Returning Home

Posted on Wed Oct 11th, 2017 @ 8:03am by Captain Michelle Bartlett & Petty Officer 2nd Class Shirley O'Neil

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/3
Location: Shuttle Bay 1
Timeline: June 15, 2399 @ 3:55 PM

Michelle's shuttle arrived in the main Shuttle Bay where it had launched just a short time before under entirely different circumstances than what they now face. There was nothing yet confirmed as to who had done this. Or even whether it was merely a tragic malfunction. She knew Commander Bowman had sent a security officer to brief her and escort her to the bridge. As the shuttle touched down on the ship she'd been on for the last two years, she could already tell that nothing felt right. You didn't have to be Betazoid to feel the numbness and the shock of the crew. They must all know at this point.

She exited the shuttle, seeing a security officer waiting for her. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, Ms...?" she inquired, not knowing this particular Petty Officer.

"O'Neil, ma'am, Shirley O'Neil." The redhead's eyes kept flitting around, but no smile came to her face. The phaser on her hip and rhe way she kept her hands free and relatively near it showed Michelle that the security woman was on edge. "I'm to escort you to the bridge, if you will follow me, ma'am."

"A pleasure." Michelle said. She could see that everyone was tense, and clearly in shock. She had barely processed the news and what had just happened herself. "Of course." What a way to start as First Officer, even if it was in the interim. Not that she wouldn't stay on for a new CO should they choose to keep her. "What's our status?"

As they lwft the shuttle bay, Shirley nodded to the two Marines standing guard outside it, then waited until they were out of earshot of them before speaking again, "Ma'am, from what I have heard from one of the engineers is that the shuttle explosion was sabotage and that trucks with what information we're officially getting as well. That's why we have Marines stationed in Engineering, on the Bridge at both armories and at the shuttlebay with patrols of both Marines and Security roving the corridors."

"Sabotage?" she asked. "They've determined this after 30 minutes? What's their proof?" Not that she disagreed, but she wanted to make sure nobody was rushing into things. "Where is the Acting Chief of Security?" she asked.

"Lieutenant Barnaby is coordinating with Major Lo'Mah about patrolling the ship, ma'am. I haven't't heard much from him yet, but I suspect that we are going to have a major investigation." Shirley paused a moment, "And ma'am, my roommate is one of the engineering senior NCOs and she was telling me about some of the things she's found herself in some of the ship systems. 'Extrapolation and deductive reasoning' is what she told me."

"Have we tractored the wreckage and the.... remains... yet?" she asked, pausing for a moment. This was still new to her. Sure, she'd held command before but in these circumstances? When they weren't at war? Never.

"No, ma'am, but if the explosion was as bad as I heard, there won't be much of the one and I would doubt we gind any or much of the other." Shirley grimaced, punching in the turbolift to the bridge as the turbolift closed, also keying in the security code that would prevent other stops, "If I might give some advice, ma'am?"

"By all means, Ms. O'Neil." Michelle said.

Shirley kept her face towards the door and clasped her hands behind her, feet shoulder width apart, "Don't take anyone at face value right now, ma'am. Until we get this all sorted out, I know I sure as hell won't."

Michelle was deeply concerned by this. The crew had to be able to trust their senior staff and those in command. That a security officer would be implying there are some who can't be trusted... It was worrisome.

"Are there any officers in particular I should be concerned about?" she asked.

"Above my pay grade, ma'am, but my friend told me she's finding too many problems to be attributed to just overhaul bugs. Including some actual deliberate damage to one of the nacelles." Shirley shook her head, "It could be anyone, ma'am, or just some of the starbase people."

"Your advice may be a good idea to follow. But who on earth would... I mean... who would want to kill that many senior officers deliberately?" Michelle asked. "None of this makes any sense. And now, I'm supposed to step in to help lead a crew as lost as I am."

"Ma'am, that's why you guys make the big bucks." Shirkey smiled slightly, "All I am is a security NCO, conspiracies are something I'm there to help break, but finding them? Especially when there really aren't any obvious clues? Not my cup of tea, ma'am."

"It might become your problem." Michelle said. "But I'll try and keep it off your back. Thank you, Petty Officer. I guess I'd best get to it."

"Yes ma'am." Shirley nodded as the turbolift came to a stop, "And ma'am? If you need me for anything, I am at your service."

"I appreciate that." Michelle said. Well.. there was at least someone she could take at face value.