[Galaxy] 2161.08.21- JL YT/INT All Aboard!

[SkinnyElvisDaddy at aol.com]

[ Freighter Oregonian ]

Ethan Armstrong sat and waited on the  control bridge for the other
members of the infiltration team to  arrive. He surveyed the room with
its control panels and black padded chairs  and found it hard to
imagine that just a few hours ago they had been occupied  by Nausicaan
soldiers.

A team of from the armory had secured  the freighter and confirmed
their external assessment that the  Nausicaans had 'downed tools' and
ran away at the sight of trouble; no-one  had been found left aboard.
An engineering health check confirmed the  vessel's engines were still
operational and that several systems had been  rigged with automation
circuits meaning it could be manned by less than the  usual minimum
crew compliment. The Nausicaans had done the bare minimum  required to
ensure its safe delivery to the Xantia system where they  had
presumably intended to leave the problems to the Romulans.  These
circuits and short-cuts had  now inadvertently helped the mission the
infiltration team  planned to carry out.

His quick run through the helm and navigational  systems had brought up
a few surprises as certain things did not respond as  they ought too.
He'd have to compensate for some unexplained drifting, a slow  response
from the inertial dampeners when accelerating and  decelerating and a
few other idiosyncrasies on the control board.  But he felt confident
within a short space of time he'd have it sussed. And  if the Ca'daar
from the Yorktown was correct two engineers would shortly be  arriving
who could ironing out some of the creases.

He was not  surprised to see Lieutenant Arturo Mendez arrive a little
ahead of time as  all he had needed to do was walk across the docking
gangway currently  attached to the Intrepid that just happened to be
the closest to the  Oregonian's control bridge. The Yorktown team was
expected to arrive by  shuttle at another docking hatch a bit further
down. "I'm glad you agreed to  tag along" Ethan smiled and shook the
hand of his communications chief as he  approached.

Mendez scratched his head, while looking at the freighter's  small comm
station. "Thank you, sir. I'll try to... do my best", he replied  while
trying to adjust the comm station's chair to his height. "Anything  you
need me to do now, sir?", he asked at the same time he initialized  the
console and started a general diagnostic of the comm.

"Run a  diagnostic and check the communications system is working
properly. Then I  think you should keep an eye on the signals coming
out of Xantia once we get  closer. Anything out of the ordinary then
shout." Ethan  replied.

Michelle stepped through the door onto the tiny bridge and  turned to
offer Ensign Bolenski a hand over the threshold. The  Ensign
immediately began waving the hand off violently, scowling at the  CPO.

"Dammit woman." The armory officer said as he stepped in behind  her.
"I can still walk you know. Doc from Intrepid patched me up  real
good." Bolenski banged a fist against his chest for  emphasis.

Yearly sighed and rolled her eyes. "I know that Ensign... but  you ARE
hopped up on painkillers. Just looking out for you..." She looked  down
at the Ensign's feet. Word had traveled fast about the  amazing
exploding foot episode. "And the rest of us."

The Warp Core  Reactor Chief quickly scanned the bridge, turning to Lt.
Mathews, who had  made his way through the door as well. "She's not
much to look at  sir."

“Nope.” Cody didn’t say much as he looked around the  place.

As Cody and Yearly looked over the bridge, the inimitable  Bolenski
stepped forward, slapping a hand to his forehead by way of  salute.
"Yorktown detail reporting Captain Intrepid!" - and promptly  tripped
over the  bridge hatch.  Fortunately the mix of pain and  brain killers
with a healthy application of nose and chin broke his  fall.  "How very
strange- they've put gravity plates on the walls  here!"  Staggering to
his feet, straightening his uniform while shaking  his head to clear
away the little stars and birds circling in his brain "I'm  so sorry
Captain Intrepid- for some reason I seem to be highly allergic  to
officers over the rank of Commander.  Terrible things seem to  happen
when I meet them for the first time.  I suggest you ask Captain  Morgan
how I met her"

Ethan took a breath to compose himself. It  wasn't every day he saw an
officer arrive to his duty station apparently  still under the ill
effects of medication. He considered calling Ca'daar to  ask if they
had sent the right man, then decided to let the Ensign continue  before
speaking.

