RepublicWiki

User Tools

Site Tools

You are here: start » current_story » the_reservists
current_story:the_reservists

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
current_story:the_reservists [2023/12/10 23:08] – cromwellcurrent_story:the_reservists [2024/01/19 04:14] (current) – cromwell
Line 7: Line 7:
 **Bridge, Deck 1, Saucer Section, USS Republic (Luna Class), in orbit of Nimbus III** **Bridge, Deck 1, Saucer Section, USS Republic (Luna Class), in orbit of Nimbus III**
  
-It took Leon Cromwell several seconds to compose himself following the outburst of emotion on the bridge after seeing John Carter very much alive despite being listed missing and presumed dead over two years ago.  Had it not been for the fact that the rest of the bridge crew were as equally befuddled, it could have impacted his command authority.  As it was, no one who had heard of the infamous Martian commander, let alone served under him, could have been less distracted and still be able to maintain control of their workstations.  As soon as Leon snapped himself out of it, he looked around at his officers ogling the screen where the unkempt form of John Carter looked back at them with an eyepatch and a grizzled, bearded face baring an amused grin.+It took Leon Cromwell several seconds to compose himself following the outburst of emotion on the bridge after seeing John Carter very much alive despite being listed missing and presumed dead over two years ago.  Had it not been for the fact that the rest of the bridge crew were as equally befuddled, it could have impacted his command authority.  As it was, no one who had heard of the famous Martian commander, let alone served under him, could have been less distracted and still be able to maintain control of their workstations.  As soon as Leon snapped himself out of it, he looked around at his officers ogling the screen where the unkempt form of John Carter looked back at them with an eyepatch and a grizzled, bearded face baring an amused grin.
  
 For his part, John momentarily enjoyed the shocked reactions before noting that Leon was the first to rouse himself from his stupefaction.  The doctor looked around the command center at his gawking officers before turning back towards John with an air of measuredness mixed with what his friend suspected was a touch of incertitude. For his part, John momentarily enjoyed the shocked reactions before noting that Leon was the first to rouse himself from his stupefaction.  The doctor looked around the command center at his gawking officers before turning back towards John with an air of measuredness mixed with what his friend suspected was a touch of incertitude.
Line 13: Line 13:
 "Commander," Leon addressed his long lost comrade in a stately manner, noting that John's smirk faded to a stern glance of concern at Leon's formalness.  "I'm glad to see that you've made it back to us in once piece.  If you would beam yourself over, perhaps we can have a dialog about your absence as well as our current state of affairs." "Commander," Leon addressed his long lost comrade in a stately manner, noting that John's smirk faded to a stern glance of concern at Leon's formalness.  "I'm glad to see that you've made it back to us in once piece.  If you would beam yourself over, perhaps we can have a dialog about your absence as well as our current state of affairs."
  
-It now became clear to John what was happening:  Leon was compartmentalizing his emotions to maintain equanimity for the sake of discipline and order in front of the crew.  "I'll be damned," thought John.  The former first officer of the Galaxy Class Republic was impressed that his friend had finally mastered the skill of command temperament, as the person he knew from three years prior would have put on an emotional display so big that it could've disrupted bridge operations.+It now became clear to John what was happening:  Leon was compartmentalizing his emotions to maintain equanimity for the sake of discipline and order in front of the crew.  //"I'll be damned,"// thought John.  The former first officer of the Galaxy Class Republic was impressed that his friend had finally mastered the skill of command temperament, as the person he knew from three years prior would have put on an emotional display so big that it could've disrupted bridge operations.
  
 =/\= //"Doctor, if I could also come aboard, I'd like to..."// =/\= =/\= //"Doctor, if I could also come aboard, I'd like to..."// =/\=
Line 33: Line 33:
 "Aye sir..." "Aye sir..."
  
-\\ \\ \\ +\\ \\ 
 **Sickbay, Deck 6, Saucer Section, USS Republic (Luna Class), in orbit of Nimbus III\\  **Sickbay, Deck 6, Saucer Section, USS Republic (Luna Class), in orbit of Nimbus III\\ 
 Timeframe: 1730 hours ship time** Timeframe: 1730 hours ship time**
Line 43: Line 43:
 "It's John Carter, alright" the EMH finally replied as she completed her scan.  "Right down to the last nuclide." "It's John Carter, alright" the EMH finally replied as she completed her scan.  "Right down to the last nuclide."
  
-"Mitochondrial sequences?" Leon inculcated at her.+"Mitochondrial sequences?" Leon inculcated.
  
