Post Number:258 *Making Moves*

Posted on Mon Apr 28th, 2025 @ 5:36pm by Captain Marius Pontmercy & Lieutenant JG Celine Quinn & Commander Jordan Haines & Lieutenant Commander Michael McMahon & Major Charlotte Thrace & Lieutenant Paul Eschenauer & Lieutenant Evelyn Callister & Lieutenant Jude Haines & Lieutenant Josiah Haines & Lieutenant Amanda Hemsley & Lieutenant Marty Stokes & Lieutenant V'Lar & Lieutenant JG Lirian Tarel & Ensign Hannah Thrace

3,443 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Secrets

On:

Marius headed out of his ready room, straightening his uniform as he walked. He was carrying as much information as he could find, and hoped that the rest of the crew had some helpful data as well. They were moving the station to the Delta Quadrant today, and he knew there were many factors to consider.

As he entered the conference room, he ordered himself a cup of coffee, and took a seat at the head of the table.

As Mike and Paul stepped into the conference room, they immediately stopped their laughing and joking around.. Mike kept his expression carefully neutral, while Paul had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smirking.

Paul took a casual sip of his coffee, his lips twitching at the corners. "Morning," he said smoothly, his tone just a little too light.

Mike, ever the guarded one, simply nodded and took a seat. "Captain" he acknowledged

Paul exhaled sharply, a hint of amusement in his breath. "Gonna be an interesting day," he murmured under his breath, just low enough for Mike to hear.

Mike shot him a look. Behave.

Paul just grinned into his coffee.

Evelyn stepped into the conference room, her expression composed as she adjusted the sleeves of her uniform. She immediately took note of the atmosphere—Marius focused, Mike neutral, Paul barely restraining his amusement. Typical.

She offered a polite nod to Marius. “Captain,” she greeted before making her way to her seat. As she replicated a cup of tea, she glanced toward Paul and Mike, catching the last traces of their exchange.

“Seems like we’re in for an eventful day,” she remarked dryly, taking a seat. “Let’s hope it’s productive.”

Lirian entered just behind Evelyn, her gaze sweeping the room with quiet curiosity. She felt the subtle mix of emotions—focus, amusement, and the ever-present undercurrents of tension before a major operation. But her attention lingered just a moment longer on Mike.

She offered a soft smile as their eyes met, a quiet acknowledgment of their recent conversation. It was brief, fleeting, but meaningful.

“Good morning,” she greeted, her voice warm as she moved to take her seat.

Marty and Yujas entered simultaneously, both focused on data pads as they took their seats.

V'Lar walked in and made her way to her seat, she had a pile of PADD's back in her office and was somewhat grateful that she didn't need to carry them around with her, such was the increasing burden on her small department at this point.

Never before had Charlotte walked into a senior staff briefing with this air of nerves about her - that wasn't to say she was always confident but this wasn't professional nerves, this was walking into a meeting with people she knew while her mind was still to some extent still processing everything that had happened between her and Jordan. Taking her seat she took a few deep breaths as she got her head in the game and her focus back where it needed to be.

"We will wait a few more minutes for everyone to arrive," Pontmercy said. "Feel free to get yourself something to drink if you haven't already, this is going to be an eventful meeting."

The doors to the meeting opened and Amanda stepped in. After months away, she was eager to get back to work.

The doors opened and in walked the Haines trio. Jordan headed to sit next to the captain, while Jude found a strategic position born from being a security officer for a long time. Josiah took a seat next to him, waiting for the meeting to start.

Jordan hadn’t meant to arrive as one of the last but he had forgotten he was meeting with his brother and nephew this morning. He looked around the room, his eyes met Charlottes for a brief moment and then he turned to Marius. “We need to talk after this meeting.” He said in a low voice.” Marius nodded at him in acknowledgment without speaking.

Paul arched an eyebrow as Charlotte entered, his eyes narrowing slightly—not in judgment, but in curiosity. He’d seen her confident, assertive, occasionally intimidating. But this was… different.

“Something’s off,” he muttered to Mike under his breath, just loud enough for his friend to hear.

But then the Haines trio walked in, and Paul immediately put two and two together when Jordan’s eyes met Charlotte’s. He leaned back, clearly enjoying the sudden burst of drama that had just entered the room.

