Who Let the Dogs Out? - Part I

Posted on Tue Oct 7, 2025 @ 4:57am by Commodore T'mpest Michaels & Civilian Millie Draven & Colonel Nicholas Means III & Commander Cara Letsul & Lieutenant Commander Curtis Thibideaux & Lieutenant Annora Tessaro
Edited on on Tue Oct 7, 2025 @ 5:10am

1,231 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Chicken Run
Location: Commodore's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 001

T'mpest received a call within minutes of Captain Grumby and his menagerie leaving the docking bay, alerting her to the problem, and that the captain was determined to talk to her.

She called an emergency meeting as, regardless of what the ship captain wanted, there were a thousand animals now running loose on the station and they needed to be retrieved before anything they caused further problems.

Curtis's contact began flashing red as alerts flagged and automatically closed the correspondence he had open from BuShips. Blinking to clear the red, he noted the Commodore's summons. His door auto-opened as he took the three strides it took to reach it and he was running as his contact switched modes to repeat station information culled from the alerts.

By the time he reached T'mpest's office, Curtis purposely slowed to a walk so as not to run into anyone. "Animals?" he asked.

Cara having gotten the alert as well, arrived just shortly after Curtis had. Her eyes were filled with questions,

"We're being overrun by animals?" She looked down at her PADD, then looked up swiftly. "If you've not already ordered it, the Arboretum needs to be emptied right now and closed off to make certain the animals do not get inside!" another look and a smile appeared. "Looks like that is being taken care of now."

The commodore nodded. "The arboretum and promenade have already been put on alert, as has security. Lieutenant Tessaro and Colonel Means should be on their way here, as is the captain of the Minnow. We need to deal with the situation as quickly and calmly as possible."

Just then the door opened. Millie Draven stepped in the doorway, blocking it with her body. "You do not have an appointment."

"I don't need one," a gruff male voice said. "This is an emergency and I want to know what your commander is going to do about it."

"Let him in, Millie." T'mpest stood and walked around her desk.

Millie turned her head to look at the commodore, then nodded and stepped aside.

The man stormed up to Thibideaux. "I demand that you collect those animals. I'm taking them to Orwell Colony and they're bought and paid for."

Curtis was about to tell the man, who's facial recognition identified him as the J. Grumby, of the Minnow. Curtis was about to tell him to keep a civil tongue in his head, when the Commodore spoke up.

"Excuse me, but I am the station commander," T'mpest said calmly.

Grumby turned to face the half Vulcan and paused. "I'm Jonas Grumby, captain of the SS Minnow. We were en route to Orwell Colony when we started having trouble with the containment fields around the animal pens. Sully did what he could, but as soon as he fixed one problem, another cropped up. So, we diverted here. All containment fields failed as we approached, then the cargo bay doors began to open. We barely landed in one piece, but with our drawers down, there was nothing we could do to keep the rascals inside. Sully and I can't possible round them up, so we need you to do it."

Ensign Caton was the Duty Officer of the day when the alert came down of escaped animals running loose on the station. "Is this even a security concern?" he asked of Petty Officer Mahanes.

The Bolian furrowed her brow. "It's not part of our normal duties, no. We should at least put out a BOLO to teams on duty so they're not surprised to see poultry running around. Might even be able to round up some of them. As for informing the Lieutenant, she did explicitly say not to disturb her except in a station-wide emergency. Let's not call her just yet."

The decision was soon taken out of their hands when a message came down from Ops requesting a meeting of senior staff. Mahanes acknowledged the request before keying the comms.
=/\= Sorry to disturb your day off ma'am. The commodore requests your presence in her office. There's been an incident with one of the cargo ships.=/\=

In her quarters, Annora inwardly groaned as she reached for the comm unit above the tub. At least she got to sleep in, even if the rest of her day was shot.
=/\=Thank you Petty Officer. I'll be there shortly.=/\=

Sending a short acknowledgement to the Commodore's message, Annora climbed out of the tub, quickly dried off and donned a fresh uniform. Pulling her hair into a ponytail as she walked to the nearest turbolift, she arrived just behind an angry looking civilian.

T'mpest nodded to the chief security officer before replying to Grumby. "Yes, that is most unfortunate, and we are definitely willing to help the animals. But you seem to believe you have no fault in this matter."

"I didn't take the containment fields down. I didn’t open the cargo doors in space. It's not my fault. And, as I said, I just have one assistant. We can't retrieve a thousand animals and we can't afford to replace them."

T'mpest inclined her head in a nod, then turned to the others. "I agree we need to help round up the animals, but the question is what to do with them afterwards."

"But, but..." Grumby blustered. "They belong to Orwell Colony. I'm on a deadline."

"And I run a station," T'mpest replied. "Do you have insurance to cover loss or injury?"

"Yes, but not to this extent..."

"Then take a seat." She turned from Grumby to address the others. "Suggestions?"

Curtis got a hand on Captain Grumby's shoulder and guided him into a chair with something between a nudge and shove. "Sit. Stay. Captain Grumby sir."

"This, I believe is going to be an all hands on deck including civilians who will be willing to help out in this effort. We could send out requests, for help and I believe it will work. As this is affecting the station." Cara leaning back in her chair.

T'mpest nodded. "We will also need the help of security and the Marines to coordinate efforts, and to make sure no one decides they can abscond with any of the animals." If so, it would be the station's responsibility to replace them"

"Speaking of Colonel Means and the marines. where is he at?" Cara wondered aloud.

[Outside the Station]

Means had been in a shuttle outside what had been their assembly as he coordinated the arrival of the all the new gear that was streaming in. Three squadrons of fighter flew in and were berthed or landed in the bay followed by the squadrons of wyvern transport...some of them would be deployed to the surface but it would be easier to have then inspected on the station first.

All the Marines, their new drop ships with their new vehicles were being sent to the base. When the call came in he issued several orders and had himself beamed to the pad in the command center and made his way quickly to the Commodores' office, unaware of the current situation.

(To be continued...)

Captain Jonas Grumby
Skipper, SS Minnow

Millie Draven
Secretary for T'mpest
Deep Space 5

Commander Cara Letsul
XO
DS5

Lt. Commander Curtis Thibideaux
Strategic Ops.
DS5

Lieutenant Annora Tessaro
Chief Security Officer
DS5

Colonel Nicolas Means
Marine CO
Deep Space 5 & Pangaea

Commodore T'mpest Michaels
Commander
Deep Space 5

 

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