Cold Call - [Sibby-verse 1]

8

I envision myself punching him in the face to add to Addie-Lit's slaps.

Maybe I'll do that later? Instead, I force myself out the office and stomp down the corridors, irate, fussing and cussing to myself and decide to update GoSo's node with Eds recalcitrance at not answering the cold call. I decide to head to my office to collect myself before facing anyone and think about some hard calls to make.

This makes absolutely no sense! There're some serious questions here – what was Eds supposed to do with or at Independence? He has a scheme to expose Sibby?! If so, that's absolutely insane and maybe how I can justify declaring him incompetent and take command? Might be a plan shaping up here. Along with this zealot insistence on following illegal cold call orders? That just may be the way to go. I don't know if Addie-Lit is an ally, she's a bit unpredictable and volatile. I do not want to be on the receiving end of her slaps! Maybe I can get HER to take command? She doesn't appear keen at all to answer this cold call...I'll have to look for an opportunity.

*** So...uh, why're we assisting when all we're doing is answering this cold call ev'one else is avoiding? *** Caddy.
*** Right. Once folks find out, its gonna be a prob. *** Lito.
*** Any ideas what's up on shift change Jay? *** Raven.
*** Well somewhat but one thing, we got orders to run subskill on ev'one to placate 'em to roll over and get iced. *** me
*** WHAT! *** mood shocked.
*** Yeah. *** me.
*** Whadda'ya gonna do Jay? *** Lito.
*** Not entirely sure yet but formulating a plan. Ev'one should have the skill-sess in their loops. Eds is all for us changin' our Eye sig's, Addie-Lit gonna get the cargo off Pity Treaty and Eds is workin' some side-plan of his I don't know the ends of. We're in it deep y'all. I'm not doin' that skill-sess. ***
*** What's your rec', Jay? You're our real CO anyways. Anytime it hits the fan, it's you in the hot seat with Eds takin' credit. *** Caddy.
*** mood agreement ***
*** Don't do it. It's to placate us, which don't make sense to me. Get Dells, Zee and Cat on that loop and let 'em know and they can decide for themselves on what to do. I don't want the navboard doing it either, need to fly the ship with all brain functions working. *** me

While heading for my office, I realize I'm already pass the max recommended Alignment time on comp-sys and can feel the edges of exhaustion trying to creep up. There's tons of activity below-decks, with the onboard civ merchies falling in and helping out with Pity Treaty's peeps and I decide to grab a bite to eat. Somehow, we all need to get this ship turned around in the opposite direction and short of that, get off this ship.

I am thinking there's a good enough cause to take command though, I just don't know about Addie-Lit however. I head towards Medbay after grabbing a sandwich out of the galley and immediately run into Twink. We nearly collide in the corridor, and he immediately hustles me off into a small, unoccupied office and seals the door behind us.

                "What's burnin'!" he demands.
                "You runnin' this skill-sess on folks?!" I demand, frowning.
                "Orders! What I'm s'posed to do? I'm not like you able to disobey whenever I feel like it so I'm on the cleanup detail behind you!" I shoot Twink a sharp look he's oblivious to. "What's burnin'?!"
                "What's Ra doing?"
                "Co'ording these new arrivals! We need help with all these folks, we don't have the staff! Can we get Raven to help?"
                "Report!" I demand, frowning meaningfully.
                 Twink exhales, now on the same page with me. "So far, just like Units Five and Six, various injuries in varying degrees from decompression, shrapnel, fractures, dislocations, sprains, closed head injuries, concussions, punctures, blunt-force trauma, traumatic amputations along with those who didn't survive it. Amazingly, Pity Treaty didn't lose any staff out the hull breeches. That doesn't count the trauma behind surviving these events and those with enough sense left are mad, understandably so. Since I'm running these skill-sess'es alone, I've got 'em all piled up in the lobby, the merchies that is and of course they all wanna know why. I've said noth'. Are these new boarders s'posed to get skilled too?"
                "I don't know. Didn't ask. Can you get 'em and keep 'em stabilized?"
                "No! How?! It's only the two of us...I mean there's a couple docs who're injured helping out,"
                "It's not like I can come down on an assist since you're so worried 'bout me followin' orders, Lieutenant Commander!" I place hands on my hips.
                "Sorry...I mean...what is going on?! This is turnin' into the worst day ever! We need to offload peeps on Endeavors, quick."
                "That's Eds plan, unless we get anoth' distress call that is."
                "But why're we gettin' shot at?!" Twink demands, with a light knock on the door. He cracks open the door and its Ra-Ra. These two are married and she enters. "Gettin' answers." He tells her.