Taking Back the Ship: Part One

Posted on Thu Sep 24th, 2009 @ 2:54pm by Captain Elsie Halliwell & Lieutenant Commander Kaylis Kirana

1,659 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Shining Truth
Location: Captain's Quarters
Timeline: Current

[OLD]

Lane flicked his eyes to Catherine and breathed quickly. “Catherine. You need to contact her. I can’t. You need to find out what she has planned. How we can work together to get this ship back and override Harwood.�

[NEW]

“I think her hands are tied with this one, Captain,� she replied, almost worriedly.

Lane frowned and held his breath for a moment trying to think on his next course of action. “Then the Commander has helped us all she can for now,� he said ponderously. He shot his eyes up to Mrs. Gray as she still stood over him, fretting. “Yvie, I need to borrow your combadge. Where is it?�

“Well, at the side of my bed, Coltan, where it always is. You know I hate carrying that wretched thing around with me. Contactable every hour of the d…�

“Yvaine,� Lane interjected. “The badge?�

The old woman shook her head a little and muttered under her breath as she turned away from him to retrieve the device. Lane took to his feet and hobbled over to the desk. He sluggishly sat down heavily on the couch as he tapped the control panel to its familiar beeps. “Computer,� he said into the thin air before him, “do you recognise my authority?�

The computer replied with a negative beep and response. “Then I’m going to need to change that. Computer, where is Lieutenant Shalie Montgomery?�

“Lieutenant Montgomery is in her quarters,� came the reply.

“Is she alone?�

“Affirmative.�

As the computer spoke, Mrs. Gray returned to living area with the shiny metallic combadge clutched in her frail hands. “Thank you,� he mouthed to her as she returned with her genial smile.

Tapping it, he hands shook slightly with the adrenaline that coursed through his body. “Lane to Montgomery, I need your assistance.�

Shalie was more then shocked to hear the Captain's voice over the comm. "This is Montgomery, what do ya need?" She sat on the edge of her bed, waiting to see how this was going to play out.

“I understand the situation onboard, Lieutenant, and I need to know whether or not I can trust you before I go any further with this,� he replied. He hands continued to shake as he waited nervously for her reply. He knew that this gamble could swing either way, and if his first mission in command was anything to go by, luck wasn’t exactly on his side.

Trying not to sound agitated Shalie answered. "Sir I told you when I came on board that my loyalties lied with you and this ship...and I am not one for mutiny"

“Good, Lieutenant, and thank you.� He heart, pounding in his chest, steadied a little as a wave of relief washed over him. “Have you been ordered to bring the communications array back online by either Harwood or Arkham?�

"Yes, but I have been stalling..." Shalie replied.

“Thank, God,� he muttered underneath his breath. “Good. I need you to do it. But I need for the bridge readouts not to detect it. Can you do it? And quick?�

"That won't be a problem, sir. Consider it done." Shalie said as she moved to quickly get dressed. She had no intention of donning her uniform. That last thing she needed was for someone to think that she was on duty. Her movement around the ship would be more convincing if she were in civilian clothing. "Is there anything else you need, sir?" She added before exiting her quarters.

“Just your discretion, Lieutenant,� Lane replied poignantly with a smile. “He looked over to Mrs Gray as she smiled warmly at him. “And, thank you, Shalie. I appreciate the help.�

Shalie quickly and easily made her way though the ship. No one even gave her a second look as she transverses the corridors on her way to the communication array. Once in side she first started with a ghost program in the power grid. She needed the ops station and the helm to think that the energy drain was sill pulling all the power from the array. She also needed to disable the bridges ability to reverse the energy damping field. Although it would have no actual effect since it would already be down, but it would give them the idea that the communication array was online.

Once the program was running Shalie was invisible. Pulling a hyperspanner from her pocket along with her tricorder she re calibrated the communication array. she needed to siphon unnoticeable amounts of energy from each of the secondary systems. It wasn't enough for any flags to be raised but enough to get communications back online.

When she was finished she recoded the security lockout. If her assistant came across this she would be in hot water again but at this point it didn't matter. No one other then her was going to get in that room. "Montgomery to Lane" She said softly as she stepped into the corridor. "Communications are online, but the bridge can't see it. Ops is blinded until I remove the ghost loop, so I hope we don't need any power adjustments anytime soon."

