Timely Arrivals (Part II)

Posted on Sun May 12th, 2024 @ 4:56am by Commander Grace Vetur & Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii & Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova & Lieutenant Zero

1,402 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Standing By
Timeline: MD01

[PREVIOUSLY]

Not hanging around, Yiv spun on his heel with a breezy 'you're welcome,' and made for the Ready Room door. As it closed behind him, he looked at a small listening device in his palm. Despite the itchiness within him to know what was going on, he had refrained from placing it down.

He sighed as he walked towards his new chair. Best to trust they'll inform us properly of what's going on.

[CONTINUED]


[READY ROOM]

The two women were quiet while they each fixed a cup of tea. Then the admiral set her cup down and sighed. "I'm sorry you've had a lot dumped on you recently, but you've handled it well. I've been keeping up on Captain Michael's condition, and since he's not going to improve any time soon, Starfleet Command has decided that it is in the best interest of the Ontario to turn command over to a new captain."

That was what Grace had been expecting, but she hoped they'd be able to drop Elijah off at a starbase first. She wondered if the new captain was on his or her way. "And?"

"And," Kathryn began, pulling a small box out of her pocket and setting it on the table in front of Grace, "We agree that you are the best person for the job. Effective immediately, you are officially the captain of the USS Ontario with a promotion to commander. Congratulations." She smiled before picking up her cup. "I hope you don't mind that I'm taking advantage of the moment. I'm not sure what will happen when we tell Kilgore that Max can't be reached and I didn't want to postpone your promotion."

Grace took a moment to process the news. Then she nodded. "Thank you, admiral. I appreciate your confidence in me." It would probably take her a few hours to fully process the fact that she was officially in charge, but she couldn't help smiling at the news.

The two women chatted while they finished their tea and cookies. Admiral Burke appeared calm, but Grace felt the knot in her stomach. She knew time was short and she didn't want to have to face Kilgore again. "Do you know what he wants?"

"Kilgore? No. But I'm sure he has something planned, either for the girl or Max." Or both, she thought. But she was counting on the wording of the pirate king's request. Grace had to deliver the message within 24 hours, and she had, to the best of her ability.

"Do you know Doctor Aaron Marcus?" Grace asked, setting down her cup. "Or why he was sent here?"

"I don't know him, no, but you were in need of a doctor and he seemed the right fit."

Grace raised an eyebrow. The right fit? For the ship, for the new commander, or for Haruna? She shook her head. "He's competent, but he's a bit rough around the edges."

"Maybe he needs this ship as much as this ship needs him?" Burke countered. She finished her own tea and set the cup down. "Sometimes you need a Mizuhara to shake things up. Sometimes you need a Marcus."

"But both?" Grace asked with a wry smile.

"Sometimes."

[BRIDGE]

Alarms on the bridge began to sound as a warning appeared on the tactical and operations console. A ship was beginning to decloak in front of the Ontario. The image on the main viewer of the stars and void of space in front of them began to distort. Slowly, but surely, the distortion took form and was now in full view. It was a Romulan Valdore Class Warbird. The very same from Zero's report on Kilgore's ship.

"It would appear, whatever timeframe the Captain was given, is either coming near to an end or has reached its conclusion." Zero replied quickly as he tapped on his console. "Commander... We are receiving a hail." He said, looking over to Yiv.

'Open the channel,' Yiv ordered.

"Channel Opened." Zero said as he tapped on the console.

"Ontario!" Kilgore's voice shouted over the com-channel. "This is Captain Kilgore of the Blackheart. I am sure, by now, you are aware of who I am and what I want. Let's not waste each other’s time any further, shall we?" Kilgore paused slightly before continuing. "I see you have a special guest on board. A bit of a danger to have the Fleet Commander out here on a vulnerable Starship, but I am willing to keep my tactical officer from giving into his darker impulses. I can't promise his trigger finger will comply just as easily."

"Is your tactical officer a rabid dog, Captain?" Anahera asked.

"No... He's a Gorn." Kilgore replied calmly.

"Powerful fighters, limited fine motor skills, slow moving, hate the cold." Anahera said. "Sounds like fun. I hereby challenge this Gorn of yours, Captain to Close quarters combat."

Percy snorted from the science station. Being half-Tellarite he enjoyed a good bit of bantering, but he also had more of a sense of duty these days. "Anahera, play nice" he said in a stern but pleasant tone.

"I am, I informed him of the challenge, before attacking his tactical officer." Anahera replied.

The Chief Science Officer surrendered his science station to join Yiv. He felt that was where he needed to be in that instance. "Captain Kilgore, I could not agree with you more about wasting time. It is a precious commodity."

Both Grace and Burke emerged from the ready room and moved toward the center chairs to stand beside Yiv and Percy.

"Captain, you gave me 24 hours," Grace said, trying to remain calm on the outside. "You're early."

Kilgore laughed heartily before replying back. "I am sure you know the old saying, Captain. Early bird gets the worm; Early worm gets... dead." As soon as he finished his sentence the main view screen switching to Kilgore on the bridge of his ship. "Well... Well... Admiral Burke. The stress of your position and the years of service have certainly been kind to you." He held his hands out and smiled deviously. "Tell me... Where is our mutual acquaintance, Admiral Hunter. Off playing the galaxies secret hero, as always?"

"I wouldn't know. I came here to meet with Commander Vetur," Kathryn replied. It was true, if not the entire truth. "The better question is, what brings you here, Mr. Kilgore?"

Sliding out of the center chair, Yiv moved to stand by Percy as he saw Kilgore for the first time. Not quite how I imagined a pirate ... though I'm not sure what I was expecting entirely. He watched both his superior officers discretely, wishing to learn more about Kilgore's appearance.

"I fulfilled my side of your agreement. You said you'd leave us alone if I did." Grace knew it wasn't what he wanted, but it was what he said and she'd try to hold him to it. Even if she knew who the girl was or where she was, she wouldn't tell him.

Burke preferred to let Grace do the talking for now. She expected Kilgore to be early, but not this early. Not unless he did it just so that Max would fail. It made her wonder what he really had up his sleeve. Which, no doubt, they'd all learn shortly. Kilgore had little patience. Unfortunately, that didn't apply to his desire for revenge. For that, he could wait decades.

"You're right, Commander. You've fulfilled your part." Kilgore replied as a fiendish smile formed on his face. "However, since the Admiral of the Fleet has decided to invite herself onto your ship... I find myself in a position I can't allow to slip." He raised his hands as the crew around him began to move frantically, tapping away at consoles and rush from one side to the other, as two D7-Class Klingon Cruisers decloaked on either side of Kilgore's ship. "You should have stayed home, Kathryn. Or... you should have come here in a bigger ship."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii
Executive Officer
USS Ontario

Admiral Kathryn Burke
Fleet Admiral
Theta Fleet

Commander Grace Vetur
Commanding Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Zero
Chief Operations Officer
USS Ontario

Captain Thayne Kilgore
Captain
Blackheart

Lieutenant Anahera Chernova
Chief Security Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Percy Bálor
Chief Science Officer
USS Ontario

 

RSS Feed