Finishing details

Posted on Sun Jan 10th, 2010 @ 11:36am by Commander Acle Walex & Captain Vorn Krace

Mission: Into a Devil's Heart
Location: USS Iapetus - Ready Room
Timeline: MD 11 1900 hrs

Acle stepped out of the turbo-lift. Without consciously thinking about it, his eyes scanned the bridge, noting the crew as they performed their duties. The young ensign seated in the command chair made as if to rise, but, Acle quickly waved him back down. As the ship was still docked, there was only a skeleton crew aboard, so the bridge seamed oddly deserted. Acle walked to the nearest of the abandoned consoles and entered in a command, bringing up a general statistical layout of the ships and departments housed within. After assuring himself that everything seemed nominal, Acle turned to the Captain's ready room.

He hit the panel to the side of the door and waited to be admitted.

"Come," Vorn called, as he filled out yet another PADD and set it aside on his desk. Looking up, he nodded towards his old - and now once again new - first officer. Pending, of course Acle's acceptance of the role permanently. "Acle, come in," he said.

Acle stepped across the hatch, entering the room. He handed the padd that he had absently been carrying to his commanding officer, not saying anything as of yet.

Vorn took the proffered PADD, and looked over its contents quickly, his only reaction to it a satisfied nod. It was clear that he'd known it was coming. He hadn't expected Starfleet to turn down his recommendation for Peter's successor.

Acle finally spoke "That came in about four hours ago Sir. Quite a surprise to me actually, although, on reflection, it shouldn't have been. Also, with it came the rest of the crew transfers and requests. I can also report that the ship is fully supplied. I didn't even have to yell at the quartermaster this time. Whatever mission we are going on-" Acle paused here, raising a questioning eyebrow at Vorn before continuing "Is either vital or the quartermaster has a crush on me. If the latter is the case, then I think I will go have a... talk with her. But, I somewhat doubt it."

"Well I wouldn't count our next mission as a hugely vital one," Vorn responded, putting down Acle's PADD and picking up one from the edge of his desk, referencing their orders again. "More of a long term one. We're to perform a two month patrol along the Elyshan border, before docking at Starbase 386 for resupply and new orders. It seems Starfleet is taking the potential fall out of the Battle of Altorus seriously."

Acle's face hardened, taking on a serious quality. "I wouldn't say not vital Captain... From the reports I have read on the subject, if the Elyshans get across the border unopposed, millions will die. Do you think that this really will escalate into a shooting war?" Acle asked.

"I don't know," Vorn replied, rubbing his eyes with a free hand. "Tensions are so high right now, and the Elyshans are mostly unknown to us. We have very little in the way of past behavior to go off to predict what they're going to do next, let alone trying to guess at any long term strategies they may or may not come up with."

"Starfleet Intelligence is scrambling. I would place a steady bet that we have now infiltrated their space, for militaristic reasons, they are concentrating almost entirely on R&D, although there have been movements to create political upheaval." Acle smiled grimly, showing teeth "They are not pulling in the punches on this one."

"Well let's hope that Starfleet Command doesn't pull any either if it does come down to a shooting match." Vorn paused and took a deep sigh as he thought of the consequences of another war for the Federation, before pushing it out of his thoughts by turning towards his stack of PADDs. "Is there anything else?"

Acle shook his head "I can't think of anything Sir. As I said, minus the crew out on shore leave, we are ready for launch." Acle offered a quick grin, somewhat mischievous. "I might just go find that Quartermaster I was talking to you about. Contrary to every other female quartermaster I have ever seen, I count myself lucky to have laid eyes on this one. She is uh... Very feminine if you get my meaning Sir."

"Well, make the most of it while you can," Vorn replied to his friend's michievous grin. "We need to leave rather promptly." He offered a grin of his own towards Acle's attitude towards the quartermaster. "Dismissed."

Acle stood up, offered a nod to his captain, then walked to the hatch and out of it. Faint traces of the same mischievous grin could be seen lurking about on his features, and his mind was clearly elsewhere as he made his way to the turbolift.

---------------
Captain Vorn Krace
Commanding Officer
USS Iapetus

&

Commander Acle Walex
Executive Officer
USS Iapetus