Mission 08: Shroud of Darkness

[Deleted]

One moment, Steve, David and Crystal were on the surface amidst the chaos and destruction that was happening all around them. Then the next, they were back in Transporter Room 1 in the Olympia.

"That was too close." He said, no no-one in particular. Turning behind him, he added: "Both of you, follow me to my Ready Room."

With that, Steven left the Transporter Room, and didn't look back to see if the others were following him....he just assumed they were. Right now he was not in the mood to waiting around.

After the short trip, the three of them arrived at their destination. Once the doors had closed, Steve finally spoke.

"Well, that went well, didn't it?" Sarcasm in his voice said it all. "Whatever is going on here is obviously much more involved than we thought. Personally, I think it is much too big for just the Olympia to handle, so I think we should pull back to base and inform Command of what we have found out here."

Glancing at them both to gauge their reactions, he added: "Unless either of you have any better ideas? We have been very lucky so far, but luck can only take us a certain way."

[David Tan]

David watched the shock wave from the explosion approach them as if in ultra-slow motion. He could actually 'feel' the radiated heat as the tell-tale sensation of a transport enveloped him ...

"THAT ... Was too close." Steven said, to no-one in particular. Stepping off the transporter pad he headed for the door, "Both of you, follow me to my Ready Room." David looked down at his uniform, wisps of smoke gently rose from the scorched area's. Following the Captain and Exec' he nodded to the stunned transporter Officer .....

~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, that went well, didn't it !" the sarcasm in Steven's voice saying it all. "Whatever is going on here is obviously much more involved than we thought. Personally, I think it is much too big for just the Olympia to handle, so I think we should pull back to base and inform Command of what we have found." David sat in silence for a moment, until he realized that the Captain was looking directly at him:

"We had no way of knowing that this was all a set up Admiral. Let's face it, who in their right mind would go to so much trouble just to prove there wasn't some new technology out there ?" Tan said.

"You're possibly right. Which brings me back to my last comment."

"I have to say that I'm convinced there 'IS' some new form of cloaking technology." Crystal commented, "Whoever dropped that ship in knew full well we, or at least, someone, was there, and they sacrificed that ship, or at least the shell, to ensure we didn't leave, or the base was investigated further !"

"OK ......" Steven said finally, looking at each of them in turn, "Unless either of you have any better ideas ... We have been very lucky so far, but luck can only last so long."

"Then for what it's worth, I agree with you." Tan said, glancing at the Exec' before continuing, "We should head back to Star Base Forty Seven and inform the Section Admiral of our findings ... I also think that 'whoever' comes back here should have a second Star ship along for support. It's obvious whoever is behind this new tech' is capable of anything to perfect their research."

Steven tapped his Com badge:

=^= Helm .. Set course for Star Base Forty Seven .. Engage at maximum warp immediately =^=

In the window, the planet below vanished from view as the ship turned away. Seconds later the Olympia jumped to warp.

"I could use a drink !" David said, patting out the last wisps of smoke from his tunic ..........




< tag : Admiral / Exec' >

[Crystal Rose]

Crystal took a deep breath and step off the transporter platform following the Admiral. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. Mostly she was surprised that she was still feeling anything.

The conversation which followed in the ready room was surprisingly easy. She had managed to come to several conclusions.

"I have to say that I'm convinced there 'IS' some new form of cloaking technology." Crystal commented, "Whoever dropped that ship in knew full well we, or at least, someone, was there, and they sacrificed that ship, or at least the shell, to ensure we didn't leave, or the base was investigated further !"
She felt pretty bad that she had fallen for the trap and grateful that she was still here. She still did not like leaving but this was clearly far bigger than one ship could manage and doing things properly was more important than doing them now.

=/\= Helm .. Set course for Star Base Forty Seven .. Engage at maximum warp immediately =/\=

In the window, the planet below vanished from view as the ship turned away. Seconds later the Olympia jumped to warp.

"I could use a drink !" David said, patting out the last wisps of smoke from his tunic

Crystal ran a hand through her hair dislodging a few scorched bits of something in the process. She was going to reek of burn hair until she had time for an actual shampoo and water hair wash. She glanced at the chrono, David's shift had finished an hour ago and she would not be surprised if he did go an get that drink when they were done here. Her shift had a while to go.

"Have I said that I don't like being blown up this week?" She almost didn't believe that they had gotten out of that one. It had been too close. The adrenalin hadn't even kicked in yet but it would soon. She sighed silently the skin across her cheekbones and the backs of her hands was hot and tight, it didn't hurt yet but it would soon. Sickbay first then a clean up was her plan.

She crunched her hand into a fist, she was starting to feel the adrenaline now it was making her shake.

