Cold Blooded Chills

Posted on Sun Aug 3rd, 2025 @ 9:49pm by Lieutenant Commander Sabastian Walker & Lieutenant Fang Lee & Commander Kelly Kerrigan & Lieutenant Commander Oscar McDonald MD & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Malcom Hunt & Lieutenant Lanna Alexander & Ensign Karri

2,218 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Vinyl and Void
Location: USS Arcadia

ON:

The USS Arcadia’s briefing room area was a striking fusion of design and purpose. Sleek black paneling, brightly illuminated, and a long, angular obsidian conference table surrounded by bold blood red chairs.

At the far end, Commander Kelly Kerrigan stood silently before the panoramic observation window with his hands clasped behind his back. Starbase 6 was almost and arms reach in the distance. The massive silhouette against a field of stars, tethering Arcadia like an anchor before the storm. A storm that was surely coming.

Kerrigan’s reflection shimmered faintly in the transparent polyalloy as he stared outward with the weight of command tightening on his shoulders. In his late thirties, he had the sharp eyes of someone who hadn’t yet grown used to the burden of command, but who had accepted it without flinching.

Behind him, the senior staff waited, murmuring quietly. Sone tapped their fingers against a data pads. Others sipped beverages to help calm the room. Everyone fell silent as Kerrigan turned.

He faced them, eyes hard and focused. It was not easy to formulate the words that came next. "Starfleet Intelligence has intercepted subspace traffic fragments, partial signals... but it’s enough. The Gorn are moving,” he said, voice low but cutting. “We're not talking simple border skirmishes. Not probing raids. Something bigger... Cataclysmic.”

Kelly let the silence settle, watching their faces shift. “Folks, we’re no longer preparing for a threat. We’re standing on the edge of it and there is serious concern that Earth is at risk."

Adrianna shifted uncomfortably, "their main military base was blown up a few years ago, Kra'kot was also shot dead. Perhaps it is more out of revenge. The orders for both attacks came from Earth. It is a base in itself, with a number of targets that would hurt Starfleet the most-- alongside civilians."

A pit opened up in Lanna’s stomach, one she hadn’t expected to feel no matter what they faced. Facing the Gorn with her son onboard was a frightening thought, but at the same time he wouldn’t necessarily be safe anywhere else either. She had never, and would never consider being separated from her son, or from Jarin. “The Gorn aren’t afraid of who they hurt, civilians are as much at risk as military.”

Without thinking, Adrianna muttered under her breath, "or you hand over the person who blew up the base and killed the warlord they worshipped. Never know, they may back off and dance into the sunset."

Lanna looked towards Adrianna, but didn’t comment. Making a mental note to speak with her when time allowed.

Fang suppressed a sigh. He hated the Gorn. They were nasty buggers and now they were to tangle with them. That meant that he'd have to have engineering up and ready. He made notes in his notebook on things he would need to do in engineering. His eyes wandered over to the new XO.

Sabastian, who sat towards the right side of Kerrigan also had a notebook open. He was a paper and pen person for notes and then transferred them on console and cleaned them up. Gorn, they were not his favorite to deal with but from the XO brief he'd received this was going to be nasty.

“There are limits to what Betazoids can sense from the Gorn” Lanna added as a side note. “I should be able to sense them, maybe partially read them, but there would be limitations.”

Malcom looked around the room. There definitely was some reservation about facing the Gorn and for good reason. A little over a year ago, he was on the verge of getting ready to meet the Gorn in battle. But instead, they had arrived after the factor, just find the damage and deaths the bastards had left behind. No one had been safe and had survived their onslaught.

Fang spoke up. "I think that we're forgetting something here." He sighed. "I'll always speak up for the civilians on this ship. If the Gorn get the upper hand we may have to self destruct. I would suggest non essential personnel are taken off ship."

Lanna gave Fang a concerned look. She knew he was right in regards the civilians, but that included Jayce as well, and she wasn’t sure if she could say goodbye to her son. “As much as I agree with that, I’m not sure if people would be safer anywhere else if things went badly with the Gorn.”

"Actually, the Gorn would go for escape pods first," Adrianna agreed with Lanna, "you are better off keeping everyone on board and pray."

Fang sighed. "That's why I'm suggesting we get the civilian's off now before we leave."

Sabastian sighed. He looked at Kelly. "I agree. It saved us when we went into the giant spacenus."

Fang grinned. "Really?"

Sabastian shrugged. "Spanus?"

Fang snorted.

Adrianna muttered something derogatory under her breath, rubbing the bridge of her nose as if to relive a migraine," Captain, can we have a semblance of professionalism? This is a serious topic. Gorn should not be paused for mere toilet humor. These people are savages that slaughter beings for sport, let alone whatever their MO is now. I have already paused war twice-- and barely made it out alive either time. I have no intention of going into a coffin any time soon because of two idiots that cannot stay on topic-- both of which should know better owing to their résumé."

Lanna’s usual bright demeanor had disappeared. “If that’s the plan then I’ll need to take some time to talk with Jarin, as much as I hate it we’ll need to make arrangements for Jayce.”

Sabastian sighed. "If we loose our sense of humor what do we have?" His words were directed at Adri.

"Having a sense of humor is one thing but this is supposed to be a serious topic of conversation," Adrianna almost hissed, "lives are at stake and I know what these people are capable of first hand. There is no room for childish humor when discussing civilians on board this ship or, indeed, our own."

