Bridge Training: Distress Call (Part III)

Posted on Sun Jun 25th, 2023 @ 12:01pm by Commodore Peter Murphy & Cadet Senior Grade Daniel Weaver & Cadet Senior Grade K’tarra Smythe & Cadet Senior Grade Meghan Stefani & Cadet Junior Grade Emma Mendez & Cadet Junior Grade Shafin Todenhöfer
Edited on on Thu Feb 1st, 2024 @ 4:47pm

1,595 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Cadet Cruise
Location: Bridge

[PREVIOUSLY]

He looked to Meghan and Daniel, glancing briefly at his son before focusing on the other Cadet. "Cadet Stefani... You will man the Science station." As the Commodore began to approach, Daniel slowly eased away, to give them space. "I have been told by your instructor that this anomaly is challenging. This console will have everything you need to figure it out. The rest is up to you and your studies." He placed his hand on the science console and smiled a bit before adding. "I wish you luck. Try not to break anything." Commodore Murphy added with a slight chuckle. "She may have been upgraded, but she still an old girl and a bit temperamental."

"Thank you, sir," Meghan replied, trying not to let him intimidate her. "I think she's looking forward to the challenge as much as I am." The science station had been responsive so far. She took it as a good sign. Meghan liked puzzles, but she knew her limits and would likely need the computer's help if there was going to be any sort of twist to this bridge training.

[CONTINUED]

"Cadet Todenhöfer..." The Commodore said as he looked over to the Vulcan. As he slowly approached him, the Senior Officer spoke calmly. "I imagine, an assignment like this, leaves little room for a Counselor to do on the Bridge. Aside from analyzing the Crew of the distressed ship, and the bridge crew, to spot who will require the most assistance and the dangers of their mental health. So... I decided to place you as the Executive Officer on the bridge. Your skills may prove valuable on this mission in more ways than one. Do you accept this assignment?"

Shafin looked around the bridge at the various cadets, some he knew better than others. Given your cadets to select from, that would be a prudent decision thought Shafin. "An unorthodox assignment, Commodore, but sometimes, when weighing options..." The cadet said and straightened his posture "One does not have the luxury of a traditional decision. I accept the assignment."

"Just the kind of response I can expect from a Vulcan." The Commodore replied before stopping to add. "However, do not sell your fellow Cadets short. Much like you, they were chosen for this training for a specific reason, so try not to forget that. Some day, maybe not today, one of those Cadet's may help safe your life."

Upon hearing that Shafin was going to be the XO of the mission, Daniel suddenly felt a mixture of frustration and anxiety because he knew what was coming next. As he turned to look over to the Commodore, and their eyes locked, he heard the all too familiar tone he grew up with. "Cadet Weaver. You, will man the most important place on the bridge." He gestured to the Captain's chair. "The Command Chair. It will be your bridge. This is your team. Use them wisely and keep them alive. It's a huge responsibility. Prove you can handle it."

Before Daniel could even respond, Commodore walked away and toward the Turbolift, leaving the Cadet with an almost unsurprised look on his face that the Command chair was where he was placed. He remembered Shafin making a comment about nepotism when he first found out Murphy was his father and how defensive Daniel got. However, a situation like this, it was hard for him to argue against it. He looked around the bridge, stopping at Meghan and then to Shafin, before looking back to the Commodore as he entered the Turbolift.

K’tarra felt no resentment towards Daniel’s appointment. It would be a tough posting, with challenges K’tarra didn’t feel ready to combat. Perhaps she didn’t know about his connections to the Commodore, but only because she hadn’t taken time to even consider the surname connection. Daniel seemed like a fine cadet, one she was proud to call the acting Captain.

"The bridge is yours, Cadets. Your mission will begin when you receive the distress signal. Until then. Enjoy the feeling." He said with a smile just as the doors closed.

"That's not ominous," Meghan said, half under her breath. The commodore was good at his job--if it was to make them all a little uncomfortable before pitching a curve ball.

“There is no need to fear the unexpected”, K’tarra said while offering a look of reassurance to Meghan. She moved to the engineering station, going over the controls and starting to acquaint herself with the three large readouts.

