[Galaxy] 2161.08.14 - Starship Challenger - Spearling/Nelson-Samad

[Anna H.]

//Outside Sickbay\\













 
Cara made her way from main engineering to Sickbay to get Sasha to go down to the Brig to interigate the hitchhickers that had beamed back with them.  She was not looking forward to the meeting but it was necessary.  At least there was a thick door between them and the Klingons.
 
Sasha strode out of Sickbay, looking around for Cara, and saw her where she was heading in that direction.  "Commander," she began, flexing her hand in its dressing, "ready to go have a chat with our guests?" 
 
"About as ready as I'm going to be."  She said "I don't believe that they let us go that easily."  She said 
 
"I was just saying the same thing to Dr. Rowe," Sasha agreed.  The two women fell in together and made the turn toward the turbolift.  Entering, Sasha selected F Deck.  It was a short trip, then once they exited the 'lift it was a quick two left turns to reach the brig.  "They've transfered the Klingon from Decontam down here as well, so all three of them are down here now.  I think we'll be better off concentrating on Han'Zek, especially at first, since I guess you could tell he and I have a history of sorts."
 
//  F Deck  \\  
 
"I did notice."  Cara said honestly "I think you might be right.  What are we hoping to learn from them?"  She asked as they walked quickly down the corridor. 
 
They stopped outside the Brig door and turned to face each other.  "I want to know what was behind the ease of our escape," Sasha said.  "And I want to know what those things are in the old Secondary Research lab.  Did you read T'Lara's report?" 
 
Cara nodded in response.
 
"She's going to continue working on them ... to find out what they're still doing."  Sasha reached out for the brig door control.  "I think any other answers are moot -- they didn't intend for us to reach the Chancellor or even the High Council.  They made it abundantly clear that they were waiting for us to slip up so they could kill us and take the Challenger without staining what's left of their honor.  Things have fallen to a new low in the Warrior Caste, I think.  Did you notice the rust on some of their weapons? Actual /rust/, on a Klingon's bat'leth?! Unheard of." They entered the brig to find Megan Galloway manning the outside observation post.  "Petty Officer Galloway ... how are our guests?"
 
Megan grinned.  "Not too comfortable, apparently.  At least two of them aren't.  Our friend who just had his arm reattached courtesy of the good will of Star Fleet doesn't seem very appreciative."
 
"Shocker."
 
"Maybe we should have left him one armed and sent him back to Qo'nos. I wonder how he would have been received then?"  Cara muttered.  "Ungrateful animals."
 
Megan smiled at Cara.  She liked the XO.  "Yes.  But the other ... " she checked her monitor, "... Han'Zek of House Morug.  He's been asking to see you, Captain."
 
"Not surprising.  Which one is he in?"
 
"I put the other two together since they seemed to be threatening Mr. Han'Zek.  He's in two."
 
"Thanks, Megan."  Sasha smoothed her uniform and calmed her mind. 
 
Cara looked at Megan "Threatening him, how so?"  She asked "Were you able to pick anything up with the universal translator?" She asked looking at the two cells.
 
"They weren't speaking, ma'am," Megan replied.  "It was all done with gestures, some of which had me thinking of sign language.  Perhaps their House's warrior code or something?" Megan shrugged.
 
"Well, whatever it is, let's go in and --"
 
The COMMs squawked on Megan's console.  =+  "Bridge to Captain Spearling."  +=
 
Sasha motioned to Megan to connect.  "Spearling here, go ahead."
 
=+  "Ma'am, I have a coded transmission, Command Level, from Star Fleet Command.  It's labeled urgent, Captain."  +=
 
"Be right there."  She slashed across her neck at Megan, who cut the transmission.  "Commander Nelson-Samad, you're with me.  Petty Officer Galloway, keep our guests comfortable.  The debriefing will have to wait.  Cara -- let's go."
 
Cara looked at the message and then with a quick nod to Galloway she followed Sasha back to the lift.  A knot forming in the pit of her stomach.  
 
Once again on the turbolift, Sasha selected the Bridge.  Her mind was racing.  What was going on? 
 
"Captain, this can't be good."  Cara said as they headed toward the bridge.  
 
 
//  Bridge  \\
 
The two women entered the Bridge.  Sasha looked immediately at Vic.  "Report."
 
"All clear, Captain.  On course for Earth, warp 5."
 
"Good.  Lt Sattal, I'll take that communication in my ready room."  She motioned for Cara to follow, and the two women immediately walked over to the office.  Sasha walked quickly over to her desk and sat down behind it.
 
Cara closed the door behind her as Sasha walked over to her desk.  She stood quietly waiting for the message to come through. On the desktop monitor, the Star Fleet logo flashed quickly, and then Sasha input her command codes.  After it accepted her clearance, she ran the decoder.  At once the screen lit up with the face of a Star Fleet officer that Sasha did not know.  She frowned, but sat back in the seat, steepled her fingertips, and listened. =/\=  "Captain Spearling, this is Commodore Sheppard.  I realize we've not met, and I regret that it must be the face of a stranger that sends your ship into danger, yet again.  But be that as it may, I am short for time and so will get right to business. "A coded data stream was sent to your ship along with this message.  On it you will find all the particulars, but my duty today is to give you your new orders.  Captain Spearling, the situation with the Romulans has finally come to a head, and it appears that we may have caught a break.  We've received Intel that suggests the Romulans are massing near the Coalsack Dark Nebula."  The screen split and a map of the known galaxy was shown.  The god's eye view dove in and highlighted Alpha Quadrant, then zeroed in on the 'bottom' of the long expanse.  "Near the nebula is a small world -- uninhabited as far as we know -- called 'Cheron'.  Our intel states that the Romulans are massing within Cheron's system."  Both the nebula and Cheron lit up and flashed, then it all went dark. The Commodore's face once again filled the entire screen.  "All related intel has been sent to you in the data packet.  You will rendezvous with the outrigger 'Promise' along the way for resupply.  Then you will make all speed to the Coalsack Nebula.  The Fleet will mass there, opposite Cheron.  The Meridian, as well as the Luddington, Mir, and Shenandoah, are on their way.  You will form up the Fleet and stop the Romulans, Captain.  The intel is clear:  they are building up for an massive attack.  We cannot let that happen."  The woman leaned forward, staring intently into the monitor.  "They do not know that we know."  Then she leaned back and smiled, although her eyes were hard. "Smooth sailing, Captain.  Alter course for the Coalsack Dark Nebula, coordinate with the 'Promise', and make best speed for Cheron.  Good luck."  The screen went blank, then the Star Fleet logo came up for a moment before it went blank again.  =/\= "Let's go," Sasha said, getting up and making for the door. Once out on the Bridge, Sasha walked up to Vic and put her hand on his shoulder, effectively stopping him from getting up to give her back the conn.  "Gentlemen, we have received new orders from Command.  Ensign St. John, turn us around and plot a course for the Coalsack Dark Nebula.  Find the planet Cheron on your charts and plot our course so we arrive on the opposite side of the nebula.  Lieutenant Sattal, we will be rendezvousing with the ESS Promise along the way.  Contact her and work with Alex to coordinate our meeting."  She took a deep breath, looking around the Bridge.   "The Romulans are mounting an offensive, and /we/ are going to stop them."  Captain Sasha SpearlingCommanding Officer&Commander Cara Nelson-SamadExecutive Officer=========================FCL-04 Challenger <NPCs/etc apb Anna>      
 		 	   		  
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