Waiting for Godot

Posted on Sun Sep 20th, 2020 @ 8:32pm by Lieutenant JG Kevin Lance & Captain Mystery Ellis & Commander Charles Gillespie VII & Lieutenant Commander Feyd Relor & Commander Jamie O'Connell & Crewman Thomas Jefferson

Mission: By Odin!
Location: USS Independence
Timeline: Prior to the Welcome Ceremony

OOC: All senior staff (all PCs except Thomas Jefferson) have received orders to attend the Welcome Ceremony for Ambassador Baer and reception to follow referenced in Security Details II and Let's Have A Party posts. Orders are for full dress uniforms. TJ and/or his wife can attend as spectators if the author desires but it is not required.

OOC: Action begins in the cargo bays near the Deck 12 aft port side entryway thirty minutes prior to the ambassador's arrival. Commander Gillespie will form up the senior staff 15 minutes prior to the ambassador's arrival. Please comment exceptional deviations from the standard dress uniform (i.e. Relor's profile states "he is always just barely on the respectable side of disheveled" and his dress uniform should reflect this.

::ON::

Lieutenant Kevin Lance checked his uniform after completing the dress rehearsal run through with the Marine Honor Guard and the Fleet Band from Starbase 10. The starbase's protocol staff had been much more accommodating than he had expected, providing the Independence with everything that they had asked for. That left Kevin with a sinking feeling in his gut about the upcoming mission. He checked the polish on his boots, the arrangement of his medals and the crisp line of his uniform as he awaited the arrival of the rest of the ship's senior staff.

[Feyd's Quarters]

"Where are they!?" Feyd shouted in frustration as he rummaged through his closet, tossing out articles of clothing. Finally, he spied his dress boots peeking cheekily out from behind a perfectly good pair of functional combat boots. "There you are, you little bastards."

A giggle emanated from somewhere behind him. "You know, if people hear you talk to your clothes, they're going to question whether you have the mental stability to be the CMO."

"Bah, I don't see why I have to put on this monkey suit anyway. Who does this guy think he is?"

"He's an ambassador." Natasha shrugged, immaculate in her dress uniform. The way it hugged her curves..."Hurry up, we'll be late."

He pulled on his boots and stood in front of her. She whistled. "Well well, Doctor Relor, you clean up good." She said, brushing a bit of unseen lint from his shoulder. "Your hair could use some work, and your boots look like they could use a polish, but I suppose there's no time for that. Let's go."

She grabbed his hand and led him out of his quarters, his grumbles falling on deaf ears.

[Captain's Quarters]

Mystery had never been one for full dress uniform. But orders were orders. Pulling her hair into a long pony tail Mystery walked from her quarters and headed for the reception area.

[Engineering]

Jamie made his way to Engineering to check with T'Sol to make sure that the Ship was ready for the pending escort dressed in his Dress Uniform which was in accordance with Star Fleet regulations. As he entered he suddenly noticed that all eyes were on him.

T'Sol approached Jamie "Well you look quite regal Lieutenant."

"Not a big fan of this 'monkey suit'" Jamie replied "But I suppose I'll have to make the best of it anyway." This was his first time as a senior officer attending one of these functions and it scared the hell out of him. Hopefully he could just keep a low profile until this was over; which he hoped would be soon.

"Did you need something?" T'Sol asked.

"Oh yes, is the Ship all set for our escorting mission?" O'Connell asked, which was the real reason that he was here.

"Yes, the Ship is all set and I will continue to monitor the Ship's systems while you are attending the reception for the Ambassador."

"Good...I guess I'll make my way to the reception area then since you have everything well in hand.

The Lieutenant turned and left Engineering to go to the reception.

[Gillespie's Quarters]

Chuck walked over to the replicator panel, irritated.

"Masking tape."

A roll appeared with a flash. While it was an archaic way to clean cat fur off of a uniform, it was also effective. He shot a glare at the Siamese feline laying on his desk.

"Why I have a cat, I'll never know..." His voice trailed off. He did know why. Janine had given Artemis to him when she posted to the Ticonderoga. Just before the Battle of Cardassia.

He made quick work of cleaning his dress uniform and dressed. Chuck buffed his boots one more time and checked his appearance in the mirror. Crisp and precise. As required. He went to his desk and reached for his cat. Artemis raised her head to meet his hand. He scratched her head. She slowly blinked her large blue eyes. "I'll see you later, little girl."

Chuck exited his quarters, heading for the cargo bay.

[Deck 10]

Thomas exited the cargo bay where is 'ranch sim' (to keep his live animals happy) cargo containers were stored pushing a gravsled laden with items including a basket of fresh eggs, and the cutest fluffy lamb you have ever seen, as well as other items kept in cold stasis. As he stepped foot into the corridor he ran into a veritable coolie train of ships personnel moving containers back and forth in a frenzy to clear out 2 nearby cargo bays of the Ambassadors 'party'.

Since the ship had just restocked needed stores on arrival to Starbase 10, pretty much all the cargos bays were currently full, so the ships Deck officer and Cargo manager were scrambling to find places to put the contents of the two bays. Two nearby corridors were packed with material from and to end, looking like a child's closet after their mom told them to clean their room. One crewman got the idea to wrap containers in a large net, attach it to a tether and push it out the airlock. Service room, personal quarters, jeffries tubes, no place was safe from being used as a temporary hiding place for cargo containers. It was going to take weeks to get everything put back where it belonged as no one was tracking where individual containers were being put.

As Thomas wove his way through the chaos a young Ensign stopped what she was doing to pet the lamb, "that is the cuttest thing I have ever seen," with a huge smile that lit up her whole face she asks "what is its name?"

Without breaking his stride, and not even really noticing the Ensign Thomas says "dinner" and keeps right on walking towards the turbolift pushing the gravsled.

Waving byebye to the lamb, the smile on the Ensigns face slowly shifts to a look of horror as the name given to the lamb slowly sinks in...

[Cargo Bays 12 A & B]

Kevin saw Lieutenant O'Connell enter the cargo bays and come over to stand with him where the senior officers would form up during the ceremony. "Are you ready for this," Kevin asked the engineer.

"As ready as I ever will be" Jamie replied trying not to show his uneasiness "Although I don't mind telling you that I'll be glad when this is over."

Chuck entered the cargo bay and approached the other two officers. He gave a quick nod of approval to Kevin and turned to Jamie. Chuck extended his hand.

"Chuck Gillespie, new Chief Strategic Operations Officer."

O'Connell likewise extended his hand and the two men shook hands "Lieutenant Jamie O'Connell, Chief Engineering Officer. Welcome aboard Commander, it's nice to finally meet you."

"Thank you, Mr. O'Connell. It's nice to meet you as well. I look forward to seeing your department when time permits."

"Any time Commander; whenever it's convenient for you" Jamie replied with a smile.

Mystery walked into the cargo bay and over to where the rest of the senior officers were gathering.

"The time is 1445 hours," the computer announced over the comm badges.

Chuck came to attention. "Fall in!"