Heading in a New Direction

Posted on Sat Dec 21st, 2024 @ 2:33am by Captain Tyler Driskill & Lieutenant Commander Joseph Sledge & Lieutenant Nixie Wilde & Lieutenant Makai ("Kai") Nokamura & Lieutenant Roan Gaeta & Lieutenant Tyler Rehman & Lieutenant JG Freya Walker & Lieutenant Commander Gulati
Edited on on Sat Dec 21st, 2024 @ 2:55am

1,753 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 3 - Discord of the Mind
Location: Deck 1 | Conference Room | USS Concord

A change of uniform was one thing, but the command division tunic added whole different 'pop' against Gulati's pale bluish skin tone, and the provisonal rank pip denoting her as Lieutenant Commander looked as it was, freshly replicated. I got this. I can do this thought the Benzite seated immediately to the Captain's right. Her eyes on him.

"It looks good on you, Commander" Captain Driskill smiled at his newly assigned Executive Officer.

Walker came in in her uniform. Her Hammer necklace was shined. Her ritual haedenfolk knife was on her belt along with her type 1 'cricket' phaser.

The two objectives to this meeting were to announce the personnel changes like that of Gulati's promotion to First Officer and to brief the Senior Staff of where the starship would be heading next. The potential danger ahead was going to be a tough pill to swallow.

"Captain Driskill and I have summoned you hear because we have a lot to address" prefaced Gulati. "Lieutenant Commander Sledge has stepped down as First Officer and as you are clearly aware by now, I've stepped into the role."

She gave a polite nod to Sledge. "Lieutenants Rehman and Nokamura are heading science and engineering respectively" added Gulati. "We know there has been a lot of change..." She gestured back to Captain Driskill.

"I appriciate your patience and understanding with these transitions" Captain Driskill looked around the room at the men and women assembled. "I want to thank Lieutenant Commander Sledge for making a hard choice to step back and appreciate those of you who have been pulled into roles so quickly." There was a brief pause and the Captain continued "a lot has happened since our arrival in the Delta Quadrant and you and your teams have stepped up and I'm proud to serve with you all" he said sincerely.

Lieutenant Commander Gulati took the reigns of the conversation. "We have a winding road ahead folks and as you are all aware by now, serious threat aboard. This does not get any easier from here on out" she stated. There were PaDDs in front of each officer. "There is a asteroid field several light years from our present position. Long range sensors have piqued my interest."

Joseph sat back in his chair a bit and nodded to both Gulati and Driskill. He looked to the PADD before him and picked it up. He looked to the Captain and spoke "Sir. I've been looking over the ship systems. We are mostly nominal. But we are still weak as hell in the weapons and shields... Trying to recharge the shield generators is a bit difficult with the graviton emitters being all, what was it that crewman said... fucky." he pursed his lips a bit. "I can get them fixed if we can get some access to the spare isolinear chips and some other materials that we are holding in our cargo holds. I know we have this stuff set aside for other systems..."

Tyler Driskill looked over at Gulati "I'll authorize the use of the spare parts" the Captain knew what was ahead of them and he knew they would need those systems at peak performance.

"With respect to the Commander," Kai said politely, "I'd like to be involved in the work. No disrespect intended but the ship's wellbeing is my concern now and I'd like to know what's going on with her."

Gulati cleared her throat. "There is more than enough problems and repairs to go round. Sledge, have your men keep inventory of our spare parts. Tackle the software issues."

The Benzite looked at Kai. "Lieutenant Nokamura, the hardware. Anything engineering touches should be run by you first and foremost. Both of you, I want reports on what's being worked on and what we need. Our cargo bays may have a lot, but we won't have everything certainly not for the experimental drive."

"Aye, Ma'am," Kai said. Truth was, that had always been his practice. Detailed reports. Course those went to the former Chief who, as pretty much everyone knew, had no time for him. And he'd already started doing it as Chief but the point was well taken. Especially with respect to the experimental drive.

Joseph looked to Kai before looking to Gulati. With a nod he spoke "Understood. I didn't mean to step on any toes Lieutenant. I just have a habit of moving quickly..."

"As do I," Kai answered and then relaxed, smiling, "No worries on that score. We're about 98 percent now on getting the problems with the EPS Conduit straightened out. And I've got teams working round the clock on the emitter problem. If you like, I can update you on our progress."

