Shift Change

Posted on Wed Feb 16th, 2022 @ 10:05pm by Lieutenant Commander Danon Prel & Ensign Laro Adel & Lieutenant Commander Shaille Levine & Lieutenant JG Stan More & Ensign Corinne Wisemann & Gunnery Sergeant Ami Rori

Mission: Recovery
Location: Bridge

Michelle left the command chair, turning to the other two occupants at the centre chairs. "Right, well... This was Commander Tang's watch but I seem to have taken it myself." she added, thinking something might have to be done about the shift rotations. She was reluctant to leave the bridge to Prel, but he was the next ranking officer. "Commander, you have the bridge." she added as she noticed the replacements coming in.

Ensign Laro walked off the turbolift as she was handing command over. Great. Prel. She'd never been too wild about him in the past... Had even been under his command before she switched to Flight Control. She turned to the crew member next to her... "Well... Looks like the prophets have truly blessed us..." she said sarcastically as she saw him sit in the chair like the smug, sanctimonious... Ugh. Never mind.

Corinne walked across the bridge, casting a sideways glance toward Prel. Taking a seat at the security station, she heard the words from Laro and stifled a giggle. "Ensign Corinne Wisemann, reporting for security," she was unable to hide her smile as she spoke.

"Ensign Laro reporting for conn." Adel replied as she took her station.

"Good to see the both of you." Ami spoke rather than let Prel greet the two new Ensigns arriving, "May as well get settled in." She remained seated at the station she'd co-opted, watching Prel like a hawk. This was going to be basically a third shift for her, but she'd stood longer watches before, "This should be a boring shift, I hope."

"Trust me, quiet is good," Corinne replied with a grin as she initiated a start of shift scan. "Let's just say some of those boys down in engineering are good with their tools," she added with a wink toward Ami. "Once this scan is done I'm gonna grab a coffee, anyone want anything from the replicator?"

"If you can keep an eye on things, I'll make a replicator run after I make a trip to the head?" Ami smiled back at Corinne, "I'm just up here keeping an eye on the away team, just in case, you know."

Prel was in the command chair at this point, standing watch. He hadn't heard of anything going on. "Well while you're offering, Sergeant, I might need a cup."

Even though essentially he was the ships botanist. Stan was still a science officer. Which meant as part of his duties on the USS Wellington he had to do bridge duty. The turbo lift doors swooshed open as he walked out.

“ Ensign Stan More reporting for bridge duty. Permission to take over science console Commander .” Stan said to Prel

"Of course, sir." Ami tapped a couple buttons before locking down her console to her password, "Anyone else?" She asked the rest of the bridge.

"Proceed." Prel replied. "I don't expect there to be much happening tonight... Captain has ordered us to hold position and hope nothing happens to the away team."

Was that permission to take his station? Or was Prel giving permission for Ami to get some drinks? Stan took it as permission to take the science station.

"The Major will let us know if she needs assistance." Ami reminded him, "I'll be back in five minutes." She walked quickly to the side corridor and vanished through the door.

Laro took her post at the conn. Holding position... Not bad. The fighters were also relaying any potential hazards to the helm and the ops console. "Position held, Commander. The sensor net the fighters created appears to be still holding and there are no immediate hazards in the vicinity according to them.

"Good. Though you should probably worry more about not doing Ops' job, Ensign." Prel added.

Corinne cast a glance at Prel, eyes narrowing, her expression turning sour. "Who whizzed in your fruit loops this morning?" she muttered before turning back to her own console. "Let's hope Ami gets back soon with those drinks. Looks like he needs some sugar."

Prel was overseeing other things while waiting on the Sergeant. He had already briefed his men on the codes he would be using at which precise sequence of events. The aim was to wait until the Captain was probably wound down for the night and wouldn't come to the bridge. A risky maneuver, considering he new nothing of his new CO's habits or ways. or how the crew would react. Hell, even with Reynolds there would have been a risk.

'But if it were Reynolds in the Captain's chair, we wouldn't be in this mess, would we?' he thought to himself. He transmitted a message in the Trill language to the shuttle. The equivalent of "Be ready."

Ami walked back in, drink holder in her hands and she wandered her way around the bridge, handing off cups and mugs before taking her own cup and holder back to her own station, "Sorry I took so long, sirs and ma'ams, I hope I didn't miss anything of import?" Of course she didn't, but it was politeness.

