Sickbay - Deck 3

Jacques was completely aghast at the condition Capt Little arrived in Sickbay. The Captain had the appearance of being on the losing end of a bar room fight! His right arm was visibly swollen and being supported by Capt Little’s left arm. Both MCpt Lopez and Cpl Dietrich lead him into Event Horizon’s medical facility, looking for which Biobed to lay him on.

Lt. JG Tudismaque: Set the Captain down over on that surgical bed so I can give him a full examination!

When the Marines complied, Capt Little was on his back with his broken arm laying across his abdomen. The Doctor grabbed his Medical Tricorder and scanned the damage to the Captain’s arm, as well as all the contusions on his face and upper body. Jacques was perplexed on what could’ve happened to the CO, since there was no Intruder Alert issued. Dr. Tudismaque was going to need to perform much needed surgery on the shattered bones in Capt Little’s arm. A simple Dermal Regenerator was not going to do the job. The bone fragments needed to be removed from the muscle tissue and the bleeding had to be stopped. In order to accomplish this, the Doctor was going to have to incapacitate the Captain. Taking a Hypospray from the table, Jacques grabbed a vile of a powerful sedative and injected it into Capt Little’s neck so that he would remain asleep during the procedure. As the Captain lost consciousness, the Doctor looked over at MCpt Lopez and gave the Marine an inquisitive look.

Lt. JG Tudismaque: Would you mind telling me what happened to the Captain? He’s banged up pretty badly! Was there a fight somewhere? His wounds are from a brutal physical assault of some kind!

With Capt Little unconscious, Dr. Tudismaque began the process of removing the sleeve of the Captain’s uniform with the assistance of Cpl Dietrich. With Cynthia’s medical training, she would be perfect to assist Jacques in Sickbay while he began the tedious process of removing the bone fragments embedded throughout Capt Little’s forearm. While the Doctor worked with Cpl Dietrich’s assistance, he waited to hear from MCpt Lopez on how the Captain ended up in this condition. Since Capt Little was not conscious, only the Marine Captain could fill in Dr. Tudismaque on how this happened.
_________________
Lieutenant Jacques Z. Tudismaque
Chief Medical Officer, USS Whitestar

Chris was compliant with Dr. Tudismaque and brought him up to speed in regard to the Captain’s injuries. The Marine Captain was even forthcoming about the incompetence of his Detachment for failing to protect Capt Little.

MCpt Lopez: Well Doctor, the Captain thought altering the safety protocols on the Holodeck would add some realism to the danger of the training exercise he and I were engaged in. He ended up getting kidnapped and I called in my Squad of Marines to assist me in rescuing him. We didn’t get to Captain Little soon enough and he got into a skirmish with the Ferengi, Bok. They fought like a pair of hooligans in a pub and that’s how the Captain broke his arm and got the contusions on his face and upper body.

Now came the part Chris was truly ashamed of…

MCpt Lopez: We finally arrived in Bok’s domed lair as he and Captain Little were still fighting, we were finally able to apprehend the Ferengi. While Cynthia was administering first aid to the Captain, Bok was able to get passed my Marines and myself… He took a flying leap at Captain Little and the Captain used his broken arm like a baseball bat to knock Bok right out. I believe that’s when the broken bones in Captain Little’s arm shattered. I take full responsibility for the incompetence of my Marines and myself. I’ll be filing a report with General Alderez when we return to Starbase 34.

The Marine Captain could see the look of disdain in Dr. Tudismaque’s eyes. Chris braced himself for a scolding from the Doctor on the dangers of altering the safety protocols of the Holodeck. MCpt Lopez knew when he filed the report with MGen Alderez he would make sure MSgt Arbor, Sgt Hicks and Cpl Dietrich were listed as the only ones not responsible for the severe damage to Capt Little’s arm. They were doing their duties with professionalism and valor, which is to be expected from any Starfleet Marine.
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Marine Captain Christopher D. Lopez
Marine Detachment Commander, USS Infiniti

The Doctor was indeed disgusted by what MCpt Lopez told him regarding the injuries sustained in the Holodeck. Capt Little was actually the Chief Engineer of Oriskany and temporarily promoted to the rank of Captain for this mission and he was already using cowboy diplomacy like it was the mid 23rd Century. Jacques could never fathom why people in positions of power corrupt themselves so easily as soon as the opportunity presented itself. This mission was far too important for Capt Little to get himself injured like this intentionally, just for the added realism during a training exercise. If the Chief Engineer wanted to get himself injured on a Holodeck, he should choose to do that on Starbase 34 when he’s on leave.

Lt. JG Tudismaque: Are you serious, Captain Lopez?!? We’re on a mission that’s so important we’re wearing these awful black uniforms, heading for an alternate universe to which we’ve got no guarantee we’ll return from and Captain Little here is showing how macho he can be by getting hurt for real in a training exercise on the Holodeck?!? I’ve got it in my authority as Chief Medical Officer to restrict his usage of the Holodeck and access to the safety protocols, which I believe I’ll initialize while he’s in recovery.

Jacques was very agitated by what MCpt Lopez had told him and contemplated leaving some bone splinters in place after the bleeding had been stopped, just so the pain could remind Capt Little of his ignorance. But Dr. Tudismaque knew the type of person the Captain was, he would just look at it like a war wound and brag about it to others who would find what Capt Little did as brave and heroic. As for the Doctor, he just saw what the Captain did as selfish and stupid.

Dr. Tudismaque continued working at removing all the fragments and splinters of bone from the muscle tissue in the Captain’s forearm until a scan showed it was completely cleaned out. It was quite a lengthy procedure and Jacques was glad to have the assistance of Cpl Dietrich. While the Doctor was working on Capt Little’s arm, the Corporal was using the Dermal Regenerator on the contusions on the Captain’s face and upper body after the tattered uniform was removed. It was going to be a few hours before the sedative the Doctor gave Capt Little wore off, so they put a robe over the Captain’s upper body so he wouldn’t have to wake up feeling exposed.

Lt. JG Tudismaque: Thank you for your assistance, Corporal. The Captain will be in recovery for a while so I’ll inform Commander Cypher that he’s in command for now. You two don’t have to remain here any longer, Captain Lopez. I’m sure you want to get back to your Detachment and discuss the outcome of the training exercise. I’ll be in my office writing up my medical report on Captain Little and a recommendation for him to see a Counselor when we return about allowing himself to be injured for the sake of realism in a training exercise while on an important covert mission. The Captain is very lucky that I specialized in micro-surgical procedures. Otherwise, we’d have to leave him in stasis till we returned to Starbase 34. I won’t be adding anything regarding incompetence on your part, I figure that’s between you, your Marines and General Alderez.

The Doctor returned to his office to do the things he set out to do, one of which was informing the computer that Capt Little was no longer able to disengage the safety protocols of either Holodeck aboard Event Horizon. The Captain’s days of playing Capt James T. Kirk back in the 2260’s aboard this ship’s Holodecks was over. Dr. Tudismaque saw to that, now Capt Little could reserve himself to command decisions on the Bridge where he belonged. The Captain was assigned to this mission for his engineering skills in the event that knowledge is needed, not to play macho games to show off how brave and heroic Capt Little thinks he is.

Lt. JG Tudismaque: Sickbay to Bridge, Dr. Tudismaque here. Commander Cypher, Captain Little injured himself severely on the Holodeck and will be unavailable for a few hours. That leaves you in command for the time being. The Captain will be fine, he just needs time for recovery. My medical report will be available for you to read shortly. Sickbay out.

With that out of the way, Jacques continued writing up his medical report on the Captain's injuries along with a recommendation of his professional opinion that Capt Little would need to be under the supervision of a Counselor before returning to duty aboard Oriskany at the conclusion of this mission. The days of getting injured simply for the "fun of it" were over, especially when on duty.
_________________
Lieutenant Jacques Z. Tudismaque
Chief Medical Officer, USS Whitestar

The Marine Captain understood they were no longer needed in Sickbay and motioned for Cpl Dietrich to follow him to the Phaser Range in their area that was also on Deck 3. When they arrived, Chris saw the Detachment standing around talking among each other about what they went through.

