S3:E9 All Bad Things Come To An End

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

[Mess Hall - Challenger]

Walking into the mess hall, Liv looked around, feeling slightly reminiscent of when she used to run one, before heading over to the counter, to choose what she wanted. The last week had been one of mixed emotions, as the crew followed Ruth in the attempt to not only catch up with the Captain but also to help with the search of the missing twins. With that in mind and having a scheduled break, during her shift, Liv had wanted to spend that time, in the mess hall as opposed to grabbing something from the CMO's replicator.

Besides it felt good to walk about and attempt to focus on something else, other than worry or concern. Not that those particular emotions would leave her anytime soon. Luckily she had Kyle and Elijah, to help come to terms with what had happened and to also support Will during what must of been an incredibly difficult time for him. Whilst she understood why Ruth had gone ahead and left them, to follow, she wished that she hadn't, purely for what it had done and the fall out it had caused.

Hopefully once they got to her and brought her back to the ship, things would be resolved and would do what she could do to help. But for now and wanting to fuel up, so she could be ready for the rest of her shift. Liv engaged in friendly conversation with the mess hall manager, before picking a rather tasty looking, seafood salad, with a side of homemade bread and a fruit smoothie.

Thanking them, Liv then found a table near the window and sat down, happy to have a few moments of silence as she then reached for her cutlery.

NPC (Lt jg) Nurse Chloe Davis
[USS Challenger - Junior Officer Quarters]

Chloe yawned as she moved about her shared quarters this morning, not yet fully awake, so it was a good thing she was scheduled for the Beta shift today.  This tiredness was becoming more and more common this week what with the shift in her and Lahr's relationship recently.   He was staying overnight now on occasion, when her own roommate was otherwise occupied and last night had been another of those nights.  And while she should be bragging that she got no sleep... this was entirely for the wrong reason.

Lahr seemed to have night terrors and would flail and call out in his sleep.  When she'd brought up her concern for him a couple days ago, he laughed it off and remarked he must of been having 'one helluva dream' then changed topics to an energetic bout of lovemaking.   Chloe recognized it as a diversion at the time but figured it wasn't her place to press, and inwardly hoped that it was just an isolated thing.  It wasn't.

Now she had to decide what to do.  Lahr obviously didn't want to discuss his issue with her and from what she knew he hadn't sought any other aid.  Did she have the right to bring it up to counselor Ryder?   Yet would Lahr be upset at her for sticking her nose in his personal life?   She had no clear answer - which sucked.

Feeling like she needed a company to distract her from her thoughts, since Lahr was on shift on Bridge already, Chloe headed to the Mess Hall to get a 'Wake Me Up' coffee.

[Mess Hall]
Chloe stifled another yawn as she stepped into the Mess Hall.  She cast her tired gaze over the room briefly noting a few people in here on their Alpha shift lunch break.  There was even Liv enjoying what looked like a salad.   The seafood salad looked good,  but this was breakfast for Chloe.   As such, when she moved to place her order at the replicator, she ordered a "Spanish Omelette with side of rye bread and a black coffee, 2 sugar."

The tray appeared and Chloe picked up before heading over to the table Liv was sitting at.  "Good afternoon, Doctor.  May I sit with you?"  She asked then scrunched her face as she fought off yet another yawn.   "Sorry about that.  I need my coffee to wake me up today."

[Olivia Briggs]

NPC (Lt jg) Nurse Chloe Davis

[Mess Hall]

Chloe stifled another yawn as she stepped into the Mess Hall.  She cast her tired gaze over the room briefly noting a few people in here on their Alpha shift lunch break.  There was even Liv enjoying what looked like a salad.   The seafood salad looked good,  but this was breakfast for Chloe.   As such, when she moved to place her order at the replicator, she ordered a "Spanish Omelette with side of rye bread and a black coffee, 2 sugar."

The tray appeared and Chloe picked up before heading over to the table Liv was sitting at.  "Good afternoon, Doctor.  May I sit with you?"  She asked then scrunched her face as she fought off yet another yawn.   "Sorry about that.  I need my coffee to wake me up today."

[Mess Hall - Challenger]

The seafood salad was delicious and something that Liv was keen to make for Kyle, either for dinner one night or perhaps one of their date nights. She may not be in charge of a kitchen anymore, but that hadn't put her off, wanting to expand her culinary skills.

It was also nice to just sit back and enjoy a meal, with the stars streaming by, allowing the medic to temporarily forget about what was happening outside the mess hall. Not that she would forget on purpose but it certainly took the edge off, before she returned to Sickbay.

When Chloe then approached and greeted her, Liv looked to the Nurse and smiled, as she asked if she could join her, before stifling a yawn and apologised.

" That's okay, Chloe, I was like that this morning and of course you can sit with me".

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

[OOC - Skipping tags, I'll refer to all tho!]

Bridge - USS Challenger]

[As NPC - CSO Lt. Cmdr Evie Wardropper]

Lt. Commander Wardropper chuckled as Kyle mentioned the command track.  "No thanks, I was only holding the fort until yourself and Commander Waring got to the Bridge, I do intend retiring at some point so I can enjoy my grandkids before they're too old.  As it happens Petty Officer ch'Verret had things well in hand.  I ordered 2 hours for several reasons, mostly the ones that you mentioned, and indirectly I don't know Mr. Gianetti too well but I do know Lek, and he... and the Captain... wouldn't thank us for breaking their ship before we unleash hell on Leyton!"

She stood and rolled her neck.  "Other than our standard scans, Sirs, anything you'd like me to attend to?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Mjolnir]

Ruth was sat frantically making calculations on a PADD.

"Mr. Litt, Mr. Bailey... help me out here.  I don't have the exact specifics of the Tal'Bath but I know Hecate well enough to know she'll be travelling at a distance which is safe enough, at a speed not unlike we were.  She is also cloaked." The Captain indicated the map on her PADD.

"From the data she's sending us it looks like the Bathory is creeping up and out towards Za-El.  Now, I'm going to use her as our 'eyes' for now, as I don't intend incurring the wrath of the Breen Confederacy by crossing their territory without  at least saying we were going to, and to get all the paperwork done, we simply don't have the time... plus I don't want big Trailblazer craft coming up behind them and forcing their hand to do something stupid so the Tal'Bath is cloaked.  However, I want the twins safely back on the Challenger before we take on Leyton.  So... what do you think..."

Indicating with her finger she smiled slightly.

"Does anyone know of any problems for flying in Phendrana Drifts?, If not we can slip through there, then up the border, potentially abreast of the Tal'Bath, but arrive ...here..."

She indicated a patch of space that was between Federation territory and Breen territory forming a sort of corridor leading into the Black Cluster.

