Not Your Average Shakedown Part 1

Posted on Fri Feb 19th, 2021 @ 1:34pm by Commander Namia Grian
Edited on on Fri Feb 19th, 2021 @ 1:44pm

977 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 109 - The Dust Settles
Location: USS Buccaneer
Timeline: MD3

With the crew assembled back aboard the Buccaneer after a rest, albeit a short one, after arriving for duty at Starbase 400, they were preparing to give the ship her proper shake-down cruise.

In her discussions with Fleet Admiral Bremer, Commander Grian had been advised to take the ship to the Omega Loenis system and conduct all essential shake-down tests.

Walking onto the bridge, her XO was ready and waiting in his seat. Lieutenant Commander Grayson, was someone you could rely on and had been invaluable to her since taking command only a few months ago.

"It's showtime Lieutenant," Grian said as she took her seat.

"Long overdue Captain but much needed. " Grayson replied.

"Indeed," Grian replied. "Helm, release all moorings and docking clamps and take us out of Starbase 400, thrusters only. " She ordered.

"Aye sir," Helm replied.

Once the clamps and moorings were cleared, the Buccaneer slowly moved in reverse away from her docking port and slowly towards the doors, which had slowly begun to open. Soon, she had cleared the doors and was once again back into open space. She turned away from the giant starbase until her bow pointed towards the dark vastness of space ahead of her.

"We are clear and free to navigate captain. " Helm advised.

"Good. Plot a course for the Omega Loenis system and engage Slipstream Drive to 1/4 power. We need to have time to test some systems on route before arriving. " She advised.

"Aye captain, course laid in. " Helm advised. He paused, as after entering the course, there was a momentary flickering on his console. He noticed it and tapped an empty corner to try and stop it. The flickering stopped. "Drive engaging now.". He continued.

"Problem Ensign?" Grian asked,

"Slight console glitch, it seems to be OK now. Will note it with engineering. It seems OK now."

"Very good, keep an eye on it," Grian added.

The nacelles of the Buccaneer were slowly tilted into their angled position and with a deep blue bright burst from them, the ship lurched at speed until she disappeared in a distant blue flash.

We can now see the Buccaneer streaming through the slipstream. As well as streaking stars, the ship is surrounded on all sides by an endless blue swirling corridor.

At their present speed, they would arrive at the Omega Loenis system in about 4 hours, giving them plenty of time for the tests needed to be carried out en route.

The message from the bridge went out to all departments to start running level 1 diagnostics on their systems. At this point, a young Ensign entered the bridge with a pad in one hand and a coffee in the other. She approached the captain. "Captain, I have your coffee and the report on our science sensors update which is due to be started shortly. " She advised.

Grian looked up at the young face of her Yeoman, Ensign Kelly Redbridge. "Thank you, Ensign, Milky no sugars yes?" She asked about the coffee as she took it and the pad.

"Of course Captain, I took note of your advisory that you were cutting out the sugar," Kelly replied.

"Great. Thank you. " Grian replied taking a sip. "Perfect."

Kelly nodded and headed off the bridge.

Four hours later

"We will be arriving shortly into the Omega Loenis system Captain," Helm advised.

"Good." She turned to Lieutenant Grayson. "Everything is looking good so far." She said.

"Yes, 90% of the tests on our systems are complete and the results are excellent. Once we drop from slipstream we can test our defensive and tactical systems and then on our way back we should take the slipstream drive up to max to fully test it. " Grayson replied.

"Good thinking," Grian replied.

"Arriving into the Omega Loenis system, Captain, dropping from Slipstream. " Helm advised.

We see an empty area of space and from a distant blue flash, the Buccaneer rapidly approaches and comes to a full stop, her nacelles lowing to their sub-light position.

Grian looked at the viewscreen. "Helm, you sure this is right? Where is Omega Loenis? I can't see anything. " She asked.

"Helm says we are here, Captain," Helm advised.

Grayson got up from his seat and sat at a console to the right of the bridge. He accessed the main sensors. "Erm, helm, this is not the Omega Loenis system, not even close," Grayson advised.

"Where the hell are we then?" Grian asked.

"One moment captain, I am extrapolating our position. Looking at this, we appear to have gone in the wrong direction and travelled through the 'Federation Transit Corridor' and are now some 15 light-years from the nearest Federation outpost which is Deep Space 14, and we are not in Federation space. " Grayson advised.

"The glitch you saw earlier Ensign, better run a full diagnostic on the navigational systems. I suppose, although it's not our intended destination, we could still run our tests. " Grian suggested.

"Way may not have the chance Captain," Grayson replied. "Sensors are picking up four vessels heading our way, unknown origin and it appears the first pair is being pursued by the second pair which explains the weapons fire. " Grayson added.

"Oh perfect. Red alert, raise our shields. " Grian ordered. The bridge lights darkened and the alert lights went to red with the familiar klaxon. "Grayson, hail the ships, tell them we are not involved in their dispute and here by accident. " Grian ordered.

"I am unable to raise them, captain, they are presently jamming all comms frequencies, probably to prevent the ships they are perusing to ask us or anyone else for help. It also means we can't communicate with SB400 and they will have lost us on sensors as it is affecting our location transponder. But whether or not they knew were here before that is unknown. " Grayson advised.

Grian sighed. "I guess we have company. "

To Be Continued.

RSS Feed