Post #14: Acting Captain

Posted on Sat Jan 11th, 2025 @ 7:01pm by Captain Tore Bjorgo & Captain Rogue "Ro" Green & Lieutenant Commander Billi & Lieutenant Commander Sean Loewen (acting CO) & Lieutenant Ainkara "Kara" & Penni {P.E.N.N.I.}

Mission: THE LAST CRY FOR HELP
Location: M-69
Timeline: current/somewhere in between

ON:

Fleet Captain Ro Green dropped her head into her hands and rubbed her face. Having just finished speaking with Admiral Aaron Stone over the comm, the Nazgul once again being the focus of the discussion, Ro sat back in her chair and collected her thoughts. Until Captain Bjorgo, Commander Billi, Lieutenant Ainkara, and this Penni individual reported to the Admiral on Earth, they were no longer in command of the USS Nazgul. As Fleet Captain it fell to Green to command the ship until a suitable replacement could be found, or someone was insinuated into the command chair. Talk about a headache, she thought.

Getting to her feet, Green spun and went around her chair, stepping out onto her open veranda that looked out upon the internal Promenade sections of M-69. Using the Force she gathered herself and aligned her focus, not really looking forward to the meeting ahead. Reaching up she tapped her combadge. "Captain Green to Captain Bjorgo."

Tore was sitting in his Ready Room on Nazgul, hearing the call come in. He spoke up. "Bjorgo, here, Captain. What can I do for you?"

Green was still perturbed over all this but she was able to keep a majority of that discontent from her voice. "We need to have a meeting, immediately, Captain Bjorgo. I know you have Billi as Number One, but there is still no brevet list as to who would take command should the two of you be indisposed. Any suggestions?"

Bjorgo was taken aback by that. Was that the reason for this call? To determine who his Second Officer would be? "I have considered a few of my officers. One in particular, due to active duties, seems to fit best. Why, may I ask, is this important?"

"I have my reasons," Green stated, not giving any more than that at this time. "I need you, Billi, this Penni person, and Ainkara to report to my office ASAP. Bring your top choice for Second Officer, as well. I'll see you when you arrive. Green, out." The channel was cut by the computer.

The attitude was not like Green, Tore thought to himself. Whatever she was on about it was not something she was pleased with. Doing as instructed, gathering the names given, Bjorgo met them in transporter room two. Mister Loewen, his Second Officer choice, was with them. "Good morning, folks. It seems that Captain Green is upset over something, and we were all named in this issue. Let's go over and see what the problem is. Best behavior, please. Let's go." They all stepped onto the transporter pads and within moments were beamed site-to-site to the office of the Fleet Captain. They broke apart slightly, moving towards the lounge area where Green was sitting in a lone chair facing the sofas and another lone chair directly opposite her own. "We're here, Captain Green." Bjorgo said, moving forward and taking a seat on the sofa, sitting on the edge of the cushion.

Green motioned to the other lone chair with the high armrests like her own. "Mister Loewen, take the chair. Everyone else, sit on the sofas." She arranged the PADD on her lap to be able to read from it while she addressed the officers present.

Sean, not sure what all this was about, sat down in the chair he had been directed to. "Can someone explain what the hell is going on?"

"That would be on Captain Green," Bjorgo said, finally scooching his butt back and leaning back into the cushions. Everyone else got comfortable, with Penni still sitting on the edge of her seat, her eyes still looking extremely nervous. Somehow she knew this was about her.

Green took another long glance at her lap PADD before speaking. "Lieutenant Ainkara, is it true you discovered an Iconioan gateway lab, and in so doing also found our resident guest, Penni?"

Kara maintained her composure, having hidden nothing as far as she was concerned. The reports had been filed, with the coordinates and planet where it was found redacted. "That is correct, Captain Green."

Billi gave Tore a sideways glance, both of them now sharing a look as to what this was all about, now. "Captain Green..." Billi began, but was cut off.

