Lt. (j.g.) Ian O'Connor - Learning to Control What You Can Control

[rob mahardy]

((Main Bridge, Deck 3, USS Ronin, Outside the J-0922A System.))

 

Ian knew that the captain knew the risks of leaving Alieth and a small group behind. He respected his CO’s decision but that didn’t mean he had to like it. Not that the rest of the crew wouldn’t be in grave danger themselves, possibly more. It was really the lack of control of the situation that bugged him. At least on the Ronin, Ian would do his damned best to get them not blown up. With the other group he felt powerless. This was definitely one of the struggles Ian would have to overcome if he ever wanted to command someday.

 

Ian put the Ronin into a holding pattern to allow for the six minutes the captain had given the team to prepare and depart. Suddenly the comm line opened to the voice Ian didn’t recognize as he hadn’t interacted with them yet.

 

Syrex: =/\= Ensign Syrex to the bridge, intruder Alert, Deck 10. =/\=

Karrod's eyes widened as he looked back towards Kirsty in shock.  The horror of their day was rapidly approaching levels of surrealism.  

 

Ian held his station as there was nothing else he could do. Another one of those trust in others moments.

Niac: =/\= Niac to Syrex, say again? =/\=

Carpenter: One of yours?

Beck: RESPONSE

Syrex: =/\= Young, human, male, ::Catching breath:: Gold uniform, wait… no that’s not right. Sir, I am picking up two distinct lifeforms in a single entity, one human, one… changeling  =/\=

Ian really hadn’t heard much about the changelings in the years after the Dominion War. It was startling to hear about them now.

Niac: =/\= Standby Ensign but do not engage. =/\=

Carpenter: Security patrol responding. I can join them with your leave, Captain, just...::she takes an uncharacteristically hitching breath:: God, please don't let them go over there, sir.

Niac:  Go Commander, we can do without you up here for a few minutes.  Don't take any chances...we've had enough surprises for one day.  Mr. O'Connor, what's our best estimate to get back to DS33?  Chief Tucker, whatever that estimate is I want it cut in half...I don't care how many hull plates we shed along the way.  Doctor Beck, I'd recommend you get yourself back down to Sickbay...I'm sure you're needed there.  

 

O'Connor: Best current speed, about 8 hours. We’re a bit of a ways out. I'll do what I can to find a shortcut though.

Beck/Tucker: RESPONSE

Carpenter: Y'all saw the footage from those pirate vessels. Captain, you know better'n anyone what those RoLFs can do. ::she points toward the semi-cloaked platform:: How can we be sure that ain't another trap?

Karrod glanced towards the viewscreen and the recording of their sensor contacts, that mysterious space station just within the cloaking barrier and the second, obscured region just adjacent to it.  

Niac:  We can't be, Commander.  We'll just have to hope that whatever is out there our people can handle it.  Now go...and make sure Lt. Cmdr. Alieth's team makes it to the shuttlebay unchallenged.  

Carpenter/Beck/Tucker:: RESPONSE

Ian worked his panel trying to shave off sometime with adjusting the routes. No significant paths were available so far that didn’t have them sucked into one anomaly or another.

 

Niac:  Mr. O'Connor, standby to broadcast a wideband subspace message back towards Federation territory.  I know it's a long shot but there's still a chance we can warn them about what's coming.  As soon as I'm done I want you to go to maximum warp.  

O'Connor: Aye, sir. Channel open…

Karrod stood and addressed the viewscreen, wondering who, if anyone, would be alive to hear this message when it reached DS33.  He took a long breath and stepped forward.

Niac: =/\= Ronin to All Federation Outposts and Installations in sector A113.  We have reason to believe a large Lattice Alliance strike force is heading towards Deep Space Thirty Three.  It is unlikely we will be able to engage them before they reach your position. =/\= He paused, thinking of all the people on that lightly defended space station and the truly defenseless ones on the colony worlds and installations that lay beyond.  If the Alliance won the day they'd all be at risk of extermination or worse.  With them in mind his expression hardened and he spoke towards the viewscreen with renewed steel in his voice. =/\= We are coming.  We will not abandon you.  For your tomorrows...we give our todays.  Ronin Out. =/\=

Beck/Tucker: RESPONSE

 

O’Connor: Engaging warp drive.

The starfield stretched and the Ronin vaulted away from the J-0922A system at high warp, leaving behind only a few blasted hull fragments and a tiny, nearly invisible runabout trailing in their wake.  

 

Frowning, Ian continued to view the star maps seeing if he could shave off any additional time.

Tags/End Act 1 for O’Connor

 

Tags/TBC

 

Lieutenant (j.g.) Ian O’Connor

HCO

USS Ronin NCC-34523

R240009IO4