[REPOST] Lt. Cmdr. Kirsty Carpenter - Charge of the [Light] Cruiser Brigade

[Justin Partridge]

((OOC: Reposting to include Cap Shayne and Dewitt's dialogue!))

((Main Conference Room, Deck 3, U.S.S. Ronin, Back at High Warp.))

Kirsty didn't like the answers their new Changeling "guest" had provided. 

But she had them and further had a duty to make the rest of the crew and her CO aware of them (while trying to keep her worry about the away team to a manageable level). She would get her chance in the upcoming conference, but she was nursing aching knuckles and sweeping now crumbling biomatter from her trouser legs as she entered the compartment. 

She gave a pointed, but slightly sheepish look to the rest of the officers throughout the compartment. She had left them just when things had started to pop off on the Bridge and was sure she was cutting a pretty ruddy and rough profile across the backdrop of the lush Conference Room. But she also knew they were the sort to not give her too hard a time about it (maybe Quentin if pressed, but that would still mostly be for her benefit, more than likely). 

But she listened intently as the reports started to roll in, prompted by the carefully and still oh-so-calm voice of Captain Niac. 

Niac:  Before we get into it I'd like a status from each one of you.  Mr. O'Connor, what's our ETA to the station?

O'Connor:  We are still a couple hours out. I’ve tried a number of different ways but so far this is best course and as far as speed, we are certainly pushing beyond, well…, beyond pretty much anything recommended..

Karrod Niac sighed and Kirsty felt like she could feel it even from across the table between them. 

Niac:  I know you're doing your best...we're going to make the trip back in nearly a third of the time it took us to get out to J-0922A.  Do whatever tuning you can on the impulse reactors while we're at warp...we won't have time to do any after we get there.  

O'Connor:  ;;nodding:: Aye Captain. We’ll be in as good of shape as we can be.

The Captain turned carefully toward Marty, steepling his hands slightly and leaning into the question. 

Niac:  Chief Tucker, how's the ship holding up?  Are we going to be in condition to fight once we get to DS33?  

Tucker:  RESPONSE

Kirsty hadn't noticed it until now, but The Captain was...TAKING NOTES. She couldn't recall if literally any commanding officer she had ever had had ever taken that much of an interest in the reports of their senior staffs. If she hadn't had been so enamored with him before now, she damn sure would have been at that realization. The pain of her limbs seemed to lessen the more she stayed in orbit of her peers. 

Niac:  Very well Chief, for what it's worth I've put a citation in the ships log for you and your whole team.  A cursory glance through the library computer suggests you've just set a new upper-speed record for this hull.  Well done.  If we survive I'm sure the folks at Utopia Planitia will have a few questions for you. 

Tucker:  RESPONSE

A mirthless chuckle greeted Kirsty finally. She stiffened slightly in her seat under the Captain's eyes. 

Niac:  What's the status on our prisoner, Lt. Cmdr. Carpenter?  Did they say anything useful before you incapacitated them?  

Carpenter:  Useful, yes, but not entirely heartening, sir. Transport into the Brig filtered out a sabotage kit and a number of illicit substances Medical tells me were taken in large quantities to fool biofilters. But these same substances made the Agent wildly unstable, which led to their discovery by Ensign Syrex. After they reformed and we got them stabilized under status, they admitted to the sabotage of our ship. ::she took a slight pause:: And to being a deep-cover informant for the Lattice Alliance. 

Barely an expression crossed The Captain's face and she was somewhat quietly grateful for that.  

Niac:  At least we know how we got played so badly...they've been feeding information to the Alliance.  They knew our exact time table, our deployment route...everything they needed to turn our plan to their advantage.  Any idea how long they've been creeping around? 

This she had a somewhat better answer for. It wasn't a great answer, but it was something. That was always better than nothing. 

Carpenter: After reviewing security feed and cross-checking it against biometric data, it seems they came aboard shortly before our deployment to J-0922A. I'm guessin' joinin' up with us was a secondary objective and the main infiltration was for DS33. But I warned the Kitty's Security crew of the possibility they might have a mole all the same.  This L.A....they just keep addin' new reasons to give them a smack.

Karrod Niac leaned back slightly in his seat and Kirsty awaited her admonishment for her outburst. But was pleasantly surprised (more shocked) that one never came. 

