09-07-2026, 07:26 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-07-2026, 07:42 AM by Ethan Diaz.)
For obvious reasons, Ethan made sure not to get within ten feet of the conn. Any midshipman with an ounce of intelligence wouldn't dare approach the captain's chair under normal circumstances, let alone in a situation like this. Instead, he stood awkwardly in between the forward control stations with his hands clasped behind his back in what was probably a pathetic attempt to appear calm. It occurred to him that the relief officers would probably be annoyed to have a junior officer looking over their shoulders like this, but what else could he do? He wasn't about to start pacing the room like he was in charge.
Ethan could practically feel the rest of the bridge crew staring at him. What was the skipper playing at? Everyone else had heard him give the order, but--there had to be some kind of rule against it. This was a GQ-1 scenario with an active Red Alert, not to mention the ship was barreling through space at Warp Nine into a what could soon be an active combat zone. So why did Captain Brooks just give the deck to a green hand? Surely, the computer's command lockouts would've prevented that kind of decision. Ethan had studied shipboard computer executive protocols as part of his Command and Control curriculum. He knew as well as anyone else that each time command of the ship was transferred to another duty officer, it was entered under an official notation in the log. Something like, ordering an O1 to take the conn, for instance, would've registered as an unauthorized command.
He's the CO though. He can probably just override the computer, he reminded himself. If that was the case, then the question was less a matter of "How?" and more a matter of "Why?". Why was he being told to fill in when a major emergency was starting to unfold, and why did most of the senior staff seem completely unbothered by the arrangement? Commander Velaul had actually told him "Enjoy the chair while you can". Like it was a joke.
Or was it a test? That wouldn't be unreasonable, but to do it now? With the enemy at the gates? None of it made sense. All the other officers seemed impossibly calm. Despite his best efforts, Ethan couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He was in no way qualified to be acting as an Officer of the Deck, and yet he could hardly refuse when the Old Man had instructed him to do so. Everyone else on the bridge knew it too. No one would ever question the captain's orders, but they had all kinds of reasons to question a midshipman like him. They could probably hear his heart pounding from where they sat.
Thankfully, it only took about five minutes for the brass to reappear. Commander Talion was the first to emerge from the Observation Lounge, followed by Lieutenants Mala and Coppola.
"Thank you, Mister Diaz. I have the Conn," said the commander. Like the others, he sounded perfectly casual, as though this was just another shift change, but at that point, Ethan was just relieved to have a senior duty officer present again.
"You have the conn, sir," he replied automatically. He went straight back to Navigation and switched out with the relief officer just in time to get a comm ping from below. "Maneuvering, Bridge, confirm output readings for FTL Systems B, check relays five through eight."
"Uh. . ." Ethan's hands flew across the control board, double-checking the engine monitoring interface. "Bridge, Maneuvering, we are green across the board. Systems B, five through eight read normal--nacelle emissions are registering at top range. We're holding steady at Warp Nine."
"Affirmative, Bridge. Emissions at top range, holding at Warp Nine. FTL Transit is locked. Stand by."
Ethan forced himself to breathe slowly. "Bridge, Maneuvering, copy that. FTL locked, standing by for deceleration order."
_____
He glanced over to his left at Cologero; he was quite certain the lieutenant was following along, but it didn't hurt to check. Right now, he'd be occupied performing manual adjustments to the engine and helm while the ship was at warp speed. It required a delicate hand, and in such cases, Maneuvering sometimes piped their comm traffic through to the navigator's station to make things a littler easier. Once they reached their destination, the OD would give the order, and Cologero would slow them down.
The moment arrived barely a minute later, when a shuttle bearing personnel from the Yeager hailed them and requested permission to dock. A little while after that, Cologero expertly brought the Aquila down to sublight speed, and an Andorian ensign appeared on the bridge to speak with Commander Talion.
"Commander, Maneuvering reports all engine outputs are stable. Sublight velocity is steady, and we're on-course for direct intercept with the USS Yeager, heading 105, mark 232," Ethan told him, briefly turning around.
_____
Just then, Cologero got his attention. "Diaz, this plan clearly isn't going to work, so it's scrapped. We have a plan in place that is being developed right now, I would like to think about how to give it the best chance of success while we go over some tactics. This ship is great to be in but its size makes times like this a little more difficult, we need to make sure to try and give them a smaller target."
He indicated his own display, and Ethan leaned over to get a better look.
"These areas of the ships we should be more mindful of how much they are exposed for targeting, if the shields fail in these areas that cascade effect can collapse the whole thing," the lieutenant continued. "Do you have some ideas for tactical maneuvers?"
Ethan hesitated. It was a pretty big question, and right now the only answer that came to mind was calling every ship within two hours of the Yeager's position and telling them to get there on the double so as to convince the Cardassians their unplanned visit wasn't worth the trouble. Captain Brooks had most likely already considered that though, so he wracked his brain for a more helpful train of thought.