"I'm not finished!" Green stated with force, giving Billi a glare before her eyes went back to Ainkara. "I see here that you redacted all information regarding its whereabouts. No planet named, no coordinates, nothing. Why?"

Loewen decided to speak up, risking his own scathing look from Ro. "Captain Green, where we picked her up would be in the flight logs for the USS Nazgul. It wouldn't be too hard to recall that data for you, Sir."

Green gave him a glance, a nod, and then her eyes went back to Kara. "I'm waiting, Lieutenant. Why did you keep that information from Starfleet Command?"

"To protect the site from being overrun by those who would tear it apart to se ehow it worked." Answered Kara with complete honesty. She chinned towards bot-girl. "Penni is from that lab. If there is anything she needs from it then I wanted it to be left intact so we could go back later and see to her needs."

Bjorgo knew he was 'on the rug' over this. "Ro, we let it be, for now. Billi and I made that decision as command staff."

"And, in so doing put me in a very precarious place with HQ." Green stated. "Admiral Stone is livid. Iconian technology is leaps and bounds above our own, and you stated there was a gate there, Lieutenant. I gate to where? It has been hypothesized that the Iconians have hidden facilities in subspace, and possibly in other dimensions. The last thing we need is the Iconians using that facility as a beach head to enter into our region."

"Don't speak to her like that!" Penni's voice came out sharp and angry, her eyes narrowed as she looked to this person with the audacity to berate her savior. "I don't care who you are, there is no need to belittle her in front of others."

"I beg your pardon?" Green's own eyes narrowed as she looked at the android woman. "This is how things work in Starfleet. A command hierarchy. Without it we are no better than the animals, milling about without rules and causing chaos wherever we roam."

Kara had placed a hand on Penni's knee, giving a slight squeeze to reassure her it was okay and to get herself under control. "Penni, please. It is okay. I expected this. Please, do not make it worse."

Penni visibly relaxed her shoulders, having been prepared to fillet this woman who was obviously a superior to everyone else in the room. "My apologies, Captain Green. Since you know my story, you can understand why I am still learning how things work in your society."

Green gave a nod, her own expression softening, even though her instincts told her there was something dangerous about Penni. Something she could not quite put her finger on. "Understandable, Penni. But, that admission brings me to another point. You are unique, Penni. One of a kind. We have positronic androids out there but nothing as advanced as yourself. We have yet to determine if you are a threat to our existence, or merely another life form to be considered. Do you understand why that would cause concern?"

Penni had to nod in agreement, the logic behind the statement hard to argue. "I do."

Loewen watched it all play out, his left hand up around his mouth as he played with his chin and acted casual. His eyes moved about lazily, keeping them casually on the move. What any of this had to do with himself remained to be seen. All he did was pilot the ship to and fro.

Billi decide to try and speak again. "So, Captain Green, why are we all here? Because of Penni, or is there more?"

"Mainly because of Penni," Green admitted. "But, also, the hidden facility your Science Chief decided to leave off the record. Which you two," here eyes went back and forth between Billi and Tore. "Went along with. Don't tell me you didn't see the reports since you both marked them as read."

Taking a moment to adjust her position in her chair, Green continued. "Admiral Stone has determined that you, Captain, Commander Billi, and Ainkara are no longer attached to the USS Nazgul, at this time. In other words, your command has been temporarily rescinded and all of you are to report to Earth ASAP. Penni, included. The various directors for Starfleet operations will meet with you and conduct an extensive interview process with all of you, and with Penni. They respect that she is a living being in her own right, but they wish to interview her themselves, with you lot present."

Again, Sean noted that his name was not included.

"I see," Tore said, none too kindly, his eyes showing his discontent.

"As it stands," Ro went on. "I have to take nominal command of the Nazgul simply due to position. I cannot do that, see to all my own duties, and grade the Academy cadets stationed here all at the same time. I'm good, but not that good. That brings us to you, Mister Loewen."

