It's Time, part 1

Posted on Tue Nov 21st, 2023 @ 2:17pm by Lieutenant Commander Jaal Jaxom & Commodore Finchley Kerr & Lieutenant Kell Asaa Dr & Lieutenant T'Lira Sh'Karra & Lieutenant Commander Isabelle Savette & Lieutenant Commander Kevin Kilbane & Commander Shr'Nesh Karadis
Edited on on Sat Dec 9th, 2023 @ 12:55am

1,820 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Investigate the Chintoka Shipyard Buildup
Location: Cardassian Time Ship/USS Blackeagle
Timeline: current

==USS Blackeagle, Bridge==

Jaal stood on the bridge in front of the captain's chair and behind the conn and operations consoles waiting for Lieutenant Asaa's word that the Cardassian prisoners were secure in the brig.

He didn't feel he'd earned a seat in that storied chair just yet.

So he stood, keeping an eye on the operations console and pacing the width of the bridge every few moments. He was tense but knew panicking would do no good. The cloak was functioning and stable so what else was there to be worried about at the moment?

Their captain had put himself on a (possible) suicide mission?

The cloak suddenly fails and a Cardassian armada comes to blow them out of space?

The Trill wished he had just a little more information to go on, then, perhaps, he would be more at ease.

Kilbane and Karadis entered the bridge, Kilbane walking over towards the Captain's chair, Karadis over to the Communications console. Kilbane customarily took his position beside the Captain's chair, then realized Finchley wasn’t there. He looked at the chair, but he wouldn’t dare sit in it, no, that would be reserved for the return of his friend.

There was one other thing that had him not wanting to sit in the main seat…he’d never commanded a ship. True, his rank was Lieutenant Commander, but he was an analyst at heart, not a bridge officer.

Kell stepped out onto the bridge, stopping by Jaal. She glanced at Kilbane standing in his normal spot. She nodded. "They're all secure."

Kilbane looked over at Jaal and Kell and raised his eyebrows.

Kell replied first. "What are your orders?"

Isabelle sat in her seat, right now all she could do was offer her support and insights when needed.

“What are your orders…Sir, Lieutenant, he’s Captain now” Karadis said to Kell.

“NO!”, Kilbane turned and shouted at Karadis, “I may be the Senior Officer, but I’m an analyst…with a bit of angry bastard soldiering thrown in…not a bridge officer. I have no idea what we’re doing now, that’s Finchley…I mean, Captain Kerr's job!”

“I need guidance on this ‘what happens now’ bit because I thought my job was going to be analyzing the information we stole on the timeship. So, what suggestions do you all have for me?”

Kilbane's lack of bridge experience was evident to the Trill. Typically, the first order given by a bridge officer coming on watch was 'report'. Jaal knew he was the newest officer on the ship but he'd help out as much as he could. He certainly wasn't going to step on anyone's toes.

Jaal cleared his throat and offered, "When I left the time ship, the captain ordered me to take the Blackeagle to Federation space once the Cardassian prisoners were secure in the brig and wait for his call to pick him up. Obviously, there's been a development since then. So, I have to ask, what's happened? I will also humbly suggest more information is needed before any decisions are made on what we do next."

Kilbane looked at Jaal. His mind was racing, he didn’t want to leave Finchley to face the chasing Cardassians on his own, but at the same time, the information they had on the timeship was unbelievably important for SFI.

This was why he’d never chosen to become a bridge officer, he didn’t want the responsibility of choosing to leave anyone behind. He would follow orders given to him to the letter, even if he knew it would cause his own demise, but he could never see himself giving those orders. Unfortunately, the circumstances they found themselves in now didn’t afford him the luxury of walking away so that someone else could make those decisions.

Clearing his throat he began, “Ehh, right…the uh…the Captain is emm…obviously, uh…covering our escape…*the bloody fool* (under his breath). We…we need to get going, so uh…somebody set us a course for, for…Federation space, now!”

T'Lira walked onto the bridge, surveyed the area for a moment then proceeded to her station. She sensed the situation was a bit strained.

She activated her sensors but put them in passive mode so as to remain undetected.

"Sensors are detecting two Kilvane class heavy cruisers coming out of warp and heading in this direction, Sir. I don't think they have detected us, Sir.” T'Lira reported.

Jaal had always known it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. He approached the helm console and started the Blackeagle on its way to the Federation border. “T’Lira, please keep an eye on our friends, let us know if their posture changes.” Then he looked to Kilbane, “Chief McCrudden tells me we can make warp five without disrupting our cloak. We’re headed for the border at warp four point five and we’ll be there in about forty-five minutes.” He hoped Kilbane appreciated what he was doing… if not, well, he wasn’t worried about consequences at the moment.