"Now my plan is, if we get there and are kinda facing them, but we can look like, prior to that, as if we are making for the Starbases, checking them out, maybe 'looking for Leyton' up and down the area, but just be there and retrieve my sisters.  I'm pretty sure we can get a tractor beam on them and beam a team over or somehow knock out their engines so they can't move.  Sending the team over or beaming my sisters out... which would be quicker Mr. Bailey? Mr. Grelek?  Either way these are just thoughts.  If I'm stuck here for now I may as well use the time to plan... it means we can hand a PADD to Mr. Waring, Mr. Briggs, Mr. ch.Verret when we get back."

She jumped back slightly as the controls fizzed a little.

"Mr. Litt any luck with locating the problem?" Ruth asked "I could take a look under the...OW!!"

Snatching her hand back where she'd had it singed with an electrical burn.  The console now had small flames coming from it, and the toxic fumes of burning wires started filling the small craft.

Rather unwisely, the Captain leaned over to try getting to a bag she'd brought, her hair catching in the flames...

[Zavrol Gohun]

Hearing the summons on the intercom Gohun hurried up and went to his quarters to change. From there he went directly to the bridge.
As Gohun walked on to the bridge he noticed every sight sound and smell. At that moment he took several seconds to take in the the bridge before walking up to the lieutenant and reporting in.
" Gohun reporting in"

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck One - Bridge, Between DS2 and SB514]

Bridge - USS Challenger]

[As NPC - CSO Lt. Cmdr Evie Wardropper]

Lt. Commander Wardropper chuckled as Kyle mentioned the command track.  "No thanks, I was only holding the fort until yourself and Commander Waring got to the Bridge, I do intend retiring at some point so I can enjoy my grandkids before they're too old.  As it happens Petty Officer ch'Verret had things well in hand.  I ordered 2 hours for several reasons, mostly the ones that you mentioned, and indirectly I don't know Mr. Gianetti too well but I do know Lek, and he... and the Captain... wouldn't thank us for breaking their ship before we unleash hell on Leyton!"

She stood and rolled her neck.  "Other than our standard scans, Sirs, anything you'd like me to attend to?"

Lahr glanced over towards the CSO at her mention of him.  While he appreciated the name drop and the intent with which it had been mentioned, at the moment he'd feel better with less attention on him and his activities.   Sometimes he wasn't quite 'by the book' and he didn't need the Lieutenant or Commander taking offense to him doing more than ordered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC PO2 Grelek
[Mjolnir, near Zakdorn]

[Mjolnir]

Ruth was sat frantically making calculations on a PADD.

"Mr. Litt, Mr. Bailey... help me out here.  I don't have the exact specifics of the Tal'Bath but I know Hecate well enough to know she'll be travelling at a distance which is safe enough, at a speed not unlike we were.  She is also cloaked." The Captain indicated the map on her PADD.

"From the data she's sending us it looks like the Bathory is creeping up and out towards Za-El.  Now, I'm going to use her as our 'eyes' for now, as I don't intend incurring the wrath of the Breen Confederacy by crossing their territory without  at least saying we were going to, and to get all the paperwork done, we simply don't have the time... plus I don't want big Trailblazer craft coming up behind them and forcing their hand to do something stupid so the Tal'Bath is cloaked.  However, I want the twins safely back on the Challenger before we take on Leyton.  So... what do you think..."

Indicating with her finger she smiled slightly.

"Does anyone know of any problems for flying in Phendrana Drifts?, If not we can slip through there, then up the border, potentially abreast of the Tal'Bath, but arrive ...here..."

She indicated a patch of space that was between Federation territory and Breen territory forming a sort of corridor leading into the Black Cluster.

Grelek, who had offered to help Litt take a look into the engine problems, was having little luck in determining the cause of the engine issue - he was no engineer. So when the Captain offered a distraction from his failure, Grelek peered at the map she'd called up.

"Forgive my questioning Captain but what do we know about the Drifts?"

"Now my plan is, if we get there and are kinda facing them, but we can look like, prior to that, as if we are making for the Starbases, checking them out, maybe 'looking for Leyton' up and down the area, but just be there and retrieve my sisters.  I'm pretty sure we can get a tractor beam on them and beam a team over or somehow knock out their engines so they can't move.  Sending the team over or beaming my sisters out... which would be quicker Mr. Bailey? Mr. Grelek?  Either way these are just thoughts.  If I'm stuck here for now I may as well use the time to plan... it means we can hand a PADD to Mr. Waring, Mr. Briggs, Mr. ch.Verret when we get back."

Turning his back to their attempt to restart the faulty engine, Grelek considered the Captain's query.  "Depending on where your sisters are will provide the answer to that.  If the area is overly shielded, like a brig - then your question is moot.  A boarding team would be necessary - perhaps by direct contact like a shuttle to a docking port.  If they are not in such a shielded area then of course beaming them directly out would be best." he advised, yet in doing so his attention slipped and wires crossed that should not cross.

She jumped back slightly as the controls fizzed a little.

"Mr. Litt any luck with locating the problem?" Ruth asked "I could take a look under the...OW!!"

Snatching her hand back where she'd had it singed with an electrical burn.  The console now had small flames coming from it, and the toxic fumes of burning wires started filling the small craft.

Rather unwisely, the Captain leaned over to try getting to a bag she'd brought, her hair catching in the flames...

The 'ow' and the sound of the fizzling electronics was not a good sign. "My apologies Captain I seem to have made things worse."

The smell of acrid smoke assaulted his nose.  He turned around and his eyes widened in muted alarm.  He moved to reach for the shuttles only extinguisher.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC (Lt jg) Nurse Chloe Davis
[USS Challenger - Mess Hall]

[Mess Hall - Challenger]

When Chloe then approached and greeted her, Liv looked to the Nurse and smiled, as she asked if she could join her, before stifling a yawn and apologised.

" That's okay, Chloe, I was like that this morning and of course you can sit with me".

Chloe smiled at the permission and moved to take a seat across from the doctor, setting her tray down first before sitting down. "How are things with you today? I hope Sickbay isn't teeming with patients today.  I could really use a slow day."

She picked up her coffee meaningfully and took a careful sip of the hot liquid.  She'd love if she could just down the entire cup for its' caffeine but she'd just end up burning her mouth.

"I'm not usually like this.  I'm honestly very much a morning person." she tried to explain.

[William Waring]

[Bridge]

Kyle nodded to Will as he acknowledge the greeting and replied to the Acting CO's inquiry.

"Actually, Commander Wardropper already had us underway." Kyle answered. From there, the former Engineer in him kicked in. "And if I may, Sir? The shuttle already has a week head start on us and we've been pushing it to get this far. The engines have some more to give but not enough to make it less than two hours. We both know the Captain. She's resourceful. If she's made it this long, a couple of more hours won't hurt. And she wouldn't want us to damage the Challenger in the process."