 "A perfect match," the holographic medico returned with an almost 'how-dare-you-assume-didn't-check' edge to her voice.  "Maternal lines are confirmed." "A perfect match," the holographic medico returned with an almost 'how-dare-you-assume-didn't-check' edge to her voice.  "Maternal lines are confirmed."
Line 79: Line 79:
 Dropping their personal defences, the two friends hugged each other in a platonic embrace, patting one another behind their shoulders like old war buddies meeting for the first time since their last battle together.  In truth, Leon hadn't seen John for nearly a year before his disappearance, as the doctor had been on a special mission aboard the USS Archimedes when John's shuttle was lost.  The guilt and grief -- as misplaced as it was -- overwhelmed the doctor for a time after the memorial service, always wondering if it were not for his absence whether John would have been lost at all. Dropping their personal defences, the two friends hugged each other in a platonic embrace, patting one another behind their shoulders like old war buddies meeting for the first time since their last battle together.  In truth, Leon hadn't seen John for nearly a year before his disappearance, as the doctor had been on a special mission aboard the USS Archimedes when John's shuttle was lost.  The guilt and grief -- as misplaced as it was -- overwhelmed the doctor for a time after the memorial service, always wondering if it were not for his absence whether John would have been lost at all.
  
-Leon surmised that if HE had been the one to perform John's fit rep two years ago on Mars instead of Sarah Chambers, he could have easily kept John cleared for flight status instead of forcing him to accept planet-side duty.  As it was, the resulting medical report began a tumultuous time in John's career that led him to accept a posting on a museum ship, and subsequently to pilot an SW7 class shuttlecraft that was ultimately lost and presumed destroyed during a short trip to Luna Colony.  This guilt was carried by Leon for a full three years, and forced tears to well in his eyes when he finally convinced himself that John was actually alive and well and sitting in his sickbay.+Leon surmised that if HE had been the one to perform John's fit rep two years ago on Mars instead of Sarah Chambers, he could have easily kept John cleared for flight status instead of forcing him to accept planet-side duty.  As it was, the resulting medical report began a tumultuous time in John's career that led him to accept a posting on a museum ship, and subsequently to pilot an SW7 class shuttlecraft that was ultimately lost and presumed destroyed during a short trip to Luna Colony.  This guilt was carried by Leon for a full two years, and forced tears to well in his eyes when he finally convinced himself that John was actually alive and well and sitting in his sickbay.
  
 "Christ," Leon finally released John from the embrace.  He wiped a tear from his eye and he went into an explanation.  "Vic told me that you were still alive, but I was never sure if he was actually on to something, or just starting to lose his grip on reality." "Christ," Leon finally released John from the embrace.  He wiped a tear from his eye and he went into an explanation.  "Vic told me that you were still alive, but I was never sure if he was actually on to something, or just starting to lose his grip on reality."
Line 123: Line 123:
 He needed to be in the gap, and to do so required several cover stops to do some dry cleaning before finding his target.  After beaming down to a discreet alleyway, he passed through a number of busy bars and marketplaces, pedaling a quatloo here and there for useless trinkets that could pass for wallet litter; anything to avoid foreign birdwatchers and prevent from becoming a rabbit.  Finally, he located the public communications terminal where we could use his one-time pad and make contact.  Like the privacy booths of Maltabra City on Farius Prime, the similar-styled civilian subspace terminal was a faded, glitchy mechanical contraption mounted to the booth wall.  It had interface nodes and input panels simple enough for anyone to use, but available for access only through monetary exchange. He needed to be in the gap, and to do so required several cover stops to do some dry cleaning before finding his target.  After beaming down to a discreet alleyway, he passed through a number of busy bars and marketplaces, pedaling a quatloo here and there for useless trinkets that could pass for wallet litter; anything to avoid foreign birdwatchers and prevent from becoming a rabbit.  Finally, he located the public communications terminal where we could use his one-time pad and make contact.  Like the privacy booths of Maltabra City on Farius Prime, the similar-styled civilian subspace terminal was a faded, glitchy mechanical contraption mounted to the booth wall.  It had interface nodes and input panels simple enough for anyone to use, but available for access only through monetary exchange.
  
-Dragon plugged the computerized credit voucher into the terminal slot, which remitted a certain number of quatloos in exchange for a limited subspace communication feed.  The viewing screen cam alive with numbers from five different alien species, and as they flashed across the screen, Forrest carefully viewed them all, inputting each into his Ferengi hand tabulator that converted them to a usable cipher.  A red border briefly flashed around the perimeter of the screen, signifying that he had successfully sanitized his comm-feed, and activated his clean SIGINT credentials through the numbers station.  With a momentary blip, a face appeared on the screen, and he didn't need a recognition phrase to know that the elderly man on the other end of the communications console was his contact.  +Dragon plugged the computerized credit voucher into the terminal slot, which remitted a certain number of quatloos in exchange for a limited subspace communication feed.  The viewing screen came alive with numbers from five different alien species, and as they flashed across the screen, Forrest carefully viewed them all, inputting each into his Ferengi hand tabulator that converted them to a usable cipher.  A red border briefly flashed around the perimeter of the screen, signifying that he had successfully sanitized his comm-feed, and activated his clean SIGINT credentials through the numbers station.  With a momentary blip, a face appeared on the screen, and he didn't need a recognition phrase to know that the elderly man on the other end of the communications console was his contact.  
  