Sean's eyes went to the Fleet Captain, with him sitting up straighter and dropping his hand from his face. "Me, Captain? What about me?"

"I've looked at your service record, Mister Loewen. Not bad considering you were one who always flew under the radar despite being on the ball with your duties." Green explained. "I asked Tore to bring the one officer he would consider for Second Officer along to this meeting and, here you are." Ro watched as Loewen and Bjorgo's eyes met, with the Captain giving his Helm Chief a nod. When Sean's eyes came back to her, Green went on. "It's a little early, but not by much. As of now, Mister Loewen, you are promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and as such, will now be the acting captain of the USS Nazgul. As I stated, I am the nominal commanding officer, but with my own pool to play in I cannot see to the daily ship's needs. Can you handle that responsibility, Commander Loewen?"

It all came to him in a rush, with Loewen's brain coming to grips finally with what was said. Being assigned to Nazgul, he never saw this coming. But, having read the past reports from the past missions, he could see that Nazgul had a colorful history of musical chairs when it came to CO's. He hoped the ship was not cursed, but there was no way he would pass up this opportunity. It would put a fine notation into his personnel file to state he had captained one of Starfleet's finer light cruisers. "I can, and will, Captain Green." He looked over at Tore. "No offense, Captain Bjorgo."

"None taken," Tore said, shaking hands. "Take care of her until we get back."

"Will do, Sir." Sean relaxed back into his chair, his part in this finally unveiled.

"So," Bjorgo asked. "Where do we go from here?"

Green laid out the plan. Bjorgo, Billi, Ainkara, and Penni would all board a runabout here and make their way to Earth ASAP. They were to report to Admiral Stone, and he would lead them from there.

Already thinking like a CO, Loewen had a concern. "That leaves me without a SCI Chief, Captain Green. In this region, that's an important post."

Green stood up, signalling that the main meeting was over, so everyone else stood up with her. She dismissed the others and kept Loewen behind with herself. Once they departed Ro looked to Sean. "I'm assigning an officer as your stand-in SCI Chief, Commander. Lieutenant T'Pri is a science officer and a diplomat. I think she would be adequate to the task."

"A Vulcan?" Loewen grinned. "Can't say that's a bad thing. Is she a walking stiff, or is there more to her? Some Vulcans learn to loosen up a tad around others."

Green returned the grin. "She is unique, for sure. How much she opens up to you and your crew is on her. T'Pri is a follower of Jarok. If you don't know what that means, look it up." Green caught something out of the corner of her eye, and reaching out she took him by the hip and turned him enough to observe his lumbar region better, pulling his tunic up a bit, seeing the lightsaber hilt. "Where did you get that?" There was concern in her tone as her eyes came up and met his.

"A Q named Qeritas. I'm sure you're familiar with her, Master Ro, since she told me all about you." He gave a smile and moved his body to get her to release his tunic and let it drop back over his concelaed weapon. "It was a gift from her, along with some training in the ways of the Meji Order, as she called it. An Order you are going to propose to the Federation when time allows, I hear tell."

Qeritas, you shit, she thought to herself. "Yes...yes, that's true. I just didn't expect her to do...well...this. So, you can manipulate the Force, or Core, depending on what she called it?"

"I can, yes. A Champion in training. I guess the proper title at this time would be Acolyte. We should spar some time. Haven't had a chance to use the ol' hummacutter, yet." Sean gave another crooked smile.

"Hummacutter?" Green returned the smile. "Interesting name for it. But, yes, active training is far better than combat drones and holodecks. But, we have another concern aside from our personal religious choice. You need to name a Number One. I leave that to you, of course."

Loewen gave it a moment of thought. "I have someone in mind. She's perfect for the job. And, I have one of the best CMO's in the fleet so, Nazgul is good to go with a few adjustments. If we're needed can we make it an assignment that will be more casual than stressful?"

"I already have something in mind. Get your ship arranged, Captain, then call me. Dismissed."

Giving a nod to that, Loewen spun on his heel and headed out.

OFF: