Capt Sull's Quarters - Deck 1

Claire nodded in acknowledgement to what Azeri had said to her and smiled. Capt Sull was being extremely gracious considering her debilitating condition that was on the mend.

Capt Bennet: You're very welcome, Captain. I'll be heading to the Bridge for now, so if you need anything at all and Ensign Montoya is available, I'll send him to you immediately. Rest well!

The Captain watched as Capt Sull rolled onto her side and put her arm around her companion, Patience. Smiling, Claire walked towards the exit of the Captain's cabin and left Azeri to relax in her Quarters. As Capt Bennet continued to the Turbolift, she thought about what a unique lifeform Patience was and how good it for Azeri to have her by her side during her recovery. Entering the lift, Claire descended down to Deck 2 and walked out onto the Bridge. Seeing that Cmdr Sladek was still not on the Bridge, the Captain asked Lt. Gutierrez what occurred in her absence.

Capt Bennet: What happened in my absence, Mateo? Anything new on the evacuation of the refugees from New Bajor?

As the CO waited for the Chief Flight Control Officer to fill her in on the evacuation of the children standing around in the terrible weather going on down around the extraction site. Claire knew once it was time for Eureka to start beaming up the child refugees, the Captain wanted to maximize the amount of children the California Class Starship could accommodate. Even if that meant housing them in other parts of the ship, besides the Holodecks. Capt Bennet wanted to make sure not a single child would be left behind.
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Captain Claire L. Bennet
Commanding Officer, USS Eureka

Bridge - Deck 2

Mateo gave his report to Capt Bennet as soon as she asked for it upon her arrival on the Bridge. Since the Lieutenant was monitoring what was happening between Oriskany and the extraction site on New Bajor, Lt. Gutiérrez was aware of the upgrade in the amount of refugees that could be transported at one time.

Lt. Gutiérrez: The Captain of Oriskany has upgraded the amount of refugees the ships in orbit could beam up by sending down more Transporter Enhancers so that instead of forty at a time, ships can beam up one hundred and twenty in one shot. Oriskany is transporting them up now and should be at capacity very soon. I believe Sutherland will be the next ship to take on refugees. Not sure if Infiniti or Explorer will be next before it's our turn. As far as I know, Commander Sladek is still asleep in the Arboretum. How is Captain Sull doing?

The Chief Flight Control Officer hoped the CO would be on the Bridge for a while, not that the Lieutenant minded being in command in her absence. Mateo just didn't want to be away from the Flight Control Console for long. It was a position Lt. Gutiérrez really liked and only in the absence of the CO and XO would he be required to sit in the Captain's Chair. The Lieutenant did not fear being in command, he just preferred being being in charge of flying Eureka wherever it needed to go.
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Lieutenant Mateo Gutiérrez
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Eureka

The Captain took her seat on the Bridge as she listened to Lt. Gutiérrez inform her of the report that Oriskany had increased the amount of refugees that could be beamed up from the extraction site. Claire was really impressed with the number of children the ships could transport at one time.

Capt Bennet: That's wonderful news, Mateo! Mr. Ramius, be sure we'll be ready to beam up that amount of children when the time comes, okay? Captain Sull is doing fine, but she'll be recuperating in her cabin for a while. I think it's about time Commander Sladek, woke up and resumed his duties. Even though there's not much happening.

Tapping her Combadge, the Captain called out to the XO.

Capt Bennet: Bennet to Commander Sladek! It's time to wake up, Ulrich! You've been asleep for well over an hour! Please report to the Bridge as soon as you can, Bennet out!

Now that Claire handled the situation with the sleeping XO in the Arboretum, she looked over to the Ops Station and waited to hear back from Marko if he would be able to accommodate beaming up 120 children at a time from the extraction site. Once the XO arrived on the Bridge, the CO would fill him in on the extraction number being increased. Then Capt Bennet would go to the Ready Room and contact Adm Arayuss and give him a report on Capt Sull's condition, as he requested.
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Captain Claire L. Bennet
Commanding Officer, USS Eureka

While sitting at the Ops Station, Marko heard what the Captain stated to him and immediately made the modifications to the Transporters so they could indeed beam up 120 children at a time. Once the Ensign finished with the mods, he informed Capt Bennet of it.

Ens Ramius: All set, Captain! We'll be able to bring up a hundred and twenty kids at a time as soon as you give the word, Ma'am!

The Chief Ops Officer maintained his duties as he watched over the Ops Station, making sure all systems were functioning properly. If anything were to happen unexpectedly, Marko would notify Capt Bennet immediately. The Ensign was very well trained as an Operations Officer, even though this was his first mission as the Chief Ops Officer aboard Eureka.
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Ensign Marko A. Ramius
Chief Operations Officer, USS Eureka

Arboretum - Deck 4

Ulric was awakened by the sound of Capt Bennet's voice over his Combadge ordering the Commander to return to the Bridge. Tapping his Communicator Badge, the First Officer responded to the Captain, who was on the Bridge.

Cmdr Sladek: Sladek here, Captain! I'm on my way to the Bridge, see you soon, Sladek out!

Getting up from beneath a large tree, Ulric brushed off the grass from his uniform and quickly walked to the door and exited the Arboretum. Making his way to the closest Turbolift, the XO indicated that his destination was the Bridge on Deck 2. Moving at the usual fast pace the lift system uses, the Commander arrived on the Bridge in just a matter of moments. Walking out of the Turbolift, Ulric walked over and took his seat to the right of Capt Bennet and smiled at her.

Cmdr Sladek: I'm here as ordered, Captain. Did I miss anything while I was away on tour of this marvelous vessel of yours?

