Into the Cosmos

Posted on Fri Mar 31st, 2017 @ 1:00am by Commander Bertrand Cuprum & Captain Elijah Michaels & Lieutenant Commander Ziyal Tajor & Captain Allen Jones

Mission: All the Kings Men: Wargames
Location: USS Cosmos

::USS Cosmos-Brig::

AJ was not having a good few months. After spending thirteen years on the same Intelligence team he was now on his second assignment in a few months span. While he was born, raised, and will die a Marine his ability to work in and around the Intelligence community was dictating his current assignments.

A few months ago after returning from a deep cover mission inside the Romulan Empire, He was made the Chief Intelligence Officer on a highly classified experimental ship the USS Guardsman. He was getting settled in to his first ship based assignment and first as being in command. Well as happens with experimental ships sometimes, it never launched. So when the classified systems were not able to work properly they were forced to go back to the drawing board.

AJ was reassigned as the Marine CO on another SI driven ship the USS Cosmos. This didn’t last long as soon as AJ saw and heard what Captain Reinhelt was doing it turned his stomach. He expressed his concerns to the Captain and it found him thrown in the brig to keep him quiet. At the time he was just glad he was not shot.

But maybe his fortunes where turning around. It was apparent to him that the Cosmos was in combat as the systems where coming and going. The ship was rocking back and forth as it took impact of another ship firing on him. “Who is attacking us? I can help defend this ship and crew.” He tried getting mission from his brig officer. “Looks like some Starfleet traitors are trying to stop us from our mission.” The yellow shirt told him. A grin came over AJ’s face.

After more and more of the battle was unfolding AJ heard the intruder alert go out and the Brig officer assigned to him left out the door to join defense of the ship. As he opened the door to leave, AJ heard some shots and the officer fell in the door way as a Marine unit made their way into the Brig. AJ was the only one there. The squad leader came over to him “Identify yourself.”

“Captain Allen Jones, Former Marine CO of this vessel. Captain Reinhelt is acting against the best interests of the Federation and he locked me up when I expressed those concerns.” AJ told the officer. The squad officer thought for a second and then went to the control panel and let down the field. “Where are you boys from?” AJ asked.

“We are from the USS Victory. We are taking control of this ship and its Captain. Are you going to be a problem for us?” The squad leader asked hoping he had not made a mistake.

AJ held up a hand and tapped his combadge twice to activate the Marine channel. “This is Captain Jones I have been released and am back in Command. All Marines stand down. Give the boarding Marines a wide berth and give no resistance.” He closed the com channel. “How far have your units gotten?”

“Let’s get you to the Battle Bridge Captain Rodgers just took control of it.” They replied as the team made their way towards to the bridge. AJ saw some of his marines on their knees hands behind their heads. He knew it had to be hard to surrender, but it was the right move and he was happy they where complying.

::USS Cosmos- Bridge::

Rodgers winced again, he doubled over in the command chair as AJ and the team made it onto the bridge. AJ was prepared to introduce himself to Rodgers when Captain Rodgers fell out of the chair and hit the ground. His eyes where rolling back into his head and as everyone rushed to his side they say blood start coming out his nose and ears. AJ checked for a pulse and had none. “Corpsmen!!” He shouted and the medic rushed over and started to scan the Captain. After a quick scan of the head he stood there and shut the tricorder. “He is gone.”

The Bridge was quiet as everyone left thinks sink in. Then one of the squad leaders looked at AJ. “I think that makes you in Command now.” AJ looked up at the men and women on the bridge. Everyone was looking at him. “Get Rodgers off the bridge.” AJ said as he made his way into the center chair and pressed some commands on the Arm of the chair. He hailed the Victory.

The chair failed to respond to his attempt to hail the Victory. "Sorry Major, we had to cut everyone's access to get control back. I'm acting-Captain at the moment. You have seniority, so if you want, I'll pass that to you when I've finished your reauthorization." She reported, using the old informal promotion of a Marine Captain to Major to ensure that everyone knew who was actually in charge of the ship. She was working at one of the fee functional consoles on the Battle Bridge.

AJ smiled as he looked over at the Cardassian. "That might be helpful." He waited for authorization to change. "Wait your one of the Cosmos officers. Are you on our side?"