 =/\= //"Dragon... I was wondering when you'd be checking in.  You've been back in the Alpha Quadrant for over three hours.  What took so long?"// =/\= =/\= //"Dragon... I was wondering when you'd be checking in.  You've been back in the Alpha Quadrant for over three hours.  What took so long?"// =/\=
Line 174: Line 174:
 John was back.  At least physically.  Truth be told, after exiting sickbay with Leon, who dragged him on an impromptu tour of the new Luna Class Republic, John was overwhelmed by the constant spotlight as he walked through the corridors.  A large number of the ship's crew had served under him on the original Galaxy Class Republic before the Remnant attacks, and although he was not present during the christening and commissioning of this vessel, the crew he encountered were smiling and shaking his hand, many of them in disbelief of his sudden arrival. John was back.  At least physically.  Truth be told, after exiting sickbay with Leon, who dragged him on an impromptu tour of the new Luna Class Republic, John was overwhelmed by the constant spotlight as he walked through the corridors.  A large number of the ship's crew had served under him on the original Galaxy Class Republic before the Remnant attacks, and although he was not present during the christening and commissioning of this vessel, the crew he encountered were smiling and shaking his hand, many of them in disbelief of his sudden arrival.
  
-"Welcome back, Carter!" he heard everywhere he went, followed by a chorus of "Welcome back... welcome back... welcome back" each time Leon introduced him to a new group of people.  Throughout the tour, John explained to Leon what had happened to him in the intervening years; the shuttle accident, the crash, the befriending of the Garsolans, not to mention the fliers, the attacks, and the counterattacks using a single antiquated hand phaser.  He explained to his friend how he had given up on ever returning to the Alpha Quadrant until a few days ago when -- out of nowhere -- Forrest and Yezbeck show up with team of intelligence operatives and a Galaxy Class starship with the name "Republic" on the hull: a re-christened vessel known as the USS Asgard in a former life, and held by Kostya assets in the Gamma Quadrant until Forrest managed to liberate it before coming to find him.  It was a fantastic story that Leon ate up with every word, until he realized that John was becoming fatigued, finally leading him away to an unassigned officer's quarters for a shower and brief respite before a late evening briefing on the observation deck.+"Welcome back, Carter!" he heard everywhere he went, followed by a chorus of "welcome back... welcome back... welcome back" each time Leon introduced him to a new group of people.  Throughout the tour, John explained to Leon what had happened to him in the intervening years; the shuttle accident, the crash, the befriending of the Garsolans, not to mention the fliers, the attacks, and the counterattacks using a single antiquated hand phaser.  He explained to his friend how he had given up on ever returning to the Alpha Quadrant until a few days ago when -- out of nowhere -- Forrest and Yezbeck show up with team of intelligence operatives and a Galaxy Class starship with the name "Republic" on the hull: a re-christened vessel known as the USS Asgard in a former life, and held by Kostya assets in the Gamma Quadrant until Forrest managed to liberate it before coming to find him.  It was a fantastic story that Leon ate up with every word, until he realized that John was becoming fatigued, finally leading him away to an unassigned officer's quarters for a shower and brief respite before a late evening briefing on the observation deck.
  
 For the first time in over two years, John Carter felt like he was clean again, and it was disconcerting.  He had grown so accustom to his austere desert surroundings on Garsol that he had forgotten what it was like to maintain personal grooming in a technologically advanced society.  While a sharp knife, bowl of spice water, and Dadjinn's nimble fingers allowed for a modicum of ablution, a sonic shower and holosuite-generated coiffeur made short work of his long braided tresses, not to mention trimming short his ragged beard back to within Starfleet nautical regulations.  Replacing his drab, frayed, and dirt-laden uniform of yesteryear was the clean and recently-replicated command red tunic with a black over-jacket and gray ribbed shoulder padding.  Seated at the front of the conference table, John -- as the honored guest -- was looking down at his folded hands, eyepatch notwithstanding, seemingly detached from the conversation.  As the highest ranking officer around the table, he listened to the information that each of the other officers voiced, yet only one thought repeated in his mind: For the first time in over two years, John Carter felt like he was clean again, and it was disconcerting.  He had grown so accustom to his austere desert surroundings on Garsol that he had forgotten what it was like to maintain personal grooming in a technologically advanced society.  While a sharp knife, bowl of spice water, and Dadjinn's nimble fingers allowed for a modicum of ablution, a sonic shower and holosuite-generated coiffeur made short work of his long braided tresses, not to mention trimming short his ragged beard back to within Starfleet nautical regulations.  Replacing his drab, frayed, and dirt-laden uniform of yesteryear was the clean and recently-replicated command red tunic with a black over-jacket and gray ribbed shoulder padding.  Seated at the front of the conference table, John -- as the honored guest -- was looking down at his folded hands, eyepatch notwithstanding, seemingly detached from the conversation.  As the highest ranking officer around the table, he listened to the information that each of the other officers voiced, yet only one thought repeated in his mind:
  
