Conspiracies Part II
Posted on Wed Apr 3rd, 2024 @ 6:28pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Junior Grade Trelor-Var of the Elanis Upsol & Lieutenant Junior Grade Narin Valen & Ensign Daris Wren & Ensign Rachel Sinclair & Lieutenant Junior Grade Jordan Spencer & Captain Edmund Merrick & Sergeant Major Lachlan Barr & Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke & Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna & Petty Officer 2nd Class Sofia Cipriani & Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhara Rynn
Edited on on Wed Apr 3rd, 2024 @ 6:46pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 15 - The Evil That Lies Beneath
Location: Argo Class Shuttle Hawkeye - Shuttle Bay - Deck 10 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD005 2200 hrs
"Thank you for coming." Edmund responding to Rachel's arrival.
Tyler sat on the bridge and watched as those who were supposed to be his Senior Staff walked into the Shuttle Bay. He had no idea what they were doing or why they were going down there. However, Tyler was not a brand new officer. You did not get the boxed pip for nothing. He knew they were coming, and he was ready. If they tried to take the Bridge from him there would be lives lost and blood spilled. That was the surface of the Captain's brain. Deep within in an ever smaller part of his brain the real Tyler resided and tried to fight. If anyone will stop you and her it is this crew. He had the faith in their victory whether he lived or died.
Marine Drop Shuttle Hawkeye - USS Pioneer Shuttle Bay
Once everyone had arrived there was a small but oh so palpable sense of tension and concern in the Hawkeye. It looked like a ragtag bunch of misfits who were going on an away mission but it was so much more than that.
"Are you sure you want to start this?" Sofia asked Lachlan. "My dad always mentioned something about letting genies out of bottles." she frowned as she tried to get the phrase right in her head but Lachlan knew what she meant.
Lachlan simply looked at her and then back at the group. "Settle down folks." he said as he closed up the rear of the Hawkeye and engaged a device to stop outside listeners. As he turned he noticed all eyes were on him, a now deathly quiet had filled up the vessel.
Sighing he moved back up towards the head of the section. "Okay, there is no real delicate way of putting this and frankly I don't really sugar coat things so..." he ran his fingers across his jawline as if looking for the words.
"Recently there has been behaviour on this ship that is uncharacteristic, out of the norm and it has given me great concern as to the safety and wellbeing of the crew and ship. Commodore Malbrooke has been acting differently, he's paranoid, quick to anger and essentially the opposite from the mild mannered commanding officer we all have came to know. I've had reports from Petty Officer Cipriani, Captain Merrick and others who have cited times where they feel he is a totally different person."
He began to pace along one section in front of them. He did that when delivering mission plans as well if he didn't need to be static and point at a screen.
"Then we have Commander McGowen. She has found a bound of confidence, an attitude that she is infallible, indestructible in her position and even though I don't know the woman too well I can see a shift in her as well..."
"Not to mention also that I cannot seem to find Major Tremble or most senior department heads on board this ship. Almost as if they have been scooped up of the face of the galaxy." he then turned to the group in front.
"Which is why most of you are here. You now represent the command structure, outside of the CO and 2XO, within your respective departments. Now, what I need from you, from some of you are instances where you feel or have seen a change in our CO and CIO as this will serve to help me make a decision on how to move forward." Lachlan was being quite vague for a reason right now.
The subject of mutiny, or removing a CO from command, was never an easy one to bring up and especially if there were young crew there who still have the flash of the bright Starfleet light in their eyes. Misplaced loyalty to a CO could often be a downfall of many an ensign if they didn't understand the larger picture.
"Floor is open guys and girls." Lachlan gestured his right hand as if opening up the stage. He looked at Merrick and then to Tyler's wife, Kat, she looked the most uncomfortable but whether that was the pregnancy, the subject matter, or both was anyone's guess... but it was probably both.
Kat met his gaze and decided to go first. "I'm opposed to mutiny for a number of reasons, but I admit there's something wrong with Ty. It's like he's another person." She looked around at the people gathered. "Those of you who've seen him understand. Have any of you considered what may be the cause of his change or are you determined to mutiny first and then decide what's going on?" Yes, she was a little belligerent. She didn't come here to talk about mutiny but to find a way to get her husband back--as well as the missing crew. "I think we should talk about how to work around him until we can find out what's going on."
