Patrol Duty

Posted on 09 Jun 2017 @ 10:19am by Commodore Harvey Geisler & Commander Terry Walsh & Lieutenant Commander Gemma Alexander & Lieutenant Danyl Adan & Lieutenant JG Felix Langston & Lieutenant JG Catherine Cooper & Ensign Aurilia Moretti & Master Warrant Officer Karyna Fordyce
Edited on on 09 Jun 2017 @ 10:21am

2,505 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: The Finnean Crisis
Location: USS Black Hawk
Timeline: MD 5 || 1300 hours

===Bridge===

Lt. Felix Langston found himself in a strange place indeed. The captain's chair seemed even more enormous as he approached it to sit down. He ran a hand through his hair and seated himself. He spun the chair slightly to the left as he looked around at the crew working on the bridge.

I've barely been on this ship for one shift! he thought. Why am I left in charge of one of the most advanced ships in Starfleet?

He turned back towards the fore of the bridge. The comfort of the helm station seemed far away at this point. It wasn't time to dwell on such matters, though, not with the potential powder keg brewing in the space around them.

"Helm," he said after clearing his throat, "maintain current course. Let's stay frosty, everyone."

Lieutenant Adan shifted his weight as he watched Felix cross the bridge to the Captain's chair. Averting his attention back to the console in front of him, he saw that Comm traffic was its usual self. There seemed little to do except continuously scan the read-outs.

Cooper was at the tactical station on the bridge, also monitoring the security station right next to it since currently most of the possible threats would come from any of the many bristling ships out there. She rather hoped it would not come to blows, but one never knew when emotions were this high.

When Karyna had reported to the bridge, she'd taken up a position at the secondary science console. She had routinely worked bridge shifts on the Cochrane, but this different. Here, she was just a small piece of a much larger Science department. Looking at the dark-skinned young man in the center seat, she wished that Commander Teixeira were here. She owed the Brazilian man her life. This young Lieutenant, well, she was sure he was capable, but Teixeira he was not.


===Space===

As per the Captain's recommendation the other day on the Flight Deck regarding the patrols, Terry had ordered about half of Alpha Flight back to the Black Hawk-A. There, they would remain on hot-standby if needed. He grinned as he remembered 'ordering' them to take full advantage of the new facilities at their disposal. So for right now, it was him, Archer, and Tango out in the black, pulling the first round of patrols. He had a gut feeling that things were going to be strange out here. And now, his gut was being proven right.

Terry activated his commlink. =^=Status report, you two. How's it look?"

"Five by five, Rocco," Aurilia responded as she stayed on her assigned flight path while keeping her eyes on the radar that showed the twenty-one others ships in their area. "Lookin' kind of hairy, but no one has jumped the gun yet."

"Ditto Rocco..." Archer replied maintaining her course and speed, her eyes flicking over her HUD. "Thank god for the not completely bone headed." She paused and said not seriously "We could play 'I Spy.' I'll start I spy something black...". Even as she spoke her eyes continued to rove over her controls as she automatically checked her own status and that of all craft in her area.

Terry started laughing. "You're a riot, Archer. I'm gonna guess...space. And then we're all done. At least until the mission is over. Then you can get drunk and play 'I Spy' all you want in Talons with the rest of the Squadron. But until then...we need to focus."

"Always focused Rocco, I'm talented like that. Now drunken I spy with pilots that sounds truly dangerous and possibly a fun Saturday night." She quipped with a small smile in her voice over the back and forth then continued, more seriously, "Reporting no changes in area. Still status quo..." She replied, true to her word she kept her attention on her equipment. "Recommend after a bit we switch positions, keep things fresh. Depending on how many loops you wanted to take." She said a thought occurring.

"Nineteen bogeys on screen with two holding off. Must be the Ferengi," Aurila commented over the radio chatter. "I'm not seeing a lot of sleep tonight, ladies and gentlebeings. Let's hope they don't decide to swat us like bugs."

"Agreed, Tango. Best if they see no profit in it..." Archer replied, looking over the powder keg around her on her HUD as it continously updated swiftly as the craft stats promised. Nothing could happen on a patrol or everything could, a situation like this was both dangerous and not. Alexander privately called it a Schroedinger's patrol.