Cpl Dietrich: Officer on Deck!!!

Chris gave a nod to the Corporal to thank her for calling attention to his arrival. The entire Detachment immediately stood at attention in a single line on the Phaser Range. MCpt Lopez shook his head in disappointment as he approached. Cpl Dietrich got in line with the other Marines and stood at attention as well.

MCpt Lopez: I’d like to say what a great job we did getting the Captain out safely, but that did not happen. We got sloppy and let our guard down and allowed a Ferengi to get the jump on our already wounded Captain. God only knows how a Ferengi got the nerve to try such a stunt since it was out of character of his race to do so. But that’s no excuse for turning your back on him, Vasquez. The fact that Bok got passed me is not acceptable either, so don’t think I’m putting the blame solely on you, Jenette. The entire program was altered by Captain Little so we should’ve known it was going to be weird, to say the least. We just never anticipated Bok to be so far out of character. But just so you all know, I accepted the blame for our failure of the training exercise.

The Detachment Commander let that sink in for a few moments before he continued.

MCpt Lopez: I will be writing up a report to General Alderez and submitting it to him when we return from our mission. Captain Little required micro-surgery to get the bone splinters out of his muscle tissue from having to whack Bok across the head with his already broken arm. I watched Dr. Tudismaque work feverishly to remove each and every one of those fragments before using the Dermal Regenerator to heal up the wounds. Corporal Dietrich assisted with healing all of the Captain’s contusions as well. I want you to know that I don’t hold her responsible for what happened with Bok’s attack, or Master Sergeant Arbor or Sergeant Hicks. Cody, Dwayne and Cynthia, you have my utmost appreciation for what you’ve done. As for the rest of us, we’re going to have to work on our expectations of where we’re going. Since we’re headed for an Alternate Universe, we cannot let our pre-conceptions rule over our training. Just as Bok was fierce, we cannot assume the other races we’ll encounter will be what we expect here in our universe. As for now, you’re all dismissed. Go get something to eat and get back to your training manuals on how to deal with anyone we apprehend, regardless of the species we encounter.

Chris turned towards 1Lt. Parra and continued…

MCpt Lopez: I’ll be in my office, Lieutenant. See to it they all get fed and get back to their manuals on dealing with apprehended individuals. From now on they’re to be completely immobilized and watched with extreme prejudice. I need to write up our evaluation to General Alderez so if you need me, Tony, that’s where I will be.

The Marine Captain departed the Phaser Range and went to his office which was just down the corridor and sat behind his desk and began writing his report to MGen Alderez. Chris was so ashamed of what he felt he had to write. If he lost his promotion over this, he would have to accept it. MCpt Lopez called in his Detachment without informing them of the altered parameters set by Capt Little, which was a grave error on his part. If there ever was a next time, Chris would make sure the Squad was fully briefed so they would know what to expect, whether it be a simulation or an actual combat situation. MCpt Lopez realized he was hungry too and used the replicator in his office to make himself a beef and bean burrito, which Chris ate as he continued writing his report to MGen Alderez.
_________________
Marine Captain Christopher D. Lopez
Marine Detachment Commander, USS Infiniti

Phaser Range - Deck 3

The 1st Lieutenant led the Marines from the Phaser Range on Deck 3 to their Barracks on Deck 4, across from Holodeck 2 and made sure they got whatever they wanted from the Replicators to eat. They would need their nutritional needs met for the mission ahead. As for the training manuals, Tony distributed the PADDs to each of the Marines in the Detachment so they could re-read the information regarding apprehended individuals.

1Lt. Parra: Don’t forget to re-read these instructions, Marines. We cannot afford to make a mistake like this again. This time it was a program on the Holodeck, next time it could be here in reality and we could lose somebody for real. Let’s make sure Captain Lopez has an excellent report on our performance after this mission to overshadow our mistake on the Holodeck or we’ll all be looking at demotions in our future.