Blinking his eyes in confusion- "I'm so sorry- but  why are you called
Captain Intrepid?  I thought the ship was called  "Intrepid?" Shaking
his head to clear his thoughts "I apologize Captain-  between being
burned, lung problems, high as a cloud on pain meds  the
past,,,,however long it’s been I don't get all the memo's I should  be
reading"

"Ensign... it is Armstrong. You must be Bolenski" Ethan  remembered
some of the names from the list send through to him. He was going  to
have to trust this colourful character with the phase cannon  and
defensive systems.

"So Captain Intrepid- how can we help  you?  I've got some new phase
cannon upgrades you might be interested  in, some spatial torpedoes'
upgrade, and I'm sure we need to exchange mail  since we don't have
subspace radios yet.  Or do you and Yorktown needs  that upgrade?"
Pausing for a huge breath "I would like to introduce  Lieutenant Cody
Matthews happens to be our Chief Engineering Officer.   Awesome for
repairing things like Warp Reactors, Warp Engines and  unplugging
stuffed up toilets.  He's good,,,,really!"  Taking  another deep breath
and shaking his head listening to his brain rattle around  in his skull
like a rock being shaken in a large tin can.  "I'd like to  introduce
our Warp Core Reactor Chief Michelle Yearly.  Extremely  competent,
versatile and professional she may know a few tricks to give you  more
power out of your engines, and might have a few parts to swap  with
your Warp Core Reactor Chief"

"Well.. thanks for those  introductions Ensign" Ethan replied.
"Lieutenant, Petty Officer" he nodded,  turning to each respectively
whilst a medical attendant spoke with the  Ensign. Sick Berth Attendant
Patterson who had been silently watching all of  this strode over to
Bolenski and putting his right hand over Bolenski's mouth  and shouting
while whispering,,,,,,"Mac,,,,,SHUT UP!  N O W!"   Pulling out a
medicine injector and waving it in his face "If you keep  talking and
making an ass of yourself, I'm going to give you enough "happy  juice"
to knock you out- then you'll have to explain to the captain how  you
failed- FAILED- this mission.  Now knock it off and SHUT  UP!"   Mac
shook himself, straightened his uniform then said  soto voice  "That
bad?"  Patterson growled out "No.   Worse"

With the crew assembled on the bridge before him Ethan struck up  a
quick situation briefing, although most already knew what was about  to
happen.

"Ok everyone. We're heading into the Xantia system to  gather
intelligence and report back. If we find the Romulan hostiles  we
expect, then they may order a sortie against these targets. In  that
event we'll have to sit tight until the others get here and pull  us
out. The latest reports link the dilithium this freighter is  carrying
to the Romulan cloaking technology. We are going in to find out  more."
he summarized.

"Matthews. Yearly. You might want to get down to  engineering and check
everything is au fait. An engineering team has been  down there and we
should be able to reach Warp 3.5 but I'd like your opinions  on that."
he said. Once I have your go ahead I will take us to warp." he  said.
"Bolenski. The Oregonians single phase cannon is not likely to do  much
against a Romulan ship. We'll keep weapons powered down until  the
absolute last minute. Upon arrival in the system I'll need you  to
perform a battery of ship-to-ship scans for other vessels. And  Mendez,
keep your ears open and be ready to open a channel to Yorktown  or
Intrepid at short notice".
 
"Aye Captain." Michelle said, a stern look on her face. "If anyone can  
squeeze
some extra juice out of those engines it's the Lieutenant and me. May  I 
also
 suggest sir, that perhaps one of us could coordinate with Mendez to  take 
a look at 
those sensors once we're underway. Given a few modifications we may be  
able to
boost the gain and increase the range somewhat."
 
"If we can improve our vision, then make it so, but be careful not  to
push these systems too far. She's not quite running on  Starfleet
quality components!" Ethan replied and continued. "Bolenski.  The
Oregonians single phase cannon is not likely to do much against  a
Romulan ship. We'll keep weapons powered down until the absolute  last
minute. Upon arrival in the system I'll need you to perform a  battery
of ship-to-ship scans for other vessels. And Mendez, keep your  ears
open and be ready to open a channel to Yorktown or Intrepid at  short
notice".
 
"Aye, sir", replied Mendez to his commanding officer. Meanwhile, the comm  
system was already up and running, and the diagnostic routine was almost  
complete. The hardware aboard the Oreganian was far less impressive than  
Intrepid's, but it would do the trick. The problem wasn't the shorter comm  
range; in fact, Mendez was worried with something else: the possibility of  
getting in trouble with the Romulans.


