Safe Harbour

Posted on Sun Mar 7th, 2021 @ 7:51am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Commander Owen Nash & Lieutenant K'Laus & Commander Mindo & Lieutenant Declan Roderick & Lieutenant Commander James Smith & Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri-Smith & Lieutenant Hope Ross & Lieutenant JG Joza Bralix

Mission: The Gauntlet
Location: Pandora / Paradise

ON:

The Pandora had arrived in orbit of Paradise Outpost, but that didn't mean they were getting inside. Nyx pinched the top of his nose as he breathed out heavily. On screen was Haj, the officious traffic controller from the outpost who had decided to reject the Pandora's passage into the docking zone.

"GO AWAY!" Haj shouted.

"Surely you remember us?" Nyx pleaded, sounding tired.

"NO!" Haj cried, "And I already told you, Katya is NOT HERE!"

Nyx looked around the Bridge for some kind of assistance, feeling the conversation had already gone around in circles enough time.

With the ship at Paradise Krysia had arranged for the twins to be looked after, she wanted to be on the bridge if only for a short time. Making her way to the bridge she could sense high levels of frustration and emotion. She stepped out of the lift just in time to witness Nyx’s frustrated exchange. “Captain, may I?”

With his head in his hands, Nyx nodded while giving a faint "Ah-huh."

Turning to look at the view screen Krysia offered a polite smile. “I’m Lieutenant Kaleri-Smith, Chief Counsellor of the Pandora. I know you just said that Katya isn’t on station, may I ask how long it is that she’s going to be away? We’ve had a very difficult and tiring journey here, I for one have newborn twins onboard. We need safe haven, a place for our crew to rest.”

Roderick had looked to the Counsellor from his aft position. He didn't envy these diplomatic talks that the Captain had to trapeze through. Would appeal to sympathy and humanitarian needs work on Haj, the Station's docking master?

"NO!" Haj growled, slamming his fist onto his chair. "GO AWAY!"

“Okay! Fine!” Krysia replied with equal annoyance. “I’ll be sure to let Katya know of your warm welcome when we see her!! After all, I’m sure she’s out looking for us, imagine her annoyance when she learns you turned us away! Good day to you!” She motioned for the channel to be cut hoping her ruse would work and she hadn’t caused more problems.

Haj paused, and he leaned forward into the viewscreen - his round, squat head looming over the Bridge. "You know Katya?" He asked curiously, the Counsellor's ruse getting his attention. "Who are you?"

"Yes!" Nyx replied frustratedly into his hands. "That's what we've been trying to tell you. We are the USS Pandora."

"But Katya is not here," Haj stated tersely as if the Pandora was the problem. "Who are you?"

"Oh my god." Nyx breathed out.

"Sir, we're getting an incoming transmission from another source." Ensign Milkovich gladly interrupted. "It's being sent to both us and Paradise, from the Irokari."

"On screen." Both Haj and Temple called out at once, causing both of them to look at the other with disdain.

The view switched to the white-feathered captain of the Irokari vessel, CAO Rivian.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Haj immediately called out, his loud voice booming across both vessels simultaneously and unnecessarily.

"Chief Rivian. Designation friend." The Irokari stated.

"Designation received." Haj nodded, pressing buttons on his console. "STATE YOUR BUSINESS!"

"I speak on behalf of the Pandora. They assisted us in disabling the designation enemy Breen Confederacy ships that were patrolling Paradise borders." Rivian said, her tone formal but soft. "They have permission from Queen Katya to dock with Paradise. They are designation ally."

"Only Katya may give designations!" Haj insisted. "I will check."

Haj dipped to the side and pressed some more buttons. He came back into frame and sighed heavily. "Designation received. Pandora is ally."

Nyx looked around the Bridge, "Is that all we had to say?" He asked.

"I ASKED WHO YOU ARE!" Haj shouted back. "It is a simple question. Proceed to docking." His portion of the screen went blank, leaving only the Irokari.

"Thank you again, Chief Rivian." Nyx said to the Irokari captain. He was relieved and bamboozled at the same time.

Rivian laughed, her feathers shaking as she did. "My pleasure, Pandora."

As the chief disappeared, Nyx was able to breath out at long last. Clapping his hands together, Nyx looked to the other. "Mr. Roderick, prepare the ship for docking. Ensign Milkovich, take us in."

Krysia smiled as she took her seat, she wasn’t amused at her own outburst but that didn’t really matter now. The ship was heading in for docking at long last.

The ship slowly began to close in on the outpost, Nyx remembering the magnitude of this sizeable station like the first time he saw it. Paradise has had notable changes since then - increased in hull plating around the docking ring, additional turrets placed all over the outer shell, patrol craft hovering around ready to protect it. Katya was not taking any chances of another Breen invasion.

Turning to the Counsellor, Nyx smiled, "It is good to see you on the Bridge again, Lieutenant. If you're feeling up to it, I'd like your assistance when we go to meet with whoever is in charge at Paradise. If Katya is not there, we may need some more diplomatic voices."

“Thank you Sir, I’m a little tired but I’d like to be of assistance” Krysia smiled warmly.

"We'll assess the situation and make sure it's not too much," Temple replied with a nod. He clapped his hands together and stood, addressing the Bridge, "Alright, we're back at Paradise. We won't be here for long, we're just going to secure a safe passage home and find out what's happening with the resistance. I want everyone coming over to Paradise ready in the transporter room in 10 minutes."

Krysia looked to Nyx, "I'll meet you at the transporter Sir, I need to check in on the twins make sure they've settled alright at the nursery."

=/\= This is Lieutenant Mindo," said Mindo over the comm systems. "I'm on my way. =/\=

Owen stood fast after Nyx gave the crew their orders. "With all due respect, sir, I'll stay aboard the Pandora and make sure that she's ready to leave in an instant," Owen cautioned. "Whilst we are in a... safe harbour, for now, there's no telling how it will be before the Breen decides to send out some reinforcement."

"Whilst those ships had the heart taken out of the battle by the resistance fleet, I'm pretty sure that word of the Pandora being here at Paradise Station will have gotten out," Owen added.

"Sounds reasonable." Nyx nodded weith a smile, "I promise I won't get us into any more trouble. Very well, I'll see everyone at the transporters soon."

OFF