The Prize In Hand

Posted on Fri May 18th, 2018 @ 11:47pm by Major Hailey Weston & Lieutenant Cor Cordale & Ensign Felicie Rivero

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Shuttle Waterloo
Timeline: Concurrent with 'We've Got Company'

"All right, let's go." Hailey said quietly to the pilot as the timer came in at forty-five minutes until their twenty-four hour mark would be hit that they had been given on the planet. She was back in her scientist's 'outfit' and had applied a couple 'inadvertent' dirt spots as if she had been running around until she had been forced to abandon the project. It had given everyone a chance to get some rest, relatively stress free, as well as secure the cloaking device and shoehorning everyone in, including the pelt of one of the native predators that had tried to jump Nyx as she was scouting ahead, but it had been too slow.

As soon as the shuttle was out of the canopy and back on the planet' sensor net, they were hailed by the Cardassian network, "Shuttle Waterloo, you have half an hour until you will be boarded." It was the same Gul as the previous day, having come back on duty, still bored.

"Draxis control, this is the Waterloo, we are on our way out of your atmosphere even as we speak. Thank you SO much for letting us land, you have NO idea just how much this means to me, I mean us." She gave the Gul a very relieved look, "I would love to send your government a letter of thanks for this from my group, Gul, and if I can, I'd love to mention your name as being pivotal to our success on our mission to Draxis Eight!" Hailey was being honest about all this, the message though? Would have a detrimental effect rather than a beneficial.

"Kar, Korhes Kar." Positive recognition would be good, he thought to himself, perhaps get him out of this misbegotten hellhole on the frontier, "Draxis Eight Control." He added. "Safe travels, Waterloo."

"Thanks." Hailey keyed off the comm and didn't restrain a laugh, taking off her glasses again, "Ping the Wellington's location, send her the success code and get us home"

***Eight Hours Later***

Once again, Hailey was in the cockpit for the approach as befit the OIC of the operation. It had literally been a textbook extraction exercise and the abandoned ship should be detonated at any time, if not before. That Cardassian's career was about to come to a rather abrupt end, likely his life as well, but that was just collateral damage to a nominal enemy. The Wellington loomed up ahead, holding her position at a planet with...

"Send arrival request for docking and get us into the shuttle bay pronto." She told the pilot as she watched the warships facing off against the Federation starship. Seeing the way open, she went back into the rear of the craft and smiled, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your flight attendant coming for an important announcement. We are on final approach to the Wellington, but it might be a slightly rough landing." She waited for the chucles to stop, "No, seriously, we're going to land in just a minute, but it looks like there may be a spot of trouble going on for the Wellington."

She looked over everyone and made her decisions, "Rozhev and Chavez, take our guests and make sure they get squared away with some quarters and some decent chow. Carter, Rivero, I want you to baby that cloaking device into a secure space, lock it in there and we're going to keep it off the books for now, until we see if it's going back with Captain Bijan. Valentine, go find Rori and let her know we're back. Let Zen know as well." Hailey nodded at them, then turned to Commander Bowman, "Commander, if you won't mind, I need to go see the Captain on the Bridge, but we may as well get you back in the eyes of command anyways. You up for that?"

Bowman nodded. It would be so strange for her to be back now. Everything as different as it was now. "I suppose they'll want to know I made it." she said in a rather somber tone. "Might as well put their minds at ease."

Working carefully, the two engineers maneuvered the cloaking device through the small craft, stowing it carefully. Making sure it was strapped down and well cushioned and protected from any instability in transit, Felicie sat back, looking across at Carter. "If it backfires, do we really turn invisible?" she asked innocently.

Carter carefully helped secure the cloaking device, before turning to address Felicie, "No no, not at all." she now had a grand smile on her face, "That was a joke. I swear."

Hailey and Olivia had just left the shuttlebay heading towards the turbolift when the ship shook hard, Hailey nearly losing her balance and the corridors turned a blood red as the red alert sounded and the red lights started flashing. The Marine looked to the Commander and raised an eyebrow, "I'm still heading to the bridge, want to tag along? Or would you rather head to the birdcage with the others for the moment?"

"I'll join you on the bridge." Bowman replied. "I suppose I should go and catch up with Captain Ross." she blurted before realizing what she had said. "Captain Bartlett rather." she corrected herself.

The Marine smiled in sympathy. If it had been her in the Commander's shoes, she was sure it would have been the same way, but she wasn't and all she could do was feel bad for Olivia. She quickened their pace, skirting off to the side as a pair of security personnel came running by them. That was all right for them, but she and the Commander were just that: Senior officers, not to be SEEN running around like chickens with their heads cut off. The turbolift door slid open at their touch, Hailey spotting the Corporal and the Ensign standing guard, as this one had access to the Bridge. "Going up, Corporal."

The Marine with rifle in hands glanced over at the Commander, then glanced to the Ensign as well, "Ma'am, I beg pardon, but we are at red alert and no unauthorized personnel are to be on the Bridge.I cannot allow your companion onto the bridge without the Captain's permission."

"Captain Bartlett wants to see Commander Bowman, Corporal, it's all right." Hailey said, an emphasis on the ranks.

This time, it was the security Ensign who spoke up, "Major, ma'am, the Corporal is right." He looked apologetically at Bowman, "Ma'am, if you wouldn't mind coming with me instead? I can set you up in some quarters until we're in a more secure situation?"

"Of course." Bowman replied. There would be time for this later and whatever was going on hardly seemed the appropriate time to catch up.

"Thank you Ensign." Hailey's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, "I'll make sure the Captain sees you as soon as the situation going on is solved, ma'am." She waited until the Ensign had escorted Bowman off the turbolift and it re-started, a few minutes later she walked out just as the door opened, seeing the face of a military officer and altered her course to the tactical station, mostly to take a look and update herself on the situation, then motioned the tactical officer to remain where she was.

OFF:

Major Hailey Weston
Marine CO/Second Officer
USS Wellington

Ensign Felicie Rivero
Engineering Officer
USS Wellington

Ensign Carter
Engineering Officer
USS Wellington

Commander Olivia Bowman
Former XO
USS Wellington