Departure - All hands Prepare!

Posted on Thu Apr 23rd, 2020 @ 9:19am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Avalon [ADMIN NPC] & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Lieutenant JG Gallia Norris & Lieutenant Commander Turak & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Ensign Kara Hoffman & Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Lieutenant Carter Smith & Lieutenant Tate Sullivan Ph.D. & Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Lieutenant JG Maxmillio (Max) Solanga MA, Rev., & 1st Lieutenant Corisk Malluk & Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: USS Elysium - Various
Timeline: MD1 - 14h45
4231 words - 8.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Stepping onto the Bridge, Phoenix took a breath. Her gaze swept to the Helm and she wished she saw the Tall trill that normally sat there. But it was empty. AS was the rest of the Bridge as crew settled in, and got their implants. She stepped to her chair and toggled the comm.

[["ALL SENIOR STAFF TO THE BRIDGE. ALL HANDS TO DEPARTURE STATIONS."]] Was broadcast over the ship.

then as Phoenix settled into her chair, she sent a private call to Ensign Miraj Derani.

"Ensign Derani, to the Bridge please." Message sent, she settled back in the Command Chair to wait for her crew.

Gary stepped from the turbolift as Phoenix made her announcement. His eyes were instantly drawn to the Helm, wishing to see Liselle's bright, and happy face ready to get underway but alas that was not to be. He sighed heavily and moved to his chair. He glanced at Phoenix and they shared a look. "Captain." He said simply as he took his station.

"Commander" her soft reply came back

Miraj was surprised to get the call. She knew the CFO would actually take the ship out of Space Dock, and as she'd known the plan was to open up on the QSD as soon as they cleared the Oort Cloud at the systems edge, she'd gone down to watch and feel the proceedings at the small engineering station set up to monitor the field generator. But seeing it from the bridge would be even better. She turned and started running, making it to the bridge in double quick time, arriving slightly out of breath only a couple of minutes after the initial summons. "You wanted to see me, ma'am?"

Phoenix smiled at the Ensign. "Yes, Ensign." Phoenix stood. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, our CFO and several other officers within your department have been summarily transferred." She waved towards the Helm. "Your presence is required at Helm. Please, take your station."

Miraj stared at her for a moment. She was going to get to beat helm? for the first flight of the QSD? She couldn't believe it. It was too good to be true. It was perfect. Everything she could ask. "Yes, ma'am!" She practically skipped to the conn and settled down, running lascivious hands over its sleek lines. "Hello, sexy," she told it, beginning the start up sequence. "Lets get this party started."

As she entered, Lia looked at the people on the bridge. Familiar faces were missing, their voices silent for now. She saw Phoenix sat in her chair, Gary was sat next to her. "Captain, Commander". She crossed the bridge and took station, fingers danced across the panel as she set sensors to ready. She was about to make a comment to Liselle, when she remembered Liselle wasn't there. Her friend was one of the missing faces and silent voices, posted to another ship.

"Commander Holmes" Phoenix nodded as she returned to her seat.

Gary's eyes twinkled as Lia came onto the bridge and addressed both Phoenix and himself. "Commander Holmes." He greeted her, "Nice of you to join us." He jested lightly.

Lia turned to respond, "Commander Taylor, I'm surprised you could find the time to join us. I hear your rather busy, making arrangements I hear". She smiled as she spoke, knowing others would be listening.

Gary's smile grew, " Surprised? I'm a man of many talents as you know Commander. However making arrangements is not so pressing that I can't be on the bridge for this momentous occasion."

"Well it appears to hold excitement for everyone, I may avail myself of your talents later", she took her station and winked at Gary. Lia now prepared for departure, and what ever was coming.

"Please to, I think you'll be quite impressed with the transformation my quarters have undergone." He quipped with a wink of his own.

Alicia stepped out onto the bridge and made her way across to the seat next to Phoenix. The Counselling department was ready for departure and she wasn’t going to miss out on being on the bridge for departure. She nodded politely to Lalor and Taylor as she took her seat.

Turak stepped out of the turbolift behind Alicia and on his way to the Security station, he addressed the Captain and Commander Taylor. "Captain...Commander." As he neared the Security station he reported to Commander Holmes, "Commander, all security personnel are aboard and accounted for - they are ready to get underway."

"Mr. Turak." Gary acknowledged the security officer.