Looking to Kai, Joseph nodded once more "That sounds good. Though if you don't mind, if there is anything that I can help with, in a hands on sort of way, please let me know. It'll be a good distraction." before he turned back to Gulati, giving the Benzite his full attention, hoping to show that he respected them as his replacement for XO.

"Rehman, this is where you are coming in" stated Gulati. "We are going to be heading for this asteroid field. From what I can tell there's a nearby moon. Once we are within range, I want probes ready to go. I want a full spectrum analysis of the mineral composition. We need to know what is there and what we can use."

Tyler Rehman couldn't decide if he was going to like these staff meetings. He tried to keep his butt in the chair without being antsy, which was hard enough on a daily basis, but to sit in a briefing was a different story. He had also been surprised how Gulati had taken a hold of the meeting, command seemed to fit the Benzite well. All these changes had to be tough, he knew that because though he was normally an upbeat person, even he was feeling the changes. Everyone was keeping a brave face, and professional, but he knew not everyone was feeling great.

"Yes, of course commander," Ty said, adding a nod. He then made a note on the PaDD he carried in.

Gulati took a deep breath and a shill snaked down her spine. "The Captain and I believe it best to be transparent with you all. The parts and pieces we need for our experimental drive may be out there. Yes, that means what you think it does. The Borg. Readings are confirmed yet, but I believe there's Borg wreckage out there."

Tyler decided he should probably say something. “I know the thought of the Borg brings on all kinds of emotions.” The emotions for most people were fear, concern and even panic and he felt he needed to reassure the people in this room. “The technology on the Concord is the best Starfleet has to offer, especially concerning the Borg.”

Nixie watched on, taking in the reactions across the entire room. If she said she wasn't both curious and concerned about the sudden change at the top, she'd be lying. She crossed her legs, her hands clasped as they rested on her thighs, her thumbs absently twirling around each other. "Now that we're back on our feet, I think we should be running ship wide security drills," she finally spoke up, shaking her head with a slight frown. "Specific to the Borg, I mean."

Captain Driskill gave a nod "I'll leave that in your capable hands, Lieutenant." He looked around the room "we need our people to be as prepared as possible."

Gulati was in full agreement there. "I'd rather be over prepared and alert than I'll prepared and assimilated" commented the Benzite. "Though to put anyone's fears at some ease, I've seen nothing to indicate Borg transwarp activity recently. If there is a Borg ship or the remains of one, it's dormant."

"We will keep constant scans as we come closer to the asteroid field" the Captain added "and we will assess the risk when we have more information." He was nervous about an encounter with the Borg but they all knew it was a possibility. "We all knew there was a high likely hood that we would encounter the Borg. We are as best equipped as we can be" Tyler was referring to all the upgrades that had been added to the USS Concord. "I have every confidence in you and your people and with the additional training we are about to receive we will be as best prepared as we can."

Joseph looked over his PADD as he listened to talk of the Borg. He sighed a bit, having dreaded this part of comping to the Delta. He had been lucky enough to be too young for the Battle of Wolf 359, and had been elsewhere during the Battle of Sector 001.

Gaeta had been quiet through it all, considering it for a moment. A long moment. "I'll read through the medical procedures for...removing Borg implants," he said, his voice thoughtful. As if he wasn't really meant to say it aloud, the twilight hope that if someone got assimilated, that it could somehow be reversed. It had been done before. He wasn't sure how though and would need to see if there was anything useful written down.

"Thank you, doctor" Driskill gave a nod "of course I hope you don't have to use those procedures."

Joseph looked up from his PADD and looked to everyone else. He spoke gently "I could probably see about adapting some of the Enterprise's protocols for the shield systems.. Maybe use the lateral sensor arrays to disorient their sensors."

“Do it mister Sledge” Captain Driskill agreed with the suggestion. He was a former Operations Officer and thought it was a good plan.

"aye sir. I'll get on top of it." Before he tapped something in to his PADD.

Gulati had absorbed the exchange of information. "You are all correct to be prepared for the Borg, to be concerned. We will be as ready as we can be. This crew must stick together, rely on one another."

"Let's get prepared" or as prepared as they could to potentially facing one of the Federations greatest enemy. "You are dismissed" and with that the senior staff left the conference room and a Captain with a lot on his mind. He would stay behind a moment and stare out at the stars like tiny flakes of diamond in the pitch black.

 

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