The Pursuit

Posted on Fri Jul 7th, 2023 @ 10:52pm by Senior Chief Petty Officer Ronson Mitchell & Commander Dean House & Lieutenant T'Ka O’Drisscol & Commodore S'thenosis Gorgox & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell

Mission: Repairs and Retribution
Location: USS Sunfire
Timeline: Current

Ronson kept his eyes on the multiuse station before him, most systems were still in the yellow zone but Engineering were making grounds in turning those yellow markers into green.

"Picking up an impulse trail Sir" tactical announced.

"Make sure it's them before we alter course."

"Yes Sir" Ronson replied, switching his console to tactical overlay and tracking the small craft they were following. It was some distance ahead of them on an erratic trail, not so much they couldn't be followed but enough to make it look evasive. "Picking them up on sensors, small craft, two maybe three on board."

"That's bound to be them. Right number, small craft. Also fits about how for ahead, and when we got the alert." Dean let out a long breath. "Don't hail them yet. Though I'm sure they know someone would be sent after them. Try and mask our signature while pushing our speed up."

Ronson watched as the Sunfire ramped up its speed, he focused his attention on making the necessary alterations to mask their warp signature. "Mitchell to Engineering, I can't quite mask our warp signature, are you able to tweak it from your end" he paged the Sunfire's Chief Engineer.

"Kla'ren here. I should be able to fairly quickly" he moved over to the main console in engineering to begin the configuration of the warp signature. "It will take me a bit to make the adjustments however."

Dean thought a moment also then snapped his fingers, "Load a probe with the biggest signature that we can muster for our ship and fire it at 012 mark 294."

"Aye sir, readying probe, loading a big fat hairy fake warp signature and identifying markers..."Ronson commented as he worked at his console. "Engineering reports probe will be ready in...3 minutes"

Everyone was busy with something on the bridge. Bonnie focused herself on doing the same. Her console was tied into the main computer, and currently providing feedback on power settings and efficiency readings. In the back of her mind she knew she might get in trouble for helping her friend in his plight, in her right hand, the control switch for the warp bubble power outlet and she was slowly reducing power to the bubble.

It was a simple little tweak. Something no one would notice her doing unless they were looking over her shoulder. Then, she offered aloud some misdirection, "Lt. Durnell to Engineering, I'm showing power fluctuations in the warp field up here. Are you seeing this on your end?"

Tom sat at the Ops console and watched the power distribution grid closely. He transferred power from one system to another as the need demanded. "Power grid is operating normally. I can transfer power from one system to another as needed." He relayed to House.

Alison leaned over her husband’s shoulder. “Prey tell is there a particular reason you’re manning my station?” She grinned. She had left Ops open for Chester, he was her senior officer.

Tom blushed sheepishly at Alison. "Sorry." He replied as he slid out of the chair. "You are correct Alison, this is your station. I was just trying to make myself useful."

“Oh no...please stay” Alison smiled at her husband. “I’m sure the two of us are quite capable of working together.”

Bonnie frowned. She was aware this would not be an easy endeavor, she was even fighting her own self conscious. Things she knew: the EPS conduits had taken a massive amount of strain due to the damage of the dino-crash and despite being repaired, there were bound to be issues in the system.

And two, the saboteur had yet to be caught and could easily be the projected culprit should things go sideways. What she needed, if Tom was so intent on watching the power grid, less the distraction of his wife, was an alternate plan. So, with one hand she continued to tweak ever so slightly the power going to the warp field bubble. And with her other she began coding her backup plan which started with the deflector dish and sensor echoes.

"I'm sure we can Alison. However this is as you stated, your station. So, please man your station." Tom repeated. As he rose to let Alison take over. As he did his gaze fell on Bonnie and he offered her a nod and a quick smile.

Alison looked towards her husband. “Tom, you don’t need me to tell you this,but you can continue monitoring the power grid from the engineering station.”

Tom smiled. "That's right Alie, you don't but with you and Bonnie monitoring both the power grid and energy output I feel like a third wheel."

Alison couldn’t help but feel guilty, she had just been joking around. “Actually I err...I don’t feel so good. Please take over Tom.” She stood up leaving Thomas to re-take Ops.

"Hold on Alison. Don't play the I don't feel good card. I know better than that. Ops is your station. Take it. I'll find something to do." Tom smiled and added, "But I love you even more for offering."

They were now both away from the Ops station, practically quarrelling on the bridge in front of everyone. Bonnie watched while her hands continued to dance across the controls, imputing code into her script. And then even more discord was added to the mix when the turbolift doors parted.

S'thenosis entered the bridge, gliding through the open doors, down and around until she came face to face with Dean. She ignored all else and stated directly to him, "I was sitting and reading the must enlightening of passages from Durins Laws of the Recapture of Mordor when I happen to notice we were in motion once more. Perhaps one may tell me, considering the state of affairs, why pray tell we have disembarked the safety of spacedock, without warning I might add?"

Ronson tried not to visably wither faced with the one most of the crew called 'Dragon Lady'. He looked towards the acting Captain with a grimace and hastily turned his attention back to his panel "Probe ready Sir"

"Any other time, I'd hate to interrupt the cute little display going on at the moment with you two," meaning Alison and Tom. "However, right now we have more important things to focus on. Tom, there are secondary stations you know you can take. We need all hands and fully focused on this task. - Launch Ronson." Dean stood up when S'thenosis came in, and right in front of him. Of course, she was going to get that way. Why shouldn't she. Looking at her directly back.

