Who'd a funk it?

Posted on Mon Jan 11, 2021 @ 1:16pm by Commander Ajani Carter & Ensign Jak Summers & Captain David Hawkins

Mission: Episode 2: Rising Tides
Location: Eagle Bridge
4317 words - 8.6 OF Standard Post Measure

With much of her senior officers off the ship, either below on the planet searching for clues to deadly virus that was killing members of her crew, or on a partly intact space station searching for clue to their Pirate problem. This left Carter on the Bridge with a junior crew. However, she had full confidence in their abilities, that and she wasn't expecting any problems, sensors showed that there were no ion trails or any of the other signs of of recent ship movement in the system. Even so she had ordered the ship on ready status, stopping short of yellow alert.

The front of the bridge, where the viewscreen normally sits was filled with a large holo-screen, it was split into many sections. The View screen is mostly for her benefits as the bridge officers sat before their own screens, but it did offer a great way to put all the information coming into the ship and all the info she had dug out of records in one place. Allowing her crew to see everything at a glance.

Thus, it was here that the first warns became clear. Those first trace sensor readings that there was an approaching ship, the Eagle was in low power mode so their sensor profile was almost nothing. The ship that was approaching wouldn't see them until they had already dropped to normal space.

Ajani squinted at the holo-screen, at the long range sensor readings. "Damn" she muttered getting to her feet and striding forward. She 'grabbed' the long range data screen and throw her arms wide increasing its size. After a few moments "Damn it" she throw it back and spun around "Bring the ship to red Alert, raise shields and power the weapons" Carter retook her chair "Helm, prepare to take the ship out of Orbit" She throw up the hyperlight sensor data and readied herself for the arrival, whoever was coming the power signature was in the Escort range, and Breen. The Chel Grett was the only Escort the Breen had and that was a match for the Defiant, the Eagle, while classed as a Light Cruiser the amount of fire a Chel Grett could lay down in a single salvo could overwhelm their shields.

"And there you are" Ajani muttered as a Chel Grett dropped from warp space. "Run your scans, find me a weakness and put it up" For now she would wait, there was no saying that they would be detected at all, let alone at range. "Ops, prepare a message to Arcadia, they are the closest" she didn't mention that they could be outgunned. She had faced these ships during the Dominion War, she knew what they were capable of. She smiled a little in anticipation of a fight.

"Eagle, this is Arcadia," a voice came over the operations officer's communications station as thought it were alive and was of complete control to their own thoughts. "Heading your way at best speeds, Arcadia out."

"Okay, so not Breen" she said studying the data "Well" she said address her crew, "The Breen took the RCS thrusters. And the weapons." A frown appeared on her face "But they have a pair of Mark X disruptor cannons. Explains the power. Jak, going to have to watch that"

What seemed like hours passed as they watched the pirate ship move in system on a vector that would take them to the orbital station. Only minutes had passed she hadn't warned the away teams, there was nothing they could do and Carter needed then where they were, but Ethan's team was now in danger.

"They are powering weapons" said her tactical officer.

"Jak, take us to them at full impulse. Tactical, as soon as you can put a lock on their engines and weapons. Hold your fire until i say so though" there were still civilities to be extended.

A hailing frequency was opened, a friend of Foe greeting extended. "They are powering their weapons" Ajani had expected this, "Dump auxiliary power into the forward shield array, Jak make a run at them, prepare to whip around and stay on their ass." then, over the ships internal communications "All hands, prepare for impact" They were going take that fire salvo on the nose, the Eagle could take it and it would allow them to unleash the full force of their weapons as well. "Go Jak". The ship lurched forward, they had mighty powerful engines and the post Borg war upgrades the class had received were impressive.

The two ships closed, the Eagle no longer in low power mode, but was displaying her full power signature. As they closed the Pirate ship fired a few shots, each struck the shields with little impact having already lost much of their potency due to distance. When the Eagle fired her weapons they did not lose power as quickly, instead the smashed into the enemies shields. Where they impacted a bright, vivid green washed out over the entire shield bubble. Several more lances of crimson beams lashed across the prates shields, each impact on the shields evoked a slightly duller green hue.

A dozen pulses of green light shot towards the Eagle, they were barely 10 kilometres from each other and each bolt carried it full charge and each one slammed into the Eagles shields like hammer blows, the effect was like hitting a wall in car. They all lurched forward, Carter barely holding her seat.

"Drop torpedoes out the back, set for proximity" she called over the drumming on the shields. "Prepare to reroute power from the aft shields to the front. Jak when you swing us around keep us in torpedo range" being too close would rip their shields apart as surely as it would their target. It happened in a second, they shot past each other at close to half the speed of light as each vessel accelerated in an effort to gain the advantage. The Eagle turned quicker.

