Put The Pedal To The Metal
Posted on Wed Dec 26th, 2012 @ 8:25am by Commander Patrick Leroy & Lieutenant Riley Sukotav
Mission:
The Struggle Within
Location: SB900 - Galileo Center
* * * SB900 Galileo Center * * *
“Welcome Mr. Sukotav,” Leroy greeted the lieutenant standing from the desk and coming around to shake hands with him.
“I’ve received your offer of help and, by being you’re an element of the Hammond Starship, I deem it quite appropriate other than fortunate.”
After shaking hands Leroy moved to the replicator “Coffee. Strong and without sugar,” He ordered, then turning to the lieutenant “May I offer something to drink?”
“Black coffee is fine, sir. Thank you.” Riley took a seat before Patrick’s desk.
Bringing the beverage requested to Sukotav, while sipping his own coffee, Leroy returned to his seat leaning back on the chair.
“I have to say that I’m impressed by your service jacket Mr. Sukotav. Seems quite exemplary: attention to details, ability to follow more tasks at once, skilled and able to bring projects to the desired objective,” Leroy said turning the monitor over to the lieutenant where his picture and service records were clearly visible.
“All things that I normally like in those people making part of my staff here on SB900. But… If reality and service jacket do coincide, that remains to be seen.” Leroy stated narrowing his eyes while looking at him from above the rim of the coffee cup.
“Understood, since you don’t know me, sir. I can assure you, however, that what’s listed there is the truth. And while things are quiet for now on the Hammond, I’d like to offer what assistance I can in finding a way to retrieve the Admiral and Commander Hawke.” Riley’s words were smooth and spoken with ease.
“We’ll see.” Leroy replied with a hint of a smile. “What you think about the Hammond being on calm waters could prove out an illusion. Follow me.”
Leroy stood from the desk exiting the office into the main lab tailed by Sukotav. “There’s a theory we are studying for finding a solution to this rift problem. I’ll give you the short version: one of the SB900’s attached ships could be singled out for a very important mission and it could very well be the Hammond.” He ended eyeing Sukotav to gauge his reaction.
Riley considered Patrick’s words and finally nodded. “It’s a workable theory, assuming we can generate the required energy and can get some indication of heading from the readings in the Admiral’s office. I understand it was the result of a disruptor misfire?”
“You understand well Mr. Sukotav. That was only the start and there’s no way to fully understand the mix of conditions that allowed such a little dispositive to cause so much damage. Considering that we’ve been unable so far to re-create a similar rift long enough to recover our people, now we’re resorting to another plan. Take this,” Leroy responded to him handing over a padd.
“Look Here Mr. Sukotav: on this workstation there are all recordings of what transpired on the Admiral’s Wegener’s office, part of which are on the padd I just gave you. They will all be transferred to the Hammond computer.”
Without waiting for an answer Leroy strode to a second workstation. “Here.” he addressed Sukotav waving with a hand to the station “Here we have all the information regarding Chronitons and sub-space and their interactions as we know of today.”
He handed over another padd to him “Am I going too fast for you Mr. Sukotav?”
“Not at all.” Riley was listening and examining the padd all at once. “I see the energy drain was sizeable here. How many ships are currently docked?”
“Good.” Leroy nodded to Sukotav’s first answer “We have three ships docked at the moment, Hammond included. But I think that our acting CO Commander Sakkath could requisition some more from the sector with support from Captain Blackhorse from Temporal Affairs Department.”
Leroy handed over another padd to Sukotav who was becoming a little encumbered by the material. “Here you have all the readings about energy requirements in our previous experiment. Made on the starbase they’re prohibitive. But you’ll have enough time to study that. Follow me now.” Leroy ended walking straight to a third station.
* * *
Tess Rutheridge who was watching the scene from a distance turned to Ensign Valdez. “The mule is being loaded don’t you think?” He chuckled winking at the girl.
“Perhaps Commander Leroy already thinks to have become Admiral.” Valdez smiled back at Rutheridge’s joke.
* * *
“Here we have calculations about the bridge of power we intend to build from ship to ship going straight from the Starbase to the wormhole entrance, also these data will be transferred to the Hammond. Of course we lose power with each step in-between but the continuum walls are thinner in the wormhole vicinity and so it should be easier to tear up an opening... Do you know what I mean?”
Leroy handed over a fourth padd.
Riley tucked the previous three padds under his arm and studied the fourth. “Assuming enough speed and some modifications that we can make to the Hammond, we should be able to catapult through the rift without tearing ourselves apart. Here,” Riley held out the padd and pointed to a section of the screen, “is what will have to be adjusted with the Hammond’s shields. We can make it a....a very slippery sled for lack of a better term and slide it right through. If all goes according to plan, that is.”
“Right.” Leroy perked an eyebrow at Sukotav clever suggestion. “I don’t know if the Hammond will be the ship chosen for the trip, that’s for the CO to decide, but in any case will be an important part of the operation. High risk is expected and procedures and steps must be known by heart without waiting for computer response.”
Leroy paused considering if there was something more to be said on the matter. Deciding that that was not the case he looked to Sukotav again: “If there are no questions I think you’ve been given all the needed details Lieutenant. I’ll will always be available for any further clarification. You’re free to go now.”
“Thank you, sir. I’ll go over this in detail and send thoughts and questions back, sir. In the meantime, I’ll inform Commander Davis of the particulars.” Riley turned and departed, ideas already simmering in his head.
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Lt. Commander Patrick Leroy
CSO - SB 900
Lt. Riley Sukotav
CSO - USS Hammond
