Stardate: 60510.1012
Title: Secure Issue
Author: Ensign Laurence Adams
Time: Concurrent with "Spinster Aunts"
Scene: USS Relentless - Bridge


Ensign Adams stands at the Security Terminal on the bridge, scanning through reports from the last day. Then, Captain Khavok gives the order to get the Relentless underway. Immediately, Laurence sends the reports aside and brings up a full sensor profile of the berth. 

Everything seemed to be going well, when a Nausican freighter highlighter on the screen as coming in for a collision course. Laurence initiated a full scan of the freighter as the helmsman brought the situation to the Captain's attention. 

"Nausican freighter, on a collision course."

"Hail them! Mr. Adams, identify the ship."

"Loosely translated, it's the 'Fragrant Mound of Garbage', sir. A Nausican free trader," Laurence replies quickly, but calmly. Laurence began to wonder what role the Nausican's might have been playing in the incident on the starbase, but doesn't have much time to consider those thoughts as the Captain's attempt at diplomacy fell short with the crude freighter pilot.

"Sir," Laurence reports with growing unease, "they have triple our mass and are picking up speed."

The Captain gave his orders, and the helmsman squeezed past the freighter, with less than half a kilometer room to spare, Ensign Adams notices a sharp intake of breath from the Tactical station, assuming the shield fluctuations from that near collision were quite impressive. "We're clear, sir," Laurence reports, just before the Helmsman engages the warp drive. 

*Crisis averted, I suppose* Laurence thinks to himself, as he pulls up the reports, still needing to get up to speed. *What kind of Starfleet mission begins with an escape from a starbase? *

The next hour passes by uneventfully, before the screen beeps with a message from Lt. McFrey. Crewman Triin was on his way up to man the Bridge station, and everyone else was expected to report to the Conference Room on Deck 1. As soon as the Crewman arrived, Laurence got on his way.

--- Conference Room ---

Laurence is the last officer to the meeting, but at least this time he had an excuse. Lt. McFrey nods to Laurence as he takes his seat.

"Alright, no doubt you're all at least partially aware of what happened today. The Captain, young as he is, has made some enemies during his time in Starfleet. Seems some of those enemies are still holding pretty big grudges.

"There are people of rank involved in this action, at least one, and the Captain is unsure how far spread this action is, so he insists that we continue our increased patrols and monitoring of abnormal gatherings. Keeping this in mind, I've put together the following schedule..." The Lt. continues as Ensign Adams looks around the room. He recognizes one of the other junior Officers from the Academy, though his name escapes him at the moment. The department lacks rank, but with any luck, they have the experience they'll need. Laurence suspects Special Ops might be fairly common under Captain Alexander Khavok.

Looking back over the schedule, it seems pretty straightforward. The staff was going to be busy patrolling the ship, but it seemed there was no other way. "Sir, the Mess Hall is always going to be fairly busy, would it be advisable to have a staff member present in the Mess to keep an eye on things?" One of the other Ensigns's asked.

"Perhaps, Ensign Erickson, but I do not feel that we can afford the extra people in support of the Captain's...feelings on this issue. We're already scheduled much heavier than will be normal, and I remind all of you that you're always expected to respond to problems whether you're officially on duty or not."

"Yes, sir. Of course," Ensign Erickson responds somewhat sheepishly. 

"Sir, respectfully," Ensign Adams begins, causing Lt. McFrey to fire his eyebrow into the air. "If we were to prioritize the paths taken by the patrols, we could save at least one team per time period which could be posted in the Mess, since as Ensign Erickson said, it isn't uncommon for people to gather there to talk."

"Ensign Adams, I have spent the last half a day working on this schedule, and I feel it is the best option available. Are there any questions pertaining to the schedule I have presented?" Lt. McFrey asks, his voice calm despite the apparent threat in his words. "Hearing none, we are adjourned. You see your posts, get to them."

Ensign Adams sighs as he stands, and collects his two crewmen. "Alright, men. Looks like we're going to begin on deck 13. Gather your phasers, and meet me outside the Platoon Training Facility," Laurence orders quickly, as he leaves the conference room to gather his own weapon.


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Ensign Laurence Adams
Security/Special Operations
USS Relentless
NCC-11966
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