Run Out The Sweeps

Posted on Thu Jun 7th, 2018 @ 4:50am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke
Edited on on Thu Jun 7th, 2018 @ 4:56am

1,755 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 3 - Weary Travellers
Location: USS Pioneer Various
Timeline: MD002 0800 hrs

Tyler had heard that Rear Admiral Oliver Lancaster his Task Force Commanding Officer would be coming aboard as soon as they arrived at Empok Nor. He set out his support staff as well as the ship's Operations staff to make sure that the ship was repaired from their recent battle and that all was perfect. He now stood at the airlock with his XO waiting for the Admiral's arrival. "Morning Number One. I wonder what brings the Admiral out this far." Tyler said as a way to break the tension in the air.

"Well the revelations of a new Maquis may be reason for him to come out here." Darf thought out loud

As the airlock door opened the Pioneer's Boatswain blew the Bosuns whistle. The soft tones echoed down the corridor. "Attention on Deck!" Tyler called and snapped to attention.

Oliver straightened his tunic. He hated inspections. However, with Imperator in at Starbase 92 for repairs, the brass had got him out running inspections on various ships in the Task Force. He just so happened to have other things to do on this one as well.

He stepped through the airlock, putting on his best smile as he approached the Commanding Officer and his Exec.

"Commander Malbrooke, nice to finally meet in person." Oliver said, extending his hand to the CO.

"Admiral welcome aboard the Pioneer. Indeed and it is always a pleasure to have you aboard. I trust the trek out this far wasn't too unpleasant." Tyler said as he took the hand that was offered. "Please allow me to introduce my Executive Officer Lieutenant Commander Darf Krackden." Tyler pointed to the being next to him. For Tyler he had adjusted to the XO and rather liked him, but he has not adjusted to the sheer weight of the XO's presence.

"Greetings, Admiral." Darf said acknowledging him.

"Nice to meet you, Commander." Oliver said, extending his hand to Darf with a grin "They make 'em big where you're from, huh?"

He gave a chuckle and looked down at his gravity enhanced ankle braces. "Thank god for technology."

"Come now Admiral you of all people know that a CO's huge ego needs someone huge to support it. But it seems that our XO is just one big teddy bear. I would give you the thousand dollar tour, but I presume that you have been on an Intrepid before." Tyler smiled broadly as he motioned for the Admiral to take a walk with him.

"Intrepid. Galaxy. Defiant." Oliver noted "That's just in the last two weeks. The last one was my ride out here."

Tyler chuckled "Defiants all cramped up with no where to breathe. Ever since my days at the Academy all I have wanted was this ship, an Intrepid. There is just something about it. Is there anything in particular you would like to see Admiral." Tyler could talk about his ship for hours, but he did not want to bore the Admiral.

"CO's discretion." Oliver said with a grin "I'm going to be glad to get back to my own ship. Then again, with how many replacement staff I've had in the last few months, and a new ship to boot... Well, you'll understand if they ever give you a different ship."

"Well I would suggest Astrometrics as something of interest. When Voyager returned the augmentations that were made to her lab became the standard on Intrepid Class. Right this way." Tyler led the group to the turbo lift and down to Deck 8. "As to another ship. I plan on keeping this one even if it is just a chair and a nacelle." He said with a chuckle.

"You don't always get a choice." Oliver laughed "When I transferred from Starbase 47 to the Wolff, it was Starfleet Mandated. Imperator, on the other hand, was my choice, though it was more necessity than anything else."

Darf walked behind the two as the conversed. With his broad shoulders it made it hard for him to walk next to anyone in the corridors of the ship.

The trio arrived at Astrometrics and young Ensign from the science department was manning the console. "You can take five Ensign." Tyler said with a smile as they walked in. "As you can see Admiral the integration of Borg technology into sensor grid has increased the scanning range of our Astrometric sensors ten fold. When we are here at Empok Nor we can actually detect ships coming in and out of the wormhole at DS9. In fact..." Tyler began to work the console with a smirk. "There she is..." A sensor reading of the USS Imperator in space dock popped up on the screen, it was a three dimensional rendering showing the vessel on all sides.

"Impressive." Oliver said "That's a little further away than DS9..."

