JP: Lt. Cmdrs MacKenzie, Ukinix, Teller, Cpt. Rahman & Flt. Cpt. Kells - No One Expects The Starfleet Inquisition! Part 1
r.rahman
((Runabout Yamuna, en route from Betazed))
Captain Roshanara Rahman entered the cockpit of the runabout to find her companion Lt. Commander Wil Ukinix diligently attending to the small craft’s flight controls (and setting up a playlist for the ride home, *and* not telling his Captain about it). They’d been on course back from Betazed to head to Cait Spacedock, where they’d then pick up a transport back into the Shoals. It was an otherwise straightforward and rather boring itinerary, but the Kriosian took a seat next to her chief engineer, handing him a PADD.
Rahman: We need to make a change of course. We’re going to Deep Space 9. A new mission of utmost importance.
Ukinix: Really? ::Taking PADD:: Another one - ohhhhhh.
Rahman: ::nods:: You can see why it’s urgent… and personal.
Ukinix: ::Slight grin:: Of course, Captain.
As Wil changed course, Roshanara looked back towards the front windows, scowling. She’d hunted pirates, smugglers, and other scoundrels, but one nefarious individual remained at the top of her list.
Rahman: That bastard has it coming.
Wil silently and purposefully nodded in agreement.
((Corridors, Deep Space 9, 0304 Hrs))
Lt. Cmdr. Geoffrey Teller was attempting and partially succeeding at doing three things at once. The first, running, was a ramshackle affair that had him ricocheting off walls and around corners as he tried to increase his unstable, shambling pace. The second, pulling the remainder of his uniform on, was begrudgingly coming along. His pants had been secured somewhere around the last crossover bridge and only one of his boots was still slipping off. His dress uniform jacket flapped on his shoulders, only one arm fully in the sleeve.
The third thing he was trying to do was to figure out what sort of critical Starfleet emergency would haul him out of bed at 0300 and demand he show up in his full dress uniform no more than five minutes after a terse summons. He cursed the enormous size of the station as he barreled down another virtually identical corridor, nearly colliding with a very surprised pair of Pakled traders. Why the stations and the ships transporters were unavailable at the moment was also a complete and irritating mystery.
Skidding to a halt outside the wardroom, Geoff pressed his uniform into something resembling presentable, rotated his combadge so it was facing the right direction and then, with a deep breath, walked into the conference room prepared for the absolute worst.
He’d made it two paces before his smile was so wide his face began to ache. On the other side of the large conference room table arrayed like a grand inquisition sat Fleet Captain Kells at the center, alongside his old CO Captain Rosharana Rahman and two of his closest friends - Lt. Cmdr. Addison MacKenzie, their former CMO and now First Officer of the Resolution, and Lt. Cmdr. Wil Uknix, Chief Engineer of the Veritas.
The lighting in the room was focused on the table. The edges of the room were so dark that one could be mistaken for thinking that someone was standing in the corner.
Kells: (deadpan) Surprise.
MacKenzie: ::shaking her head in disapproval:: Mess.
Wil rested his elbow on his chair’s armrest, raised his fist to his mouth, and whispered out of the corner of his mouth to Captain Rahman.
Ukinix: ::whispering:: Told you he’d be late.
Addison leaned forward and looked at Wil with a look of moderate annoyance, as though they were two siblings taking bets on the eldest’s probable failure.
MacKenzie: Like there was ever really any doubt.
Wil nodded in agreement with Addison, before rolling his eyes a little while “tutting”, and shaking his head to show his disappointment.
Geoff all but froze in place. The mood in the room was decidedly frosty and not at all one of a friendly reunion. Geoff slowly raised his hands in something approaching confused surrender.
Teller: Do I get a blindfold and a cigarette at least?
Rahman: Shut up and get in here already. And wipe that stupid grin off your face.
Geoff’s teeth snapped together as he remembered every single time he’d ever screwed anything up, starting from childhood on, all at once. His spine creaked as he came to uncomfortably stiff attention.
Once he’d stepped inside fully, Roshanara called out to the computer.
Rahman: Computer, seal the doors to this room. No entry without my authorization.
Computer: Doors are sealed.
The reinforced double doors of the station hissed closed before a heavy whump came from deep within the wall. Geoff gulped as he stood across the table, sweat forming under his collar. Looking to Fleet Captain Kells for some guidance or support, Geoff found nothing but a blank, hard stare.
Teller: Uh, look, if this is about the holosuite, I told the ferengi at the bar I’d pay to have it cleaned….
Aron exchanged a long look around those he’d gathered, which gave Geoff more than enough time to sweat.
Kells: (gravely) You know why we’re gathered here, Lieutenant Commander Teller. (beat) We’re your counsel for your upcoming court martial proceedings.
Geoff had once seen an engineer fail to disengage a critical pressure valve prior to performing a diagnostic, and the resultant explosion had flooded four decks and left a vast mess. At the moment, Teller’s brain felt like it was exiting his ears in the same manner. It certainly added eloquence to his opening defense.
Teller: Uh, wha...sir….sirs...I...
Addison spoke up in an accusatory tone, her words meant for Kells while gesturing emphatically at Teller.
MacKenzie: Captain, the nerve of this man to send hundreds of people to leave a slipstream in shuttles without knowing what would happen. I’ve never witnessed such irresponsible behavior in my entire career.
Ukinix: I have. What about that time Teller *stole* a Klingon officer’s prosthetic arm?
Geoff had barely begun processing Addison’s stinging accusation when Wil shockingly stacked on. He felt a redness and heat coming to his face as a blast of adrenaline began coursing through his veins. The doors behind him had never seemed thicker.
Teller: ...I...we….she got it back!
Ukinix: ::To Addison:: See? That’s *exactly* what I thought he’d say.
When Teller’s eyes met his first CO’s, cold green eyes glared back.
Rahman: You know what you did, you sick son of a-
Teller: Wait woah I swear the warp core and I were just good friends....::Geoff couldn’t take it anymore, all professionalism forgotten: Just what the hell kind of court martial is this?!
While Aron did have a certain streak that could, most kindly, be described as “jokey” or “mischievous,” he also didn’t have many opportunities to indulge it -- and he wasn’t a complete monster. He burst out laughing.
Kells: Sorry, Geoff. Of course it isn’t.
[TBC]
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Lieutenant Commander Wil Ukinix
Chief Engineer and Second Officer
USS Veritas
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&
Lieutenant Commander Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
First Officer
USS Resolution
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Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Teller
Executive Officer
USS Thor - NCC 82607
Fleet Captain A. Kells, Commanding
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Fleet Captain Aron Kells
Commanding Officer
USS Thor
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&
Captain Roshanara Rahman
CO, USS Veritas
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