The 'Perks' of the Pips

Posted on Mon Dec 14th, 2015 @ 12:54am by Commander Bertrand Cuprum & Captain Elijah Michaels & Commander Cor Cordale & Lieutenant Mickey McClane & Lieutenant Valeria Mordin & Warrant Officer Felix Kilvarn

Mission: If I told you...
Location: USS Victory, Bridge.

The Captain stroked his Beard, he had never been one for sitting around when their was an Away Mission, but he knew that as the Captain he had to learn to adjust to these situations. With most of the Senior Staff already establishing a Beachhead on the Station it left Elijah with a small Bridge Crew.

"Alright, here is what we know." Elijah said to his Crew gathered round the Aft Station. "SFI won't realise all the specifics of the Outpost, but we do know that it is a high priority location in this Sector." He pulled up some of the details. "If the Breen are responsible for the communications loss then we need to be ready, suggestions?"

Lt Paran from Engineering had one, "All Starfleet ships have a ping, a way to test a hailing frequency is established and we are not just shouting to the void. Even if we can't get the comms to respond, if the array is working we should get a ping. We could also try and ping out to a listening post, to make sure there is no dampening field in effect?"

"I'd recommend against a comm ping, for the moment." Valeria spoke up, breaking the silence from the Science station. "It may give away our posture and position. Anyone listening for anything out of the ordinary would pick up on it." she paused to gather her thoughts, "As for preparation, we could begin a random interval scan of nebular mass density. Anything moving through the region would leave a wake in their passing, which would affect the density of the matter around the Victory. I admit, it won't be much, but it will let us know roughly what's moving around us, and about how massive it is."

"We could also trim our power usage, and make like a proverbial hole in space." she offered.

"We could certainly switch to low power mode, given we don't need transporter lock on our away team," Paran agreed.

The Captain nodded. "Make it happen." He said with a nod.

Elijah then looked Valeria. "We need a Back up Team just incase, I will head it up."

Valeria gave a nod, "My eldest brother all but demanded I know how to defend myself. If you're looking to field another away team, I volunteer. In light of the absence of the chief security officer, someone would need to ensure your safety." she said, with a smirk.

"I second that" The Acting Ensign joined in

"Third" Mickey said while maintaining ops

"Then it seems to be settled. I'll be the one ensuring your safety, Captain." the rabbitess said with a smirk. She knew what Mickey and Aladdin meant, but it was fun to harmlessly tease.

"No I need one of you here, Victory must always have a Senior Officer in Command." Elijah Protested to them. "That only leaves Paran as the one to hold the Fort."

Paran perked up. Command of a Sovreign class? Yes, please!

Valeria gave the matter some thought while she wore the mask of a calm, soft smile. On one hand, could she entrust the Victory to Mickey should it come to it? On the other, could she entrust the Captain's safety to him, should it come to it?

"Then perhaps I should remain behind. If nothing else my training in the Sciences division will help detect a threat in the nebula before said threat detects us. Should it come to it, Mickey and Aladdin should be up to the challenge of assuring your safety while also completing the task of the Away team." and she gave Mickey a soft smile and a nod.

Paran deflated. Looks like he wouldn't be getting that field promotion to Captain.

"You can count on us Mon-capitan." Mickey said as he turned around and looked at both val and the captain then saluted.

"As you were, Mister McClane." Valeria said with a smirk.

Mickey looked at the Lieutenant Junior grade with a smirk of his own. "As i shall" Mickey smiled and turned around. Mickey then sent her a text through his station. "Even though I outrank you, I shall comply." Mickey added the smile smirk at the end of the message.

Valeria gave a smirk at the text. "You are correct, of course, Mister McClane. You do technically outrank me, but back home we have a saying." she turned to give him a glance, "An Emperor who does not consider the council of his peasants is a well seated fool."

"That is a very good saying indeed." The Captain chuckled.

"Weapons fire!" barked the tactical officer. "Runabouts are monitoring remote activity. We are reading Marine weapons fire."

"Scanning" Mickey said from the Ops panel. "Confirmed, Marine weapon's fire confirmed." Mickey said as he looked down at his dog. "Shall we proceed sir?" Mickey looked up at Valeria and the Captain.

"We expected some resistance or hostility. Otherwise we'd never have sent the Marine detachment. I think it's too soon to consider the back up plan, as there's hardly been enough time for the actual plan to occur." Valeria advised.

"Agreed, take us to Yellow Alert." Elijah said said making his way down to the Chair. "We will monitor for now, but maintain vigilance."

The alarm sounded and crew on the bridge moved to their assigned posts.

"Confirmed the ship is on Yellow Alert, Weapons are on stand by." Mickey said but then he thought to himself"Now i am beginning to see why Mr.Smith, was vigilante" Mickey replied in his mind.

Valeria keyed in a few algorithms into her console. "Nothing new to report in regards to nebular density shifts, though even with any compensational computations, sensors are quite limited." she added after a moment, "We might have better results if we posted a lookout in an EVA suit on the hull." a pause, "That was a joke."

Mickey was laughing on the inside when Valeria made her joke

=A= Cuprum to Victory. =A=

=A= Lieutenant McClane here=A= Mickey answered the call.

