[Prelude - Act 4] Maj Wes Greaves - Once More, Into the Breach

[Alora DeVeau]

Jacob, Greaves' player, is always an excellent writer, but I found his personal log in particular rather poignant. 

 

((5 Hours After the Oumuamua's Arrival)) 

((XO's Office, Deck 1, USS Thor)) 

 

First Officer's Log, supplemental 

 

I still haven't had time to talk it over with Commodore V'Airu, so no idea how the Oumuamua got here so fast, but their sudden appearance has saved countless lives. Possibly even the Thor herself. The Oumuamua has transferred most of her engineering staff to the Thor and their entire small craft complement has been collecting the survivors of our evacuation. There's still a few dozen unaccounted for, but we believe we'll find them before the day is done. That's the good news.  

 

The bad news is the cost to this all. I had thought the QSD incident was the worst I'd ever see… I wish that was so. Even if all of our missing crew come back alive our casualties still make me sick. 167 dead. Over 200 injured. Many of them critically. We've transferred the worst of them to the Oumuamua's facilities and work continues on restoring spaceworthiness to the Thor. She won't sail under her own power and warp is out of the question, but with a tow we might just get her back to Federation space and a drydock in one piece. It'd go faster if the Oumuamua had come out with her full crew complement, but since she's running a skeleton crew we're relying mostly on the recovered evacuees to get back to work immediately.  

 

As for the crew who remained behind during evacuation, I've ordered them to 12 hours of mandatory rest as well as medical follow ups aboard the Oumuamua. I personally led the charge on medical exams and it seems I got off light with just a sprained wrist and the cut to my head. As tired as I am though, the work on the Thor is going to be significant, and she needs someone familiar with the current situation to guide our initial efforts. I've decided to forgo my own order for at least today. I'll get a nap when I can, but until the critical repairs are a sure thing and until we account for the rest of the crew, I'm going to remain on the bridge directing the recovery efforts.  

 

Commodore V'Airu has assured me that her senior staff, or at least the ones with her, are working to track down the Dominion Battlercruiser which abducted Commodore Kells. The plan is to pursue once we can get the Thor stabilized, and it's a plan I fully support. I just fear that we're going to take too long getting off this ball of water and the skipper will be lost forever. I've been running the events through my head of how we got to this point trying to find where I went wrong. What I could have done differently… and I'm just coming up dry. I made the right call every step of the way. I'm sure of it… but we still lost so many people.  

 

(Silence) 

 

(Silence) 

 

(Silence) 

 

Major Jordans told me something once about leadership. It was right after we lost Newson--- After I lost Newson. He said that leadership was hard, but the hardest part was the inevitable day where you make the best decisions in a bad situation and lose good people.  

 

I thought he meant it as a reminder that bad things happen to good people and that's what we signed up for. What he really meant was that the harshest lesson of leadership is that you and your team can give their all and still lose. He was trying to teach me to understand that. To embrace it and move on. I think today I think I understand it better now. 

 

(Silence) 

 

End log. 

 

((Several days later)) 

((Bridge, Deck 1, USS Oumuamua)) 

15 hours. Wes hadn't slept that long in… ever possibly? Not since he was in his early 20s at the very least. And the sonic shower… oh man had that felt amazing. So good he'd almost fallen asleep standing up. And a fresh uniform even! Wes had thought he'd never feel the sensation of clean fabric again. 

 

With the Oumuamua's help and a tremendous effort from the surviving engineering teams, they'd gotten the Thor into orbit and operating at 1/4 impulse all on her own. It had taken another half day to reinforce the weakened hull for tow, which is when Wes had finally gotten to a clean and dark set of quarters aboard the Luna class ship for his first chance at true rest in days. Now with both ships ready, they were underway with the Vesta class in tow. Most of the crew had been transferred to the Oumuamua leaving only a skeleton crew aboard to the Thor to manage things, and now Wes had been summoned to see Commodore V'Airu along with the ship's XO, Lieutenant Commander Hartmann. 

 

Which was the reason Wes was currently standing on the bridge, leaning against the bulkhead near thte turbolift. He was waiting for Hartmann. The ship's current crew situation was complicated. With most of the crew being from the Thor but led by a mixture of Oumuamua and Thor senior staff, there was bound to be some strange feelings. Wes was an XO with a crew and no ship. Hartmann was an XO with a ship and no crew. The Marine wanted to head any sour feelings off at the pass. 

