A Helping Hand

[Dacia Sandero 0]

Joint log w/Alexis’ parents & Dr. Dacia Sandero

Dacia’s Quarters – 2300



Dacia sat in her quarters and ate a granola bar before going to bed
for the night.  It was part of one of the emergency rations they
handed out to people after the replicators went offline.  Dacia let
out a sigh.  Of all the things to kill the replicators, it had to be
the cup of coffee she replicated.  She didn’t even drink coffee
normally.



You would think if anything would have killed them, it would have been
all the food and decorations they replicated for Aegis’ anniversary
party a few days ago – especially that giant Aegis cake that measured
a storey tall, Dacia was obviously no engineer, but she thought that
probably didn’t help the replicator situation in the first place.



Like other people on the station, Dacia gave what she could of her
leftovers to help with their supply of food to distribute amongst the
station’s inhabitants and helped Dr. Pavilion take stock of the
existing stocks of food rations they already had on hand.  She and Dr.
Pavilion reckoned they had enough on hand to last for at least the
next day or two.



 While the engineering staff on hand worked on restoring the
replicators, calls were made out to Starfleet HQ to send ships with
food and other supplies to keep Aegis going under the repairs to the
station’s replicators can be fully made, which at this point Dacia
didn’t know exactly how long it would take.



One of those ships was the USS Langley, a New Orleans class frigate
which was already on their way to Aegis, carrying two rather important
diplomats with them.  Dacia sipped on her tea as she spoke with them
via sub space.  Robert and Mariah McFarland smiled back at Dacia from
the Langley’s ready room with her captain Tony D’Amico, a relatively
young man from Brooklyn.



“It’s good to see you again Dacia.  How’s Alexis doing?” Mariah asked.
“As well as can be expected” Dacia replied.   “She’s asleep now, but
at least she ate pretty well given our situation”. Mariah smiled.
“That’s good to hear.  We can’t wait to see her again, but I’m afraid
our arrival will be somewhat delayed, which brings us to the nature of
our call”



Mariah turned to Captain D’Amico.   “Yes, we were supposed to be
arriving tomorrow, but our ETA has been pushed back an extra day as
were diverted to Starbase 41 to take on a large supply of food and
other stuff you’se guys might need” D’Amico said.  “How many people do
you have again? 15-16,000?”



Dacia nodded “We have about 16,000 in total, both Starfleet personnel
and civilians”.  D’Amico quickly did the math in his head.  “So, all
of our cargo bays are filled to the brim with food and all the other
essentials you’ll need to survive.  I’d say with that much people in
total, we probably have enough to last you at least two or three days”



“Well, I don’t know if we’ll have enough replicators online by then to
sustain ourselves. I’m a doctor not an engineer, so I can’t even begin
to guess how long it’ll take to get all of them up and running again,
despite a significant increase to our engineering department” Dacia
said.



“Though not every race on board uses our replicators – we do have a
sizeable Klingon population for instance, who of course eschews
replicators opting for fresh raw food, like targ and gagh. But, even
still, I think the total should be over the 15,000 mark anyway”



 “For the long term, I think you’ll be okay.  We have spoken with
Starfleet, and they are planning on diverting more ships to your
location to help deliver food and whatever else you’ll need.  I don’t
know how many exactly, but I’d say around five or six within a
reasonable travelling range to Aegis.  I even heard the Klingons might
be sending a ship there to deliver food to the Klingon populace on
board.” Captain D’Amico said.



“However, they’d still take a few days or so to arrive as they have a
longer distance to travel to get to you.  We were lucky, in that we
were already on route to Aegis to drop off the McFarlands. But we’re
still a day and a half out ourselves, what with our diversion to
Starbase 41.  I hope you have enough on hand to last you ‘till then”
added D’Amico.



Robert chimed in as well.  “My father has also gotten wind of your
emergency there and is offering to send some cargo freighters fully
loaded with food and supplies.  They’re big freighters, so I’d imagine
that’d be enough food to last for at least a month, probably two.
Problem is, there’s no nearby UFS freighters with any spare cargo
space for additional items.  I was told the freighters could get there
in about a week, week and a half from Port Alexis”



That was generous of the old man, Dacia thought to herself.  Robert
seemed to pick up on Dacia’s thoughts as well.  “It was very nice of
him to offer, but I guess his decision to do so, had more to do with
not liking the prospect of his son and beloved granddaughter starving
to death on the station” he said with a smile.  Dacia smiled too.



Robert’s father certainly loved Alexis.  Given how much he sends her
every week to make sure she’s happy and has anything she’d ever want
or need and then some.  Heck, he did name the company’s main
processing hub after her.  “I was told that his logistics personnel
sent in the offer to your command staff less than an hour ago, but so
far hadn’t heard back from them last I spoke to them, that was about
20 minutes ago” Robert said.





As Captain D’Amico mentioned, that was good news, for the long term.
Dacia thought to herself.  In a few days, they should have enough to
last them for a good while, but short term might be difficult.  The
Langley is still more than a day and a half out.



“We’re still cataloguing what we have in stock, but it looks like we
do enough to last us until the Langley arrives, but maybe only just.
But we do appreciate the delivery of food, and the offer from your
father as well.  I know it will be a great benefit to everyone on the
station, not just for you and Alexis so we’re grateful for the offer
whether our command staff decides to take it or not” Robert nodded and
smiled.

  “Of course.  Starfleet certainly would let you guys starve and
despite his shrewdness, my father is a caring person deep inside.
We’re travelling as fast as we can, but good luck in your emergency
situation” he said.  “Thanks. It’ll be difficult for sure, but I’m
sure we can manage.  See you when you arrive” Dacia replied and the
transmission ended, it was probably going to be a bit of a tough day
and a half, but she was sure they’d survive till then.