[Bridge]

Will nodded a small bit "Then you shall have my appreciation Commander" he said as he stood back up from the chair. He was restless and couldn't find a place where he would be comfortable regardless of position. He just wanted this nightmare over but he pinched himself enough to know that it was, in fact, real. "I knew that... I knew that..." he said with a hand wave "I should've known it. Right, yes, let's get our game faces on. It's go time." he said, rolling his shoulders "Oh! Lahr! I didn't even say anything to you, did I! Well, in case I didn't, thank you. I've been so caught up in... well everyone here knows..." He took a moment to do the best to clear his thoughts and push through "Keep an eye on the sensors Evie. Given this" he began again, vaguely gesturing to the air "I think we should have as many eyes on them as possible. Unless you wish to get her a red uniform, Kyle" he chuckled "Two hours... feels like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I can't imagine how Ruth has been this entire time..."

[Olivia Briggs]

[T'Varn - Mjolnir - near Zakdorn]

The Vulcan medical officer, had mainly kept to herself during the journey, preferring to meditate when she got the chance to do so, whenever they were given respite to sleep or eat. Other than that, T'Varn maintained the medical supplies and kept to the seat she had been designated with, monitoring the rest of the team, to ensure, they were as well as they could be.

T'Varn also understood the illogical and logical aspects of what they were doing, listening to conversations and the actions they were taking. Although T'Varn simply followed orders, however as the situation began to deteriorate, especially with the electronics fizzing and the Captain's hair catching on fire. The medical officer prepared to assist, especially as Grelek began to reach for the fire suppressor.

As she was closest, T'Varn quickly grabbed it, activated the release and quickly put out the fire, before taking out the medical tricorder to scan the Captain, for injuries.

" No obvious damage Captain, I believe luck as they was on your side".

NPC (Lt jg) Nurse Chloe Davis
[USS Challenger - Mess Hall]

Chloe smiled at the permission and moved to take a seat across from the doctor, setting her tray down first before sitting down. "How are things with you today? I hope Sickbay isn't teeming with patients today.  I could really use a slow day."

She picked up her coffee meaningfully and took a careful sip of the hot liquid.  She'd love if she could just down the entire cup for its' caffeine but she'd just end up burning her mouth.

"I'm not usually like this.  I'm honestly very much a morning person." she tried to explain.

[Liv - Mess Hall, Challenger]

As Chloe sat down, Liv reached for her drink as the Nurse then enquired about her day, before asking about Sickbay and how she could use a slow day. " I'm good thank you and you'e in luck, things are quiet in Sickbay at the moment".

It certainly made a change, especially after their last mission, rescuing those who had been captured by Leyton's forces at the asteroid. However knew that it could change at any moment, especially when the caught up with Ruth and the missing twins. Although that particular conversation could wait until they were back on shift and received news.

So Liv went back to her food, as Chloe then confessed that she wasn't normally like this and how she was a morning person.

" I understand with that, then again considering what we've been through lately, I think an off day, every now and then, is perfectly reasonable".

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

Hearing the summons on the intercom Gohun hurried up and went to his quarters to change. From there he went directly to the bridge.
As Gohun walked on to the bridge he noticed every sight sound and smell. At that moment he took several seconds to take in the the bridge before walking up to the lieutenant and reporting in.
" Gohun reporting in"

[As NPC CSO Evie Wardropper]

[USS Challenger - Bridge]

Evie gave a small smile of welcome to the Security crewman.  She knew how unsettling being on the Bridge could be ... even at the elevated rank she had she didn't sit particularly comfortably on the Bridge at any time, even less so in any kind of command role.  As Departmental Head she enjoyed the role as it was sort of motherly/grandmotherly and she could 'mother hen' the people in her department, while still letting her Scientific mind do what it needed to do.

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck One - Bridge, Between DS2 and SB514]

Lahr glanced over towards the CSO at her mention of him.  While he appreciated the name drop and the intent with which it had been mentioned, at the moment he'd feel better with less attention on him and his activities.   Sometimes he wasn't quite 'by the book' and he didn't need the Lieutenant or Commander taking offense to him doing more than ordered.

Evie gave a wink in response to the look that Lahr gave her.  In her book a bit of initiative always went down well.  Sometimes that decisiveness would make the difference in battles, and she knew they had one hell of a battle coming up.  Her 60 year old bones could feel it... and she was glad looking at the gentlemen before her that Ruth had such a team around her to go up against Leyton.

[Bridge]

Will nodded a small bit "Then you shall have my appreciation Commander" he said as he stood back up from the chair. He was restless and couldn't find a place where he would be comfortable regardless of position. He just wanted this nightmare over but he pinched himself enough to know that it was, in fact, real. "I knew that... I knew that..." he said with a hand wave "I should've known it. Right, yes, let's get our game faces on. It's go time." he said, rolling his shoulders "Oh! Lahr! I didn't even say anything to you, did I! Well, in case I didn't, thank you. I've been so caught up in... well everyone here knows..." He took a moment to do the best to clear his thoughts and push through "Keep an eye on the sensors Evie. Given this" he began again, vaguely gesturing to the air "I think we should have as many eyes on them as possible. Unless you wish to get her a red uniform, Kyle" he chuckled "Two hours... feels like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I can't imagine how Ruth has been this entire time..."

"No worries Commander Waring.  Once we got some co-ordinates I figured that the best course of action, especially when the Captain herself was asking for assistance was to be just that and/or find someone in area to help out."  Evie said with a smile.

She could only imagine how Will had felt the last week and she tried to make him smile.  She'd had 40 years of marriage until her husband Rupert had unfortunately suffered a massive heart attack ... one they called 'Widowmakers' and there was no one with him at the time so it hadn't been preventable.  She didn't want anything stopping the hopes that the Warings were going to have a long and happy marriage, but she didn't draw more attention to the fact that Will had been a mess... understandably.

"No red uniform please, Will... I happen to like teal!" she chuckled answering his own mirth.  "Eyes on the sensors.  Am I right in thinking we have the Belfast circling around between Innominatum - DS3 -DS2 -SB301 - Moab ring as they were scheduled to do anyhow over the next week to 'avoid suspicion?  What about other ships, forgive me if I'm treading on toes but has anyone else offered help in our final push?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC PO2 Grelek
[Mjolnir, near Zakdorn]

Grelek, who had offered to help Litt take a look into the engine problems, was having little luck in determining the cause of the engine issue - he was no engineer. So when the Captain offered a distraction from his failure, Grelek peered at the map she'd called up.

"Forgive my questioning Captain but what do we know about the Drifts?"

Turning his back to their attempt to restart the faulty engine, Grelek considered the Captain's query.  "Depending on where your sisters are will provide the answer to that.  If the area is overly shielded, like a brig - then your question is moot.  A boarding team would be necessary - perhaps by direct contact like a shuttle to a docking port.  If they are not in such a shielded area then of course beaming them directly out would be best." he advised, yet in doing so his attention slipped and wires crossed that should not cross.

The 'ow' and the sound of the fizzling electronics was not a good sign. "My apologies Captain I seem to have made things worse."

The smell of acrid smoke assaulted his nose.  He turned around and his eyes widened in muted alarm.  He moved to reach for the shuttles only extinguisher.

