Departure Post

Posted on Sunday, 16 May 2021 - 10:30pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant JG Hayashi Hamura & Captain Barret Stillwater & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali & Lieutenant Raith Kolani & Lieutenant Talarn Zilth & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley & Lieutenant JG Harley
Edited on on Sunday, 16 May 2021 - 10:31pm

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich
Location: USS Standing Bear | Deck 01 | Bridge
Timeline: 2394 - MD 09 -- Just after Lunch

ON:

The USS Standing Bear had waited long enough, the patchwork repairs done at the starbase were going to have to be it for now. Captain Stillwater needed to be out there making a difference, and with this mission to Ekos on the horizon, he had no choice in the matter but to sign whatever waiver he had to in order to get the starbase to clear him for a premature departure. Yes, the starship was in workable condition. The warp engines had passed all the tests they needed to in simulations. Their field testing would have to be on the go.

As for the innards of the starship? The power efficiency and operating systems? Captain Stillwater walked crossed the bridge and took a seat in his Captain's chair. Soral and the rest of his bridge crew were in their seats or manning their stations. The Captain reached for a small box that he had brought out from his Ready Room and cleared his throat. "Lieutenant Kolani," said Stillwater, trying to grab the man's attention and get him to turn his seat.

Raith looked up from his work at the Operations console as he heard the Captain call his name. "Captain?" he asked.

"You're out of uniform, Lieutenant," Stillwater said popping open the small box, revealing a solid gold rank pip inside. "Come over here and we will fix you right up and make you a presentable Starfleet officer." It was a bit overdue. Raith had been a fine officer and more than earned holding his seat at the Operations station on the bridge.

Raith was slightly caught off guard by the comment about being out of uniform and made a quick check of himself to be certain that he was dressed to specific regs, however when the Captain opened the box and revealed the gold pip, he smiled.

"Thank you, Captain," Raith said, as the captain fixed the pip to his collar. He was now a full lieutenant and Raith felt proud for reaching this new rank whilst in the service. He beamed a smile before returning to the Operations station and preparing for departure.

Captain Stillwater settled into his seat. "Well, then," he said after the promotion was taken care of. "Helm lay in a course for the Alpha Geminorum system. That's where we will rendezvous with the rest of the starships," he said ordering the course to be plotted and turning to face Soral.

Harley went to work, his hands tapping over his console. “Alpha Geminorum system plotted. A cluster of five stars... 2.07S 2.16E to be exact.” He grinned and then reminded the was off script for the correct answers. “Uh... I mean, yes, Captain, ready, Captain... I mean when you are.”

"Mooring clamps retracted. Slow out, half impulse until we're clear," Soral said to the helmsman.

“Yes, Sir!” Harley tried this time, instead of being extra. He retracted the mooring clamps. “Mooring clamps released, Sir!” He then slowly edged the Standing Bear away at half impulse. “We are clear, Sir!” he chirped.

Soral turned to the captain. "I believe there is a human expression for this moment that is best paraphrased."

"Which is what?" asked Captain Stillwater. He was curious what Soral was going to say, what the expression was.

"First star to the right and straight into a shitstorm," I believe.

Stillwater shook his head. "Yep, that sounds pretty accurate." He took a deep breath. With her new duties and responsibilities Lieutenant Vali was on the bridge manning the mission operations station.

"Lieutenant Vali, contact the Starbase and inform them we are waiting departure clearance."

T’Lanna was smiling proudly at Raith, his promotion was a well deserved one. She looked towards Barret as he gave his orders. “Aye, Sir!” She tapped the comms to get hold of the Starbase. “Captain, Starbase Ops says they’re just waiting on clearance from their engineering crew. Seems there’s a problem with retracting the docking seal.” She shook her head before nodding and smiling. “I stand corrected, Sir. They’ve given us a green light, and are wishing us good luck.”

"Let us depart then, slow and steady," Soral said. The hum of the ship the easing motion washed through him as it always did. He had to say that he enjoyed that feeling, it was when the ship seemed most alive.

Harley kept the Bear at half impulse. They floated away from the Starbase.

This was the moment Soral loved. It was the moment where everything seemed to make sense and the peace of space seemed to be absolute. He enjoyed this time.

Captain Stillwater watched the viewscreen as the USS Standing Bear made its way away from the starbase. The crew had boarded, medical personnel was back, albeit with a bit of an issue. The starship had lost its original emergency medical hologram program. Stillwater was still reading those reports. "Lieutenant Kingsley," he said from his seat. "Make sure you have some probes ready. Our course is going to bring us back down to the galactic south again, we may pass by some uncharted nebulae in several weeks."

"Of course," Alex nodded.

Stillwater reached for the ship's intercom control on his armrest. "Bridge to Engineering," he said. They had a young yet spunky Acting Chief Engineer now. Stillwater had yet to personally meet the woman, but she was an interesting individual from what he observed in her personnel file. "How are things going down there, Ensign?"

"Jim dandy, Sir. Those star base yokles I worked with crossed a few wires they shouldn't have, but I got it. We're good to go and I have... what was it that the previous chief called her, Bella! That was it. I have Bella purring like a fed cat. We're good to go!"

"Good, make her purr. Bridge out," replied Stillwater. He was not sure what he thought about the engineer. Cutting the comm channel he looked over at Soral.

Harley looked over his shoulder at the captain and his executive officer. He wasn’t exactly sure that he understood what the engineer was saying. He liked cats though. A roommate of his had had a cat. It had been called Boots. Harley was never sure why, because the cat never wore boots. If there was a cat in engineering he wanted to meet it.

T’Lanna grinned at the cat comment, for her it was weird being at mission ops instead of in the Counsellor’s spot, but she’d soon get used to the change. She had plenty of work to keep her busy.

"Helm, clear us of Starbase traffic and bring us about on the planned heading. Increase to warp factor seven when we are clear and engage at will."

“Aye! Aye! Sir!” Harley chirped happily and headed the Standing Bear toward its destination. Once they were away from the traffic he set the warp. “Warp in two... one... warp seven, Sir.” The ship shot out, into the darkness.

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