Back in the saddle
Posted on Sun Dec 28th, 2025 @ 7:32am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Edited on on Sun Dec 28th, 2025 @ 7:54am
1,396 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 17 - Going Home
Location: Ready Room - Deck 1 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD008 1910 hrs
Neil had limped, if not with precision, as least without making himself look too foolish he thought. His HUD was monitoring any tripping hazards he might encounter, though those should be rare on a starship that was mostly carpeted corridors over metal decking. The HUD also tracked personnel via their comm badges and let him know whom he might be meeting or might be coming up behind him as he semi-hobbled his way. Getting to the bridge seemed to take longer than it should have, but as he stepped out of the lift he looked around, acknowledging the crew that were at stations and he resisted the temptation to distract them just now.
Working his way around he let his HUD trigger the annunciator and without preamble said, “Tremble to see the Commodore.” He tried to ignore the self-consciousness he felt using the arm-crutch and likely un-justified feeling that the crew were staring at his back. Well, actually at the articulated metal leg and crutch.
"Come on in Number One." Tyler called from inside the Ready Room. He wore his cowboy hat and had returned to mostly his old self despite the events that weighed heavily on him. The proof of which hobbled into his Ready Room. "Let me get you something. A bit of the ole hair of the dog?"
Neil lowered himself into a chair and said, "Only if we can both have a touch. I feel plenty out of the swing of things." Awkwardly, he tucked the crutch away and eyed Tyler. "See you've got the hat out. That mission was a success you know. Everyone came back."
Tyler poured two generous glasses of scotch. "We are on leave technically, so snorts are in order." He handed a glass to Neil and plopped into a chair. "Yes, an overall success. Everyone is back alive, broken, and emotionally distraught but alive. Vura and Alyssa managed to talk The Silence into open talks with the Federation. However, the fleet does not take kindly to stealing their resources. Lucky to have made it out of that conversation with my command."
Picking up his glass, Neil took a moment to smell the smokey, slightly acrid alcohol and let his his hand warm the liquid through the glass for a few moments. "We had to get chewed out for it no matter what. It's bad form otherwise. I got shouted at a little myself from Colonel Woods when we resupplied at the station. Between the General and Tempest being taken and that, Emilio needed someone to blow off at."
Shrugging, Neil sipped at the whiskey and felt the burn push the char and smoke into his nostrils, then before the alcohol left a smooth burn down his throat. "Did the Admiral touch on that at all? S2 is holding cards tight. I gather the general didn't take a security detail with so no one apparently thought there was a threat."
"I don't think Admiral Harrington is aware of General Sobel. Although perhaps I will check in with Admiral Rice about that. Yeah..." Tyler took a swig of his drink. "They sent not only my old friend but the Director of Starfleet Operations all the way to Empok Nor to dress me down. To the best of my knowledge the Corps is dealing with the disappearance of the General. Fleet wants Calvin Quaid brought in from the cold. Although I don't think they know where he is."
Neil scowled at that. "That's not going to go well if they don't know or aren't briefing a Commodore. When the news gets out, it's going to give this Ashen Hand a boost up in their agenda, whatever that might be. And give the Federation a black eye. I talked to Emilio. Brigade has been officially been told to not start head hunting and is waiting on Fleet to do something. As to Quaid, isn't he old news? I hadn't heard that weasel had stuck his head up again."
"It seems that the USS Artemis received some new information about that. It is being sorted as we speak. Although I expect orders for you and your team to come through any day now. As to the General, I will give orders to Captain Hood to get his people on it. I am sure they are going to want redemption, as the General was kidnapped on their watch. Brigade is going to have to follow those orders if they want anything. Tell Emilio that you and I are on it and we will give him answers as soon as we have any. I guess we were too busy saving the galaxy to pay attention to our own." Tyler sipped his drink with a far away look in his eye. He was the type that wanted to solve all the problems and worried when he could not.
"We're good," Neil commented. "But we can still only deal with what's in front of us or what we know about. Brigade has more marines burning leave at the same time than ever before. The grape-vine is that in two and three marine pairings, they're hitting as many backwater intel sources as they can dig up. Hopefully something will come of it. Other than shore patrol getting a work out.
Scratching at his stump connection where flesh ended and mechanical limb began and made a point of not wondering how it could possibly itch so much. Instead he said, "We are going to have a day or three free on Sol. Are you going to let yourself get to the ranch?"
Tyler had a thought to get Beckett and McGowen on those intel sources. They both had a way of getting the data when it was crucially needed. It was the mention of the Ranch that brought Tyler out of his own head. He smiled broadly. "Oh, its not just me thats going. Kat and I are planning a old fashioned chuck wagon bar b que. The Senior Staff are invited to come but I am not going to make it an order. I feel that it would be a good bonding experience after all the crap we have been through. There will be horses, food, and of course whiskey.
"Sounds good," Neil commented, seeing the change come over his friends face at the topic change. "Jayna and I'll be taking a night to visit my mother, brother and his family. By the next day I can only imagine she'll be more than ready for a break from that, though I might lug a fish along if we go out in the morning. My brother said he's been hooking into one and a half meter Atlantic cod's that are pushing sixty five kilo's,"
Neil shifted slightly, using the motion to cover his itching and a thought occurred to him."Team building when our necks aren't on the line sounds about right. I assume Jayna's ok to join in or do you want just the department heads?"
"Yeah she is your plus one after all. It has been some time since we all just spent some time together. Kat is already at the Ranch talking with the staff there about getting things in order. I for one am looking forward to the home cooking a nice change from all the replicators." Tyler began to straighten up his desk as he spoke. Once he left he did not plan to see this room again until shore leave was over.
Neil watched Tyler begin to sort his desk and that signaled the CO likely had his mind ordered so Neil should get back to his wandering. He gathered himself and worked himself to his feet. "By your leave then sir, I'll get back to my rat-killing."
Tyler laughed out loud. "Dismissed. And Happy Hunting!" As he watched Neil leave Tyler was reminded of exactly how this crew had been bonding to become a family. This was exactly how he envisioned his command when he dreamt of it all those years ago.
A Joint Post By:
Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Battalion Commander, The Cure
Commodore Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
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