The Waiting is Over

Posted on Tue Apr 6th, 2010 @ 4:44am by Vice Admiral Iluvar & Commander Fala Awen & Commander Michael Evans M.D.

Mission: Episode 1.2 - "A House Divided"
Location: Main Bridge, USS Pandora
Timeline: MD15, 0408

ON: [[Main Bridge, USS Pandora, MD15, 0408]]

Crewman Johnston sat at the centre console, looking forward at the screen. He was bored, really bored, their escort hadn't shown up and, and there was little for him to do but make sure the ship stayed in its position.

Lt. Commander Evans scrubbed at his left eye. It was itching again. He'd managed to catch a nap before his shift began on the night watch, be he still always got a little tired in the pre-dawn hours. He'd just received a report from all stations a few minutes ago, but he brought up the sensor readings on his command console anyways... still nothing.

Fourteen hours. Fourteen hours they'd been at the edge of the Neutral Zone awaiting their rendezvous with the Romulans. He shifted position in the Captain's Chair.

Tapping a few controls on the ops console - the standard chiming of each key muted for the night shift - Petty Officer Gran rubbed his eye with a spare hand. He wasn't tired; as a regular on the night shift, he was used to the hours, and thought of the time he was on duty as 'day' most of the time. Moreso, it was the fact that this shift was particularly dreary and boring, and almost identical in lack of activity to every other shift of his week. At least he wasn't one to be prone to yawns he would have to stifle.

"So, anyways, Gran," Evans said, continuing a conversation from earlier, "I was hiding just around the corner in the cabinet. The Nausican was asleep in the one bed, and I was hoping that Krunder was asleep in the other because my butt had actually gone to sleep about a half hour before. I figured the coast might be clear judging by the breathing patterns I heard. So a crept out as quietly as I could, wormed my way over to Krunder's bed, and did a quick scan. Unfortunately," he chuckled, "I had forgotten to mute the audio on the tricorder. So, of course, after the first little chirp of the bloody thing I've got the Nausican and the Labanite sitting up in bed looking at me. Needless to say I skee-daddled out of there as fast as I could with both of them hot on my tail. But, I won the bet as I did find out that Krunder was in fact a female." He gave a little nod and a sort of triumphant smirk.

Korina (NPC) glanced from the Doctor to the others on the bridge, keeping a straight face. When she'd offered to cover the night shift for one of the others, she had not been forwarned about the late night "stories". All she could do now was count down the hours left on this abominable shift. As Korina did another sweep with her console, she paused and tilted her head slightly to the left...that was odd. "Sir, I'm detecting something just inside the Neutral Zone."

"Really," Evans said, raising his left eyebrow slightly. "Is it an important 'something' or just a 'something' that helps break up the tedium of the night shift," he said with dry delivery, the sarcasm only just discernable. The right corner of his mouth twitched upward a little.

Frowning, Korina tried to clear up some of the distortions she was getting from her console. She shook her head, "It's likely just some form of background noise, like we picked up before. I can't clean it up into anything recognizeable."

Suddenly, the starfield on the main viewscreen began to blur. It looked like the stars were shifting and that space itself was being moulded, the familiar visual cue often associated with a cloaking device. As the distortion continued, a Valdore-type Romulan warbird shimmered into existence directly in front of the Pandora. The green hull with its curved bow looked like a prowling raptor hunting for its next prey.

"SIR!" Johnston exclaimed right away, he had been staring endlessly at the screen.

Korina was perplexed. A Romulan warbird de-cloaking? Surely the Pandora's tactical sensors should've picked that up. Well, unless they were somehow masking the normal distortion range so as not to be detected. It would partly make sense, except that - if this were the correct ship - the two vessels were supposed to be rendezvousing, so why mask their output?

Evans tensed, but managed to keep himself calm. "Easy everyone," he said. "Remember, we've been expecting them. All the same, keep alert, Tactical, and let me know if they do anything 'funny.'" He tapped the communications panel on his console and said, "Bridge to Captain: I know it's early, but our 'friends' have arrived."

=^= Acknowledged =^= replied the admiral's voice =^= Maintain position. I'm on my way. =^=

Evans affirmed the order and sat looking at the warbird displayed on the viewscreen. He was a little more than uncomfortable just sitting there with their shields down, but knew that it was the right posture to present. Not that he wanted it to happen, but he did wonder why the warbird hadn't hailed yet. Perhaps they were waiting on the Pandora?