At the helm Jaks fingers flew across his station and he throw the Eagle into a Split-S to bring them onto the tail of their target. They were slightly below and now behind, as the move was finished the tactical officer fired a trio of Quantum torpedoes and fired a sustained barrage from the forward phaser arrays, punching a hole in their shields allowing a single torpedo to slip through and breach their hull in the aft quarter. The Pirate ship had run over the waiting torpedoes but hadn't taken much damage.

"Well done" Ajani said leaving forward "Watch out"

From the back of the ship torpedoes were fired, a dozen of them. Jak worked quickly, he flung them into a barrel roll and out of the way of the torpedoes, if they had struck they would have overwhelmed the Eagle's shields and impact the hull. "Well done Jak." The Captains praise was appreciated, he started to work the controls and rolled the ship, allowing each of the forward arrays a shot on target. The net result was that the Eagle was firing a constant stream of phased energy. This was over loading the enemies aft shields allowing tactical to target, and hit dozens of vital systems. This didn't stop them from getting a lucky shot, they piled on the breaks and damn near spun on the spot, Jak had to give it to their pilot even as they opened fire with a stream of pulse fire, it breached their shields before Jak could pull up and over them.

Somewhere below them something exploded, it was bad enough that alarms and warnings started to crowed for attention. "Shit" Ajani said, a the port shuttlebay door had been breached and the single shuttle inside had been hit exploding. The bay was designed to withstand a shuttle exploding, it still wasn't good. Carter dispatched damage control units. "Please make them stop" she ordered, now getting to her feet and planting them before her chair "Jak, bring us around again. Tactical fire a full spread." They had taken more damage then she had hoped for, but their primary systems were unaffected.

Her officers took up the challenge and the Eagle was back in the fight in seconds, Jak seemed to have taken a personal offence at being out flown and was making the Eagle do things Carter didn't know it could do! In a few short passes they had wiped out the pirates shields and penetrated the hull in a dozen places. They were trying to disable rather than destroy after all. The final shot reach out to damage the port impulse engine, but a jink to starboard and a slight roll ensured that the powerful Phaser beam impacted the ships warp core.

In a second it was over, only a rapidly expanding cloud of particles remained. Carter sighed, she had wanted capture them. But they had been in a fight for their lives from the moment they had engaged.

"Captain, the Arcadia is dropping to normal space."

She watched as space warped, the massive form of the Odyssey Class Cruiser seemed to sweep in and stop before the Eagle. For their part Jak brought the ship to a full stop and engineering crews were rushing to repair damaged systems.

Before her stood the holographic communication of Captain Hawkins, her Task Force Executive Officer.

"Looks like we got here fast enough," Captain David Hawkins, on the Arcadia's bridge spoke up as he cocked his head ever so slightly with a slight smirk.

"Fast... but not fast enough to be of use Captain" she says with a grin! It had been a long while since she had seen him, He had rose through the ranks quicker than she had, but then she had spent more time as an XO than was required for a command and she had had a few run in's with more than a few Admirals, and a senator or two for good measure.

"Looks like the threat is contained, sir," a voice on the Arcadia spoke up to the former marine which only caused the man to blink at the red headed commander before him. He didn't speak right away but took in a deep breath before speaking out loud. "Keep us at red alert and keep scanners going," he ordered his crew as he stood up and relaxed by resting his hands in his pockets of his uniform. "For the record, I never second guessed your capabilities, only the means to which you would accomplish it."

Carter smirked, "Oh come now, I always find the most fun ways to finished a fight" she could smile, the reports that were coming in told her that all the crew were not only alive but they had gotten away with little more than cut and bruises. "That said, I would have liked to have taken them rather than destroy them." she shrugged "They jink when they should have flown straight".

"Yes well... Not everything goes as according as planned," David remarked as he smirked slightly. "You need assistance with anything? We are basically a miniature flying starbase. Happy to help out for the right price."

"Could do with a reload of torpedoes and a replacement Type 9 shuttle" she looked a little shifty "I might have lost one" she tapped on her chair controls and then pulled up an image of the Eagle. Moving her hands apart the image grow larger. "Took a salvo to the shuttle bay, the fires are out and force fields are in place. But we are going to have to replace the door and all the equipment inside." It had been a one in a million shot, not targeted.

There was a long pause as the ranking officer blinked while processing the information he was just given before he smirked and nodded. "Fair enough. But you seriously owe me, Carter. I'll have the supplies and other items sent your way, along with transporting over a shuttle on your call. Till then, got time for a visitor? Got some stuff to talk to you about. Shouldn't take long."

Ajani nodded "My Ready room?" she asked indicating the door on the side.