Ziyal worked away, "Yes." She said, quickly. She would rather not get shot by the marines. "I've always wanted a deep space assignment. However, the Admiralty grew up seeing Cardassians as more or less the enemy. So they kept me doing little things on Earth. Then an Int-Aff-Int guy told me that he could get me a deep space assignment, if I reported back about what was happening on the Cosmos. I leaped at the chance. So I spent several months getting on the inside. Most of it was just doing the normal Strategic Operations stuff. When you came on board, I was hoping to get you as an ally. But you... lacked a certain subtly and got thrown in the brig. I originally wanted to break you out, but security on the brig was too high. So instead, I secured a computer core and helped the Victory's marines from there." She explained. There was a brief pause, "There you go, you are now acting Captain of the Cosmos."

"As you know, Marines aren't known for subtlety." He turned to the viewscreen hoping the hail worked this time.

The screen displayed an elderly Betazoid. His eyes narrowed when he saw the man in Cosmos uniform in the command chair with his own people standing meekly behind.

"This is Commander Bertrand Cuprum, Acting Captain of the USS Victory. You will stand down your weapons and shields and surrender immediately on suspicion of Treason, multiple counts of Aggravated Assault, GBH, Murder, and further charges as details of your ship and logs are studied."

AJ wasn't surprised at the reactions he got. He held his hand up in an non-aggressive manner. "Commander, I am Captain Allen Jones former Marine Commander of the Cosmos before I was briged for trying to stop the command of this ship from committing those crimes you have spoke of. Your men are in control of this ship. Shields and weapons are down. I am here because I was freed from the brig by your marines and when I made the bridge your Captain Rodgers died of an apparent brain anyurisum." He hoped he put the commander at ease.

Ziyal glanced at the terminal, making sure that the shields and weapons were offline. They were, and she was not positive even she could get them back online. The engines not too badly damaged in comparison, but in their current state, they would not be outrunning the Victory. Not to mention the security personnel and the Marines in the engine room. She quickly mirrored that information to the command chair's data readout. She was impressed by how AJ was handling the situation. She hated being in a position where she was powerless, and right now, she was the next best thing to powerless.

Bertrand visibly relaxed, "Thank you, Captain Jones. Our CO is on the surface trying to secure Admiral Gates. I am sending My Security officers to take charge of the Cosmos and take her to Starbase 117 where the crew will be taken into custody pending a hearing. I am afraid that will include you initially. We appreciate your assistance in this matter."

Ziyal nodded, hiding her mixed emotions. She was delighted at her victory over her former crewmates. She was frightened of the possibility of facing a hearing about those same actions. She was proud of helping the Federation find traitors in their midst. She was ashamed about betraying her first deep space family. She was happy about finishing her assignment. She was unhappy about how that assignment had ended. In so much as one person could be conflicted over the course of events and her potential future, Ziyal was conflicted. She pulled up her file on the terminal and sent the code to reveal her secret orders. Hopefully when they saw that, it would clarify things. However, at the moment, now that things were over, she was starting to feel tired and old.

Spending so much time working for Intelligence AJ learned how to read others. After Bertrand brought up all the staff from the Cosmos would face Investigation, AJ noticed Ziyal get a worried look on her face. AJ relinquished the center chair to one of Victory's crew. He walked over to Ziyal. "This investigation is pretty standard in situations like this. It will all come out in the end." He told her as he moved to be taken into custody.

Ziyal was not sure how to express her emotions. "Int-Aff-Int, remember? I'm on the investigator side of this." She said, her voice not reflecting humor or confidence. She paused a moment, "You weren't here long enough to see it, but I got close to a lot of these people. They were almost a family to me." She explained as she joined Jones.

"Yeah the last few months I have not had much in the way of a stable home. Maybe some day." AJ said as they were lead away.

Bertrand turned to Kilbane, "I need you at Tactical. Do you trust Karadis to manage the securing of that vessel?"

Inwardly Kevin's heart sank at the order for him to remain on the Victory, but his facial features remained neutral as he looked at Commander Cuprum and replied "I trust Ensign Karadis will be able to manage the situation, providing she has your backing that she's acting in the interest of this ship and her crew against those in opposition on the USS Cosmos."

Bertrand then punched the Comms, "Have Cor meet me in transporter room three. I have become aware of a loophole that we may be able to use to our advantage."