Pack Your Bags, We’re Going On a Trip
Posted on Thu Jul 25th, 2024 @ 8:37am by Lieutenant JG William Verhoeven & Lieutenant JG Kaydren Aukai & Ensign Aaron Soong & Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver & Commander Clay McEntyre III & Ensign Jedda Khadja-Chata & Ensign Ross Clarke & Crewman Recruit Candice Kayne & Christine Graham
1,908 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Silver Rain
Location: USS Intrepid: Briefing Room
Timeline: MD3: 2000 hours
Max was sat in the briefing room quite comfortably, his feet kicked up on the perfectly polished, obsidian black surface at the head of the long table. He was reading the specifications for the new Lowell Class, USS Lovelace. He was excited that an entire run of starships were now going to be representing Starfleet in every quadrant. Almost as excited that they were all to be named after nearly forgotten women who had brought mankind new ways of thinking.
The USS Carol Marcus was next ship meant to launch in a matter of days. To use an old human colloquialism, they were “shiny”! He smiled to himself as he studied the deck plans while he waited for his invited guests” to arrive.
Jedda Kahdja-Chata ran his hands over his bald head, then straightened the top of his uniform as he approached the doors to the briefing room. He quickly checked his issued sidearm and the doors opened to the nearly empty room. "Captain, sir," Kahdja-Chata greeted while entering.
“That’s all I was saying,” Aaron responded to Will as the pair walked in together. Seeing the Deltan and the Captain already arrived, they cut their conversation short. “Captain, sir,” Aaron said, his posture stiffened.
Will too noticed their Captain at the very late meeting. He also stood attention before addressing the man. “Captain, Ensign,” he greeted both men already in the room. It was his first time meeting the Deltan.
“At ease, gentleman,” Max offered to all three. “This isn’t one of those types of meetings. He smiled and dropped his feet to the floor. “I’ll let you know when to come in with the stick up your ass routine…it’s usually when the XO is around.”
"Just don't let the XO hear that though." Clay’s deep boom voice flowed into the room as he entered. Armored as always, phaser in a drop leg holster, uniform straining against his muscles as he moved to a seat to sit down.
Arriving along with Clay Ensign Ross Clarke choose not to reply having not fully understood what he'd just walked into. Was Captain Culver calling Commander Lourt...uptight and unreasonable? Wasn't she supposed to be his most trusted ally? It was odd hearing this from the senior most officer.
“Easy, big cat,” Kaydren’s gravelly low voice responded to the filling room. “I think she’s got her angry eyes set pretty well on me,” Kaydren annunciated as he pulled himself onto a chair.
Will raised an eyebrow, in a Vulcan fashion. ’Here I was thinking she hated me,’ the young human thought to himself.
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” the ELH said as she phased into a solid of photons and force fields. “Based on her personnel file, I’d say she doesn’t really like any of us.” The Andorian smiled and offered a shrug as she sat.
Again Ross remained mute, sure the XO had a short temper and thorny attitude but it was still uncalled for.
Max chuckled. “Probably the most honest thing I’ve ever heard said in the Briefing Room. Anyway, let’s get down to business. It’s late and we all have better things to do.
“I’m inviting you to our small party aboard the USS Lovelace in the morning. Pack lightly and Security will be our only armed escorts, so leave the phasers and photon torpedoes in your bunk, okay?”
"What will we be doing there?" Khadja-Chata asked. Pack lightly was hardly comprehensive information - for him, pack lightly meant fresh underwear and the rest be damned.
The bubbly, air-headed, human FNN reporter Candy Kane let herself in the room. "Sorry I am late. I got lost," she lied. She was actually late because she was just messing around, but no one needed to know that. "Oh my gawd," she drawled out. "SO much to talk about!!" She said. She settled into a chair, placing a bottle of soda on the table.
Clay looked down at the curious and quite animated human, with a curious purr and a tilt of his head.
"You're quite the ball of energy this late, aren't ya?" He asked, his own accent thick, with his heavy Texas drawl accented with a rumbling purr in the back of his voice, as was common with most Caitians.
Ross rolled his eyes at Candy's arrival - the woman was like a thorn in his side and never knew when to shut up. Obediently, he turned his attention back Culver to hear his answer.
Max tried not to glare at Candy Kayne - a ridiculous name - and failed. He returned his attention to the briefing. “I believe the last question asked was what we will be doing on the Lovelace. To be frank, I thought we might take the opportunity to travel on one of the newest Quantum Slipstream capable vessels in the fleet. We will be aboard her for three days before the Intrepid catches up.
“In fairness, the Intrepid is just as shiny and new as the Lovelace, but I can’t deny the curiosity of wanting to get there a bit faster and to see what Starfleet is turning out as the “new” USS Voyager?” Max asked the group.
