Fleet Captain Diego Herrera, "Condition Blue" (tags Udas, Tagren, Eerie)

[Diego Herrera]

((USS Vigilant, Deck 1: Dorsal Bridge))

::With the bulk of the Vigilant struggling to keep its shields up, coupled with the fact that the central section hadn't been built with warp drive, only slipstream, Diego could read how pursuing the last remaining Andorian cruiser might go.::

Herrera: No, let them go. Starfleet Command won't let this lie. They'll have people sniffing after them soon enough. I get the feeling they won't exactly be welcome back in Andorian space.

::They weren't going to be welcome throughout their journey in Romulan territory either, that was for sure. Their odds of getting back to wherever they were going had to be pretty slight.::

T'Mihn: This is going to be difficult to explain back home.

::The doors at the back of the bridge opened, admitting some of the crew from the ventral section. Diego welcomed them back aboard with no small amount of relief.::

Herrera: Good to see you gentlemen. Is everyone alright?

Eerie: Fine sir. Looks like you have a good shooter at tactical.

::Diego's eyes followed Eeries as they focused on Irina Pavlova. She had lost her cool for a moment during the fight, but there was no denying that without her there could have been considerably fewer pieces of the Vigilant to put back together after the fight.:: 

Pavlova: My one skill that isn’t out of date.

Udas: Good to see you as well, sir.

::Diego smiled at his science chief. He'd done a little bit of fancy flying, all things considered, and given T'Mihn the idea to check the records for the weakness in the Andorians' ship design as a result.::

Eerie: Guess she will be aiming for department chief next.  Sir.

::Eerie didn't smile very often, but it looked like he'd been saving one for Irina.::

Pavlova::Jokingly:: : Well the Klingons promote by single combat.  Immunity to phasers is a problem, and I’d rather not wrestle with you, but from a distance? Maybe.

::Diego chuckled and shook his head.::

Herrera: Just try not to make any more of a mess of the bridge. We're going to have to open a few cans of paint as it is.

::He settled back into his seat, zoning everything else out as he cast an eye over the ship's systems, checking that there was nothing urgent that needed tending to. In the background, he was vaguely aware of T'Mihn and Udas talking, until he heard an eruption of sparks. His head snapped around to check if everything was alright.::

T'Mihn: That's the tenth time she's bitten me.  I don't think Vigilant liked  me  fiddling with her sensor array.

::Diego hadn't seen if she had been caught or burned, but if she was joking around then things couldn't have been too bad. It was still a little difficult to get his head around a full Vulcan telling jokes. He'd known half Vulcans with senses of humour, but this was difficult to get used to.::

Udas: ::jokingly:: Is that so?

T'Mihn: That's the tenth time she's bitten me.  I don't think Vigilant liked me fiddling with her sensor array.

Udas: You did swimmingly, Lieutenant.  Well done.

Pavlova: Oh and sorry chief, I used all of your torpedoes.

::Somehow, Diego didn't think Eerie would mind.::

Eerie: Response

Herrera: If they were fired in defence of the Romulan Star Empire then I think each one of them was worth their weight in latinum, in a political sense anyway.

::The political aftermath of all of this didn't bear thinking about. Andorians perpetrating a raid into Romulan territory? With Klingon-supplied cloaking devices? There was no way that wasn't going to get messy.::

T'Mihn: Captain, if I am not needed here, I need to see if sickbay is going to need any blood.  

::That sounded like a good idea.::

Herrera: I'm sure Dr. Adair-Walker will appreciate that.

Pavlova:  And I’ll be heading down to check on our Romulan guests.  ::to Eerie:: : Chief, the empty torpedo launchers are all yours.

Udas: I'll take over the science console, Lieutenant.  I think you have your orders.

T'Mihn: Response

Udas: ::smiling:: As long as she doesn't shoot any sparks at me, we will be ok. Good work back there, Lieutenant.  I mean it.

T'Mihn: Response

Udas: Alright, alright. Enough of that sappiness.  Get to sickbay and help them out down there.  That's an order.

