Falling Into A Situation

Posted on Thu Mar 9th, 2017 @ 4:40pm by
Edited on on Thu Mar 9th, 2017 @ 4:41pm

633 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: New Faces and Terror Beyond
Location: Runabout Kirsten

Lieutenant Commander James O'Connell had just spent the last sixteen hours on the cramped runabout Kirsten and, he was not pleased. He had failed to get the replicator to work after it had stopped working more than ten hours earlier. And, the worst part was that the marine he was with had not quit talking for the entire sixteen hours.

The marine was Staff Sergeant Nicole Jamison and her voice was high pitched and shrill. James was relieved as soon as the vessel had dropped out of warp inside of the system where the Dreadnought was last reported to be located.

"Sir." Nicole said repeatedly and even reached over and shook him because he seemed to be daydreaming again. "I am sorry that you've not had your coffee, but we have a problem."

The Commander groaned, "Wha'?" He asked her finally and then proceeded to look from the piloting controls towards her.

"Sensors indicate that there are fires on the planet's surface, and there is a faint contact reading in the system, but I cannot pinpoint it." She remarked.

"Could be da Dreadnough' no?" He said with a grunt.

She shook her head, "No sir. I am detecting the Dreadnought in orbit around the planet where sensors are indicating the thermal signatures of several fires."

James refocused on the console in front of him, "Try an' pinpoint da location of da signal Sarge." He commanded, "An' for cryin' out loud dispatch a message to da ship an' inform them of our arrival." His accent had thickened in the past six hours because he was tired and unfocused on controlling it. And, that was starting to affect his mood that much more.

"Understood." She turned her attention to both tasks dispatching the message to the Dreadnought that simply read:

Runabout Kirsten to the USS Dreadnought requesting permission to dock inside of the shuttlebay. Carrying Lieutenant Commander James O'Connell the new Chief Engineering Officer and Staff Sergeant Nicole Jamison.

"Message is transmitting on all frequencies sir. But, I cannot pinpoint the exact location of whatever is on sensors."

James nodded then rubbed his forehead. "Rerouting da power from da weapons to da sensors." He remarked and made the adjustments on his console, "Setting course for da ship."

"Wait a moment sir." Nicole said, "Sensors indicate that the contact is trying to hide itself. I am also detecting sensor probes with a similar EM signature of the Dreadnought."

"Odd..." He pressed several buttons so that the sensor output readings were on the screen next to him. "Ah, 'ere it t'is." He cleared his throat, "Either... Da Dreadnought has detected da contact an' is pretending like they don' see 'em. Or, they 'ave not."

"Sir..." Nicole remarked looking questioningly at the readout, "It must be option one."

James looked at her awaiting an explanation, although he was certain of her answer before she gave it.

She continued, "The thermal signatures indicate that there are fires on the planet's surface and several shuttles are returning to the ship. Something went wrong down there so they are withdrawing and, moving their probes elsewhere from where the contact is located. Also, if our sensors can locate them then surely the sensor probes did as well."

"Very goo'." He had finally smiled for the first time in hours, "Stay on course towards da Dreadnought. I am rerouting power back to da weapons, but not raising shields." He completed the task as he spoke, "I don' want the contact to know we see them. Standby to raise da shields and power da weapons instantly."

Nicole nodded, "Understood sir, we will be within range of the Dreadnought in three minutes and forty six seconds."

"Thank ya." James said and returned to watching the area around the Dreadnought on sensors.

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