"Very good Mr Turak, please ensure they keep their eye's open and stay alert. I don't want any mistakes on this trip, you know our situation". She dipped her head as Turak came close, showing her respect for both him and his people.

Turning to Gary she replied, "I have heard your quarters require people to remove their shoes now, is that all their required to remove?" She giggled and then glanced at Phoenix, just incase she overstepped the mark.

"You heard correctly Commander. I'm giving tours of it. You should come see for yourself. They really are quite impressive." Gary bantered back with a grin.

S'hib stared in silence as the exterior boarding doors sealed up on deck twenty eight, the large curving portholes of the connection port showing him a unique view of the retracting umbilical line moving away from Elysium. "Bridge," He snorted, blinking back to reality as he tapped his comm badge. "Deck twenty eight is locked and sealed, no problems to report."

Smith was already in engineering when the word came. "Okay people, you heard the captain. Now remember, we have a new drive, the QSD. It's been tested and retested...but sometimes, things still go wrong. So keep an eye on your console, and whatever happens, if you see anything even slightly wrong, sing out. To your station!" The engineering staff went to their assigned stations.

Gallia, waiting for Capt. Lalor and Gary to join her, had been in the Captain's chair as senior officer on bridge until they arrived, when she happily surrendered the chair and the responsibilities appertaining thereto to their rightful owner and took her place at Ops, where she couldn't miss the exuberance of Ens. Dirani, "First time, Ensign?" She asked.

"No. Done this hundred of time." Miraj said, then thought about it. "Well, first time with a QSD. That will be the fun bit." SHe looked at the indicated course, and smiled. Someone had a sense of tradition. "I can't wait."

The turbo lift door slid open on the bridge as the ship's chief MD stepped onto the bridge bending slightly so his head wouldn't clatter the turbo-lift roof. " All ssstaff have been chipped and everything'sss ready to go down medical. " The gorn said as he took his place on the bridge.

Although Varis did not understand why the Captain considered him a member of the Senior Staff. As such he made his way to the bridge when called. He stepped off the turbolift and held his trademark notebook to his chest. His eyes darted around and his head was tilted. His soft, yet stern voice could be heard. "Permission to enter the bridge Captain." Varis felt the formality was needed as he was a civilian.

"Granted" Phoenix called out

Kara came out of the turbolift, and onto the bridge. A chance to see all of engineering's hard work in action was unmissable. "Captain, commander." She said. "Permission to come onto the bridge. Quantum Singularity Drive is fully operational and ready at you're command. Deflector and sensor strength are at maximum."

"Hello Kara. Ready to try the new drive out?" Gary replied to the CEO.

"Granted Lieutenant."

A moment later Naxea stepped onto the bridge. "Major Azhul reporting, Captain," she said as she took a position at the rear of the bridge.

Phoenix looked to Gallia. "Commander Norris, notify Starbase command that we are ready to depart and commence disconnection from the Starbase. Ensign Derani, once we are disconnected, half impulse until we are clear of the Starbase, Heading is in the navigational array. Once we are clear, go to full impulse until further orders."

"Aye, Captain." Gallia nodded, opening a channel to SB-1, "Elysium to SB-1 Control, we're ready fer disconnetion an' departure, please verify."

The Starbase Operations Responded "Acknowledged USS Elysium. Disconnection Commencing"

She turned to Ens. Dirani, "Jus' a few mare seconds, lass, an' we'll be ready te get underway. My daughter would go pure gaga over ye hair, is it naturally pink?"

Miraj nodded. "From my mother's side. She's Boslic. The women tend to come in pretty colours."
---

Reverend Maxmillio or "Max" to his friend was down several decks, looking through several large areas for a Ships Chapel, when he heard the Captain speaking. With the regular chatter now ended, Max depressed his commbadge and said...
=/\= Reverend Solanga to bridge; here sir, and ready for liftoff or what ever its called around here....

Phoenix acknowledged the call from the Reverend and turned back to the front of the Bridge.

From her office, Tate smiled when she heard Rev check in. She appreciated his eagerness and expected they would all work well as a team. She sent her own readiness direct to Alicia, pro forma.

Miraj pressed her feet into the deck as far as her boots would let her, and her hands flew over the controls. Under her the feint resting thrum of the ship changed up into a more lively buzz as Elysium came back to full life. Unable to keep the thrilled expression on her face, she triggered the maneuvering thrusters.

