Orbital Oncology

Posted on Sat Jan 15th, 2011 @ 6:55pm by Captain Nathan Cowell MD & Lieutenant Commander Aiden Roberts (KIA) & Petty Officer 2nd Class Todd Sweeney

Mission: Hippocratic Hijacking
Location: Various
Timeline: Following the SS North Star Investigation

=Bridge, USS Arizona=

It had been several hours since the away team's initial boarding of the North Star. In that time, a great deal of questions had been answered. This was overshadowed by the even larger number of questions their discovers had yielded. The original deadline of a one hour visit had been stretched a bit, given the poor state of affairs on the North Star and the somewhat less than cooperative Ferengi Captain. The wait for their departure finally came to an end when his First Officer had called in from the Transporter Room that he and the last remnants of the away team were back on board and the North Star would be able to survive until the tow vessel that was a day or so out arrived.

"Mister Akron," the Captain addressed the CONN officer currently manning the Flight Control console, "Set your course for the Braken colony, full impulse power."

"Aye Captain," Akron said, foregoing the usual nervousness.

The trip lasted all of an hour, if that, which was not a bad timetable considering the seriousness of the situation they were coming into. By the time they reached standard orbiting distance, Nathan was barking orders once again.

"Elizabeth, make contact with Lieutenant Roberts, your new boss, and tell him we're in orbit and I need him, the rest of the team he has with him, and any information he gathered while he was down there on the boat five minutes ago. Once he's aboard, have him bring me his findings to my Ready Room... until then, I'll be reading my book," Doc ordered.

"Right away, sir. By the way, how long have you been reading that particular book?" Lt. Marion inquired.

"Since you and I got here," Capt. Cowell lamented as he got up and walked into his Ready Room.

Elizabeth giggled, "That's actually not bad considering how long it took him the last time."

"What do you mean?" Akron asked her, curious about their little banter.

"Took him two years to read the last book cover to cover, and it was only five hundred pages," she grinned, obviously it was a joke between them that didn't easily translate...

=Transporter Room Two, fifteen minutes later=

Aiden was the last to return from the surface after receiving the recall order a short time ago. After all the cargo, crew, and mission relevant materials were transferred to their appropriate places, Roberts was ready to make a bee line for his quarters - most importantly the sonic shower. Duffle bag slung over shoulder, he exited the transporter room with a curt nod to the young petty officer behind the console - he'd learn names soon enough he told himself.

"Sir, the Captain requested your presence at once his ready room sir."

"Holy shit man! Where did you come from?" A startled Aiden responded, dropping his bag before pinning his back again the nearest wall. He turned to find a non-commissioned red shirt with a PADD in hand. The man composed himself in a way that reminded him of servant or a butler for that manner.

"Lieutenant Marion sent me down here at the Captain's behest. I was instructed to ensure that you were not delinquent in your arrival to meet our illustrious commander. He is an impatient man and does not deal with disappointment happily. I have taken it upon myself to minimize his more... colorful moods whenever possible. If you will relinquish that duffle, I will ensure that it arrives safely in your quarters. If you wish, I can even unpack it and stow your gear," Petty Officer Second Class Todd Sweeney responded, his head held high in a manner very reminiscent of a pompous man servant.

"I... I..." Aiden started, trying to comprehend everything that had just happened. "Yea sure just toss it in there and I'll unpack it thanks..." Handing his bag to the man, which contained some of his more personal possessions, Aiden got the weird feeling he might not see it again. It reminded him of the time the folks of Risa lost his luggage.

Arriving on the bridge moments later, the Lieutenant exited the turbolift. He took a moment and doddled around, peering over folks shoulders at their consoles in as much a non-intrusive way. His dirty uniform stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the clean uniforms and the sparkling new bulkheads. His jaunt about the bridge exploring ended when he came across the doors labeled 'Ready Room'. He yawned as he pressed the terminal next to the door, sounding the chime.

"Come," the voice of the man Aiden had learned was Captain Cowell in their previous encounter ordered, prompting the doors that had once barred his access to slide apart and reveal the office within. When he was fully inside, before he'd even had a chance to open his mouth, the Captain's face contorted into a frown of displeasure.

"What in the hell is with that uniform? Have you been rolling around in filth or do you just naturally attract shit..." Doc Cowell asked, not bothering to offer the man a chair.

"I ended up here didn't I.., Sir." Aiden trailed off. Truth be told he didn't want to be here. Here being on this starship, as opposed to all his past postings which place of things that typically never moved. It was convenient, and familiar. Always a place to stretch your legs. New people coming and old people going. Not on a starship, though. It was the same people day in and day out. It would make his social life more... challenging.

Roberts studied the man before. He older than a Constitution-Class at least, and yet he looked vaguely familiar. Since the two had spoke, he had been trying to match the name for sometime, and although he never met the man he was convinced they had seen him before.

"Oh, you're a comedian, are you? Well then, Mister Joker, why don't you stand tall and give me that report. Maybe a little military discipline will wipe the stupid off your face, even if you can't wipe the mud off it to come see me," Nathan grumbled.

'What did this guy want from me? Prance around like that Petty Officer?' Aiden thought to himself. "Like I said earlier, the population down there are sick. Some sort of virus is circling around down there. For starters we can't pinpoint the source. I thought maybe it was something native to this world. It originated in the country side where they have been doing mining and excavating. But so far nothing has turned up concrete except that we know it isn't air borne or transferable from physical contact. The good news is our people, thankfully myself included, haven't caught it. All of our people are back on board and they are stowing their belongings as we speak. I suggested they make their way through sickbay first before getting too comfortable, just to be on the safe side. On a more social note, Administrator Adam Parker has extended an invitation to meet with you. He has been my main point of contact there since I arrived planetside. Nice guy, just little over his head down there. Lastly, I am Lieutenant Aiden Roberts, your new Chief of Operations. I can also save you a few precious months and skip you ahead about four hundred and eighty pages to the end of your book there in three words."

"Don't bother, son, I met the author before he wrote the thing. I just reread it for the enjoyment of it. Did you bring me all the scans you conducted on the virus?," the Captain asked.

"Uh... Yea they are already in the ship's database and should be undergoing scrutiny by the boys and girls in blue. I figured you were a hands on type of guy so I uploaded them on here for you as well..." Aiden handed a padd across the desk.

"Oh good, you at least have some sense in that head of yours. Can't dress worth a damn but you got your head on right otherwise. Good work, Joker, you can leave now and perhaps take a shower or some such. Then get with Engineering and see if you and Stretch can't do something to help figure this mystery out," Nathan said as he began mulling over the information he was brought.

Aiden gave a half hearted nod and eye roll before turning to leave. Once on the bridge he cracked his knuckles, and let out a sigh. "Great. I'm stuck on a ship with my dad and looking for someone called Stretch. It's gonna be a long trip..."