See You Soon Hermitage

Posted on Thu Aug 22nd, 2019 @ 2:56am by Captain Jacob Lambert & Commander Kestra Amanin & Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Matthews & Lieutenant Magnus Arynson Jr

Mission: Episode 1 - One Arrow Does Not Kill the Serpent
Location: USS Unification; Bridge
Timeline: MD 1 || 1110 hours

Jacob walked onto the bridge. Feeling slightly more relaxed now than he did a few hours ago. He had had a nice chat with Lieutenant Arynson, and then came up to the bridge. Suppose we should get a move on.

"Bridge to all hands, begin final departure preparations. Seal all hatches."

Jenni had just stepped out onto the bridge and taken her station just a few moments before the Captain had arrived. She hadn't even had a chance to look over the controls for her console, forcing her to pull her hands back from the controls to study them quickly. "There," she mumbled to herself, spotting the umbilical controls. "Disconnecting from all external power sources and fuel lines. Airlocks closing."

MJ did the final check in from the bridge with his Security personnel. "All phasers and torpedo crews report readiness," he reported.

Kestra walked onto the bridge and took her seat, curious where the next few days were going to take them.

An Andorian female who looked as if she'd rather be decked out in leathers punishing some Pink Skin for their filthy habits sat the helm. "Awaiting request for departure from Startbase Hermitage to be granted," she said in a clipped voice.

"Unification to Hermitage. Open the barn door, we're ready to go." Jacob announced.

"Unification, opening door. Please maintain radio silence until you are 2000 kilometres away from the station and..."

"Maintain passive sensors only. I've done this before Hermitage." Jacob interrupted, and smiled as he said it, knowing full well Admiral Adislo was listening in. "You heard him Ensign Calder," who nodded in reply. "Maintain radio silence. Commander Matthews shut down all active sensors. I don't want someone standing on the hull to even realise we are here."

"Cutting power to the sensors... now," Jenni reported as she fumbled about the console. For a newly promoted Lieutenant Commander, Jenni certainly felt like an Ensign fresh out of the academy. "Lateral arrays are now offline," she reported as her fingers flew across her controls. "And now so are all other active arrays. Forward cameras have been routed to the viewscreen."

"Excellent. Lieutenant Arynson, maintain full readiness on all weapons. If so much as an atom looks out of place, I want options to destroy it before it's within ten kilometres of the ship.

"Acknowledged," MJ said as he stared straight ahead.

"Ensign Sh'Ipushin, clear all moorings, manoeuvring thrusters only, don't take us above one-quarter impulse."

"Moorings cleared." Ensign Sh'Ipushin gave a nod. "Twenty seconds, thrusters ready. One quarter max speed."

Jenni kept an eye on her instruments, ensuring that the sensors wouldn't come alive and start fixating on the things around them. She also took a few moments to run a level five diagnostic on the warp core and field grills. She wasn't about to let a surprise ruin their quiet departure.

The ship passed through the bay doors, then began to close as soon as the Unification was clear. "Captain Lambert. I have a message for you from Admiral Adislo."

This should be good Jacob thought to himself. "Go ahead Hermitage."

"No man is free who cannot command himself. Good luck Captain, Hermitage out." The channel terminated.

Jacob let those words just hang there for a moment. "Take us away from the station Ensign, one quarter impulse. Once we are 30,000km away take us to Warp 4"

"Aye, Sir," came the response from the Andorian. "One quarter impulse. Range closing to ten thousand kilometers before Warp Four. Seven thousand. Five thousand. Three. Two. One. Engaging warp four." The ship shifted with its warp bubble and set course for an unknown destination.

Jenni monitored her readouts closely. "Captain, warp engines are functioning nominally, and our field is holding strong. Nothing out of the ordinary to report."

Kestra breathed a sigh of relief, she didn't expect anything to go wrong but the secrecy around even leaving nevertheless had succeeded in generating the tension. Though she had to wonder what the cryptic message could mean. It probably was just intended for the Captain.

"Excellent. Commander, you have the bridge, I'll be in my ready room."