Kilbane seemed a little distant and preoccupied, it took him a few seconds before he looked at Jaal and replied “Warp four point five, yes… forty-five minutes…”

He was still in a dilemma, but that was now exacerbated by the appearance of the Cardassian Keldon class ships. He badly wanted to try and contact Finchley, find out what was going on, and find out if he was still alive. On the other hand, he knew his friend, alive or dead, would never forgive him if he didn’t carry out his last order to get the information back to SFIHQ.

Karadis came and stood next to him “When do we turn round and go back for the Captain?”

Giving her a sideways look, he replied, “We’re not.”

“What do you mean we’re not!!!” she almost shouted at him.

“You heard his orders, we’re to get the time ship information back to SFIHQ” he answered, raising his voice.

“Listen you lanky streak of piss, that’s Kerr we’re talking about, you know, the guy who is quite possibly the only friend you have in the universe!” she spat back.

“And he placed me in Command, Karadis, don’t forget that!” Kilbane replied, now turning to face her.

She squared up to him “He’s pulled you and me out of a shit load of horrific situations, he even stood council for us when they wanted to court marshal the two of us after we ran the Dezin blockade, this is how you repay him…leaving him with his arse hanging out in the wind, on his own, against who knows how many ships!!”

“HE MADE THE CALL KARADIS, I’M FOLLOWING IT!!!” Kilbane yelled back.

Karadis hand was on her phaser, her fingers twitching, but she didn’t draw it. Instead, she turned to look at everyone else on the bridge “Are you all just going to leave the Captain out there alone???”

Jaal turned around not believing the argument senior officers were having right there on the bridge. “I have an idea. Will you hear me out?” He asked looking to Kilbane and then to Karadis. He was tense, which was an unusual feeling for him. He tried not to eye the phaser that Karadis’ hand was hovering over.

Isabelle stood up from her seat, she had to diffuse the situation that was happening right in front of her. “Might I suggest that everyone calm down? We don’t have the luxury of fighting one another!”

The Trill stood and faced them both. Speaking as calmly as he could, he explained, “We’re on an Akira class carrier. We have a bay full of auxiliary craft. We send the data on the time ship back to headquarters on a runabout or shuttle, we could even send a couple with one as a decoy, or duplicate to be sure… then we wait here for Captain Kerr’s call to get him or we go get him anyway, whatever. We can do both.”

He hoped they’d give his idea serious thought. Jaal knew he was no perfect officer, far from it, but he also knew not to argue on the bridge in front of subordinates.

“If anyone else has a better idea, speak up,” he added letting out an exasperated breath.

“You’re in charge here Commander” Isabelle looked at Kilbane, “Whatever you say goes.”

Kilbane flexed his hands, opening and closing them into fists, he wanted to throw one of them at Karadis face, his anger was so great. However, he also understood her frustration at the situation and her absolute unwavering loyalty to her Captain, but having an open argument with him on the bridge wasn’t how she should have conducted herself.

Time wasn’t a luxury he could afford *Ha, time…the irony in that thought* he muttered to himself. He had to think fast, about what was the best course of action, and to make matters worse, all eyes were now on him.

“All stop!” he said. Looking at Jaal he carried on “Get two copies of the time ship information made, load them into two of the shuttles, and send them out at the same time. One on a direct course to Federation space, one on a looped course. We’re going to have to come out of warp and drop the cloak and our shields to send them out. Unfortunately, that will then make us visible to the two Keldon-class Cardassian ships. We’re going to have to attack them and hopefully destroy one because they’ll go after the shuttles. If we can destroy one of the Cardassian ships, it means the other one can only go after one shuttle. Meanwhile, we’re going to re-cloak and go back for the Captain… and hope he’s still alive.”

He clapped his hands, “Right, you have your orders, get to it!”

Kell nodded at the new Kilbane. "I'll have sickbay ready and keep an eye on our guests..."

"I'll get the data on the time ship copied and uploaded to two shuttles and make them ready to launch," Jaal explained. This wasn't going quite the way he'd have done it, The only difference Jaal would have made was getting to the border to release the shuttles to avoid an unnecessary and attention-getting battle.

He understood Kilbane's sense of urgency in getting to Captain Kerr. The loyalty to his friend and commanding officer was commendable. If the Blackeagle could stay cloaked before making its presence known, Jaal liked their odds.

Isabelle offered a nod of her head but remained standing. “Commander, May I talk with you in private?”

Kilbane turned towards Isabelle “It’ll need to be quick Lieutenant” he said, gesturing towards the Captain’s Ready Room.

TBC...

 

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