Departure from Starbase 47 - Part One

Posted on Sunday February 21st, 2021 @ 1:33pm by Commander Kanaka Shakura & Captain Franklin Johnson

1,820 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: S1-A1-Ep. 1: Spectrophobia
Location: USS Poseidon; Bridge
Timeline: Departing Starbase 47
Tags: Kanaka Shakura, Franklin Johnson, Departure, Betreka Nebula, Piracy

[ON]

The time was near. With the Poseidon's Chief Engineering Officer giving the green light, the starbase engineering staff departed for another ship to service. Restocked, repaired, and rearmed, the USS Poseidon had a green light to leave the Starbase. Starfleet Command had reassigned the Poseidon due to her long stay at the Starbase, taking critical time for repairs following the Battle of the Bright Nebula. With the medical supplies bound for Cardassian Space now on board another ship, this left the USS Poseidon open for new missions.

In his Ready Room, Captain Franklin Johnson was reviewing the final reports of the ships miniatous period on 47. The damage from the Battle of the Bright Nebula had taken its toll on the hull. Three full weeks of repairs had gone by, taking precious time from their trip, but thankfully planned for in advance by Starfleet under unexpected scenarios; the Battle of the Bright Nebula was an unexpected scenario. He was waiting on his XO to give the go ahead that all crew had reembarked so he could begin departure procedures.

Kana had been diligent in making sure all the necessary final checks were cleared and that everyone was aboard before she headed for the Bridge. This was, after all, the first time she had officially overseen the departure procedures for the ship, and these were anything but normal circumstances. They had to unload all the supplies bound for Cardassian Space after Starfleet's decision to reassign them to actively disrupt pirate activity in the area, something which obviously had everyone on edge after the turbulent experience of the Bright Nebula. She could feel the stress and trepidation all around her; it was hard.

Arriving at the Captain's Ready Room, the First Officer stood at the door and waited to be summoned. Once she was, she would enter and report, "The ship is ready for embarkation, Captain." She said standing at firm attention and with her hands behind her back.

The Captain stood, both formally greeting the arrival of his XO and to converse. He gave a nod to the Commander.

"Very good," replied Franklin. "We've embarked many more cadets from the Academy during our stay. I'm sure you've heard that Starfleet reassigned our cargo."

Franklin walked around his desk, hands clasped behind back as he examined his XO more carefully.

"The Commodore informed me he was given the opportunity to be promoted to Starfleet Headquarters, however he managed to convince Command that his best use is on board the Poseidon. He intends to eventually go there, to be a distant liaison who will assign us objectives that the Academy and he believe will benefit the growth of cadets assigned to our ship. He'll continue to do that objective here, on board, as he observes our progress. Both Gregory and I agree that after the odd encounter at the Bright Nebula, we still need to see how that situation progresses before the Poseidon can be officially taken 'off a leash', as it were."

He pointed at his viewscreen in the ready room, which transformed its image of the interior of Starbase 47 to that of a localized star map. There were plotted lines and navigational routes visible, overlaid on the surrounding space of Starbase 47. Franklin continued after a brief pause.

"The USS Poseidon has been, for the foreseeable future, assigned to Starbase 47 as a patrol ship. This will enable us not only to undertake exploratory missions, but also respond to critical missions that the Starbase needs handled, such as distress calls and whatnot. However, at this moment the Commodore has informed me that all available ships assigned to him have the majority of the situations handled."

Franklin returned to his seat behind his desk, sitting with a sigh and straightening his uniform.

"So," he continued after a soft grunt as he repositioned himself in his chair, "we're left to decide what we want to do to first. Where to go, how to go about it, and what best would benefit our cadets and crew. Gregory was very insistent on me deciding the course and I figured it wouldn't be proper without having my Number One having a say in that."

Kana listened intently to everything Franklin told her, and as he waved the map into existence she studied it intently. Observing it she could see the location of Starbase 47 and all the other ships assigned to it patrolling around the sector, now including the Poseidon. As her Captain posed the question of what they should do, she looked on thoughtfully for a moment before commenting.

"While we still don't have definitive proof as of yet, I still hold by my suspicions that the Poseidon isn't out of the eyes of those who tried to capture her at the Bright Nebula. I spoke to T'Pri as we discussed a few days ago, and she is investigating as we speak." She paced a little in the room as she spoke, occasionally looking between Franklin and the art on his walls.