[T'Varn - Mjolnir - near Zakdorn]

The Vulcan medical officer, had mainly kept to herself during the journey, preferring to meditate when she got the chance to do so, whenever they were given respite to sleep or eat. Other than that, T'Varn maintained the medical supplies and kept to the seat she had been designated with, monitoring the rest of the team, to ensure, they were as well as they could be.

T'Varn also understood the illogical and logical aspects of what they were doing, listening to conversations and the actions they were taking. Although T'Varn simply followed orders, however as the situation began to deteriorate, especially with the electronics fizzing and the Captain's hair catching on fire. The medical officer prepared to assist, especially as Grelek began to reach for the fire suppressor.

As she was closest, T'Varn quickly grabbed it, activated the release and quickly put out the fire, before taking out the medical tricorder to scan the Captain, for injuries.

" No obvious damage Captain, I believe luck as they was on your side".

Mjolnir Somewhere near Zakdorn]

Ruth was visibly shaken, but tried to shake it off.

"Other than the hair!" she said reaching over into the medkit to get a pair of scissors to cut off the charred ends.  She took a mirror out of the bag that was to have been taking a sheer nightie that had been wrapped around it and hurling it across the room in frustration.  'Some wedding night!' she thought to herself.

Regarding her hair she started crying and then took the scissors to try tidying up the ends.

"This will have to do, it'll gr..." she hiccoughed on a sob, the emotions of the last week pouring out of her, the hair being 'the last straw'.

"It'll grow back..." she said with a hopeful look at the rest of the crew.

"T'Varn?  My face hurts, and my hand.  Maybe a little burnt, they feel hot."

While she let T'Varn get on with whatever the medic needed to do, she turned to the other Vulcan and Litt.

"I'm afraid I don't know a lot Grelek, I suspect it will be almost as quick to go around rather than... unless Lahr or Will have any information on the subject back on the Challenger... I mean by the time we got some telemetry we could have flown round the side of it rather than messing around with the info gathering."  the Captain replied trying to take her mind off the pile of singed hair beside her, and dashing away the new tears that sprang to her eyes with the back of her hand.

"As for the twins... quite likely will have them in a Brig, I can't see Katya sitting still long anywhere else, so for the comparative safety of the crew of the Bathory, having her locked up is probably a good idea.  Not being awful, just thinking like you would in a chess game, trying to get into the head of the other person, If I were whomever was in charge on the Bathory crew... i'd lock them up!  So we'll need to probably go with plan B.  We'll keep beaming them out as an option, just in case they haven't.  I'm not sure something not much bigger than this would have a Brig?" Ruth mused aloud.

"From the information that Innominatum Ops sent, the Bathory sounds something like the Prototype Shuttle NX-59846... can we get any plans up for that??  We can make plans from that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

USS Arkansas (Class J Cadet Vessel) (Around the Phendrana Drifts)

[NPC Captain Noel Hampton, and various cadet bridge crew]

"Captain, we are picking up a small craft, like a delta flyer maybe around Zakdorn, it may be drifting.  Should we attempt to hail?" the young 2nd year Trill Ops cadet asked, pondering if this could be part of an exercise.

"Open a channel to them and see what we can find out!" Hampton answered with a sage nod.

He knew nothing of the flight of the 'Runaway Bride' from Innominatum so he couldn't know who would be on the other end of the communication.  Challenger had not included a random training ship in the list of ships that would potentially come to their aid.  Especially after events in the Crimson Nebula.

"Aye Sir!" answered the Bolian 3rd Year Ops Cadet.

=/A\=Unidentified craft on heading 327 mark 4, this is the USS Arkansas, please identify yourselves.  =/A\=

[Richard James Litt]

[USS Mjolnir]

[Delta Flyer Mjolnir - One Week after Wedding]

"Mr. Litt, just what is wrong would be a good thing, we can at least give the information to Mr. Grelek to pass onto any prospective rescue parties. [...]" Ruth seethed.

"Aye, ma'am..." he said simply and then started to look after the navigation systems, in order to discover what was happening with the delta flyer.

A few minutes have passed and Litt was moving from one system to another when the captain called him to have a little chat.

Ruth was sat frantically making calculations on a PADD.

"Mr. Litt, Mr. Bailey... help me out here.  I don't have the exact specifics of the Tal'Bath but I know Hecate well enough to know she'll be travelling at a distance which is safe enough, at a speed not unlike we were.  She is also cloaked." The Captain indicated the map on her PADD.

"From the data she's sending us it looks like the Bathory is creeping up and out towards Za-El.  Now, I'm going to use her as our 'eyes' for now, as I don't intend incurring the wrath of the Breen Confederacy by crossing their territory without at least saying we were going to, and to get all the paperwork done, we simply don't have the time... plus I don't want big Trailblazer craft coming up behind them and forcing their hand to do something stupid so the Tal'Bath is cloaked.  However, I want the twins safely back on the Challenger before we take on Leyton.  So... what do you think..."

Indicating with her finger she smiled slightly.

"Does anyone know of any problems for flying in Phendrana Drifts?, If not we can slip through there, then up the border, potentially abreast of the Tal'Bath, but arrive ...here..."

She indicated a patch of space that was between Federation territory and Breen territory forming a sort of corridor leading into the Black Cluster.

"It's an unmapped zone, ma'am... That's the main problem... We can crush into anything that is in there." He started to talk thinking about all the odds and possibilities of that.

"If we decide to fly through there, it will save us a lot of time, but, on the other hand, we are going in a blind flight..." He smiled a little bit... "If this is the only way, I can do it!" He said with a calm voice. And then, paid attention to the rest of the plan.

"Now my plan is, if we get there and are kinda facing them, but we can look like, prior to that, as if we are making for the Starbases, checking them out, maybe 'looking for Leyton' up and down the area, but just be there and retrieve my sisters.  I'm pretty sure we can get a tractor beam on them and beam a team over or somehow knock out their engines so they can't move.  Sending the team over or beaming my sisters out... which would be quicker Mr. Bailey? Mr. Grelek?  Either way these are just thoughts.  If I'm stuck here for now I may as well use the time to plan... it means we can hand a PADD to Mr. Waring, Mr. Briggs, Mr. ch.Verret when we get back."

She jumped back slightly as the controls fizzed a little.

"Mr. Litt any luck with locating the problem?" Ruth asked "I could take a look under the...OW!!"

Snatching her hand back where she'd had it singed with an electrical burn.  The console now had small flames coming from it, and the toxic fumes of burning wires started filling the small craft.

Rather unwisely, the Captain leaned over to try getting to a bag she'd brought, her hair catching in the flames...

When the captain asked about the problem they're facing he opened his mouth to reply but right after the console started to burn. While the captain was having medical attention Litt started to look at the burned console and looked at the captain.

