Back On the Bridge (Part I)

Posted on Sat Feb 24th, 2024 @ 8:10am by Commander Grace Vetur & Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii & Lieutenant Commander Aaron Marcus & Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D
Edited on on Thu Mar 7th, 2024 @ 6:49am

1,385 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Standing By
Location: Bridge (and others)
Timeline: After Haruna's escapade

ON

Grace was tired and worried, but she needed to check on her ship before she considered sleeping. She walked onto the bridge, expecting to see her gamma shift crew, but she was surprised to find Yiv and Percy. "What are you doing here?" she asked, hoping this was not a portent of more trouble. But, knowing her crew, it probably was.

Percy knew that voice. It took him only a beat of his heart to spring to his hooved feet and exclaim "What the hell are you doing here?!" and he charged towards Grace and immediately wrapped his arms around her waistline and embraced her snuggly.

"Ma'am," Percy said and was reluctant to let go. If she was going to snatched up by a transporter beam again, he was destined to go with her. "Are you okay? Where have you been? Let's get you down to Sickbay."

She hugged Percy back. There were times when he was charming and when she enjoyed his company, but this show of affection was unexpected. "I'm fine. Tired, but fine. It wasn't the same pirates that took Amanda and Haruna." She looked at Yiv, one eyebrow raised. "What's going on? I didn't expect to see you both on the bridge this early."

Percy though no longer wrapped around Grace, was still within arm’s reach should there be a single molecule of her body that began to fade. "You expect us to sleep much?" Percy snorted.

"You were snatched away, we just went through a whole ordeal of Amanda and Haruna being abducted, and I just had to fumigate the damn Jefferies tube because Haruna went all bat shit Kichigai on Amanda. Frankly, she may be rabid, but she’s detained for the time being."

He looked at Yiv "That sums it up, i think?"

The Efrosian nodded. 'Commander Chernova's team are well drilled, and efficient. They're also good hunters. I think she and her team deserve a commendation. As does Lieutenant Zero. His work has been essential these past few days.'

Grace nodded. She would definitely see to it.

Pausing he tugged at his moustaches, and stepped closer, voice dropping in volume. 'I also took the liberty of having Starfleet Medical send a frigate. In my view, an un-sedated Haruna is a danger to the ship and crew in this state.' Pausing again, he looked to the floor. 'I do not believe we have the skills, or time, to dedicate to her recovery. A medical facility is best for her.'

Percy nodded "Counselling with Amanda isn't going to get her anywhere" stated Percy. "And that's not me saying Amanda isn't a good counselor for once. Haruna is just not in a state where she'd put in the work."

He noted what Yiv said about Zero and Anahera. "Oh, and I want some of the restrictions lifted on my plant requests. I've been a good piglet."

As if Percy summoned her, Amanda walked onto the bridge. She observed everything that was occurring and wondered where the Commander had come from. There were dark circles under Amanda's eyes as it had taken quite a bit of time for Amanda's door to be repaired by engineering after Haruna's destruction of it. "Captain?" she asked. "Am I dreaming still, or is that really you?"

"It's really me," Grace assured her. Haruna had been building to some sort of meltdown, but this was not what she expected to find on her return. "I want a full report. While we wait for the frigate, we should have Amanda evaluate her."

Percy looked at Amanda with some concern. "Are you up for that, Counselor? You two just had a bit of an encounter" the Chief Science Officer stated. He did have genuine concern for Amanda's safety.

He looked at Grace. "Haruna was with Amanda when she went off the rails and started... there's not delicate way to say she's unhinged."

Grace turned to Amanda. "Exactly how did she go off the rails? So far, I only know that she did." At some point she would have to tell Amanda that the bounty had been paid.

Amanda opened her mouth to answer Grace's question, but before she could do it, the damn pig had usurped her again.

"A damn existential crisis" snorted Percy. "From the security reports, she showed up at Amanda's frantically pushing the chime. Had a bit of breakdown over people not accepting her, put her fist through the plexiglass control panel and tore some wiring out. Stormed off through the Jefferies tube system like a wild animal" explained Percy.

He shrugged. "I had to do something or she was probably going to get to Engineering and dump the warp core. I wouldn't have put it past her. I tried to reason with her but she was deranged. I'd say psychotic fit. Anyways, I had to pump a mixture of knockout gas into the ventilation system in the Jefferies tubes."

Grace closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, dear."

Aaron had not been aboard the Ontario too long. However, he had been there long enough to establish his old routine when serving on starships. He rather disliked being a Chief Medical Officer and wanted to concentrate more on his experiments with incurable diseases, so he set a protocol on the computer to alert him when any crew member left the ship or boarded the ship unexpectedly. Moments ago, the chime showed him that the Captain had returned. He watched the internal sensors as they revealed the Captain going to the bridge rather than to Sick Bay. He rolled his eyes and exhaled sharply. This was followed by an open channel to the bridge. "Captain Grace Vetur we have not met as of yet. However, I am your country Chief Medical Officer. As such under General Order 39 I am removing you from command. For any officer who has been kidnapped or otherwise taken against their will from this ship must submit to medical evaluation prior to return to duty. So, I will see you soon. Sick Bay out."

Grace's first thought was to tell the doctor to get stuffed, but that would be incredibly rude. "For the record, I was not kidnapped. I was summarily removed from the Ontario for a meeting with a pirate captain. As soon as the meeting was over, I was returned, unharmed," she said out loud, even though the doctor had closed the comm channel. Technically, she was kidnapped, but that did not suit her current argument.

She had a crisis on her hands and a doctor who was... Well, words would not adequately say what he was. But she was about to find out. "I want all officers involved in the Haruna situation to meet in the briefing room in fifteen minutes. If the dear doctor has not seen fit to let me go, we'll just meet in his office."

With that, she turned and headed for the turbolift. When she was halfway there, she turned. "Yiv, Percy, you're still in charge until I deal with the doctor." Then she headed for sickbay.

"Give 'em hell, Grace!" teased Percy as he watched Grace head off and looked over at Yiv. "The Ice Queen cometh," he added.

Amanda looked over at Yiv and Percy, giving Percy a death stare. The moment that Grace was off the bridge, Amanda scolded Percy, "Since when did your name become Amanda? Seems you want everything that I desire...."

"Hey, she just looked at you. It wasn't as if she specifically asked you" said Percy. "Besides, can you blame me? I like to hear myself talk like you always say I'm some sort of narcissistic psychopath or whatever you think about me, but really how are you?"

"She looked at me because she was asking ME the question? Have you not heard of social cues, Percy?" Amanda's eyes narrowed at Percy. "But you're right, you definitely like to hear yourself talk and you're definitely a narcissist. Psychopath is unlikely. Sociopath, we can test for...."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant Commander Grace Vetur
Acting CO
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Percival Bálor
Chief Science Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii
Acting XO
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counselor
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Commander Aaron Marcus
Chief Medical Officer
USS Ontario

 

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