"Sounds like a plan, see you soon, Captain. Hawkins out." And with that, the holoimage disappeared with Hawkins nodding.

"Jak, you have the bridge" she then headed for her Ready room. After years as a combat officer she tended not to keep much on shelving. Can't fall off and break if its not on a shelve! That said the padd that had been on her desk were now in front of the window sofa. She knelt down and gathered them all up. She sighed, the only part of combat she disliked was the aftermath. They had gotten lucky, she hadn't lost anyone and she had be brash in her actions. This thinking wasn't for others to see.

Within moments the chime went off in the ready room and was approved of opening to allow the bulky man man to step into the ready room. He looked around a short bit before Captain Hawkins caught the commanding officer's eyes. She seemed pretty busy cleaning up her office to really notice that he had brought over a bottle in his hand and a padd in the other. He walked up to her desk and sat it down before shifting the holster on his thigh that held his side arm. Once a marine, always a marine, was the saying and it was not wrong in any way. He was one of the few commanding officer's in the fleet in which insisted on keeping a side arm on him while on duty. He even allowed his own crew to if they felt more comfortable with such set ups. "Looks like you got tossed around a bit," He noted as he refocused on his counterpart.

Ajani turned with grace and sat herself on the sofa. "Computer, Coffee, black no sugar. Trill Blend" no sooner had she said it than it appeared on the table before her. She picked it up and learnt back, crossing her legs "Anything David?" the use of his given name was either due to their friendship or coz she didn't care about the rules. It depended on your point of view and the situation. For the record it was friendship, rank got in the way a lot of the time.

"I'll take the same. Give my chief medical officer something to complain about when I get back," he smirked slightly as he relaxed with one hand rested in his pocket, the other holding onto a Padd. He sat it down on the desk and took the coffee as it was given to him, and took a sip. Not the normal blend he was used to, but it sure as heck hit the spot. "So you blew up a shuttle. This mission report should be interesting to read."

The world suddenly seemed to descend. "We took it on the nose alright. Could have been much worse." She sighed waved her hand over her coffee table and the computer created another coffee. She nodded at David and then the coffee, "A short cut I programmed, some times all you can spare is a wave of the hand." She grinned.

"I must be in the good old days by walking over to the replicator each and every time. The Arcadia has that wide ranged replicator technology in the desk as well. I still am not close to getting used to that," He took the coffee before leaning back in the apposing chair. "So how has your command of the Eagle been going."

She thought about that "I got to watch the final stages of her construction. And in the 5 days since I have taken her into combat twice" her grin returned "Loving it" she took a sip of her coffee. "But you're not here to evaluate me are you?"

"Well if you weren't under my in command, it would take ya out on a nice date, but I guess that chance went by years ago, hasn't it," he smirked with a slight wink before he took a gulp of his coffee before agreeing. "No, I saw this go across my desk while I was snooping through all the newly assigned work load as the executive officer of this task force we find ourselves in. It had your name on it."

Carter took the padd David indicated and thumbed through it. She looked up at him before her eyes darted back down. "Well" she said placing the padd back down "Its about time. Its been 12 years since I was promoted to O4" but despite herself she was smiling, "Was starting to think that I had pissed off one too many Admirals." Mind she was shocked to have gotten a command in the first place.

"Yeah..." David chuckled as he knew all to well at this same thought process for himself. But he knew all to well but what mattered more then anything else, he had made the rank. There was no reason not technically refuse her rank, but knew all to well that there were people that had more sway and big heads in which could cause someone from getting rank. There were no doubt still Admirals out there but he wasn't one of them and as long as he kept on going up in rank, he was going to do his best to take care of his people he oversees in some way fashion or form.

Looking over at his counterpart, he smirked and pulled out a small oak box and sat it on the desk. He stood up and sat the coffee down. "Lieutenant Command Ajani Carter, get over here," he waved her around the desk and opened the oak box. Inside was the solid pip in which was to replace the 'lieutenent' pip on her uniform. He pulled it out and held it in his palm as he looked her over. He was happy to see that she had made it this far, and no doubt will go much farther then himself. "As of that date, you are out of uniform."

She was smiling, she stood and walked around the desk. "I guess it is your duty to remedy the gross overtire" she said pulling her braided hair from over her shoulder.

"Yup, pretty much," David simply stated as he shrugged.

As he replaced the pin on her collar she wondered what would really change, she was already the commanding officer of a starship. But it was more than that, it was a sign that she was respected enough to be promoted. It could be years until she gained that 4th solid pin, but she had heard it could be as little as six months. Which ever it turned out to be she was glad she was here, doing her job. Smiling up at her direct supervisor "Thanks for coming and doing this is person Captain, it means more this way than over supspace."

