<USS Avalon> "Talea Reacts to the Alert"

"Talea Reacts to the Alert"

Captain Skyler
Dr. Alexis Cazook
Ensign Talea Genot Erridim

Surprised by the Captain's hasty departure even more than she was  bothered 
by the alert of an illegal use of phaser power, Talea settled back for  a 
little while, unaware that her date with Walker would be deferred for at least  
one 
full day.

When the ship's motion and sounds abruptly altered, she  reacted by throwing 
on her uniform and teleporting to the Bridge, resuming her  place at OPS, 
regardless of the risk to her, for the needs of the many obviously  outweighed 
her 
need to recover fully from that nastiness in Marine spaces.   She only hoped 
this wasn't the start of something even more dangerous than an  idiot's 
self-deluding hatred, for she knew the vessel was now speeding forward  at a 
rate 
that was perilously close to red-line for the warp core, and far, far  faster 
than the Federation's warp-speed laws permitted.

Surprised by the  sudden appearance of Talea at OPS, Skyler looked at her. 
"Excuse me, Ensign  Erridim, but aren't you supposed to be in Sickbay 
recovering 
and resting? Mind  you, I am glad to see you at OPS, but your health is more 
important at the  moment."

Talea smiled slightly.  "I am one person, Captain.   Therefore, my needs are 
outweighed by the needs of the ship's crew and the needs  of the citizens of 
the Federation itself.  If everyone on this crew does  their jobs properly, we 
will succeed.  If we fail to do our jobs, perhaps  this mission will fail and 
disaster will befall the Federation.  This is  something we Regellians cannot 
permit, if we have any way of preventing it, Sir,  for it would violate the 
treaty of full alliance we hold with the  Federation."

Listening to what Talea was saying, Skyler had to give the  woman credit.  "I 
appreciate the fact that you want to do your job.   However, you are no good 
if you are not in complete health.  Have you, in  fact, been released from 
sickbay by Dr. Cazook?"  Skyler looked at  Talea.  "Right now, we are returning 
to Earth and along the way will pick  up a shuttle that the Admiral will be 
arriving in.  I would prefer it if  you were in top form when he came aboard."

Talea was jolted by the  Captain's words, but noticed a brilliant red light 
on one of the backups before  she could respond.  Blinking, she stated, 
"Environmental, please correct  the error in your primary backup system, for it 
is 
affecting both Primary  Environmental and the secondary backup."  She then 
raised an eyebrow a  little sheepishly as she realized she had indeed not asked 
permission to resume  work.  "Forgive me, Captain.  In my perceived need to be 
on-duty, I  did indeed fail to check with Doctor Cazook or Doctor Mahler."  She 
was now  struggling not to blush or panic, as the fact she was violating 
regulations by  being on-duty came to mind.  "With your permission, Sir, I will 
return to  Sickbay."  Her assistant, annoyed by the whole situation as Talea 
awaited  the Captain's response, nearly growled, but held it, deciding prudence 
was  better than being replaced herself for disrespecting her superior.

"Dr.  Cazook, this is Captain Skyler. I have before me one of your patients. 
One  Ensign Talea Erridim. I would like to know if you have cleared her for 
work or  if I should send her back to sickbay?"

It didn't take long for a response  to come from Dr. Cazook. "Captain, could 
you please put Talea on the intercom. I  need to speak with her for a moment 
before I can answer your  question."

"Understood Doctor." Pressing another button Skyler activated  the intercom. 
"She's all yours Doctor."

"Ensign Erridim, do you feel as  though you are capable of working under 
present conditions?"

Talea froze  internally for a long moment before replying, "I shall do my 
best to help the  crew, Doctor, for I feel strongly that all must do their 
jobs.  
Unlike  Regellian ships, Federation vessels have no spare crew, so all are 
critically  important.  What I lack in confidence, I shall make up for with  
determination."

"I would feel better if you had more confidence. I am  sure you are quite 
determined. Of that I have no doubt, or you wouldn't be here  today. Captain, I 
am going to tentatively release Ensign Erridim for duty.  However, once her 
shift is done, she is to report to sickbay and her shielded  room."

"Thank you, Doctor. I will make sure she returns upon completion  of her 
shift. Ensign, I am going to allow you to stay on the bridge. However, at  the 
first sign of problems, you will return to sickbay."

Talea knew this  was the final word, so to speak, so stated softly, "As you 
have stated, it shall  be."  As with most Regellians, her sense of duty 
sometimes overrode good  sense, but in this case, she was to be proven largely 
correct, in that she was  fit for duty, at least on an interim basis.

Skyler looked around at the  bridge crew. Sitting in the center seat had 
become . . . comfortable, yet she  knew it would end soon.  "Helm, take us to 
the 
coordinates given by the  Admiral, warp 8.  OPS, make sure all systems are 
fully functional.   Tactical, please make sure all shields and weapons are in 
proper working  order.  I don't want to be caught off guard."  She watched as 
everyone  did as ordered.  There was nothing left to do but wait until the 
Admiral's  shuttle arrived.

Talea half-grinned, as she was already keeping close  tabs on the 
questionable areas, and with relief, noted their condition shading  back toward 
green, 
although the backup in Environmental seemed a bit reluctant  to behave.  
"Environmental, I'm still reading less than optimal on that  backup system, and 
it's 
still causing crosstalk on the other two.  ETR for  it is?"

Over her hushed com channel came, "Estimated time of repair is  probably 
three minutes past which we'd all want it to be, Ensign, so if you  would 
kindly 
quit requesting such frequent status updates, we might be able to  expedite the 
corrections!"

Although the person responding was male, Talea  simply replied sweetly with, 
"Do the best you can.  I'm quite certain you  want all systems to be at their 
best as we greet the Admiral, no?" It was, in  fact, all she could do to keep 
from making the question rather bitingly  sarcastic.  The reply was short and 
succinct, but she just chuckled before  responding with, "I doubt that's 
anatomically possible.  However, kindly  report back once the system is 
properly 
recalibrated and repaired.  OPS,  out."

Skyler chuckled to herself at Talea's response. "You handled that  quite 
well, Ensign. I think you will do just fine. Now all we have to do is wait  
until 
we meet up with the Admiral's shuttle and we can finally put this ship  throug
h its paces."
 



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