Doctor McDonald pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “I agree,” the physician added. Although if anyone listened to him there wouldn’t be any civilians on board to worry about. “The Gorn are far too formidable an enemy, unpredictable and ruthless. Humor has its uses, but this is clearly not one of those times.”

Sabastian sighed and stood. "Very well suggestion note and adopted. If you were actually listening to what Lee said, Lieutenant Baciami, and Doctor McDonald you would have seen that Lieutenant Lee made a good suggestion. He pointed out how to protect civilian lives by taking them off ship before we leave. He also pointed out that this suggestion had saved lives when we entered the space rift, whatever terminology you wish to use." He picked up a data padd and tossed it on the table. "Here is the list of the civilians who stubbornly stayed against, then XO, Lee's recommendation. Out of those five died, we lost seven crew during this space rift incident but how many more were saved? His suggestion now to disembark civilians is a good one and I would ask the Captain to make it an order not a choice. I will be submitting my recommendation to Starfleet as well as per regulation 3.7251 of the code stating that if the ship is to be going into a dangerous situation and there is time to disembark civilians that is what should be done." He turned to Adri and the doctor. "The choice of language aside you both failed to hear the good suggestion and are wasting time debating semantics rather then moving on. I have no problem keeping humor out of briefings, your suggestion is noted and adopted but as XO I will be dropping some critical listening skills courses into both your inboxes I expect them completed by the time this ship is ready to leave dock with marks above sixty percent. Going into dangerous situations, no matter the language used, we need to be able to know that department heads can understand the message." He sat back down.

"It was far from missed, Walker," Adrianna glared at him, "I suggest you get off your high pony. I will not be undertaking any of those courses. Either way, I will bite my tongue because I do not wish to be subject to any more unprofessional discourse and will end up saying something that will force me into being a civilian on board because I am sure that I can recommend some courses for yourself and Lee regarding professionalism."

McDonald did something he rarely did. He laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll walk myself to the brig,” he assured Walker. “But enough is enough. Nobody missed his message. Indeed, the lieutenant addressed it. And you are right - there is more productive uses of our time. But I guarantee that if I see so much as a cooking course land on my desk, you will be searching for a CMO. I assure you Commander, Sickbay will be ready. We can also spare some people to aide an evacuation of the civilians if that is the decision.”

Kelly looked around the table and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but last time I checked this was a Federation starship, not a cargo hauler. I expect professionalism from this crew. Let's push any pessimism aside."

"Civilians are staying aboard. At least those that choose to. They are minimal in number, and this is not a cruise ship. The kids leaving I understand, but the rest of them knew what coming aboard a Federation starship meant. We boldly go to strange new worlds far beyond the stars, and that does not come without risk."

Kelly turned his attention to a screen that illuminated once activated and displayed information. "We know a fleet of Gorn are coming. Our listening posts have detected them. Trajectory is Earth and they will be there in a matters of days. Several starships have been dispatched to intercept. We have been ordered to the Sol system, Earth defense for any Gorn ships that slip by. We will be joined by two fleets of Federation starships."

"The Gorn may be coming, but we are prepared. I need the rest of you to set your differences aside and quit the squabbling."

Adrianna nodded in agreement. The last place she wanted to be was near Earth, but to prevent a Gorn invasion, she would set aside her personal feelings. Continuing on topic she spoke carefully, "when I was on the military base working for Kra'kot whilst undercover, it was clear that even with a base down, the rest would follow in his teachings. I'll find the files I helped retrieve to see if we can try and predict a battle plan, or perhaps even potential targets."

Sabastian said nothing. He would talk to Kerrigan afterword. As per his conversation with Starfleet he would be launching a formal protest about the civilians staying on board. Perhaps it was time he told Kerrigan about the message he got from Starfleet Command. He wouldn't challenge Kerrigan openly but part of what Kelly just said was a slap in the face and that is not something a Captain did to his XO publicly.

Sabastian turned to Adrianna. "Please share that information with all the department heads Lieutenant." His eyes rested on Kerrigan. "Starfleet has sent a few data files and asked all the XO's to share it with the Department heads. I will forward that to everyone Captain. I can fill you in after this briefing, Sir."

Lanna looked towards Sebastian. “If I’m sending my son off ship along with the other children onboard, will we be allowing the children to return once this assignment is over? I always swore I’d never be separated from him, so I need to know one way or the other.”

Hunt sighed as he watched the others carrying on. "If I can interject. The adult civilians can be given the option to stay or leave. But we do have civilians who are essential personnel who signed up to go into dangerous situations."

Commander Kelly Kerrigan nodded. "We clear the children out and keep them out of harms way. Non-essential civilian personnel can decide whether to stay or not. As for those deemed essential, they as you stated 'signed up' for this. We can reunite with the rest after this mission is over with. For now, lets facilitate clearing off the children and rendezvousing with the fleet to make a stand."

Karri finally broke her silence. For the most part she just let the bigwigs do their thing. Because to her knowledge she didn't have any anti Gorn supplies. Although she wished she did because she definitely heard stories. "I'll make sure we have more than enough supplies for the children. And weapons to fight as well. Apologies for my silence, Captain. It won't happen again."

"No apologies needed. We have some lively feelings and voices, though I have more in mind for you on the bridge. We can discuss that later. Let's get to work."

OFF:

 

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