T'Mihn: Response

::T'Mihn vacated the science station and headed for the turbolift with Irina. Udas slid into her seat to relieve her. All of a sudden, the Vigilant was the only ship within scanning distance, which meant that having less staff on the bridge would not be an issue. It would potentially be possible for others to catch a short break as well.::

Avery: Captain, if you don't need me on the bridge at the moment... I'd like to go survey some of the damage first-hand. I was hoping to get a chance to start on some of the immediate field repairs as soon as possible.

Herrera: By all means. Thanks for your support, Ensign.

::She had proven to be a huge asset to the bridge crew during the battle and she'd cast herself in a very good light indeed. She was a very capable officer and that would be something to consider going forward.::

Eerie: Response

Udas: Well sir, what are your orders?

::Diego settled into his seat a little more. Everything was looking close to being under control but for one more key detail.::

Herrera: Prepare for redocking with the central section... and then set a course for Deep Space 6. I think our work is done here.

::Except for those of them who were wearing gold, and the sickbay staff. They would no doubt have a busy trip back.::

Udas: Response

Herrera: Yeah. I have a lot of thinking to do before I make my report to Starfleet, that's for sure.

Udas: Response

Ki'Kay: Sir, we're getting a message through from Lieutenant Commander Tagren on the central section.

::Diego nodded, and listened as the message piped over the speakers.::

Tagren: =/\= Central section is ready to reconnect with you guys when you are ready. =/\=

Herrera: =/\= We're ready now. See you in a few minutes, Commander. =/\=

::He cut the comm line and glanced over his shoulder at Eerie.::

Herrera: Condition blue. Let's get this ship back together so we can get out of here.

Eerie: Response

Udas: Response

::'Condition blue' was appropriate in more ways than one when Diego thought about it. That's exactly what they'd found themselves in the middle of once the Andorian ships had decloaked, for one thing. He dismissed the thought as he and Ki'Kay worked through the reformation procedure and the Vigilant's nose was reattached. Moments later, the turbolift doors were opening once again and the officers from the central section joined them on the bridge.::

Tagren: I am glad to see everyone in one piece. Were you able to rescue anyone from the station?

::Diego smiled a half-smile. They hadn't saved anywhere near as many people as he would have liked, and he was certain that having to belay T'Mihn's order to transport Andorians off the second cruiser would haunt him more than once over the next few weeks.::

Herrera: We have Romulan evacuees in Cargo Bay 2. Irina just went to check on them. 

Tagren: Response

Herrera: How about you? Is everyone from the central section still in one piece?

::They didn't seem to have taken as much of a pounding as the crew on the ventral section, which was certainly a good thing.::

Tagren: Response

::With the dust starting to settle, they were overdue to get started on their trip home. It was going to take a couple of hours to get back to the starbase, where they would easily be able to schedule repair teams. Diego wanted to have the chance to put his feet up, so he started to get everything set to allow him to write and submit his report to Starfleet Command before they made it back to DS6.::

Herrera: Ki'Kay, set a course for Deep Space 6, warp 8. I think we've been in Romulan space for long enough. ::He stood from his seat.:: Meanwhile, I'd better get my report submitted while all of this is fresh in my mind. You have the bridge, Ari.

Tagren: Response

Udas/Eerie: Response

::Diego had made it just a couple of steps towards the ready room door when it dawned on him that maybe the crew would like a chance to put their feet up when they hit the station as well, so ruling a line under the mission sooner rather than later might be for the best. He tapped his badge to set up a debrief.::

Herrera: =/\= Herrera to all senior staff. Report to the ready room in 30 minutes. Herrera out. =/\=

::Continuing his trip, he entered his slightly beaten up sanctum, and went to check if the replicator was working before checking in with the brass.::

TAG/TBC

Fleet Captain Diego Herrera

Commanding Officer

USS Vigilant

NCC-75515-A

Deputy Commandant: UFOP: SB118 Academy

UFOP: Executive Council