Tony walked over to where MSgt Arbor was standing and filled him in on what the 1st Lieutenant’s plans were.

1Lt. Parra: Master Sergeant, I’ll be in my Quarters reading over the same training manual since I too failed to keep the Ferengi secured. Keep an eye on the Squad in my absence…

The Deputy Detachment Commander retreated to his Quarters on the same deck and made himself something to eat from his Replicator, then sat down at his desk and began going over how people apprehended are to be secured. Tony felt shame for not being quick enough to catch the Ferengi with the butt of his M-41A Pulse Rifle to knock him out cold before he could even stand up. Since Bok was on his knees, he should’ve never been able to get up on his feet unnoticed. The event really bothered 1Lt. Parra and knew the program was altered by Capt Little to be unorthodox, but did the Captain actually make it so the computer could cheat? Tony figured he would most likely never know…
_________________
1st Lieutenant Anthony Parra
Deputy Detachment Commander, USS Infiniti

Marine Barracks - Deck 4

The Master Sergeant nodded while he remained at parade rest until 1Lt. Parra left their Barracks. Once the 1st Lieutenant departed, MSgt Arbor took a seat and looked over his PADD while eating a chicken parmigiana sandwich. It stated right there in the training manual that apprehended individuals were to be watched at all times. Cody felt like taking his PADD and smacking Pvt1 Vasquez in the back of her head for the incompetence she displayed.

MSgt Arbor: Vasquez! You triggered a situation that caused Captain Little to sustain even more injuries! You made the entire Detachment look bad, even though Sergeant Hicks and I were keeping the exit secured from any of Bok’s henchmen from making their way back there! We look bad by association! If it were up to me, I’d have you eating celery! What do you have to say for yourself, Vaz!?

The Private 1st Class was very embarrassed being singled out by the Master Sergeant. She hung her head low and answered MSgt Arbor’s question as best she could.

Pvt1 Vasquez: I don’t know, Master Sergeant! It was like somebody else was controlling me! Normally I would’ve never done that, you know me and how I operate! I was not myself, I cannot explain it… It’s loco. I’m very sorry, Master Sergeant!

Jenette’s head still hung low, from embarrassment, shame and confusion. Cody decided to cut her some slack and stopped the barrage of interrogation and let her finish her meal without any further comments from her Master Sergeant. The Private 1st Class mentioned that she felt as though she was being controlled by somebody else. Making her go against her instincts, something MSgt Arbor had never seen or heard of before.

MSgt Arbor: Well, if Captain Little is the one responsible for altering the Holodeck’s program, perhaps he did something to alter the way we perceived our actions. I’ll talk to Captain Lopez about it later on, for now, eat your meals and get to studying. I’ve got a feeling our services will be needed while we’re in the Alternate Universe, especially if we’re dealing with a gung-ho Commanding Officer who likes to take unnecessary risks with his life. Maybe Dr. Tudismaque should keep Captain Little in a medically induced coma and let Commander Cypher run the show. That way we won’t have to go saving his ass again…

The Master Sergeant continued reading his PADD and eating his sandwich. MCpt Lopez may have been too quick to blame himself and the Detachment for Capt Little’s injuries. It sounded like everything happened according to the programming of the Captain himself. If that be the case, MCpt Lopez’s report would be a premature assessment of the situation in the Holodeck. MSgt Arbor would make it a point to discuss this with the Marine Captain at the Detachment Commander’s earliest convenience.

Normally, the chain of command would have him discuss this with 1Lt. Parra first, but the 1st Lieutenant was resting in his Quarters going over the same training manual since he also felt he shared the blame. But being that Cody was in another part of the simulation when all that happened, he had a unique point of view of the event since it wasn’t skewed by the perception created by the Holodeck’s altered programming. C’mon really? A Ferengi warrior? Getting passed a Detachment of Marines to attack the Captain? Surely that’s something that wouldn’t happen under normal circumstances, so clearly the parameters of the program were severely altered by the Capt Little.
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Master Sergeant Cody Arbor
Marine Detachment Sergeant, USS Infiniti

