Carnwennan Detour

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 3:54am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Cailus Griffin & Major Leo Halliwell Sr. & Lieutenant Commander Janet Glyndar
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 7:09am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: Carnwennan Station

After four weeks at warp, the USS Pandora had travelled the eighty light years from Earth to the beginning of the Carnwennan Corridor, their entry point into the Inconnu Expanse. Now, the Luna Class vessel slowed out of her continuous warp as she approached orbit around the Federation's Carnwennan Station, their last friendly outpost before the arduous journey ahead. The Pandora was due to wait to pick up a few extra crew members and supplies, and rendezvous with the USS Palatine, their supporter and protector while out in the wild.

The Chief of Ops placed the Pandora in an orbit around the station, the Pandora was not docking with Carnwennan, merely using this as their meeting point with Captain Rao, while still allowing the new crew and supplies to be beamed onboard. Nyx was lounging in the Command Chair, rather casually, as the impressive space station came into view. He let out a long whistle as the four-hundred deck Carnwennan floated in front of them.

"Imagine having to vacuum the carpets on that thing," Nyx found himself saying out loud.

Janet looked over at the Commanding Officer. "A wonderful opportunity to get some manual labor out of an insubordinate" she offered. "As punish...rehabilitation" she added changing her wording midway through. "You would be quite interested to hear what my predecessor did to rectify insubordination around here. I had the unfortunate luck of being on the receiving end of it when I kind of got into a physical altercation with Lieutenant Morgan, our Chief Engineer at the time" she explained.

Temple looked over with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "We have time, Commander, if you'd like to entertain the Bridge with your story. Though I can't promise not to steal your predecessor's idea if necessary."

The Executive Officer scoffed. "I highly doubt that, Sir. He was a Cardassian and he had an affinity for violence" she said with a quick chuckle. "He dragged us into his office and pretty much said Morgan and I would settle our differences or else. In his mind if we were going to knock each other around, it was going to be beneficial to crew morale....which ultimately resulted in what it sounds like. Security Chief versus Chief Engineer in a wrestling match."

Nyx slapped the arm of his console with juvenile glee, "Now that would have been a sight. Completely out of regulation and against Star Fleet protocol of course!" He added, looking around the Bridge with semi-serious consternation, "But I think I can guess who won."

"You would be correct" she replied simply. If you think that's against protocol, you should hear about Captain Merith's misuse of the turbolift Janet thought privately to herself. "The Pandora has always had her unconventional moments" added the Executive Officer.

Having worked quietly as the captain and XO bantered, Cailus perked up as an expected alert popped up on his display. "Captain, we're being hailed." Reading the contact info, he frowned. "It...isn't station ops, sir. It's coming from Carnwennan's residential area, the quarters of the Ambassador of...Talarin."

Nyx leaned forward in his chair, now straightening up as he did. He gave Glyndar a confused frown, "Perhaps he's come for a wrestling match? Onscreen, Lieutenant."

Janet was interested to hear what this Ambassador had to say. I'm in no mood for a wrestling match she thought to herself, flashing her Xenexian eyes at the Captain, and then towards the viewscreen.

In front of them stood a round-faced older Talarian man, dressed in typical dark militaristic robes. His hair was a distinguished dark grey, growing only sporadically around the coronal enlargement on the very apex of his head, though he maintained an impressive beard. He was clearly an elder within the Talarian society, befitting his position as Ambassador. However, the crew couldn't help but notice his face was also wild with anger, eyes impatiently withered.

"Finally!" He cried as the Pandora's bridge appeared.

Nyx smirked a little, "How may we help you, Ambassador?"

"You have to take me to my ship!" He baulked, half ordering and half pleading.

Nyx stood and turned to look at the crew with confoundment, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Lieutenant Commander Glyndar looked at the Captain. She gave him a look of amusement. "Well, he has my attention" she said in a bit of a hushed tone of voice. If not for his theatrics she thought.

"If I must explain." The Talarian sighed. "I am Sevros, a Colonel and high envoy of the Talarian Republic. I arrived at your Federation station to negotiate arrangements for a peace summit. However my transport vessel was suddenly called away to investigate the disappearance of several of our border beacons. That was almost nineteen hours ago and I have not heard from them since!"

"And you need us to take you there?" Nyx concluded with a questioning inflection in his voice. He didn't much like being ordered around like a personal chauffeur.

