Stardate: 60531.1500
Title: The View From the Top
Author: Captain Khavok
Scene: USS Relentless/Stanton 12
Time: "Time For Brewing"
The Captain's plan worked like a charm. With a crew as small as the Relentless had no one had time to scratch their backside let alone plot any further insurrection or damage to the Captain or his ship. The increased drills and extra shifts would have driven the crew mutinous had not Khavok driven himself twice as hard. Hours were spent firing weapon systems in various tactical situations. On more than one occasion Alex thought his helmsman would faint at some of the strenuous maneuvers the Relentless was put through. Captain Khavok was pleased that the man quickly gained confidence and familiarity with the ship.
Weapons were fired at various chunks of space debris and small asteroids. The weapons were then checked, calibrated, and rechecked. The end result after eighteen hours of continuous training was a crew taking their first major steps on the road to being a single coherent team. The engineering team worked like demons to keep the ship up and running. Science was hard pressed to compile and analyze the data returned by the sensor data let alone get it prepped to give the Captain timely relevant and easily understood data.
Two weapon systems remained untested, one of which the Captain hoped he would never have the chance to test. The Relentless carried aboard her some of the most destructive weaponry known to the federation: the transphasic torpedo. Khavok had seen the raw data returned by Voyager. Khavok's trigger finger itched to test the iso-kinectic cannon however. Despite his distant and seemingly offhand manner Alex paid a great deal of attention to the individuals in his crew. Sensing that they were reaching their limits the Captain decided to delay the testing of the canon. Khavok looked over at his XO who while bearing up well was showing some strain as well. The four-hour shifts were catching up to all of them.
"Set course for Stanton 12, normal cruise."
"Aye sir," helm returned.
"All hands, job well done. Stand down and return to general quarters. Department heads get your people rested and fed, briefing in two hours."
"Mr. Winters, you have the bridge, I'll relieve you in an hour."
"Yes sir."
=/\= Two hours later =/\=
"Stanton 12 is a harsh little ice ball, nothing lives on it so we should be safe in some further weapons drills."
There were a collection of groans and sighs from the assembled officers.
Khavok held up his hands for a moment of silence, with a smile he said, "Hold on a moment, I didn't say what weapons."
The Captain continued, bringing up a holographic display of the ice ball.
"Anyone here had the opportunity to do an orbital drop?"
Smiles replaced sighs as the assembled officers perked up.
"We will do an orbital insertion, and consolidate on objectives on the planets surface, it should give everybody a change of pace and a chance to work on some important skills that may be a bit rusty. We will split the crew in half and take turns doing drops. This will be a voluntary exercise to blow off some steam."
The Captain looked around the table seeing for the most part eager faces, but there was no mistaking the relief on one or two of his officers. The Captain took note of those who didn't want to do the drop, not as a punitive measure but Alex didn't believe in wasting anything or forcing people into roles they did not willing want to take.
"I will lead the first group, Commander Winters the second. We'll go through several rotations and make sure that everyone who wants the opportunity has it. Any questions?"
There were none.
"Jenna, Vilmer, McFrey, you're with me, Adams assemble a team and report to Commander Winters. Well drop as alpha and bravo, alpha drops in twelve hours."
That last said the Captain dismissed the assembled officers to make their preparations.
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Captain Alexander Khavok
Commanding Officer
USS Relentless
NCC 11966
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