"Hey, I believe that this is something you should do in person and not by text or video. Doing it any other way diminishes the work you had to do in order to get to this point, and it is a chance to express the responsibilities that come with this increase in rank. So do not let anyone down play this achievement," he explained after placing the rank on her uniform.

Nodding her understanding "Thank you Captain." There wasn't much else to say really, she was proud that she was being promoted, she did think that it was past time and had thought she would never get there.

"Computer, this is Captain David Hawkins. Command code Hawkins Seven-Vector-One-Omega. Please let the records show that on this stardate, I have confirmed and approved the rank of Full Commander, with all the rights and responsibility here forth."

"You do understand that this rank isn't going to change my style right?" She winked "Not one little bit" she added.

This only further forced him to grin even wider before patting her on the shoulder. "That is one of the reasons you were promoted, and we expect you not to change but take care of your people first and foremost," David explained as he stood proudly in front of her. "Do you have any questions for me, Commander?"

The newly minted Commander retook her seat. "Not right now" she said "The Eagle will be fully repaired soon, those parts your people are sending over and the replacement officers will really help. My away teams should be returning to the ship back soon" he paused, "With any luck they will have a lead on these pirates. I can draw upon the Devils Brew and the Gypsy Danger when we do find them." The redheaded captain looked at her boss, "What I do know is pointing towards someone high up in either the Pact or the Union is funding the pirates in an effort to destabilize our treaty with the Cardassian's."

Taking the opposite chair once again, the captain took his mug of coffee and took a gulp as he processed the information shared. He remembered the war so long ago in which had cost so many lives and thrusting Starfleet and the Federation as a whole to face the facts that they had to change into a war machine, more militaristic in nature. It cost millions of lives and the effect was still felt, even decades later. They were still dealing with manning shortage across the fleet, but the expedient addition of new worlds and allies into the fold had helped. Still, they had to keep in mind that they think smarter and tactful then the ever before as a whole if they were to survive.

"The past couple decades, the Cardassians have relied on us to help them build up their world's economy, way of life, and even help patrol and protect their space. But if they find that Starfleet and the Federation can't help them out, I have no doubt they will expand their ship construction past the agreed upon allotted numbers and find different allies. They do that, we could be seeing this sector destabilizing even further then we can handle with our numbers," the seasoned warrior took a deep breath and let it out before looking over at her. "If this is true and we are seeing the Pact or the Union's hands in this, I fear it may open up a new can of worms we are not fully prepared to deal with."

She took a deep breath "We will know soon enough" she said "I thought you should know, so far the Cardassian's have been nothing but helpful. We have some indications of Obsidian Order involvement." she gestured her frustration "It is fringe and not that recent but it is there. I don't which they would like better, the Pact or the Alliance. If it is the Order that is." She stopped herself, there was so much that it could be. Too many possibilities. "In short I still don't know what's going on, this could be a deeper conspiracy or it could be a service thing, hell it could even be just the first step or attempt."

"I'm with you, this is concerning indeed. Hopefully it is just our old fight of flight mind set in which is causing us to walk on the side of caution. I have heard talks of the Obsidian Order increasing in their power. I know it is no where near it used to be, but still, makes you wander."

"That's the truth" she said "I will keep working the problem. I will call upon you if we need you," she smiled, a little of her normal self returning. "See if you can arrive early enough to help this time!" She grinned now. "I am in need of a new XO, mine is stepping back from that role." she pulled up a service jacket "Them" she said "That's who I want, and they just happen to be on your ship" she winked.

This made Hawkins glare at her for a moment knowing all to well how her mind worked and blinked at her for a moment. Many people wouldn't push as hard as she did with a higher ranking officer, but then finished off his coffee. The hot coffee was on the verge of burning his tongue and throat as it went down. "Commander..." he stood up and sat the mug down before continuing. He peered into her eyes and smirked. "... don't change and continue to take care of your people. First sign you stop doing those things, I'll find someone else to replace you. Till then..." he paused and clicked his tongue before grinning even more before it slipped away and he nodded. "... let me see what I can do about your executive officer issue."

Ajani knew she had won, the Officer in question had just finished the bridge officers command course and was already reaching out for another position. There wasn't a place for him on the Arcadia any more. Knowing she had won always made her a little cock sure.

"Oh..." he raised a finger as he turned towards the door of the ready room. He continued talking over his shoulder. "... you owe me for the shuttle and supplies. Rum and whiskey."

"Oh, I will add it to the list. But in the long run i think we are pretty much equal on things owed" he was gone before she could add anything else. The Whiskey and um would make fine additions to her collection. With the new Chief of Engineering aboard, and a very good one to boot, they could get the Eagle ready again. Right now, her three shuttles were parked outside, linked to the Eagle via navigational constructs.