Thanks to Lt. Commander Spooky and Mick for beta reading.
Title: U.S.S. Chalice
By: FlamedramontheFireofCourage
Captain's log – Stardate 735291.5Most of my crew has arrived on board. I've decided to take a look around the ship to try and familiarise myself with it. I was quite pleased when Starfleet chose me to captain her, although the Chalice is still experimental we've come along with since the U.S.S. Voyager came home 30 years ago. I feel a tinge of excitement like when I had my first command.
CAPTAIN KARI REED STEPPED OUT OF THE TUBOLIFT AND ONTO THE BRIDGE OF THE newly designed U.S.S. Chalice NX-68541. She looked around the bridge gathering all she could see, there were still a few things coming aboard as well as new crewmembers arriving. She walked toward her captain's chair passing the briefing room on her right and taking a step down toward the command centre. She sat in her chair noting how much more comfortable it was than her previous command chair; she then heard the turbolift doors opening behind and to the right of her. She turned round to see her helmsman Lieutenant Taichi Tachikawa, he was about 5'12 in height had light brown hair and brown eyes. He looked fairly nervous as he stepped out of the turbolift looking around the bridge before seeing the captain looking at him she had long light brown hair that was tied up and brown eyes. He then looked a little embarrassed, as he headed towards his station.
"Captain" he said nervously as he walked pass her. She gave a little nod as he took his station.
"Captain…" Kari turned to the direction of the voice, which had a Canadian accent, attached to it, and saw her chief of security Lieutenant James Casper he was a dark haired man in his mid-twenties at tactical, which was on the far left-hand side of the bridge.
"Yes lieutenant" she replied her British accent coming though strongly.
"Admiral Smith is hailing us"
"On screen"
She turned back to the viewscreen to see Admiral Daniel Smith; he was in his mid-thirties with brown hair and blue eyes, He wore a typical Admiral's uniform.
"Admiral" her voice was plain and official.
"You look comfortable in that chair Kari, it suits you well," he said in a voice that said that he knew he had chosen the right person to captain the ship.
Kari smiled "Thank you Dan"
"Do you think we could we talk somewhere a little more private?" his voice suggesting that he had something important to talk about.
"Of course… viewscreen off"
She got up and walked toward her ready room, which was situated at the bottom right of the bridge.
As soon as the doors closed Kari said "Computer transfer the communiqué from Admiral Smith to this terminal" she walked over to her desk and sat in her chair.
"Transfer complete" the computer said its voice devoid of any emotion.
Kari turned on her terminal and the Admirals face appeared.
"The channel is secure my end how about yours?"
Kari tapped a few buttons on her terminal and then gave a nod of her head; she then noticed an immediate change in her friend.
"Dan, what's wrong?" she asked with concern in her voice.
The Admiral sighed "I'm afraid I've got some bad news Kari, there's no easy way to put this so I'll come straight to the point. Your First Officer Commander Benjamin Karyn has been kidnapped by the Cardassians while vacationing on Risa"
"Do we know where he is being held?" she inquired
"According to our sources he is being held on a planet not far from Risa called…" he looked down at a piece of paper on his desk and read the name of the planet off it "…Uni-delphin-opal."
"Unidelphinopal?" she repeated, "I don't think I've ever heard of it"
The admiral looked back up from his desk before saying
"I'm not surprised it's a planet that likes to keep to it's self"
"Why did the Cardassians kidnap him?"
He smiled before saying "that's what I've always liked about you Kari, always asking questions"
But Kari didn't return the smile because she was in full command mode and had been ever since the admiral had said that her first officer had been kidnapped. When the admiral saw that he would get no reaction to his statement he went on to say.
"Apparently the Cardassians got word of the Chalice and want it for themselves"
"There's one thing I don't understand Dan…" she paused as if thinking about it " How did they know that he was this ships first officer?"
"We believe that there is either a spy or a leak within Starfleet" he sighed as if to say he couldn't believe it then continued "I know this isn't how you wanted your first mission to go Kari"
"When do we leave Dan" she replied plainly. The admiral smiled and said
"I knew you would want to leave right away. Everything is ready for your departure, I'm sending you the co-ordinates of planet Unidelphinopal." Kari got up and started back toward the bridge.
"And Kari…"
She stopped walked back to her desk and turned her terminal round so she could see the admiral's face
"Good luck."