Daniel looked around again, taking a deep breath, before making his way to the center of the bridge. He stopped at the Command chair and looked down at it, feeling nervous and worried, before deciding against sitting down. He just looked around the bridge again and shrugged. "So... What do you guys want to talk about?" Now, it was a waiting game.

Meghan looked at Daniel and smiled. "Science is ready, sir. All systems are go."

Daniel looked over to Meghan, smirking a bit, before letting out a slight chuckle. "Noted, Cadet Stefani."

"Life support is operating within normal parameters and" Shafin reported before glancing at a screen. "Environmental controls are within acceptable settings for Humanoid and Vulcanoid life" he added.

Daniel looked to Shafin and smirked slightly. He shifted his gaze briefly to Megan before looking back to the tall Vulcanoid and replying. "I am sure the crew appreciates you making sure we can all breath, First Officer. I'll see about getting you a gold star."

Shafin was thrilled to be under Daniel’s command. "I shall endeavor to work with the medical department pertaining the Commodore's cognitive state."

“Engines are operating at 96 percent efficiency”, Cadet K’tarra Smythe called out. “I’m reading a clear EPS flow. The ship is ready sir”, said the Klingon hybrid.

As Cadet K'tarra Smythe monitored her engineering station, she monitored three large readouts on her console. The first readout displayed the ship's power output and distribution, indicating the levels of energy being generated by the ship's power systems and how that energy is being routed to different systems such as weapons, shields, and propulsion.

The second readout showed the ship's engine status, including the levels of matter and antimatter fuel being consumed, the temperature and pressure of the engine's plasma, and the efficiency of the warp field being generated.

The third readout displayed the ship's environmental systems, indicating the status of life support, temperature regulation, and waste disposal systems. It also shows the ship's current atmospheric composition and radiation levels, which is particularly important when navigating hazardous regions of space. She looked up from her readouts to study the bridge.

Emma looked up from the security console. "Ship security at normal. Weapons and shields all reading operational" she reported.

Daniel nodded his head to Emma before looking around again at the Cadet's gathered for the assignment. He raised his brows and let out a sigh before finally walking over to the Captain's seat. Again, he was hesitant to take the seat, but saw nothing else left to do but sit in it. It was his, for the moment, so he might as well use it. Regardless of how he got it. As he turned around to sit down the Ops console began to beep.

"Incoming distress call, Dan- uh... Captain." The Ops Cadet said as he tapped the console.

"Thank God." Daniel replied, relieved he didn't have to sit down. He walked back to his original position before looking around the bridge. "Not that they are distressed. Obviously that's bad. I mean... Never mind." Daniel returned to look at the Ops console. "Put them through, Cadet."

The audio of the distress call played throughout the bridge, cutting in and out.

'Federation Ship. This is the...' The channel quickly cut.

"Get them back." Daniel ordered.

"I'll try." The Ops Cadet said as he tapped the console furiously. "I got it."

'Federation Ship. This is the Bajoran Science Vessel Avadora. We are currently trapped in an unknown nebula and cannot escape. Our ships power is fading fast and we require assistance. Please come to our aid.'

Daniel stood there silently for a moment. The Avadora?! Why do I know that name? I know that name. He thought to himself before looking over to Shafin. "That sounds like a distress call to me. We should set a course. Does the first officer concur?"

Shafin nodded "I do, cautiously though," noted the Cadet with a suspicion in his tone. "A science vessel ideally has excellent sensors and on top of star charts. For them to be caught off guard by an unknown or uncharted nebula?" He narrowed his eyed. "Could be a trap, but we are required to respond to distress calls" added Shafin.

Meghan sighed. Yes, Shafin was right, but she felt that, in this instance, he didn't need to state the obvious. They were all a little stressed about being judged by the senior officers for their performance during this mission.

"Sounds like a Logical, and obvious, conclusion, First Officer." Daniel replied with a smirk. "So let's tread with caution, as you say, but remember our primary objective."

(To Be Continued...)

Commodore Peter Murphy
Commanding Officer

Cadet Senior Grade Meghan Stefani
Science

Cadet Junior Grade Shafin Tödenhofer
Counseling

Cadet Senior Grade Daniel Weaver
Command

Cadet Senior Grade K'tarra Smythe
Engineering

Cadet Junior Grade Emma Mendez
Security

 

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