Over the next 4 hours, Archer received half a dozen reports from every corner of the Lietinna. Most reports showed no major signs for concern aside from the system wide diagnostic showing an accounted draw on main power by one of the emergency shuttles and a timing issue with the engine causing it to be slightly delayed when commands are inputted.
Archer requested an expedited engineering support from the Charger on both cases. At the same time, he contacted Commander Strine regarding his crew chief and received confirmation that the assignment has been issued.
At 1600 after all the reports and surveys have arrived, Archer proceeded to send in a request for sortie to the Charger asking for approval to conduct a 6-hour ship shake exercise. These exercises are intended to have new commander get familiar with their ships by running a few HLT runs and weapons tests.
Archer wanted to spend the time to get a feel for the capabilities of the Lietinna and her crew while also getting familiar with the actual command of a ship, something that he's only done in virtual environment with simulated modules and crew.
While Archer was filling out the request form, a ring from the door turned his attention. He immediately called for them to enter followed by Klimt and another soldier walking into the room. Archer immediately recognized the man with Klimt as he walked off the console in the command room and moved to meet the two of them while speaking:
"Good to see you, Peters. I bet you didn't expect to see me so soon."
Peters who were walking next to Klimt seemed a bit decumulated at the whole thing as he stared at Archer while speaking:
"It's been a bit over 6 hours since we first met. And now you're telling me to be a crew chief on you ship. How could I possible expect that."
"Ha-ha. I needed a crew chief, and Klimt here refused the role so when I saw your name in the list of qualified candidates, I couldn't help it. Anyway, welcome to the Lietinna. Klimt here is. The senior crew member so make sure to work with her as you get familiar with the crew and the ship operations."
"Yes sir." Both Klimt and Peters responded.
Archer was about to continue talking when his communicator starting ringing. Most communicators only vibrate when received a message but only ring when there is an incoming urgent message from someone higher up.
Archer immediately pressed the answer button. The ringing stopped as a man's voice came through the communicator. Archer pressed a few buttons on his console causing the voice to start coming through the console:
"Lieutenant Chase. We have a mission issued to our 14th combat wing by the 3rd Strike Group command. The LNS Matril has been out of communication for 6 hours and command is concerned that something might have happened to them. The 14th Combat wing is the closest to the Matril's last known coordinate and is directed to dispatch ships to provide aid or confirm circumstances. The LNS Lietinna will head out immediately and will rendezvous with the LNS Tame and LNS Romme."
Archer couldn't help but frown as he listened to the man's words with Klimt and Peters. He immediately pulled up the order that was sent in with the communication. He immediately noticed that the Matril's last know location was near the planet Cosmis in the Orionis system.
The Orionis system is a border system of the League without an official fleet presence. It is known as a bastion of piracy and shady dealings between merchants traveling to and from League controlled space and most of its planets were very sparsely populated.
Archer noted this in his mind as he noticed that the mission was marked urgent which didn't allow him time to wait for the Tame or the Romme. He simply stood up and responded while walking towards Klimt and Peters.
"Acknowledged. The Lietinna will head out in 15 minutes."
Archer heard the click of the communication ending as soon as he provided his response. He walked past Klimt and Peters and towards the side door of the command room that led to the bridge and spoke:
"Klimt, get bridge crew to assemble, I want to set off as soon as possible. Peters, set your stuff down and come join me in the bridge. Am afraid we don't have time for you to get properly settled."
"Sir, what about the repairs we requested from the Charger?"
Archer simply shook his head and responded with a resigned tone:
"We don't have time unfortunately. If this was a mission issued by our wing command, we could buy time for repairs. But this come from strike group command, there is unfortunately no room for negotiation. Have engineering implement the batch they recommended, and we'll deal with it after this mission."
"Yes sir."
Archer walked into the bridge and stood behind the command console with Peters while Klimt walked past them to the operations console Infront on them. Archer turned to Peters and said:
"Peters, I just forwarded you the orders we just received, please condense and disseminate it to the crew."
The league navy operates on a system of ranks and hierarchy and a rigid need to know mentality which meant that commands received from one's superiors are not relayed to subordinates un-altered. So, while Archer might have received the order telling him do something, his commanders might have received a more detailed order which they deemed superfluous for Archer's ability to execute the mission. Archer naturally has to do the same for the information he's sending to his crew.
Peters immediately assented and took his place next to Archer on the command console to work on condensing the order and relaying it. At the same time, the bridge crew of 4 walked in behind archer and greeted him before walking past and taking their spots on the auxiliary stations.
Archer looked up from his console at the new seats Infront of the stations and the crew members who were fidgeting in them as they got settled. He smiled slightly before speaking:
"Now that we're all here, let's get ready to set off. Please conduct your prechecks. Ops, please request permission to depart from the Charger"
""" yes sir"""
Archer turned back to his console and started arranging the controls and commands to his preferred layout as he didn't have a chance to set it up yet. While he was doing this, voices started to sound out from the bridge.
"Comms Pre-check done. All green."
"Tactical Pre-check done. All green."
"Engineering Pre-check done. All green."
"Ops Pre-check done. All green. Permission received from the Charger for departure."
"Helm Pre-check done. All green."
After receiving confirmation from the bridge crew, Archer took a a deep breath and listened to the silence around him for a second with closed eyes before opening them and speaking with a commanding tone:
"Let's set off then. Helm, take us out of range of the Charger and set course for the Orionis system. Maximum drive. Engineering, please prepare the SF Modulator for HLT as soon as we're out of range."
"Yes sir"
Archer immediately felt rumbling cascade beneath his feet as his body adjusted to the forward momentum of the Lietinna. He immediately turned his head to the view port up front as the Lietinna rotated away from the Charger in her view while moving forward.
A few minute later, the Charger was entirely out of view and the Lietinna was moving forward on maximum drive when the helm officer spoke up:
'Sir, we're out of range from the Charger and course set to Orionis."
Archer nodded his head as he spoke:
"Comms, all hands brace for dropping into HLT. Engineering, engage HLT"
"Attention all hands. Attention all hands. Brace for HLT."
"Yes sir. HLT in 10, 9 , 8, 7 …."
Archer felt a knot in his stomach but ignored it as the count down for HLT continued. He wanted to stand stably like Naimes did, but he opted out of it. He couldn't allow for him to stumble on his first command of a ship, so he reached out to the brace bar on his console and waited for the jump into HLT.
At the count of zero, the bridge fell into a silence as the rumpling of the engine and humming of the SF modulator sounded in everyone's ears.
Archer looked around before speaking with a firm voice:
"Engage."