Decisive Action

Posted on Sat May 7th, 2011 @ 4:02pm by Captain Nathan Cowell MD & Commodore Amanda Pike

Mission: Renegades
Location: Commodore's Ready Room, Bridge, USS Arizona
Timeline: After 'Getting Underway...'

The chaos that had been the bridge compartment, while no where near as bad, still needed work. That chaos, unfortunately, had spilled over into the office that Commodore Nathan Cowell had inhabited off and on since his tenure aboard the Arizona had started. The place looked like warmed over shit, which was complimentary given the sorry state of everything else he'd witnessed. As tired as the El-Aurian was, he didn't really feel like wasting time with it. Maybe tomorrow...

He had, in the intervening hours, sent word to Commodore Pike, the commander of the USS Casey, that he wished to have a conversation with her. Even if he'd wanted to spruce the place, or indeed himself up, he didn't have the energy. And besides, what did it say about him if he were wearing a pristine new uniform while the rest of the crew was still caked in filth and blood?

Having reconvened shortly with her crew after her brief visit to sickbay Amanda eventually found her way back through the labyrinth and literally upon the crusty one's doorstep. Bypassing pleasantries she simply entered the ransacked office and gave it a look over. "Wish I could say I haven't seen this before... but still... here we are."

"Yeah... I'm starting to think you and I are setting a pattern..." Nathan chuckled wearily as he pointed to a chair, "Have a seat, stay a while."

When the woman was seated, Nathan began with, "Thanks for the help out there. Much as I hate to think about it, had you and yours not been around, we wouldn't be either..."

"Oh... I don't know about that," Amanda admitted with a grin. "Having had the pleasure of getting to know a few of your people I suspect you would have found a way to pull through. So... where do we go from here?"

"That's what I was going to ask you. I've already been told to head out to the Union Gateway and make port at Starbase 900. Being that you're not exactly on the most loved list, I was going to ask you if you were going to stick around and follow us, or go your own way," the old man explained.

Amanda frowned at his words. She thought she was loved plenty. However, it was neither the place or time for that. "I think we'll be following you at least to the gateway. With the information we were able to obtain from Lu, it's eminent that an attack could take place at any moment... therefore we will certainly be remaining in the area. Incognito of course."

"Alright, then I suppose I can ask you this," Doc Cowell continued, "Mind leaving some people over here to help pick the pieces up. I was wanting to head straight out to 900, but I wouldn't have been able to if I was at the strength I am now. I still need repair teams to patch the nacelle and get our EPS conduits back right, and I can't do that without stopping at Deep Space 10 unless we get some bodies. Got any you can spare for the trip?"

Amanda grinned widely at the question. "What? Was stealing Sweeney and Chet not enough? Alright... I suppose I can find some equally talented individuals to loan you."

"You can take them both back, my compliments..." Nathan said soberly.

She shook her head. "Nono! You took them... you keep them. Still, I'll get you some loaners. Just keep in mind it's all rather hush hush of course. I suspect you wouldn't want to call further attention to yourself."

"Right..." Nathan nodded, "Then I guess we can forgo a stop to Deep Space 10 and just head out to the Union system. Makes things a little quicker that way, I reckon."

The blonde was in obvious agreement. "Sounds good to me. Now, on a more touchy subject... you planning any type of memorial services for your dearly departed? And what are you doing about Executive Officer in the meantime?"

"Yes, I'll be holding a ceremony for them in the next day or so... Until then, I'm just going to make do. Why, you have a suggestion?" Nathan asked.

Amanda nodded. "I'm sure the Major could use a distraction. Something tells me she'll make a break from sickbay in due time."

"Yeah..." Nathan grunted with a frown, "Too many eager beavers running around here, over-working themselves... But I think that would be for the best. She is the Second Officer around here, no need to farm out for fresh blood when she's got plenty of it in her now. We'll see what happens once we get to 900. Anyhow... thanks for the help, Amanda."

She grinned suddenly at the realization that he was no longer calling her Mandy. Perhaps the old coot could learn new tricks. "Anytime. If you need anything else, I'm just a secret hidden ship away."

"I'm counting on it..." Nathan said with the slightest of smirks before he watched the woman walk out of his office for the last time for what might be the foreseeable future...