Rounding Up the Lost Sheep

Posted on Mon Jan 18th, 2021 @ 9:43pm by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Chief Petty Officer Ronson Mitchell & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Aurora Vali & Lieutenant Anna S. Thesia M.D.

Mission: Healing of Minds
Location: Liberty Bridge
Timeline: Current

The Bajoran ship was gone, destroyed in it's plunge the the atmosphere. However it's crew had been rescued. Savar now sat in the center seat on the Liberty bridge and thought if there was anything he could have done differently to save the ship. After a careful analysis, he concluded he and the Liberty crew had done all they could. He was roused from his musings by a call from tactical. "We're receiving an automatic hail from Captain Kaylen, sir. She asking us to come and pick her and Chief Petty Officer Remal up."

"Understood. Send the following message to the Captain. Shepard to lost sheep, it is time to come home."

Meanwhile back on Bajor, Rhenora and Remal had just made it to the transport hub and were organising transport back to the capitol city when a welcome sound erupted from her commbadge. The Liberty was back in range! Coffee, bed, showers, food and all the wonderful things that ship contained. It was her life.

"Kaylen to Liberty - let me know when you're back in transporter range - we're overdue for a meal and a shower"

"We will be in transporter range in twenty eight minutes and 17 seconds Captain." Savar's voice came through the combadge.

Rhenora couldn't help but smile as the voice of her XO echoed through the small combadge. The Liberty was so close she could almost reach out and touch it. "That sounds splendid Commander, make sure the coffee's hot when we get back"

"I will have coffee waiting for you and your husband upon your arrival back aboard the Liberty." Savar replied.

"We look forward to it, more than you realise" Rhenora signed off, sitting on a bench outside the transport hub. There were a few convenience food kiosks outside to appeal to the harried traveller. Half an hour...

The twenty eight minutes and seventeen seconds passed quickly and once again the Liberty was in orbit around Bajor. Savar was about to contact the Captain but stopped and tapped his combadge. "Mr. Mitchell, please come to the bridge."

Ronson was in his small office - the tiny kitchenette slowly being converted from coffee supply to tea supply with the change of command. Hearing his name being summoned he hastily poured a cup of the current favourite tea and scurried double time to the bridge.

"Captain Sir, you rang?" He offered the thermos of tea and a tea cup to the Vulcan in the centre chair.

"Mr. Mitchell, prompt and efficient as ever." Savar commented. "Thank you, yes." He answered as he took both. "I have an assignment for Mr. Mitchell, one I know you will enjoy. We are currently in orbit around Bajor, preparing to beam Captain Kaylen and her husband back aboard the Liberty. I would like you to meet them in the transporter room with cups of coffee for both of them. Can you do that?"

"What already? I thought she... no wait that was something the Engineer said..." His face flushed with embarrassment. "I thought she might not be coming back. Leaving your homeworld can be hard sometimes" He continued, trying to cover up his gaff "Not that I don't think you're a most excellent Captain, no Sir don't get me wrong there, you are indeed most excellent..." The recovery from the previous blunder was not going well.

Savar held up a hand to stop Ronson and his babbling. "Mr. Mitchell, I understand. Please stop your attempts to explain yourself. You are just compounding matters. Captain Kaylen is an outstanding Captain and I too am looking forward to her return to the ship and the center seat."

"Yes Sir, Very good Sir" Ronson retreated like a Ferengi who's been outbid and was making a hasty retreat. " When did you say the Captain was coming back?"

"As soon as my conversation with you is over and I contact her. So I would suggest that you make haste and prepare the coffee and be in the transporter room to greet Captain Kaylen upon her return. Where she will be most impressed with how efficient you are." Savar drily commented.

"Oh, you mean like NOW...now... right, on it Captain Sir" Ronson scarpered, making a mad dash to his tiny office to start preparing the required beverages. Thankfully he hadn't fully gotten around to completely removing the coffee machine and replacing it with the tea making facilities. One could never keep up with this ship sometimes!

Savar arched an eyebrow in amusement as Ronson scampered away to prepare the Captain's coffee. He would give the man time to prepare and get to the transporter room before contacting the Captain.

Ronson worked like a man possessed, resetting up the machine and scrambling to remember not only the Captain's usual order but that of her husband. He rummaged through the notebook he always kept for purposes such as this, frantically trying to find the information.