Niac:  Thank you, Commander.  Before the day is over you'll have your chance to even up the score and that's a promise.  What's the status of our tactical systems?

Kirsty visibly brightened. Like a dog that was just given the word of a potential walk. This was, no doubt, the best part of her report. 

Carpenter:  Green across the board now, Captain, thanks to Mar-...to Mister Tucker's people. All bays are launch capable and full beam functionality restored. When we stop, we will be ready for whatever's there. 

Kirsty tried to keep the upward lilt from her voice, but by the look of the officers around her, she might not have done the best job. 

Niac:  Thank you Commander...I want those torpedo bays loaded with our entire stockpile of tri-colbalt ordinance before we drop out of warp.  I want our arrival to draw as much attention off DS33 as possible and there's nothing more attention getting than a few hundred thousand isotons exploding in your face.  Doctor Beck, well done getting those innoculations distributed.  How's the crew?  

Kirsty mostly listened to the rest of the reports filtering around her, but she was more focused on the data pack she was correlating for the Khitomer's systems. A sort of "spotter's guide" on the tactics and hardware capabilities of the Lattice Alliance as she knew them. She would have been anxious to compare their own findings with her own, but knew they likely wouldn't have the time. She thought their might be more of a chance that they were going to be dropping into active fire, but that would have been just fine with her.

She was savagely looking forward to giving as good as they have been getting lately. But still her heart panged slightly in unspoken worry for Chief Alieth and her team on the platform back in that backwater system of the Alpha Isles. She knew logically that Deep Space 33 would need them (and the Khitomer) more...but still...literally anything could and would be waiting in that semi-cloaked implacable station platform. She almost hated that she wasn't with them.

But Her Captain's voice and the voice of another Captain beyond in the slipstream of warp brought her back to the moment as her pack awaited to be sent. 

Niac: =/\= Captain Shayne, what's your ETA to DS33?  =/\=

A momentary heavy beat crossed the crackle of the comm channel, but was quickly replaced with the sound of an active Bridge and a harried Captain. 

Shayne: =/\= Call it another twenty, give or take an eddy, Captain Niac. =/\=

Niac:  =/\= Sounds like you'll get there a few minutes before we do.  Any chance you got an update on the Excalibur? =/\=

Kirsty leaned forward an anticipation of the answer. In the rush and chaos of the day, she had momentarily forgotten that the Excal was even in system's range of what was currently bogging them down. But she would be damn glad of the help all the same. She tried to keep from visibly deflating as the word came through. 

Shayne: =/\= Not a whiff- but I’d like to think the commodore’s slipping through subspace like spit through a goose. =/\=

Another beat crossed the gulf of subspace, but Kirsty couldn't catch the dry chuckle that passed her lips with Captain Shayne's..."assessment" of the Excalibur's current whereabouts. 

Niac: =/\= With any luck she'll show up in time to help the evacuees from the station.  Until then it's on us, Captain.  I don't suppose that ship of yours has any surprises we can throw the Alliances way when we get there? =/\=

Captain Shayne seemed to look slightly sideways at the officer to his right. A sort of cloud passed his face, but Kirsty respected and appreciated how he seemed to catch all their glances in the screen before starting forward again. It looked as if they had already had some discussions on the matter, but the results seemed...Kirsty couldn't get a handle on the feeling. Dubiousness? Apprehension? She couldn't tell without being in the room with them. 

One could only tell so much over a comm trail. But thankfully, Captain Shayne didn't keep them in suspense long. 

Shayne: =/\= In a manner of speaking. The Sheliak and the Tholians are wicked bastards, but they’re not the brightest. We can use that. =/\= 

He paused once more, seemingly expecting a comment from Captain Niac on the outset.

Niac: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Carpenter: =/\= We can assist as needed, Captain...s...But what's the play? =/\=

Ronin Bridge: =/\= RESPONSE =/\= 

Shayne: =/\= By, uh… ::he cleared his throat, regretting that he’d be saying this on an open channel.:: By firing at the station. =/\= 

oO Surely he didn't just suggest...Oo

The officer at Shayne's right spoke it into existence, coarsening the idea completely in her head like an ancient sour candy. 

