EXETERRPG: (3 - 0037, 0058) FO Cmdr Ailynn Bracken

[Mark Howard]

Mission: Murder on the Exeter Express

Day: 3

Stardate: 2445.12.03



(USS Exeter – Deck 9, In front of Holodeck 3– FO Cmdr Ailynn Bracken – 0037)





"Ailynn, I get that I do. But it has to be me." He paused. "Look, you are
in no shape to lead a mission like this. You've had almost no sleep in the
last 24 hours. You're tired and fatigued. I on the other hand had rest, and
enough caffeine to get me through this. I'm more alert than you right now.
Essentially I'm all jacked up on mountain dew. I can't send Merek, we need
her on the outside. Ravok, he needs back up. I don't want to risk any more
folks."



“Dammit Trip I am more than capable of overcoming a small amount of
tiredness, the adrenaline alone has shifted that. I can not let you do
this.” She answered gently, but firmly.



"Look Lynn, this isn't just me ordering my crew into a situation they may
not come back from, this is me ordering them into a situation where they
may cease to exist before even getting there. The odds.... the odds are not
like they were at the asteroid. I can't, I can't ask anyone to do something
I'm not willing to do. I know the risks, to my ship, my crew, my family.
But I knew those risks every time we flew a mission...."



“This is not the same thing. I am not about to let you go pulling rank
rolling against those odds just because you want to play hero and make up
for…” Ailynn was getting annoyed. The longer that they spent discussing
things...



"Look I know what you're going to say, no this isn't me trying to make up
for the fact that I left men behind, stranded, during the second battle of
Wolf 359. If not for Frost and the Honey Badgers, we;d have lost the bulk
of them. I know when to make the tough call, I know when to make that
order. But I also know, I want to give folks a fighting chance. I wouldn't
make this choice if I didn't think you were capable of taking my
place....if the worst happened."



“I understand that, I do, however, that is my job to get sent into these
situations, it’s my job to lead the team, it’s my job to take them out, get
things done and bring them back, and I will not sit idly by, wondering if
today is the day that I become Captain because my oldest friend decided to
use his prerogative, and be on an insanely dangerous beam in, instead of
where he should be, i.e. on the Bridge.” Ailynn’s tone was crisp, not quite
sharp, but far more forceful and carefully annunciated than normal, another
sign that her patience was wearing thin.



Trip grumbled and then nodded. "$#%@! You're right. You're always right. My
place will always be on the bridge, it's not just a pride thing, it's duty,
its responsibility. @#$&" Trip turned and punched the screen where the
words you didn't say he magic words was scrolling, and absolutely destroyed
it.



"Sorry about that. Look, get some caffeine stimulants. You're leading the
team."



She nodded. “Captain.”

She was all business now. If there was one thing, above all else that had
always utterly unnerved her friends and colleagues at the Academy, it was
how fast her manner changed. In between heartbeats she could turn from
playful, to full on utter concentration, from appearing almost vapid, to
having her entire intellect laser focussed on a problem.



She was aware of Trip giving out orders to the rest of the team.  She
turned as she moved to leave the room, her surgeon's fingers pulling her
hair into a beautifully tight french braid as she spoke. “Suited and
booted, wheels up in twenty minutes, Emergency Transporter 2.”



She got to the door once more and stopped, looking at Trip, she didn’t say
anything, but held his gaze for a moment, then nodded, and left the room.



(Reply Trip only IYW)



(USS Exeter – Emergency Transporter Room 2 – FO Cmdr Ailynn Bracken – 0058)



Merek was making the final adjustments. “Positions please, transport in two
minutes.” Keira announced when Kruze entered the room.



“I made it! I made it!” Heinrich called out. “Sorry about that, got a
little lost.” He hurried up to one of the pads and waited.



“No problem Doctor. Form up at the rear and make ready.”



She stepped toward Kiera, and spoke to her quietly, her voice dropping to a
whisper that none other could hear. “If this goes wrong ace, it’s been an
honour. Do not blame yourself, we’re doing what we have to do.”

(reply Kiera)

As she stepped away her mind was mostly on the job ahead, but a part of it
was already inside the holodeck, her closest friend was in there, going
through who knows what.

She stood on the pad and nodded to Kiera, and then spoke to the others.
“Make ready,” Then to Merek. “Energise”

(Reply none)

(posted by Mark)
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