A/N: Here is the first chapter of a story I have been working on for a few months now. This is set after the books and show and before the MMO. Hope you enjoy.
Enterprise: New Beginnings
The void of space looms over the universe like a shroud. The sounds and smells of death and decay cannot pierce the black blood of dark matter that fills every corner of existence. Early space explorers believed that the black of space would drive any sentient being mad. It was this sense of madness that crept into the soul of a young Vulcan. Almond eyes peered out into the void unmoving. The female Vulcan floated aimlessly frozen in time. She was not aware of where she was or how long her ship had been floating through space. The Starship commander had managed to get her crew into cryogenic sleep before falling through the black hole. The Federation ship was not equipped with standard sleep beds so a bit of improvisation with the environmental controls had been in order. Floating above the deck of her own quarters suspended just above unconsciousness she hoped that the rest of her crew had survived.
2170, San Francisco
Jonathan Archer wasn't happy that he had to sit behind a desk while his former first officer was giving the Enterprise its final shakedown. The Admiral didn't like desk jobs; he had never done anything but fly Starships. Yet there he sat, staring down at a lacquer desk reflecting his miserable visage. A light beep disrupted the Admiral's gloom as his desk communicator buzzed. He pressed the control hoping for any kind of distraction. The call coming in would do everything but cheer him up.
'Sorry to disturb you Admiral but.' The aid paused afraid to go on.
'Out with it Ensign' Archer barked, he wasn't in the mood for the feeble young man's tepidness.
'It's the Enterprise sir.' What was wrong with the Enterprise Archer wondered. 'Commander T'Pol responded to an emergency call between Orion and Perseus. No one is sure who the vessel belonged to. We lost contact about thirty minutes ago. Starfleet Command was going to send a patrol ship to investigate when we received a sub-space packet from the NX-01.' There was a long pause on the line before the Ensign spoke again. 'I regret to inform you that the Enterprise was pulled into a rapidly decaying black hole. No one escaped'
Archer was speechless. Surely this couldn't have happened to his crew, his friends. After all they had been through certainly they wouldn't be beaten back by a damn black whole. The loneliness he had been feeling before intensified until it nearly swallowed him whole. How could he carry on? How could he live with out those people in his life?
2398, Tokyo Bay
The streets of Tokyo had thinned throughout the centuries. What once was a cramped crowded city was now held a slow crawl. When the first space colony was established people began moving off world leaving the nation of Nihon to flourish. The island nation had declared another period of self inclusion therefore the people of Japan had little knowledge of either Romulan or Dominion wars. For four hundred years the country had lived in total peace and harmony forsaking those from the outside world.
One man was made exception to this exclusion. Masurao James stood among the flowers of his garden in silent prayer. No matter how many decades he lived in Japan he could not shrug off his Anglican beliefs. The traditional garden had been planted by his granddaughter before her death. He felt a connection to her among its cherry blossoms. Many people had asked him to sell his large house saying that it was to large for him now that his family was all gone. The space did not bother him so long as he had his little Usagi's flowers to cheer him up. Many people in the neighbourhood looked up to James as their own Neo-Samurai. He had fought countless battles and many of them under the Japanese flag. His adoptive sir name Masurao came from his gentle way and fierce heart.
Formally Captain James Llywelyn of Starfleet, Masurao-San was an Augment. He had been genetically engineered at the beginning of the 1980's by a genetic researcher Rebecca Llywelyn. His mother had been among the young geneticists responsible for the eugenics incident that created Khan Noonien Singh. James grew up completely ignorant to his heritage. It wasn't until after joining the RAF that his mother told him how she had conceived. She did not want him to have to fight his own brothers. James instead made it his duty to bring Khan to justice no mater the personal cost. The young Augment failed to stop Khan but had earned a heavy reputation with the Planetary Defence Force only to be honourably discharged after his superiors learned that he was an augment himself.
Making his way to Japan, James fought for the Japanese during the world war where he gained the rank of Captain. Now four hundred years later James sat in prayer searching for his lost daughter. Hoshi had never been one for meditation, but for once James wished that she would cast aside her indifference and allow him to find her kami.
2398, San Francisco
Starfleet Command was abuzz. The decade following the deconstruction of the Neutral Zone had been wrought with discovery and expansion for the Federation. Admiral Akaar a two meter tall Capellan strode down the halls of Command with fellow Fleet Admiral Kathryn Janeway. The halls surrounding the Federation President's main offices were packed with aids and runners. All were chatting away about the President's odd behaviour. Akaar ignored the chatter and stepped into the main office without pause. President Lopez was a young politician who had just recently been elected. The young woman's dark brown hair and light tan complexion made her look far too young to bear the weight of the Federation on her shoulders.
'Madame President, we need you to make a decision.' Akaar was not a fan of wasting time. No matter how much he respected the President this was not the time for pleasantries.
The young woman looked up at the two Admirals and frowned. 'I don't know if I trust him James.'
'I understand your feelings ma'am but he is the only person for the job.' James Akaar smiled at the thought of seeing his old academy professor.
'Fine James, re-instate him.' The young president couldn't help but feel she made a mistake even if Akaar's smile had seemed genuine.
Spaceā¦
Dozens of Starships and S.C.E. tugs crowded a sector of space just beyond the Orion Arm. In the centre of the rush, protruding from a trans-phasic tear, hung the gunmetal grey hull of an NX class Starship.
A lone shuttle connected with the NX's starboard docking port. Getting out of the shuttle a small team made their way through the corridors of the ship. Their hand scanners detected sixty life signs all in the vicinity of the crew corridors. The six men in environmental suits ignored the life signs and made their way up to the bridge. One of the security ensigns made a joke about the miniscule eight decks of the ship but no one paid him any attention. Once on the bridge the team broke apart and began the task of bringing the ship back to life. After a few minutes the team disconnected their helmets as life support was brought online. One of the rescuers stood behind the command chair absently stroking the imitation leather.
'Captain Llywelyn, the warp reactor is functioning.' Abandoning the command chair the Captain walked over to the engineering station.
'Report.' The command was short but effective. The Lieutenant behind the controls began running diagnostics.
'We should have enough power the break free of the tear but there won't be enough power to go to warp.' The Captain was about to congratulate his officer when an alarm klaxon blared overhead. 'Sir, it seems that when we brought the life support systems online we inadvertently shut off an emergency subroutine.'
'What was the subroutine running?' The commanding officer demanded.
'All of the crew quarters were functioning as makeshift cryogenic chambers.' The Lieutenant didn't realize until after looking up form his console that the Captain was already gone.
Magnetic boots rang through the tritanium lined hallways as the Captain rushed down access ladders and across deck plating until he was standing in front of one of the many crew quarters. Entering an override code he stepped inside. Lying on top of the single bunk was a young Asian woman in regulation blue under garments. Her eyes fluttered as the environmental controls were brought back to normal levels.
'Am I dreaming?' The woman asked through chattering teeth.
'No you're not dreaming.' He said finding a blanket and draping it over her. 'How do you feel?'
'I'm alright I guess.' She said her teeth having stopped their tapping. 'I guess T'Pol's crazy idea worked.'
'Yeah I guess it did.' His soft voice soothed her nerves.
'I just have one question.' The Asian woman said after she felt warm again. 'What are you doing here dad?'