"No no no, it MUST be in here somewhere" He flustered, notebook in one hand, coffee thermos in the other. "Mitchell to Captain... just give me a few minutes Captain Sir... just.. trying... to sort this out.... just a minute!"

"Patience and cool head are advised Mr. Mitchell but the clock is ticking." Savar replied in his monotone as he pictured Ronson frantically looking for the blend of coffee the captain and her husband preferred.

"But I wasn't READY for this!" Ronson stammered, the sound of something breaking in the background causing several stifled giggles on the bridge to break out.

Savar silenced the looks with a glance as more muttered oaths came from Ronson's office.

The kerfuffle seemed to settle after a few more minutes and several more expletives - Ronson forgetting that he was still patched through to the bridge. " Right... now.. where did I put the beans.. not THOSE beans, THE beans..."

"Mr. Mitchell, we've entered orbit around Bajor." Savar told the yeoman and waited for his reply.

"Oh deaaarrrrr" The sound of beans being ground could be heard clearly on the bridge, the machine whirring into gear as hot water was pushed through the grinds, filling the cup beneath with the nectar that the Bajoran Captain was apparently missing. A milk frother could also be heard, whisking the white substance until it was hot and bubbly. He hated rushing his art and kicked himself for thinking the Captain had gone for good. He was going have stern words to that ensign in Engineering who told him such lies.

"I am preparing to contact the Captain Mr. Mitchell. Just making you aware, do not rush." Savar told the yeoman, knowing he would do the opposite.

"Nearly done..." The machine whirred into life again, filling the second cup with a slightly different blend. Thankfully Ronson had found his notebook item and an old scrawled note as to the Captain and her husband's particular tastes. The clanking of cups being hastily placed on saucers and the rustle of something nearby could be heard.

"Very good Mr. Mitchell, inform me when you are on your way to the transporter room and Mr. Mitchell, walk do not run."

"Yessir... walking, got the coffee, the bikkie, the chocolate powder... on my way Sir Captain Sir" Ronson carefully picked up the two cups and carefully balanced the biscuit delicately on the side of the saucer.

Savar saw Ronson leave his office with the cups and biscuit. "Mr. Mitchell, may I suggest you use a tray rather than carrying both cups in your hands. It would make things easier and look more professional." He pointed out.

Ronson had the nerve to look indignant " If I'd had more notice Captain Sir I would have had the time to locate it. Not a drop shall be spilt." He promised. " Are you coming?"

"An attitude Mr. Mitchell? That is so unlike you. As for you having more of a notice, you had the same amount of time I did. I would place a tray in my office if I were you for any future events like this." Savar replied frostily.

Ronson had the good manner not to reply least he dig himself a deeper hole. Instead he waited patiently for the turbolift to arrive and tried not to feel the daggers that were being glared into his back, nor the smothered giggles.

Savar watched as Ronson entered the lift and the lift doors closed. He waited for thirty seconds before contacting Captain Kaylen. "Liberty to Captain Kaylen, we are in position to beam you aboard Captain."

"Music to my ears, lock on to my commbadge and beam us up" The tired voice of the ship's Captain echoed through the comm system.

Savar was in the lift, heading to the transporter room, when he replied. "Transporter room, lock on to the Captain's com signal. Two to beam up." Thirty seconds later he stood in the transporter room as the Captain and her husband materialized on the pad.

As he stood beside Ronson, Savar spoke, "Mr. Mitchell, well done. I see you did not spill a drop."

Rhenora looked up as the transporter released her, the most amazing smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting from the two cups that Ronson was proudly holding.

"Is that what I think it is?" She asked, unable to resist the temptation of coffee. She prayed Savar hadn't made Ronson resort to decaf.

"Coffee has promised Captain. A small gift on your return." Savar spoke. "Welcome home.

That was when Anna walked into the transporter room. "You can enjoy it on your way to sickbay", she said. After the conversation they had had before they had gone on their little religious escapade, Anna felt it was best to make sure that they had, indeed, not changed. Anna would have been a lot more worried if she had known about the incident with Ferengi Grand Nagus Zek, but in a turn of events that was probably beneficial for the captain and her husband, at least as far as how thorough her examination was going to be, she was not, in fact, aware of it.

The look in Rhenora's eyes was a mix of shock and horror. Her dream of a hot meal, steaming shower, and a comfortable bed would have to wait again. At least Ronson had brought coffee.