Mendocino Arrives

Posted on Thu Nov 23rd, 2023 @ 8:03pm by Commander Chalan Kendri & Captain Ryhl th'Zeles & Lieutenant Commander Johanna Lyngstad & Lieutenant Commander Jason Elliot & Ensign Ivitha zh'Vaoreth

2,598 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Campor III Standard Orbit
Timeline: MD C15 1600 hours

"Duane, open a channel to the Columbia, please," Vila said. "Ask about what we need to expect as we enter Campor airspace," she directed. "Where is Engineering?" She looked around. "Engineering, bring us out of warp now."

Duane rolled his eyes, keying away then "Channel open...Captain." he said, "Hopefully we can get rid of that pack of lunatic pilots, they destroyed the holodeck last night."

=/\= Columbia, this is Captain Lorut Vila. Where are we currently needed? If there's fuckery in this region, why not just launch a torpedo?=/\=

Duane looked at the captain in mild shock, "Smooth." he whispered hoping a reactor breach would happen next.

Ryhl laughed off the comment, knowing the Bajoran was not serious. The smile in his voice could be heard. =/\=Because Captain Lorut.. We don't have an infinite supply of torpedoes.. And I might need them for a real enemy someday..=/\=

Wasn't their engineer one of the best in the Fleet?! And they had replicators, right?! She sighed.

There was a slight pause over comms. =/\=You guys ended up kind of far away for your scans. We'd been hoping for your help with an earlier standoff. At this point, we need the Mendocino to stay in this area. We're organizing a joint investigation along with the local settlements. We could use your science officers and security personnel to assist these operations.=/\=

==/\==Alright. We can do that.==/\== A pause came as she turned to issue those orders. "Chiefs, get yourselves ready, please. Helm, keep us in orbit. Get with Engineering and Ops and figure out how to keep us in orbit as long as we're needed." When each person acknowledged her directions, she finished with Rhyl. ==/\==We have entered orbit, my people said they can be there as soon as you need, plus any supplies. Sorry we weren't here earlier, Albion was giving me some hell.==/\==

Duane looked at the ops station, "Get those fighters and their ground crew outta the shuttle bay while we're at it, their Columbia's problem!"

Vila turned to her XO. "Not so fast!! The Columbia are friendlies, Commander," she said. "As much as the Fleet is a pain in my ass, and it IS, we do have to appear like we're at least TRYING to get along," yes, the irony of her speaking those words were not lost on her. She was usually the one needing that reminder before she gave orders to launch torpedoes at things that were just in the way!

"Captain, If I may," T'lenn, the Mendicino's Chief Intelligence Officer spoke up. "The Columbia's preliminary investigations indicate that there is an outside influence attempting to cause infighting among the citizens of this planet. It would be logical to engage with the crew of the Columbia in obtaining more information before resorting to violence."

T'lenn looked coolly at her commanding officers. If she were not Vulcan and a strict follower of Surak, one might have interpreted the look as disapproval. In an attempt to speak their language she added, "If you engage in battle now, you are likely giving the true enemy what they are seeking."

Vila sighed deeply. She paused for a moment. As usual, though, the Vulcan was correct. She HATED that. Still, she nodded. "I don't wish to engage anyone in unnecessary combat. Heavy emphasis on the "unnecessary," the Bajoran said. "Thank you, T'lenn. Why don't you coordinate with their Chief Science Officer and see what the hell is going on, please? Loop me in," she said. She had once been a science officer. Not that long ago, actually.

Duane looked at the Vulcan. "Figures...So much for a simple ferry the fighters mission."

"Knock it off," Vila said. "Spencer, get the fighters, and prep a shuttle. You can deliver them. Don't fuck it up," she said.

Sulking Duane mumbled "I'll get security to round up the pilots and their ground crews then I'll go open that bottle of vodka."

Vila made a face. "No you won't," she said. If Vila couldn't drink on the Bridge, no one could. "Synthahol only," she said.

The Turbolift opens, and cigeratte smoke escapes from the enclosed pod. A onrey, angry looking man, looking older than his 68 years, steps onto the bridge.

"Did we make it already?" Dr. Dallas Coleman "D.C." Wyatt asked as he finished the cigeratte in his mouth, extinguished it in a cup of coffee the yeoman was carrying and pulls out another one, and lights it with an antique zippo style lighter, blowing out smoke across the room.

Ryhl stared at the smoking doctor, rocking his head back when he dumped it into the enlisted crewman's cup. The doctor had made a terrible name for himself in front of the Columbia's senior staff. Treating enlisted personnel in that manner was unacceptable. Crewman Lasa peered from a side station in disgust. Ryhl took a PADD attached to the underside of his seat's armrest and made a note.

