The Captain Needs More Power

Posted on Tue Feb 7th, 2023 @ 8:31pm by Captain Malcom Llwyedd & Lieutenant Owen Woodhouse
Edited on on Sat Mar 4th, 2023 @ 4:23pm

964 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Prelude to Rebirth
Location: USS Firebird
Timeline: 28 January 2396

[ON]

After a week of what Malcom called "The Spooky Time", but only to himself, some of the crew were finally reporting for duty. They had one week left, which meant that a lot of people would be coming back soon. So he wasn't entirely surprised when he came out of his ready room and found Lieutenant Woodhouse standing at the Ops station, very much in uniform and looking like he was standing watch.

"Lieutenant Woodhouse," Malcom said, approaching his Chief of Operations. "What a nice surprise. Have you been aboard very long? I only ask because I was starting to feel like I was the only one on board for a while."

Owen glanced up from the station and gave a weary, cautious smile to the Commander. "Only a few days. I... I didn't want to disturb you. They're transferring medical stock in this afternoon, which is the only reason I'm up here."

"You're not bothering me. Far from it, in fact. Kipp is back so he's been hounding me on a hundred things that I don't want to do," Malcom said and then his eyes narrowed. "You know, there's something that I've been wondering about that you can help me with. What do you know about our old cloaking device?"

"As opposed to our new non-existent cloaking device?" Owen quipped nervously, "I... uh... not much," he admitted, tapping into a couple of screens, "but the service records are all still here. What did you need to know?"

"Can you tell me if all of the connectors are still showing in deck seven? I'm wondering if they took everything out or if they simply unhooked everything and beamed it out," Malcom asked with a mischievous look on his face.

"Oh," Owen sounded a bit less-than-thrilled with the direction this conversation was leaning. He'd been weary of transferring back to Firebird not because he didn't like the ship or the assignment, in fact, it had been one he'd thoroughly enjoyed most of the time, but the damage Malcom had done to his career was unmistakable and he could see now the same pattern arising.

The Ops officer's eyebrows furrowed hard as he read. "The connections were terminated to their nearest junctions points during one of the refits and sealed off inside the bulkheads. The chamber itself is now designated Storage Room 7331." He lifted his chin, pulling his gaze from the display to the Commander.

"Perfect," Malcom said. "So, theoretically, if we could get approved from a higher power, we could reinstall the cloaking system, correct?" Malcom was excellent at reading people and he could tell by Owen's body language that he was uncomfortable about something. It was to be expected. Not everyone was going to be coming back to the ship because they had to. Some of them would never come back from their conflict with the Romulans. Their bodies had been committed to the deep, never to return to their families. Another thing I have to atone for, somehow. Atonement was made even harder to attain while they essential would be operating as a transport delivering important goods to various colonies and outposts.

"Ay, yes, I think technically it's doable," Owen's reply came a bit more comfortably after Malcom's mention of going through the right approvals.

"I'm going to run it up the flag pole and see what they have to say. If they give us the go-ahead, do you think you, Harland, and Gantt could get it made and installed? Ah, and also with Commander t'Aegis' help as well."

Owen thought for a second before nodding affirmatively, "We have the pattern, the fabrication replicator, the onboard expertise. I won't say it's a simple job, a few weeks start to finish and time for testing." He paused, thinking hopefully, "So, Starfleet Command will be giving us a big mission then?"

"Not quite. I received a preliminary order for our first assignment after the refit and the shakedown is finished. The good news is that we get to go back to Quinor VII and see how they are doing. The bad news is that we are just delivering a supply of rare metal that they need for their replicators. It looks like Starfleet Command is going to use us as a material transport vessel. I guess it is the least important job they could find for us to do," Malcom said. "Still better than the alternative, I suppose." He looked around and the bridge, taking in how new it all looked. The refit engineers, including Harlan, had done outstanding work.

Owen followed Llwyedd's gaze around the bridge. He could only guess at what the ship's captain was thinking about in that moment of awkward silence that he filled with a hasty, "The alternative, sir? Oh." The answer hit him as soon as the words had escaped his lips. "That alternative."

Malcom turned around and grinned. "Don't worry, Lieutenant. Things will work out. I don't plan to be a freighter captain for the rest of my career. I'm sure something will come up at an inconvenient time and the Firebird will get the call. Now I better get back to my logistics homework. Carry on," Malcom said and walked back to his ready room.

Owen's thoughts lingered for a moment on the dark viewscreen before a chirping panel brought his attention back to his duties. He opened the channel, "Firebird acknowledges. We're prepared to receive the shipment into Cargo Bay 2 when you're ready."

[OFF]

Commander Malcom Llwyedd
Commanding Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298

Lieutenant Owen Woodhouse
Chief Operations Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298

 

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