The XO looked around the Bridge and saw that all the officers in attendance were monitoring their stations at this time, meaning that nothing was really happening presently. Ulric wondered why he was ordered to the Bridge at such an uneventful time. Cmdr Sladek thought it might be possible the Captain needed him on the Bridge so she could go to her Ready Room for some official business. Whatever the reason Ulric was summoned to the Bridge, he was sure to find out soon enough.
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Commander Ulric T. Sladek
Executive Officer, USS Eureka

Bridge - Deck 2

The Captain smiled when she heard back from Cmdr Sladek and continued smiling as he entered the Bridge and walked over to take his seat. The only real news she had for the XO was regarding the success of Lt. JG Kaaha's parents being retrieved and the Xenomorph embryos removed from their bodies. Since Ulric was the man who got the ball rolling on getting them rescued, Claire filled him in on all that happened down in Sickbay.

Capt Bennet: Well, Lieutenant Kaaha's parents were successfully recovered from the surface and the Xenomorph embryos they were carrying were skillfully removed by Dr. Edison. Their younger son is still with the Marines from Infiniti at the extraction site and will be transporting up once the rest of the children from the surface are safe. Also, Captain Calzada made it possible for the ships in the fleet to beam up one hundred and twenty refugees at a time. Oriskany's CO had more Transporter Enhancers beamed down to the surface and the Marines set it up and now they're taking up a lot more children from the extraction site. Captain Sull is recuperating in her cabin on Deck One and I'll be sending a message to Admiral Arayuss to update him on her condition. That's why I asked you to the Bridge, so I can make the call to Sutherland in my Ready Room. So if you don't mind, Commander, I'll be in there for a little while.

Claire stood up from her seat on the Bridge and waited on Cmdr Sladek to respond to all that he had heard, so Capt Bennet could make her way into her Ready Room and contact Adm Arayuss and fill him in on all she had to tell him regarding Capt Sull and the situation with the Orte family being all but reunited. Claire really hoped Charrothe's younger brother would make it off New Bajor safely. That way the whole family could be together again.
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Captain Claire L. Bennet
Commanding Officer, USS Eureka

Ulric nodded at Capt Bennet as she let him know what he wasn't aware of while he was on tour with Ens Montoya around Eureka. The XO was very pleased to hear about Mr. and Mrs. Orte being rescued and the excellent skills of Dr. Edison removing the Xenomorph embryos from their chest cavities. Learning that they could now beam up 120 refugees from the extraction site was absolutely terrific, 40 was just too small of an amount and would leave the children and Infiniti's Marines down there in mortal danger. When the Captain mentioned she needed to speak with Adm Arayuss in her Ready Room, Cmdr Sladek was more than happy to oblige.

Cmdr Sladek: That's wonderful to hear, Captain! I'll watch over the Bridge while you speak with the Admiral. Let him know that I'm very happy with his decision to post me here aboard Eureka as your First Officer. The crew has been very welcoming to me.

As Ulric remained seated in the XO's chair, he waited to see Capt Bennet enter the Ready Room so she could have a private conversation with the Commander in Chief of Gamma Fleet. Cmdr Sladek served with the Admiral for a short time while they were on their way to New Bajor from SB34, but Ulric really admired Adm Arayuss. Cmdr Sladek was quite pleased the Admiral promoted him to the rank of Commander and presented him with the position of XO of Eureka. Ulric couldn't help but wonder what would happen when Capt Sull was well enough to take her position as CO back from Capt Bennet. Would the current Captain be demoted back to Commander and resume her previous duties as XO? If that happened, what would become of Ulric? Would he resume his position as the Chief Sec/Tac Officer of Sutherland? Would he also be reduced in rank to Lieutenant Commander as well? These thoughts raced through Ulric's mind as he sat in his chair on the Bridge and watched as the other officers monitored their consoles at their stations. For now, Cmdr Sladek was quite comfortable in his current position aboard Eureka. But for how long would that last, Ulric did not know...
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Commander Ulric T. Sladek
Executive Officer, USS Eureka

As Clair walked towards the Ready Room doors, she nodded to her XO and let Ulric know she would pass on his message to Adm Arayuss.

Capt Bennet: I will certainly do that, Commander!

The Captain continued towards the CO's office that was just to the side of the Bridge and was about to enter when she instructed her Chief Operations Officer to open a channel to Sutherland for a personal transmission to Adm Arayuss.

Capt Bennet: Mr. Ramius, hail Sutherland and let them know I'd like to have a conversation with Admiral Arayuss and give him an update on Captain Sull. Forward the communication to the Ready Room.

Claire entered the Ready Room and took a seat in the chair behind the desk and turned the monitor towards herself and waited for the face of Adm Arayuss to appear on the screen. While Capt Bennet waited on Marco to forward over the call to the Admiral, Claire went over in her head what she was going to say to the Commander in Chief of Gamma Fleet.
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Captain Claire L. Bennet
Commanding Officer, USS Eureka

Marko looked up at the Captain from the Ops Station at the front of the Bridge and did what Capt Bennet ordered.

Ens Ramius: Aye, Ma'am! Hailing Sutherland for your conversation with Admiral Arayuss!

The Ensign did as he said and sent a message to Sutherland, letting them know Capt Bennet was waiting to speak with the Commander in Chief. While the Chief Operations Officer waited on the response from Sutherland's Ops Officer, he got read to forward the communication channel to the terminal on the Captain's desk in her Ready Room.
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Ensign Marko A. Ramius
Chief Operations Officer, USS Eureka