Limping Home

Posted on Mon Feb 24th, 2020 @ 1:05am by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky & Fleet Captain Torilla Yamaguchi & Commodore Siaxx "Bluemoon" Dvald-Vaxx MD

Mission: Mission 8: Hope Found and then Lost
Location: Various Locations - USS Yorktown
Timeline: 0900Hrs - April 20th, 2389

The tugs from the Yorktown had arrived a few hours before, and now the Yorktown and the Freighter they had assisted were in tow back to Starbase 400 for repairs.

K'Temoc was still frustrated, not just with his ship having to be towed back, but with the Freighter's Captain, and now that emergency repairs were done, it was time to have a talk.

K'Temoc was again making use of the small Captain's Ready Room again, a record for him. He was sitting stone faced, waiting on the Freighter's Captain to arrive. After a few minutes, he did.

"Have a seat." K'Temoc said coldly. After a moment, K'Temoc asked the big questions. "Why didn't you inform our Away Team that there were people in stasis in your cargo hold, and just who the hell are they?"

"You...you haven't looked at them yet?" The Freighter Captain sheepishly asked.

"We know they are Romulan, but we haven't woken them from stasis." K'Temoc replied. "So you better start talking."

The Freighter Captain pulled out two PADDs from his jacket pocket, a Federation PADD and a Romulan one. He handed both of them to K'Temoc. "They are Senator Cretok and his family. They planned to defect last year when a Romulan Tal Shiar patrol spotted them trying to cross the border near Deep Space Six. We were leaving the Station when the Senator beamed into our Cargo Bay, his family were already in stasis. He begged us to take him out of the area. The Tal Shiar dared not stop a Federation Freighter in Federation space, so we turned away from the border. The Senator insisted we stay away from any Starfleet base for several months, trying to hide from the Shiar, but not wanting to risk an interstellar incident with his defection. I promised I would turn him over by Stardate 68123.1, that's just next month and our course would have taken us past Starbase 24. The Romulan PADD has all of his and his family's information, as well as other 'information' he requested be kept with him. The Federation PADD has a recording of our meeting, conversation, and agreement."

"So instead of telling Commander Yamaguchi about them, you were condemning them to death in the ion storm?" K'Temoc asked.

"No, I did tell your Commander there were very important items in the Cargo Bay we needed to have beamed over to your ship. In hindsight, I should have been more clear as to what those items were. I know you all were just trying to save lives. Captain, I spent ten years in Starfleet, fought in the Dominion War too before returning to the family business of fright hauling when my father became ill. I know the meaning of a promise, and understand the big picture between the Federation and Romulans. I did what I did, trying to keep that promise and the peace." The Freighter Captain calmly explained.

K'Temoc looked over the PADDs for a moment, then looked up at the Freighter Captain, his expression was less than cold now. "All right. When we get to Starbase 400 we'll take them to Sick Bay were the Doctor can revive them. I want you there as well, I'm sure they'll appreciate a familiar face being there. Until then, who these people are will remain between you and I."

The Freighter Captain stood, smiled and nodded before leaving the Ready Room. K'Temoc secured the PADDs in his desk and left as well, heading for the Bridge.

Bridge, USS Yorktown

Meanwhile on the bridge. Lt Commander Torilla Yamaguchi was seated in the command chair as she found she was developing a liking for the feeling of the chair itself and for the responsibility of being in command, she found that the best way about it was to sit back and relax, let others know you were okay with waiting on them as well as providing a calming voice of reason for them to follow.

This two day shakedown cruise had tested her in ways she had never expected or imagined before, now she was still processing what she had learned.

She knew that the Captain was talking to the freighter Captain presently as she had pushed that from her mind, preferring instead to focus on the issues before her.

The two tugs were now helping to tow the Freighter and the Yorktown herself back to port, she heard the doors open as the Captain walked onto the bridge, she had no idea what his preference was so she decided to fall back on the regulations. "Captain on the bridge." she commented before rising to her feet.

K'Temoc nodded and flashed a smile, "Thank you." Before Yamaguchi walked off, K'Temoc added. "It's not your fault for missing the Romulans in stasis in their hold. They had a damping field in there, no way a tricorder would of picked them up, it's only luck that the ship's sensors did. Once we get back to the Station, I'll fill you in on the who's and why's."

Yamaguchi was surprised by his statement to her but rather then comment on it, she smiled at him as the contents of the containers should have been disclosed by the Captain of the Freighter, had she known, she would have moved those over first, however the issue was being handled. "I understand sir." she replied quietly. "We should be back at the station in a couple of hours... other then that, everyone else is good sir." she left unsaid about the hulked computer core but everyone on the ship knew about that.

