Answering the call

Posted on Friday 29 May 2020 @ 11:59 by Captain Melody Jones & Lieutenant Marbim Rejal

Mission: Race against the machine - Joint Mission with USS Andromeda
Location: USS Merlin enroute to Sector 715
Timeline: MD2 0930
1677 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

The Merlin was currently cruising along at warp 5 on her way to sector 715 for routine mapping and patrol. Melody was on the bridge but she was uneasy. She had a knot in her stomach. Instead of sitting in the Captain's chair, she was pacing the bridge.

Sav was focusing on the Merlin's course and what sensors were saying about the path ahead being clear, or not. She sighed inwardly at feeling the captain pacing behind her. It always seemed to be a sign of something untowards happening when a distinguished Captain got a gut feeling that something was going to happen. It usually did.

"Captain," Caroline said softly, "You're wearing a hole in the carpet!"

Melody stopped near her friend and managed to smile. "I'm sorry," She said placing a hand on Caroline's shoulder. "It's just I've got this feeling in the pit of my stomach that something's not right. What would you recommend counselor?"

"In your case Captain Andorran Whisky but we are on duty. So perhaps some deep breathing and sitting down," the blonde smiled at her.

Suddenly, the tactical officer reported "Captain! I'm receiving a distress call. It's pretty garbled. They say their planet is breaking up. Something about a machine in orbit. That's all I can make out. It looks like there is heavy subspace distortion.

Melody snapped to attention "Distance?"

"10 light-years."

Melody now sat down, with a determined look. "Helm, alter course and increase speed to maximum warp." She pressed her comm button on the chair arm. "Engineering. I'm afraid our current mission has to be put on hold. We've received a distress call. I need all the speed you can give me then can you join us on the bridge. I'll need your input."

Caroline was out of her seat heading towards the turbolift, "I will go aid Dr Ki ready Captain."

Sav received the coordinates from Tactical and adjusted the Merlin's course accordingly. She now goosed the speed, quickly going fro their warp 8 cruising speed up to warp 9, then climbing on up to max Warp. She called out, "On new course at Warp 9.99, Captain. Estimated time 11 hours, 5 minutes to arrival."

Harris Zim had been at his post when the distress call came in. Something was not right and he worked at finding out what it was. There were two things that Capellans were good at. One was fighting and the other was working the problem. His hands danced across the controls as he read the earliest of readings and then it hit him. It was a part of the message itself. He looked toward Melody in the center seat. "Ma'am I recommend full caution. I understand that it is one of our own in trouble. However, the point about a machine in orbit that is hindering them. If we are not prepared we will fall into the same trouble. I recommend Yellow Alert status, and extend the sensors to scan whatever it is."

Melody nodded. “Make it so.”

Michael had been in Sick Bay enjoying a moment or two of relaxation for a change. The sound of the brief yet loud yellow alert klaxon brought him quickly out of the relaxed feeling he had. Within a moment he had a report from the bridge of a Federation distress call. He stepped out of his office and addressed the medical staff. "Right, so the fun never stops here on the Merlin. It seems that there is someone in trouble and we are on the way. We have about ten hours or so to get this Sick Bay ready for lord knows what. So lets hop to, this should be old hat for all of us by now." With the pep talk over he set out to make ready the triage area.



6 Hours later.

6 hours and 2 cups of coffee later, Melody was still on the bridge. They were still about 5 hours away. Melody was practically willing the ship to go faster. The tactical console beeped again. "Sir I'm receiving another message from the same region of space, on a Starfleet frequency. It's from the USS Andromeda. They are pursuing a Planket Killer and require any ships to lend assistance."

Stepping onto the bridge, Marbim looked around, "I hadn't heard we were racing to help anyone, of course, I've been down looking at something in the Jefferies Tubes." Taking his seat he pulls up his console and gets up to speed, turning to his Captain he says, "Planet Killer, that can't be good."

The Andromeda! Melody had spoken to her friend Amelia who was the first officer only recently. She had told her of the incident with her mirror universe counterpart. Now, what trouble had she gotten herself into Melody wondered?