"I know we have to go and report and get reinforcements, but do you reckon we might get a stab at coming back here? It doesn't feel right that we're leaving before things are finished..."

Tag: Steve / David

[David Tan]

"I could use a drink !" David said, making sure he was no longer on fire ... He looked over at Crystal, and couldn't help noticing her clenching her fists, in pain, or frustration, he couldn't say. The one thing he did notice, was the fact that the 'suggested' drink wasn't forthcoming, nor the offer to help himself. He realized it was due to the strained relationship between himself and Steven. He listened to the Exec's comments regarding what should happen next realizing the time had come:

"I know we have to go and report and get reinforcements, but do you reckon we might get a stab at coming back here ... It doesn't feel right that we're leaving before things are finished." Crystal was saying.

He had to agree. It wouldn't be right, in his opinion, that someone else came back here to continue the investigation without involving the Olympia. After all, it 'was' their mission initially. But again he noticed the Admiral's lack of response, and it worried him.

"How long before we reach Star Base forty seven ?" he asked.

Crystal checked the chronometer on the wall and did a quick mental calculation:

"Forty two hours ... Give or take." she said, shrugging painfully.

"Good ... Then if there is nothing else I will go avail myself of my free double shift time. With your permission, Admiral ....." Smith nodded without speaking, and it was obvious that both Crystal and David noticed the tension in the air, "i'm due back on duty for our arrival then ...... In the mean time, I am going to make use of the bar ... Captain." he said, then, without waiting for further comments he stood and left the ready room ... Without acknowledging the Bridge crew he entered the turbo-lift and requested deck two ... The bar in the Officers Mess required his attention. Frankly, he couldn't understand the Captains' hesitation regarding wanting to come back, but then, it wasn't his call either, he thought.

The doors opened on deck two and David entered the bar. The steward watched him approach, and reached under the counter:

"You look like you need this Commander." he said, pouring a shot of the Cognac David had acquired.

"You read my mind." Tan said, downing the drink in one then handing the glass back, "Keep em coming." he said, realizing he'd actually made the decision he'd been pondering over for some time ..........

[David Tan]

It had taken the Olympia four days to reach the Iadora Sector and to be withing reach of her home Star Base Forty Seven ... David had kept himself busy working on department reports, and ensuring everything was in order for their arrival.

Admiral Smith had remained tight lipped regarding both his, and the Exec's requests that the Olympia be joined by a second vessel so they can go back and resolve the cloaking issue.

Stepping onto the Bridge he checked the time:

... 05:26.02 ...

The Duty Bridge Officer stood to allow him to tack the Command seat, but David waved him back down:

"Relax Lieutenant, I'm just here for the view. You still have the watch." Tan said, sitting in Crystal's seat, "How long before we dock ?"

"Three hours seventeen minutes Commander." the Lieutenant answered, "We passed the outer system marker an hour ago. Star Base Command is aware of our approach."

"OK ...... Have the Captain or Exec' been informed yet ?"

