There's One In Every Crowd

Posted on Wed Jun 19th, 2019 @ 11:10pm by Warrant Officer Marcus Lazlo & Lieutenant Commander Craig Travis & Lieutenant Paul Sharpe

Mission: Starbase 332, Where Are You?
Location: Docking Ring, Main Concourse
Timeline: Current

ON:

The mull of people coming out of the docking ring was almost deafening as everyone chattered on about what was happening and complained about botched schedules. Marcus was watching as the security personnel stood on standby, keeping an eye on all of the civilian crews making their way on deck. He called for attention but was ultimately drowned out. After a moment, he sighed and stepped up on a planter, stuck his thumb and pointer finger in his mouth, and let out a deafening whistle.

All heads turned his way and a hush fell over the crowd, "Thank you," He called, slightly bemused. "I am Warrant Officer Marcus Lazlo. I understand that you've been highly inconvenienced by the current lockdown, and I'd like to apologize. Believe me, if we had any other options at the moment, I'd be happy to give them to you, but we don't. Until further notice, you're to remain on board Starbase 332. We'll be setting up temporary quarters for you and your crew and doing our best to get you back on your timelines ASAP, I just ask that you trust us and work with us to make sure this is as quick and painless as possible," He called out.

"Bullshit," One of the freighter captains growled. "You're going to pay me back for the money that I've lost."

Marcus sighed, "Take any monetary compensation up with Starfleet Command. We're just following regulations here," He explained. "Right now, the most important thing is that everyone stays calm," Lazlo replied.

"You want us to stay calm, but you won't even tell us what's going on?" A woman in the crowd called out.

"I understand the concern, and I can assure you that you're in no immediate danger, but we're still trying to ascertain the extent of what's going on so that we don't give you guys bad information, alright?" He offered.

Lieutenant Sharpe was patrolling near the docking rings when he heard a loud whistle, interest piqued he sauntered over to a security Officer trying to placate a crowd of freighter Captain's he walked up to the security officer "what is all the ruckus Officer?" He asked as the officer had his back to him he could not see the rank.

Laz turned back and looked at the man behind him, offering a salute, "Just folks wanting to go home, sir. Can't blame 'em for that," He explained. "You want to help, can you start making your way through the crowd and getting crew manifest info so we can start assigning quarters soon?" He asked, offering a smile.

Sharpe was startled by the salute, but being married to a marine made him used to it so he returned it, also he gave the Non Com a raised eyebrow 'did he just tell me what to do!?' Sharpe thought to himself, but now was not the time for such things words may have been wrongly worded, but the tone was respectful then mumbling to himself "must be getting soft in my old age!" Then loud enough for Lazlo to hear "all right I will go speak to the Captain's" he responded then to the crowd "please can everyone calm down, we will get to your problems as soon as we can" he said as he pushed his way through the crowd, which calmed slightly, but not enough he turned back to Lazlo "Chief, contact security office and have them send more personnel to this location" Sharpe said.

"They're already on their way," Lazlo replied.

"I'll be calm as soon as my damn monetary loss has been addressed," One of the Captain's yelled back.

"We'll get around to that," Laz reassured the man, his tone getting a little impatient. "Right now, if you're a Ship's Captain, bring me or Sharpe there your manifests so we can start logging you in the Station's databases and get you quarters assigned."

After acknowledging the response Sharpe headed to the first ship to get it's manifest, then noticed the ships Captain's were not on the ship, mentally doing a Facepalm he turned to the person who spoke.

"Excuse me Sir!" he said to the Captain who had yelled "everyone is currently just as confused as you, so if you could please remain calm we will do our best to sort things out," Sharpe said.

"I...we don't have time for this why have we been grounded and being held against our wills?" A very large very angry Klingon spoke up.

This was the same time Travis had arrived with a few more security staff. Hearing this very upset Captain Travis walked right over to him. "Lower your voice on my Concourse," Travis told him. "You know damn well when you dock on a Federation station that if security concerns dictate you can and will be grounded." He sized up the much larger Captain. "You look like you have been around and I highly doubt this is your first lockdown. To comply with my staffs....requests or we can accommodate you in the brig while we perform a compliance check of your ship." Travis made sure the last part was plenty loud for all the Captain's to hear.

There were a murmur and complaints from the crowd, but Lazlo belted out above the din, "Anyone who fails to comply will have to submit to a compliance check. That clear?" He called out. The complaints dialled down in volume. Laz looked over at Travis, "Huh... Maybe we should do a compliance check anyway, huh?" He said, quietly enough for only Travis to hear.

Travis gave him a grin. "If we knew more about our situation I would say yes."

"This is uncalled for!" Came a cry from the crowd as a man took a step up onto one of the decorative planters in the docking ring. "We're being held against our will for unknown reasons! I refuse to cooperate with *anything* until I know what's going on!" He screamed, to a rousing cheer of agreement around him.

That was *exactly* what Lazlo was hoping against, "Look, Cap, I got you. I understand, I really do, but right now, we're still trying to figure it all out. That storm did something to the station, and we're trying to understand it. I don't want to tell you guys assumptions and theories and I shouldn't have to explain why there. I just need everyone to--"

"Tell us what we want to know, or you'll have a riot!" The man barked, loudly, to an even larger cheer of agreement.

Sharpe made his way back to Travis and gave him a bemused look "why do I feel like this is going to get worse before it gets better Commander?" he said to Travis.

"Look, there's nothing that I can do," Lazlo called back.

Like a match on kindling, it started. Someone screamed, a cart toppled over, and the tidal wave of human beings rushed forward. It was a dazzling display of hivemind. Someone yelled to go to the command station, and Lazlos grimaced as he dropped from his place upon the planter.

"Not good!" He yelled, even as he was cut off from his fellow security officers.

All of a sudden Sharpe was jostled as the crowd began to panic speaking loudly in his native tongue "am lefain yn uchel" (for crying out loud)" with the sudden displacement of the Starbase the translator hiccuped and stopped for a moment so during that moment if anyone heard his exclamation it was in another language.

The crowd surged forward, separating the security officers from one another as they fell back, "Take 'em out in chunks! Fall back and get help!" Lazlo yelled before the others were out of earshot... This was going well.