Bridging The Gap
Posted on Tue Aug 3rd, 2021 @ 8:05am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Paul Michael & Ensign Auba Lyna
Edited on on Tue Aug 3rd, 2021 @ 8:21am
2,143 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Episode 11 - Family Matters
Location: Serenity
Timeline: MD005 0900 hrs
Quinn had been in closed door meetings most of the early part of the afternoon. He left Larim in command of the bridge. He was a very capable officer. Quinn was still trying to understand why the Jutrai needed a pilot, when they had their own ships. He knew this was an opportunity to study the Jutrai, but he was a little leary, what their motivation for this move was?
Quinn did not want to waste any time. "Lieutenant Michael, report to the ready room." Quinn called out, still trying to get use to sitting in Tyler's chair.
Michael tapped his combadge. "On my way, sir." He rose from his chair on the bridge, and headed to the captain's ready room, while a replacement took his position.
When Paul reached the RR, he tapped on the chime.
Quinn smiled, as he called out. "Enter." He did not want to show Michael, that he was a little on edge, about loaning out one of his best helmsman to the Jutrai.
Paul entered the ready room, and marched towards the captain's desk. When he reached it, he stopped and reported: "Reporting as ordered, commander."
"That would be Captain, actually." Quinn pointed out to Paul. He did not want to get petty with his helmsman, but starfleet tradition needed to stand. Currently Quinn was in command of the USS Pioneer, and until Tyler relieved him, he was the Captain of the ship.
"Of course, you are correct, captain. My apologies, sir." Paul paused. "You ordered me here, sir. What do you need?"
"The Jutrai have asked us to shuttle one of their scientist. I need my best pilot I have to see this through." Quinn told him, hoping he did not sound to patronizing.
"And of course you thought of me first, sir." He smiled at the captain. "I'll be happy to do it, sir."
"This is a good opportunity, to learn more about the Jutrai. I want us to take full advantage of this opportunity." Quinn suggested to Paul. They knew very little about this sub cultural race. And he wanted to change that.
"I'll just stop off at my quarters and pick up a few things, then I'll head to the hanger deck and start prepping a runabout, captain." Paul looked at the captain. "If that's all sir......"
"That is all, and Lieutenant make a good impression on the scientist." Quinn told him, thinking that was a little brunt. But the Lieutenant had always been to the point type of man. Which Quinn appreciated.
"Aye sir." Paul turned and left the ready room. He took the turbolift down to the deck where his quarters were, and walked from the lift to his door, and entered. He found Lyna there. She stood up and walked over to him and kissed him.
"What did the captain want?" She asked with her arms around his neck
"He wants me to take one of the Jutrai, one of their scientists somewhere. Not sure of when I'll be back." He kissed her again. "While I'm gone, I want you to think about the two of us taking some leave time and going to Bajor."
Lyna was surprised. "Why Bajor?"
"I always thought that you'd would like to be married by a Vedek." He waited for her reaction.
She was stunned. "Married? On Bajor? YES!!"
"Okay....then we'll talk to the captain about getting some leave when this mission is over, but now, I have to go."
He put some items in a bag, and started towards the door.
"Can I come down and see you off." she asked.
"I would like that." He took her hand and they left their quarters.
They arrived on the hanger deck. Serenity was being prepped for launch as he arrived.
Next to the shuttle with her hands behind her back was the scientist Dr Lisae. Her long white hair hung down her back and was pulled into a tight pony tail. She smiled at Paul as he approached, and was elated to be taken on this once in a lifetime journey. "Morning Lieutenant Michael. How goes everything? I am overjoyed your Captain is allowing this mission to occur. It is once in a lifetime for me."
"And may I ask your name?" he said to her.
Lyna looked at the alien...she wasn't happy that her fiancé was going to be cooped up in a runabout for days with her.
"I am Dr Lisae, but you can call me Lissy if you wish most of my friends do. Spending the next few days analyzing Jutus' atmosphere is like a dream come true. We have the ships for the mission but not the labs. So it is exceedingly generous of your Captain to allow us to use your labs." The Dr made no acknowledgement of the Bajoran woman. Most would think this rude, however, to the Jutrai this was normal. When they spoke the person they spoke to had their undivided attention.
Paul nodded. "Dr Lisae. I'd like to introduce Ensign Auba Lyna, of the security section, and my finance."
The Doctor smiled broadly at Lyna. "I am most pleased to make your acquaintance Ensign. Congratulations to you both. A marriage union is a sacred and wonderful event. Will the wedding be soon? How will the wedding be conducted?" Lisae was intensely curious about the rituals surrounding a wedding in the Federation however, she suddenly realized that she may be intruding. "Forgive me and my curious ways? My apologies."
"No need to apologize, doctor. That's why we're here....to get to know each other better." Lyna responded.
"Indeed, and I hope to do just that when we get back. Right now I have to prepare for our mission ahead. If you would excuse me." Lisae said as she headed into Serenity to stow away the instruments.