Melody turned back to tactical "Send Captain Reynolds my complements. Give him our position and tell him we're coming as fast as we can."

"Aye Captain."

Melody turned back to the viewscreen "Helm. More Speed!"

Sav's tail shook once in frustration, then she calmed down and replied, "Captain, I only have the speed Engineering can give me. We are at max for our vessel design.. unless engineering has a solution, I'm going as fast as I can..."

Melody picked up on her frustration and realized she was being rather abrupt. She rose and went over to stand by Sav’ena. She spoke loud to begin with. “Understood helm.” She then spoke quietly to Sav. “I know. My friend is on that ship. Do what you can.” She gave her a smile of support.

Sav churred gently, nodded, and replied in a quiet voice, "I'll see if I can shave off any minutes. Faster.. would be engineering." Sav touched the console and sensed out with the ship, trying to find that golden thread path weaved through areas with the least amount of gasses, celestial object gravities, and debris. She now said in a quiet voice, "Five minutes... I can shave off five minutes... anything else is engineering."

Sav hit the com channel and called down to Engineering. =^= Engineering, Helm, I can shave off five minutes with flying through less density dust areas, are you able to do anything to get us to our destination faster?=^=

A voice from engineering came over the comm. "We're working on it bridge. Stand by."

Harris smirked as people often forgot the enlisted, and their talents. "Ma'am we are a large ship. If we bring all non essential systems off line and reroute that power into the core. We should be able to coax a little more." He knew he was right, and he did not really care whose toes he stepped on. There was really no time for formality as far as he was concerned.

Melody made her way back to the Captain's chair. “Good thinking chief.” She said to Zim as she sat down.

The tactical officer reported again “Captain. I’m receiving an update from the Andromeda.” His face fell. “That planet has been completely destroyed. The planet killer is behaving unusually and is heading for the Ba'ku. The Andromeda is following trying to come up with a way to destroy it.”

“Acknowledged. Jones to sickbay. The planet that sent out the distress call has been completely destroyed. Keep sickbay ready. There might be some survivors and from the sounds of it, other planets on the region are in danger.”

"Acknowledged Bridge. We will be standing by. The emergency transporters are standing ready to beam any injured from the Andromeda." Michael replied through the comm channel.

“Counselling's ready,” Caroline informed Ki. “Can you use another doctors hands?”

Michael smiled when he saw the face of his beautiful lady. "Always Doctor, take triage. Although I am not sure exactly what we will be up against."

"I don't really think anyone is," Caroline said softly. "But on the plus side the Andromeda. My counseling mentors twin brother is the captain. I do hope I get to meet him."

"I have heard that it is the Andromeda. As you are no doubt aware it is much easier to prepare when we know something. How many are injured etc..." Michael replied as he pulled the surgical equipment cart out of the corner and wheeled to the surgical bed as a precaution.

"Well all we know is there's a planet killer active and the Andromeda put out a call for aid to come help …. well I assume find a way to shut it down," Caroline said to Ki.

Michael nodded in agreement with Caroline. For the first time in a long time, he amazed himself with his detachment. He loved the woman that he was speaking with however, at the moment no one would know. "Well the Merlin's Sickbay will be ready for the Andromeda or anyone else."

Caroline was not as detached as Ki as she said back, "The Merlin's sickbay is always ready with you at the helm," she winked at him.

Back on the bridge, Melody resigned herself to sitting back in the Captain's chair and waiting. She pressed a button on the arm and dictated a log entry "Ships log, supplemental. The Merlin has diverted from its scheduled mission to assist the USS Andromeda in stopping a Planet Killer. We are currently en route at high warp. All departments have responded with the dedication and skill that they normally do. We are still another 5 hours away, even at this speed. All we can do now is wait. End log."

OFF:


●●● Commander Melody Jones
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin


●●● Lieutenant Marbim Rejal
First Officer / Chief of Operations
USS Merlin

●●● Commander Save'ena Tillatix
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Merlin

●● Lieutenant Michael Ki
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin

<<<< Master Chief Petty Officer Harris Zim
Chief Of The Boat
USS Merlin

●●● Commander Caroline Miller
Chief Counselor/2XO
USS Merlin