"I say we try to go for a broadside, sir. They've got the numbers on their side, and they know the first thing we'll try is to harass their escorts. They'll probably make a straight run at us and just use their formations like a sledgehammer. If we can go light on the stick, we can coordinate with the Yeager and outmaneuver them. Once we work our way out to the flanks, we can target their midship weapon arrays and try to knock out their external shield equipment. While they're busy with the hammer, we can stick a knife in their side."
== Tag Cdr. Talion and Lt. [JG] Coppola. ==
Ethan could practically feel the rest of the bridge crew staring at him. What was the skipper playing at? Everyone else had heard him give the order, but--there had to be some kind of rule against it. This was a GQ-1 scenario with an active Red Alert, not to mention the ship was barreling through space at Warp Nine into a what could soon be an active combat zone. So why did Captain Brooks just give the deck to a green hand? Surely, the computer's command lockouts would've prevented that kind of decision. Ethan had studied shipboard computer executive protocols as part of his Command and Control curriculum. He knew as well as anyone else that each time command of the ship was transferred to another duty officer, it was entered under an official notation in the log. Something like, ordering an O1 to take the conn, for instance, would've registered as an unauthorized command.
He's the CO though. He can probably just override the computer, he reminded himself. If that was the case, then the question was less a matter of "How?" and more a matter of "Why?". Why was he being told to fill in when a major emergency was starting to unfold, and why did most of the senior staff seem completely unbothered by the arrangement? Commander Velaul had actually told him "Enjoy the chair while you can". Like it was a joke.
Or was it a test? That wouldn't be unreasonable, but to do it now? With the enemy at the gates? None of it made sense. All the other officers seemed impossibly calm. Despite his best efforts, Ethan couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He was in no way qualified to be acting as an Officer of the Deck, and yet he could hardly refuse when the Old Man had instructed him to do so. Everyone else on the bridge knew it too. No one would ever question the captain's orders, but they had all kinds of reasons to question a midshipman like him. They could probably hear his heart pounding from where they sat.
Thankfully, it only took about five minutes for the brass to reappear. Commander Talion was the first to emerge from the Observation Lounge, followed by Lieutenants Mala and Coppola.
"Thank you, Mister Diaz. I have the Conn," said the commander. Like the others, he sounded perfectly casual, as though this was just another shift change, but at that point, Ethan was just relieved to have a senior duty officer present again.
"You have the conn, sir," he replied automatically. He went straight back to Navigation and switched out with the relief officer just in time to get a comm ping from below. "Maneuvering, Bridge, confirm output readings for FTL Systems B, check relays five through eight."
"Uh. . ." Ethan's hands flew across the control board, double-checking the engine monitoring interface. "Bridge, Maneuvering, we are green across the board. Systems B, five through eight read normal--nacelle emissions are registering at top range. We're holding steady at Warp Nine."
"Affirmative, Bridge. Emissions at top range, holding at Warp Nine. FTL Transit is locked. Stand by."
Ethan forced himself to breathe slowly. "Bridge, Maneuvering, copy that. FTL locked, standing by for deceleration order."
_____
He glanced over to his left at Cologero; he was quite certain the lieutenant was following along, but it didn't hurt to check. Right now, he'd be occupied performing manual adjustments to the engine and helm while the ship was at warp speed. It required a delicate hand, and in such cases, Maneuvering sometimes piped their comm traffic through to the navigator's station to make things a littler easier. Once they reached their destination, the OD would give the order, and Cologero would slow them down.
The moment arrived barely a minute later, when a shuttle bearing personnel from the Yeager hailed them and requested permission to dock. A little while after that, Cologero expertly brought the Aquila down to sublight speed, and an Andorian ensign appeared on the bridge to speak with Commander Talion.
"Commander, Maneuvering reports all engine outputs are stable. Sublight velocity is steady, and we're on-course for direct intercept with the USS Yeager, heading 105, mark 232," Ethan told him, briefly turning around.
_____
Just then, Cologero got his attention. "Diaz, this plan clearly isn't going to work, so it's scrapped. We have a plan in place that is being developed right now, I would like to think about how to give it the best chance of success while we go over some tactics. This ship is great to be in but its size makes times like this a little more difficult, we need to make sure to try and give them a smaller target."
He indicated his own display, and Ethan leaned over to get a better look.
"These areas of the ships we should be more mindful of how much they are exposed for targeting, if the shields fail in these areas that cascade effect can collapse the whole thing," the lieutenant continued. "Do you have some ideas for tactical maneuvers?"
Ethan hesitated. It was a pretty big question, and right now the only answer that came to mind was calling every ship within two hours of the Yeager's position and telling them to get there on the double so as to convince the Cardassians their unplanned visit wasn't worth the trouble. Captain Brooks had most likely already considered that though, so he wracked his brain for a more helpful train of thought.
"I say we try to go for a broadside, sir. They've got the numbers on their side, and they know the first thing we'll try is to harass their escorts. They'll probably make a straight run at us and just use their formations like a sledgehammer. If we can go light on the stick, we can coordinate with the Yeager and outmaneuver them. Once we work our way out to the flanks, we can target their midship weapon arrays and try to knock out their external shield equipment. While they're busy with the hammer, we can stick a knife in their side."
== Tag Cdr. Talion and Lt. [JG] Coppola. ==