Stellar Breadcrumbs

Posted on Fri Feb 23rd, 2024 @ 10:01pm by Captain Malcom Llwyedd & Ensign Gazo Daw & Lieutenant Tor Ezzo & Ensign Nusien & Ensign Gianna Djokovic
Edited on on Fri Feb 23rd, 2024 @ 10:02pm

1,644 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: A Long Hard Road Ahead
Location: Gamma Quadrant, USS Firebird
Timeline: 23 August, 2396, 2030 Hours

[ON]

The Firebird's main viewscreen showed the ship's Runabout gliding out of the shuttlebay that opened to the rear. Malcom hated sending a crew off by itself with little immediate support but he had no choice. They were literally the entire Federation power in the Gamma Quadrant. Malcom sighed.

"Ensign Nusien," please plot us a course that will take us in the direction the enemy carrier headed," Malcom said.

As the junior officer in the department Nusien had usually been relegated to the overnight shift, and tasks that the senior officers did not want to do. As such, being summoned to the bridge at this time was a chance for the Edosian to prove himself. At the moment he sat with his three hands resting on the console. Malcom's order was heard loud and clear. "Yes Captain." he said as two of his arms began to plot course and speed. The third arm pulled up the course of the enemy carrier. Within moments he had it all worked out. "Course laid in and ready Captain."

"Punch it," Malcom said. There was a brief moment where the ship's impulse engines cut out and the warp drive came fully online. The Firebird quivered like a greyhound waiting to be let of the leash and then the viewscreen flared and the ship entered warp.

Malcom turned to look at his acting XO.

"Lieutenant Tor, what do you think we should do if we find the carrier?" Malcom asked.

Lieutenant Tor Ezzo sat next to the Captain. It was his first time as acting XO and honestly he wasn't expecting the Captain to use him in any real capacity. As a senior officer however, he was expected to provide council to the captain at least in regards to the ships maneuverability. As he looked at the Captain blankly he realized the older man was waiting for an answer.

"I'm pretty confident that if it comes down to it the Firebird could out maneuver the enemy carrier," Ezzo felt the anxiety of the Captain's attention on him in wavering, "hopefully in time for us to come up with a tactical solution, however I think our best options are either to try and find a diplomatic solution, or run and fight another day."

"Without the cloak and without knowing how many enemy ships are attached to the enemy cruiser, we would need to find a tactical solution fast or be overcome by to many unknown vessels." Ezzo paused waiting for the Cpatian's response.

Malcom nodded his head. "I think you're right about maneuvering. I've never seen such a large ship before and its mass had to be impressive before the other craft landed aboard. I'm putting Daw on the cloaking device. He's specialized in propulsion systems and he worked with Commander t'Aegis to get it up and running," Malcom said. His brain was running possible outcomes and he shook his head. "How fast do you think that carrier can go? Here look at the data when it went to warp." Malcom handed a PADD to his new XO.

Ezzo had already started thinking about what he had seen from the ship in their last encounter. "Maximum warp is unknown but the Firebird is fast. Due to it's size I'm confident we could maneuver around the enemy ship without taking too much damage, assuming she isn't carrier wing after wing of fighters or other craft that would quickly out number us."

"Good point. I didn't see any fighter size craft. I'm guessing they made that ship to carry the bigger ones. Perhaps they never developed fighters at all. But that's also confusing. Almost none of those ships looked the same. It's like they were made by entirely different specs," Malcom said. "I'd like you to take on the responsibility of examining our data more fully and figure out what kind of capabilities these ships have."

"I'm on it sir," Ezzo said tapping on the console in front of him to begin collating all of the sensor data they had on the enemy ships. "I'll see what I can find."

That went well Malcom thought. He remembered vividly what it was like to take the XO job the first time. He had no doubt that Lieutenant Tor would do well. He was a pilot after all. That thought made Malcom grin. Now on to the next thing.

Malcom turned to Kipp. "Kipp can you get Cadet Djokovik up here please?"

Kipp nodded and toggled the comms system. "Cadet Djokovic, the Captain requests that you please report to the bridge immediately."

