In Self-Defense

Posted on Thu 23rd Jun, 2022 @ 3:49am by

552 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: The Hunted
Timeline: MD: -1, 0915

After reviewing the science resources, always Riko's top concern, and checking out some of the defensive capabilities of the small warp vessel with July Winter, the sister in charge of those, McCord walked on to the bridge. It was empty except for February.

"Riko," the scarred woman greeted her without looking around. "Practicing management by walking around?"

"You know me too well," McCord responded. "I want to know what you think of our defensive weapons, and what more you think we need. I know you, too."

February sighed, and turned her seat to face the former Science Officer. "I'll never be completely satisfied," she admitted. "Even if we were flying a gunboat. But they say that perfection is the enemy of good enough. So..." she tapped the bezel of her console absently. "I'm discussing with January whether we could... whether we should... channel phaser power through the main propulsion bus. And July has been reaching out to contacts in the Marine fighter wing to see if we could liberate a couple of their gravitic shear warheads."

Sitting down in a seat nearby, Riko nodded slowly. "Alright, let me know how that works out, but tell me, visualize for me, a situation where we would be glad we had those."

"Someone tries to murder us," the scarred pilot answered flatly, her obviously artificial eye whirring slightly as she examined the former science officer. "So we murder them first.

"Even if no one figures out that we're working on behalf of Federation interests, Riko, we're going into space where everyone carries weapons. The gravitic shear warheads are not yet common weapons, and while they're relatively easy to shield against, so far no one does -- which makes them, kilo for kilo, the most effective weapons we could carry. I'm not proposing using them as a sole weapon system, but as part of a diverse load."

McCord mulled over the thought of someone trying to wipe them out. "It wouldn't be the first time someone tried it, or succeeded too well. Yes, get as many as you can. I've become a proponent of 'If one is good, ten are better' since the attack on Samurai, but it seems you are still ahead of me. Maybe you should be number one and I should stick to science experiments."

She was silent for a moment, deciding whether to say something more personal. Finally, she looked up. "I'm glad you came with us, February, and if you have questions or doubts or suspicions about anything, I hope you feel comfortable talking to me. I know I'm not family, but ... we were all good friends, and I miss the ones who are gone. I still consider the ones of you ... left," she stumbled slightly in her wording, "to be friends."

February nodded. She and her sisters had invited the various department heads for whom they worked to dinner en famille on a rotating basis. She'd never felt precisely friendly with any of the senior officers, but she appreciated the sentiment. "I'll give you a report on what torpedo warheads we end up with."

Deciding that was as far as this particular Winter would unbend today, Riko nodded and stood. "I look forward to it." Smiling slightly, she added "As you were, before I disturbed you."

 

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