An Arrival

Posted on Thu 15th Mar, 2018 @ 2:41pm by Lieutenant Commander Alora Baro & Commander Mikaela Locke

964 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Brushfires
Location: Operations Center, Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: MD 1, 13:40

The voice from subspace came over the Operations console. "USS Samurai to Starbase 109. USS Samurai to Starbase 109. Please respond, Vanguard."

Lt. Baro was in Ops checking routine reports when the call came through. It had been a quiet shift so she was a little surprised at the call but immediately tapped the com button to open a channel. "This is Vanguard Ops, Lt. Baro speaking." she replied as she checked the subspace transponder code to verify id, then paused for reply.

"Vanguard, Samurai is two hours out. We have severe battle damage. Request a tug meet us at the outer markers for access to inner harbor. Request medical staff stand by for mass casualties." The voice on the other end sounded computer generated, but somehow, still held a note of strain.

Baro sat straighter, a wounded ship coming in with sentient wounded was not an unknown possibility. Baro had trained her people well in contingency planning. A wounded ship with mass casualties was something they trained for and all she had to do was tap this order to her ops people: "C.1 No Drill" as she spoke to the ship: "Understood, prepping the tug now, Are you able to make it to the marker safely? and to whom am I speaking?" She asked. Her words were clear though quick in her experience people tended to be able to respond to only a few basic questions at time due to shock and other factors. Of course she wondered if she was speaking to some kind of emergency hologram based off of the tone used.

The orders of 'C.1 No Drill' aka 'damaged ship and mass wounded due to an attack' triggered the following actions, an ops person was each assigned the following tasks accessed the information available that they needed to: inform medical of the mass casualties incoming, inform the Captain of the situation, inform Sec/Tac about the attack and that more information was incoming, Inform Flight Ops to track and guide as needed, prep the Damage Control Teams, look up type of ship and mission information to plan for potential needs for long term repair. The best part about having a good staff to delegate to is one did not need much to put a lot into action. If you trained them well they could act well on their own. Orders flew and spread as Baro talked calmly to the harried contact on the Samurai.

"Vanguard, this is Samurai acting: Commander Bowditch." The operational information for Samurai revealed that Bowditch was the ship's Executive Officer, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who used a computer vocal coder to speak Terranglo, for which she lacked the physical structures. "We are safely under weigh, making Cochranes for warp five. Our Chief Engineer reports that much of our reaction control system is compromised; we require a tug to enter harbor safely."

The random thought of "That's new" occurred as she noted the xo's species as information strolled on her console even as she replied, "Understood, Commander Bowditch" more updates scrolled past her screen, "All will be ready for you when you arrive" Her focus already on the repairs, schematics and plans flowed in the back of her mind as she worked. Her team had done well, thanks to the near constant training of anything Alora and her command team could dream up, it helped they were overall quite competent. "I will need a complete list of needs from your CEO... stand by for Captain." She said in place of what she'd been going to ask as the new CO strode into the ops center as a result of those plans.

"Report, lieutenant," ordered Lieutenant Commander Mikaela Locke, as she emerged from her ready-room to take the command station in the centre of the operations room.

"USS Samurai was attacked, did not get as far as by who details, ship is under way toward us 2 hours out. Not in immediate danger. Mass causalities and significant damage. A tow is being arranged. Security/Tactical are informed as well as medical. Damage Control teams are assembling and the main repair bay is being prepped. Commander Bowditch on com." Her words were rapid but understandable, her words and tone efficient.

Mikaela nodded in affirmation towards Alora, before she addressed the Samurai's first officer. "Commander Bowditch, this is Commander Locke, acting-CO of Vanguard. Lieutenant Baro will continue to oversee your escort into the station, and we are standing by to assist you with repairs as well as to provide medical attention to those who require it. Am I to assume that Captain Suzuki is one such person?"

"The Captain is severely injured," Bowditch answered. "She is currently in a medically induced coma."

"Acknowledged." Locke replied, "Our medical team will be standing by to receive her - along with anyone else who required attention. And I look forward to meeting you in due course, commander."

"Likewise. Samurai out." The channel closed with a chirp.

Mikaela nodded as the channel closed. 'So much for a quiet week to settle in,' she thought to herself as she sighed. After a couple of seconds, she was aware of Lieutenant Baro's eyes on her. She rose from the command chair and moved behind the operations station. Tentatively she placed a hand on Alora's shoulder. "Good work, lieutenant," she said with a genuine smile. "Carry on." And she left the ops officer to her work.

Alora smiled back naturally, Locke was supportive but efficient and Alora could appreciate both. She nodded as the Commander walked briskly away and Baro turned back to her console, "Time to be about it..." She muttered and bent to her focus to preparing her department for the emergency coming their way.

 

RSS Feed

Comments (1)