"In the meantime, then, I think it best we keep the crew on high alert. Furthermore, if we are likely to be visited by more pirates in the near future, I think the Poseidon should do what she was designed to do; deter and counteract said pirate activities."

She stopped pacing and moved over to Franklin. "The crew will need us - will need you, more importantly - to instil them with the sense of command and security becoming of the best and the brightest in Starfleet. I believe you can do that, and I know the Commodore believes it too. That's why he chose you." She said all this, knowing this was something he still doubted deep in his mind, but she knew it to be true.

"Also," she quickly interjected before Franklin had a chance to respond, "I've been told that Starfleet Intelligence is still trying to determine the fates of the U.S.S. Cain and U.S.S. Abel. If it appears that either of the crews are still alive, they could not have gone far from this sector of space had their abduction been recent. Therefore, I think we should be prepared to conduct a rescue mission, should it occur."

Franklin listened and, at the end, was quiet for longer than acceptable. His gaze fixed on his Number One at her mention of the two Sabre-class starships that had participated in their ambush some time ago. He recalled briefly that only one had made it out, the other destroyed by the rescue effort of the USS Pitchfork. He softly sighed as he looked across to the viewscreen, still showing the map.

"I hold my reservations that we should conduct rescue missions for rogue Starfleet elements, if they even that," the Captain said in a quieter tone than he intended. He gazed up to his XO as he continued. "I'm also in agreement that whomever or whatever planned that ambush in the Bright Nebula isn't finished with us, but I won't be able to confirm that until a set of circumstances happen. I suspect they were after the supplies. If they were, we'll know as soon as reports come in from the USS Richards which took them on. She's a Nova-class starship, quite capable Captain and crew, so I think they'll be fine."

Franklin glimpsed down, bringing his hands onto the table and clasping them in front of him. He twirled his thumbs idlily briefly, before looking back up to Kana.

"Have the crew keep a listen for any information on that final surviving Sabre that attacked us. I'm not sure which one it was, the Cain or Abel, but if we find a clue we'll divert course. In the meantime I agree we should be on alert, and I agree on your perspective of myself. I'll be a little more active moving forward, I think, in appearances. The question still remains, however, upon the course."

Kana could sense the doubts that still plagued Franklin's mind, but considering where he had been back when they first started this voyage, things were starting to improve in his outlook, albeit gradually. She looked back to the star chart again as the Captain returned to the question of their intended course for the immediate future.

"Well..." She scratched her chin as she mulled over their possible options. "There seems to be an open patch of unpatrolled space on the outer fringes of the Betreka Nebula, to the Starbase's immediate flank." She indicated with her finger and the map immediately enlarged the cluster of gasses that spanned a number of light-years. The view screen even displayed and intricately detailed the floating carcasses of Klingon and Cardassian vessels that could still be found in parts of the nebula; remnants of the Klingon-Cardassian War that had concluded almost three decades ago.

"I think that may be a suitable course; not just for exploration and study, but also in the interest of security. I would wager that if it's a place where pirates could be hiding, we may catch them off-guard."

"I concur," Franklin said, nodding. "Alright, we'll head there."

He stood, straightening his uniform as he moved around the desk and moving beside his XO. He examined the star chart briefly that she had magnified, nodding to himself.

"If anything, it'll give the senior staff an excuse to give our cadets a history lesson," murmured Franklin, then with a smile said, "Let's go ahead and get this ship moving, Number One. I'm tired of sitting around."

The First Officer smiled warmly as she stood to attention once again. "Right away, Captain. I'll get the Bridge Crew underway and begin departure immediately."

She turned to leave, but paused before she exited the Ready Room. "Oh, there was one other thing..." She turned on her heel to face Franklin. "Did we ever ask Starfleet to enquire after the Pitchfork?" She had wondered whether they would be able to have a chance to thank, and perhaps meet, their saviours. She figured it might be a good way to boost the ship's morale after all that had happened.

Franklin looked at Kana then, mid-stride to sit back behind his chair to review some information. He turned slowly, eyes downcast, then upon her. Realization rung that this was what he had been forgetting.

"I entirely forgot to, to be honest," Franklin answered, a sympathetic look. "It's been entirely way too busy around here."

Kana smiled. "Yes, far too busy. Don't worry, I'll look into it." She then turned back on her heel and made for the Bridge.

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Captain Franklin Johnson
Commanding Officer
USS Poseidon

&

Commander Kanaka "Kana" Shakura
Executive Officer and Chief Counsellor
USS Poseidon

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