“Take flight control, keep an eye the hull stress from the tug’s tractor beam please.” K’Temoc didn’t like being towed at warp, even by Starfleet Tugs that were designed to do to, he’d seen too many ships have sections of their hulls ripped off from being towed at warp speeds during the Dominion War and during his time at Avalon Fleet Yards as the R&D Director. He didn’t think that would be an issue now though, as the Yorktown didn’t have any hull damage, still, it wasn’t something he really liked doing.

"Yessir." the taller woman turned and went over to the conn where she relieved the younger woman seated there, she then sat down and did a quick check with her eyes, sure enough all was well.

Once Yamaguchi was at Flight Control, K’Temoc took a seat in the Captain’s chair and looked around at the Bridge crew who were busy at the consoles. Even under tow, they were doing the basic work they could with the main computer core offline. He waited a few moments, then called everyone together.

“Can I have everyone’s attention please.” K’Temoc waited for Yamaguchi, Gillo, Takabe, Nechayev, and Gillmore...who’d taken over the Tactical Two station with Gardner’s injury...to turn around, then he hit the ship’s intercom. “Attention all hands, this is the Captain speaking. I know this was supposed to be a simple two day training and shakedown mission, however that soon changed to an all-out rescue mission. Through the difficulties of the mission, you all preformed above and beyond, and without you the new Yorktown-F would have had an extremely short life. We have a few hours left before we arrive back at Starbase 400, but when we do, you all are grated the next two days off, and there will be a round of drinks on me at the Skyline Lounge.” K’Temoc paused a moment, then ended the announcement, “Now, let’s get back to work and get this young lady home. Captain out.”

"Good. I can finally unpack." Nuala stated. "Actually, I need to find my quarters first and then unpack. I hope my luggage arrived in the right place." Nuala thought to herself. "Oh yes, also enjoy some fine chocolate on the promenade." The last thought put a smile on her face.

Yamaguchi regarded K'Temoc with a smile, if he didn't have her respect by this point, he had just earned it now as he was showing that he knew how to look after his troops. "You did good young lady..." she addressed the Yorktown herself. "You did good... thank you." as a sad smile crossed her face before turning back to the conn. "We'll have you home in a couple of hours." she added almost to herself as she suddenly thought that others on the bridge must have thought she was insane for talking to herself.

K’Temoc looked over the ship’s systems for a few moments before looking around the Bridge again before striking up convocation. “When I get back to the Station, first thing I’m going to do is get a meal, the replicators on the Yorktown need a little tweaking, the food and drinks I had looked and smelled good, but were lacking in taste.”

The thought of real food reminded Nuala that Siaxx had promised to show her where the best restaurant was on the promenade. She would remind the Bolian women before the got home.

Holly listened to the Captain's speech and just nodded when he was done turning back around to her station to monitor what the ship was doing despite the damages. She knew they would have a long way to get her back up and running full but at least they would have two days of down time to relax before that had to happen.

Sickbay, USS Yorktown

Seated at her desk for at least as long as she was acting Chief Medical Officer on this young ship, Lieutenant Siaxx Dvald was busy preparing her paperwork.

She sighed softly as she listened to the Captain's speech as his voice came over the com system., she paused as she listened to what he had to say as a smile crossed her lips. She had no idea that K'Temoc was a good public speaker but she would use the time off well.

Engine Room, USS Yorktown

Fives raised an eyebrow as he heard the Captain speak, a smile crossed his face as he lifted his cup of coffee to lips lips before draining the rest of the mug. "Alright guys.. you heard the man, lets get this girl home... then we can set about getting her shipshape again."

Bridge, USS Yorktown

It had been several hours of slow going, but finally the Yorktown neared Starbase 400. K'Temoc watched the massive Starbase grow larger on the main viewer. He was more than ready to dock, and for a full damage control team to get aboard his ship to make repairs. He also wanted to speak with the new R&D Director aboard the Starbase, give him all the information regarding the Computer Core's 'malfunction' so he could try to find the cause...and a fix.

After several more minutes, the Defiant class USS Yorktown slowly passed through the giant space doors of Starbase 400 and was guided to her docking bay.

Once secured, K'Temoc tapped the 1MC ship intercomm button, "Captain to all hands. Secure all stations for disembarking. Department Heads, forward to me your mission reports by twenty-one hundred hours. Dismissed."

After a few minutes, K'Temoc stood and left the Bridge, he was the last to do so...