Regrouping

Posted on 18 Oct 2018 @ 12:27pm by Lieutenant JG Charles Carmichael & Ensign Quinn Mackie

826 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Fractured
Location: Deck 8
Timeline: MD1 || 1430 hours

Ensign Quinn Mackie had little time. Operations and Engineering would be working overtime the next few days to ensure that the ship was in proper form. Under normal conditions, such work would be performed with the aid of a tow ship or starbase. The Black Hawk had neither, nor the shelter of a nebula to conceal their work. The mission to Alpha Trios made it very clear to the crew that the ship was being watched, being observed at all times. This incident with the filaments weakened not just the hull and the ship’s performance, but the crew’s ability to maintain efficiency.

In addition to the late nights, he also had to check in with Kelly. Under other circumstances, he would not worry about her. In fact, the relationship now served only to maintain appearances. Kelly had much to offer both he and Carmichael with both skill and aptitude. Carmichael, being the senior of the pair, didn’t see the benefit of adding another junior officer. Their next selection had to be someone with prowess, someone with accessibility.

Their list of potential candidates were small, ranging from the ship’s Executive Officer, to the head of security, and even to a member of the intelligence team, someone who could plant false information and guarantees who wouldn’t arouse suspicion. In fact, Quinn had been seriously considering the Captain’s wife, given her access to the Captain and the position she held. But it would still take more than three to accomplish their goal.

As he passed a junction in the corridor, he glanced at the companel and caught a glimpse of the chronometer. Time seemed shorter than it was, especially since he was needed up on Deck Five to take care of a critical section disabled by missing gel packs. Damn quantum filaments…

At last he arrived at Performance Hall Two, a location that would certainly be vacant for the rest of the day as the crew tended to injuries and started to focus once more on the ship. The door opened to allow him entry and Quinn stepped inside.

Only to freeze just past the door’s sensors. The doors closed behind him, and Quinn stood still, unsure of what to do next. As expected, Charles was waiting for him. Unexpectedly, he was not alone. Quinn looked at Charles, then to the Vulcan lieutenant in blue. Quinn blinked, recognizing a specific facial twitch in the Vulcan, something taught only to the converts.

“Her?” Quinn asked Charles, snapping his gaze back to the senior officer. “I’m gone for four hours, and the first thing you do is convert a Vulcan?”

“It is good to see you too,” Charles responded, sidestepping the question for a moment. “T’pyr here provided an opportunity,” he explained even though he had no real need to. “A certain skill set to capitalize on an opportunity.”

“An opportunity?” Quinn fired back. “The ship was dead in the water and couldn’t go anywhere. That’s a ship without usefulness.”

Charles waved his hand. “Had I known that was the case, I would have acted differently.” He looked over to the attractive Vulcan, and then back to Quinn. “Not that it matters now in any case.”

Quinn sighed and approached Carmichael and the Vulcan. “I was stranded seventy years in the future. You know what was floating around there? A small scavenger ship, along with an Aketi, Borieri and Triosian dead in the brig. Your opportunity was moot in more ways than one.”

Carmichael raised an eyebrow. “So it worked then?” He asked. T’pyr’s specialty rested in how probes and buoys could function, among other things, which is why he’d chosen her for the process. “If the signal was received and the ship was boarded… all might not be lost. We should piece together who was where in that timezone. Do you think you could get that information?” Both he and T’pyr looked at Quinn with inquisitive expressions.

Quinn could not read the Vulcan. Decades of mastery of logic made it impossible for her to reveal any emotion, yet Quinn still felt like his place in this small group had been lost. He had little choice but to come through on this matter. “It’ll take time, especially since there aren’t any records from the future. But, yes, I can get that.”

Charles nodded, approving the response. “Then we’re adjourned until then.”

The ensign stood still for a moment, looking at both Charles and T’pyr. Finally, he bobbed his head and stated, “Very well.” He performed a perfect about face and departed the Conference Hall. Back in the corridor and heading for the turbo lift, he sighed. Why did he feel like their goal had gone from quickly obtainable to nearly impossible to reach? Hopefully, Charles’ opportunity still had a thread of possibility. Until then, there were gel packs to replace.

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