the officers sitting around the table and met
their gaze one at a time.
"Well there will be one advantage… whoever will be on the HATHOR won't
need to share quarters anymore." Doctor Summers voiced with a distinct hint
of releif, already picturing herself back in her spacious quarters and
department.
"I would not rejoice too quickly if I were you Lea… you will be part of
the HATHOR's crew." The young woman stated as she reached for 2 PADDs that
had been waiting on the edge of the table.
"Maybe they decided to make you the Ops officer this time around." Ens.
Mei playfully joked summoning the angered glare of the ship's CMO.
"Here are the assignments for the HATHOR… Lt. Cmdr. Serenna you will be
the CO… Ens. Uxtar will remain at Tactical as well as Ens. Stromwind and
Ens. Kea who will respectively continue as FCO and Ops. Doctor Summers, you
will have the benefit of having Ens. Mei with you." The redheaded woman
explained as she read the assignments and met each of the officer's eyes with her own as she called out their name.
"What about engineering?" The passive Oltharian giant asked, forcing
the young woman to announce the one part of this new assignment which she
had liked the least.
"Because of the size of the HATHOR, the task of ExO will this time be
handled by the ship's CEO…" Sabrina replied as her eyes bounced from
David to Elan and back.
David had just been ready to congratulate his friend and mentor when
the voice of the ANUBIS' CO once again filled the room.
"Lt. Dawson… those responsibilities will be yours. You are permitted
to bring whoever from your engineering staff onboard the ANUBIS to the
HATHOR to help you. Lt. Fairborn, because of your expertise and lengthy
experience you will be the ANUBIS' CEO for this mission." The young woman
announced as she smiled at the Oltharian, knowing that having Elan onboard and in charge of Engineering had been the only positive aspect of David's new role
onboard the HATHOR.
"Congratulations Lt. Dawson." Elan offered to the bewildered CEO who
had been left open-mouth by the unexpectedness of the announcement.
From across the table the half Human, half Romulan hybrid smiled at her
Academy classmate hinting that she might have had some responsibility
in the unfolding of events as they had happened.
"Lt. Cmdr. Maya will be CSciO and ExO onboard the ANUBIS with Ens.
Halliwell as CMO… Since the Marines will be onboard the ANUBIS it makes sense to keep 1st Lt. Pravat onboard but given our being shorthanded on the bridge
you will double as Sec/Tac officer. I am sorry that this will keep you
from spending all of your time training with your troops." The young woman
offered to the Enaran who did not appear overly displeased with the
idea of being both the MCO and Sec/Tac officer.
"It will not be a problem." Pravat stated as he glanced in the direction of the ANUBIS' ExO… the Shillian woman who would also be the ship's CSciO.
"Lt. Fairborn… be sure to coordinate with Annie to insure that as many
of the ANUBIS' systems are ready for departure which will be tomorrow at
0600. Both crews have until then to get everything as ready as possible…
because one way or the other both the HATHOR and ANUBIS will be leaving at that time even if they need to be tractor-beamed out." The ANUBIS' CO said with an unmatched seriousness clearly indicating to everyone that time had been against them in this quest to retrieve Lt. Cmdr. Enaii from the
clutches of eternal oblivion.
==========
"We are Grey, we stand between the Candle and the Star, between the
Darkness and the Light" 2006 post #001
Setting: USS HATHOR, Umbilical connection between USS HATHOR and NEW
ALEXANDRIA
Stardate: 60339.1420
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Section A, Level 6, Koneki's Office
Stardate: 60339.1600
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 1, Observation Lounge
Sabrina Jones {sabrina_sweet@hotmail.com}
Captain Sabrina Rikar
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
-Entilza Delenn, Babylon 5