“Well now,” he murmured into his coffee, the grin tugging at his lips again. “This meeting just got even more interesting.”

Mike clocked the subtle shift in Charlotte the moment she stepped in—he didn’t know the details, but he was trained to notice body language, and hers was screaming distraction. He didn’t say anything, just made a mental note.

Then Jordan walked in, and Mike caught the glance between him and Charlotte, followed by the low comment to Marius.

He sighed quietly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Oh good,” he said dryly, only for Paul to hear. “More emotional landmines in the middle of a major strategic briefing.”

He shot Paul a sidelong look. “Don’t say it.”

Paul, of course, was already grinning.

Hannah practically tip toed her way into the conference room, now she was carrying a stack of PADD's. Sitting down she ran through her notes one last time.

As the last few people trickled in, Marius cleared his throat.

"Alright let's get it together," he said. "First things first, let's welcome back Doctor Hemsley, who will be our new Chief of Surgery."

Paul watched as Hannah slipped in, arms full of PADDs, and couldn’t help the amused tilt of his head. “That’s gotta be at least half the science lab’s data right there,” he murmured to Mike, not unkindly—just Paul being Paul.

When Marius spoke up and introduced Amanda, Paul sat up a little straighter and gave a nod of respect. “Welcome back, Doc,” he said, his tone sincere. “Hope you’re ready to dive in—seems like we’ve been saving all the messes for your return.”

“I’m glad you did” Amanda replied. “Would’ve been to easy to come back to the station and have everything be quiet and idillic.” She took a sip from her tea, savoring the taste for a bit. “It’s good to be back and I’m ready to get back to work, Captain.”

Mike gave a small nod as Hannah entered, quietly admiring the way she carried more than her share without making a fuss. He didn’t comment, but he clocked her presence—efficient, focused, clearly prepared.

At Marius’ announcement, Mike glanced over at Amanda and offered her a short, respectful nod.

“Good to have you back,” he said simply, his voice low but genuine. “We’ve needed someone solid in that chair.”

Then, without missing a beat, he added dryly to Paul, “And no, you can’t fake an injury just to ‘test her diagnostic skills.’”

Amanda looked at Paul, looking him up and down for a second. “You’re more than welcome to fake an injury. The last crewman who did that cleaned my office with a toothbrush. And now I have 6 OR’s you could clean” she said, with a smirk.

Celine smiled warmly at Amanda, glad to have her back safely. She glanced around the room, seeing the worry and exhaustion she was feeling echoed back at her over and over.

"Yes, we are thankful to have you here and safe," Marius said. He sighed, picking up the data padd from the table in front of him. "We are preparing to make our journey to the Delta Quadrant, and we know that it is going to be challenging to say the least. We will get into that shortly, but we will be making a quick stop at Deep Space 9 to obtain supplies, runabouts, personnel, as well as anything else we need for our journey." He glanced over at Celine. "I'd like you to reach out to the applicants for the Academy, find out who is still alive, and have them meet us in the Gamma Quadrant before we leave for the Delta Quadrant."

"Yes sir, I will get on that as soon as we are finished here."

"Excellent. Now let's talk about the Delta Quadrant. Lieutenant V'Lar you're up."

"This." V'Lar said bringing up a holographic map "Is a map of part of the Delta Quadrant drawn from the logs of the USS Voyager and the USS Equinox it specifically covers the first three years of Voyager's journey the time period being 2371-2374. You can see Ocampa highlighted as well as the known boundaries of the various factions at the time. The unknown variable here is that all this information is over sixty years out of date so we don't know what we're going to find in the bigger picture when we get there but we do think on the smaller scale we can make something of predictions in that respect, which is why Ensign Thrace is here. The big thing though is that once through the Bajoran wormhole Ocampa is approximately a two week journey away at slipstream velocity, that's a technology no one else in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants has and by going through the wormhole we're throwing up a smokescreen of sorts, we won't be able to hide the mass movement into the Bajoran sector and through the wormhole but at least that makes people think we're in the Gamma Quadrant when we're not. And if anyone did figure out where we were it would take over a century of warp travel to get from the wormhole exit point to Ocampa. Ensign if you would."

