Let's Start at the Very Beginning
Posted on Fri Dec 3rd, 2010 @ 4:45pm by Captain Elsie Halliwell & Commander Curtiss Drake & Captain T'mpest Michaels & Lieutenant Commander Dylan Blake & Lieutenant JG Jason Fisher & Lieutenant Jimmy Cooper & Lieutenant JG Lucy Carter
2,685 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Lost Friends
Location: Overton
Timeline: Current
[ON]
Location: Bridge, USS Ranger
"Captain, we are approaching Overton now, slowing to impulse power." Zhukov said as the Ranger dropped out of warp. "Standard orbit, Captain?" he asked Elise as she sat in the CO's chair at the center of the bridge.
“Take us in, Commander,� the captain agreed, placing her hands on the arm-rests of her chair, uncrossing her legs and shifting her weight anticipatorily forward.
"Aye, Captain. Entering standard orbit." replied Zhukov as he tapped a few buttons on his display. "I have the coordinates of the archaeological dig, Captain. Do you want me to route those to the Transporter Room?" he asked her.
She nodded silently to him, as Zhukov had arched his neck over his shoulder to view both her and Curtiss.
Uncharacteristically late, T'kaarch bursted on the bridge from the turbolift, flew to one of the science stations, enabled it, then realised everyone was looking at him so he turned around to the captain, bowed slightly and purred "Sorrrry Captain, science rrreporrrts kept me up late last night, I.. errrrr... overrrslept."
Hiding his snicker Blake turned at the sound of T'kaarch late arrival before returning his attention to the console before him.
Elsie shot a loaded glance at the Lieutenant, fixed his open gaze with a look that detailed we’ll discuss this later and returned her attention to her First Officer. “There’s no point in arguing with me at this point in the mission, Commander, but I’m leading the away team down to the surface.� She stood up in preparation to depart the bridge.
Another chill came over T'kaarch's spine, he was in trouble and he knew it. Even so, nothing to be done now, so he quickly started working the sensors for more information about the planet which long-range sensors hadn't already coped with.
"Just because there's no point, doesn't mean I won't." Drake replied, his deep baritone reverberating across the Bridge. "Need I remind you of Starfleet protocols regarding a Captain on an away mission." he added, folding his arms across his chest. He couldn't blame her for wanting to go, hell he'd have wanted to go if the roles were reversed, but that didn't change the reality of it, or the danger.
Tapping her commbadge in a wistfully defiant action, she smiled at Drake and said, “Commander Michaels and Lieutenant Carter, meet us in Transporter Room One to beam down to the surface.� Shooting a look to Lieutenant Fisher, one that invited him into their previous silent conspiracy, she added, “Mr. Fisher, you’re with me.� Over her shoulder and without looking in his direction she uttered, “You too, Lieutenant.�
T'kaarch was a little surprised, he hadn't thought the captain to lead this away mission. In some way, it made the chill on his spine even worse. Nevertheless, he fixed the sensors on continuous scans, gave a quick nod to the Science ensign coming to relieve him, then followed Halliwell silently onto the turbolift.
Fisher nodded across the bridge to the relief tactical officer who approached the station. Logging out of his console, he stepped out and joined the captain and the others in the turbo-lift, already thinking about ensuring that the away-team were appropriately armed before heading down to the planet.
[Transporter Room]
T'mpest walked into the transporter room, a messenger bag of items she might need at the archaeological site. She greeted the officer on duty and waited for the others to join her.
Carter stepped into the room and went straight to the transporter pad. This was not going to be an easy mission and had been running through her training scenarios to try to prepare. She had a serious expression on her face - one that did not suit her.
Hallwell, T’kaarch and Fisher entered the room silently, all three now brandishing a holstered phaser at Jason’s request. Considering what had transpired on the previous away mission on Marchwiel, and yet despite Halliwell’s personal feelings that this trip down to the surface was almost diplomatic in its nature, and that excessive projection of force and/or anxiety on behalf of Starfleet would be detrimental, the captain had conceded and allowed the arming of the officers.
They walked across the small room from the doors, sweeping the Vulcan and counsellor up into their midst as they did so, and all five of them mounted the transporter pads. Looking over to Crewman Lang who was diligently stood behind the terminal, Elsie said, “Have you received the site coordinates from the helm, Crewman?� The young man nodded, tapped in a few sporadic commands and met her eyes. “Aye, Sir. Ready when you are.�
She nodded her return, gripped the handle of her phaser as habit dictated and relayed “Energise.�
The blue wash of ionised particles tickled about their midriffs, pulling up and down from that focal point as the misty form of the transporter room sparkled and dissipated to be overlaid with the warm, sunny and arid landscape of the dig-site. As the visage came into focus for the team the immediate of a figure, unfamiliar to the captain, came marching up to them, a face like thunder and a temper to match.