"Quite so, it just goes to show you that the Borg weren't totally horrible. Meaning that their technology when added to ours increases the effectiveness ten fold. I think for our next stop, how about a drink? The Pioneer has it's own lounge. The bartender there has made the place unique." Tyler said as he began to leave.

"Go on then." Oliver said, smirking "Just between us, I could murder a pint."

Tyler led the group into After 11, which at this hour was pretty empty. He ordered up some pints and found a table for the trio to sit at. "So tell me Admiral, how fares the rest of the fleet? Sometimes I forget to check in being so far out."

"Imperator's in for repair. Apollo is on border patrol after her repairs." Oliver said "Honestly, that seems to be the main point of Starfleet at the moment. Border patrol. With tensions being as they are with the Klingons, well, got to be ready."

With the mention of Klingons Darf's blood started to boil. Some think that the Klingons and Federation have had conflict but nothing like the blood feud that exists between the Brikarians and Klingons. It goes back as far as both peoples where warp capable. He sat down and took the pint and started to drink. "Sounds like alot of repairs going on." He said with a smirk with the Pioneer also getting some repairs done.

Tyler laughed at Darf's joke and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. The touch was meant as a sign for you will get your chance with Klingons trust me. "Quite so Darf quite so. We have had our hands full here as well with the destruction of the Fearless, and the reassignment of the Firebird. Thank the powers that be that the Juno has been assigned out here. Sir the Maquis they are back, calling themselves the New Maquis. There are Cardassians and ex Starfleet personnel involved with them this time. That is what led to our repairs, a run in with them in the Badlands. My full report will be on file by the end of the week. So, it seems that the Federation is being hemmed in on all sides. Well, at least the Romulans are quiet for now." Tyler added the last bit with a chuckle.

Darf looked at his commander and then at the Admiral. "I would not jinx things usually when the Romulans are quiet it means something is a foot."

"You're telling me." Oliver grimaced "Let's say I have an intimate understanding of how Romulans work."

"Perhaps I spoke too soon..." Tyler's voice trailed off for a moment as he ran his hand through his hair. "Sir, do we even have any real allies left? I mean the Klingons get more aggressive with every passing day. The Romulans are well Romulans as you put it, the Cardassians are split in two and may very well have another civil war. Sometimes I long for those days that were spoken about in the Academy. You know the ones that I am talking about, where all that needed to be done was explore." Tyler added, he had to admit it was rather enjoyable just sitting here with his CO and XO chatting, a breath of fresh air as it were.

"I don't have an answer for that." Oliver grimaced "I do, however, share your sentiment. I remember when I was in the Academy, a lecturer named Commander Lemmington. Starfleet History instructor. Probably my favourite class, actually. Anyway, I once questioned him as you just did me. You know what he said? 'Lancaster, your job when you get out there is always going to be to explore. Even when you're getting shot at, and you will, you're still an explorer. James T Kirk wasn't a great Starfleet Captain because he lived in a great age of exploration, he was a great Captain in spite of it. At the end of the day, you keep doing the job and you'll always be an explorer.' Huh. Never realized quite how sanctimonious it had sounded until now..."

Tyler laughed "...And that is why you have the gold piping. Actually, it doesn't sound sanctimonious at all. Talking about the Academy perhaps the greatest piece of advice that I got was learn to be a diplomat. A Captain's job does not end with discoveries or defense. It ends with making peace, allies and friends." After a short pause "Now I am the sanctimonious one."

"Starfleet always needs diplomats." Oliver said, laughing as he continued "Balances out against the cowboys like me."

"If I said that I did not enjoy being out here exploring territory that we were not previously allowed to explore, and I get the cowboy fun fending off threats to Cardassia and the Federation." Tyler replied and took a sip of his drink.

"Then you'd be lying." Oliver said "It's always fun, starting out."

"Well Admiral, would you like to see the Bridge, or anything else. Although, I am content sitting here and swapping stories." Tyler smiled.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to just go for a wander." Oliver said "I'll catch up with you later?"

"The ship is yours Admiral, welcome aboard. Sir, we are damn glad to have you here."

A Joint Post By

Rear Admiral Oliver Lancaster
Commanding Officer, Task Force 47 Obsidian Fleet

Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer

Commander Darf Krackden
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer

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