The Bridge 'disappeared' while he was addressing the Commodore. Of course there was respect there, and it was deserved to be given to her. "Because of a situation of a stolen ship, and we were readily available to give chase. That and Spacedock alerted us specifically, Ma'am." The question now was, did Dean actually tell her what was going on, if she didn't already know. S'thenosis was quite clever and sneaky after all, among other skills. Leaning to press a few buttons on the the arm of the Command chair to cut off all listening or otherwise comms to or from the Bridge. Still without breaking eye contact with her.

"Which version do you really want." That wasn't said in a manner of a question at all, it was point blank 'pick if you want to know or not,' either. Obviously, contrary to some of the other, or maybe most of the crew, Dean wasn't afraid of her.

Ronson's jaw dropped, snapped up, then dropped again in rapid succession. He didn't think there was anyone at their actual dedicated crew station, but everyone was pitching in as much as they could. The Commodore however was another issue all together. Would House let slip the Captain, XO and Counsellor were all kidnapped by Cardassians as they were in an unsanctioned rescue mission on a half rebuilt ship help together with wishes, prayers and some Gaffa tape.

"Probe away Sir" he squeaked, his voice a good octave higher than normal.

S'thenois looked about the room at, to her, seemed like a very normal exercise in starship operations. Looking back at Dean she noted, "Be that as it may Commander, a warning before departure would have been appreciated. Might I ask the whereabouts of the Captain and her First officer? We were supposed to have a bruncheon together this afternoon."

Ronson gulped and turned back to his console, letting the acting Captain take the heat for that one.

T'Ka walked onto the bridge after he had called ahead "Commander house Here as requested where would you like me?" he said standing at the back of the bridge by the turbo lift.

Dean nodded to T'Ka and motioned to one of the free command chairs for the moment. Besides, now in hind sight they may need the Doc up there in a minute. "They got a little indisposed at the moment, and well, like I mentioned, the case of a stolen ship. I figured you didn't want to be bothered with something like that."

Her tongue flicked outward from within her long stout mouth, sensing the air around her. She was good at reading deception being the former JAG that she was. "Indisposed you say? Yes I would like to have been notified. When it comes to this ship, my potential safety or your illustrious Captain's reputation, there is no small bother that doesn't wind up as a disaster." She had already asked the ship for the Captains whereabouts and was told they were not on board. At this moment all that she knew is where they weren't.

Ronson's eyes went wide and he rapidly turned his attention back to the monitor in front of him to hide his reaction. The acting captain had just misdirected the Commodore as to the missing trio. "Warp trial still strong Captain" he tried to cover.

"Keep on them, Chief," said, still having not diverted his eyes from S'thenois'.

"Yes Sir, transmitting the trail to the conn now" Ronson replied as he pressed the required buttons.

"What about the probes progress?"

"It's scooting along on its trajectory, 180 degrees opposite to ours, transmitting false warp telemetry that should confuse the heck out of anyone trying to follow us" Ronson replied proudly.

Bonnie hurriedly finished her code and pressed play without a trial. They power grid continued to fluctuate. Then, on the main viewer the warp trail seemed to split. It was as if the ship split in two and was traveling two different directions at the same time. A result of her coding.

"Was that you Bon?" Ronson left his console for a moment to address the young engineer. "bloody brilliant"

Dean finally pulled his eyes off of S'thenosis'. Hearing the banter going on, those eyes narrowed a little bit. What was what, Bonnie-kins?" Looking to Ronson first. Oh, the look to Bonnie was next.

Bonnie side-eyed Ronson, not wanting him to give her away. Then when Dean called her name she choked. Really she did not appreciate the nickname while in a professional environment like the bridge, nor in front of the Commodore, but she held that particular tongue for another time.

"I, uh, I was just saying the warp trail appears to have split. We have to decide which one to follow, I guess." He stalling was only going to stretch so far before they caught on. Which was fine as long as she managed to give Patin and Remal time to get across the border. They just needed a breather.

Meanwhile a Cardassian cruiser appeared on their sensors. Far enough away to not be a threat - yet. However it had the distinct impression to be following them - casually that is. There had been no aggressive postures, no shields raised, just following. It could be something completely innocent such as a ship going on its normal business - or it could be something else entirely.

"Captain - we have a Cardassian cruiser on sensors" Ronson announced.

Dean had actually used the nickname on purpose, to see if it would throw her off. To see if he could notice any markers that she did something else. Not at all liking to have to think about anyone else that way, particularly her. There was a saving grace for the moment. Looking back to Ronson, "Continue between the split for the moment. What is the Cardassian ship doing?"

"Just following us for now, however they appear to be matching our course and speed, gaining slowly actually" Ronson replied, adding an overlay to be main viewscreen that showed all the relevant vessels and probes and their relative locations. He rubbed the bridge of his nose where a stress headache was beginning to make itself known.

As he finished speaking a console on the bridge exploded in a shower of sparks, hitting the crewman square in the chest. They were taxing the barely repaired systems and something was bound to give.

S'thenosis looked about what was suddenly a bridge marred in chaos, then back at Commander House. "It appears as though I am interrupting something rather important. Do try not to get this ship destroyed. I rather like it in one piece thank you very much." She turned on her heal and moved back up the ramp towards the lift. If the Captain and the First officer were not on board then Veelus Mira (A Veelus Draconian Deity Sort of) would have to send a miracle to help them all.