Paul watched Lisae head towards the ship. He turned to Lyna. "Well...that's my cue to get the ship ready to depart." He leaned towards her and kissed her. "Try not to miss me too much...or worry...this sounds like a routine mission."
Lyna smiled at him. "If anyone can bring the ship back, it's you." She wanted to say ~Keep and eye on her...I don't trust her.~ but she just smiled as her headed to the Serenity.
Lisae finished stowing the sensor equipment and took a seat in the cockpit area. "This should be a fairly routine mission of a pilot of your skill. We will enter the planets upper stratosphere and remain there for about two hours while tests are ran. Once they are completed we will leave. I am sorry it is nothing more exciting." She added with a smirk.
"I always look forward to piloting a runabout on an away mission, that is what is exciting to me." Paul replied.
Paul powered up the ruanbout. "Serenity to bridge. Requesting permission to launch."
"Clear for launch and bay doors are open." the Operations officer of the watch responded through the comm channel.
"All systems are nominal and the Jutus Science Council has already cleared us for atmospheric operations. Launch when ready Lieutenant." Lisae said as she confirmed her orders with the Science Council.
With a light touch, Paul tapped the command, and the Serenity lifted off the hanger deck, and moved out the bay doors, and when it was far enough from the ship, he engaged the warp engines and the Serenity went to warp. "We should reach the system in 4 hours." He stood up and headed to the replicator. "Can I get you anything?"
"I had the opportunity to try some pineapple juice while I toured Pioneer. I would love some more." LIsae replied. She was unsure of how to act. If this mission was solely a Jutrai mission they would travel in silence each doing what they enjoyed. However, with the Starfleet crew small talk was required. She decided that she would allow Paul to take the lead on this and see where it took them.
"Computer, one iced green tea and one chilled pineapple." Two glasses appeared. Paul picked them up, and brought them over, handed hers to her, then sat back down in the pilots chair. He checked some readings, then sipped his drink. "Some people find the getting there, the hardest part of the journey."
"I think it may have something to do with the anticipation. Either that or the simple art of taking turns with nothing to do. At the moment you are flying and I have nothing. When we get there it will be time to reverse the roles.| Lisae replied not really sure how to act.
"The computer can play music, display a book you might want to read or play games. This is normal for me, so to pass the time, I run continues scans and diagnostics to keep my mind focused." responded Paul. "Would you like to try and pilot the runabout?"
The idea of learning how to pilot a Federation starship both appealed to Lisae and was conducive to her mission. "I would love to, but what do I do?"
Paul stood up and moved to her position. "Basically, the computer pilots the runabout, but we can take over if needed." He started pointing to the controls. "This is to increase or decrease speed. You can change course using this control. That's the basics. Other controls control weapons, internal conditions and sensors." He finished and looked at her. "If you think you're ready, I will have the computer give your control." He moved back to his seat and sat down.
It seemed relatively simple and very close to how the Jutrai shuttles ran. "Yes, I think I could handle this now." Lisae said with a smile. She placed her hands on the console in preparation for taking control.
"Computer, disengage auto pilot." The computer acknowledged the order. "You have have control."
The shuttle flew steadily for about five minutes. During that time Lisae had a smile across her face. He was right flying was so freeing it was without words. Just as her ennui was at a height the shuttle began to shutter, the console began to shout out its claxon. "What did I do? What did I do?" Lisae called over the claxon.
Paul turned back to his console. "Computer, status report!"
"Unknown strike to the port nacelle. Engines are offline, weapons are offline, inertial dampeners are offline." the computer responded.
Paul looked at the readouts. "You didn't do anything wrong. Something struck our port nacelle. And we are without engines." He pressed the comm button. "Serenity to Pioneer. Respond." He waited a couple of seconds. "Pioneer, this is Michael, we have a systems failure, require immediate assistance!"
The speakers of the Serenity crackled with static. Either the comm system was done or the Pioneer simply did not receive the signal. "Lieutenant I think we are going down. All systems seem to be going offline. We can make it to a Class M moon if we move now." Lisae said as she read from the console. She hoped she interpreted what she saw correctly.
Paul reached over and opened a panel, and pulled down the lever that was inside. He turned back to the controls. "I just jetisoned a distress bouy. Hopefully the ship will pick up the signal." He checked the readouts. "All we have left is impulse...changing course." The runabout turned and headed to the moon.
"There is a large enough place to land at coordinates 336 mark 9." Lisae called out over the din of the shuttle. The shuttle began to shake and consoles burst into sparks as the it made its descent to the moon.
Paul used what was left of the thrusters to try to raise the nose of the runabout. "Brace yourself!!" The runabout crashed into the surface and skipped for hundreds of yards before coming to a stop.
The Serenity was not serene as it jittered and skittered about on the ground. Lisae sat by next to Paul as he brought the ship in as best as he could given the circumstances. There was a hard jolt and Lisae's head collided with the bulkhead and she lost consciousness. The last thing she remembered was that everything had been going to plan.
A Joint Post By
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Commander Quinn Ó FlannagáinExecutive Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Paul Michael
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Auba Lyna
Security Officer, USS Pioneer
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