NAZGUL: Young Minds, Fresh Ideas

Posted on Sat Mar 1st, 2025 @ 6:49pm by Commander Sean Loewen {Meji} & Lieutenant Commander Sheyla {MD} & Lieutenant JG Ken Kudo & Lieutenant JG T'Pri

Mission: THE LAST CRY FOR HELP
Location: USS NAZGUL
Timeline: Current

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Lieutenant T'Pri had been working for hours, not only reading her screens for every possibility and eventuality, but also to see if she could somehow use the system to her advantage. So far she had been met with defeat in regards to anything advantageous. With the power down so much it was becoming apparent that her options were nearly impossible. A slight bleep sounded and she looked to the monitor that now had a slight amber border flashing. Bringing the holographic screen up front and center and expanding it, T'Pri noted that the passive scans had picked up what appeared to be a large metallic mass and, if the scans were correct, a planetoid. How the scans had missed them both the first few times she could not comprehend, but there they were. "Captain, I have picked up a planetoid and a large metallic mass."

Loewen was up and out of his chair, moving over to T'Pri's station and looking over her head at the monitor. The metallic mass was far smaller than the planetoid, but the scans were showing that it was consistent. "A planetoid? In subspace? Have you ever heard of such a thing, Lieutenant?"

"I have not." T'Pri answered him, hearing Number One coming over and joining them behind her. "However, just because I have not heard of such an occurrence does not mean that it is not possible, Captain."

Sean pursed his lips to control the grin, his wry glance at Sheyla being met with the same grin from his Exec. T'Pri was definitely a Vulcan, and her deadpan, unemotional responses could, at times, be quite amusing even when she was being serious. Ainkara always conducted herself the same way, doing her best to remain detached from the information she presented. The thought of Kara coming to mind caused Loewen's heart to skip a beat so he pushed those thoughts away. "Alright," he said, getting himself back on track. "How far away?"

T'Pri pointed to the corner of the monitor, not out of spite or trying to be snarky, just pointing out where the data was presented. "Fifteen-thousand kilometers, Sir."

"Quite a distance," said Sheyla. "Do we risk using a Delta in subspace?"

Loewen stood up straight, rubbing his chin as he thought about the current data. "I think we should try and get closer, possibly close enough to see all this out the front window."

"That would put us extremely close to the objects, Captain." T'Pri said, this time turning her chair slightly to view both of the command officers. "There is also an energy variance I am unfamiliar with, which I attribute to the passive scans. I cannot accurately define the energy output without proper sensors. The closer we get the more danger we invite."

Sheyla answered without skipping a beat. "I invited danger to my doorstep the day I signed up for Starfleet. This isn't a glamorous job but it is a job full of risk. If I were not willing to risk myself for the good of all then I should resign."

His eyes looked to his XO, with Loewen showing pride at her answer, and the pride of having chosen her for Number One. There was no mistaking the expression of respect she had just earned from him. "Well said, Sheyla. Well said. We all fly around in pressurized tin cans every day and don't think anything of it until that tin can gets damaged. Then, the risk factor becomes real once more." Having said his piece on that, Sean returned his gaze to his Vulcan Sci Chief. "T'Pri, what would you suggest? Use a Delta, or try and find a way to move closer with Nazgul?"

Kudo, sitting at Helm/FC, had spun his chair halfway to the right, to look back and over at the SCI station. He continued to listen as his curiosity was piqued, and he was formulating an idea that may just work if they needed it.

T'Pri gave a few moments of thought before answering. "Captain, I would suggest we use Nazgul. Though our power issues are a problem, it affords us greater protection in this unknown environment."

"I concur," said Sheyla.

"Very well, then." Loewen responded. As he opened his mouth to add more, he was interrupted from the front section of the Bridge.

Kudo, his idea now at the forefront of his mind, piped in. "Pardon the interruption, Captain. But, I have an idea."

Loewen and Sheyla spun halfway to look his direction, stepping apart enough so that T'Pri could also view the man between their torsos.

Sean saw no reason to not hear the man's idea. "By all means, Lieutenant Kudo. What's on your mind?"

"I say we use a Delta, Sir." Kudo began explaining, moving along with it before they could interrupt and deter that train of thought. "Allow me to take a Delta out, land on the primary hull and use the magnetic adhesion to remain in place on the primary hull. Once locked into position I can then provide Nazgul with impulse drive enough to move around by using the Delta's engines as the catalyst."

Sheyla made a gutteral sound in her throat, a sound one would make when surprised and flabbergasted at the brilliance of the idea, and why she had not thought of that.

Loewen, too, was taken aback by the idea. It was so simple, yet even as he had been helm, he had not thought of that.

T'Pri could see the ever-so-slight blushing on the Captain's cheeks as he realized that even as a one-time pilot, he had not thought of that simple solution. Even Sheyla's blue skin got a tinge of blushing in regards to her own species. "A logical plan, Captain." The corners of her mouth came up in the most subtle of ways as she saw the discomfort of her two commanding officers, and her eyes were full of mirth even as she remained stoic and disciplined for the most part.

"I can't believe I didn't think of that," Loewen admitted, smiling at his Helm officer. "Damn fine idea, Mister Kudo."

"Agreed," said Sheyla.

"With your permission, Captain, I'll go suit up and then head for Delta One." Kudo stood up.

"Suit up?" Sheyla asked.

"Yes, Number One," Kudo answered. "We're in a subspace bubble. No telling the effects it could have on biology without an EVA suit for protection. Risk is one thing, as you stated, but being unprepared leads to FAFO."

Sheyla tilted her head, her face scrunching up askance. "FAFO, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Ken said. "It means: Fuck Around and Find Out. I would prefer to not find out by F-ing around."

Sheyla gave an amused grin. "Gotcha." She looked to the Captain. "I'm good with it, Sean. You?"

"Get moving, Mister Kudo. Let us know when you are prepared to launch so we can monitor you from here." Loewen ordered.

"Aye, Sir." Kudo quickly left the Bridge.

"Alright, we'll get moving as soon as Kudo is in place. Keep an eye on that planetoid, T'Pri." Sean went back to his chair and sat down. His efforts to use the comm to contact anyone outside this bubble had met with failure with everything he had tried. So, it was on Nazgul to figure this out.

Sheyla, for her part, went and sat down at the extra console that had been used as a comm station by Qeritas when she had been in disguise. She now saw it as the XO's station when nor being used by another officer for other purposes. So far their plans were coming together but she wondered how long this would all take.

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