Recreations and Redirections

Posted on Fri Jan 1, 2021 @ 4:45pm by Captain Larisna Koralova & Lieutenant Penny Mc Taggard

Mission: Mission 2 - "Drawing Deeply From The Well"
Location: USS Hornet
Timeline: 6 Weeks After Mission 1

The problem with spending as long as she had teaching at Starfleet Academy was that Larisna simply could not sit still anymore. Sure, she did it back as Executive Officer of the Galaxy but spending all day 5 days a week on one's feet lecturing broke that habit. As such, she was having one of her walks around the bridge of the Hornet. Some of the crew accepted it, others still weren't too thrilled with the Captain glancing over their shoulder and pacing laps around the bridge every couple of hours.

The Hornet had come off the Angstrom mission with some loss, but overall well. Starfleet Command was still not thrilled that the ship lost its XO on the first mission, and there was pressure to not take such high value casualties so quickly again in the future. But otherwise, the crew was starting to come together and so too was the ship. They had run smaller missions, a couple resupply runs, some survey missions and the like. In fact, they had just finished survey of a nebula that had been going through a transformative phase along the Federation-Romulan border. Nothing too intensive, but it kept them occupied.

Larisna had found out that the Hornet was originally slated to be assigned to the Delta Quadrant, but after the Federation Council ordered the shutdown of all operations with the Graviton Catapult, it meant they were currently not leaving anywhere anytime soon. But it was still only less than 9 weeks since the Hornet had left on its voyage, there was plenty of time.

"Captain do you have any hobbies, like racquet ball or fencing? You have a lot of pent up energy, and I thought you might be able to use it more in the holodeck?" Amanda asked.

Larisna stopped near one of the stations and chuckled, "It comes from being on my feet while teaching for two years. But I do have hobbies on the holodeck. Hiking and horseback riding. Not in the normal sense, though. Might have to invite some of you join me there, it has a rustic charm."

"I've never actually ridden a horse before but its always been something in my bucket list of things to try. I have ridden a dragon before an Kalestra 4. That was an interesting experience though its a very low gravity planet. What kind of horseback riding do you do?" Amanda asked.

"Well that I'm going to have to inquire about further. But I prefer something a bit more...action packed and rustic." Larisna said, "Not quite what, say, Admiral Picard would go with. There's a degree of action I like to include with it." She was deliberately being coy about it, if only because she liked the conversation and because it was good fun, as the broadening smile said.

"Like something out of the old Earth west?" Amanda asked.

The doors swooshed open and Steven peeked out. This was the first time he had been up here. The bridge reminded him of pictures he had seen at the academy of a Sovereign class. He knew there were two dedicated science consoles and one ops/Science. As Science station three was near that console. Steven has chosen to sit there.

After reporting to the centre seat. He took his place at the console. Sitting down he gave the seat a good bottom wiggle.

“ Yes. This will do indeed.” He said. Then he ran his hands over the console.

"Ah, Mister Edgeware, welcome." Larisna said, "We're just on the subject of hobbies." She said with a grin.

Steven had a few hobbies he like to sing and play the piano. Cooking was his favorite as well. Plus he liked to read especially 20th Century literature.

“I have a few of those. Music , cooking and reading. Although at the moment I have only really had the chance. To listen to some rather interesting jazz music. By a rather promising quartet from there.” Steven said pointing to the planet behind the station.

"I like music too, its said to be the soul of mathematics", Malloy said.

"Cooking, I do enjoy that too. A few of my favorites from Trill and Russia I do once in a while on my own. But I do a lot of cooking over an open campfire in my hikes and horseback rides." More clues. "But jazz, interesting. I knew a couple of teachers at the Academy who liked it, one who served on the Enterprise, picked it up from Captain Riker. While not my favorite genre, not one I disagree with either. Anything you play, Lieutenant?"

Steven smiled as he spoke.

“ I can play the piano quite well. It’s one of my hobbies. Mostly classical and jazz of course. When I my nose was not deep in a book. You could find me in the students bar. Belting out a few tunes for others to enjoy.”

I can sing, Amanda said said helpfully.

"You know, Lieutenant, I am within my bounds as Captain to get a piano replicated for the lounge." Larisna said, "I know we've been busy, but perhaps encouraging the crew to put on creative displays is what we need. A little buffer time for the entire ship."

There was then a chime.

"Captain, incoming message from Starfleet Command for you." An Ensign reported.

"Very well, I'll take it in my Ready Room. Exec, you have the Conn. And brainstorm the idea, I think maybe we've got something going here." Larisna said, "Also, offer stands, Mister Edgeware, think it over and let me know." She tapped the back of his chair on her way.

"Aye Captain." The exec acknowledged.

Amanda got up and took the center seat.

"Steady as she goes she said.

"So what do you think of the captains proposal should we organize a talent show"? Amanda asked.

At that moment, Kade emerged from the turbolift onto the bridge. There wasn't really been any specific reason for him to be there, at least, nothing "official" anyway. Most people tended to assume that chief medical officers spent a majority of their time time elsewhere, either in sickbay or some other part of the ship. However, Kade had taken it upon himself to make an informal visit so that he could check on how his colleagues were doing. Six weeks out and many of them were still dealing in one way or another with the impact of their mission to Angstrom Station.

