====== Main Bridge, several days after the senior officer meeting ===== Shane was where he was expected to be. On the brigde. He began to get used to spend most of this shift on the bridge long time ago, when he first came on board the Chimera. General Bretam prefered to be in his ready room doing all the paperwork and stuff so it was Shane who had to stay on the bridge. He got used to it and even when the Captain's ready room was empty with Bretam LOA, he still prefered to sit on the bridge. With one small difference. He used to sit in his XO's seat, but from the time he was named ACO ... he changed the seats and now he occupied the CO's one. Nonethless ... he payed little attantion to what happend around him. The backgroud noise was like usual. Quiet speach of the bridge crew, faint sounds and beeps from various consoles ... just the common ... and Shane could concentrate on his PADDs. Those PADDs contained reports from the various deparment heads about their departments and the tasks he assigned them on the senior officers meeting. Especially nice was the report from the ODA Commander MCpt. Walsh but Shane's thought were disturned as the helmsmann announced: "Commander, we are about to enter the Kzenti system". Shane looked up from his PADD and it took him a second to realise the meaning of those words. {Finnaly} he thought {we are at least here} he thought with relief. The past several days were quite boring, but Shane still had a feeling that there were troubles ahead of them. The ship flew across quite some federations territory to the nother borders. Half a day ago they passes Deep Space 6 and continued on they way. There was no reason to stop @ DS6, the ship had full supplies and the crew was on leave only two weeks ago. Shane's counts suggested that the Chimera would enter the Kzenti System around this time and he was pleased that he wasnt wrong and nothing prevented them from come. He stood up from his chair, took a step closer to the Helm's man station and said: "Drop to impulse". Shane watched the viewscreen as the warp star effect changed into a 'stationary' star scenery with a distant shade of the Kzenti's most outher planet in the middle of it. "We are on impuls sir" the helmsmann announced. Shane turned backwards and looked at MCpt Acheson who manned tactical. Yes, the Chimera was on a tactical mission and there were no troubles expected, but the first thing an SF officer learns in the SSF training was ... "trust noone" and Shane could add: "trus nothing". Beeing a bit paranoid as a former Tactical officer, he wanted to be sure of the safety of the ship so he asked: "Anything on your scanners Captain?" While Acheson was tapping his console Shane returned to an older thought of him. It was very good possible that they will meet and maybe even engage the romulans. The thought alone was nothing to be concerned about, but what does concern Shane was the fact that there were several crewmembers that were of Romulan origin. He asked himself about their loyality ... but then he realised that SSF wouldnt accept and even less assign an officer without beeing sure of their loyality and allegiance. Acheson looked up from his console and said: "Nothing sir, no other ships then us withing short range scanners range" Shane could swear to head a small dissapointment in his voice. He could very well understand the CTAC, it was quite a long time the Chimera was involved in a real battle and simulated battles were just not the same ... fun. On the other hand ... a ship not involved in space battles gets less casualitis and damage. And that was a thing Shane was very glad about. Shane noded to Acheson in acknowledgement of his scan and turned to LT. Foster who manned the OPS. "Mr. Foster, please keep an eye on anything unusual ... any sort of anomalies, radiation, anything ...". Foster noded: "Aye, Sir". The way to the Kzenti homeworld seemed to be free and safe and there was no reason to delay their journey. Shane looked at the helmsmann and said: "Set the course to the Kzenti himeworld, full imp ..." Shane's sentence was left unfinished as the somewhat excited voice of MCpt Acheson announced: "A ship decloaking direct in front of us". {Huh} Shane thougth a bit suprised about that event. {First noone, then cloaked ships ...}. "Its a Romulan Warbirt" informed Acheson. Shane could almost fel the change in the mood of the bridge. The whole bridge crew suddenly seemed to be in a state of excitement, the talk between the bored crew lessened by far and everyone tapped their consoled like crazy. Shane was about to ask for hailing frekvencies when Acheson interruped: "They are arming their weapons!" Shane acted instinctively, like he was learned: "Shilds on, red alert!" In half of a second the lights on the bridge dimmed and it was filled with soft red light. Several lights on the walls were pulsating in red, announcing a ship wide red alert. For a moments Shane's thought flow to Rangi and he imagined how surprised and maybe even scared the crew got when seening the red alert lights. "They will fire!" Acheson cried. "Evasive maneuvers" Shane cried back, but it was too late. He could almost see the green light to increase on the war bird's phaser banks and then he saw a bright green beam hitting the ship. The ship shook very slighty. "What the heck!" Shane cursed. He called over to Acheson: "Hailing frekvencies". Yes, Shane could not hide his navy training. A marine would maybe shoot first and ask later, but an navy ex-tactician, ALWAYS asked first. "Hailing frekvencies open, sir" Acheon announced. "Here is Commander Guzman from the federation's starship USS Chimera speaking. Why are you attac ..." but his sentence was interrupted by a new slight shaking as the war birds phasers striked the Chimera's shield again. "Forward shield down to 90 %" Acheson announced. The romulan ship was already moving and flying about the Chimera was trying to hit it again. "Warning shoots Mr. Acheson" Shane ordered and fastly made his way back to teh CO's seat. Acheson tapped his console. Only a moment later the ship shook slightly again as the Warbird strafed the Chimera again. {Shit} Shane cursed mentally. "Target the Warbird's weapon systems and fire" Shane ordered. ===== End of log ===== <<OOC ... there we go with a space battle. Enjoy the ride folks and get involved. Everyone on board has more the enought what to do during a space battle, so dont be shy and log it. When usure what to log about, ask your department head or the Command team. We will gladly help you ... ;)) >> Cmdr. Shane Guzman XO/ACO USS Chimera