Post by Xaa on Oct 9, 2005 18:31:47 GMT -5
The bridge door irised open, and I stepped through smartly, T'Vak in tow. "Admiral on the bridge!" T'Vak called without hesitation.
The bridge crew at their stations jumped as though hit by a jolt of electricity, and sat at attention - save for B'Dasa, the first officer, who didn't move in her chair (AI don't startle). I looked around, and was relieved to see V'Losh hadn't invited the ambassadors to join her on the bridge for a pre-flight briefing. Of course, one of the ambassadors, Azaziel, couldn't even fit on the bridge, nor was it likely the NAD ambassadors or ambassador from Lovelock would be terribly impressed anyway - the former having no emotions, and the latter being too alien from us to probably have the same reaction to the start of a mission.
V'Losh looked over her shoulder as she sat in her chair, saw me, then rolled her eyes. "At ease," she called, then sighed. "Admiral, really. We're preparing to launch, and-"
"I'm aware of that, Captain," I replied. "I'm here to relieve you."
V'Losh smiled at me, again like an adult might smile at a child who had inadvertently said something funny. "Admiral, don't be ridiculous. I'm far too busy to discuss this at the moment. Perhaps later?"
"Yeoman, read paragraph three of my orders from Fleet Command to the Captain."
T'Vak spoke up without hesitation, holding the orders before her. "Rear Admiral Evliir Mortalae D'Shan is hereby ordered to transfer aboard and assume full command of the Evening Star, VSS-2309, effective immediately."
V'Losh snorted. "I'm sure that reads 'honorary command', Yeoman."
T'Vak turned the orders around, printed side towards V'Losh. "Negative, Captain. The Admiral has been ordered to assume full command."
"And that is what I intend to do," I said, and stood next to V'Losh as she sat in her command chair. "Captain, I am here to relieve you."
The proper response, of course, would be for V'Losh to simply stand and say "I stand relieved." She and I would then exchange a salute, and she would step aside. But, I doubted that was what was going to happen. Given the depth of the political crisis T'Vak had laid out, it had occurred to me that the Opposition Party had probably already quietly contacted V'Losh, and told her the kinds of things they wanted to see in treaties she negotiated. And probably promised her a lucrative position in politics after she returned. She could easily resign her commission at the conclusion of this voyage, step into the political arena, and parlay the fame from this particular mission into a tremendous political career. Maybe even become the next prime minister. Yes, the prize of a lifetime lay before her - and all she had to do was keep her butt tight in that captain's chair, tell me to get lost, and make it stick.
V'Losh's chin firmed. "Admiral, don't be ridiculous. You can't possibly command this vessel, you're five centuries out of your time. Now go back to your cabin. We'll discuss this later."
I felt my heart pounding, adrenalin singing through my veins. Everything was on the line, here. I could feel it. Not just the command of this ship, or even the fate of the mission - everything. "No, Captain. You are relieved. Now get the hell out of my chair."
V'Losh snapped her head to her right. "B'Dasa, escort the Admiral to her cabin, by force if necessary. Keep her there under guard until I have time to deal with her."
B'Dasa shook her head. "I regret that I must decline, Captain."
V'Losh's eyes went wide with anger. "What?! This is mutiny!" She rose from her seat suddenly, her right hand flying across her chest...
Then froze, holding perfectly still, her sidearm half-way out of its holster.
This was because I had the muzzle of my sidearm pressed firmly to her forehead.
"You're right, V'Losh. It is mutiny. Your mutiny. I've been given command of this vessel, and you've refused to relinquish it to me. You've even attempted to draw a sidearm to enforce your will, in open defiance of orders from Fleet Command, and probably the only reason you aren't ordering us all around at gunpoint right now is that I'm faster on the draw than you. Surrender your weapon to First Officer B'Dasa, Captain, you are relieved."
V'Losh glared at me, and I could see in her eyes I was right - the only reason she wasn't ordering us around at gunpoint was I was faster on the draw than she was. Unfortunately for her, the last time she practiced drawing her sidearm was probably at her annual qualification - which, most likely, was months ago, and was little more than an annual formality. I, however, had just finished a solid week of training and qualification shooting, and thanks to the Europans, the body I had was young and fast. Finally, V'Losh sneered. "You wouldn't shoot. You're a damn pacifist from the past, you never carried a weapon in your life!"
I looked her straight in the eyes. "They tell me that at close range, this slug-thrower delivers about a metric ton of kinetic energy to its target. That kind of energy will splash your brains and blood all over me and everyone on this bridge, Captain. Probably maintenance will be picking little bits of your skull-bones out of the carpet for weeks. But if you think I won't pull this trigger, blow your head off, then just brush bloody bits of your brain and skull off that chair, sit right down and follow my orders from Fleet Command to the letter, you've got another think coming."