Stan was surprised when a cup of water was placed in his hand. He did not remember asking or maybe he had?

“ Thanks.” He said taking the cup.

"Not too much." Ensign Laro said as the Ops officer nodded in agreement. "Basically just holding position and hoping nothing happens. Or maybe just defending the Federation against strange nebulae?" she said.

"Careful what you wish for, Ensign." Prel replied. He then sent another word... Simply "go." And waited a few seconds.

"Commander, I have an incoming message from one of the fighters." the Ops crewman said. "Sensors indicate they do appear to have taken damage.

"On screen." Prel called out, acting surprised.

"Wellington this is Fighter Alpha-6. I've been hit! We've been ambushed!"

"Assemble fighters into attack formation, Alpha-6." Prel said. "Prepare to engage target and fire at will." Prel ordered. "Update when target is neutralized. Ensign Laro, adjust course to pursue.""

"Sir, with all due respect, our orders were to remain outside the territorial limits." Laro said.

"You have your orders, Ensign. Carry them out." Prel said sharply.

"Commander, should we not be calling the Captain to the bridge for this?" Adel questioned

"We're responding to an attack, Ensign. We don't need the Captain to give the order for anything. Set course towards the location of the fighter. Now. That's an order." he said.

"Under protest, Commander." Laro said, inputting the coordinates. "Laying in course at full impulse."

"Engage." Prel said.

"Ensign, ma'am, hold on one moment." Ami requested, knowing she was probably about to have a hammer land on her one way or the other, but orders were orders, no matter how tired she was, "Commander Prel, sir, I don't believe this is a valid order." Her eyes, old eyes, bored into him as she made her statement, "We have our orders from Captain Bartlett to not violate the territorial limits of the planet. We need to find out why our fighter got damaged and where, and if it was near the planet, why it was there, sir."

"Without sensors?" Prel asked. "We are in a position where we could be attacked, Sergeant. And while I understand you wanting to honour the Captain's wishes, the Captain isn't responsible for the safety and security of this ship at the moment, I am. Unless she gets out bed or whatever it is she might be doing, I'm the most senior authority on this ship and my order stands. Ensign, set course further in."

"You are right, sir." Ami agreed, then tapped a button on her console, "Gunnery Sergeant Rori to the Captain. Your presence is requested on the bridge, ma'am, we have a situation."

"This is the Captain. I'm on my way." Came the response.

Ami nodded and closed the channel, her eyes had never left Prel the entire time, the look on her face asking him, 'Now what are you going to do?' "Ensign, ma'am, may I recommend we wait before moving the ship? Waiting sixty seconds while she arrives won't cause any harm, besides..." She hit another button on her console, "Shuttle Waterloo, report on the situation." It was the shuttle of Marines that she'd been ordered to send out to keep an eye on the fighters.

"Wellington, it appears the fighters are heading towards the surface and about the enter the atmosphere. Unsure why though. One shuttle vented something out of its nacelle and then a moment later they all set course for the planet." the marine responded.

Corinne's gaze narrowed as she stared intently at the console in front of her. What she was seeing made no sense at all. She shifted in her chair, silently turning her attention toward Prel. The look on his face, the smug smile, the arrogance in the curl of his mouth. She turned back slowly to the console, reviewing the data again, wanting to make sure she was definitely correct. There was no doubt about it. There was no other explanation for what she was seeing.

Retrieving a data rod from her pocket, Corinne downloaded the data and stood up, turning toward Prel, fury becoming evident on her face. "What the hell have you done you sanctimonious jackass?!" Her voice resounded across the bridge, echoing clearly as she stormed across the bridge. "We have people down there! You've just put everyone's lives in danger! What the hell have you done?!?!"

"I beg your pardon, Ensign?" Prel said, standing up rather indignantly. "If you're going to accuse your superior officer of something, you damn well better have some evidence or a job with a freighter lined up."

Corinne's next movement happened so quickly, not even Prel could respond in time to stop it. Her fist closed around the data rod in her hand before delivering first one, then a second firm punch to the bridge of his nose. Chaos exploded on the bridge around them, the doors to the turbolift parting, someone else shouting her name. "One for each of the encrypted messages YOU sent to the fighters before they engaged!" Corinne shouted over the noise. "You set the whole thing up!"