"No Sir. I was instructed to wake the Admiral at ninety minutes to dock. The Exec' isn't due on duty until zero eight hundred hours."

~~~~~~~~~~

The turbo-lift doors opened and Crystal stepped onto the Bridge:

"You couldn't sleep either eh." she said, taking the seat the Lieutenant had vacated, leaving the two Command Staff in privacy, "Do you still think we should go back out there ... See if we can resolve this cloaking thing once and for all ?" she asked, watching the starts on screen.

"Well ......" David said quietly, "The Admiral hasn't shown any signs that he's planning on asking the Section Admiral for a second ship to join us, so frankly, I have my doubts. But who knows, maybe he want's to sit down and put his case for a return to Drew in person."

Crystal nodded, reserving her thoughts on the matter.

"If this new cloaking technology is reliable, the Federation could be in serious trouble a year from now. So, even if Steven isn't willing to get back out there, I hope someone goes ...." David said ..........

[Deleted]

--- Still in the Ready Room ---

Steve took a few moments to think over Crystal's question. "I hope so, but for now we need to repair and regroup." He began pacing slowly. "Either we, or someone else needs to get back out there as soon as possible, and with force. If not, everything that we have discovered could be gone!"

--- After meeting ---

The report that Steve had been making for Command had been written and re-written at least 10 times since he started. Whatever he wrote just did not do it justice. Inside, Steve felt like they were just running away, and that alone made him feel sick. Steve never ran away from anything, and trying to make his report show that that wasn't the case was troubling him. All he needed to do was convince Command to send out some more ships along with him to fully investigate and combat any resistance.

Sighing heavily, he put the report aside and decided that he would back himself up with a personal meeting....much more can be put across verbally, rather than in a written report.

Exiting his ready room and onto the Bridge, he noticed that both David and Crystal were there. Curious.

"I'm pretty sure it isn't time yet for your shift...or are you that eager?" He asked, grinning. "Surely we can't be for from home now."

[David Tan]

David and Crystal had been chatting aimlessly for about an hour, getting intermittent updates on their progress from the Duty Bridge Officer, when the Admiral entered from his ready room. He had thought Steven had gone to his quarters after the meeting, but apparently not:

"I'm pretty sure it isn't time yet for your shift ... Or are you that eager ?" He asked, grinning, "Surely we can't be far from home now."

"We'll be dropping from warp momentarily Captain." Crystal said, getting up and moving to her usual seat as, if on cue, the Olympia dropped to impulse power for final approach.

"You think Admiral Drew will assign you a second ship so we can finish what we were doing ?" Tan asked.

"Not for me to say unfortunately, but I've decided to present my report in person, rather than written. If nothing else it should put more weight behind my argument ..." Steven said, shrugging as he watched the blue silver gleam of the Star Base against the blackness of space.

"Well it's our mission." David said, moving to relieve the Duty Ops Officer, "The least the Section Admiral could do is give us, we you, the choice. We have unfinished business in that Sector, but we could do with help, I'll admit that much."

David sat down and checked all Departments ready for docking. Once all the reports confirmed readiness he told Helm to contact the 'Base. Moments later he turned to Steven:

"Dock-Master is requesting control for docking ....."

Admiral Smith nodded.

=^= You have control Dock =^= David said.

=^= We have control Olympia .. Sit back and enjoy the ride .. Welcome home =^=

David sat back, watching the screen and Star Base Forty Seven as it grew larger before the massive space-doors began to open. They were home once more, but David hoped the Admiral would be able to convince Command to allow their return to the Maro System ... If nothing else it would be a starting point to find out 'IF' this cloaking technology was viable, and how close the group were to perfecting the system ..........

[Deleted]

Steve was standing in front of his command chair, too impatient to be sitting in it. He time it took for the Olympia to dock was taking far too long as he was concerned. Of course, it was taking no longer than usual, but Steve was just on edge, so he seemed to be getting annoyed easily and for no real reason.

Once the ship had docked, and the Olympia was given the all-clear, Steve pressed the comms button on the arm of his chair.

=/\= Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Captain speaking. We have now docked at Starbase 47. As of this moment, Shore Leave is now in effect. You may disembark at your own leisure. Smith out. =/\=

Closing the the link, Steve then stood up again. He watched out the viewscreen, shaking his head gently for a few moments.

"Mark my words, the Maro system has not seen the last of the Olympia. I will make sure we get back there."

OOC: And that's all she said. Mission is finally over. I apologise for the length of it...I know it's not been the best mission I have come up with in recent times.

Stay tuned for more.

[Crystal Rose]

=/\= Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Captain speaking. We have now docked at Starbase 47. As of this moment, Shore Leave is now in effect. You may disembark at your own leisure. Smith out. =/\=

The burns Crystal had suffered from the explosion had long since been healed but the anger at the situation had just gotten worse. It was that they had walked into a situation with not enough information and nearly gotten killed several times over. Yes, they were on a mission of exploration but that didn't mean they should walk into things blind. The information they had got out with was being gone over with a fine toothed comb. She didn't think there was anything they could have done differently, at least not with the information they had had at the time but it still rankled to have to turn back. The scientist in her wanted information and answers, the star fleet first officer wanted the same.

Crystal hadn't been sleeping well on the return trip. It was different this time. She had frustrations to burn. She had swum, had holo-workouts with Tiberian and had even hit the mats with actual training partners which was something she hadn't done in a long time. Each evening, nursing red patches that might or might not bruise the next day and well worked muscles is dragged herself to bed and crashed to sleep waking five hours later with her mind buzzing and generally wanting to set out and put the galaxy to rights. It wasn't sustainable but with with time off she might be able to sort herself out before she had to resort to more medical intervention.

[David Tan]

David was talking to one of the base maintenance coordinators when the Captain entered the Bridge:

"You're not going ashore David ?" he asked.

"Not right now. I'd like to get on top of the repairs and upgrades the Olympia requires if we're going to be looking at a quick turnaround."

"There's still going to be time you know." Steven said grinning.

"Oh, I'll get ashore Admiral. I can already feel that cold beer Sean will have on the bar when I walk into O'Tooles ... Oh Sir, We're going to need to separate the ship so maintenance can replace the hull plating damaged in the explosion."

"I'll leave it in your hands David. I'm off upstairs ... I have a request I need to put forward."

Steven left and Tan continued with the briefing. He hoped Command would allow the Olympia to return and follow up on their original investigation, and with a bit of luck we'll 'Both' be enjoying a drink ..........