"According to the station you were heading into the Corridor anyway." Sevros replied with impatience, "I only require you to rendezvous with my ship so I may find out what's happened. But we must go right away!"

Nyx frowned, "Give us a minute, Ambassador,"

The captain turned back to Lieutenant Griffin and nodded for him to close the transmission.

"Lieutenant, authenticate his story with Carnwennan Station," Nyx instructed as he sat back down and looked to his Executive Officer, "Thoughts, Commander?"

With a heavy sigh, she turned in her seat. Her dark purple irises locking onto his eyes and she raised a brow. "A Colonel and an Ambassador" she said making a bit of a soured face. "I am not always found of a soldier and diplomat, but we have no say in Talarian decisions. However, that said...I'm suspicious. He's being rather insistent and I have not heard a please nor thank you" she explained.

"Very insistent, apparently," was Griffin's comment from Tactical. "He's made five official inquiries in the last six hours, sir. Carnwennan Ops report that a Talarian vessel did depart for the Corridor yesterday, but the Talarians didn't say why."

"Talarian manners sure aren't much to write home about," Nyx remarked, "But I can understand his frustration if he believes something has happened to his ship. I suppose there's only one way to find out."

The Captain stood again, looking to the Security Chief, "Lieutenant, I want you to take a team and meet the Ambassador at the Transporter room. Keep an eye on him until we know what's happening."

Janet had been sitting in her chair on the Bridge, but immediately shot up after the Captain stood and gave out some orders and instructions to the Security Chief. She cleared her throat. "Lieutenant, belay those orders" she said immediately, and looking at the Captain somewhat apologetically for this public display of undermining him. "I mean no offense, Captain" she said lowering her voice.

The First Officer, formerly a Security Chief herself voiced her amendments to the Captain's orders. "Lieutenant, please tread carefully with the Talarian Ambassador. Do not make any physical contact with him, do not go to shake his hand, and I would highly recommend only male personnel be on the assigned team unless the women are of the lowest ranked on the team" she instructed carefully. "And do not let him near any Raktajino" she added.

"Nanny protocol, aye," Cailus acknowledged curtly as he stepped away from Tactical, although he couldn't repress a wince at the mention of Raktajino. "When he boards, where should I take him, sir? He'll probably demand to see you immediately."

"Just remember we may need him to get through the Expanse." Nyx replied with a bemused smile, "Bring him to the Senior Briefing Room, I'll meet with him as soon as he's given us the information we need."

"Yes, sir," Cailus said with a simple nod, restraining showing his approval of the captain's subtle obstinance as he left the Bridge. Ambassador or not, Sevros sure as hell wasn't going to boss Captain Temple around.

Janet looked at her Commanding Officer. "I think it best if I remain on the Bridge while you meet with him, Sir" she said with a small nod.

Temple couldn't help but reply with a bemused smile and a raised eyebrow, "As you wish, Commander."

He tapped his badge =/\= Major Halliwell, have your squad on standby for a possible operation. =/\=

The Major tapped his combadge to respond upon hearing the Captain's instructions =/\= Aye Sir, We'll be ready for the go. What's the mission? =/\=

=/\= Unsure as yet, Major. But you have half an hour to familiarise yourselves with a Talarian ship layout. =/\= Temple replied.

Leo frowned a little at the Captain's response and thought briefly Talarian, Interesting. before responding =/\= Talarian, Copy Sir. =/\=

+++++++++++++++++

MARINE BARRACKS
The Major stepped stood up from his desk and briskly stepped out of the door, beginning barking orders immediately "Alright folks, prepare for a boarding action in t-minus thirty, Talarian vessel, unknown mission." he paused, reaching up to slip his beret off "And for the love of the Gods, someone get me my kit!" he called in a raised voice, as the Marines started moving quickly around him like a swarm of bees.

+++++++++++++++++

Looking back to the front, Temple finally signalled for the transmission to resume.

"Well?!" Sevros barked immediately.

"You can join us onboard the Pandora and we'll help you, if you can provide your ship's last known location and warp signature data to our computer." Nyx replied as politely as he could manage. "We can beam you onboard as soon as you're ready."

"Very well." The Talarian huffed. He paused and sighed, "I appreciate your assistance, Pandora."

"We can discuss reciprocation later." Nyx answered, a big smile on his face.

The Chief of Ops cut off the screen before the Colonel could respond, causing Temple to shrug nonchalantly. "That's a shame."

OFF