*Hmm, looks somehow different as I remembered it...* T'kaarch thought. *wait, have I been here before at all? Hmm...* He said nothing though.
Carter surveyed their surroundings and wished she had worn her lighter-weight uniform. Dust hung in the air at her feet covering her boots in a fine powder as the transport completed. She spotted their host and immediately thought about how to disarm his obvious bad mood.
T'mpest stayed behind the others. She was here to survey the archaeological site. The rest she would leave to the others.
Teegan had been waiting for the group from the Ranger for nearly twenty minutes. Not a promising sign. Five of them, she thought. A Captain, a doctor, a bodyguard, a spy and a scientist. Not much to look at. She looked the Captain and the cat over carefully. The other three weren't worth her time. "I'm Teegan Mar. Head of the archaeological expedition. Do you have news of the artefact or is this another fishing expedition?"
Halliwell fell immediately silent and coldly narrowed her eyes on such an unwelcome welcome. She took in a breath, held it and then decided to take more of a diplomatic approach than she ordinarily would have. “Ms. Mar, I’m Captain Halliwell of the Ranger. We’ve been tasked to head up the investigation of locating the Archimedes. I’m here to find out what you know of the device, you’re last impression of the ship and its security and if you know of anyone who would want this... device for themselves.� She decided to get straight to business. This woman was obviously in no mood for pleasantries.
"May I see your orders?" Teegan asked. She wanted to be sure these people really were sent from Starfleet. She didn't need more trouble than she already had. “I know a great deal about the device. I found it and I discovered what it was. My impression of the Archimedes? They didn't take their task as seriously as they should have. They refused to send me regular updates as requested and they thought I was overreacting when I told them they weren't doing enough to protect the artifact. And see where it left them." She took a deep breath and continued. "As for who would want it, the answer is everyone."
The contempt was so great, even T'kaarch felt waves of denigration down his skin. While he didn't know this woman, he sure as hell felt she didn't like to see them.
Halliwell shot her team a look that simply stated, “Great,� but then she returned her attention back to the formidable Teegan, took in a breath and forcibly smiled. The crew knew that Halliwell’s temper was not something to be trifled with, however, when dealing with external personnel she knew her authority was somewhat lacking. She did not, by any stretch, however, want what little authority she did posses to be undermined by this archaeologist, and certainly not in front of her team.
Elsie remained stoic, fixed the woman with an iced glare and said, “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear, Ms Mar… We’re fighting the same cause. Anything you can tell me would serve my investigation better if it were not laced with such personal disdain in your delivery. Am I clear?�
"Oh, you made yourself clear," Teegan said. "Perhaps you didn't understand. Everyone will want to get their hands on this device. They could even go as far as to pose as Starfleet officers. So, again, why should I trust you?"
At that point T'kaarch decided to shake the odd feeling the woman gave, grabbed a PADD to make notes from and did a step forward. "My apologies," he purred, "I'm the Chief Scientist aboarrrd the Rrrangerrr. I would like to know if this device would send out any emissions orrr anything you know of which could help us locate it."
Teegan looked him over again before replying. "No. If it were that easy, I'd already know where it was. The artifact doesn't work that way. I doubt that whoever has it will be able to use it at the moment, either. They'll know what it does, but not how to implement it."
"How do you know what it does then? Have you everrr seen it worrrking?" The question was inquisitive in nature, but T'kaarch's slightly lacking social skills could be perceived as rude.
Teegan smiled coolly. "Of course. That's why Starfleet got involved. It became a matter of galactic security to test the artifact and figure out exactly how it works."
"Well, it does sound like something a Nova-class Starship should be able to deal with..." T'kaarch was still making notes.
Halliwell stepped in, angered somewhat by the blatant disgust Teegan was displaying not only to her, but her team. “Ms. Mar,� she interjected with her face now lost without the insincere smile it had just so recently sported, “if you have no constructive information to help us (and by all accounts, you to locate this piece of equipment, and the Archimedes, perhaps we should just leave you to it. She nodded to the officers that surrounded her with the intent of beaming back to the ship, then, tapping her combadge, she said, “Away team to Ranger…�
"Drake here." replied a deep baritone from the other end.