Gently, as Elysium nearly filled the full radius of hangar from its exterior wall to the central docking hub, it began to swivel around its central axis, turning the sleek saucer section towards the stars. The great doors hoved into view across the view screen, rolling slowly open as the slow spin was completed, revealing the stars beyond.

Then Miraj engaged the aft thrusters and the stately procession out of the doors began, work bees pulling out of their path like ducks before the swan. It was only a moment or two before they slid through the doors and the wide field of the cosmos was before them.

A light on her console indicated that the traffic control zone had been cleared. It was time to hit the gas. The buzz of energy ran up the young pilots spine as her fingers slid across the console and the impulse engines came online and then pulsed to life, and the Elysium leapt forward towards the stars.

In main engineering, Smith kept an eye on the master control panel. He saw, and felt, when the impulse engines engaged.

As the ship cleared the space dock, Lia fired up her sensors. Small and large responses showed where other ships and shuttles sat or traversed their course, she watched another Star Ship move slowly to one side to allow the Elysium free passage. "USS Charlottetown has cleared our bow, the board is now clear and green Captain".

Phoenix smiled at that. "That's always the best. Well done Ensign."

Kara double checked the ship's condition from her station. Everything read within normal parameters. "Double and triple checked, we are green across the board, Captain." She reported. A tingle ran down her spine, this was going to be exciting.

Phoenix let the Elysium glide along on Impulse power for a few minuets. "Lieutenant Hoffman, Open a channel to Engineering. Prepare your team for activation of the QSD"

Kara nodded, and tapped her console. =A= Lieutenant Hoffman to Engineering. Lieutenant Smith, start the initialisation procedure of the Quantum Drive. Keep a close eye on the chroniton regulator. I don't want a chroniton particle buildup of anything over 0.09. Once the Quantum field is formed and stable, monitor hull and deflector temperature every 20 minutes. I also would like an additional ten percent power shifted to the ships structural integrity field please =A=

"=A= Message received and understood, Lieutenant."
He turned to the engineering staff. "Okay people...this is it. Starting the Initializing procedure for the Quantum Drive. Gomez, keep an eye on any chroniton particle buildup. Sound off if it goes above 0.09. Saunders, once the Quantum field is formed and stable, keep an eye on hull temps every 20 minutes. I'll monitor the deflector temps. Estaban, increase the structural integrity field by ten percent. NOW people."

The people started doing their jobs, and the structural integrity field was boosted by ten percent. "=A= Lieutenant Smith to Lieutenant Hoffman. Procedure program for the Quantum drive initialed. Chroniton particle buildup, hull and deflector temps being monitored. And structural integrity field increased by 10 percent."

Kara turned to the Captain, after a few seconds. "Quantum field is beginning to form. Deflector is stable. She's ready captain."

Phoenix took her chair, nodding. "Ensign Derani, Lieutenant Hoffman, Commander Norris, Co-ordinate are the Federation Side of Cardassian Space. Ensign, input our course, link helm with the QSD, Operations and Engineering, Monitor the Drive please, I do not want to end up like the Vesta and stuck billion of lightyears away with no power."

Miraj put the co-ordinates in, and her board went green. Sliding the warp controls out of the main array, she brought in the QSD helm and brought up her personal settings. The quantum field coherence readings were ticking up steadily. "Course laid in," she reported, trying to keep her voice even and professional, and hide the giddy excitement she felt as the the field generator added a humming contralto to the general feel of the ship. "Slipstream Velocity available on your mark."

Down in main engineering, Smith saw the readings start to spike, which is suppose to be consistant with the new drive getting ready to kick in. "Okay people...this is it. Hang on for the rides of your lives."

Kara's hands moved across her station screen, as she set-up an information link with Gallia's station. She looked up from her screen for a moment and crossed her fingers. "Here we go." She whispered, smiling to her fiancee.

Phoenix took a breath. "Engage Ensign."

Miraj pulled her hand across her controls, and the ship went slipstream, tiny rumbles from the phase varience making the who ship tremble. The gently passing starfield turned to streaks then a pale blue green mist like tunnel as they passed from real space into the Slipstream. Elysium shivered as she made tiny corrections to hold the Ship in the center of the tunnel and minimise the phase variance caused by rough flying.

With one eye she was watching she was watching the fluttering numbers for ptich and yaw, holding Elysium as steady as she could. But more information was coming at her through her bones, through the shakes and quivers running from the deflector dish through the whole superstructure. The buffets of burrs int the spacetime of the slipstream corridor, the throb of the heat building on the hull.