"Ma'am... As I'm suspecting of sabotage... Someone probably messed up with the Mjolnir at the party... Maybe we can send a piece of advice to the Challenger, and tell them to look after sabotage in the other shuttles..." He said looking at her, remembering the previous time that the Mjolnir was sabotaged.

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Bridge]

[Bridge]

Will nodded a small bit "Then you shall have my appreciation Commander" he said as he stood back up from the chair. He was restless and couldn't find a place where he would be comfortable regardless of position. He just wanted this nightmare over but he pinched himself enough to know that it was, in fact, real. "I knew that... I knew that..." he said with a hand wave "I should've known it. Right, yes, let's get our game faces on. It's go time." he said, rolling his shoulders "Oh! Lahr! I didn't even say anything to you, did I! Well, in case I didn't, thank you. I've been so caught up in... well everyone here knows..." He took a moment to do the best to clear his thoughts and push through "Keep an eye on the sensors Evie. Given this" he began again, vaguely gesturing to the air "I think we should have as many eyes on them as possible. Unless you wish to get her a red uniform, Kyle" he chuckled "Two hours... feels like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I can't imagine how Ruth has been this entire time..."

Lahr kept watch on the comms and on the sensor as they were off at warp.  He glanced back over his shoulder towards the command chair when the Commander thanked him.   The Andorian's antenna drooped slightly.  He guy seemed so lost.  Had he always been this way, or had the Captain somehow broken him when she left?  Lahr had always envisioned officers made of sterner stuff... but he supposed maybe that was just an Andorian warrior trait.

"No thanks needed, sir." he commented back "I'm just following orders.".

[As NPC CSO Evie Wardropper]

[USS Challenger - Bridge]

Evie gave a small smile of welcome to the Security crewman.  She knew how unsettling being on the Bridge could be ... even at the elevated rank she had she didn't sit particularly comfortably on the Bridge at any time, even less so in any kind of command role.  As Departmental Head she enjoyed the role as it was sort of motherly/grandmotherly and she could 'mother hen' the people in her department, while still letting her Scientific mind do what it needed to do.

Evie gave a wink in response to the look that Lahr gave her.  In her book a bit of initiative always went down well.  Sometimes that decisiveness would make the difference in battles, and she knew they had one hell of a battle coming up.  Her 60 year old bones could feel it... and she was glad looking at the gentlemen before her that Ruth had such a team around her to go up against Leyton.

"No worries Commander Waring.  Once we got some co-ordinates I figured that the best course of action, especially when the Captain herself was asking for assistance was to be just that and/or find someone in area to help out."  Evie said with a smile.

She could only imagine how Will had felt the last week and she tried to make him smile.  She'd had 40 years of marriage until her husband Rupert had unfortunately suffered a massive heart attack ... one they called 'Widowmakers' and there was no one with him at the time so it hadn't been preventable.  She didn't want anything stopping the hopes that the Warings were going to have a long and happy marriage, but she didn't draw more attention to the fact that Will had been a mess... understandably.

"No red uniform please, Will... I happen to like teal!" she chuckled answering his own mirth.  "Eyes on the sensors.  Am I right in thinking we have the Belfast circling around between Innominatum - DS3 -DS2 -SB301 - Moab ring as they were scheduled to do anyhow over the next week to 'avoid suspicion?  What about other ships, forgive me if I'm treading on toes but has anyone else offered help in our final push?"

Lahr couldn't help speak up though it would be smarter if he didn't, "The Captain had several Starfleet and other allied ships ready to divert when she was ready.  I think it would just be a matter of contacting them, and letting them know to where to be and when."  Lahr failed to mention that part of the Captain's orders to him before she left was to arrange exactly that and he had done so using her authorization code to access her message system so that it seemed as if the written communiques were coming from her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC Grelek
[Delta Flyer Mjolnir - near Zakdorn]

[T'Varn - Mjolnir - near Zakdorn]

As she was closest, T'Varn quickly grabbed it, activated the release and quickly put out the fire, before taking out the medical tricorder to scan the Captain, for injuries.

" No obvious damage Captain, I believe luck as they was on your side".

Mjolnir Somewhere near Zakdorn]

Ruth was visibly shaken, but tried to shake it off.

"Other than the hair!" she said reaching over into the medkit to get a pair of scissors to cut off the charred ends.  She took a mirror out of the bag that was to have been taking a sheer nightie that had been wrapped around it and hurling it across the room in frustration.  'Some wedding night!' she thought to herself.

Regarding her hair she started crying and then took the scissors to try tidying up the ends.

"This will have to do, it'll gr..." she hiccoughed on a sob, the emotions of the last week pouring out of her, the hair being 'the last straw'.

"It'll grow back..." she said with a hopeful look at the rest of the crew.

"T'Varn?  My face hurts, and my hand.  Maybe a little burnt, they feel hot."

While she let T'Varn get on with whatever the medic needed to do, she turned to the other Vulcan and Litt.

"I'm afraid I don't know a lot Grelek, I suspect it will be almost as quick to go around rather than... unless Lahr or Will have any information on the subject back on the Challenger... I mean by the time we got some telemetry we could have flown round the side of it rather than messing around with the info gathering."  the Captain replied trying to take her mind off the pile of singed hair beside her, and dashing away the new tears that sprang to her eyes with the back of her hand.

"As for the twins... quite likely will have them in a Brig, I can't see Katya sitting still long anywhere else, so for the comparative safety of the crew of the Bathory, having her locked up is probably a good idea.  Not being awful, just thinking like you would in a chess game, trying to get into the head of the other person, If I were whomever was in charge on the Bathory crew... i'd lock them up!  So we'll need to probably go with plan B.  We'll keep beaming them out as an option, just in case they haven't.  I'm not sure something not much bigger than this would have a Brig?" Ruth mused aloud.

"From the information that Innominatum Ops sent, the Bathory sounds something like the Prototype Shuttle NX-59846... can we get any plans up for that??  We can make plans from that."

Grelek nodded and turned to begin doing that.

[USS Mjolnir]

"Aye, ma'am..." he said simply and then started to look after the navigation systems, in order to discover what was happening with the delta flyer.

A few minutes have passed and Litt was moving from one system to another when the captain called him to have a little chat.

"It's an unmapped zone, ma'am... That's the main problem... We can crush into anything that is in there." He started to talk thinking about all the odds and possibilities of that.

"If we decide to fly through there, it will save us a lot of time, but, on the other hand, we are going in a blind flight..." He smiled a little bit... "If this is the only way, I can do it!" He said with a calm voice. And then, paid attention to the rest of the plan.

When the captain asked about the problem they're facing he opened his mouth to reply but right after the console started to burn. While the captain was having medical attention Litt started to look at the burned console and looked at the captain.

"Ma'am... As I'm suspecting of sabotage... Someone probably messed up with the Mjolnir at the party... Maybe we can send a piece of advice to the Challenger, and tell them to look after sabotage in the other shuttles..." He said looking at her, remembering the previous time that the Mjolnir was sabotaged.

