Away Team Assignment
Posted on Tue Oct 10th, 2023 @ 9:46pm by Commander Kevin Lance
Mission:
The Return
Location: USS Chuck Norris
Timeline: Immediately after Rescue Squad, Assemble!
on:
{USS Chuck Norris, Deck 3}
Lieutenant Kevin Lance pressed the weighted barbell over his head in a perfect form power clean, holding the position for a full five count before returning to the starting position. The gymnasium on the Norris was the smallest that he had ever used since his youth aboard the merchant ship Dorcas James. This whole ship was smaller with a crew complement of barely 50 personnel and the confinement was stifling especially since his 18-month assignment to the diplomatic mission on Pyxis Alpha 5. He knew that the Defiant-class was designed purely as a short-range combat vessel and that the destruction of the Utopia Planitia had forced Star Fleet to get creative to prevent a starship gap but the quality of life facilities on the Federation warship were depressingly austere. Department heads had to share quarters that were barely larger than the private bathroom that he had as Chief Tactical Officer aboard the USS Independence. Kera’s comment about “sleeping next to the oars”, a reference to the spartan nature of Odinskus ships, returned to his mind unbidden.
Kevin’s comm badge chirped as he was in the middle of his next set. Concentrating on his form, he ignored the alert as he completed the set and secured the barbell. Tapping the comm badge, he announced, “Lieutenant Lance.”
=/\=“Lieutenant Lance. You are to report to the armory for away team deployment”=/\= a voice came from the comm badge.
“Acknowledged, Lance out,” he replied. What in Cochran’s name? he wondered as he grabbed the towel to dry himself as he departed the gymnasium. He was due on the bridge for a shift at the Flight Ops Conn in an hour. Why was he being assigned to an away team? He wasn’t concerned given his previous duties in the Tactical/Security division but the suddenness was…odd.
An advantage of a smaller ship was that, even without using turbo lifts, it didn’t take long to get anywhere on the ship. In a matter of minutes, Kevin was at the armory which, like everything else aboard the Norris, was smaller than anything else he had experienced in Star Fleet.
“Lieutenant Lance, reporting as directed,” Kevin announced his arrival to no one in particular.
A Lieutenant Commander in operations yellow turned to address Kevin. Take Bravo config, Lieutenant”, the Klingon officer ordered. Kevin’s eyes narrowed. He had not known that there was a Klingon aboard. The Hazard Team leader noticing Kevin’s hesitation barked, “Don’t just stand there. Get moving!”
Kevin didn’t know what loadout Bravo consisted of but based on the equipment that the other crewmembers were picking, he presumed that it was close to the high threat assault loadout that he was familiar with from the Indy. He collected and put on the ballistic protective vest and strapped on a med-kit, security tricorder, additional phaser energy cartridges, and smoke generators. As he was adding a survival pack, a crewman named Snix said, “You won’t need that.” Kevin paused a moment, then shrugged and returned the pack to its rack.
When he approached the Master-at-Arms, Kevin was handed a phaser rifle. “It is already calibrated for bio-molecular bursts so be certain you switch to standard beam before engaging humanoids.”
Kevin’s eyebrows shot up. “Bio-molecular? What are we expecting to face?” but he knew the answer as soon as he asked the question.
“Undine,” was the Hazard Team leader’s only response. Kevin’s blood ran cold at the mention of the Borg’s nemesis, the unofficial apex predator of the Delta Quadrant. Lieutenant Commander G’ginloss observed Kevin for a moment, then continued, “You will be assigned to Alpha team under Mister Marccus.”
“That’s me,” another operations officer identified himself, “You’ll be assigned to cover the rest of the squad. Just don’t shoot one of us by mistake.” Kevin bristled at the comment but kept his comment to himself.
After Marccus and two Hazard Team members beamed down, Kevin and the other remaining member of Alpha stepped onto the transporter pad. And here we go, Kevin thought as the technician energized the transporter.
off:
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Chuck Norris
