Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - Skipping the Pleasantries
Addison MacKenzie
The Artemis shuttles were investigating the other two warp trails and would likely be reporting back any minute. The Artemis proper was barreling toward Nasciak territory with the hopes they'd be able to intercept the Afalqi before they crossed the border. Time, it would seem, was not on their side.
Storm: Captain, I’m picking up three Nascaik warships coming in bearing 233 mark 40.
Jetripar: Response
Her tongue poked against the side of her cheek as she quickly mulled it over.
MacKenzie: Proceed.
Munro: We’re receiving a hail from a Nascaik warship. There’s three of them. Weapons are armed. They are on the border of their own territory. Im picking up debris?
Munro glanced past her toward Jetripar. MacKenzie couldn't let herself get caught up in the implications of what that might mean, nor the useless pastime of junior officers: jumping to conclusions. Before she could call for an analysis, one came her way.
Munro: It doesn’t match the Aflaqi. Looks like a Nascaik Supply Ship might have been destroyed.
Jovenan: I’m detecting ionisation from the debris suggesting weapons fire.
Storm: The weapons signature on the debris shows a partial match to a Romulan signature.
Jetripar: Response
MacKenzie: Someone get me whatever information you can about the debris field. I'll see if I can't buy us some time - open a channel.
A Nasciak woman appeared on the viewscreen. MacKenzie's eyes narrowed slightly - on the screen was a tall woman with red eyes and golden colored skin with plentiful silver hair. It didn't remind her of any Nasicak she'd ever met - the only ones she'd encountered were nearly bald with greyish colored skin and black eyes. When negotiating the peace agreement between the Thama and Nasciak, she recalled the desperate need of the Nasciak hypermales to have access to vital minerals on Vionus IV that would lead to the rebuilding of their population (and the population of the Nasciak as a whole). The striking difference in appearance between what she knew of the Nasciak and what she now observed made her wonder whether the attainment of the minerals may have had more of an impact on the genetic structure of the Nasciak than she predicted.
MacKenzie stood.
Nascaik Captain: :: severe :: I am Dota Bundara Eos of the Nascaik Defence Coalition, we have no war with the Federation. Why have you attacked us?
MacKenzie could feel the eyes on her. Hers, however, were trained on Storm - knowing that she didn't need to make a verbal request for the information, it was a moment before the tactical officer turned around.
Storm: I can confirm, we have not fired a single weapon.
Jetripar: Response
MacKenzie: I'm Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie of the star-
Eos: MacKenzie? :: lifts hand and closes her fist ::
The image disappeared from the main viewer. .
Jovenan: Is… is that a good sign?
Storm: I wish I knew.
MacKenzie: They're a people of few words and often trigger-happy. Someone get me some information about that debris field and the warp trail.
Jetripar/Munro: Response
Jovenan turned quickly to her console and spoke with a cadence faster than usual - no doubt aware of the expediency with which MacKenzie required the information.
Jovenan: The warp trail extends to the debris field, but not much further. The fire that destroyed the Nascaik ship and the radiation from its debris are obscuring it too much. The Nascaik might not realise there was another ship here before us, if they didn’t detect it in time.
Storm: But no matter how we frame it, they are now blocking our way.
MacKenzie: ::urgently, with slight annoyance:: Can someone get me confirmation that it was the Afalqi that opened fire?
She was fairly certain that the presence of a Romulan signature would do it, but that begged reexamining the question: just how much of the Afalqi was Romulan, and why didn't Jetripar or any of the other Da'al know about it?
Jetripar/Munro: Response
Jovenan: The Afalqi going deeper into the territory would be a very bold move after destroying one of their ships. If the Nascaik detect them, they’re outgunned. As are we.
Storm: I agree with the Commander. Our one ship against three of theirs isn’t odds that I’d like to gamble with.
Jetripar/Munro: Response
Storm: I recommend going to yellow alert, Captain.
MacKenzie shook her head curtly.
MacKenzie: That's not going to get us anywhere, except exactly where we don't want to be: in their sights.
Jetripar/Munro/Jovenan: Response
Storm: Their weapons are armed, but they haven’t targeted us … yet.
Jetripar/Munro/Jovenan: Response
Storm: I’m not picking up any survivors on the cargo ship. Given that, I think we’re lucky they haven’t opened fire yet.
Jetripar/Jovenan/Munro: Response
It was time to act. MacKenzie took a deep breath through her nose and moved toward the center of the bridge, before signaling to the comms officer that she wanted a channel opened.
MacKenzie: Captain Eos, we didn't attack your cargo ship, but we have a good suspicion of who did and we are in pursuit. We believe that they are attempting to hide in Nasciak territory.
MacKenzie's eyes narrowed as she awaited a response that never came. In the meantime, she hoped that the bridge crew were working on getting her any bit of helpful information they might be able to use as leverage.
Jetripar/Jovenan/Munro/Storm: Response
Addison cleared her throat again.
MacKenzie: ::louder, more forcefully this time:: Captain Eos, I suggest you answer me before I'm forced to contact Rossk Ar-Dev. If you search your databanks, you'll find that I helped broker the non-aggression pact at Vionus IV, after we rescued Ar-Dev from a would-be terrorist. I imagine the last thing you'd want is for me to escalate this to your superiors...
Jetripar/Jovenan/Munro/Storm: Response
After a moment, Eos appeared on the screen again, looking just as chipper as before. MacKenzie decided to jump in and move quickly past any attempt at pleasantries.
MacKenzie: Hi. Hello. I have very little time here, so I'll get right to the point. We're looking for the same people you're looking for. You're welcome to escort us, if you'd like, but I'd rather not waste any more time by having to go over your head to contact the Rossk. ::taking a beat, with an insincere smile:: But I will if I have to.
Eos/Jetripar/Jovenan/Munro/Storm
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A