Posted by Lieutenant Todd Nyman (Chief Counselor) in Departing for Algeron IV [Tag Commander Loughty, Ensign Saoir]

Posted by Commander Oliver Loughty (Executive Officer) in Departing for Algeron IV [Tag Commander Loughty, Ensign Saoir]

Posted by Ensign Saoir (Transporter/Security) in Departing for Algeron IV [Tag Commander Loughty, Ensign Saoir]
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
- Chief Counselor’s Log:
The ship is currently en route to Starbase Hades. The crew appears to be in overall a better state, as the promise of a five-day shore leave is a welcome one for most. Meanwhile, Commander Oliver Loughty and I have been invited to participate in a special diplomatic training course on Algeron IV, courtesy of the Star Fleet Diplomatic Corps. It is my hope that this additional training will help me develop the needed skills to be an effective Chief Counselor and be better prepared to advise the command staff when dealing with diplomatic issues. Our shuttle is scheduled to depart at 14:00 hours. -

Nyman waited in the shuttle bay for the others to arrive, luggage in tow. As usual, he packed an entire bag to the point of almost busting the zippers for what was supposed to only be a three-day trip. To pass the time, he had the computer generate a word search for him to complete on his PaDD. His Vulcan was a little rusty, but it was better than doing nothing while waiting for the others.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

“Hazel, we won’t be gone long,” Oliver reassured his daughter, crouching down beside her with a duffle bag at his side. His hand rested gently on her shoulder as he spoke. “Think of it like a long sleepover with Ensign Niamh. She’s been given very strict instructions to give you a bowl of ice cream every night with hundreds and thousands, just like we discussed and agreed. You drive a hard bargain.” He pulled her into a hug. “Promise you’ll be good?”

Hazel nodded, returning the hug with enthusiasm. “Okay, Dad! But you better come back soon, otherwise I’ll eat the whole ship’s ice cream supply!” she exclaimed with a giggle.

“Don’t worry, Commander. I’ll look after her while you’re gone,” Niamh chimed in, smiling warmly at Oliver. “Hazel and I have grown quite close in our science sessions. She’s rather smart.”

“Thank you, Niamh. I really appreciate you volunteering to look after Hazel,” Oliver replied gratefully, straightening up. “We’ll be contactable until we leave the system. After that, I’ll schedule a call from the planet.”

He watched as Hazel and Niamh left before turning his attention to the runabout and the counselor already waiting. Taking note of the size of his own duffle bag compared to Nyman’s, he couldn’t help but joke, “Looking to settle on Algeron?” Oliver was dressed down for the trip.

Behind them, NE Josephine Monroe and NE Jonas Michaels entered the runabout docking bay, focused on stowing their gear and not acknowledging the two officers.

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

Lieutenant Nyman looked down at his own overstuffed bag and let out a small laugh,

“You know, I never quite got the hang of how many clothes I should bring with me,” he explained.

The reason why would have been more obvious the the Commander, Vendorians typically only wore clothes when in a form that required it. Sometimes not even then, choosing instead to replicate the appearance of it. But all of Nyman’s clothes were real, a habit he formed back on Earth. Wearing the same outfit everyday stood out a lot more back then, before he had to wear a uniform.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

“As a rule of thumb, I always pack one set of uniform and one set of civilian clothes for the journey,” Oliver explained, adjusting his duffle bag. “I can always replicate clothes when I get to wherever I arrive. The rest of my duffle is taken up by an overnight bag with essentials like toothpaste, a toothbrush, washing paraphernalia, and of course, a picture of Hazel.” He smiled fondly. “It looks like the others are arriving. Shall we get settled in?”

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

“After you, Commander,” Nyman said, extending his arm in a way of showing deference to his superior officer. He followed, boarding the shuttle, finding an appropriate spot to stow his bag, and settled into a seat.

“Thank you,” he replied, adjusting the strap of his duffle bag over his shoulder as he entered the shuttle. After stowing his belongings, he found a seat and settled in, aiming to blend into the background. The flight officers, Monroe and Michaels, had already boarded earlier, so Oliver took the chance to catch up on the latest news within Starfleet. Perhaps he’d even send out some correspondence to old friends.

[OOC: Spot for the Commander to give the word and Saoir to offer any comments before launch also]

Saoir watched quietly from the side, feeling a bit out of place amidst the flurry of activity. He was usually shy and reserved, preferring to observe rather than actively engage in conversations. As Lieutenant Nyman and Commander Loughty conversed about their luggage, Saoir couldn’t help but feel a pang of nervousness.
He fidgeted with the strap of his own duffle bag, trying to appear occupied while waiting for the conversation to move on. Despite his apprehension, Saoir tried to maintain a calm exterior, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

When the Commander finally indicated it was time to board the shuttle, Saoir followed quietly, taking a seat and settling in with his bag. He kept to himself, hoping to blend into the background and avoid any unnecessary attention.

In moments, the shuttle bay was cleared. The doors opened to reveal nothing but open, starlit space ahead. The shuttle departed with little difficulty, and soon made its way out into open space.

As they flew further out, Nyman seemed fixated on the image of the Leviathan growing smaller and smaller in the distance. Suddenly aware of how small the ship was compared to everything else. It made him uneasy to think how this shuttle was even smaller. A small, confined space. With a small shiver, he tried to shake himself out of it, before attempting to get distracted by the word search again.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

Oliver scrolled through the news articles, scanning the headlines for any updates of interest. As he skimmed through the various reports, one headline caught his eye: “OED V Colony Takes Steps Towards Peaceful Coexistence with the Vren.” Intrigued, he tapped on the article to read further.