Sabotage?!  Here he had been quietly feeling guilt thinking his attempt at restarting the engines had caused the console fire...  but then maybe he had and it was just the engine breakdown that was the sabotage.  In either case, Lieutenant Litt was correct other shuttles might have been also tampered with.

"I will contact them directly"

Yet he was interrupted before he got that far.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC (Lt jg) Nurse Chloe Davis

[Liv - Mess Hall, Challenger]

As Chloe sat down, Liv reached for her drink as the Nurse then enquired about her day, before asking about Sickbay and how she could use a slow day. " I'm good thank you and you'e in luck, things are quiet in Sickbay at the moment".

It certainly made a change, especially after their last mission, rescuing those who had been captured by Leyton's forces at the asteroid. However knew that it could change at any moment, especially when the caught up with Ruth and the missing twins. Although that particular conversation could wait until they were back on shift and received news.

So Liv went back to her food, as Chloe then confessed that she wasn't normally like this and how she was a morning person.

" I understand with that, then again considering what we've been through lately, I think an off day, every now and then, is perfectly reasonable".

Chloe nodded in agreement.  "Oh, I'd love a day off.  A chance to do a holodeck rec program...maybe relax in the sun on a beach.... " she remarked wistfully. Then thinking about it added as an aside, "But Lahr could certainly use one more than me."

She looked over to the doctor pensively a moment as she sipped her coffee.  "Doctor, I'm worried about Lahr.  Mentally... emotionally... "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC Grelek
[Delta Flyer Mjolnir - near Zakdorn]

[NPC Captain Noel Hampton, and various cadet bridge crew]

=/A\=Unidentified craft on heading 327 mark 4, this is the USS Arkansas, please identify yourselves.  =/A\=

"It would appear that we might be able to 'hitch a ride', Captain" Grelek stated before he opened the channel to respond.

"USS Arkansas, we are the Delta Flyer Mjolnir NCC-81673 of the USS Challenger.  We request your assistance. Our engines have failed while in pursuit of another vessel.  And according to my sensors you are over an hour closer to our location than our own ship.  Time is of the essence in this.  In addition our Captain has been injured."   Grelek motioned to Ruth to silence.    " She sustained burns during a console fire.  Will you assist? "

He muted his end to explain to the Captain and others in the shuttlecraft. "I'm not lying. Merely not clarifying the severity of your injuries."

[Olivia Briggs]

[T'Varn - Mjolnir near Zakdorn]

An eyebrow was raised at the Captain's behaviour, never fully understanding human emotions fully, then again, it had been a testing time for all concerned, since their departure from Challenger. Yet all T'Varn could do was watch as the Captain, took care of her singed hair, as well as the emotion associated with such an incident.

Although when she mentioned about her face and hand, the medical officer, was quick to scan the areas that were causing discomfort, as the conversation went on around her.

" Correct, Captain, there is superficial damage, I can treat that now for you" she said as she got out the appropriate equipment. However as the conversation continued and sabotage was suggested, followed by the contact with the other ship, T'Varn paused, waiting for further instruction.

NPC (Lt jg) Nurse Chloe Davis

Chloe nodded in agreement.  "Oh, I'd love a day off.  A chance to do a holodeck rec program...maybe relax in the sun on a beach.... " she remarked wistfully. Then thinking about it added as an aside, "But Lahr could certainly use one more than me."

She looked over to the doctor pensively a moment as she sipped her coffee.  "Doctor, I'm worried about Lahr.  Mentally... emotionally... "

[Liv - Mess Hall, Challenger[/color]

At the mention of a day off and visiting a holo programme such as beach, Liv could relate to that particular thought, having several programmes that she used with Kyle and their son. Although when she spoke about Lahr, especially with her being worried about him, both mentally and emotionally, Liv put down her cutlery and looked over at Chloe.

It was obvious that she cared a great deal about Lahr and hoped that what she was about to say, would help them both.

" When it comes to the men, that we care about, its only natural for us to worry about them, if I know something is bothering Kyle, I don't force the issue, if he doesn't want to tell me what's going on, but allow him the time, to tell me when he's ready".

Liv paused for a moment then continued.

" I'm not saying Lahr is the same, but being there for them and supporting them, is the best thing to do, even if its being alone or surprising them with a favourite activity, holo programme and in my experience it works".

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

[USS Mjolnir]

"Aye, ma'am..." he said simply and then started to look after the navigation systems, in order to discover what was happening with the delta flyer.

A few minutes have passed and Litt was moving from one system to another when the captain called him to have a little chat.

"It's an unmapped zone, ma'am... That's the main problem... We can crush into anything that is in there." He started to talk thinking about all the odds and possibilities of that.

"If we decide to fly through there, it will save us a lot of time, but, on the other hand, we are going in a blind flight..." He smiled a little bit... "If this is the only way, I can do it!" He said with a calm voice. And then, paid attention to the rest of the plan.

When the captain asked about the problem they're facing he opened his mouth to reply but right after the console started to burn. While the captain was having medical attention Litt started to look at the burned console and looked at the captain.

"Ma'am... As I'm suspecting of sabotage... Someone probably messed up with the Mjolnir at the party... Maybe we can send a piece of advice to the Challenger, and tell them to look after sabotage in the other shuttles..." He said looking at her, remembering the previous time that the Mjolnir was sabotaged.

[Mjolnir near Zakdorn]

"I know you could Richard, I have every confidence in you as my helmsman.  Even Hoshi says you're his best pilot.  But I agree, we could bump into anything and that would slow us down more than going around.  As for the sabotage, good thinking.  It's the best we've got at the moment so yes, we'll get a message to Challenger about it."  Ruth began, glad that the small crew she had here was pulling together and helping to formulate plans.

NPC Grelek
[Delta Flyer Mjolnir - near Zakdorn]

Grelek nodded and turned to begin doing that.

Sabotage?!  Here he had been quietly feeling guilt thinking his attempt at restarting the engines had caused the console fire...  but then maybe he had and it was just the engine breakdown that was the sabotage.  In either case, Lieutenant Litt was correct other shuttles might have been also tampered with.

"I will contact them directly"

Yet he was interrupted before he got that far.

"It would appear that we might be able to 'hitch a ride', Captain" Grelek stated before he opened the channel to respond.

"USS Arkansas, we are the Delta Flyer Mjolnir NCC-81673 of the USS Challenger.  We request your assistance. Our engines have failed while in pursuit of another vessel.  And according to my sensors you are over an hour closer to our location than our own ship.  Time is of the essence in this.  In addition our Captain has been injured."   Grelek motioned to Ruth to silence.    " She sustained burns during a console fire.  Will you assist? "

He muted his end to explain to the Captain and others in the shuttlecraft. "I'm not lying. Merely not clarifying the severity of your injuries."