-"What have you gotten me into, Leon..."+//"What have you gotten me into, Leon..."//
  
 The officers gathered around the table were a mix from the Luna Republic and Republic nee Asgard.  Present were Leon Cromwell; Reittan Tolkath; and Cail Jarin, the Bajoran Operations chief.  On the other side of the table were two from the Republic nee Asgard, that being Lieutenant Commanders Blake Saint John and Doug Forrest, the latter fresh from his recent outing in Paradise City.  They were engaged in a conversation about personnel reassignments, attempting to balance crew compliment between their two vessels, as the combined number of needed crew exceeded a thousand trained officers and enlisted. The officers gathered around the table were a mix from the Luna Republic and Republic nee Asgard.  Present were Leon Cromwell; Reittan Tolkath; and Cail Jarin, the Bajoran Operations chief.  On the other side of the table were two from the Republic nee Asgard, that being Lieutenant Commanders Blake Saint John and Doug Forrest, the latter fresh from his recent outing in Paradise City.  They were engaged in a conversation about personnel reassignments, attempting to balance crew compliment between their two vessels, as the combined number of needed crew exceeded a thousand trained officers and enlisted.
Line 206: Line 206:
 "Believe me, that's not the plan," the annoyed intelligence commander returned.  "If you follow through with your plans to promote Pakita and Narundi to full lieutenant, you can reassign them to Republic nee Asgard as chief engineer and chief tactical officer, respectively.  That will fill the hole." "Believe me, that's not the plan," the annoyed intelligence commander returned.  "If you follow through with your plans to promote Pakita and Narundi to full lieutenant, you can reassign them to Republic nee Asgard as chief engineer and chief tactical officer, respectively.  That will fill the hole."
  
-"We could assign Vehns as Luna Republic's chief engineer," Reittan Tolkath added, turning to Leon.  "Pakita agrees that he's ready to be promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer, and knows this ship as well as her."+"We could assign Vehns as Luna Republic's chief engineer," Reittan Tolkath added, turning to Leon.  "Pakita agrees that he's ready to be promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer, and knows this ship as well as she does."
  
 "I don't like this idea at all of you leaving," Leon continued his rebuke.  "Both ships are so short handed, we've got less than a skeleton crew between us.  Besides, if we transfer Narundi to the Galaxy Republic, I'll have NO one heading up tactical..." "I don't like this idea at all of you leaving," Leon continued his rebuke.  "Both ships are so short handed, we've got less than a skeleton crew between us.  Besides, if we transfer Narundi to the Galaxy Republic, I'll have NO one heading up tactical..."
Line 222: Line 222:
 "Who are we talking about here?" Reittan Tolkath asked with concern after much contemplation.  "How can we trust these 'reservists' to not betray us to Kostya's commanders?" "Who are we talking about here?" Reittan Tolkath asked with concern after much contemplation.  "How can we trust these 'reservists' to not betray us to Kostya's commanders?"
  
-"The reservists are a mix of their planets' intelligence cadets," informed Saint John.  "As well as a former Starfleet personnel who resigned due to the Gorn war.  They were working for their respective planetary governments before activation, and are concerned about the direction that Starfleet is headed.  They're mostly security personnel, but some are operations and technical crew."+"The reservists are a mix of their planets' intelligence cadets," informed Saint John.  "As well as former Starfleet personnel who resigned due to the Gorn war.  They were working for their respective planetary governments before activation, and are concerned about the direction that Starfleet is headed.  They're mostly security personnel, but some are operations and technical crew."
  
 "And they can operate aboard a starship?" Cail Jarin asked, wondering of the competency of the individuals. "And they can operate aboard a starship?" Cail Jarin asked, wondering of the competency of the individuals.
current_story/the_reservists.1702249683.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/12/10 23:08 by cromwell

Page Tools

Donate Powered by PHP Valid HTML5 Valid CSS Driven by DokuWiki