Bolenski cocked his head to the right and screwed his eyebrows
together.  "Ah, Captain Armstrong"  a statement of understanding.
"Let me  understand this, make sure I've got it right- so please don't
take us to warp  quite yet."  Taking a breath Bolenski continued "As I
understand it,  we're going after a freighter, using this freighter and
we're going into  Romulan space right?  We have one older model phase
cannon, and civilian  sensors to aim it right?"  Pausing because of his
lungs "I have an idea-  can we take an hour, grab a few parts from our
ships that we think we'll need  to increase our likely hood of
surviving? Something like,,,,,take  2 torpedoes from Yorktown, 2
torpedoes from Intrepid, install  them outside on the ships hull to
make them look innocent then fire them off  if we need them?"  Almost
panting trying to get the lungs to work better  and in a pleading voice
"I know we're in a bit of a hurry but an old bulky  phase cannon plus 4
torpedo's might allow us to maybe shoot our way out just  in case?  I'm
sorry Captain Armstrong, but I'm really highly allergic to  dying,
please, take my word for it"

"Mr Bolenski. We leave within the  hour, I'm not sure you'll have time
to make these modifications, even with  this fine engineering team
you've bought along with you" Ethan raised an  eyebrow.

SBA Patterson glared at Bolenski then nodded, saying  "Captain
Armstrong- I'm sorry for Ensign  Bolenski's nonmilitary bearing.
Granted his problem solving skills  are not orthodox but they are
highly effective.  He's asked  for an hour and if I know him as well as
I do, I've learned that his "one  hour" is more like 20 minutes.
Please consider his request seriously"  Bolenski glared at him,
Patterson returned the glare, Bolenski then  crossed his eyes, stuck
out his tongue, PPPPFFFFTTTTTT!! and  grinned.

"If you think you can boost our armament before we depart then  it
might make the difference in a tight spot. Torpedoes might take  too
long, but a secondary phase cannon patched in somewhere may work?  Just
make sure we when we leave we still have the primary phase  cannon
on-line!" Ethan authorized the work. "Just remember we aren't  going
there looking for a fight"

Cody stood there with his arms folded  over his chest shaking his head.
He looked at Yearly out of the corner of his  eye. This was going to be
an annoying mission. “Com’on Michelle, let’s get  down to
engineering…..Maybe we could unblock some toilets on the  way.”

Michelle's eyes shot daggers at Yorktown's colorful ensign.  "Perfect, I 
already
know where to find a plunger." Then she turned to the other junior armory  
officer
who had managed to stumble onto the situation at the last moment.
 
"You got your work cut out for you if you're going to try and protect that  
maniac."
 
Mike nodded and replied, "I'll do my best, though in his present condition, 
 all we can do is hope."

Ethan turned to Mendez as the engineers left the  control bridge.
"Communications operational?" he asked with a reassuring  grin.

."Yes... one-hundred per cent, sir. However, the overall comm range  we 
have here is about half of what we get with Starfleet standard issue. I  
thought you might like to know this, and..." he leaned a bit over the console  and 
lowered his voice, "what's this guy all about? I know were are not supposed 
 to engage in small talk now, but... boy, this one makes Merrick looks like 
 a bureaucrat!". He then shook his head, while still trying to make himself 
 comfortable in this new - and smaller - environment. 

"D'you ever  hear of cabin fever?" Ethan asked with a grin. "On a more
serious note, he  seems to have a lot to say for himself. Let's hope he
can shoot  straight"

Cmdr Ethan Armstrong
Commanding Officer
ESS Intrepid,  NX-07
           &
Lt. Cody Mathews
Chief Engineering Officer
NX-05 Yorktown
            &
LtJg. Arturo Mendez
Comm Officer
ESS  Intrepid
&
Ens. Mike Chester
Armory Officer
NX-05 Yorktown
apb
Lt.Cmdr. Nat Cameron
CAO
NX-05 Yorktown
The Fighting Lady
              &
Ensign Mac Bolenski (and Patterson)
Armory Officer
NX-05 Yorktown
            &
CPO Michelle "Firecracker" Yearly (apb Leo)
Warp Core Reactor Chief
NX-05 Yorktown
The Fighting Lady




You ever dance with the devil in the pale moon  light?
I always ask that of all my prey...
I just like the sound of  it.....

Jack Nicholson- Batman
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