Unretirement

Posted on Sat Nov 2, 2024 @ 2:09pm by Captain Logan Hanks

Mission: Collecting The Ship
Location: TBD

It hadn't been that long since he stepped down from the USS Scimitar. It was a couple years of bliss marred with agony. Agony from the bureaucracy, the difference between words and actions, and the masks born out of politics worn by everyone around him. Logan handed in his resignation with little regret. However, that little regret was what brought him back. After being adrift for several months, a happenstance occurrence brought him back a chance to do what his soul needed. Sail.

==Flashback==

"Captain Logan Hanks?" A voice asked from behind. Logan looked up from the glass that was half full in his hand. A new drink native to the Starbase. He decided he liked it, but it wasn't worth ordering again. The figure that owned the voice sat down next to him. "I presume?" It offered, confirming the voice to the figure.

"Retired," Logan replied, intrigued with the man. He was in civilian attire, and purposely wore no Starfleet emblem. He liked to look like the next person, and used his Starfleet ID only as needed.

"Yes, my apologies. I'd like to offer you a deal. I buy you a drink, you hear me out. If you like what you hear, we can talk further. If you don't, you got a free drink," the man replied. Practiced, easy, nonchalant. He had done this before.

==Present Day==

A drink and pitch became a meeting and conversation. Conversation became negotiation. Negotiation became where he was now, standing on a mostly stable star dock, watching the Vela being towed in and moorings attached. He had been given a variety of options for commands and jobs. He took the mundane, in hopes of getting his feet back underneath him, and finding that joy of the stars again.

He fidgeted with the helmet of his EVA suit. With no power during the towing operation, it would be some time before the vessel could become habitable. Logan didn't want to wait. Without knowing the condition of the interior, he didn't know how big of a to do list he had in the limited time before he had to launch. Time was money for the organization. Time was a different money for Logan. He wanted to be out there again.


=/\= Logan, moorings are secure, docking tunnel is being secured now. You may proceed when ready. =/\= Came the gruff voice of a tow captain to his communicator. A nod and a click of his helmet securing to his suit. The lit tunnel brought him to the dark corridor of Vela. He had a few items he had to evaluate before the external power could be brought into the vessel. The suit lights illuminated and shadowed the corridors. Each click of his magnetic boots echoed in his suit. The noise reverberated awkwardly through the corridor, with a mixture of atmosphere and vacuum.

He eventually made his way to main engineering. A single console glowed dimly in the room, shore power control. The gloved hands moved slowly, more bulky than the intended way to interact with the panel. Several quick scans of the system showed no faults. He brought the power grid online. The first thing he brought online was the backup computer core. It would be easier to manage until the entire ship was back online. Several chirps of the system later brought on several more consoles in engineering. The vessel was slowly coming to life. Each of the consoles started announcing faults. "Computer, begin level 4 diagnostic test on each life support system, catalog faults and prioritize maintenance. Please inform me as each system is ready to initialize."

"Beginning Level 4 Diagnostic tests on life support systems," The dry voice responded. With that lights began to come online in main engineering. Life Support showed a slow rise in atmospheric conditions, though multiple silenced alarms kept alarming because of the lack of survivability. A glance at his work list induced a sigh. It would be a long several days without help. Help. A crew. He wondered when he would get help.