Sudden Flight
Posted on Fri Nov 28th, 2025 @ 5:21pm by Lieutenant Jean-Baptiste Dorsainvil & Ensign Garabed "Garo" Hakobyan & Captain Remy Johansen & Lieutenant Commander Eirly Andersen & Lieutenant Commander Xalanth & Lieutenant Commander Daynah Ral & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Keel & Lieutenant JG Lakyn Vale & Lieutenant JG Sakkar & Ensign Tyler Williams & Ensign Quinn L'khet
Edited on on Fri Nov 28th, 2025 @ 5:23pm
2,146 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Peril at the Unification Accords
Location: Bridge
Timeline: MD 09, 0820 Hours
It was early morning on the bridge of the Astrea, but the events of the previous day were still hanging heavy throughout the ship. On the viewscreen was Barisa Prime, glowing blue-green and oblivious, its cloud systems drifting slow and perfectly. In the distance, Starbase 773 remained in its geostationary orbit, surrounded by a half-dozen vessels holding their positions under the current Command Protocol initiated the day before.
At the aft console, Jean-Baptiste Dorsainvil leaned in over his interface, his fingers moving through lines of authorization codes and traffic logs. "Captain," he said, raising his voice slightly. "773 is reporting that the Nidean freighter Katreen's Hope is breaking orbit. No updated clearance given has been given." He glanced over at Fulvia a moment and then rose to his feet.
"Lieutenant Sakkar, take us over there on an intercept course," Remy ordered. "Commander Ral, can you open a channel?"
"The channel is open Captain. However, they are not responding to the hails." Daynah reported from her console.
Sakkar's fingers worked quickly to lay in the course. "Coming about to one-one-five, mark two." He advanced the throttle bar.
JB's console flickered to life with a new alert--repeating on the tactical readout as well.
"They're spinning-up their warp engines."
Watching from a Mission Console, Keel unconsciously chewed at his lip. The Astrea was a big ship, and she was fast. But still the distance they needed to close between them and their quarry was quite literally astronomical in scope. He felt the tension tug at him, like inertial dampers in the moments before they caught up with a ship's acceleration.
"Lieutenant Sakkar, get us over there for tactical positioning," Remy responded swiftly. "Ensign L'khet, any luck on the channel? How much time do we have before we need to do something drastic to hold them here?"
“They are still not responding to our hails, sir.” Quinn reported to the captain. “I am hailing on all frequencies”
Sakkar focused intently on his console, plotting the intercept on one side while adding as much power as he could with the other. They were still in the Barisa system's inner traffic zone. Regulations prohibited speeds above one quarter impulse for capital ships like the Astrea, except in the most exigent situations. The helmsman was ready for the Captain to make that call. He looked up momentarily to see the freighter on the viewscreen. Indeed, the plasma vents on her mains were glowing neon blue. She would go to warp at any second.
"Captain," JB said leaning forward to catch Remy's eye. "Starbase 773 and I are issuing a full-stop order--priority red." His fingers moved rapidly over the console. "We're broadcasting on all emergency channels. Last warning before enforcement protocols." He glanced over to L'khet at tactical, then back to Remy. "If they're going to stand down, it has to be now."
"Don't let them get away," Remy ordered. "Minimal damage."
Xalanth nodded as his hand danced across the weapons console. Holding a long red finger over the fire button, his yellow eyes stared at the date like a hunter looking through his scope.
With a burst of bright yellow energy, a phaser blast shot out from the Astrea and straight into the freight, blasting its shields apart and severing the engines from the main hull. The lizard smiled.
"Target disabled captain. Permission to leave the bridge and lead the away team to board her?" He asked.
"Granted, have Lieutenant Sakkar and Ensign Hakobyan join you to investigate along with Ensigns S'Niri, Wiliams, Petty Officer Enam," Remy ordered. "We'll have Marines prep for back-up in case you need it."
The lizard nooded, handing the consol to his seconed on the bridge before stepping into the turbolift. "Lieutenant Sakkar, Ensigns Hakobyan, S'Niri, Wiliams and Petty Officer Enam report to the transporter room. Marine country have a squad prepared in case we need backup, have them armed for bear." he said into his combadge as the turbolift sped towards his destination.
Sakkar pushed back from his console and stood. A relief helmsman came and took his place as he joined the others in the turbolift.
"On it," Tyler said as he moved from his station and gave a courteous nod to those on the bridge before heading toward the turbolift. "See you in a minute, sir," he tapped on his commbadge.
"Captain," Eirly turned to Remy after watching Xalanth and Williams disappear from the bridge, her hands clasped behind her back. "I understand if you may have some reservations about this, given certain circumstances, but I'd like to volunteer to oversee the away team on this. Xalanth would still be in charge, of course."
"Yes, Commander Andersen, of course. Permission granted," Remy replied. She wondered if she'd overlooked her on purpose, or if she'd just jumped on the fact that Xalanth volunteered.
"Thank you, Captain." Eirly replied with a respectful nod. "I'll take my leave to go assist then." With that, she turned and made her way off the bridge.
At the aft auxiliary station, Lieutenant Dorsainvil had finished uploading the Nidian freighter's schematics into a data PADD and was now crossing the bridge with said PADD in-hand. "Commander Andersen," he called out.
At the mention of her name, Eirly stopped walking and turned around, "Yes, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?"
"Schematics, manifest, and the most up-to-date sensor readings," JB said, placing the PADD in her hands.
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Eirly took the padd and nodded her thanks. "I'll be sure to pass thus along to Xalanth when I see him."
