Morte Arthur

Posted on Sat Sep 17th, 2022 @ 12:10pm by Commodore Jacob Kane & Lieutenant Leah Bailey

Mission: Scylla and Charybdis
Location: USS Athena - Bridge
Timeline: MD-04: Following "Checking In"
948 words - 1.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Kane's arrival on the bridge was marked with a cacophony of movement and agitation from the duty bridge officers. There seemed like an urgency to beat the Romulans to the signal sent by the Avalon. He immediately pulled the tactical display up to get an update on their positioning before he took his seat.

Let the games begin... he thought to himself.

"Tactical: Begin separation sequence. I want a three-pronged approach to the Avalon's position. Section alpha is to proceed directly to the Avalon. Beta and Gamma sections take alternate flanking positions, standing ready to converge on any hostile act as soon as required." He didn't wait for the acknowledgement. He was already moving on to the next step. "Lieutenant Bailey, give me an update on sensor scans."

Leah, who was on bridge duty in lieu of Lieutenant Ryan, responded as quickly as she could. "Confirmed hull signature, though we're reading barely any power signs. Not enough to maintain life support."

"But we received a signal from them. Automated distress beacon?" he asked, noting that the separation sequence had begun in the background.

"No, sir. Something that wasn't there before. Manually sent and definitely not through automatic systems. If the Avalon were maintaining radio silence, they could have disabled the automation," she explained. It made sense, in his head, that a Captain might do such a thing on a sensitive mission.

"Hail the Taleth," he said finally, straightening and setting his face for confrontation.

On the viewscreen, a Romulan commander looked back at him. Commander V'rel Teth looked older than the image from the file P'rel had shown him. There were streaks of grey among the black hairs falling into a neatly trimmed bob ending by her jawline. Intense green eyes regarded him sharply, waiting for him to make the first move.

"I am Captain Kane of the USS Athena. We are conducting sensitive search-and-rescue activities in neutral territory. What is your purpose here?" he began. The eyes twinkled. He knew what she was thinking. We're playing this game, are we?

"Commander V'rel Teth of the RSE Taleth," she replied, in clipped tones. "We were not aware that Starfleet had vessels in this region. Your presence...surprised us." He had every reason to doubt that. But she knew it too. This whole conversation was going to go back and forth like politicians looking for a lie.

"I apologise for scaring you," he responded, restraining a faint smirk. She wouldn't like that implication. "A long range survey ship of ours got into distress; I'm sure you are aware that this system does have some uniquely hazardous properties."

"Indeed. Hence our own survey in this area." Another lie, he assumed. "Perhaps we can render assistance, in the name of good relations?"

This was where he would have to play things more carefully. Reject and he might seem like he had something to hide. But agreeing to help wasn't an option either.

"Your offer is incredibly welcomed, Commander," he said. "On any other day I would indeed invite our good friends to render aid. However the Captain of our survey ship is a man of intense pride and would suffer the greatest shame were it known he had to accept outside help to return his ship and crew home." He watched to see if she would respond to that; if her sensors could tell that the Avalon was devoid of life, as his did.

"I do understand the pride of a ship's captain. But one should not allow foolish pride to come in the way of accepting help..." she noted, expression completely unchanged.

"I will inform him as much when I speak to him, Commander," Kane nodded. "It was his choice, not mine."

"Indeed." There was a breath's pause as her eyes narrowed. "Captain, I notice you are on a highly tactical footing. Do not think I am unaware of the capabilities and purpose of a vessel such as yours."

"Again, I apologise if our actions scared you," he said, the smirk breaking through this time, though he managed not to let it out longer than necessary. "A necessary step to ensure we don't fall victim to the hazards that befell our survey ship. Purely for rendering aid."

"One might think you were being a little too cautious, Captain," Commander Teth noted. "Far be it from me to assume you might have been the one afraid of our approach." She mirrored his smirk, but he didn't rise to it.

"Not at all, Commander. After all, as we're both aware, the Federation and Romulans have not been enemies for a very long time. I don't think we have anything to fear from each other." He held her probing gaze for a moment, letting her decide whether to dig deeper or not.

"Well. We shall continue our assigned survey mission," she said finally. "But do contact us if you require further assistance retrieving your own. What is that human expression? 'That's what friends are for'?" Again, her eyes did little to hide the meaning of her words, but he understood. They wouldn't interfere until it was tactically advantageous. Just as he would do.

The channel closed with Commander Teth smiling a little smugly at him. He turned immediately to Lt Bailey.

"Bring us in close to the Avalon and signal Commander Zora and her away teams to prep for immediate dispatch. I want Beta and Gamma sections on constant rotational patrol while we conduct our operations." He turned back to the screens, and the swirling pink and purple gases that shrouded the missing starship. With the Romulans breathing down their necks, he wanted this over sooner rather than later.