His tone turning a bit more sour, Max then turned his attention to their last arrival. “Miss Kayne, you have been aboard this ship long enough to know where the bridge is. The briefing room is at the aft, or rear, of the bridge.
“Since you have proved yourself unable to “find” places on this starship on-time, I will be assigning you a security guard, or in this case our very own big cat Chief. I’ll be certain your soda pop attitude doesn’t ruin our reputation while we’re aboard the Lovelace the same way, if you like.
Clay looked over to the reporter before lifting up one of his large hands and letting his claws extend. “Cause if it does, kitty has claws” Clay says with a smirk.
“The alternative is to behave like an adult and a professional.” Max pointed to her little hover cam. “You can quote me on anything I said about your unprofessional behaviour.”
“So Miss Kayne, what is this sooo much to talk about?” Max wondered. “Because it was probably talked about before your bombastic arrival. You’ll find, as I’ve been told, your career as a reporter will benefit you by arriving first to any newsworthy story.”
Candy blinked, but smiled cloyingly. "I have no idea what you mean," she replied. "The things to talk about...are many. How much time do we have?" It was a classic non-answer. "But the cat-man doesn't need to help me. I have a map," she said.
“I’m not asking, Miss Kayne. I’m telling you. Commander McEntyre will be your escort, so you don’t get lost on a new ship. You seem to get lost on Intrepid a lot and we’ve been aboard her for almost seven months.” Max sat forward and openly glowered at her with disapproval.
“As for the things we need to talk about, let me simplify the important points. Tomorrow, we will board the USS Lovelace as guests. Captain Inex, a Triexian, will be gracious but suspicious. I’m not boarding to evaluate the crew, but because I would like to travel by Quantum Slipstream, something our ship does not have installed.
“A small group, the people assembled around this table have been chosen to join this expedition of curiosity. I think that about sums up the graciousness of our host. You will be expected to behave like a crewman. Commander McEntyre will hold you to that as your personal escort. Consider him your direct supervisor,” Max finished, his tone and aura directed a finality to Candy Kayne.
“And to add, Ms. Kayne, that your…feminine wiles will not work with me. I don’t lean into the women-folk, so don’t think that you can…charm me to getting your way” Clay added for context and as a warning.
Candy simply nodded. She'd write THAT as an article. "As a civilian, he's not "in charge" of me, but duly noted," she said.
“Now, let’s reopen the table to relevant questions,” Max said dryly.
"How much access will we be granted?" Clarke asked as he'd like see the slipstream drive closer first hand.
“Considering I have the most pips, I’d guess I can command as much access as I want, but I’m trying to be nothing more than a gracious guest. Is there something you have a specific interest in seeing?” Max asked, feeling a bit of excitement from Clarke.
Clarke restrained the urge to speak out of place - wasn't it oblivious to the Captain? "I'd like the chance to study the slipstream drive in more depth if permitted."
“If you hadn’t noticed, I did say I was very interested in seeing the Slipstream drive and engines in the process of getting from here to there, Ensign. I wouldn’t call myself an engineer, but from your perspective, I can see the interest.
“I’ll make sure you get to spend as much time as possible in the engine room,” Max answered, he could feel Clark’s underlying frustration at not being specific enough.
"Thank you," Clarke nodded respectfully before Max's attention was diverted by another question.
“Why isn’t Xavier X-1 coming, Captain?” Aaron asked.
Max felt a sense of defiance from the young Synth. He filed that away for later, a curiosity and nothing more at this point. “As I understand it, Xavier would be a prime target for upgrade to an X-2 model or destroyed for his defense of the former ruling class, an Autocracy. Neither of those situations are ideal for Mister Xavier,” Max answered calmly and factually.
“Archaeology isn’t a necessity if the civilization has only been dead for twenty years, so I suppose I’m along for the anthropology part?” Kaydren asked, his face a picture of doubt.
“That’s a fairly obvious answer to an uninteresting question, Lieutenant Aukai. Why don’t you ask the obvious question?” Max sat forward seriously.
“I’m going in as a cute, dumb animal so I can make informed decisions for you later. That’s the real gig I’m here for, isn’t it,” Kaydren asked glumly.
“There’s no shame in being cute,” Max answered. “I use it to get away with stuff all the time.” He smiled brightly. “Use your gifts wisely…assuming we met any humanoids left.” He warned.
“Questions, comments, concerns?” Max asked the assembled crew.
Candy shook her head. Nothing from her.
Jedda raised his hand, "I'm still not clear on how long we'll be gone for?"
“Three days away from the Intrepid>/i>,” Max answered easily. “They’ll be stopping occasionally to drop subspace communications relays, so we can continue real time communications with Starbase 81 and Admiral Albion.”
Once answered the Captain's gaze returned to the others to collect any further questions.
"None else from me, sir," Clarke replied with a shake of his head.
“Consider yourselves dismissed,” Max answered when no one had anything else to add.
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