"I've been looking into this since Neil disappeared and I have my suspicions about what's going on," Jayna said. "I don't know where Major Tremble and the others have gone, but this is not the first time something like this has happened to a starship. Even Commodore Malbrooke and Commander McGowen being compromised happened before. This is all part of a larger problem and if we don't figure it out, we're going to end up just like that other crew, and like the missing department heads." She'd been trying to do this by herself, or with a few trusted friends, but it was time to speak up and get more people working to find a solution. "I think we need to look at the similarities between that other ship and the Pioneer and find answers."
Edmund cleared his throat before speaking, "At this point and time, there is a problem where Tyler has seemed not inclined to leave the chair of command. Last time I saw him on the bridge there were signs of deteriorating health at least to my perception. Does anybody have an indication of him gaining sustenance?"
"He didn't eat the last time he came to our quarters," Kat said. "And I haven't seen him since he moved to the bridge. If we're going to do anything, it has to be by the book. Medical and counseling need to certify that he's not fit for duty so he can get help. Even though he's not himself, we can't just mutiny."
"We also need to be aware that next in command after the commodore is Commander McGowen and she's not herself, either," Jayna added. She didn't want a mutiny, but they had to do something to save the missing crew and remove whatever was causing the two senior officers to act so unlike themselves.
Lachlan sighed a little. "First off, no-one has openly said we are going to mutiny against Tyler and Rowena. As a predominantly military man I hate the idea of it and am opposed to it on many levels as well. I believe in the chain of command but if it has weak links then the whole chain is at risk of breaking. There are reports of drastic changes of character to both the CO and CIO, very much out of the norm." he looked at Sofia to indicate her to speak.
Sofia noticed this and looked at him with a double take not thinking she would be thrust into the limelight. Hesitantly she rose to her feet. "Commodore Malbrooke has always been kind to me, he's looked out for me and been a great role model and someone I look up to a great deal..." she paused and felt a pang of guilt as she looked at Kat. They'd gotten to know each other a little better since her pregnancy announcement and Tyler's focus shifting to that a touch.
"But right now... he's not that man." Sofia sighed with a slight tear in her eye. Always an emotional woman but some had to remember she was still only a teenager. "I don't think of myself as an expert but recently he has been on edge, he snaps at me, he's put me on notice for spilling coffee, the way he looks at me gives me chills and when he put me on notice he..." she took a few deep breaths to steady herself. "he... he... threw my fathers death in my face. Saying if I'd listened to him and stayed home I could have stopped it. That I'm a disappointment... and its just not him. I know it's not." her legs began to shake and Lachlan looked at Merrick to settle her back down to her seat.
Edmund reached out and guided Sofia back down to her seat next to him.
"Thank you Petty Officer." Lachlan said a little coldly but the point had been made. "Commodore Malbrooke, at the moment, has sat himself in the command chair on the bridge as many of you have said. He has been there for an ungodly amount of hours and has waved off attempts to relieve him for rest. Any food brought to him is not eaten and when he does get up, even for the briefest of times, he comes straight back with a flask in hand. We can talk about Commander McGowen in a moment." He looked at the Lieutenants Rynn and Spencer. "From a mental health and medical perspective there must be a way we can potentially remove him from command for medical reasons. I'd rather that than a mutiny of any kind."
"I haven't seen the captain recently," Zhara began, "But from everything I've heard both here and while walking around the ship, it sounds like he's suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. It may be borderline personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder, but the first sounds more likely. He will need to be confined to sickbay where he can get his body chemistry stabilized and undergo both a medical and psychiatric evaluation to ascertain a proper diagnosis and treatment."
She smiled reassuringly at Kat, then turned to Doctor Spencer for his opinion.
Wren quietly listened to the exchanged amongst the officers, more experienced with the crew that is missing, and the senior officers. He folded his arms and leaned back against the wall of the shuttle. "I have no idea what Malbrooke is like. He has been cold to me from the start, but if the ship is at risk, then our first duty is to secure it." He offered quietly, nervous about the talk of mutiny already coming from the others.