"Copy nineteen bogie's, Tango," replied Terry. "Remember we're on patrol." The three fighters came around the backside of the station and headed for the ship on their patrol route. "Alpha One to Black Hawk-A, we have nineteen inbound bogies on the sensors."

=/\=Black Hawk here=/\=, replied Langston, =/\=Copy on bogeys. Maintain current patrol.=/\=


===Elsewhere===

Not far from the Black Hawk and the Rakhari, two Ferengi Maraders and six Dosi Cruisers dropped out of warp. Though they had entered from opposite directions, their destination laid on the other side of the blockade. Both the Dosi and the Ferengi did not appear to be in a talking mood, as indicated by their powering up of weapons.

Archer, like every one else, was focused on her flying and the sensors. It was during one of these 'eye sweeps' of her sensors that she saw something that made her mentally curse even as she got on coms, "Attention on two Ferengi Marauders and six Dosi Cruisers, opposite directions just dropped out of warp, weapons hot." Her voice all business now. She noted the coordinates of the lit matches that entered their already crowded powder keg for ease of tracking, sending to the other two fighters and the Black Hawk.


===Bridge===

Upon arrival of the ships, Langston's lungs felt like they jumped into his throat. The ships had already begun powering up weapons. Felix remembered that the Black Hawk's shields were still up as a precaution. He spun his chair towards the fore of the bridge. He then heard Walsh's voice come through on the COMM channel.

=/\=Alpha One to Black Hawk-A, we have nineteen inbound bogies on the sensors.=/\=

Time seemed to come to a halt as Felix tried to process the situation. There wasn't any time for rashness or freezing in the face of duty. Assess, analyze, then act, he reminded himself. "Black Hawk here," he replied, "copy on bogeys. Maintain current patrol."

They haven't fired yet, thought Felix. Nor should anyone have to

"Open a channel," Felix said while standing to his feet, "let's hope they're willing to talk."

Felix could feel his fists ball up while he stood, hoping for a response from the incoming ships. Stay frosty, he thought to himself. "This is Acting Captain Felix Langston of the USS Black Hawk. Identify yourselves."

The screen flickered, yielding to a closeup of a snarling Ferengi in front of a white backdrop. "Federation!" the Ferengi hissed. "You have no jurisdiction here! Stand aside so we may speak to the Rakhari!"

Felix breathed in sharply through his nose as he narrowed his eyes. He raised his chin a bit as he answered the Ferengi on the viewer. "Deep Space 15 is a Federation installation," he said, "and you still haven't identified yourselves."

Felix breathed slowly this time. "Besides, isn't it bad business to not know whom you're dealing with?"

"Business?" snarled the Ferengi. "My business is not with the Federation! Therefore, Rule One Ninety Four need not apply. Stand aside, child, so that I might conclude my business with the Rakhari."

Felix clenched his jaw tightly. He breathed again, fighting back the urge to leap through the screen and unleash a combination of crosses and hooks. "Deep Space 15 is Federation space. If you wish to do business wi the Rakhari, you will need to identify yourselves." Felix raised his chin, staring the Ferengi in the face without blinking.

The Ferengi scowled, staring at the dark-skinned human. "Daemon Nok, representing the Ferengi Merchants Association."

Felix kept his gaze fixed on the view screen and then grinned out of the corner of his mouth. "Glad we're now acqauinted, captain Nok," he replied.

Cooper was quietly checking with the security/tactical people throughout the ship. They were all on a heightened alert because of the situation but a re-check seemed prudent. She was conducting diagnostics while landstrom talked and ensuring if things did hit the fan, the Black Hawk could hit back but nothing that would show on the other ships sensors unduly. Like a weapons lock, that really annoyed people. She kept an eye on the other ships and updating options as information came in.

Please don't start firing, Fordyce thought. She'd had enough combat recently.

Comm traffic was alive with messages. Adan's fingers slid across the console in a fury. The console flickered. Turning to Felix, Danyl announced, "Sir, a message is coming in from the Dosi. Opening hailing frequencies now, Sir."

The screen flickered, changing to a split-screen message and adding the face of a hooded and red-skinned female Dosi on the screen. "Federation starship," she stated. "This is Kyata representing the Dominion. Do not allow the Ferengi to pass."

"This is Acting Captain Felix Langston of the USS Black Hawk, representing the Federation," Felix replied coolly. "We are here to make sure mediation between the Selubessari and Rakhari goes smoothly. Until then, we are requesting that all ships hold their positions."

