<USS Avalon> "Battle Bridge Revisited"

"Battle Bridge Revisited"
CmdrSkyler, Sgt. Major Williams, Lyta Alexander, John Henderson and Vevay  
Davis.
 
Tension was high on the battle bridge as Phillipa began to move the Avalon  
into the wormhole. Lyta, John and V seemed to be working well together. As for  
Sgt. Major Williams, well that was a different story. Skyler didn't quite 
know  what to make of him.  

Skyler had  a lot on her mind. She was worried about finding this "temporal' 
wormhole, she  was worried about Josh and his plan to use a shuttle to close 
the wormhole. She  was worried about Melanie and her baby. She didn't want them 
to go through what  she had gone through.
 
"Sgt.  Major, have you found the wormhole or any signs of the Maquis?"

Greg  glanced over at the Commander and rolled his eyes.  "The wormhole has 
been  found, ma'am, Cadet Forester on the Main Bridge found it.  We are both 
now  working in tandem to find all Maquis ships in the area."
 
Skyler saw  the eye roll given her by Williams. She would deal with it at a 
later time. "It  would have been nice if you had informed me, without me having 
to ask. Next time  if you find something please be so kind as to let me know."
 
The  headache pounding in Skyler's head was not getting better, even after 
having  gone to see Georgia. She knew the reason and there really wasn't much 
she could  do about it.
 
"Vevay, are  all security measure's in place? I don't want any intruders 
unless authorized by  myself or cleared by you. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am, everything is secure,"  Vevay said.

Greg rattled off a salute, still managing to make it look  sarcastic despite 
it being textbook.  "Would you like full details of  everything the cadet and 
I find or is it sufficient to give you an  overview?  Because there's 
particularly interesting dust particles out  there, ma'am.  And the Hawking 
radiation..."  For the first time, the  Sergeant Major sound impressed.  "That 
boy did 
well, if you don't mind me  saying so.  Or is that disrespectful?  Do I need to 
salute a  cadet?  You know, since he's better than me, above me because he's  
attending the Academy."


"An  overview will be fine, and you cut the sarcasm it is beneath someone of 
your  standing. I don't mind you complimenting any crew member. In fact, if 
you have  no objection I will relay your compliment to the Captain and Cadet 
Forrester.  You can also cut out the salutes every time I ask a question. 
Respect 
is earned  and works both way Dr. Williams. We need to find a way to work 
together that is  not going to be disruptive to this crew or this mission. All 
I 
am asking is to  keep apprised of the situation. Is that asking too much?" If 
you only knew  my fears in regard to this mission maybe you would stop being 
such an  asshole. 
 
Lyta looked  at Vevay as if to say, what the hell is he doing? "V if you are 
not occupied at  the moment why don't you come down and sit with me. There 
really isn't much for  me to do at the moment and I could use the company." 
 
John nodded  that things were secure and she was free to go if she wanted.

"Sure,"  Vevay said, keeping her eyes on the Commander.  Perching on the 
chair next  to Lyta, she tried to smile again.  "The worst bit's the waiting,  
right?"
 
Lyta looked  at Vevay and grinned. "Yes, that is the worst part. It puts 
everyone on edge not  knowing what or when something is going to happen. Skyler 
feels it the most  because she feels responsible for all of us and because of 
her previous  experience with a temporal encounter. She really is very nice and 
easy to get  along with, especially when given the chance. She has treated you 
fairly and  kindly has she not? She has taken you advice on security issues 
without  questioning them or over riding them has she not? What the hell is the 
Sgt.  Major's major malfunction? No pun intended."

Greg tried not to listen but  it was too late.  Humphing a little, he 
reported his findings to the  Commander, his tone much more respectful than 
before.  
"There really is  nothing but the wormhole out there.  If there's a fleet of 
Maquis vessels,  I can't see them."

Vevay sighed as she tried not to take sides.  "I  like him," she said 
adamantly.  "Maybe if you met him away from here, you  would too."
 
"Perhaps I  would. I'm not saying I dislike him now, just that his attitude 
is not helping  the situation. I have heard that he is good at what he does but 
right now I  don't know what to think. But enough of this, I have that 
program set up if you  are still interested in seeing the aurora borealis 
lights?"
 
"Thank you  for the report Dr. Williams. As for the Maquis, we know that they 
have obtained  some new weapons and other technology from the future. They 
could possibly be  using some of this technology to escape detection. I know 
trying to find  anything in the badlands is like looking for a needle in a 
haystack, but that is  what we are up against. Is there any possibility that 
they 
could have obtained  cloaking technology and are currently using it?"
 
Skyler was  trying to be respectful and civil to her science officer. The 
headache was  pounding away much as it had before. She hoped that this mission 
would be over  soon and that they wouldn't have to deal with timelines and the 
such.

"Of  course," Greg replied.  "And if they are, it'll be more advanced than 
our  own.  In fact, they may even have a way to see through ours."  He  
shuddered at the prospect but left it at that.
 
Skyler saw  Greg shudder. "Exactly what do you mean that they may have a way 
to see through  our cloak? If this possibility exists, is there anything we 
can do to shore up  our own cloak?" Damnit she was trying couldn't he see  that?

"No, ma'am, there's no way to  prevent this.  For a start we have no idea if 
they can or not.   Secondly, even if they could, we have no way to tell what 
kind of technology  they are employing.  The possibilities are infinite, I'm 
afraid.   There's rumors abound of techniques being investigated at HQ for ways 
to make  cloaking technology redundant, but they're just rumors.  I don't have 
the  clearance, no one does, to check if they're true or not.  Besides," he 
said  with clear frustration, not aimed at her but more at himself, "this 
really isn't  my field.  I'm a biologist, I don't know a whole lot about cloaks 
and 
 shields and the like.  I'm sorry, ma'am."  And he truly was.  He  could see 
the fear in her eyes, it mirrored his own but there was nothing he  could do 
about his lack of training.  "Maybe you should find another  science officer," 
he said with resignation.
 
Skyler looked at Dr. William's, "You  have nothing to be sorry for, we all 
have area's that are not in our expertise.  I don't need another science 
officer, I am happy with the one I have." Skyler  had to admit he was becoming 
less 
annoying. "Between everyone on this bridge we  will figure something out. If 
you can't find anything, then perhaps working with  John, Ensign Henderson you 
will both find something. As I said in the beginning  I chose all of you for a 
reason and that reason has not changed. Not for  any of you. I have complete 
faith in all of you and together we will figure  something out."
 
The only person she wasn't sure of was  herself.

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