To Boldly Go

Posted on Sat Jan 21st, 2012 @ 7:25pm by Captain Vorn Krace & Commander Acle Walex

Mission: Heart of an Explorer
Location: Starbase 900
Timeline: MD01 1550hrs

As the two Starfleet officers proceeded through the station, heading away from the airlock through which they had been directed after disembarking the now-under-repair Iapetus, they definitely noticed that the station was even more busy than the last time they had visited. "It looks like they're planning for something," Krace commented to his first officer as they strolled along, headed for the turbolift.

Acle grinned slightly. "I noticed. I think that activity levels have doubled since we were last here. Kinda resembles a couple of bee hives that I've seen..." Acle's grin faded "I hope that we aren't going to regret all this activity, however." he finished

As the lift deposited them on the deck of the command centre, the increased activity was even more obvious. They noticed standing amidst the centre of all this activity the man who they had come to see.

Rear Admiral Zhan had replaced Admiral Wegener as Task Force Commander during the weeks that the Iapetus had been on assignment. This Captain Krace knew, having caught up with the fleet communications during their trip back. The Admiral was a Trill, as evidenced by the spots running down either side of his head, and he looked to be about in his late fifties, if the predominantly silver colouring in his hair and beard were anything to go by. The Admiral caught the sight of them as they exited the lift and beckoned them over, as he himself turned and climbed the steps into his office at the back of the operations centre.

"Gentlemen, welcome back," he said, as the two officers entered the room behind him.

"I see you've got a lot of people moving very busily around here these days," Krace said, as the doors to the office close behind them. "Something we should know about?"

The Admiral nodded. "I'm organising the staff here to build up our presence more on Camelot itself. Starbase Nine Hundred is a mighty fine base of operations as far as things go, but a planet's surface offers us a lot more freedom, especially like the one below. We can set ourselves up whatever buildings we require to suit our needs, re-purpose ones we don't need, and spread out as much as we want. It also tends to boost an officer's morale when they can feel real grass under their feet every morning. Starbase Nine Hundred will still be a heavy focal point and asset to use in this system, but I will be moving myself and the administrative task to the planet's surface."

Krace nodded at the answer, satisfied that the activity they had seen hadn't been due to some kind of threat. "I take it you didn't ask us here to discuss your moving plans?"

"No, I have new orders for the both of you." He reached behind himself and grabbed a pair of PADDs from his desk. "I'm sending the Iapetus on a six month cruise, which is due to take you out past the boundaries of the space we've managed to explore in this region of space so far."

One of Acle's eyebrows shot up. He waited another moment, formulating his thoughts, before speaking again. "Aye Sir. A long-range voyage into the beyond. Is this a simple exploration and mapping mission or something else Sir?" Acle asked, formally correct to the Admiral.

The Trill smiled. "Only if that 'something else' commander is this pile of requests from your Captain that have been logged for such a mission since he received his posting to the Iapetus." Vorn simply shrugged his shoulders, a wry grin on his face. "Your Captain has been lobbying to get the Iapetus out on an exploration cruise for years. Unfortunately until now, your previous superiors have needed to send you to put out our brush fires. Myself, I think it's about high time that a science ship such as yours gets to do the job it was intended for."

Krace looked down at the PADD he now held in his hand. "Out past Xelis, I see? What can you tell us about what's out there?"

"Very little," the Admiral replied, before moving to take a seat behind his desk. "It's a region of space that has truly been sparsely explored by the Federation since our arrival here in The Round Table. It's simply been too far for us to stretch our reach to until we'd consolidated what we know about the region immediately surrounding us. We believe that a few of the races we are already familiar with here - the Divitians, for example - may have some interests out there, but as far as we are aware, it isn't encompassed within their borders."

Acle nodded, looking down at his own PADD for a moment. "To boldly go where no man has gone before..." Acle muttered under his breath. He looked up from his PADD and a slight grin came upon his face. "This will be an intelligence gold mine, as well as scientific of course." His grin faded and his expression became slightly speculative as he considered the possibilities.

"'To boldly go' is what Starfleet was formed to do, wasn't it Commander?" the Admiral asked with a grin. Turning his attention back to the captain he made a slight change of subject; towards the logistical. "You'll need to ensure the Iapetus is stocked above the standard for everything of course, Captain. I've ordered the station quartermaster to provide you with all the items you think you'll need for an extended tour. And, in regards to your prior request..." he picked up one of the PADDs on his desk, signed it with a firm press of his thumb print, and handed it over to the Captain. "All three promotions have been approved by Starfleet Personnel."

The Admiral nodded to the pair of officers. "Good luck out there, gentlemen, and go find something interesting for the science boys back home to get excited about."

--------------
Rear Admiral Kareel Zhan (PNPC)
Task Force 38 Commanding Officer
Fourth Fleet

Captain Vorn Krace
Commanding Officer
USS Iapetus

&

Commander Acle Walex
First Officer
USS Iapetus