"Thanks Dan" she felt they would need it. He gave a nod of his head; Kari turned off her terminal and continued towards the bridge.
The doors opened as soon as she neared them, she stepped out onto the bridge. All of the bridge crew noted an immediate change in their captain.
"Course heading captain." Tachikawa inquired as Kari walked towards her captain's chair but she did not sit in it.
"Have you received the co-ordinates from Admiral Smith?"
"Yes ma'am, they're coming through now"
"Then as soon as we clear space dock go to warp 8"
"Aye captain"
Kari turned to Casper " Have all the senior staff meet me in the briefing room"
"Yes captain" Kari turned and walked towards the briefing room to wait the arrival of her senior officers.
Tachikawa turned to Casper who was carrying out the captain's instructions and asked
"What do you thinks going on?"
"I don't know but I bet I'm about to find out." he replied.
"Do you think you could tell me when you find out?" Taichi asked not sure whether he should have asked that question or not. For a moment James looked surprised then remembered that this was Taichi's first mission and answered.
"If the captain allows it." he smiled at a relieved helmsman and started to walk towards the briefing room.
A couple of minutes later all the senior staff were assembled in the briefing room, they were all sat round a big oval table that occupied most of the room. Around the table was Lieutenant Commander Kathryn Tegan chief engineer, she was in her mid-twenties and had shoulder length blond hair. She wore a typical engineering type uniform; she sat on the captain's right a chair away. Opposite her was Dr. Jake Nissen, he was about 6ft in height and had chestnut brown hair, he wore typical medical type uniform and to right of him was Lt. Casper. The captain sat at the head of the table.
"You may all be wondering where the commander is; before we left space dock I received a communiqué from Admiral Smith. According to what he has told me the commander has been kidnapped by Cardassians."
"Cardassians captain?" Casper repeated wanting to make sure he heard her right.
"Yes Lieutenant, Cardassians""How did this happen?" Tegan asked
"I don't know the full story but the admiral informs me that he was taken from Risa while vacationing there."
"Where is he being held?" Casper asked
"On a planet near Risa called Unidelphinopal."
"Captain do you know what his condition is?" Dr. Nissen enquired.
"No I'm afraid I don't doctor… I want options of how we can rescue the commander"
Everyone fell silent for while.
"With all due respect captain we have no idea what we're up against, so it would be kinda hard to think up a rescue plan without knowing what the situation is" Casper said breaking the silence that filled the room.
"That is quite true Lieutenant but we should have some information on the planet in our computer files."
"Well we could figure out something from that"
"Do we know whereabouts on the planet the commander is being held captain?" Tegan enquired
Kari shook her head "Unfortunately the admiral doesn't know whereabouts on the planet the commander is being held. Which makes our job little more difficult."
"Very" James said with a sigh
"I'm sure we'll be able to come up with something" Kari said and then with a smiled "we'll reconvene when we reach the planet and by then I want options Dismissed"
Everyone but the captain got up and started to walk out of the room just as he reached the door Casper stopped just enough so that the doors wouldn't open and turned back to his captain. She was still sitting in her chair facing the big windows on the opposite side of the room with her back toward him and yet she knew he was there and asked
"Is there something else I can do for you lieutenant?"
"I'm not quite sure captain"
Kari turned round in her chair and looked at her chief of security he looked confused wondering if he should ask something or not. She said in a gentle voice
"Well tell me what's on your mind and I'll see if I can help"
"Well before I came to the briefing room Tachikawa asked me if I could tell him what was going on and I was just wondering…"
"If this was just between the senior staff or not" she said finishing his sentence for him.
He gave a little nod and Kari smiled
"I don't see why not. Everyone on the ship will have to know eventually"
"Thank you captain" he then turned back toward the bridge and went out the door
"Well what happened?" Tachikawa asked as soon as Casper got back to his tactical station, he smiled and answered
"I'll tell you later"
"Tai"
"Huh?"
"Tai. My name is Tai"
"Oh… okay Tai"
They both smiled and went back to work, a few minutes later the briefing room doors opened and out came the captain.
"Lieutenant how long till we get to our destination?"
"Two hours captain." Tai replied.
"I'll be in sickbay."
"Captain are you ill?" Casper asked a little concerned.
She turned to Casper.
"No lieutenant just checking up on a old friend." she smiled "You have the bridge."
She headed off towards one of the turbolifts.
"Aye captain." he acknowledged.
|
Flamedramon |
|
the Fire of Courage |