"Ocampa is in a five planet system." Hannah said "The planet itself meets all the criteria of being an M Class world but has no water due to events involving the Caretaker over a millennium ago. I don't think any of the other four planets in the system are M class because if they were it would be logical to migrate the Ocampa to such a place rather than leave them in what might be best described as a wasteland. The Ocampa themselves are a peaceful people, somewhat under developed which again is due to the Caretaker incident. There are multiple other species in the area, the initial one to worry about will be the Kazon because Ocampa is on the periphery of space that was controlled by the Kazon Ogla sect when Voyager was there, beyond that the main one to watch for in the area will be the Vidiian's, a species that has a fatal disease called the Phage and therefore hunts for good quality organs wherever they can find them. Of course there are other species but in terms of probable threats those are the two to watch for. Again however I must emphasize just as Lieutenant V'Lar did that we have no way of knowing how this part of the Delta Quadrant has changed in the intervening years."

"We have our work cut out for us for sure," Marius said. "Look... it's a gamble, but it is our best shot. Where are we with everyone's departments? Give me a status update."

Paul leaned forward, setting his coffee down and pulling up a PADD with a few taps. Gone was the grin—at least temporarily—as he shifted into work mode.

“Flight Control’s prepped,” he said, tone more focused now. “All navigational coordinates are logged and double-checked. We’ve plotted three potential emergency fallback routes just in case something goes sideways, and helm crews are running final sims now. We’re as ready as we’re gonna be.”

Then, a smirk returned—just a flicker. “Though if we end up flying through another gravimetric distortion, I’m putting in for hazard pay.” Marius shot him an amused look.

Mike gave a curt nod after Paul finished, then spoke, his tone clipped and professional.

“Operations is green across the board. Power distribution systems are balanced and holding steady—even with the strain of relocation protocols. We’ve got redundancies in place in case of subspace turbulence or any unexpected drain.”

He paused, glancing down at his PADD before continuing. “We’re still finalizing some supply transfers—nothing critical—but I’ve got people on it. No delays expected.”

Then he added, “It is a gamble, Captain. But I’ve run the numbers. We’re making the right move.” Marius nodded at the Lieutenant Commander.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said honestly.

Evelyn sat forward slightly, her posture crisp and voice steady. “Starfighter Wing is operational, but our numbers are limited. Most of our birds came from other ships and outposts—there’s not much uniformity in loadouts or maintenance history, but we’ve done what we can to streamline readiness.”

She glanced down at her PADD briefly. “We’ve got rotating patrols set for the transition window, and all pilots are briefed on emergency launch protocols. I’ve assigned veterans to shadow the less experienced flyers until we’re settled.”

Then, with a nod toward Mike, she added, “If Operations can prioritize system calibration for hangar bays two and three, it’ll give us better launch flexibility in case things go sideways.”

She leaned back slightly, calm but firm. “We’re stretched thin, but we’ll hold the line.”

Mike nodded at her request. "Will do."

Lirian sat with her fingers lightly folded over her PADD, listening intently as each department reported in. Her expression was calm, but her eyes flicked with quiet assessment.

“We’ve initiated mindfulness protocols for high-stress crews and are rotating counselors through key departments,” she said gently. “The transition will be disorienting for some, especially those who’ve never operated so far from known space.”

She paused a moment, then added, “But I’m not concerned about their resolve. This crew is adaptable. What they’ll need is reassurance—communication, clarity, and presence from leadership. If we provide that, they’ll rise to the occasion.”

Her gaze lingered on Mike for a beat before returning to the room. “Emotionally, most are bracing for impact. But no one’s backing down.”

"I have no doubts," came the Captains reply.

"From my end the good news is that whether it's the tenth century on Earth or the twenty fifth century out here the principles of castle warfare are the same as they've always been." Charlotte said "I have the personnel to mount a defence of the Ocampa system if needed and the resources to build the metaphorical walls. I'll need time to figure out exactly how we go about operations outside the Delta Quadrant but in that respect at least we need to allow for the passage of time so it's not an urgent issue in general though there are some concerns."

"Intel's a little in danger of being snowed under." V'Lar said "I have the smallest department on the base in terms of personnel and we're now having to operate as Starfleet Intelligence, so it's fairly obvious that we're not outfitted for the challenge I think we can get there though by building on the advantages the department with a little recruitment and borrowing some analysts from other departments as and when."

