ONE

A hundred starships belonging to dozens different classes sparkled in the reflected starlight, lying at rest in parking orbits thousands of kilometres above the dusty red surface of Mars. Some floated free, while others were cocooned within massive drydocks, held in place like seagoing vessels being consumed by kraken of ancient myth.

Though Lisa Tennant had visited the shipyards of Utopia Planetia many times during her career, that familiarity had not bred contempt. Even as a captain she was as in awe of the enormity of the Federation's largest construction facility as she'd been as a second year cadet, touring the vast shipyard for the first time with her academy classmates.

As she piloted the tiny shuttlecraft amongst the massive interstellar spacecraft being worked on by Mars' industrious engineers, Tennant wondered if she would ever become blasé when visiting Utopia Planetia. She genuinely hoped she wouldn't. Now thirty-four years of age and well into her second decade of Starfleet service, she enjoyed experiencing the same elation she'd felt at nineteen, arriving in Martian orbit for the first time aboard an Academy training ship.

Driven forward by its thrusters, the shuttle emerged from the shadow cast by a mammoth deuterium freighter whose stubby engine nacelles were being dismantled by engineers in EVA suits, prompting a sharp intake of breath from Tennant's co-pilot as he spied the very different spacecraft that had suddenly become visible.

"There she is," Stefan Rhodes said quietly, his voice full of wonder.

The captain leaned forward in her acceleration seat to gaze out at the colossal starship that floated in dock directly ahead, so large that it dwarfed even the freighter they'd just flown by.

The USS Enterprise-D hung in space high above Mars, making every other vessel moored throughout Utopia Planetia look insignificant by comparison. Though she was still weeks away from completion, the third galaxy-class ship to be constructed by Starfleet was nonetheless a sight to behold, looking down upon her fellows as if she knew that she was different from the rest. Special.

"That's a big ship," Tennant observed with a smile, enjoying the feeling of pride coarse through her. Normally the construction of a Starfleet vessel roused little emotion inside her, even one as mighty as she one that now dominated the forward view port. But the building of the new Enterprise was another matter entirely.

For this majestic spacecraft was destined to become Starfleet's next flagship, the crowning achievement of Federation science and technology. Within the month her construction would be completed, and the Enterprise would sail out of dock under her own power. After almost a year of exhaustive trials and shakedown cruises to locations throughout the Alpha Quadrant, she would undergo her commissioning ceremony, doubtless drawing guests and dignitaries from across the Federation and allied worlds.

But whilst Tennant looked upon the Enterprise with a sense of awe and pride, she knew that for Stefan Rhodes the sight of the new flagship brought with it only disappointment and longing.

"How are you feeling," she asked him quietly, directing her attention back toward the helm controls.

The young commander kept his gaze locked upon the smooth lines of the galaxy-class ship as the shuttle soared past. "What can I say?" the young man replied. "Captain Picard thought Will Riker was the better man for the job."

Tennant knew the selection process to find the Enterprise's first officer had been one of the most intense in Starfleet's history, with candidates from across the fleet putting themselves forward for the position of Jean-Luc Picard's second in command. Picard himself was renowned for being notoriously difficult to please, only accepting the very best into his crews and particularly his command staff. In the final stage of the selection process he'd personally conducted interviews with those he'd short listed in search of a suitable first officer.

Rhodes had been one of those interviewed aboard the Enterprise, but had ultimately lost out to Commander William Riker of the Hood.

He had also made little attempt to disguise his disappointment at being assigned as Tennant's new first officer following the rejection by Picard, and had been willing to talk about little else during their flight from Starfleet Command on Earth.

But whether he approved of that decision or not, Rhodes was an officer of the fleet and therefore bound by the chain of command. He would serve where Starfleet saw fit to place him, and Lisa Tennant refused to coddle this man and his self pity.

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the Discovery," she said finally, redirecting the conversation as swiftly as she redirected the shuttle toward where she knew her ship was waiting. "My first assignment as captain was to supervise the three month overhaul that was just completed. We've upgraded most of her systems. It should see her through the next three years until decommissioning."

Rhodes glanced sideways at her. "Exactly how old is the Discovery?" he asked, frowning. "Seventy years?"

Tennant felt a familiar sense of pride building within her. "Seventy two," she corrected. "She was launched from Utopia Planetia in 2291 under Captain John Randle, one of the last constitution-class ships to be commissioned by Starfleet. I'm her sixth captain."

