Duty and Risk

Since Lieutenant MacLeod's illness, Janet had performed the duties required of a Chief Operations officer. She didn't mind just, she wasn't ready for the position. The job was one that kept you busy at all times, while on duty. It had been only a day since Lieutenant Grafton and the Chief left again for another scouting mission. However she did miss her friend.

"Lieutenant are almost done with that report yet ?" An Ensign asked as Janet finished up a department review for Captain Devore, on her department.

"Yeah just let me hand this to the Captain." She said standing up from an empty science station, on the Bridge.

Just at that moment, the Captain strolled out of his ready room.

"Sir I have my report ready."

"Oh yes, bring it to me." Devore said taking his seat.

"Sir, we still haven't heard anything from Lieutenant Grafton's party."

"So it's only been like twenty-six hours. They might not be checking in for two or three days. Relax, if anything was wrong they would send out a distress call. "The Captain said looking of Gordon seeing the worried look he had seen many times.

"I know sir, just I know the Chief and he likes to take risks that are a little too risky."

'The Chief has taken a hell of a lot risk in his life, but being careless isn't him."

Janet left and went back to the Ops station and took a seat, and started doing her job when a distress call came in.

"Sir we are receiving a distress call. Audio only." Lieutenant Gordon said aloud.

The tension level went up and Janet started to worry it was a call from the scouting mission.

"All right, Mister Dakul play it."

[This is the Cargo Vessel, Makish. Our warp drive and impulse drive is off-line, we were caught in an ion storm, life support barely holding]

Static then played through the rest of the message.

"Lieutenant can you locate the source of the message ?" Devore asked turning towards Gordon.

She was busy trying to find it, but it took longer then expected. "Yes it is exactly twelve light years from our position."

Then Lieutenant Dakul came up with some more vital information. "Sir that area of space is subject to ion storms, gravitational eddies. If we enter this area of space, we have a fifty percent chance of suffering the same fate."

"Noted, Helm plot a course. All hands yellow alert. Lieutenant Gordon, keep your eyes open for ion storms, gravitational eddies."

"Aye, aye sir."

Janet was glad that something had come up, and this gave her something to keep her mind on.