Away Team

Posted on Sun Apr 5th, 2020 @ 3:29pm by Lieutenant JG Kevin Lance & Lieutenant Commander Feyd Relor

Mission: Ghost Station
Location: USS Independence
Timeline: Current

::ON::

“Lieutenant Covitchka, this is Lieutenant Lance,” came a baritone voice over Adrianna's comm badge.

"Ugh... what now? Don't they know by now that I'm busy and that I'm ALWAYS busy?" She took a deep breath, sighed and mumbled to herself. "It's probably something completely silly compared to keeping the warp core functioning or the transporter room from malfunctioning, but I'm sure it's SUPER important."

She rolled her eyes, shook her head, fixed the few stray hairs escaping from her regulation hair style and tapped her badge.

"Lt. Covitchka here. How can I help you, sir?"

"Commander Ellis has assigned you to the away team to investigate the starbase," Kevin replied, "Meet us in the Armory in 15 minutes."

"Yes, sir. On my way." Adrianna closed her eyes, took a deep breath and sighed. "I knew it. I just knew it. So much for daily spot checks." She put down her clipboard and walked down the corridor, heading towards the Armory.

[Ship's Armory]

With Lieutenant Covitchka summoned to the away team, Kevin took a deep breath breath before the unpleasant task coming up. Around him, the Marine squad was equipping themselves for the upcoming mission. After a pause, he touched his comm badge. "Lieutenant Lance to Medical," he intoned.

"Medical bay," replied a female voice, "Nurse Grimm speaking."

Kevin allowed his shoulders to relax slightly in relief. "We need a medic to accompany the away team," he explained, "The medic will need to be equipped and able to conduct a medical investigation aboard the starbase."

::OFF::



::ON::

"Ok, Lt. I'm here. What's all the fuss about and why am I summoned to help investigate the starbase? Surely there are others that are able to check those systems. This ship NEEDS its spot checks and ME if there's any problems that may arise while we're here. What do we know about this starbase anyway? Is there disease? Where are the crew members that manned this starbase to begin with? I'm getting kinda skeptical about this whole mission, if I may be so candid." Adrianna shifted, folded her arms and frowned. "No, I don't like it. I don't like it at ALL."

Kevin considered the engineering Lieutenant who had entered the Armory and wondered if the Independence was a dumping ground for all of the dysfunctional officers in the Fleet. He didn't follow through with the obvious logic that if true, he was a screw-up as well. "Orders are orders, Lieutenant," he said flatly, "You aren't paid to 'like it'. Commander Ellis assigned you to this mission because, I assume, you know how to operated a computer better than these jarheads." He pointed a thumb in the direction of the Marines assembling their equipment. "If you are skeptical," he said crossing his arms, "I suggest that you take it up with the Exec. But you'd better hurry. We're skids up in twenty minutes."

Natasha walked into the armory with her medical kit and paused as she witnessed the interaction between the Chief of Security and the Engineer. Her face remained impassive as she calmly walked to the weapons locker and retrieved a simple type one phaser. She shrugged uncomfortably as she attached it to the holster at her hip, she didn't think she'd ever get used to a weapon there. She'd been on away missions before, but for her, a phaser was more of a decoration than anything else.

She approached Kevin and held out her hand. "Nurse Grimm." She said in a voice like honey. "I'm your medic."

Kevin took the proffered hand. It was soft and warm with delicate fingers. "Welcome aboard," he said, somewhat awkwardly, "You will find protective gear in the lockers along that bulkhead." The nurse turned and walked over to the indicated lockers to look for something in her size. Kevin watched her for a moment, then turned back to the task of dressing in his own gear. He allowed himself to fantasize about snuggling with the nurse and kissing on her full lips.

Pleasant thoughts slowly gave way to niggling doubt as he worked. Why had Commander Relor assigned an enlisted nurse? Did she have the expertise to conduct investigation of a potential medical mystery? The Science Division has assigned an Ensign, even if she appeared to be fresh of the Academy. Feelings of being set up to fail continued to grow in Kevin's mind.

Screw it, Kevin thought. He slapped the comm badge on his chest. "Lieutenant Lance to Commander Relor," he said rather angrily.

Kevin heard the response over his comm badge and a distant voice from out in the corridor. "Relor here, how can I help you Lieutenant?" Nurse Grimm smiled to herself, expression that was attractive as hell to most men within spitting distance. Kevin stepped toward the corridor, a puzzled look on his face.

Feyd stood outside the armory, smirking. "Very sorry sir, I assume the Armory is one of those 'Restricted Areas' I'm not allowed in. Uh, Nurse Grimm, I'll take a Type 2 Phaser, a personal shield, and a couple pattern enhancers. Would you be so kind? I am dangerous, you see, and cannot enter an area where I might procure weapons."

Nurse Grimm smiled to herself again, elevating the blood pressure of every man there, (and at least a couple of the women) "Yes, Doctor".

Kevin felt his jaw clench reflexively. The order of restriction didn't limit the doctor from the Armory any more than any other crew member. The doctor was playing games. "Since the doctor is making you fetch his gear," Kevin directed toward Nurse Grimm, "would you be so kind as to grab a Mark V protective suit for him?" The Mark V suit was designed with extra life support, masks and coverings to temporarily support up to three additional crew members. It was very heavy and intended for use in a zero-G environment. Two can play this game, Kevin thought.

Feyd didn't know the details of the Mark V so he just smiled and nodded.

"All right," Feyd said. "I assume I'll need an escort to reach the shuttlebay, so I'll just wait out here for those more responsible to guide me." He was being an ass, and he knew it, but they'd done this to themselves. "Chop chop, I haven't got all day." He added.

Kevin bit off a retort and turned his attention to the rest of the away team as he clipped the protective helmet to his belt. The Marines were fully geared up and one was helping the ensign from the science department assemble the last of her protective suit. Lieutenant Covitchka was finished up without assistance as Nurse Grimm struggled get the Mark V Protective Suit to the Armory doorway. A little louder than necessary, Kevin announced, "Move out to the shuttle bay."

Kevin glared at one of the Marines who stopped to assist the nurse with the bulky protective suit as the team exited the Armory. "I've clear you to enter the shuttle bay," he told Feyd as he passed, "if you are able to find it." Protocol demanded that he wait until the doctor was fully suited and ready to go, but they were beyond niceties at this point.

Two Type-11 Shuttlecrafts sat in the shuttle bay. The majority of the Marine squad loaded onto the lead shuttle leaving the second for Kevin and the rest of the away team. As he intended, the Marine sergeant would breach one of the docking ports and secure the entry for the rest of the away team. The team loaded aboard as Kevin talked to the pilots.

Feyd struggled into his gear, then boarded the shuttlecraft. He turned to Nurse Grimm. "Eyes open. You're observing as part of your education as a medic." She nodded in response, relived the Doctor was accompanying them.

Satisfied that all was prepared, Kevin settled himself in the co-pilot seat aboard the second shuttle. As he strapped himself in, he called out over his shoulder, "Get comfortable. We have a 52 minute flight ahead of us."

::OFF::

Lieutenant JG Kevin Lance
Chief Tactical Officer

Lieutenant JG Adrianna Covitchka
Computer Systems Specialist

Lieutenant Commander Feyd Relor
Chief Medical Officer