[T'Varn - Mjolnir near Zakdorn]

An eyebrow was raised at the Captain's behaviour, never fully understanding human emotions fully, then again, it had been a testing time for all concerned, since their departure from Challenger. Yet all T'Varn could do was watch as the Captain, took care of her singed hair, as well as the emotion associated with such an incident.

Although when she mentioned about her face and hand, the medical officer, was quick to scan the areas that were causing discomfort, as the conversation went on around her.

" Correct, Captain, there is superficial damage, I can treat that now for you" she said as she got out the appropriate equipment. However as the conversation continued and sabotage was suggested, followed by the contact with the other ship, T'Varn paused, waiting for further instruction.

Ruth nodded at Grelek as he responded to the Arkansas hail.  Since he had the comms on mute she shrugged and said "They're more likely to respond to a medical emergency than a stranded ... well the Mjolnir while a delta flyer was got for the Challenger as a sort of 'Captain's Yacht' but we're not really big enough for that with the rest of our embarked craft!  So depending on what the Captain is like 'Captain's personal runabout' or 'Respected Captain on a...' well I dunno about respected but 'injured' trumps everything.  Hold off on that repair unless you think it can't wait T'Varn... or if they don't respond favourably. Hopefully they may even have someone skilled at hairdressing aboad so I don't give poor Will heart failure with this ... oh so trendy look!"

She thought for a moment then continued.  "Once we have a response you can, if response if favourable, contact Challenger and give updated situation, both Litt's potential sabotage and a rendezvous point to transfer from the Arkansas."

She hoped that Lahr had managed to contact the other ships and that was well underway, if so, everything, other than the slight hiccough of her being stuck in the middle of space on a dead delta flyer, was falling into place.  It wasn't exactly A-Z there had been some major detours, but she was going to make Leyton pay.  She wasn't allowed to kill him, but by hell there was nothing about maim or injuring, on that things were a little more fuzzy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[USS Arkansas - Between Qatar and Zakdorn]
[As Captain Noel Hampton]

=/A\= Mjolnir we have your coordinates and will be with you in...  =/A\=

Hampton looked the helmsman cadet who responded crisply.

"48 mins at current speed, Captain, if we take her up to Warp 6 though we could be there in 10."

"Increase to 5.5, what would that change to... about 15-18 mins" Hampton asked.

"About that Captain, less if we get eyes on her straight away."

=/A\= Stand by Mjolnir we will be with you in under 20 minutes, and we will have our medical teams ready to assist your Captain or your own medical staff are welcome to use our facilities since you are aware we are, with the exception of myself and my First Officer who is also Chief Medical Officer, crewed by cadets.  Are you contacting Challenger or shall we?  We can rendezvous with them around ... we're sending a map over, we can send this to Challenger too if necessary, we need to head South to Starbase 204 to pick up some new cadets but we'll take you to Challenger first. And yes, Captain Sigurdsdottir, after that we will proceed to DS3 and await your instructions regarding the other matter.  Hampton out =/A\=

[MAP SENT BY ARKANSAS]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Bridge]

Lahr kept watch on the comms and on the sensor as they were off at warp.  He glanced back over his shoulder towards the command chair when the Commander thanked him.   The Andorian's antenna drooped slightly.  He guy seemed so lost.  Had he always been this way, or had the Captain somehow broken him when she left?  Lahr had always envisioned officers made of sterner stuff... but he supposed maybe that was just an Andorian warrior trait.

"No thanks needed, sir." he commented back "I'm just following orders.".

Lahr couldn't help speak up though it would be smarter if he didn't, "The Captain had several Starfleet and other allied ships ready to divert when she was ready.  I think it would just be a matter of contacting them, and letting them know to where to be and when."  Lahr failed to mention that part of the Captain's orders to him before she left was to arrange exactly that and he had done so using her authorization code to access her message system so that it seemed as if the written communiques were coming from her.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Evie smiled and regarded Lahr with a look that said she knew there was something going on but as yet she couldn't put her finger on it.

"She always seems to be prepared that woman.  I'm proud to be part of her crew.  Oh well... You can access any communiques to the Captain while she's not aboard I take it Mr. Waring, we can see if any have answered favourably... that's if you want to.  I think we have something more pressing to do first, I'm sure the Captain can do it once she's on board."

She looked to Will to gauge his reaction, wondering what was going on in his mind.  She didn't envy him.

Evie supposed he had to be grateful that Ruth had waited until the wedding party before she did a bunk.  She'd have to ask Liv if the wedding cake was still fit to eat, or if another could be made and they could have a party on board for the crew at least and maybe send out parcels of cake to the attendees with apology notes explaining what had happened.  She was pretty sure that the old adage about those that matter... would understand.  Those like Dr. Eastman and her husband and that nice young man.. what was his name Sven, the one that gave his 'sister' away, would all understand.

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck One - Bridge]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Evie smiled and regarded Lahr with a look that said she knew there was something going on but as yet she couldn't put her finger on it.

"She always seems to be prepared that woman.  I'm proud to be part of her crew.  Oh well... You can access any communiques to the Captain while she's not aboard I take it Mr. Waring, we can see if any have answered favourably... that's if you want to.  I think we have something more pressing to do first, I'm sure the Captain can do it once she's on board."

She looked to Will to gauge his reaction, wondering what was going on in his mind.  She didn't envy him.

Commander Wardropper's look towards him was all to knowing and Lahr quickly turned back to his console, his antenna twitching ever so slightly.  He'd wait for Commander Waring's orders before doing anything else.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC (Lt jg) Nurse Chloe Davis
[USS Challenger - Mess Hall]

[Liv - Mess Hall, Challenger[/color]

At the mention of a day off and visiting a holo programme such as beach, Liv could relate to that particular thought, having several programmes that she used with Kyle and their son. Although when she spoke about Lahr, especially with her being worried about him, both mentally and emotionally, Liv put down her cutlery and looked over at Chloe.

It was obvious that she cared a great deal about Lahr and hoped that what she was about to say, would help them both.

" When it comes to the men, that we care about, its only natural for us to worry about them, if I know something is bothering Kyle, I don't force the issue, if he doesn't want to tell me what's going on, but allow him the time, to tell me when he's ready".

Liv paused for a moment then continued.

" I'm not saying Lahr is the same, but being there for them and supporting them, is the best thing to do, even if its being alone or surprising them with a favourite activity, holo programme and in my experience it works".

Chloe seemed uncertain about the advice, taking another sip of her coffee as she considered the doctor's words.  That might work for a married couple who obviously shared things quite deeply.  But things between Lahr and her were just beginning and very superficial at the moment.  Chloe didn't think the Andorian would let her in that much... not anytime soon she figured.   He seemed the sort to just laugh it off his own troubles and never mention them - burying them deep inside instead which didn't seem all that healthy to the young nurse.   She knew from rumors that after the battle to retake Innominatum nearly a year ago  Lahr had gone through a rough patch with drinking.  Chloe herself had given the Andorian more than his fair share of anti-intoxicant shots just prior to his shifts or when a sudden alert happened.  That had lessened over the intervening months.   The last time she recalled was actually not long before he asked her out.

