Flashes of Fire - Hermes: On Approach

Posted on Tue Mar 10th, 2020 @ 3:50am by Captain Astrid "Alex" Yamaguchi & Commander Yuri Denisov & Commander William Hague & Commander Victoria "Vicki" Cameron & Commander Sasha Behl & Lieutenant Commander Candace DeCoste & Lieutenant Commander Michael Jankowski & Lieutenant Commander James De Poix & Major Matthew "Monkman" Gideon & Lieutenant Commander Don Henson & Commodore Korelii MacRae & Command Master Chief Petty Officer Laurel Takashima & Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mitchell & Lieutenant Colonel Michael Pallara & Colonel Miranda 'Coop' Cooper

Mission: Mission 79: Sound Trumpets! Let Our bloody Colors Wave
Location: Various Locations - Zol'Maz System
Timeline: 1800Hrs - April 15th, 2392

Captain Korelii McKnight was seated in her command chair as the ships assigned to her squadron dropped out of warp, in formation alongside the Hermes. She turned. "Tell Miranda that now is the time... " she then sighed softly, knowing that not all of her baby birds would be coming home today and she would loose people. However such was the nature of the war the Federation faced assisting its ally against a former ally who was now public enemy number one.

"Aye skipper." Commander Yuri Denisov responded with a solemn nod of his head. He regarded the handsome looking female seated next to him and he could almost read her mind, word for word. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine... I've just never liked going in battle..." the Halanan female responded in a soft tone of voice. "I miss my children and husband. He's the Chief of Science on the Courageous but he's remaining back on B Kayor to help look after all of the Starfleet children." the middle-aged female sighed softly as she let out a breath. She then tapped the display on her chair.

Commander Sasha Bhel sighed softly as It was only a few more minutes to go before the battle was joined as Captain Korelii McKnight looked around her bridge. "Before we do this... I'd like a word.."

Denison tapped the combadge on his uniform front. "Denison to all hands... The skipper wants a word." the com system activated with a rather high pitched beep indicating that everyone who was assigned to the USS Hermes, could now hear what Korelii had to say. "Thank you, everyone... I know the battle will test us all in ways we do not yet realize, it'll test us in our strength, our faith, and our determination. It'll also test our ship which is brand new, today she will fire her first shots in anger and while I'd hoped on some level that this day would never come." McKnight paused as she smiled. "I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men and woman fails when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear in this life, I bid you stand now ... With me!"

Denison smiled before he nodded to McKnight, he rose to his feet as it was clear that the normally taciturn and reserved man had a few words of his own. "Skipper. May I?"

McKnight raised an eyebrow. "Mmm... By all means Commander. The crowd. Such as they are.. is yours."

Denison paused as he smiled. "When I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it: always."

Commander Sasha Bhel regarded Denison as if seeing him for the first time. She had no idea that he could be so articulate or so moving, as she didn't expect the emotional response. "Mm. Lovely speech Commander."

Denison smiled. "Thanks, skipper."

"I didn't know you knew Shakespeare Commander."

"Gandhi actually Captain," Denison responded quietly. "I know much but mostly I keep it to myself. I have no need to beat my chest... Why do you think I requested the extra space for the ship's library." he reminded her. "I requested it for all the books I was carrying around."

A few people on the bridge all shared looks as the gathered crew processed that little detail as McKnight tapped the display at her right hand. "Bright to Sickbay?"

The voice of Commander William Hague was the response, the man had a British upper-class accent as he tended to enunciate his words with care when he had the time, he also believed in never raising his voice either, he also encouraged others to do the same in not raising their voices either. "Yes, milord?" Hague sounded like a present from a thousand years earlier in English history.

"How are things down there?" McKnight inquired with a gentle smile. She never let things like that bother her and so long as things got done, she would continue to do things her way. She did not care if the regs permitted it or not but as long as she was commanding this ship then she would do things as she pleased, the consequences be damned.

Hague's sense of humor was something truly unique and it bored on insubordination, however the man had been threatened with it by others, Hague's response was usually quite graphic, sometimes he was brutal about it and other times he was downright hostile about it, even once going so far as to threaten a Commodore with grievous bodily harm if the man did not vacate his sickbay right there. "Well. We're just about ready milord. My people are finishing getting set up down here. Trauma teams are ready across all decks and the flight deck personnel are prepped and ready for this dance."

"Understood," McKnight replied quietly. "Bridge out." as the middle-aged Halanan female tapped the display for the umpteenth time this afternoon. "Bridge to Engineering?" she inquired.

Commander Victoria Cameron, the ships Chief Engineer who was better known as 'Vicki' to most. "Yeah Skipper... What's up?" came the response.

"Whats your status?" McKnight inquired, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

"We're good. Everything and everyone is prepped and ready for the party... Hopefully, we won't be the last out and get shafted with the bill." Vicki responded, her cheery nature and good sense of humor emerging. "I am a tad broke at the present time."

"Well, let's hope the shipwrights did they jobs well when they laid down Hermes keel. Bridge out." and with that McKnight tapped the display again, silencing the com channel before she let out a soft sigh.

Captain Astrid Yamaguchi tapped the display once before she turned to McKnight. "Skipper. I'm reading an awful lot of com chatter on various Klingon channels." as the handsome woman frowned. "Somethings not right... Its like they can't decide who's actually in charge." she turned back to her panel. "Three separate Klingons are presently having a shouting match between themselves. I am also recording it."

McKnight smiled. "Excellent. I'll admit that I'd like to listen in but. Not at the present time."

Yamaguchi nodded her head as she slipped her Feinberg receiver back into her ear, while the turbolift doors opened and out walked Major Matthew Gideon who was presently serving as the Marine Commanding Officer assigned to this ship. He went over to Astrid. "Captain... The request you asked for." as he handed her a PADD.

Yamaguchi nodded as she accepted it. "Thanks, Major... Why are you hand delivering things?"

"Aww you know me, I like to get out and meet my constituents," he commented, "Always wise to be on good terms with my neighbors." he smiled at her.

"Well, that's one way to get along with your crewmates. Anyway... You'd best head on back to it." Yamaguchi responded with a smile.

"Right. Thanks, Captain." and with that, the Major turned and departed. Yamaguchi picked up the PADD from where she had set it down on her lap, she glanced at it while her thoughts went to her twin who was originally native to this reality. Talon Yeager as she called herself these days, she was married and had a small army of children with a husband who generally was good to her and treated her well. What was more, he also got along with her children which she had from husband number one, now he was dead and good riddance or so Astrid had heard?

Meanwhile, at the front right of the bridge was seated Lieutenant Don Henson, presently serving as the ship's Chief Conn Officer, he regarded his displays. "All our escorts have scattered from us so we have plenty of room to maneuver skipper," he reported.

"Time to contact?" McKnight inquired.

"Two minutes to weps range." came the response.

"Alright.." McKnight sighed. "Here we go."