“Thanks, Shalie. No, go back to your quarters and wait for me there. I’ll contact you as soon as I have further instructions. You may want to enlist the assistance of the Security team. Lieutenant Shran or Martin. We’ll need their help to take back this ship. But, engage their reactions first. I don’t want to tip our hand if they want this to play out by the book.�

"Yes sir..." Shale replied as she stepped onto the turbolift. In a less seasoned officer this situation might be stressing but Shalie performed well under pressure. Even if he wasn't security she needed to get Drew on her side, not that she thought that would be difficult. "...consider it done."

“Thanks, Shalie. Now do as I ask and I’ll be in touch. Lane out.�

He lent back slightly in the chair and tapped at his console. The ciphers on the screen changed almost immediately as he secretly patched into the subspace transceiver. “Computer, isolate frequency Gamma 6 from the main communications array and activate it. Direct the channel to Starfleet Headquarters, San Francisco, Earth. Admiral Appleby’s office.�

The beeps from the terminal sounded distorted as the computer worked. The crackling logo of the UFPs flashed up intermittently on screen as Lane sat there patiently, wary of any unfamiliar sounds out through the door across the room from him. After a minute or so, a dark haired man, distinguished and aging, fizzled on the console. As he spoke, his speech was crackling also, but audible.

“Admiral Appleby, here.� he opened with, his face contorting as his expression betrayed his confusion at the distorted picture.

“I apologise for the quality of transmission, Admiral. But I don’t have time to explain. Captain Alexandra Harwood has over stepped the mark. She’s taken over the Archimedes and I need reconfirmation of her orders, sir.�

The Admiral sat there, his face completely blank and frustrated. “Captain… I have no idea what you’re referring to. Harwood?�

“Admiral, Captain Harwood. The Archimedes’ official Mission Advisor that was sent last month. To ensure the peace of the Citadel Sectors prevailed?� Lane pleaded.

The Admiral’s face remained confused. “Harwood was only sanctioned in an unofficial capacity to board the Archimedes… after your direct request of her.�

“Sir,� Lane raised his voice, “that request did not come from me. And she’s done nothing but act in an official capacity since she boarded. She even had my Second Officer carted off to a tribunal.�

“Captain Lane. Lieutenant Commander Kemmer broke the…�

“I haven’t contacted you to talk of Kemmer, Admiral. Harwood’s taken over the ship. She’s running the show. I’ve been incarcerated, for God’s sake!�

“She doesn’t have the authority, Captain,� he retorted, almost insultingly.

“The computer recognises her authority over mine. There’s nothing I can do. And the crew, as myself, have come to believe that this is a sanctioned move by Command.�

The Admiral moved his focus to another console on his desk, and haplessly tapped at its base. He hmm’d to himself as his eyes scanned over the text. “The reports I have filed show that we have sent several communiqués to the Archimedes over the past three days. All of which have gone unanswered. We have despatched the USS Agamemnon to investigate. She should be with you in hours.�

“Harwood is most likely on the bridge, Admiral. She’ll know.�

“The Agamemnon is a Defiant, Captain. She won’t.�

Lane breathed a sigh of relief almost as he let the Admiral’s words wash over him. “I hope she won’t be needed. I’m taking the Archimedes off Harwood. She’s played her little game long enough.� he quipped.

Appleby diverted his eyes from the screen, took in a deep breath, and contorted his face once again. “Harwood, although officially Starfleet, still has allegiances to the Agency. I am sending you a data package along this channel. If the bridge detects it, Ops will read the download as radiation interference.�

“Don’t worry, Admiral. I have Ops on my side for the moment.�

“Good, install the pack into your console. The program will do the rest for you. It’ll reset the computer to lock out Harwood and give you back control of the ship. We use it should a Captain be… coerced to hand over command to a foreign party.�

“Understood, Admiral. I’ll be in contact with you as soon as I am back in control. Lane out.�


OFF:

---

Captain Coltan Lane
Commanding Officer (Removed)

AND

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Shalie Montgomery
Chief Operations Officer

 

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