Maybe the doctor was right.  Chloe let out a soft sigh and nodded after a moment.  "I suppose that makes sense. Thanks Doctor. I'll give that a try."

She was of course still worried, but maybe he didn't have to deal with his obvious PTSD alone.   Chloe made a mental note to talk to the counselor to see what other things she could try to help Lahr.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC PO2 Grelek
[Mjolnir near Zakdorn]

[Mjolnir near Zakdorn]

She thought for a moment then continued.  "Once we have a response you can, if response if favourable, contact Challenger and give updated situation, both Litt's potential sabotage and a rendezvous point to transfer from the Arkansas."

She hoped that Lahr had managed to contact the other ships and that was well underway, if so, everything, other than the slight hiccough of her being stuck in the middle of space on a dead delta flyer, was falling into place.  It wasn't exactly A-Z there had been some major detours, but she was going to make Leyton pay.  She wasn't allowed to kill him, but by hell there was nothing about maim or injuring, on that things were a little more fuzzy.

[USS Arkansas - Between Qatar and Zakdorn]

=/A\= Stand by Mjolnir we will be with you in under 20 minutes, and we will have our medical teams ready to assist your Captain or your own medical staff are welcome to use our facilities since you are aware we are, with the exception of myself and my First Officer who is also Chief Medical Officer, crewed by cadets.  Are you contacting Challenger or shall we?  We can rendezvous with them around ... we're sending a map over, we can send this to Challenger too if necessary, we need to head South to Starbase 204 to pick up some new cadets but we'll take you to Challenger first. And yes, Captain Sigurdsdottir, after that we will proceed to DS3 and await your instructions regarding the other matter.  Hampton out =/A\=

Grelek looked back towards the Captain with a hint of smugness in his usually stoic expression.  He unmuted the channel to answer.

"Thank you, Arkansas.  We await your arrival and will contact Challenger ourselves to inform of the rendezvous location and update them as to our situation.  Mjolnir out."    He closed the channel then opened comms to Challenger.

"Mjolnir to Challenger.  Status update - please divert to the following coordinates."    He sent the map and coordinates as an attached data packet.

"Mjolnir will be hitching a ride to that location via the Arkansas.  In addition,  the Captain would like the other shuttles in the shuttlebay checked for signs of tampering as sabotage is a possibility."

Back on Challenger Lahr picked up the comm signal and after seeing where was from called out to the Commander to bring it to his attention.

"Sirs,  it's the Mjolnir again" the Andorian announced before putting the comm signal through to the Bridge main speakers.  Hearing about the coordinates, Lahr quickly retrieved them from the data packet and forwarded them on to Helm without being directed to.

[Kyle Briggs]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Kyle had moved over to his station once Will had entered the Bridge. He looked up once he heard the lift doors open just long enough to see Gohun exit and walk over to report in.

"Man the secondary station. We're moving in on the Captain's location and I want another set of hands if needed." Kyle told the young man.

As they seemed to get closer to the CO's position, he could feel himself floating back and forth between relief and still being pissed at her. But that would have to wait. First priority was to have her and the others back safe and sound aboard the Challenger.

[Bailey - Mjolnir]

Bailey had looked over the PADD the Captain had shared with him and Litt and he was silently wishing for no Breen intervention as well. The shuttle was just not equipped for such an encounter. When they were contacted by the Arkansas, he was glad to hear it. Hopefully, they would arrive soon and be able to repair the shuttle and by then, maybe the Challenger will catch up as well.

[William Waring]

[As NPC CSO Evie Wardropper]

"No worries Commander Waring.  Once we got some co-ordinates I figured that the best course of action, especially when the Captain herself was asking for assistance was to be just that and/or find someone in area to help out."  Evie said with a smile.

She could only imagine how Will had felt the last week and she tried to make him smile.  She'd had 40 years of marriage until her husband Rupert had unfortunately suffered a massive heart attack ... one they called 'Widowmakers' and there was no one with him at the time so it hadn't been preventable.  She didn't want anything stopping the hopes that the Warings were going to have a long and happy marriage, but she didn't draw more attention to the fact that Will had been a mess... understandably.

"No red uniform please, Will... I happen to like teal!" she chuckled answering his own mirth.  "Eyes on the sensors.  Am I right in thinking we have the Belfast circling around between Innominatum - DS3 -DS2 -SB301 - Moab ring as they were scheduled to do anyhow over the next week to 'avoid suspicion?  What about other ships, forgive me if I'm treading on toes but has anyone else offered help in our final push?"

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Bridge]

Lahr kept watch on the comms and on the sensor as they were off at warp.  He glanced back over his shoulder towards the command chair when the Commander thanked him.   The Andorian's antenna drooped slightly.  He guy seemed so lost.  Had he always been this way, or had the Captain somehow broken him when she left?  Lahr had always envisioned officers made of sterner stuff... but he supposed maybe that was just an Andorian warrior trait.

"No thanks needed, sir." he commented back "I'm just following orders.".

Lahr couldn't help speak up though it would be smarter if he didn't, "The Captain had several Starfleet and other allied ships ready to divert when she was ready.  I think it would just be a matter of contacting them, and letting them know to where to be and when."  Lahr failed to mention that part of the Captain's orders to him before she left was to arrange exactly that and he had done so using her authorization code to access her message system so that it seemed as if the written communiques were coming from her.

[Bridge]

"I'm more of a gold fan myself. I felt it really accented my eyes better." he said in a joking fashion as Evie asked and Lahr responded to the inquiry about assistance "I swear she thinks of everything, even now. Lahr, relay the information to those on standby. All hands on deck and so forth. Also..." he continued only to be interrupted by a new incoming message.

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck One - Bridge]

Commander Wardropper's look towards him was all to knowing and Lahr quickly turned back to his console, his antenna twitching ever so slightly.  He'd wait for Commander Waring's orders before doing anything else.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NPC PO2 Grelek
[Mjolnir near Zakdorn]
"Mjolnir to Challenger.  Status update - please divert to the following coordinates."    He sent the map and coordinates as an attached data packet.

"Mjolnir will be hitching a ride to that location via the Arkansas.  In addition,  the Captain would like the other shuttles in the shuttlebay checked for signs of tampering as sabotage is a possibility."

Back on Challenger Lahr picked up the comm signal and after seeing where was from called out to the Commander to bring it to his attention.

"Sirs,  it's the Mjolnir again" the Andorian announced before putting the comm signal through to the Bridge main speakers.  Hearing about the coordinates, Lahr quickly retrieved them from the data packet and forwarded them on to Helm without being directed to.

"It seems there has been a change in our regularly scheduled programming. Lahr, transmit the new coordinates and coordinate with helm to get us to them in the best possible time. Let's not overstress the engines..." he said, looking towards Kyle for a moment "...but let's not waste a minute if we can help it. It's been far too long as it is."