=A= We have injured here. Two crewman who claim to have been attacked by another of their crew. We are patching them up and maintaining position until the forward team return. =A=

=A= Commander, the injured. Were they able to get out the condition of the other crew-mate's that attacked? Just need to know?" Mickey asked the commander.

=A= Lacerations at this stage =A= Bertrand responded. =A= The doctor is with the forward team, but Mr Wade appears to be a dab hand at first aide. =A=

=A=Understood and approved, Commander. We've put the ship on yellow alert. =A= Mickey said at the call.

=A= Keep us appraised of your situation, Mister Bertrand. Nebula interference is making it difficult to impossible to track your team via sensors. =A= Valeria added.

"Lacerations? Strange, Part of me want's to go down there but playing hero wouldn't be a good idea." Mickey said to himself. "Captain, Val, Did you get all that? Sound's strange" Mickey said as he looked at his dog. "Now, don't you get any idea's of going down there, Lieutenant. Val, if any ideas happen, make sure he is stunned because i don't want him in trouble" Aladdin looked at the Lieutenant Junior grade he didn't ask as an order more of a favor.

"I'd hardly call lacerations strange. It could be a crewhand defending the station from what they perceive as intruders. We didn't exactly announce our presence, a few lacerations aren't anything to break out the emergency plan to." Valeria advised from her station, then she gave Aladdin a smirk, "As for stunning him, I don't carry any sidearms on my person due to regulations and personal stipulations, though, if Mister McClane becomes a concern I'll take your request to restrain him under advisement."

The Captain looked puzzled as he pondered what was happening on the Station. "We need to remain on focus with the task at hand, so any talk of going down there stops until I say so." He looked at his Bridge Crew. "Right now we only have minor injuries, that is our main focus."

"Sir." Valeria acknowledged Elijah's decree before continuing, "Mister Bertrand's tone was neutral and calm during the transmission." one of Valeria's lengthy ears twitched slightly, "Opposition was planned for and expected. I'd say that the mission is proceeding according to projection."

"Well none the less, Miss Mordin, we have to consider the fact we could be in danger. But, i already know that because risk comes with the uniform." Mickey didn't smirk at her but was being realistic. "We have to be prepared for the worst. No, I'm not having any bad feelings just that i don't want anything to happen" Mickey then turned to look at Aladdin. "However, Ensign Aladdin. I cannot let you remain here" Mickey then turned to the Captain. "Sir, with your permission i would like to send the ensign back to the base just encase." He then caught a glimpse of the rabbitess. "I just want him to be safe that's all" Mickey smirked at her.

"I'm certain the distance between us and the situation should make us markedly safer than the away team currently experiencing it. Spare some concern for them before wanting to send Aladdin even further from the front." Valeria said. "If nothing else, you can always send Aladdin back to your quarters, erect that personal force field you think we don't know about, and lock the door." and at that, she gave a soft smile.

Paran snorted, "Man, we are on a Sovereign class starship. It doesn't GET safer than this. Besides, all we have heard about is someone got a cut, probably from a vicious piece of paper."

Mickey looked at Paran with a serious look. He thought a moment of his choice of words without going all gun-ho, he then chose the words. "Gunner, it's not safe out here. Besides, i have a hunch there is more to come" He then pet Aladdin. "Mickey, you can't just go full blown paranoia because if you do. You'll never truly understand how life fragile is" Aladdin then climbed up to him on his legs. It was there he gave the dog a hug "Captain, Sir. I withdraw my request to send Aladdin off the ship" Mickey looked at his superior officer nicely

"If only we could modify a probe to know what the hell's going on. But, with the conditions of the nebula it would be impossible" Mickey said out loud waiting for input from the Rabbitness.

Her Rabbitness gave a shake of her head, "Like throwing a stone up and missing the ground, such is the nature of impossible." she quoted. "I will never truly understand the human fascination of the word 'If'." She gave a pause, as though considering her next words, "I also find it amusing how you push for every risk, citing an impossible reward, except when that risk potentially comes close to home. Or in this case, yourself and Aladdin."

"No disrespect, I assure you. I just find it amusing how you can attempt to pressure everyone else into seemingly insane risks, but when said risk is visible on a scanner, you ... what's the term... Turtle?" and at this, the rabbitess looked over at Paran with a nod.

"We just have to be patient, just the waiting game is hard enough" Mickey said as he looked at the viewscreen of the nebula, with Aladdin at his side.

"That's because you view it as a game. A set event with a definite end and, usually, a clearly defined victor. Ts'usugi philosophers equate waiting a simply a part of life. Whatever events are bound to occur in your lifetime do so when it is time. Sometimes you meet them, sometimes they meet you." Valeria countered. "Though, that may have its roots in mythology. Humanity wrote stories of brave heroes rushing off to slay dragons. We wrote stories of wise men who struck down armies with a well timed strike."

Valeria paused to run another routine sensor sweep of the region. "Captain, no change in nebular density. No change in the station's facing, temperature, or energy state." a smirk, "And I'm not detecting ghosts or other specters either."