[SB-C] Commander Kelrod: Hoping for good news
Marcus Dickens
( Starbase near Cait )
(IC):
:: Kelrod had spent the last day reviewing data on the issues that Captain Thompson had talked him about and certainly it wasn’t an easy task to get things under control with so little resources. At first sight, ther e was little he could do to improve things a lot, but he’ll try. As he talked with the RRT leader, Commander Denaro, she showed him the available resources they had for deployment. They were three squads of ten officers each, rotating each month if nothing prevents them from doing so. Usually there were two of them deployed, while the thirds is in a ten minutes deployment alert, so they don’t usually leave the station when not deployed. Their equipment was very similar to those of the marines, having three snipers, two demolition experts, two engineers, one doctor and two security. They don’t use science officers as they’re meant to deal with pirates and smugglers, so little room for scientific exploratioin or having to deal with strange phenomena. Their task was mostly with living people to deal with. ::
:: Despite Kelrod missing being on a starship, he found that a stable place to live has it’s advantadges. He had a proper schedule, not being surprised by strange anomalies, unknown enemies, except those that they had to deal being the only starbase in that sector, and found that the RRT were quite welcoming, once he showed them he’s worth to work with them, through his tactical knowledge and offering to give them some instruction on piloting and hand to hand combat. In return he learned how team work was done on the group and how they all trust and depend on the others and that this teamwork doesn’t end with duty as they tend to go around, train and party together. This was the hardest part for him as he’s used to be a lonely person, but maybe as they haven’t know Marcus, they only had to ‘worry’ of him, so he could be himself with them. No suspicions, nothing to restraint from... ::
:: Several weeks passed and he got used to work there, there was time to think, time to review what has happened lately. His time with Raj had been good and he missed him, but Starfleet has it’s ways and if he wanted to follow the starfleet life he had to accept that. It wasn’t the first time he’d thought about leaving it and make a life of his own. Making that will give him a life of his own, but he’d grown used to living for a higher purpose, after all, his life as a soldier brought him to use his life to improve that of the others. Starfleet wasn’t quite different, maybe a bit soft in dealing with their enemies, but this seemed to help in granting others good views and eventually, agreeing or joining it, making them stronger and resourceful. ::
:: He wrote a few messages for Raj, Tuk, DeVeau and Rune. They all seemed to be doing well enough, some better than the others, but generally they’re well. He hadn’t received word from Harik and followed the rest of the Invicta careers via the official reports and crew deployment from time to time. ::
:: On this place, he had the chance to do some piloting work with a fighter, thing that he enjoyed quite a lot and become friendly with Denaro, who showed him that she could be a candy lover, and the next second, drop a thug in the floor with little effort. It was an atypical officer that he came to admire and felt some sympathy, like the sister he liked to have. ::
:: It was curious for him to think like that. As Marcus he didn’t have any sisters or brothers, and Kelrod also didn’t so the feeling was strange for him. Despite that, he missed going around on a ship. Conflicting thoughts for a conflicted mind, but he learned to live with that and enjoyed the moment while it lasted. ::
:: Today was a day for a meeting with Thompson, reviewing the last reports on the events going on on the adjacent sectors. ::
Thompson: Please take a sit :: Kelrod and Denaro did as told both with their PADDs in their hands. The captain shared some graphics. :: The last three weeks we’ve had incidents on the sectors nearing the Tholian border, a passenger courier and two independent cargo freighters. The RRT managed to get to the incident places, quickly enough to assist them on the initial attack managing to get some warp trails from the attackers.
Denaro: Yes, the trail show some similarities with Tholian engines, but their phase variance was out of synch and there was a faint plasma residue that is inconsistent with their propulsion systems.
Thompson: You think it’s a new kind of propulsion system?
Denaro: More an adjustment of a tholian one, the plasma residue could mean tha they have some kind of leak, so it might be possible that the ship is operating regularly in tholian space.
Kelrod: Also, the tactics used doesn’t match the ones of the Tholians. :: beat :: it might be possible that the Tholians are... suffering those problems too.
Thompson: Do you think they’re not with the Tholians?
Kelrod: I think it could be good to ask for some diplomatic contact with the Tholian to see if they’re having problems with pirates too. It could be a step to get their cooperation in dealing with this issue. Otherwise I don’t believe we could handle this on our own, at least without the resources from the core of Starfleet.
Thompson: What you ask is quite bold. I might need more prove to ask for that with some success.
Kelrod: I know, but maybe you could start with those affected to support your letter and do a little request at first. Maybe two steamrunner ships could be enough to cover the area in a quicker and efficient way.
Denaro: With the runabouts we could form a kind of security grid on a whole sector at a time. It will reduce the response time from hours to ... maybe less than one to get the first ship there.
Thompson: mmm... :: He thought for a couple of seconds :: I’ll get the list of those affected and consider your ... suggestion. In the meantime I want you to get some sensor probes along the sector. It could serve to further our warning area and answer quickly to threats. If one of them ceases to transmit, we’ll dispatch a runabout to check it out.
Denaro: Aye captain.
Thompson: I might have further orders for you when you get back. Starfleet has been sending me memorandums of fleet deployments and showed me some candidates to join us. Maybe theyl be doing something for us after all.
Kelrod: I hope so, captain.
Commander Kelrod
USS Invicta