Bridge - Deck 1

All was quiet on the Bridge as Cmdr Cypher sat in the CO’s chair watching over all the officers at their stations. What broke the silence was the call from Dr. Tudismaque in Sickbay regarding Capt Little being incapacitated. Thom took this very seriously, wondering what Lewis did to himself in the Holodeck. Since Jacques said the Captain just needed time to recover, the XO wasn’t too worried. The medical report would be available soon and Thom had every intention of reading it. Quite some time had passed since Capt Little left the Bridge to indulge himself on the Holodeck, so he made an inquiry from the Chief Flight Control Officer.

Cmdr Cypher: Ajay, what’s our current ETA to Sector Omicron?

Waiting to hear back from LtCmdr Centares, Thom sat comfortably in the Command Chair wondering how long would Capt Little be healing from his injuries. While the XO sat there, he used the Center Console to open the Medical report section and kept an eye on the monitor for when Dr. Tudismaque filed his report on the Captain’s condition. Thom figured it wouldn’t take the Doctor too long since Capt Little was his only patient at this time. Time was certainly fleeting since the Captain left for his Holodeck adventure, so Cmdr Cypher was curious what their ETA would be considering they were moving at maximum velocity.
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Commander Thomas R. Cypher
Chief Engineering Officer, USS Whitestar

Ajay was on the verge of complete and utter boredom as Event Horizon was moving at its maximum velocity through space. There wasn’t much for him to do, the course was set and the ship was moving right along. When LtCmdr Centares heard Cmdr Cypher ask for the current ETA, Ajay snapped right to it and brought it up on his console.

Lt. Commander Centares: We’re looking at 8 hours and 27 minutes, Commander. Not too much longer to go, Sir.

The Chief Flight Control Officer continued to monitor Event Horizon’s course and speed at his console at the front of the Bridge. There still wasn’t much for Ajay to do at his station, so he brought up an old video game on a small display that wouldn’t be obvious. LtCmdr Centares had a smile on his face as Ajay relived the nostalgia of days gone past while he played PAC-MAN on his console.
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Lt. Commander Ajay K. Centares
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Oriskany

Thom was pleased they were 2 hours closer to their destination. He really marveled at the speed of this vessel and thought it prudent to check in with their Chief Engineer to make sure all was running well down there in Event Horizon’s Engineering areas. The XO tapped his Combadge and called down to PO3 Florenté, right after he told LtCmdr Centares to keep up what he was doing.

Cmdr Cypher: Not bad, we’re over two hours closer to Sector Omicron. Steady as we go, Ajay. Cypher to Engineering! Jamie, how are the engines holding up since we’ve been at maximum velocity for more than a few hours?

The Commander waited on hearing back from their Chief Engineer, hoping for a good report from PO3 Florenté. Thom knew Jamie would be quick to report back regarding the status of the engines. Their Chief Engineer was quite proud of his work and kept the engines running as smoothly as possible. Even running at full speed ahead into the unknown...
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Commander Thomas R. Cypher
Chief Engineering Officer, USS Whitestar

Main Engineering - Deck 7

The Petty Officer 3rd Class was busy walking around Main Engineering on Deck 7, making sure all was well when he heard Cmdr Cypher calling from the Bridge. Stopping in his tracks, Jamie responded to the XO with a report on the current condition of the engines and Coaxial Warp Core.

PO3 Florenté: Florenté here! We couldn’t be doing any better, Commander! Engines are performing at maximum output; the core is operating within specified parameters! We’ll be able to keep this up all the way to Sector Omicron, Sir!

The Chief Engineer continued his pacing of Engineering, looking over all of the consoles and displays, making sure everything was operating at peak performance. Jamie was really impressed with the Engineering Compartment of Event Horizon. PO3 Florenté wondered if the ship would be remaining in Gamma Fleet when the mission was finished, kind of their unofficial clandestine vessel for all types of secret missions, or did FAdm Skyner have something else planned?
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Chief Petty Officer Jamie J. Florenté
Chief Engineering Officer, USS Infiniti