With the other eye she was watching navigation readings on the helm. In a matter of seconds they were past the Chara System. Three minutes later they were past Terra Nova, a journey that would take 3 days at Warp 9.9. A grin began to spread. She was really doing it, hurtling through space at a mind bending 5 lightyears every minute. They'd be at DS9 in just under ten minutes now, rather than just over ten days.

S'hib watched the crew around him staring in wonder at the tunnel of swirling light around the Elysium, the small viewports bathing the corridors in an eerie teal light. S'hib was however less than impressed by the view outside, backing away from the view of the tunnel with a terrified panic gripping his chest.

"It's not a wormhole... not a wormhole." He whined, walking quickly down a corridor to head deeper into the Elysium, his sharp hoof clicks masking the sound of a hypospray injecting medication into his wrist.

In engineering, no one had anything to report, all the readings on the new drive were nominal....it's better then anyone anticapated. Smith was impressed.

Kara however, was not as impressed. She thought the journey would be smooth, all of her simulations in the Holodeck were without these uncomfortable vibrations. She tapped her stations comm panel. =A= Hoffman to smith, any information regarding this rattling? I was expecting a smoother ride. Get someone to deflector control and ensure the new alignment is correct please. =A= Although a little bit perfectionist, she was happy that so far, they were a-ok.

"=A=All the readings show that everything went according to plan, lieutenant, but I'll go deflector control and double check the alignment for you. Smith out.=A=" He headed for the deflector control, afet leaving one of the junior engineers in charge.

Kara smiled. ~Thank you~ She thought to herself. Taking another deep breath. "Captain." She looked directly towards Phoenix. "Lieutenant Smith, on my instruction will be at deflector control soon. Hopefully make things a little smoother, for us all. I have a hunch that the deflector is slightly misaligned" She paused, tapping her console a few times. "Causing the slight, flight turbulence. I apologize for this. Rest assured, all systems are fine."

Rushing back to the office, Max just thought; What a way to go, first I get assigned to a new ship, and they decided to outfit her with some kind of drive....

"If i'm going to die, I may as make it worthwhile", so sitting down Max said.. Computer, start program 295D. Suddenly Max was in some type of long hut that stood more than eight feet above the ground. Inside the long hut was a large indoor fire, and surrounding the fire were various women, all of whom were Babaylan priestest, judging from the Babaylan Mandala behind the main priestest. Slowly she looked up and saw Max, then said in their native dialect... "Max relax, whatever happens will soon be over".... then she began to speak into the fire...

Smith arrived in the deflector control room. He looked at the readouts, and saw that there was a minute phase varience in the deflector readouts. He started adjusting the controls, and eliminated the varience.

"=A= Smith to Hoffman. I found a very small varience on the deflector readouts...and I corrected it. You should have a smoother ride from here out. Smith out." He stayed awhile to monitor the deflector controls.

Phoenix looked at the count down clock on her console and nodded. "Bring us out at DS9 Ensign but do not dock. Once we are out of the QSD, shut down that drive for now. We can still use normal warp and I do not want to burn it out."

Miraj watched the navigation again. Blue Horizon came and went, Trill passed by a minute or so later, Bardeezi, Regulon. They all went by in a blink somewhere beyond the spectral rabbit hole they were sliding down. As the Koralis system passed, it was time to hit the breaks. "Quantum Slipstream disengaging in three, two, one. Disengaged."

The Elysium slid from slipstream smooth as an oiled eeled, coming back into normal space half an AU from where Deep Space Nine stood sentinel over the Worm Hole. "We have arrived at Deep Space Nine, ma'am," Miraj reported. "Total time in Slipstream, thirteen point six minutes, to come sixty-six light years." And then, because she couldn't keep the excitement down any longer she added, "Oh my stars, that was awesome!!"

"Tha's a great feelin', isnae it, ensign?" Gallia asked the new girl with the bubble gum pink hair, "The first time ye really open her up with somethin' new, ye never forget it, it's kinda like ye first kiss or somethin' else jus' as special."

"I have got to do that again!" Miraj agreed. "How fast can we cool down?"

"No for a few hours, lass." Gallia broke the bad news, "But we'll be runnin' that bad girl again soon 'nough, dinnae ye worry."

From the marine department 1st Lieutenant Malluk hit his combadge and said to Captain Lalor "the Marine Department is ready " he said.