Dewitt: =/\= Fire on our own people? =/\=

Niac: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Carpenter: =/\= To...to what end, sir? =/\=

Ronin Bridge: =/\= RESPONSE =/\= 

The Captain across the line seemed to anticipate this too, launching in a cool and oddly collected explanation of the tactic. 

Shayne: =/\= They distracted us to capture the station, which means they’re grinding down the forces over there. We come in swinging at the enemy, and it’s business as normal. But if we fire at a non-inhabited part of the station away from anything vital- a cargo bay or the like- they’ll think we’re trying to destroy a vital asset rather than let it fall to them. Guile isn’t their strong suit. They’ll divert boarding parties there to secure the “asset”, let our ground forces regroup, and if I’m right, they’ll be confused as all hell for a few minutes- long enough for Ronin to follow us in and help us take advantage of their hesitation. =/\=

The officer at Shayne's right hand picked up the vocal baton before it could drop entirely to the deck plating. 

Dewitt: =/\= We buy time - both for our makeshift chroniton pulse and for the Ronin to follow. If we decrease phaser power to 50-60% we could simulate battle damage from the alliance trap and we’d have more shots and more time. =/\=

Shayne/Niac: =/\=RESPONSE=/\=

Carpenter: =/\=We're muckin' around with MORE exotic particles? Where's that gonna get us? =/\=

Ronin Bridge: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Dewitt: =/\= We know from the Ronin’s reports that the interaction between chronitons and Sencha wave radiation create time fissures. If we can generate a chroniton pulse to interact with the Sencha radiation at its origin, we might be able to create quickly deteriorating micro-fissures that destabilize the weapon system and hopefully render it - or maybe the entire ship - inoperable. =/\=

Shayne/Niac: =/\=RESPONSE=/\=

Kirsty held up a bladed hand. She didn't know much, but she did know...

Carpenter: =/\=We'd need output harmonics first, right? In order to neutralize the wave proper, yeah? =/\=

Ronin Bridge: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Dewitt: =/\= Yes, we’d need to know the exact energy build-up signal of the weapon as well as it’s phase variance. =/\=

Shayne/Niac: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Kirsty scratched her chin thoughtfully.

Carpenter: =/\= We've got plenty'a waveform scans from our previous engagements. But these would have to be real-time. We would have to take 'em during the fighting for them to be worth a cuss. =/\=

Ronin Bridge: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Dewitt: =/\= That might be a possibility, if Commander Alieth can provide these kinds of scans. ::looking at his PADD:: We might have 5-6 shots before this makeshift solution fries our deflector. That means 5-6 big ships… =/\=

Shayne/Niac/Ronin Bridge: =/\= Response =/\=

Dewitt: =/\= That might be a possibility, if Commander Alieth can provide these kinds of scans. ::looking at his PADD:: We might have 5-6 shots before this makeshift solution fries our deflector. That means 5-6 big ships… =/\=

Kirsty gulped slightly, not really needing the reminder than some of their finest Science minds had been left behind some several thousand lightyears away from where they were now and getting further by the second...

But she took a kind of heart in the fact that they would be going into this engagement with not one, but two entire Science Departments of two different ships. 

Shayne/Niac: =/\=RESPONSE=/\=

Kirsty took her best guess.

Carpenter: =/\= I would say, ten, twelve minutes to glean a full and clean scan of the whole area. Prolly a little less if we sync up our sensor arrays. Granted, we will have to do what we can under fire. Even with our unexpected aimin', the L.A. won't just let us sit there. =/\=

Ronin Bridge: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Dewitt: ::nodding:: =/\= Got it… We should prepare the Khitomer to fire on the station then and identify suitable targets… =/\=

Shayne/Niac: =/\=RESPONSE =/\=

Kirsty now stiffened under the gaze of not one, but two flag officers.

Carpenter: Sirs, yes, sirs. ::without one iota of irony::

Ronin Bridge: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

--

TAG/TBC

--

Lieutenant Commander

Kirsty L. Carpenter

//\\

Chief of Security & Tactical

Starfleet SAR

(Marine Rank: Major)

//\\

U.S.S. RONIN

NCC-34523

ID: E239512QC0

//\\

F.N.S. Contributor