“Welcome back Commanders, lieutenant. The views from the sensors were spectacular in themselves. I would imagine seeing them up close would be outstanding.” Morr beamed, as he greeted the returning officers, watching on as they unlatched and began to remove helmet sections of the protective suits. It was at times like these Vilgi, envied the tasks that went with the first officer or even second officer roles, the chance to step foot on the truly unknown. Perhaps if the opportunity presented itself in the foray after this next one he was about to order.

“It was like nothing I’ve ever seen, Captain. I wouldn’t have blamed you for taking this one.” Merrova responded, a huge smile plastered on her face, clearly enthralled by the discovery, that love would serve her well as a captain in her own right, which Vilgi suspected would not be too long off for her.

“Protocol, which is a bland reason but it is a reason, besides it would have deprived yourself.” Vilgi responded with a grin at her genuine comment, her willingness to share the unseen and unknown was truly endearing, one Vilgi valued immensely. “I partly regret having to pull you away, but we have a room of flight officers and science officers with a number of theories to match about how to get home. Your coordination experience will come in handy, Merrova.” He explained his reason for her withdrawal, he needed someone who would give them focus and weed out the questionable idea and follow the worthwhile, in short he needed her to show off her leadership abilities.

“Not quite as exciting as an alien world, but necessary. I will see what we’re working with. Sir” Merrova responded with a slightly resigned look gracing her face at this point. This was ample demonstration her observance of duty and respect for command was strong enough for her to get on with and see a task though.

“Wren, you’ve logged the most flight hours and you navigation skills are equally as impressive. I need a route home should we get the aperture open. Lease with Merrova as needed.”  Giving his reason for his operations manager being rotated out of the away team, knowing full well both he and the ship and crew would need the benefit of experience for this particular task. Besides, it would give her a bit of independence and the opportunity to show how well she liaises with other departments, something that would become necessary for her to complete the task.

“Aye, I’ll park myself in engineering. Work from there.” Wren acceded, braking off unclipping the torso from the waist fattenings to face her captain while they exchanged information, respectful to the last but apparently and plainly unimpressed with having to return and clearly trying to avoid being in a room full of scientists, if her facial expressions and overall demeanor were anything to go by. At least this task would give her the opportunity to work on said attitudes, with the support of a superior.

The doors to the bay swished open, striding in came a second Andorian officer, kitted out in EVA suit apart from the helmet which he carried under one arm. Grasped in his other hand was a piece of gear that while not being standard issue would definitely be of benefit.

“If that’s what I think it is. Excellent thinking Lieutenant.” Wren stated a smile now brightening her face at the prospects it engendered.
“Well it’ll give any crew a chance to take a turn on the rather unique planet, even if it is in a recreation.” Channack responded, with a nod and with his usual flat expression, despite the lateral thinking and general thoughtfulness of the action. It was now almost expected for the young Andorian to be a fairly tough one to read in terms of mood and thought process. “Lieutenant th’Zerran Reporting for away team as ordered, Commander, Captain.” He stated next, protocol fulfilled as expected.

“The site selected satisfies both the ease of access criteria, and the exposure criteria. Medical recommends no more than fifty minutes on the day-side. Based on the rotation speed you should enter the transition to night in approximately forty minutes. Make sure your team is out of the sea by then, and have a fall back position in case it becomes necessary.” Vilgi began his short briefing to all three of the away team members, he made sure to memorize the specifics and timings. Eye contact he felt was all important in these instances, wanting to convey his interest in not just the task but the people assigned to the task, and his confidence he had in each of them. As he glanced across their faces each one wore a slightly different expression but mostly  eager and excited, and in Bacshi’s case a little nerves at leading. His last point however was addressed directly at Bacshi, reinforcing the team’s safety was his responsibility.

“Aye Sir. We’ll be sure to have enough samples to add to the haul and keep Starfleet science busy for the coming months.” Bacshi responded, confident and eager. Hefting his helmet piece he delivered his first instruction. “Away team ready for departure, perform comm check.” Sliding the headgear onto his shoulders, securing it, and turning, stepped back up to the pad. Followed closely by the Andorian twins.

“Energise.” Came the tinny, clipped, command from Isshan Bacshi via the suit comm. Behind them the operator complied and three suited crew shimmered as the matter disassembly took place and eventually disappeared from the room.

“Merrova, keep an eye on Mavern, he had a lot to say for himself, during a brainstorming session among those tasked with investigating how we got here and how to get back.” Morr advised his first officer once the transporter operator had left the room. “Your charm and knack for morale is needed as well, there are bound to be a few frayed nerves.” He added kindly, knowing full well he needed the particular talents she brought to bear on intense situations at this point.

“Of course and yourself, sir.” Merrova countered with her usual grace clothing the frank questioning of himself, her direct superior. It was a quality he rather encouraged, she was one of the few persons who could really check him out here, and when she inevitably made the big chair herself, having the stomach for calling out orders would be all the more important. Also them both being on the same page was all important.