"I never said I have no constructive information," Teegan said coolly. She had very little time -- or patience -- with the military mindset. "I said I don't know that you are the people I should give it to. You've given me no indication that you have the authority to obtain this information." She again looked at T'kaarch. "Nor am I confident you have anyone who can understand it if I do."
T'kaarch actually responded on this blatant personal attack, immediately putting the PADD back in his pocket and facing the Captain. "Let's go home." He rather faced the captain's wrath for oversleeping then some stuck-up archeologist who wouldn't know a cat from a scientist if it hit her in the face.
Halliwell stepped to T’kaarch’s defence with a venom quite uncharacteristic to her usual passive yet acerbic demeanour. Tapping her combadge, she quickly said, “Commander, I’ll be in touch. Halliwell out,� before closing the channel and walked forward to meet Teegan face to face. “My crew are the most capable I have ever served with, unrivalled! How dare you question either their or my own abilities! She stepped back and nodded harshly to Fisher to produce the credentials.
"That's what Captain Kerr said, and look what happened to him," Teegan sneered as Fisher walked towards her.
Jason Fisher approached the cold archaeologist with an outwardly confident air, but inside he was already all-too aware of her sharp tongue and had no with to be on the wrong end of it. "I believe this will allay your concerns," he said calmly, holding out a PaDD.
Teegan looked them over carefully, then handed them back to Fisher with a nod. "It would have saved a good deal of trouble if you'd given them to me to begin with."
Fisher took the PaDD back and retreated backward a couple of steps without a word.
Halliwell sighed audibly and with emphasis to further labour her annoyance at Teegan’s attitude. “Considering you’re anxious for the device’s return, you don’t half beat around the bush wasting not only my time, but the crew of the Archimedes’ as well. If there’s no further delay, Ms Mar, I would appreciate you assisting us. I assume you’d like to return to the Ranger with us for when we recover the ship, her crew and its contents?�
Halliwell felt, for some reason, that she constantly needed to hammer home the point to the woman that lives were at stake, also. But, gleaning what she already could, rationalised that that aspect of this mission was secondary to her in its concern.
"Captain, I'd like to have a look at the archaeological site before I beam back to the ship," T'mpest said.
Teegan gave her a scathing glare. "There's nothing of interest to your kind there. It's mostly dirt and ruins."
"Precisely," T'mpest replied calmly. She was normally a calm person, and it gave her a mischievous sort of glee to remain calm in the face of this woman's ire.
"Precisely... what?" Teegan scoffed. "If you like digging in the dirt so much, I would recommend someplace you could do less damage."
"I'm an archaeologist. I've worked on a number of digs."
Teegan looked her up and down scornfully "I've never heard of you."
Elsie cleared her throat and interrupted both women. “Regardless of your acquaintance with Ms. Michaels, both her and I shall remain on the planet until I deem otherwise.� She shot T’mpest a confident nod to authorise her somewhat temporary archaeological residence on Overton. She narrowed her eyes to Teegan and then asked, “Where are Mrs. Gray and Captain Kerr’s daughter? I’d very much like to see them… now."
Teegan had been glaring at T'mpest. Now she turned her gaze to the Captain. "I'm an archaeologist, not a babysitter. I have no idea. Didn't your information include their location? No? Then try the Federation embassy. Don't they keep track of all your people?"
T'mpest was having a very hard time keeping a straight face. Doctor Mar would get her due sooner or later. With an attitude like that, it was a wonder she was still working. There were far too many good archaeologists eager to head up expeditions to have to deal with someone like Teegan. "Thank you, Captain. I'll be as quick and thorough as necessary."
That made Teegan do a double take. "Thorough? What do you mean by thorough?" Her eyes widened. "You can't possibly think you have the right to actually touch anything, do you? You'll destroy months of work..."
T'mpest just nodded to the Captain, turned and walked away.
Elsie followed T’mpest’s lead and turned to face away from the wretched woman herself, now concentrating on her crew. Regarding them all, she said, “Take a look around yourselves. Talk to anyone you can and see if we can arm ourselves with any further information to assist. When you’re done, head on back up to the Ranger. I’m off to find Mrs. Gray and Ms. De Winter. Have any reports you file on my desk.�
The group nodded and seemed to disperse outward, tricorders in hand. Elsie turned, looked out towards the baking sun and began to search for them.
OFF:
RSS Feed