"Wait," Kade said, "Who's organizing a talent show?"

"Hello Doctor, Well I was trying too. Apparently Mr Edgewear is a musician, and while I am not so musically inclined Im a pretty good singer. Do you have any skills like that?" The XO asked.

Steven was a good pianist. But he had never played in front of others. What if he stank? What if he thought he was playing a tune. That was just him pressing the wrong notes. Did he really wish to embarrass himself? But how do you tell your CO no thanks? Did he dare or should he chance it. He may be good after all.

“ Yes Please.” Steven said.

E'Lor was catching up on messages from home and one interested her. It came from her mother in which it ask if she had ever gone horseback riding yet. Shaking her head, she left her quarters and went looking for something to do. Engineering was quiet and for the moment she was bored. It was funny to see E'Lor walking around bored. Normally busier than a bee, now she was totally bored with nothing to do. Deciding to go look things over on the bridge and make sure all the consoles were up to snuff, she took the nearest lift to the bridge.

Larisna stepped into the room and sat down, swiping at the display to bring up the communication. Oddly, it read that it came from Starfleet Corps of Engineers, though they could often send requests too through the usual lines. A female Vulcan Commander read off the orders.

"Commander Larisna Koralova of the USS Hornet. You and your crew are to be diverted to render support to facility Skyhook Alpha, location and relevant case files to be included. The facility reported being attacked possibly to the USS Bunker Hill but nothing was conclusive. Please report to Captain Patricia Cosalia for further updates, she is in command of Skyhook Alpha. Message concludes."

Well. Wasn't that just strange? Larisna began looking over the encoded materials, since she needed a course first.

She then hit the comm button on her desk =A= Koralova to Malloy. Please have Helm change heading to 165 Mark 2, course to System J05-882. Best possible speed, please and thank you. =A=

=A=Aye Captain =A=

""Helm lay in course to 165 Mark 2, and take us to maximum warp, engage when ready". Amanda ordered.

"Mister Edgewear what is in system J05-882?" Amanda asked.

Stevens hands ran over the science console. His eyebrows rose slightly.

“ Well there’s a big gas giant that will probably give us a few headaches. Orbiting that is Skyhook Alpha. A skyhook mining facility of unknown origins according to the Starfleet Corps of Engineers. But you know what they are like with tall tales. It was brought back online during the Dominion War. Has the highest deposits of dilithium. Good quality too...considering the environment around it.....Sorry” Steven said blushing.

"Skyhook, huh? Well it seems adventure awaits, I've never been there." Amanda said.

After a few minutes, Larisna returned to the Bridge.

"Captain on the Bridge" Amada acknowledged giving up the center seat.

"We'll have a briefing in about 10 minutes, that should give everyone a chance to wrap up what they're doing if they're not already here." Larisna said, looking to the viewscreen for a moment before back to the crew, "Not sure what we're getting into here, but it'll be interesting to say the least."

"New adventure is always exciting, Captain. Skyhook sounds interesting. Have you ever been there before?" Amanda inquired.

"No, never. I did some quick reading on the place. At the time they found it, I was fighting the Dominion on the other side of the Quadrant. But I served with the CO of the facility, we served on the Savannah together until the Breen shot it out from under us." Larisna said, "But the facility is part of why Starfleet was able to maintain ship production after the loss of Mars. They're pulling up quite a bit of dilithium."

"Interesting are there any competing interests for all that dilithium?" Amanda asked.

"Not that we're aware of this far out. But we are still close enough to Romulan space and one can never be too sure where or when the Orion Syndicate will decide to strike." Larisna replied.

"Rommies Huh. Our last encounter with them left a bitter taste in my mouth." Amanda stated.

Stepping off the lift, E'Lor walked into the midst of activity, "Um...I seem to have taken a wrong turn. It was too quiet in engineering some figured I would take a walk to the bridge....," she said.

"The Romulans have been in a state of chaos since the supernova, I'm afraid. And Intelligence on their current political situation is...hazy at best. Hopefully, though, we're not looking at another hostile situation." Larisna said, "Had enough of those to last me a lifetime..."

She glanced over her shoulder to E'Lor, "Not at all, Lieutenant, good timing. We seem to have a new mission and you may have your hands full with a rather interesting job. Just not interesting like the last time we stopped at a station asking for help, I hope."

"Oh? Um I thought I heard the Romulan's mentioned. Bunch of p'tagh dogs they are. I don't trust them. Very arrogant and foolish species," E'Lor said.

"You did Lieutenant, I try to keep an open mind but I don't trust them either. Always move and counter move with them. Amanda said.

"It's also speculation at this point." Larisna pointed out, "We're making assumptions without the evidence and that won't help the mission."

"Agreed but I will hold my suspicions in reserve, but, before the interruption, I thought I heard someone mention talent show?" she said, settling in at her bridge engineering station.

"Yes the Christmas season is coming up on my home world, though it is a Human tradition, I would like to share the goodwill and commeraderie with the whole crew and invite them to join in the festivities. I would also to like to encourage them to celebrate their special seasons as a cultural awakening for us all". Malloy said.

"Very intriguing idea. I will consider being there", she added.

"I am sure that whatever we come up with it will be entertaining. Malloy replied.