Jordan Spencer observed the exchange with a calculated demeanor, his mind processing the information as it unfolded before him. As Lachlan outlined the concerns surrounding Commodore Malbrooke's behavior, Jordan's expression remained impassive, his professional façade firmly in place.
When Sofia spoke of her unsettling encounters with the Commodore, Jordan's eyes flickered with a hint of concern, though he made no outward display of emotion. He recognized the gravity of the situation and the potential implications of the crew's observations.
As the discussion turned towards potential courses of action, Jordan nodded thoughtfully, his gaze shifting between the officers gathered in the shuttle. When Zhara proposed a medical approach to removing the Commodore from command, Jordan's eyebrows raised ever so slightly in acknowledgment.
"It's a possibility," he remarked in his usual measured tone, his words carefully chosen. "But we'll need to ensure a thorough evaluation is conducted to determine the best course of action. Removing a commanding officer from duty is not a decision to be taken lightly."
He glanced at Kat, offering a brief nod of reassurance before returning his attention to the group. "If we proceed with this approach, we'll need to coordinate closely with medical and counseling to ensure the Commodore receives the care he needs while safeguarding the ship's operations."
With a subtle shift in his posture, Jordan conveyed his readiness to assist in whatever capacity necessary, his focus unwavering as the discussion unfolded.
One thing that was going through Edmund's mind was that it seems that those who he had spoken to department head wise, either of Rowena or that of Tyler have initially disappeared. "I won't want to mutiny, I feel though that there needs to be a plan made in order to remove Commodore Malbrooke from the bridge. One thing I hadn't thought of, was that the Commodore does have a replicator, where he can get food in his ready room. There is a head just off of the bridge for him to use. I know, details that may not be important, still there is that fact. He can very well keep himself fed, and take care of the call of nature. Sleep on the other hand..." Edmund looked towards Wren to acknowledge his comment. "It is most definitely a security problem." his eyes moving towards Sinclair. "What say you?" he asked Rachel.
Taking a moment to think over the situation, Rachel did her best to put her doubts aside for now, "i suppose there are a few options depending on how long we want to put the Captain into sickbay for. For example, we could flood the bridge with a knockout gas or we could completely extract all atmosphere from the entirety of deck 1"
Narin quietly observed and listened. He felt like an outsider amidst the unfamiliar faces. Being new to the group, he decided to remain silent and absorb the ongoing discussion. The notion of munity made him feel uneasy, but he found reassurance in the prospect of exploring medical avenues to address the situation.
"To use knockout gas, or removal of atmosphere, would impact those on the deck and bridge that we are not wanting to subdue. If we wanted to isolate him we'd need to evacuate the deck without his knowledge which is a big ask given the bridge is always manned. If we leave as is then we knock out upwards of a dozen people at least and that's a lot of paperwork and then reasoning from me as to why I made the command decision to do so." Lachlan spoke. "I have enough reasoning for Malbrooke, not so much the others." he added before looking at Merrick then Jordan.
"The trouble with getting the medical requirement to remove him from command is that he refuses to leave the bridge for any medical scans or evaluations from either yourself Doctor Spencer or yourself Doctor Rynn. At the moment all I have is that his behaviour is irregular to his usual kind, he seems to be paranoid of others and quite quick to anger. That's unlike him, but I would imagine the lack of sleep is only agitating those behaviours. Although I am no doctor." he shook his head.
"Lack of sleep over a period of time does lead to hallucinations and delusional behavior, Zhara said. "It could definitely contribute to the problem at hand. At the same time, if either Doctor Spencer or I walked onto the bridge, the captain would immediately assume we were after him and react accordingly. We would need something more subtle. Has he locked out site-to-site transportation?"
"I'd say that would be a safe bet" Rachel said as she tried to think of another solution, "if we could distract him for a while, we could get a couple of people onto the bridge through the airlock at the back of deck 1. A short space walk"
"With the disappearance of Major Tremble XO duties fell on Commander McGowen. However, she appears to not be fulfilling those either so duty rostering has fallen on me." Lachlan paused for a moment as he tried to choose his words carefully. "To some extent I could man the bridge with those of us that are devoted to helping Captain Malbrooke and we can work out a way to do this safely and respectfully. I'd rather not cause a scene if I didn't have to and if we have those that are with us and things kick off we have more of a chance of a positive resolution."