Within half a minute Gianna Djokovic was on the turbolift and headed to the bridge. She straightened her uniform jacket and took a deep breath before stepping out onto the restricted deck. Her eyes scanned the bridge and the mix of familiar and unfamiliar figures, pausing momentarily to meet Kipp's gaze. "Reporting as ordered," she said, not meaning to sound as uneasy as it came out.

Kipp nodded. "Captain Cadet Djokovic is here.

Malcom hadn't even heard the turbolift open. He'd been thinking about what Lieutenant Tor had said. He was still trying to decide what to do if they actually found the attackers. Hearing Kipp, he stood up and turned to face Gia. He set a frown on his face as he walked to her.

"You are out of uniform, Djokovic!" He said.

Eyes widened, panic set in. Gia ran though the mental checklist: jacket, slacks, boots... Hair? Jewelry? No. She shook her head, confused. "Sir? I'm... sorry." She didn't know what she was apologizing for, but something must have been amiss.

Malcom stepped closer. "You're in the incorrect uniform and you're wearing the wrong rank," he said. Malcom snatched the cadet insignia from Gia's collar and tossed it over his shoulder. With his other hand he pressed the pip he'd been hiding in between his fingers to the spot where the cadet rank had been.

"Cadet Gianna Djokovic, under article 520, section fifteen, subsection three, which I may utilize as the senior Starfleet Officer in the Gamma Quadrant. I hereby award you the rank of Ensign in Starfleet. This term of service will be for the duration of our stay in the Gamma Quadrant and possibly beyond." Malcom smiled and held out his hand.

Gia was stunned and felt incredibly warm for a moment, her face flush as Llwyedd attached the pip. She eyed the outstretched hand for a full second before reaching out and shaking it with some disbelief. "I... I don't know what to say," she stammered. "Thank you, sir."

Malcom shook Gia's hand. "You're going to be a very fine officer. I'm lucky to have you on the ship. I'm not the only one who thinks that either," he said. Kipp and the rest of the bridge crew stood and smiled at her as well.

"Gia, this pip isn't just any pip. Before we departed I was able to talk with your father. Who, as you know, was also in Starfleet and in security. He thought it was only right that you wear his pip and carry your family with you wherever you go."

Just then the turbolift open and the bundle of energy known as Emily Mox came rushing out, followed by the familiar forms of Chief Stephens, Petty Officer Fhiri, Chief B'rala and Petty Offcier Lopt. The bridge erupted in applause.

Emily ran over to Gia and threw her arms around her adopted sister.

Gia had made it a point to not show vulnerability while on duty, but this gesture was so much more than she could have ever imagined. She put her hand on her heart, looked over her assembled family and shook her head. "You all mean so much to me," she squeezed Emily's shoulder. "I won't let you down."

She paused a beat and wiped the corner of her eye. "Damn allergies."

Ezzo standing behind the Captain smiled. "Congratulations Ensign."

Malcom smiled and then stood up taller. "Alright, everyone, we'll have a proper party for Gia as soon as we can. But for right now, we have an enemy out there somewhere who has not only attacked DS18 but also shut down the wormhole. We have to find them. Take your stations," he said. "Ensign Djokovic, would you please man the tactical station."

Emily squeezed Gia one more time and whispered to her. "We can talk later. I've got some really cool new ideas to share with you." And then she bolted back to the turbolift. In turn Chief Stephens, Fhiri, and Lopt shook her hand and then got on the turbolift. Chief B'rala stood in front of her and frowned. "Do not let us down...sir," she said and then clenched her right hand into a fist and slammed it to her chest. Then she turned and stalked back to the turbolift. The doors closed and the bridge was much less crowded.

Malcom waited until Gia had taken her post at the tactical station and then walked over and set a small box down on it.

"Oh and after your shift, please give this to Ensign Daw." Malcom said and moved back to his seat.

"Alright, everyone, let's follow the breadcrumbs," Malcom said and sat back to wait.

[OFF]

Captain Malcom Llwyedd
Commanding Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298

Lieutenant Tor Ezzo
Acting Executive Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298

Ensign Nusien (NPC by Rees)
Flight Control Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298

Ensign Gianna Djokovic (NPC by Woodhouse)
Tactical Officer
USS Firebird NCC-88298

 

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