A Quick Update

Posted on Tue Jan 29th, 2019 @ 11:29pm by Captain Michelle Bartlett

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/5
Location: Commodore's Suite

"Unfortunately, Captain you're still the nearest ship in the area. I can't get anyone to aid you for at least a few hours. You're going to have to get your Engineers to work faster if you want to be up and running and able. But I'm happy to send backup if needed."

"It'll have to do." The Captain replied.

"If I think of something else, I'll send it your way Rachel. Myers out." Jason replied. Some days, he wished the fate of 20 other vessels didnt rest solely on him. He could barely seem to keep one out of trouble. Disturbing considering it was the one he posted himself to...

"Captain Bartlett to see you, sir." Gervais' voice came over the comm.

"Send her in please, Ensign. Thank you." Jason replied as Michelle walked through the door. "So... How did it go?"

"I got a bit more information before being interrupted by a stop in Sick Bay." Michelle replied. "Some of our away team members were killed or seriously hurt... Injuries consistent with a catastrophic breach. Sensors haven't shown anything of the sort."

"I see." Jason replied. "What are we concerned about?"

"First off, Captain Averis is asking for our intervention in their battle. Or at least to send volunteers. Which we may or may not ever get back. The other? We think there might be a Shalti presence aboard."

Jason looked up at Michelle. "You're kidding."

"I wish I was." Michelle replied "I've got Security and other teams very quietly on it." She pondered a moment if she'd have maybe liked something a little more boring after all. On the other hand, these things were kicking the Borg's ass in their reality. What would she have been able to do as CDO? Negotiate a treaty? Probably not.

"Keep it that way. If we need I'm sure we can enlist Captain Averis' help to make sure they don't spread throughout our world. We get them over here and a lot of races - even the Koldarans - would be decimated by the sounds of it. Imagine a species that can take out most of the Alpha Quadrant? Bloody terrifying thought. The Dominion look like Vulcans by comparison." Jason replied.

"You're telling me..." Michelle said. "What about her request for volunteers?"

"To be honest with you, I'm not leaving members of this crew to just be stranded in some other reality." Jason said. "If we can figure out some way to keep the rift open, I'll consider it. But I'm not just abandoning our men to a different reality. Starting to wish the Tobago had been a little bit closer than us when that call came in."

Michelle smirked. "You always have a way of preaching to the choir. I suppose I can let the Captain know that we'll do it only if we can get our men out. Besides, I'm worried about our timeline interacting with theirs. It could leave us open to an attack ourselves."

"Assuming it already hasn't if there's Shalti aboard." Jason countered before lowering his voice "Plus, to be honest with you I'm worried some would go based on a rather... emotional... decision."

Michelle nodded. "Mr. Gervais?" she asked

"Yes." Jason replied. "You know, before I put on this stupid flag uniform, I felt approachable. I want to tell him desperately why he's wrong. But now, everything I say comes with more oomph than I ever intended it to. Even when trying to be casual. Remind me again why I took a desk job?"

"Oh, don't be hard on yourself." Michelle replied. "You're still more approachable than almost anyone at flag rank. I mean I've gotten to know some of those Admirals and I swear they graduated the Academy taking themselves way too seriously."

"Well..." Jason replied "A person has to. We can't be as easygoing when we're the ones who get called on the carpet if things go wrong. Hence why I'm only allowing this mission if there's an out. Because Marquette... Well.. you know what she's like." Jason added with a smirk

"If we lost any more members of this crew she'd have the ship hauled to New Earth and scrapped and the entire crew sent back to the Alpha Quadrant. She might even let a few of us remain commissioned and NOT bust us back to Crewmen." Michelle said with a laugh. "Maybe one or two."

"And they're probably both engineering officers on the overnight watch." Jason said with a laugh. "Oh man... When I think of all the work I did to get here, I could just absolutely smack myself upside the head. I get why Andrew feels the way he does though. I'd have probably done the same if someone I cared for died senselessly."

"I mean, isn't that what happened with your friend?" Michelle asked. She knew about the incident just after the Dominion ceasefire where a childhood friend of his had been KIA on a cadet cruise, or at least the early aftermath of it. But she had been wondering just how he would handle this if she knew that Sean was alive?

"It is." Jason said. "Man, if I had one more chance to see how he did. Of course in Averis' reality, he probably didn't survive the conquest of Earth. Christ, I might not have. There is a universe that exists where myself, my family, and everyone I cared for were slaughtered. Probably a couple. Makes me shudder to think about, really."

"Well." Michelle replied. "In our universe, you're here. And so is Laura. We can prevent that from happening... And I don't know about you, but I fully intend to."

"Now who's preaching to the choir?" Jason said with a laugh. "Get on a way to keep the rift open and start taking down volunteers. I guess we'll see who wants to go in and take these folks out."

"Of course. Thank you, sir." Michelle replied. "If that will be all?"

"For now." Jason replied.

==END==

Commodore Jason Myers
Task Force Commanding Officer
Starfleet Command

Captain Michelle Bartlett
Commanding Officer
USS Wellington