 

The hiss of turbolift doors announced the arrival of the other first officer and Wes pushed off the wall making himself visible to catch the man before he strode directly to the CO's office. 

 

Greaves: Hey, Hartmann, wait up. (Motioning to the side of the bridge) Got a sec to talk before we go inside? 

 

Hartmann: Response 

 

The Marine led the way to the corner of the bridge and waved away an ensign who was working on an auxiliary console there. For a few seconds Wes watched the crewman walk away until they were out of earshot then turned to face his counterpart. 

 

Greaves: (In a low voice) First off, I want to say thanks for everything you all have done the last few days. You saved lives, and you saved the Thor. Thank you. 

 

Hartmann: Response 

 

Greaves: So, I know this set-up we got going is weird. Your ship. My crew. Well, mixed crew, but mostly mine. And we're going after my skipper… under the command of yours… 

 

Hartmann: Response 

 

Greaves: I appreciate that. Really what I'm getting at is, I'm here to support you and Commodore V'Airu. Anything you need, let me know. This is your ship. I'm back-up… just don't sideline me.  

 

Hartmann: Response 

 

(OOC: Happy to continue this back and forth in a separate scene if you want Amanda)  

 

 

 

(( CO's Ready Room, Deck 1, USS 'Oumuamua )) 

With the XO relationship settled for now, the pair made their way to the Commodore's office and hit the chime before entering. V'Airu was as Wes remembered her. Professional. Organized. Possessing a piercing gaze and a demanding demeanor. The impression she gave off was cold, but Wes knew a bit better from his time with her in wargame exercises. The woman had a hidden streak of passion and a depth of experience few in Starfleet could match.  

 

With a flick of her gaze the Commodore directed him and Hartmann to sit which they quickly did before the woman began her briefing.  

 

V'Airu: Major, Commander. We will pursue the battlecruiser with all haste. Ask any questions you have before I assign your duties. 

 

Greaves: Good to hear ma'am. Have we been able to trail their warp signature or do we have a location in mind? 

 

Hartmann: Responses 

 

V'Airu: Unclear if the Alpha Quadrant was their destination, but Vomek reports that it appears to be en route to a Cenobian temple. (beat, to Greaves) Are you familiar with such a temple? 

 

Cenobian? The species was vaguely familiar from his pre-mission readings. Wes knew they were a Gamma Quadrant species with a home planet somewhere near old Dominion space. Past that, he wasn't overly knowledgeable about them.  

 

Greaves: No ma'am. I know of the Cenobians, but I'm not familiar with their religion.  

 

He looked to Hartmann to see if the other officer had a better understanding but Commodore V'Airu pressed on quickly.  

 

V'Airu: Very well. Then here are your assignments: Greaves, assemble a recovery team, to infiltrate the battlecruiser on intercept and beam aboard to recover the commodore. Based on Thor personnel files, I suggest a team of Basilia, Kel, and Brodie. The commodore may need immediate assistance, both medical and psychological.  

 

Greaves: Aye aye, ma'am. 

 

V'Airu: Hartmann, oversee the engineering team. We need a way through Dominion shields. (beat) You will also command shipboard defense, should we need it. Take Thor's chief of engineering, Corelli, and tactical officer Kessler, plus assistant chief of security Richards and medical officer Toz. Cover all your bases. 

 

Though she had issued the orders to Hartmann, her gaze also flicked to Greaves, to see if he had any insight to offer regarding his officers.  

 

Hartmann: Response 

 

Greaves: Agreed.  

 

V'Airu: (sharp nod) I will remain on the bridge. Cabrillo and Vomek will remain with me, plus Katsim and Ulasso from Thor. (beat) Questions? 

 

The woman cut her briefing sharply with a final question. The suddenness and the directness caught Wes off guard. It was a style wholly unlike Commodore Kells, and yet it was one he was familiar with from his previous time as the woman's acting first officer. It served as a reminder to the bad taste that experience had left him with. This time however there was a lot more riding on their success or failure. His reply was equally to the point.  

 

Greaves: None. 

 

Hartmann: Response 

 

V'Airu: Very well. Dismissed. 

 

The two were off and away in a moment, and Ossa followed them a few seconds later. 

 

 

 

(OOC - Happy to backsim anything in these two scenes, otherwise I'm gonna press on to the set up) 

 

=========================
Major Wes Greaves
Executive Officer
Marine Detachment Commander
USS Thor - NCC 82607
E239702WG0
=========================