On the Columbia's Bridge, Kendri gave Captain th'Zeles a sideways glance as she messaged flight control, from her control panel, "Please prepare for the three new fighter ships and their pilots and crew to arrive. The Mendocino is dispatching them shortly."

Crewman Yates responded immediately, "Yes Ma'am. We'll leave the lights on for them, and open the door when they get here. Let us know if you need anything else. Yets out."

Kendri stood up and smiled at the viewscreen. "We'll be glad to take those fighters off your hands. I believe we have some other crew coming over as well. Have your transporter officer contact Transporter Room 3, I will have someone greet our new crew members there. Thank you for coming." Kendri bowed her head softly in appreciation. Though she turned her back to the screen and gave Rhyl another look, this one more pointed. Lets get our people off that ship.

Ryhl met her gaze and gave her a nod, antennae rising slowly. The scene on the viewscreen had caught him off-guard.

Kendri walked swiftly to the upper deck of the Bridge and handed Commander Lyngstad a PADD with the roster of new arrivals. "Can you please handle this for me?" she asked softly so as to not disturb the two Captains, and whatever was going on over at the Mendocino.

"Aye aye, Commander." Johanna looked at the PADD containing the list of the new arrivals. The XO had asked her to greet the new arrivals. She took the PADD and headed to Transporter Room 3.

There was one more person Captain th'Zeles had been avoiding that he knew had been kept locked away on the Mendocino. Ryhl sighed as he approached the viewscreen. "There is one more person who's been asking to speak to me for some time. Is there an Andorian delegate there? I've been getting some persistent message requests from an aide."

Vila looked at her CMO. "Doc, I'll deal with you next," she said. She shook her head. "Sorry, apparently, the ship wide communique to "get your shit together and look like a goddamn professional" didn't get passed to all department heads," she said. She held up a finger, and turned her head. "If that smoke fucks up my ability to breast feed my kid, you and I are going to grapple, Doc," she said. She turned back to the Viewscreen. "My apologies. We're not usually this disorderly; we've had a rough few weeks and everyone is looking forward to a bit of R&R while we're in the area," she said. "Yes, there is an important package for you, Captain," she said, with a smile. "I can't guarantee it'll be happy to see you, but it IS delivered with care." She said. She turned back to the XO.

"That sounds fairly ominous, but I trust you", he said playfully. "By the way, you and I will have to talk in the near future. Stand by. We'll call you back in a second. Columbia out." The viewscreen shut off abruptly.

"T'Lenn, do your Vulcan thing and get these people on the straight and narrow, please," she said. They were a ship of clowns, sure, but they were a family, and she'd die for any one of them. She sighed.

"Ok, Bridge. We're in orbit over Campor 3. Our directive is to just provide support, weapons, and bodies for the Columbia. Act like you care, and act like you're a fully-fledged Starfleet Officer. Or ELSE I will open the Brig again," she said. She settled back down in her seat, and picked up her Jumja tea. When had things gone so wrong?!

Lt. Commander T'lenn glared at the Captain. There was no "Vulcan thing," at least not one that she was legally permitted to use quite yet. She stepped away from her station and walked calmly toward the disruptive doctor.

Dr. Wyatt just glared, grumpy like, puffing again on his cigarette. “Cigarettes haven’t been allowed to have added chemicals and shit since the 2080’s. You’ll be fine.” He didn’t have time for frantic bullshit. He was a doctor after all.

By products from the combustion of the tobacco still remained, despite the rude doctor's insistence.

“How is the situation down there?” He asked about Campor, the planet that the ship was now orbiting with the Columbia.

T'lenn took the cigarette out of the doctor's hand and put it in the yeoman's cup, and then took the cup from the yeoman and dismissed her. T'lenn held out her palm, "You have been warned about bringing your noxious habit into the ship's common areas more than once. You will give me the rest, Dr. Wyatt," she ordered quietly but firmly.

Wyatt, gave her a cigarette. It was all he had... in his lab coat.

T'lenn disposed of all evidence of the Doctor's irreverant habit and scanned the Bridge for other signs of mischief. The Captain's speech seemed to have had an effect on everyone else. Beverages were now tucked away, and the crew were sitting up straighter at their posts. Commander Spencer would be the Captain's problem.

T'lenn gave a curt nod to Lorut as she resumed her post.