Marius frowned, thinking.

"We are picking up more personnel at DS9," he said. "Commander Haines I would like you to work on assigning the newcomers to each department as needed. If a certain department needs more than another," he said with a look at the Intelligence Chief, "try and prioritize that as their training allows. We will also have an influx of cadets joining us shortly. We will have the responsibility of training them- the Academy Commandant is here on the Obsidian so I know he will have his work cut out for him."

"Yes Captain." Jordan spoke up. He was listening at the moment. He found it was essential sometimes to hear what others have to say.

“Captain” Amanda said. “I’ve been thinking about the Vidians. Back in med-school I read about the research Voyagers doctor did on the Phage. His research is incomplete because he stopped when Voyager left Vidian space, but the research shows that Klingons are naturally immune against the phage. And that it might be possible to use Klingon DNA to create a vaccine of sorts.” She took another sip of her tea to give her a moment to gather her thoughts. “With your permission, I’d like to continue the doctor’s research on top of my regular duties. With doctor Katagh on board, I have an endless supply of pure Klingon DNA. With enough time I might be able to develop a cure or vaccine, which we could use as a bargaining chip when we encounter the Vidians. Which, I think, we all suspect to be just a matter of time. Perhaps Doctor Stokes and Lieutenant Cruz would be able to help?”

Marius looked at Hemsley for a moment.

"Yes, please start this as soon as possible. I think that is an excellent idea." He looked at his chief of Science and of Medical. "Please work with Doctor Hemsley on this. If it's possible, that could change a good many things." He glanced around the room. "Alright, Security, where are we at with your department?"

Jude spoke next. "Security is ready as much as expected." He paused for a moment. "I don't believe in sugar coating, we are down in numbers just like the other departments but my people are dedicated to serving and giving their all to keep the crew and ship protected."

"I agree with Lieutenant Haines." Josiah spoke up next. "We are down in numbers but make up for it in determination. Our departments are working together which helps a lot."

"We may be going into new territory." Jordan said in a strong voice. "But this isn't new to us. We have faced a similar situation before, the cards are stacked against us but I know that we will win." He looked around the room. "Because you people are strong and determined and everyone has the heart and guts to do what we need to." He paused then. "With the leaders we have, we will prevail, if we stay positive and stick together."

"Agreed," Marius said. "We need to rely on one another, and have each other's backs. If you have an issue with someone else on board, you should clear it up before we enter the Delta Quadrant. We don't need to be fighting out there and in here as well."

"And at the speed this base goes that would be a handful of hours after the Captain gives the order." Charlotte said "I do want to make one tactical recommendation. It's been pointed out that the Delta Quadrant of today is likely very different to the one Voyager got thrown into. We're going to need protocols drawing up about how we operate, and until that happens we should contain our operations to the Ocampa system and the immediate area and we really should try to avoid contact with the Kazon at least until we're set up." Marius nodded, thinking for a moment.

"I agree. I would like you," he said referring to Charlotte, "to meet with Lieutenant Quinn and work out a draft for me to review."

"Yes sir." Charlotte said.

"Allright everyone, we are close to making the move. You all have your orders, make sure that your departments are squared away as quickly as possible," Pontmercy said as he pushed away from the desk. "You are all dismissed."

Off:

Captain Marius G. Pontmercy
Commanding Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Commander Jordan Haines
Executive Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Commander Michael McMahon
Chief Operations Officer / Second Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Major Charlotte Thrace
Marine Commanding Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Celine Quinn
Chief Diplomatic Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Paul Eschenauer
Assistant Chief Flight Control Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Evelyn Callister
Group Commander
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant David Chambers
Chief Engineering Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Jude Haines
Chief Security Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Josiah Haines
Chief Tactical Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Marty Stokes
Chief Medical Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant Amanda Hemsley
Chief of Surgery
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant T'Shas Cruz
Chief Science Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant V'Lar
Chief Intelligence Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Lieutenant JG Lirian Tarel
Chief Counselor
Starbase Obsidian

Ensign Hannah Thrace
Alien Archaeologist/Anthropologist
Starbase Obsidian

Master Chief Petty Officer K'Ral De Bruinhiena
Chief of the Boat
Starbase Obsidian

 

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