A Planet? Just Like That?

Posted on Sun Apr 8th, 2018 @ 9:45pm by Commodore Jason Myers & Captain Michelle Bartlett & Ensign Andrew Gervais

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Commodore's Suite

"I understand that, Captain. But you're going to have to trust me on this. We can't have another incident like that with them otherwise we might as well kiss any hope of exploration in their sector goodbye. Work with them. Myers out." Jason said as he ended the conversation with a rather frustrated Captain.

"That went as well as you expected, hey?" Andrew asked, still scared to smirk but doing so internally.

"You could say that." Jason replied. "The Baghdad's Captain is just dying for a fight." he added. "I just hope he doesn't shoot first and ask questions later."

The door chime rang as Jason nodded to dismiss Gervais. "Come in." He replied.

"You won't believe this." Michelle said. "Like... really won't believe it." she added, still surprised at what had just developed.

"Dare I ask?" Jason asked.

"That anomaly wasn't an anomaly. It was a planet. With an ancient starbase as best I can tell and those godawful things outside that look like starships. Kirk's Enterprise looks like a Sovereign Class itself compared to them." Michelle replied.

Jason looked up, rather surprised by this. "A planet? With defenses?" he asked. "There's star charts going back 300 years that didn't detect this."

"Given that it quite literally phased back into existence, perhaps it was the end of its phase cycle. A cloaked planet of sorts like that one in the Gamma Quadrant we found 30 years ago."

"Meridian?" Michelle asked, somewhat familiar with the discovery from her own science background.

"Yeah, that one." Jason replied. "Do we know anything about it yet?"

Michelle looked outside the window, coffee in hand. "We know very little so far about it. The away team is due to report back in an 35 minutes assuming all goes well, though the planet should well be into phase by then." she added.

"You know she's going to say it." Jason said.

"Who's going to say what?" Michelle asked.

"Rostra is going to say 'Take me to your leader.'" Jason responded with a chuckle.

"Oh stop it!" Michelle said. "Rostra is.... Oh, God. You're right." she paused a moment, laughing herself. "Do you think we also should have sent Commander Honn down?"

"I don't really see a point." Jason said. "We don't even know what's going on or how much we're going to have to explain to these people or if there hasn't been some sort of massive temporal breach. Best to leave the diplomats out of this until we've had a chance to survey."

Michelle nodded. "You're probably right." she added, sighing a bit. "I guess at least I got my wish."

"What was that?" Jason asked.

"Something that could maybe at least hold morale rather than sinking it to bare bottom." Michelle said. "It's almost been a month and it's as though the entire crew seems to be falling apart."

"You mean Marines and Security fighting each other in the lounge? Officers with enough rank and tenure to know better than be late for their watch? Enlisted arguing with their own CO?" Jason asked. "Not sure where we would have gotten that idea. Hell, my own adjutant was late this morning."

"Andrew? He was practically never late for duty shifts." Michelle said.

"He wouldn't have been late today either had he not put his hand through a console." Jason replied. "He didn't take well to Lo'Mah's conviction."

Michelle looked saddened by this. She had known Gervais when he first came aboard. Many times he had even been her pilot on diplomatic missions. She'd come to know him rather well. "Him and Ensign Copeland were rather close." She responded sadly. "It's no surprise. Had he not been down on the station with us, he would have likely been the pilot on the Captain's Yacht. He probably feels responsible for the deaths of both Lieutenant Holt and Ensign Copeland."

"I know." Jason said. "And while I'm prepared to be as flexible as I can, my superiors are breathing down my back about this." he paused a moment. "Don't worry. I know you're up to all this. It's a steep learning curve and nobody ever knows everything the minute they sit down in that chair. And even then most have a chance to warm up rather than just have to take over because most of the senior staff was wiped out."

"What would you have done back on the Renown if it was Captain Munroe and most of the senior staff?" Michelle asked

Jason sat back for a moment, almost rather floored and pained to even think about it. "I'd have run for the nearest runabout and headed somewhere I couldn't be found. And that's with command experience." he said.

"I wanted to." Michelle said. "But I couldn't. There was too much to do."

"Well.. I'm rather glad you didn't." Jason responded. "Because then I'd be on a runabout trying to find you and kick your ass." he said with a laugh. "I have a conference call in a few minutes. Keep me updated."

"Of course." Michelle said. "Thank you, sir." she added before leaving the room.

==END==

Captain Michelle Bartlett
Commanding Officer
USS Wellington

Commodore Jason Myers
Task Force Commanding Officer
Starfleet Command

Ensign Andrew Gervais
Adjutant to the Commodore
Starfleet Command