Playing Catch-up

Posted on 05 May 2020 @ 3:26pm by Lieutenant Alex Sexton & Captain Mallory Thorne

1,099 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Changing Faces
Location: Ready Room

Alex was not sure what had transpired, but something wasn't right. He had read security logs that eluded to some sort of incident but he couldn't make heads nor tails of it. The only person on the ship that would know everything he needed to know would be the Captain.

He made his way to the Captains ready room. Tapped the door buzzer and waited.

As it happened, Mallory was in her ready room trying to make sense of things as well. She was just stuck on entirely other things, given she'd had time to adapt to this "new reality" of theirs...one which she did not like at all. "Enter," she called, looking up from her reading to see the new security chief enter. She only recognized him from his personnel file, of course. "Ah, Lieutenant Sexton. Come on in."

"Good morning Captain. I am confused. Things seem to be very different from before my medical incident, and I did not detect this difference until I left sickbay. What is going on?" Slightly panicked

Mallory smiled sympathetically. "It's a lot to take in. Have a seat." She waved at the chair in front of her desk as she rose to her feet and headed for the replicator. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

Sexton looked flustered and that was not normal for him. “Yes please, A tall white double shot should get the brain waves racing.” He exclaimed

The captain ordered both coffees--hers was just plain, drank black--and handed him his as she sat behind her desk again. She took a deep breath and then a long sip. "What's the last thing you recall?"

Alex took hold of the coffee and thanked the Captain and took a sip as he was already seated. “That’s the funny part of it. I remember being near the Forward phaser array pulling maintenance when all of a sudden the lights went out. Next thing I remember are dreams that make no sense and then waking up in sickbay. They told me I’d been in a Coma for weeks. It all seems like yesterday. “ said Alex

"A few weeks, yes," Mal agreed. "Do you remember the ship hitting the black hole? Do you recall us ending up orbiting Earth of the past?"

A sick look came over his face. “Captain I’m completely at a loss. I don’t remember any of that.” As he hung his head.

Mallory blew out a breath and took a long sip of coffee. "Alright, then, from the beginning..."

She started with how the USS Odin left dock and headed out on patrol but got caught in the gravity well of a black star. During their attempt to break free, they ended up slingshotting through space and time to land in orbit of Earth during World War Three. The people they lost, everyone injured and in a coma, returning to 2419 into 2420 in a universe completely transformed... The Terran Union. The Alliance of Worlds. No Starfleet or United Federation of Planets...

After all that, she stopped and gave him a moment to take it all in.

Alex took a deep breath. “Well I guess that explains the strange feeling I was having. Now I understand it all. So from a Security stand point. I have to focus on the safety and security of the ship more than ever!” Said Sexton

"There are certain more security points to consider, although safety of the ship has always been paramount," she agreed. "I would take some time to read up in the ship's computer about what we've learned so far about this universe and how we're viewed in it."

“This leaves us with a very special concern. A ship like ours is a commodity. The powers that be will at some point want to control such a dynamic force to be reckoned with. And forming an alliance will be dangerous at best. So I imagine we need to tread carefully. At least until we can find a way home. If that’s even possible. But I’m sure this is all diff that you have thought of whilst I was in my slumber. Just tell me what you want captain and I’ll do my level best to make it happen.” Said Sexton with a different demeanour than before.

Mallory smiled rueful. "I'm afraid you'll need to learn more about the place we've ended up. They do not see the Odin as a commodity. We have been, thus far, looked down on. We are in a militaristic world and they see us as coming from a place of science and discovery, so what value we'd have to them is considered little. Our best bet so far is to just not seem a threat or an annoyance until we can find a way to fix the timeline, or find a new place to settle. Some alliances may be our only hope."

“I agree. A safe haven in this storm is a good idea. But do we have any in site into fixing the time line?” He asked

"No," she answered honestly, "and I am very aware that it may, in fact, be impossible, but we are still studying the timeline, trying to see if it may be possible."

"Then I will study our present time and learn all I can. I like to be ready so I don't have to get ready. I'll make sure security is ready on all fronts. And even though we have a shortage of personnel, I'll speak to other department heads in an effort to bolster security for anyone who is off shift should we have a major problem. If that's ok with you?" He asked

She nodded. "Certainly," she replied. "After all, we're all going to have to wear many hats, so to speak."

He took a deep breath. “Well Captain, now that I’m caught up. I think we can end this little pity party I was having. But you have to believe me. I thought I was losing my mind things were so different. I never said anything to my wife because I did not want her to worry. But I’m good now. I’ll get right down to work as promised and I won’t let you down.” Said Alex in a much more positive demeanour than before.

"I'm sure you won't," Mal said. "Well, you should get back to it then. You still have a lot of reading to do."

Alex stood up. “Aye Captain. I’m on it.” And he grabbed his padd and left the room.

 

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