Felix braced himself for a response from the two faces sharing the view screen.


===Space===

Terry had been monitoring the Black Hawk's communications, waiting for orders other than patrol. He didn't like the situation that was unfolding around them, not one bit. Then he heard a feminine voice say that she represented the Dominion. The Dominion came to our aid in the battle against the Consortium, Terry thought. This could get interesting very fast. He switched the comm to the fighters only. "Rocco to Archer and Tango, let's leave the Black Hawk and make another run around the station, all non-threatening-like." At any rate, it would put them closer to the incoming Ferengi cruisers if things did go south. "Half impulse on this patrol, kids. Keep it low and slow. Rocco out." He switched his comm back over to the Black Hawk's frequency, not so much to monitor, but to call for the rest of Alpha Flight and Bravo, if needed. And he hoped they wouldn't be.

"Copy that, Rocco," Aurilia said as she flew in formation with him and Archer. "It's easy like Sunday morning in the Chin'toka system before the war."

"Copy you Rocco, low and slow..." Archer replied, she adjusted her navigation and systems accordingly. Her HUD obligingly keeping the Ferengi and other vessels locations notated on her chart. She gave a grim smile over the Chin'toka system comment, all she remembered was that during the Dominion war it had been the scene of some seriously horrific battles. Maybe later she'd ask Tango if she'd ever served there but for now, Archer was trying to keep eyes on all the balls in the air just waiting for one to hit the ground.


===Bridge===

"Hold our positions?" replied Kyata. "I know the Dominion and the Federation are working together, but that does not give you the right to stop us in our tracks."

"We're just asking for a temporary halt in incoming traffic while we negotiate the release of Starfleet personnel from Deep Space 15," Felix said, drawing another deep breath. "In the meantime, how can we assist both you and the Ferengi?"

"The Ferengi are working with the Rakhari to arm the Finneans on the surface. If they do, there will be a war in this sector, one that will cause great damage to us all."

Felix sighed. The weight of the situation sat heavy on his shoulders. He straightened his neck and gazed at the Dosi woman. "We are doing everything we can to make sure the situation is a peaceful one," he said, reining in every bit of tension coursing through his veins.

The Dosi was silent for a moment, as was the Ferengi. The Ferengi seemed to be agitated by the situation, after all, peace to him meant no profit. There was, however, enough firepower in orbit to keep him from his profit. He had no choice but to comply.

"Very well, Acting Captain," said the Dosi commander. "Let us hope for your sake that your Captain is successful. I can assume that he is on the station already attempting to negotiate with the Selubassari?"

"Yes ma'am," Felix said, nodding his head, "that he is. And I believe he will be successful, he's quite the diplomat." He turned his attention back toward the Ferengi. "Is theire anything we can do for you in the meantime?" he asked.

The Ferengi only scowled. "Just hurry your captain along. Cargo depreciates, but I wouldn't expect hoo-mans to know that." With that, the screen cleared, returning a view of the various vessels around the Black Hawk.

Cooper eased her posture but kept ready to react, her eyes skimming the readouts on her consoles as she hoped they really were standing down. She detected no hot weapons yet but planned to keep at current levels of readiness for a bit longer to be safe then peel back to the previous standard or until Langston said otherwise. She'd never dealt with him in command before, since the others weren't already firing so far she was counting his command as a win.

Felix smirked a bit and sat back down in the captain's chair. He sighed deeply, satisfied that he had averted a crisis between the orbiting parties. "Helm," he said, "maintain current course. Lt. Adan, keep a weather eye on the comm chatter out there."

He placed his elbows on the chair's armrests and folded his hands close to his chin. "Let's hope the captain wraps this up quickly," he said.


===Space===

Other than the conversation he'd picked up while on the Black Hawk'ssubspace frequency, he hadn't heard anything from the ship. Well, maintain current patrol, but still. Meh, at least he was trolling in a flashy new fighter. He loved this machine better than the old ones, that was for sure. But never better than Dani. She was better than any fighter. The blinking light on a panel and the sudden chirp brought him back to the task at hand. Ready to mount a full-blown attack, he quickly checked the readout. Damn. Off course. And not even by a large distance. Gonna have to turn that off.

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