The bridge crew at their stations jumped as though hit by a jolt of electricity, and sat at attention - save for B'Dasa, the first officer, who didn't move in her chair (AI don't startle). I looked around, and was relieved to see V'Losh hadn't invited the ambassadors to join her on the bridge for a pre-flight briefing. Of course, one of the ambassadors, Azaziel, couldn't even fit on the bridge, nor was it likely the NAD ambassadors or ambassador from Lovelock would be terribly impressed anyway - the former having no emotions, and the latter being too alien from us to probably have the same reaction to the start of a mission.
V'Losh looked over her shoulder as she sat in her chair, saw me, then rolled her eyes. "At ease," she called, then sighed. "Admiral, really. We're preparing to launch, and-"
"I'm aware of that, Captain," I replied. "I'm here to relieve you."
V'Losh smiled at me, again like an adult might smile at a child who had inadvertently said something funny. "Admiral, don't be ridiculous. I'm far too busy to discuss this at the moment. Perhaps later?"
"Yeoman, read paragraph three of my orders from Fleet Command to the Captain."
T'Vak spoke up without hesitation, holding the orders before her. "Rear Admiral Evliir Mortalae D'Shan is hereby ordered to transfer aboard and assume full command of the Evening Star, VSS-2309, effective immediately."
V'Losh snorted. "I'm sure that reads 'honorary command', Yeoman."
T'Vak turned the orders around, printed side towards V'Losh. "Negative, Captain. The Admiral has been ordered to assume full command."
"And that is what I intend to do," I said, and stood next to V'Losh as she sat in her command chair. "Captain, I am here to relieve you."
The proper response, of course, would be for V'Losh to simply stand and say "I stand relieved." She and I would then exchange a salute, and she would step aside. But, I doubted that was what was going to happen. Given the depth of the political crisis T'Vak had laid out, it had occurred to me that the Opposition Party had probably already quietly contacted V'Losh, and told her the kinds of things they wanted to see in treaties she negotiated. And probably promised her a lucrative position in politics after she returned. She could easily resign her commission at the conclusion of this voyage, step into the political arena, and parlay the fame from this particular mission into a tremendous political career. Maybe even become the next prime minister. Yes, the prize of a lifetime lay before her - and all she had to do was keep her butt tight in that captain's chair, tell me to get lost, and make it stick.
V'Losh's chin firmed. "Admiral, don't be ridiculous. You can't possibly command this vessel, you're five centuries out of your time. Now go back to your cabin. We'll discuss this later."
I felt my heart pounding, adrenalin singing through my veins. Everything was on the line, here. I could feel it. Not just the command of this ship, or even the fate of the mission - everything. "No, Captain. You are relieved. Now get the hell out of my chair."
V'Losh snapped her head to her right. "B'Dasa, escort the Admiral to her cabin, by force if necessary. Keep her there under guard until I have time to deal with her."
B'Dasa shook her head. "I regret that I must decline, Captain."
V'Losh's eyes went wide with anger. "What?! This is mutiny!" She rose from her seat suddenly, her right hand flying across her chest...
Then froze, holding perfectly still, her sidearm half-way out of its holster.
This was because I had the muzzle of my sidearm pressed firmly to her forehead.
"You're right, V'Losh. It is mutiny. Your mutiny. I've been given command of this vessel, and you've refused to relinquish it to me. You've even attempted to draw a sidearm to enforce your will, in open defiance of orders from Fleet Command, and probably the only reason you aren't ordering us all around at gunpoint right now is that I'm faster on the draw than you. Surrender your weapon to First Officer B'Dasa, Captain, you are relieved."
V'Losh glared at me, and I could see in her eyes I was right - the only reason she wasn't ordering us around at gunpoint was I was faster on the draw than she was. Unfortunately for her, the last time she practiced drawing her sidearm was probably at her annual qualification - which, most likely, was months ago, and was little more than an annual formality. I, however, had just finished a solid week of training and qualification shooting, and thanks to the Europans, the body I had was young and fast. Finally, V'Losh sneered. "You wouldn't shoot. You're a damn pacifist from the past, you never carried a weapon in your life!"
I looked her straight in the eyes. "They tell me that at close range, this slug-thrower delivers about a metric ton of kinetic energy to its target. That kind of energy will splash your brains and blood all over me and everyone on this bridge, Captain. Probably maintenance will be picking little bits of your skull-bones out of the carpet for weeks. But if you think I won't pull this trigger, blow your head off, then just brush bloody bits of your brain and skull off that chair, sit right down and follow my orders from Fleet Command to the letter, you've got another think coming."