Down in engineering, once the ship returned to normal space and the new drive was off line, Smith assigned people to do diagnostics on all the slipstream componets.

Kara let out a sigh of relief and gratitude. No doubt, this technology really is a total game-changer, despite it's high operating costs. "Engineering reports QSD shutdown successfully. Our break-in flight has been completed successfully". She smiled, wide. "I have no doubt Smith has already started diagnostics none-the-less, predicting it's the first thing i'd ask for. He'd be correct, of course" She mentioned. "Sorry, i'm just excited. Tend to ramble a bit." She stopped talking, lowering her head back towards the engineering console to hide her embarrassment.

Phoenix merely smiled, and stood. "Scan the area please." she said "We should be seeing a couple of Cardassian vessels very shortly."

"Aye, that we are, Captain." Gallia informed, "We got two of their big, bad girls right here."

The view screen cleared and there were two Galor Class Warships. Phoenix personally hated the look of those ships, so graceless in comparison to the vessel she stood in. "Hail the lead ship. "

"As ye wish." Gallia replied, opening hailing frequencies, "Commander lead Cardassian vessel, this is the USS Elysium, please respond."

A female Gul appeared on the viewer. "I am Gul Toran" She said coldly. "captain Lalor?"

"Yes." Phoenix replied with a polite smile.

"Have your vessel fall in between ours, we shall escort you through Cardassian Space. At warp 2, it will take 2 days on the shortest path." the comm ended and the screen went blank.

Phoenix looked at her helmsman. "Ensign, put us where directed and prepare for Warp 2."

Miraj sensed a tension on the bridge when the cardassians appeared, but they'd only sent Galor class ships, that were only a third of the size of Elysium. To make the point that they weren't intimidated, Miraj decided to fly over them, casting the shadow from Elysiums huge hull over the two, making sure the bridges were properly loomed over before coming round and firing the top thrusters to make the ship flop down between them.

"Beggin' ye pardon, Captain, but are we sure we wanna ride for two days sandwiched between two enemy vessels?" Gallia asked, "I dinnae trust that Gul or her counterpart no te open fire on us when there isnae anythin' we can dae aboot it." There was something about Cardassians, especially their women, that always set Gallia ill at ease, possibly something to do with the fact that she'd never seen one who was pretty or who seemed friendly, their women were as ugly as their ships and just as made for war.

"Cardassia is not an enemy at this time." Phoenix said softly "Believe me, I do not like it any more than you do, but we are going to have to go with it. They are not allies nor are they considered enemies. We have our orders." She looked at Lia over her shoulder. "Keep our shields up. Its going to be a long couple of days."

"And our sensors on them in case they try something." Gary added.

Lia eyed the Cardassian vessels, "They so much as sneeze wrong, and what ever God they worship will be getting a personal visit from 600 worshipers". She looked over towards Turak, "Keep them under close watch Lieutenant".

Responding to Commander Taylor, Turak said, "Captain, Commander Taylor, we will keep a constant watch on their weapons systems. If they power up, or even if there's a hiccup, it won't get past the Security team." He looked down at his panel and its readouts and then said, "You'll be happy to know, according to our sensors their weapons are currently powered down..."

"Ensign, engage at Warp 2."

Miraj had already swapped standard warp controls back in, all it took was a gentle stroke of her fingers up along the panel to send Elysium into warp.

Alicia sat quietly in her seat, like all Betazoids she was confined in what she could sense from some species and Cardassians were one of those species. They kept their minds tightly controlled which meant getting a sense from them was difficult at best. “I’m not sure if I’ll be of any help Captain, Cardassians are notoriously hard to read even for us Betazoids.”

"It's actually rather easy, Lieutenant," Naxea spoke up from the rear of the bridge. "Assume that every word out of their mouth is a lie because most of the time it is."

"Never met one yet ye could trust." Gallia added, though she understood why Naxea hated them so badly, Gallia merely distrusted them, "Like the Ferengi if the Ferengi got aggressive."

Smith returned to the engine room and watched the main board as the ship was at warp 2. "People. The new drive is down, so keep your eyes on the warp drive readings, please. Report any unusual readings."

--Bridge--

Phoenix studied the bridge crew and considered it all working properly. A glance at the Chrono had her smiling faintly as beta shift began to arrive.

"Commander Taylor, the Bridge is yours. I want all senior staff readiness reports on my desk by 10h00 tomorrow please." Lalor stated and she headed for the turbolift.

OFF