Going Up?

Posted on Sat Jan 25, 2020 @ 10:52pm by Captain Maritza Soran & Captain Lazanos Torena
Edited on on Sun Jan 26, 2020 @ 8:54pm

1,569 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Commander Soran's Office
Timeline: MD 01 1200

[ON]

Maritza trotted down the steps from her office to the main flight control station. "What do you mean the main bay doors won't open?"

The lieutenant manning the console stabbed at the controls. "The servo mechanisms are jammed. Its saying there's power, its saying the command's going through. Doors aren't opening."

Maritza sighed. "That one goes to Engineering. While the others are opening, its low priority. Let me know if that changes."

The turbolift doors into ops opened a hands breadth, then closed again. And opened. and closed. Maritza looked up at the malfunctioning lift, and saw a figure inside. "Just a moment," She called out. "Carry on, Mr Fayul," she told the lieutenant and went to the lift entrance

Crouching down next to it she popped the open the manual overide, locked the lift in position and turned the release for the doors. "I'd jump out right quick. The system gets cranky when the cars are locked."

A dark-haired man slipped out from between the doors, glad he managed to stay in enough shape to get out quickly. “I was in there ten minutes,” he said, looking back through the doors. “You never think about how coffin-shaped these things are until you’re in one that stops moving.” He looked at Maritza. “Thanks, I owe you one.” He glanced at the four pips on her red collar. “Captain.” He straightened up. “Marine Captain Lazanos Torena, reporting for duty.”

Ah. In all off today's chaos the new recruit had slipped her mind. She released the turbo lift and closed the panel. She got to her feet, dusted her hands off. "You've certainly picked a day for it. We're not usually in so much... disarray”

Laz nodded. He’d been around long enough to know a Starbase this size usually had an army of people working on the basics just to keep the gravity and lights on. “Have they found any reason for it, or am I just better off taking the stairs the rest of the day?”

"Given we have approximately 45km of stairs, if you count the ladders in the jeffries tubes, I wouldn't recommend it. This way," She lead him across OPS to her office. "Take a seat." She crossed to replicator and ordered, "Tea, plomeek, iced. Anything for you?"

“Coffee,” he said. “Cream and sugar, thanks.” He looked around the office, and the huge wall of transparent aluminum looking into space. It was a nice office. “I’ve been catching up on the way over,” Laz said. “You guys have had some serious excitement planetside, it sounds like.”

She handed him his coffee, then sipped her own tea. "That's one word for it. I prefer never ending opportunities for starting wars, breaking timelines and possibly discovering something new."

“It’s something new, all right,” Laz said, sipping his coffee. He sat back and scratched the tattoo on the right side of his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything like this. It seems to me at this stage just about anything could come out of these portals.”

"There we actually have some good news. As long as anything is bigger than about six foot wide and possibly ten foot tall, it isn't coming through. The portal system seems designed for beings roughly our size. "

“I’ll take any win I can get,” Laz replied, noting that bit of information. No giants or surprise starships to worry about. No huge eldritch beasts with gibbering mass of teeth. “I’ll make sure we have Marines as close at hand to any of those portals as I can manage. They might be stretched a little tight, but I think it’s smart to have a rapid response in case something does take us by surprise. The faster we can be to assess the situation, the better it is for everybody.”

"I agree, though not all threats show their true colours immediately." As was painfully demonstrated last year. Maritza felt a twist of guilt in her gut, but kept her feelings far from her face. "Lieutenant Sh'Zera has been leading the scouting efforts, she can give you more details there. As for the colony, hopefully there will be little to do there. Technically the colony is Security's sphere, as its a civilian installation, but be aware that there are a number of foreign powers in place there. Including Cardassians."

“I saw that in the files,” the Marine said. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried it might be a time bomb waiting to go off, but I’ve been wrong before. Maybe a place this weird and unique can pull it off. I’m planning to get in touch with Intel and Security next and make friends. And I hate to ask favors after you pulled me out of the lift and possibly saved my life, but there was something else I needed to run by you.” He opened the deep pocket in his uniform trousers to pull out a small PADD.

She raised an eyebrow, wondering what he could possibly have to ask when he was practically fresh off the boat and not even seen the Panagea operation up close. "Go ahead."

He opened the file on his PADD and slid it across her desk to her. “This is a new set of tactical armor, fresh out of R&D. I used something similar on my last posting. Environmentally sealed, hardened against EMPs and radiation, the shell has a refractive coating to disperse energy from phasers and disruptors.” He gave her a moment to look over the specs. “It’s the best protective gear Starfleet has available, and if I put in for it, a fresh Marine Captain with a new command, it’ll get slotted pretty low on the requisition list. But if a Starfleet captain and CO of a base of this size put it in, well...we might see it a lot faster. If we have to go up against somebody coming through those portals, or wanting to do something to them from this side, it’ll give us an edge. I’ve always believed in expecting the worst and being pleasantly surprised later.”

She cast an eye over the specs. "Are you planning for a war, Captain?" It was certainly high end. She wondered if it wouldn't be prudent, considering the Cardassians, or just inflammatory.

“I read the files,” Laz replied. “War already came to us once. Next time, who knows what comes through there? Somewhere the Borg have taken over? Something worse? I’m not planning on marching my Marines around in full tactical gear in the colony 24/7. I know that’s not the message we want to send. But if it hits the fan again, I want to know we’ve got the best chance at dealing with it.”

"I'll consider it." He was more than probably right, but she wanted to consider it in full. She could really use Strat Ops officer right now. Since taking up the role of CO she hadnt kept up to date with anything but the most pressing details. "I assume OPM has booked you in with my XO, Mr Ryan. I also recommend you introduce yourself to Doctor Wells, my Chuief Science officer. She's in overall charge of the Portal Site and the research colony."

“I’ll be doing that soon, if I don’t get stuck in another elevator. I was hoping maybe somebody from her department would be willing to show me around planet side. I want to get the lay of the land. Is there anything else you think I need to know, Captain?”

"For guides, ask Security. Ms Tessaro should be able to give you someone with thorough knowledge of the station." She thought about his second request. "Ask Ms Tessaro to brief you about the Promenade situation. If push comes to shove, you may be required to back security up in an emergency."

This was Laz’s first time running a marine unit on a station like this, and police actions were new to him. He’d done the training for it, but never put it in practice. He wondered if that call would come sooner or later, if at all. “I’ll get familiar with the layout, then,” he said. “Your Promenade’s huge; it’s almost like learning a new city. We’ll be ready to assist if the time comes.”

"Hopefully, it never will." She thought of what had been done to her yeoman. Part of her wanted to turn these dogs of war loose on the Humans First brigade skulking i the civilian population.

He saw the Captain get a distant look for a moment. Whatever it was going on, it clearly worried her. “The last thing any of us wants is Marines taking action on a Federation Starbase. But we’ll be ready for whatever comes.”

"I'm sure you will." She gave him a nod of dismissal. "Welcome aboard, Captain. Give my regards to the rest of the marine corp."

“Will do,” Laz said, standing up. “Thanks for your time, ma’am. If I die on the turbolift on my way out, know I considered serving with you an honor.” Laz smiled at her once more and slipped out.

[OFF]

Captain Maritza Soran
CO
Deep Space Five

Marine Captain Lazanos Torena
21st MEU CO
Deep Space Five

 

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