"Sir, what do you think they are doing?" Johnston asked, spinning around to face the centre chair. He had already finished up checking all of the systems they would need in case of a fight; his station was 100%.

"Probably waiting to see what we'll do next," Evans replied. "The Romulans are nothing if not cunning. But I can tell you what they're not doing," he said with a smirk. "They're not attacking. And that's fine by me."

Though not entirely convinced of how long Michael's statement would remain true, Korina kept silent. The likelihood that the Romulans really would play nice with them was about equal to the possibility they wouldn't. Right now, theoretically, the Romulans had something to gain from this little idea, so it wouldn't make sense for them to attack yet. Perhaps later.

The doors to the turbolift hissed open and Iluvar emerged onto the bridge. He glanced around briefly at those manning the night shift before turning his attention to the Valdore-type warbird on the main viewscreen. "Status report," he said as he stepped toward the center chair.

Michael vacated the chair and stood aside as Iluvar moved towards him. "A single Romulan warbird decloaked without notice. Their shields and weapons are deactivated as are the Pandora's. They haven't hailed, and I figured you'd want to be the one to communicate with them first. Both ships have been holding position," he finished.

"Thank you," Iluvar said with a slight smile. He took a seat in the center chair and straightened his uniform jacket. The warbird continued to hang in space, waiting just like they were. Perhaps it was time for them to make a move. "Open hailing frequencies," ordered Iluvar as he turned his full attention to the main viewscreen.

The image of the warbird was replaced by the visage of a stern-looking Romulan commander. For a brief moment, no one said anything as the two ships' commanders surveyed one another. "This is Rear Admiral Iluvar of the Federation starship USS Pandora," Iluvar said by way of official greeting, "We are here on a mission of peaceful cooperation."

"Welcome to the Romulan Neutral Zone, admiral," the Romulan commander replied with a wry smile, "I am Commander Ter'el of the Imperial Warbird D'Kar. We are to be your escort during your visit to Romulan space."

"A pleasure, commander, I can assure you," Iluvar said with a smile, "I look forward to our journey together. It is, indeed, a privilege to be welcomed as a guest of the Romulan Empire."

Ter'el did not immediately reply and, for a moment, appeared to be studying a readout on his own bridge. "Yes," he said slowly, "a pleasure." The Romulan commander reached out and tapped something into a nearby console, then turned his attention back to the viewscreen. "I have transmitted the heading you are to take from this location," he continued in a business-like tone, "Deviation from this course is not advised."

"Got it, Admiral," Johnston voiced as a very specific course came in.

"We understand, commander," Iluvar replied. Ter'el nodded curtly and vanished from the viewscreen, leaving the exterior view of the D'Kar in his place. The conversation had been brief, but if they were on a schedule, then it was understandable that the Romulan commander wanted to get underway as soon as possible.

Saving his thoughts for a later time, he turned his attention back to the events currently taking place on his own bridge. "Mr. Johnston, lay in a course along the heading provided by our escort and engage at warp four," he ordered.

"Laying in Course," Johnston said, tapping the control panel. He set velocity at warp 4 and tapped the big 'GO' button as he called it. "Here we go."

Michael sat next to Iluvar's center chair and brought up the new course on his console. Something felt... off, about this Commander Ter'el, though he couldn't put his finger on it. 'It's just your nerves, Mike,' he told himself. Michael stole a glance at Admiral Iluvar. He seemed thoughtful, but not concerned. 'Don't let your guard down...' he thought to himself again, 'but you gotta' trust them.' He looked at Iluvar again, trying to read his face. 'At least until they give you reason to do otherwise.

OFF

A JP by:

Rear Admiral Iluvar
Commanding Officer
USS Pandora

Lieutenant Commander Michael Evans
Chief Medical Officer/Second Officer
USS Pandora

Lieutenant JG Korina Vek (NPC)
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Pandora
Played by: LtCmdr Fala

Ensign Robert Johnson (NPC)
Flight Control Officer
USS Pandora
Played by: Ens Keloas

and

Petty Officer Gran (NPC)
Operations Officer
USS Pandora
Played by: Lt. JG Lockheart