A male's voice could be heard in the background: "-yes, yes, the sooner we are out of the company of this unsightly band of misfits the better. Starfleet will hear about this vessel soonest. Ugh." The turbolift doors hissed open, admitting a rather strange pair to the bridge: an elegantly attired Andorian shen, and an Andorian thaan in immaculate dress uniform. The latter wrinkled his nose, presumably at the stench of cigarette smoke in the air. He squinted at the viewscreen, lips twisted slightly downward with disapproval. He clearly did not like the sight that greeted him.

The Doctor glares and nods before withdrawing another pack from his boot, taking a cigarette out and lighting it, before offering some to the newcomers on the bridge in a silent question.

"Thank you, Commander," she said to T'Lenn. She rose to her feet again at spotting the Andorian duo. "Starfleet already knows," she said. "But please, try again. Maybe they'll finally retire me back to Bajor," Vila said. "Do you want a secure channel? You can use my Ready Room if my kid isn't fucking around in there," she said. "Otherwise, Commander Spencer will be escorting you to the Columbia. Please report to Hangar B for your escort. He's been warned that any fuckery won't be tolerated," she said. She was *trying* to be a good Captain, but it was difficult for her. She was much happier as a senior support officer, but some dumbass somewhere decided that she was the Bajoran they needed. When she found out who, they'd get the special Cardassian treatment.

She turned to her CMO.

"You and I need to chat later, but for now...we only know that the Ferengi are getting sick, we think someone is contaminating the water. Prep yourself to go planetside, in case their medical people need help. Doc, I am telling you. I'll take you down with me if I have to," she said.

"Sounds like loads of fun there, Captain."

Wyatt smiled and continued to puff on the cigarette. "Especially knowing a few of their Medical Personnel over there, I look forward to meeting with them."

The Andorian officer's face contorted in an expression that was somewhere between annoyance and outright anger. More towards the latter. "All the better. Like I said. The sooner we leave your company the better. This ship is in disarray and when Starfleet Command hears about this-"

"-Kanaoss. Patience." The elegantly dressed Andorian shen patted his arm and shepherded the fuming thaan towards the turbolift. "They've been as kind as they can to us already. Give them credit. I'm sure the Columbia's staff shall-" The rest of the conversation was lost as the turbolift doors closed behind them, thank goodness.

Vila simply shrugged at the Andorian. She, herself, was wondering where it all gone badly. Oh, yeah. The battle at Deshan O. They'd had a first-contact situation, but the inhabitants weren't friendly. Losses had happened. She'd had to make the call to nuke a planet for others' safety. It was all downhill from there.

"You have fifteen minutes, Duane," she said, quietly.

Lt. Cmdr. Mobra Raku called from Main Engineering to the bridge. "Captain.. Mobra here. Just letting you know that we're putting the warp core into a minor cool down for repairs. We pushed hard to get here so quickly."

Vila smiled. The other Bajoran here understood a bit why she was the way she was. She smiled.

=/\=Thank you, Mobra. Keep me posted. =/\= Her CEO was good. The man was able to reason with her when she got...MORE unreasonable. A few words in Bajoran back and forth, and they could usually figure it out.

Commander th'Zeles called back to the bridge. =/\=Captain Lorut.. th'Zeles... What's the status on those Andorians?=/\= The image of the Columbia's bridge once again returned.

"On the way to you, Sir. Roll out the red carpet," she said. "I am sure you'll hear about what an asshole I am and how messy my ship is. Remind them that the Fleet already knows," she said. "Anything else? Send some of your folks over, we can have a...meal or something," she said, as a goodwill gesture.

Duane rolled his eyes, then leaned over to a nearby ensign "Hide the damn contraband."

"I'm not concerned with the concerns of others, Captain Lorut." Ryhl leaned back in his chair. "Everyone has a method and everyone is a captain for a reason. Your crew is invited to visit the Columbia as well. Things are kind of hectic, but there's always a lot to see and do here."

Vila laughed a little. "I don't understand why me, but yes. Chaos is definitely the word. Please let me know when Commander Spencer has arrived. He is escorting your...fragile package as well as your fighter contingency," she said. "He's under strict orders to be on his best behavior. Please let me know if anything is untoward. I am off to clean things up here. We can chat more later," she said. "Mendocino out!" She clicked off, and sighed.

Duane looked at the floor, "This bunch behave? we're screwed."



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Captain Vila Lorut, by Paisley F'Rar

First Officer Duane Spencer by Jason Elliot

Intelligence Officer T'Lenn by Chalan Kendri

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Wyatt by J.R. McEntyre

Chief Engineer Mobra Raku by Rhyl th'Zheles

Kanaoss by Ayesha binte Ansapata

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