Emergency Briefing

Posted on Sun Aug 2nd, 2015 @ 11:24am by Captain Elijah Michaels & Commander Bertrand Cuprum
Edited on on Mon Aug 3rd, 2015 @ 10:49am

Mission: Commanding the Elements
Location: Starbase operations

The habitat areas of the station were peaceful, almost soporific. There were no crowds, and the people mingling in the shopping district were not hurrying. They had plenty of time to look at wares, chat, socialize. As Elijah and Michelle moved along past them they wondered at the urgency of the summons from the Station CO.

As they stepped off the Turbo lift into operations though it was a very different story. Here the noise hit them like a wall. People in yellow and red were scurrying madly back and forth as if someone had put a giant stick into a multi-coloured ant hive.

In the midst of the sea they could see Commander Brightman, CO of the Station, controlling the ebb and flow with quick instructions, much like an ancient mariner might control a bucking ship in a high wind; trimming a sail here, letting out some slack there.

When he saw them he signaled them over to him. He had to speak quite loudly to be heard, "Thank you for coming, Commanders. We have just been made aware of a crisis that is brewing and need your help."

Elijah shook his head. "I told you the briefing with the other Co's had something to do with the other Co's."

"I'd say you nailed it." she said with a smirk.

He led them to one side where a Vulcan in red was speaking to a flustered Bajoran on the other end of a vid-com line.

"This is Counselor Tekar of the Bajoran Colony Haven on Helliax IV. Counselor, This is Commanders Michaels and and Bartlett."

"Not another Oberth, I hope," Tekar said, obviously deeply

Elijah nodded. "Commander Michaels, USS Victory." The Human Officer said. "Sovereign Class actually, what is the situation?"

"Apparently," Brightman explained, "Helliax has seen some unusual solar activity, and it has disrupted the normal weather patterns..."

"It's played merry hell, is what it has done," Tekar cut in.

Brightman continued, "The Bajoran locals have been taking readings and the atmospheric excitation is increasing alarmingly. At this rate they are looking at catastrophic events; cyclones, floods, maybe even earthquakes. Until it settles anyone caught on the surface is in extreme danger. Unfortunately the flooding and risk of seismic activity mean the usual underground bunkers are out of the question. We need to evacuate the colony."

"I have 25,000 men women and children who need to be moved off world for the duration of the storms," Tekar provided. "That's why we called Starfleet."

"The storms are predicted to break in 72 hours time, and Helliax is 16 hours away at maximum warp. Unfortunately," Brightman sighed heavily, "The only ships we have attached to the Station are Lt Secar's Oberth which can only hold about 40 people. We have the USS Cairns an Intrepid Class, en route along with the USS Prospero, a Miranda class, and USS Agamemnon, a Steam Runner."

"My people have retro fitted every half decent ship we think would be capable of Trans Orbital flight, but we are an Agrarian Colony, no high tech engineers to check the repairs and not enough pilots to fly them," bemoaned Tekar.

"Even with all that we still have about 2,000 colonist without transport. That is where I am hoping the USS Victory can help out. Obviously I can't order you, but you would be ranking officer and would enable us to get all the people to safety." Brightman looked at the two command officers, "Can you help?"

The Commander looked at Michelle and he did not have to open his mouth to his XO, "we can do it." He said to the Vulcan and the Commander.

Brightman let out a huge sigh, "I was hoping that would be the case."

"How soon can you leave? We are on a very tight schedule!" Tekar all but begged.

Elijah looked at Michelle. "Best guess XO?"

"I can try for two hours." Michelle said. "90 if they all want to cooperate today."

The Vulcan, Lt Secar, gave a slight bow, "I will have my ship ready to follow you when you move off. Excuse me gentlemen."

"What do you need from us to get you moving?" Brightman asked Elijah.

The Commander of Victory looked at his counterpart. "Fill her her up and change the oil."