Edmund flinched slightly at the mention of Tremble being gone. He thought over what had been proposed, then he stated, "There is another way we could utilize, and that is using the Hawkeye and transport him here, if he doesn't accept the prognosis of Doctor Spencer and Sergeant Major Barr. A viridim strip or an isotope tag could very well make it to where he can be taken off the bridge. There will have to be a direct contact with Commodore Malbrooke, in order for this to happen. Unless there is another way that could be suggested."
"Isn't the Hawkeye one of the places that can't be monitored from the bridge?" Jayna asked.
"That is correct." Edmund replied, "Which is why this meeting is occuring here instead of anywhere else. If we were to go with the idea that I had suggested, we're going to have to do team work, someone in engineering lowering the shields long enough for those who will be on the Hawkeye to acquire a lock on Malbrooke then sweep him here. Though will that be problematic, if we go this route? Any objections or other ideas to be presented?"
"Can the shuttle stay within the shields?" Jayna asked. "So you don't have to take them down? Because that would put the ship at risk while it's still in the nebula."
"If the Captain detects an unauthorised shuttle launch he'll put that bridge on lockdown and we'll be unable to beam him out regardless. Lockdown places an extra layer of protection around the bridge and interference to transporters." Lachlan replied but his mind was already working.
"Right... a coordinated effort. Lieutenants Spencer and Rhynn will outfit this rear space of the Hawkeye with whatever equipment necessary to make scans and whatnot of the Captain. Lieutenant Upsol can help with equipment installation if necessary but it needs to be done quietly. Captain Merrick, Lieutenants Valen and Jayna, Ensign Sinclair and I will secure the bridge as best we can, with Ensign Sinclair dropping the aft shields to let the Hawkeye out and then the fore dorsal shielding around the bridge section so that Ensign Wren can manoeuvre the shuttle into a line of sight and we'll beam Malbrooke out of there. As we're within the nebula it might require some savvy flying." he looked at Wren. "But I'm confident you'll be up to the job."
"I'll talk to the Captain before mission launch. Try and get him to go to sickbay freely and of his own volition. If he refuses we'll go ahead with the plan I've just laid out." Lachlan added. "I'm not going to lie, this is extreme and there will be repercussions if we are wrong but given all evidence about the Captain and other instances on the ship this is the only way to keep the rest of the crew safe and the Pioneer in one piece. If you have any objections to taking part now would be the time to voice them. As it stands we move forward with or without you." Looking over at Merrick, Lachlan gave a steely gaze that showed nothing but confidence but also a hint that he wanted him to back this plan as a fellow marine and friend.
"I do suggest that I be on the Hawkeye, with those that will be on here, as Wren can confirm, Malbrooke wasn't pleased when I came on the bridge previously. Adjustments? We make certain that there could be a makeshift secured area to where he doesn't get harmed." Edmund stated. " I am for this happening though, and I will back you on this." looking at his friend and having just as much of an expression of determination that reflected Barr's.
"Cheers Ed. Something like this is never an easy topic, planning it more so." Lachlan looked towards the rest of the officers in the shuttle.
Kat wasn't sure she liked this plan, but they had to do something. "Do you want me to try and get Ty to leave the bridge? He's as suspicious of me as he is of the rest of you, but I'm still his wife." She turned to Sofia. "Or the two of us could try together?"
A Joint Post By
Commodore Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Trelor-Var of the Elanis Upsol
Assistant Chief Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Narin Valen
Assistant Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Daris Wren
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Rachel Sinclair
Assistant Chief Security & Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Jordan Spencer
Assistant Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer
Captain Edmund Merrick
Executive Officer, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Sergeant Major Lachlan Barr
Chief of the Boat, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke
Operational Advisor, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Mira Jayna
Intelligence Liaison, The Cure
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer, USS Pioneer
Petty Officer Second Class Sofia Cipriani
Captain's Yeoman, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhara Rynn
Counselor, USS Pioneer
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