“Tactical and after action reports on the Tzenkethi. Long range sensors pinged a ship on patrol. If they come knocking i need to be ready.” Morr explained simply, and with a slight sigh, all the wanderers of the current circumstances and hostilities had to be considered, tactics had to be devised. At the very least he could shield much of the crew from that fact, for the moment. He deliberately side stepped the implicit question of his own wellbeing, that too could wait, for now.

“Understood Captain. I’ll catch up with you in fifty.” Merova acceded with a smile, turned and walked out of the bay. Vilgi followed several paces behind, turning the opposite direction and making for the turbolift grouping that led to the bridge and ultimately his ready room.

A holo display with four – way split screen hovered over the modest sized desk, tactical reports made up two of the four, an after action report accounting for the third, and a working window as the final quarter, on which a number of procedures and maneuver combinations were indicated in the captain’s particular shorthand. Alongside were smaller holo-displays of two sets of tactical analysis from a pair of PADDs left at odd angles to the immediate right of the larger display. One hand pinching a flapjack portion between thumb and forefinger, the other midway to the input area, a face of concentration and contemplation staring at and through the displayed information.

The silence was broken by a call from the bridge.

“Bridge to Captain Morr, sir telemetry indicates a build up of graviton energy in all four probes sent to scan and record our entry site. Are we expecting a test? Should I inform the crew?” The apparent genuine question was reinforced by the fact the watch officer seemed thrown by the break in the information chain.

“We are not.” Vilgi’s first response was to the point, aiming at establishing some certainty once again. “Continue to monitor, keep me apprised, and be ready to sever the uplink to the probes.” Then provided the addition of more instructions, allowing the bridge crew and by extension him a means to control the situation once more.

“Morr to Merrova, Commander, as a rule your playing a hunch is followed by a level of explanation or at least a warning. It seems distinctly lacking in this case, care to elaborate?” He quired, having risen from his chair, stepping from behind the desk, tactical possibilities put to the back in place of the immediate. He was halfway to the door, pausing for the expected response, intending to emerge with more information and in agreement with his first officer.

“I would do, if I had anything to tell. I’m currently between medical and engineering. Our situation has changed?” Came the concerned and puzzled response from his second in command. Not one he was used to hearing and a cause of concern, either the environment was or a rogue officer at fault, with neither being a particularly attractive option to contemplate.

“Get back to the repair bay and re-assert your authority! I will attempt to control the situation from up here.” Morr responded with directness he reserved for exactly this sort of happening, containment was key, the why’s and how’s and who’s could wait until calmer times.

“Aye.”

Emerging from behind the ready room doors, Vilgi was greeted first with the almost neck snapping glances from the pair at the forward stations, his eyes settling first on the empty center chair and then the tactical officer, the watch officer and a relief officer, gaggle around the aft wall display that was serving as mission operations at present.

“Report.” He called, now moving across the deck space, his path intending to skim the tactical console and then arrive at the aft wall display.

“All four probes have a significant build up of graviton energy in their capacitors. Also recent attitude commands have them pointed along a bearing of two six two mark four one.” The human male tactical officer reported, bruskly, turning to face Vilgi as he spoke.

“Computer access probe uplink pathway. Insert command approval check. Bridge authorisation voice print.” Vilgi stated quickly, following through on his intent to exert a level of control before things got too far out of hand, unfortunately his command came a moment too late as the next report indicated.

“Graviton pulse activated.” Came a panicked shout from the relief ensign.

Computer override all commands to active probes. Return to standby state.” Vilgi responded quickly, calmly, spinning around and he took a pace forward. His eyes were now fixed on the viewscreen display, the sensors keyed to activity in the system had the four probes and the runaway discharge center screen. Another pace forward, he could now lean forward with both hands on the rail behind the command chair, watching along with the rest of his crew, it was in these moments he felt more a part of the crew than most other times. The waiting for an event to happen, waiting for the opportunity to act once again.

The quad pulses of energy found the location of the spatial instability, almost akin to phasers striking an invisible deflector shield, the energy spread across the area, outlining its extent. They began to swell around, the beams turning into blankets and waves, a blackness opened in the middle, the energy twisted and curled into a band that circled the black, a toothless maw, a bottomless cavern. Then came the collapse, the band contracted, rushed inwards folding up the black, bunching into the center, ever inward until it was too much.

A brilliant flash, causing Vilgi to duck his head, close his eyes, for a millisecond.

Head up, the view once again displayed a band of energy, this time it radiated outward, a rippling tail.

“Captain the collapse has formed a gravitational wave, level five, no six. I will engulf the entire system. Time to impact from mark. Two minutes forty one seconds.” Came the shaky report from the forward operations station, they only turned while relaying the impact estimate, then back to the station.

“Get the away team off that rock. Then raise shields.” Vilgi ordered pacing around into a central position, expecting to be taking a seat very soon.

“External transporter activity is not possible due to particle excitation in the immediate area.” The unwelcome report from tactical, preceded moments before by the standard and in these cases highly frustrating error tone.

“Helm, break orbit, up and over the planet. Put the Rubidoux point one AU from the surface. Bow on. Lets see if having a big mass in the way makes any difference.” Vilgi instructed, he was well and truly riffing, to use a musical term, at this point. Safety of ship and crew foremost in his mind as he finally took his seat.