The report detailed recent efforts by the OED V colony and the neighbouring Vren to resolve longstanding disputes and tensions. Through diplomatic negotiations and collaborative initiatives, both sides have made significant strides towards fostering understanding and cooperation. Measures such as joint resource management and cultural exchange programs were being implemented, signalling a positive shift towards peaceful coexistence.

Oliver felt a glimmer of hope as he read about these efforts, recognizing the importance of diplomacy and dialogue in resolving conflicts. He made a mental note to stay updated on the progress of these initiatives, hopeful that they would pave the way for a more harmonious relationship between the two neighbouring communities.

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

After a few hours of warp fight, a small ping lit up the flight console. Nyman looked up at the sound, concerned.

“It’s an old warning buoey, sir,” Michaels explained,

“Old Neutral Zone border marker. Shouldn’t be anything to worry about.”

Lieutenant Nyman tried to get settled back into his puzzle, moving around in the seat in search of some comfort. Eventually, he just had to set it aside. Choosing instead to watch the forward displays while fidgeting with his fingers.

A few moments later, another ping. Then a proximity alert. And just as the Ensigns were figuring out what was going on, a Romulan warbird was decloaking off portside.

= Unidentified shuttlecraft, = they ordered, though the transmission was coming so rough and gravelly it was hard to make out,

= You are ordered to halt. Surrender your ship and prepare to be beamed aboard. =

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

Saoir’s heart was racing as the tension in the air thickened. The frills on the back of his neck began to stand, his instinct to sense danger. Romulans. The word alone sent a chill down his spine. He tried to maintain his composure, but his mind was racing with thoughts of what could go wrong. His hands clenched and unclenched in his lap, a nervous habit he couldn’t seem to shake.

Glancing around at the others, he noticed the expressions of concern and determination on their faces. The Ensigns were focused on their consoles, trying to assess the situation and come up with a plan. Commander Loughty seeemed calm and collected, a reassuring presence despite the looming threat.
As the Romulan warbird decloaked off portside, Saoir’s breath caught in his throat. The sight of the imposing vessel sent a shiver down his spine. He listened intently to the rough transmission, his mind racing as he tried to process the situation.
“Stay calm,” Saoir reminded himself, his voice steady in his mind. He knew they needed to tread carefully, but the fear gnawing at his insides threatened to overwhelm him.
With a deep breath, Saoir forced himself to focus. He had to trust in his expertise and that of his colleagues and follow their lead. As the Romulans continued to issue their orders, Saoir prepared himself for whatever might come next.

Ensign Saoir
(Transporter/Security)

Apologies for the confusion. Let’s adjust that:

Oliver stood now in the cramped confines of the shuttle’s cockpit, his hand resting on the console as he issued orders to the crew. “Raise shields, and send an encoded message to Starfleet on priority one channel,” he commanded, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. “Open a communication channel with the warbird.”

=^= Romulan warbird, this is Commander Loughty of the USS Leviathan,=^= he transmitted, his tone firm yet diplomatic. =^= Please state the nature of your demands.=^=

As the message was sent, Oliver glanced at the communications officer, awaiting confirmation of any response from Starfleet. “Any luck trying to raise Starfleet?” he inquired, his eyes flicking back to the viewscreen, ready for any sign of a reply from the Romulan vessel.

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

Nyman noticed Saoir was making attempts to calm himself. And though his own panic was building, it would have been counter-productive to let the Ensign realize that.

“That’s good, breath, nice and slow,” he narrated for himself just as much the Ensign. He mustered a reassuring smile to cover over his own fear, “We’re going to be fine, okay? Commander Loughtly has the situation under control.”

“Something is causing interference with our communication frequencies,” Monroe reported, “It’s some kind of energy field, and it’s severely limiting our range. My guess is it’s effecting them too, it could be why we’re having trouble reading them clearly.”

= All vessels along this patrol route are to be subject to search = replied the warbird = Per orders from the Romulan Free State. You will surrender your vessel to be searched, your crew will be beamed aboard for further inspection. =

“They’re probably just sweeping the area for defectors, Commander.” Nyman called out, “I’ve… heard rumors that they’re doing that now.”

Of course, by ‘heard rumors’ he meant he had it on good authority that they were definitely doing that now. Nyman hoped that somehow sharing this information might calm the other’s nerves. But it did nothing to settle his own. It was possible, if slightly improbable, they were looking for Vendorain defectors as well other Romulans. The thought of being discovered terrified him. Even the thought of beaming aboard that ship terrified him. But most of all, the thought that Lieutenant Nyman would have to rely on the Commander to not turn him over, if it came to that point, terrified him.

The Romulans, too impatient to give them any more time to think it over, engaged their ship’s tractor beam and began to pull at the smaller vessel.

= Our Captain will be willing to discuss this further with you once you are beamed aboard, Commander =

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor
Also as: Warbird |

Oliver considered their position for a moment, so far the war bird had yet to show any force but he couldn’t understand why they would think a federation shuttle, a starfleet shuttle would be harbouring defectors. “Have they actives weapons?, Are we sure they’re who they’re saying they are?” He asked, indirectly ordering the officer to scan for weapons signatures and to identify the ship.

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan