[I] Cmdr Washington: The Unturned Stone (all)

[Rich Yulin]

((Captain's Ready Room, USS Invicta))

::Joseph looked over at the pink-haired woman sitting across from his desk. Welcome to his new reality, indeed.::

Washington: Commander Rahman filed a commendation for your actions aboard the Lindbergh.

Walker: RESPONSE

::He slid the box on the desk with the service ribbon towards her, opening it.::

Washington: I'm sure she wanted to present it to you personally, but...

Walker: RESPONSE

Washington: ::nods:: Regardless, I'm pleased to award you, commander, with the Innovation Ribbon for successfully disarming the charges aboard the Lindbergh, thereby saving countless lives. Congratulations.

Walker: RESPONSE

Washington: Commander Rahman also recommended that you be made the new chief engineer given Commander Core's reassignment to the SCE.

::The fact that Tristam Core was also on this ship--and that he'd been promoted to project manager of, well, anything--was proof to Joseph that the Great Bird of the Galaxy had an odd sense of humor.::

Walker: RESPONSE

Washington: Well, that depends...

Walker: RESPONSE

Washington: On whether you can do the job. The Invicta's tactical systems. Your assessment, commander?

Walker: RESPONSE

::He just looked back at her blankly.::

Washington: They're $%@#.

Walker: RESPONSE

Washington: I understand we're not in space dock, so you can't perform miracles, but I want you to increased their efficiency and output by 20%.

Walker: RESPONSE

Washington: You do that, commander, and you've got the job.

Walker: RESPONSE

Washington: ::nods:: Dismissed.

((Bridge, later))

Kinan: =/\= Captain Washington to the Bridge. =/\=

::Stepping out onto the bridge shortly after, Joseph looked over at Venroe.::

Washington: Report?

Kinan: We've arrived at Nygel II, sir. 

::Joseph nodded and then looked over at the man who'd previously commanded the Invicta and the Mercury before that. He was a tall man, but Joseph was taller.::

::The command situation aboard the Invicta was going to be a new one for Joseph to get used to. As Invicta Expedition Commander, that meant Fleet Captain Kells was supposedly in charge of everything, including the five vessels that made up the expedition: Syracuse, Tiger, Mercury, Garuda, and of course Invicta herself. But as Invicta's commanding officer, Joseph was in direct command of the ship and had the duty to ensure the ship's safety and to determine the best way to accomplish the objectives set by Kells.::

::Joseph had yet to make his final judgement on the man.::

Washington: Fleet Captain Kells, I read your logs when the Mercury was last there. Do you have any additional insight as we prepare to revisit the planet?

Kells: RESPONSE

::Joseph looked back at Kinan.::

Washington: Alert the science department. Tell Commander Saveron the away teams can begin beaming over.

Kinan: RESPONSE

((Later))

//Captain's Log, stardate 239304.13

Initial away team reports show that not much has changed at the site of the Gateway, which itself remains inaccessible and presumed destroyed following a cave in.

The archaeology team however alerted us to a new site on the other side of the planet they had yet to investigate, and so we're now in orbit above what we've labeled as Site B. The site is located below nearly 85,000 tons of magnesite that has rendered transporter use impossible, so a team led by Commander Saveron and consisting of Lieutenant Tuk, and Lt. Commanders T'Lea, Jolara, and Walker was sent down via shuttlecraft. They have discovered an elaborate set of ruins of nearly 30 square kilometers beneath the rock and are documenting what they can.

Meanwhile, another team led by Lt. Commander Venroe and consisting of Lt. Commander DeVeau, Commander Dickens, and Dr. Blueheart took another shuttle to investigate the north end of the ruins. There, they have discovered a large artifact with inscriptions still intact. Lt. Commander DeVeau has requested it be brought back aboard for further study and the shuttle should be returning shortly.//

::Back on the bridge, Joseph sat in his not-really-a-captain's chair and watched as the second shuttle carrying Venroe's team made its approach back to the Invicta.::

::It all happened so fast.::

::First, Venroe's voice cut in, calling an emergency. The shuttle had lost power. On screen, it began wobbling off course.::

::Joseph had quickly called for a tractor beam to lock onto the wayward shuttle. They were bringing her into the shuttlebay through a controlled approach when abruptly, the tractor beam powered off, sending the shuttle careening forward towards the Invicta purely on momentum.::

::As the shuttle continued its unstoppable course, the viewscreen went dark, followed by all of the bridge consoles. A moment later, there was a violent impact as the shuttle crashed into the shuttlebay, which sent everyone on the bridge falling to the deck as the overhead lights went out.::

((???))

::He awoke to find himself lying on the deck. The lights were out except for a dim strip of emergency lighting along the edge of the bulkhead. He heard a groan and looked over to see he wasn't alone.::

Vetri: RESPONSE

::He helped the woman up, who had a strange set of markings along the sides of her face.::

Washington: You all right?

Vetri: RESPONSE

::He nodded, but he didn't recognize her nor her species. He heard additional voices and looked around to see others slowly waking up.::

Kells/Moonsong: RESPONSE

Luca/Dregen: RESPONSE

Washington: Who are you?

Kells/Moonsong: RESPONSE

Luca/Dregen: RESPONSE

::He didn't recognize any of them or where they were. But most startling was he didn't even know who he was.::

TAG! TBC...

Commander Joseph Washington

Commanding Officer, USS Invicta

Writer ID I238705TZ0