The young commander blew out a long breath. "That's incredible. To still be flying after all this time."

"The ship was built with a projected hull-life of seventy-five years," Tennant told him. She'd had the same conversation with many people during her time aboard the ship as first officer, then as her captain. "It's easy to forget that Starfleet has always designed its vessels to remain in service for at least half a century. Unfortunately exploring the unknown depths of space can be a dangerous business so not many of them reach their intended lifespan. The Discovery is one of the lucky ones."

"And in three years she'll be decommissioned?"

Tennant nodded. "Some time during 2366," she confirmed, suppressing the slight pang of sorrow she felt at the prospect. "The exact date will depend on the amount of deuterium and antimatter still onboard at the time. We're not entirely sure what will happen after decommissioning but it seems likely she'll be handed over to the Smithsonian Institute on Earth as a museum piece."

"That's one hell of a way to end a career," Rhodes commented. "Don't other ships just get broken down after they're decommissioned?"

The captain flashed him a smile. "But the Discovery isn't like other ships," she countered teasingly.

Rhodes grinned back at her, conceding the point. Tennant realised that the expression changed the man's face entirely, allowing his boyish good looks to shine through for the first time. Now that he'd lost the dour expression he'd carried with him since they'd met earlier that morning, she actually found Rhodes quite attractive. Of course she would neglect to mention the fact to her husband when she spoke with him that evening.

The Discovery's three month overhaul had allowed her to return home each evening to spend time with Richard, her husband of four years and one of the Federation's most noted archaeologists. By a cosmic coincidence his own ship, the private research vessel Solace, was docked above Earth undergoing extensive repairs following an encounter with the Gorn. The battered old vessel Doctor Tennant had owned since his early twenties had been orbiting a world deep inside Gorn territory investigating the ruins of an Iconian colony, when one of their warships had understandably taken exception to the Solace's presence.

But then Richard Tennant had never let such trivialities as territorial infringements stand in the way of his research.

A decade ago that same attitude had had very nearly triggered a war between the Federation and the Tholian Assembly.

Catching her mind wandering, Lisa Tennant refocused her attention on the man sitting quietly beside her. "Have you ever been aboard a constitution-class ship?"

"Not a real one," Rhodes replied. "I spent a few hours in the simulator back at Starfleet Command yesterday to get my certification but those things are hardly set up to give you the grand tour."

Tennant nodded. Before a command level officer could transfer to an unfamiliar class of vessel they were required to complete a short training scenario designed to prepare them for emergency situations such as an engine core jettison or full-scale evacuation.

"Well you'll be able to experience the real thing in a few minutes," she told him, steering the shuttlecraft in a wide arc as the sensors alerted her to the spacecraft they were approaching.

As the shuttle turned, both officers watched the beautiful starship that slid into view.

The USS Discovery floated in open space, the great ship holding position at the edge of the Utopia Planetia fleet yard. Her crisp, uncomplicated lines were illuminated by running lights blinking their pattern, calling her captain home.

"We call her the Old Lady," Tennant whispered, a broad smile gracing her delicate features as her eyes drank in the spectacle of her first command, the seventy-two year old wonder that had been turned over to her only three months earlier. Of all the vessels docked throughout Martian orbit, even the fantastic new Enterprise, at that moment Lisa Tennant couldn't be happier to be commanding the Discovery.

As they approached the old starship from astern, an incoming communications call broke the silence that had descended over the cabin.

"Discovery to shuttlecraft," a disembodied male voice said over the speakers. "Welcome home, captain."

Tennant recognised the voice instantly as that of her tactical officer, Kieran Doyle. "Thank you, lieutenant," she answered. "There's no place like it. Request docking clearance."

"Bring her on in, captain," Doyle confirmed. "Once you're aboard your presence is requested in the conference lounge. Admiral Sheppard beamed up from the surface an hour ago and would like an urgent conference with you."

The captain frowned. Bill Sheppard had commanded the Discovery for over ten years until the beginning of its recent overhaul, five of those years spent with Tennant as his first officer. When the ship had returned home three months ago Sheppard had been promoted to vice-admiral and reassigned to Starfleet Intelligence, and had been instrumental in securing Tennant's own promotion to captain.

"Trouble?" Rhodes asked, obviously picking up on her reaction.

Tennant shrugged as she brought the shuttle about to line it up with the hanger at the stern of the engineering hull. "I guess I'll find out soon enough," she said.