After But Unresolved

Posted on Sun Oct 24th, 2021 @ 4:13pm by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Major Samuel King & Lieutenant Samantha Leyton & Commander William Gerhard & Lieutenant Avira zh'Kenarh M.D. & Ensign Michael Sloan & Ensign Elegy Nascimento

Mission: Mission 4 - Eden
Location: Deck A - Captain’s ready room
Timeline: Day 180 10:00
1515 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

It was two days since the incident in the Caelestis and though Beth was not 100% back to business nor wanting to fall asleep every second of the days she was no longer in sickbay and alert enough to be able to talk to all the senior officers properly. She watched them come in solemnly, some more than others as they stood about the small space. Normally she could have chosen a better location than her office and having everyone in there but the mere thought of moving around made her feel sick and she was pretty sure everyone understood and if they did not it was Captain prerogative as well as a medical order.

“I am not going to ask how people are or not. I have had those conversations separately for the most part.” She said thinking of the conversations with King and Gerhard in sickbay. They were difficult to remember properly but she knew that they had happened and hoped her words were some comforts. No one was to blame for the chain of events. “I want to know how our final preparations are going to part ways with the Caelestis. Do we now have what we need or do we need more time?”

Avira didn't want to press her luck too much, but she needed the results from her medical scan and treatment properly before they could depart. This was probably her only chance at an easy solution for her medical situation, "I still have some things to sort out in the medical facilities. Should be finished by our departure time."

Samantha was quiet as she looked about the room, gauging everyone. Most seemed tired and tense, alot like herself she was sure. She would let the department heads give their reports. She hoped engineering had all of the fuel aboard by now as last she heard they were getting close to finishing. She was happy being aboard the Atlantis as any thought of going over to that damned ship made her want to blow it apart bulkhead by bulkhead.

“Will two days be enough time Doctor?” Beth asked quickly. She did not want to stay any longer after setting the ship on auto pilot.

"It'll have to be." Avira gave a bit of a nod and a modest smile. She'd take all time that was afforded to her. "Does the order to go there only in duo's still stand?" She'd prefer some privacy, but couldn't go against orders.

“Yes.” Beth said simply not even waiting for Gerhard or anyone else with an opinion on whether they should or should not. She was not taking chances despite being 100% sure that there was no one else on the ship other than them now. “Nathaja might be dead but let’s not push our luck.”

Leaning against a bulkhead, Elegy Nascimento rubbed the back of his neck and he nodded at those words. "The science department is ready for departure, Captain," he said in his role as department head. "We've collected enough resources to make the physical sciences lab operational again in a couple of weeks. The hydroponics bay is deeply stocked with fruit and vegetable seedlings, should protein run low again."

Beth offered a smile to the man as that was one of the first pieces of good news she had heard since she woke up. “Good. Can we make sure that Jones has support if needs be for the hydroponics bay now?”

That question brought a cringe to Elegy's lips, but he tried to force it into a smile. Tilting his head from side to side, Elegy replied, "We're stretched in science. Between illness and... the losses. But I'm working on a new duty roster to spread out the team between two labs, the bridge and hydroponics -- and to phase out anyone working double shifts."

Beth was not pleased about it but she could not exactly magic crew members for him out of thin air no matter if she really want to. “Keep me informed Ensign.” She said gently.

William stood with his fellow officers with his hands behind his back. His forehead still had the appearance of a bruise, but the headaches had stopped. He listened abstractly as he fought to keep the last moments seeing Nathaja going over the railing out of his mind. He nodded when he heard the captain's response to the questions. "There still is the question of what to do with the ship itself though, should we place a signal beacon warning not to board," he asked as he looked at Beth, "I think its only prudent to prevent another ship undergoing the same scenario we have."

“We are going to autopilot it into the nearest sun,” Beth said with a sad look. It was a cemetery and Beth did not want to expose anyone else to future tech or stumble on all the bodies. No one outside of a small group of people knew that ship was from the future and an even smaller group knew about the datacore under lock and key in one of the unused science labs.

"Will that damned AI over there allow that?" Samantha asked. If the AI was truly an AI, would it allow itself to be destroyed?

"She has disappeared. She is an Emergency Disaster Engagement Network and the emergency for her has disappeared. I am guessing she no longer has anything to respond to." Beth said simply. It was only her thoughts but it was a logical route now that the only member of the crew was dead.

William nodded solemnly when he heard the ultimate fate of the ship. He looked around at his colleagues before looking back at the captain, "And what about the datacore we recovered, should we return it so it is destroyed with the rest of the ship?"

Beth glanced to Sloan before looking at Gerherd again and shook her head. “No. That is staying with us. It has got uses for us.” She said putting that decision on her. They would be careful with it. “It is going to be under lock and key and no one apart from O’Connery and Jackson know of its existence right now.”

Sam stared out the solitary window, his mind occupied with the events of the recent times. He was always conflicted in times where someone he was trying to stop died. Normally it was more cut and dry, someone is doing harm, they intend on that harm and he stops them. This time their was confusion, sadness and what felt like loneliness from Nathaja, and now he was gone. He did the right thing in his book, it was just a shame someone had to die to achieve it. "The MACOs are ready to leave when you are." he said simply, not looking from the window. The Caelestis was drifting on by and he had been listening to the plans for it. "EDEN may be gone for now, but surely setting a course for collision with a sun would reactivate it?" he asked. "Sounds like a disaster to me... may be worthwhile disconnecting the helm from other systems so she cannot interfere once the course is set."

“She is gone. Her program is no longer active. There is no disaster.” Beth repeated thinking back to what she could remember from being in the statis chamber. It was like a dream but she was very sure that the program was gone. “We already have control of the Helm and everything else,” Beth said looking at the PADD in front of her and the Crystal she had requested to be brought from the other ship.

“Anyone else have anything to report?” Beth demanded not wanting to keep them there when they had other things to do.

William shook his head in response to the captain's request. He knew that he needed to close out the investigative file, even though there was little point now after what happened a few days ago, but he felt it would help him put the incident behind him. He was ready to get underway again and get back into his routine of normal shipboard operations.

"No Captain," Samantha replied. "We'll go with your plan of sending the ship off to the nearest star once all supplies are transferred."

"Nothing from me, Captain." Samuel replied turning himself to face the room. He assumed they would all be leaving soon and looking out the window had served its use.

Sparing a glance out the viewport too, Elegy solemnly remarked, "We all have gratitude to report to the passengers of the Caelestis." --He looked to the Captain, understanding what this mission had cost her, and what this strange ship from the future had lost as well-- "Without their fuel, there's little chance we'd still be walking our long road home at all."

“Yes my sentiments exactly Ensign.” Beth nodded at them all and let them go once they all confirmed they had nothing further to report. She had almost wished that there was something, it all felt unresolved.