[Act 3] LtCmdr Jovenan – I’ll try not to crash it
Jovenan
((Bridge, USS Artemis))
The turbolift doors opened, and Jovenan scanned the bridge with a quick inspecting glance. Captain MacKenzie had just arrived there as well, escorting their two local dignitaries and two crewmembers – Richards and an Ensign she didn’t know yet – from the conference room. As Jovenan stepped to the bridge, her team of Ensigns in tow, Captain MacKenzie nodded to her. She responded the nod and directed her stride to the Science station. Meanwhile, the Captain had taken her position at the centre of the bridge.
MacKenzie: Someone give me a report.
Communications officer: We received a communication from Lieutenant Gnai on the Atlas that Lieutenant Vailani’s team has run into trouble and have likely been captured. Atlas is on approach to return to the ship. We’ve also received word that additional fighting has broken out on Galaris IV by Kobyar and Grunden forces loyal to someone named Vef-Lai… And long-range sensors also detecting an Orion destroyer entering the system.
Oh. The situation was certainly turning complicated. Jovenan had been wishing she was wrong to assume that the order to report to the bridge had been due to her friends on the Atlas being in danger, but she wouldn’t have expected the war to be taking another major turn. She didn’t know what was the role of the sketchy Grand Marshall in all of this, but the presence of the Orion destroyer made her grit her teeth.
MacKenzie: Oh, is that all? (beat) The Orions?
The Captain had turned to Jovenan with the question. Jovenan spun on her chair towards the central seats.
Jovenan: We found evidence that suggest the Orions have been supplying both the Kobyar and the Grunden with weapons, technology and narcotic stimulants.
She wanted to add that the evidence had been somewhat inconclusive, but seeing that the suspects were warping in to the system momentarily with a warship, it was too late to discuss whether their proof would hold up in court. Any speculation to the reason for the Syndicate’s involvement was useless, however; Jovenan didn’t know if the Syndicate would want to raze the system for their use or if they were aligned with Vef-Lai’s forces, installing a puppet or an allied leader to rule the world.
MacKenzie: It seems like we’re getting closer to our answers, then. I’m going to be returning to the surface with Major Oolwi and General Kexxin to see if we can’t at least get their respective peoples to listen to reason. Richards, Imril, Bancroft – you’re with me. Commander Jovenan – Tho’Bi, Gnai and Cole will stay on board. Once we transport to the surface, break orbit and see if you can find out what the Orions want.
It made sense that the Captain might want to take the diplomatic portion of the mission to her personal care – preventing or ending a war was hardly something to be trusted to a junior officer. What didn’t make sense was the order she gave to Jovenan, as that would leave the CSO in charge of the Artemis. She’d go from leading an investigation on a holodeck and mismanaging even a simple tricorder exercise to commanding a starship when there was a war raging below, officers held captive by a warlord and a potentially hostile warship warping in. Yay.
But there was no arguing against the Captain, Jovenan knew that. She stood up from her seat by the Science station and headed towards the centre of the bridge.
Jovenan: Aye, Captain.
The Captain nodded to her on the way to the turbolift – was it an acknowledgement, encouragement or acceptance of the consequences of her orders? Jovenan circled to the Captain’s chair and remained standing in front of it, facing the main viewer but watching as the turbolift doors closed and swallowed the Captain and her team. For a moment she wished that the doors would open again and the Captain would want to switch places after all, but realising how irrational she was being, she turned away. She then looked at the junior officers who had been trusted to her.
Jovenan: Ensign Tho’Bi, take the Engineering station. Ensign… Cole, is it? Can you manage the Tactical?
Tho’Bi/Cole: Response
Jovenan: Good. Inform me when the Captain and her team have beamed down.
She turned back to face the main viewer. It looked much larger and more curved when looked straight up instead of from the side where her station typically was. Clasping her hands behind her back, she hoped the junior officers wouldn’t notice that she was fidgeting her fingers.
Jovenan: Hail the Atlas.
The communications officer pressed some buttons – with her Com/Ops minor in the Academy, Jovenan should have known what they were, but she focused instead on what she was about to say. She had to remind herself that it was Gnai on the other side, whom she had known for quite a while now, and who might have required their assistance.
Jovenan: =/\= Artemis to Atlas. What’s your situation? =/\=
Gnai: =/\= Response =/\=
Jovenan: =/\= We’re getting company, so we’ll be coming to pick you up in a moment. Do you need medical attention? =/\=
Gnai: =/\= Response =/\=
Jovenan resisted the urge to sigh in relief. At least one of her friends would be safe. Still, she’d need to figure out how to deal with the Orions and how to rescue the rest of the other team. As much as she wanted to warp to the moon where they were held and release Vitor and the others first, the Captain had given her a specific order she had to follow. It was wiser to deal with the Orions first, anyway, considering the potential threat they presented to all of them.
Jovenan: =/\= Good. Come to the bridge as soon as you get back on board. Artemis out. =/\=
Gnai: =/\= Response =/\=
Tho’Bi/Cole: Response
Jovenan: Set a rendezvous course with the Atlas, full impulse.
She turned to the Captain’s chair. Although the armrests had controls through which the Captain could issue orders and monitor the ship’s status, there was a distinct lack of a console or panels in front of the seat. In comparison to all the stations around the bridge, including Jovenan’s familiar Science station, the central seats had always looked lonely, almost vulnerable to her, with nothing but empty floor in front of it. However, as she sat on the chair and looked at the empty space behind the viewer, she felt like all the power of the ship had been channelled through her. The feeling wasn’t quite the same as confidence: she felt like she was riding a very large, very angry sehlat.
Jovenan: Execute.
The space in the viewer changed, as the reflection of the local sun’s light from the planet’s atmosphere grew dimmer and the darkness of the space took over. Jovenan looked at their ascent from the orbit for a moment longer before talking to her bridge crew again.
Jovenan: What’s the situation with the Orion ship? Do we have their location and heading?
Tho’Bi/Cole: Response
Jovenan: And their configuration? Tactical abilities?
Tho’Bi/Cole: Response
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Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11