As Jean-Baptiste resumed his position--seated at the aft station which had become Central Command Protocol Alpha--a small console light began to pulse in rhythm. It was a signal coming from the Katreen's Hope but the destination was not Barisa Prime nor Starbase 773.
"Captain," JB said slowly, hands flying over the console, "I'm picking up a series of heavily-encrypted transmissions originating from the freighter." He swiveled his chair toward the center of the bridge. "I strongly recommend additional security procedures, ma'am. A closer scan of the ship wouldn't hurt either."
"See if Lieutenant Vale feels like taking an element in for a closer look," Remy stated nodding to Dorsainvil.
JB nodded back to Remy. "Aye, Captain." He then opened a comm link to the pilot's lounge, the typical squeal of an intership communications line sounding. "Bridge to Lieutenant Vale. Are you monitoring the situation?"
Lieutenant Lakyn Vale had been standing over the central tactical table inside the Starfighter Command and Control Room. His arms folded as he reviewed saw the freighter come out from the surface and read the operational updates flow on his main screen.
He tapped his combadge without hesitation.
“Vale here. I’m monitoring. Encrypted transmission definitely raises red flags. Either they're calling friends or triggering something we don’t want to happen.”
Vale paused for a moment.
Does the bridge have instructions?
"Let's get an element out there to sweep the area," Remy ordered.
“Yes, Captain.” Vale turned to his flight operations chief. “Inform the pilot of Gryphon #067 to meet me in the launch bay. We are going for a run.”
The operations chief responded slightly perplexed “Sir, pilot 067 is coming off duty from a nine hour shift.”
Vale entered the turbolift that will take him from flight operations control to the launch bay in about three seconds and turned to face his operations chief, “Good.”
The turbolift doors closed and the short ride was even shorter than he imagined. The doors opened and Vale stepped out into the space. About eight Gryphons were lined up in front of him including his. Some of them being worked on by maintenance.
Out of no where two flight deck crewmen showed up and began helping him into his Gryphon. Pilot 067 entered the bay a moment later and ran toward him still in their flight suit, “Lieutenant Vale, I’m sorry, I just finished a nine hour shift, can someone else take this run?”
“Unfortunately not. None of the other pilots are already in gear which makes you the perfect pilot to join me.”
“But, sir, I…”
“Pilot…” Vale stern but professional, “Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of being able to come off shift to our cozy quarters, to drink our warm teas underneath warm blankets. Do you understand me, pilot?”
“Yes, sir”
“Good. Saddle up.” Vale said as his canopy closed and the two deck crewmen moved his Gryphon toward the tubes. The other pilot ran for theirs as two other crewmen met them and repeated the process.
Vale tied his hair in a bun at the back and put his helmet on. “ this is Group Commander. Do you read?”
“Read you five by five. How do you read?”
“Loud and clear. We are in the tubes ready for your launch.”
The flight operations chief activation the red dome light. By dimming the light to red all text could be read about 33% better. Two pings lit up the tactical table representing Vale and the other pilot.
“Standby, Lieutenant.” The flight operations chief changed the channel and contacted the bridge. “Starfighter flight operations to Bridge, a fighter element is in the tubes. Waiting on final orders to launch?”
The hum of the burners from both Gryphons reverberated throughout the interior of the space. It reached all the way to flight operations. Lieutenant Vale’s hand on the stick ready to punch it. Vale’s partner rubbing their eyes with some fatigue. The deck flight crew in yellow overalls were behind barricades with yellow signs lights ready to turn green.
Xalanth quickly reached the armoury opposite the transporter and had his personal weapons teleported in from the main armoury. His clawed hands began removing his uniform and donning his undersuit as his light combat suit and weapons appeared. Checking his light phaser carbine was fully charged and working, he set it to heavy stun and stepped out waiting for his team to arrive at the transporter pad.
Ensign Garo Hakobyan strode into the transporter room, a standard away team toolkit slung over his shoulder, a type-two phaser holstered on his hip. Upon seeing the Dragonian security chief, his eyes widened. "Oh," he said, stammering. "Sir. I'm reporting for away team duty." He hesitantly climbed the step to the transporter pad, keeping his eyes on Xalanth the entire time.
Tyler made his way into the armoury at slightly more relaxed pace that was still full of determination and picked up his own weapons, clapping Garo on the shoulder with one hand as he passed, "Welcome to the away team."
Sakkar stopped by the equipment rack next. He grabbed a standard tricorder and clipped it on. Since his primary task would be to secure the ship's helm, the device might be useful for interfacing with the alien computer. Next he took a type I phaser, checked the setting, and holstered it. With a nod to the others he took his own spot on the transporter pad.
Once the entire team was in place, the transporter operator typed in the commands that beamed the team onto the Bridge of the Nidean Freighter.
Captain Remira Johansen
Commanding Officer
USS Astrea
Lt. Commander Eirly Andersen
Second Officer
USS Astrea
Lt. Commander Daynah Ral
Chief Operations Officer
USS Astrea
Lt. Commander Xalanth
Chief Security Officer
USS Astrea
Lieutenant Ryan Keel
Chief of Diplomatic Intelligence
USS Astrea
Lieutenant Jean-Baptiste Dorsainvil
Assistant Chief Security Officer
USS Astrea
Lieutenant Lakyn Vale
Starfighter Wing Group Commander
USS Astrea
Lieutenant J.G. Sakkar
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Astrea
Ensign Garabed "Garo" Hakobyan
Transporter Specialist
USS Astrea
Ensign Tyler Williams
Tactical Officer
USS Astrea
Ensign Quinn L'khet
Quartermaster
USS Astrea
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