The Penzance:

The day had finally arrived, the start of a new era in Federation history: the journey to the Centre of the Galaxy. Captain Hiccup stood in the Commander's Office at Utopia Planitia waiting to receive his orders from Starfleet Command, despite the fact he knew his mission off by heart. "Maybe it is just because of my age," Hiccup guessed to himself. Hiccup became one of the youngest Starfleet Captains at the age of 25, making him quite renowned, even as he received his first command on the USS Penzance, a new powerful ship built for his mission.

"Admiral North is ready to see you now sir," interrupted a young ensign. Shaking off his thoughts, Hiccup entered to meet with the Head of Starfleet Command.

No, no and no! Captain, I refuse to have an EMH or an LMH aboard this ship," Doctor Rapunzel Corona fumed at her new Captain. "We have a sufficient medical staff on-board, we don't need one."

"Doctor, it is just a precaution, after we head through the barrier we lose all contact with Starfleet, if we lose you or your staff in conflict, we need backup." Hiccup stated, "And that is an order, Doctor," he finished before heading off to main engineering where an old friend waited for him.

Emily Dax stared at her console, trying to find out why a problem she had just fixed was now giving her hell.

"Am I interrupting anything here Emily," asked a voice familiar to Dax. "Hiccup, it is good to see you," she said gently. "What?" She asked to his puzzled face before it hit her. Less than three months ago she was joined to the legendary Dax symbiont but it had been four months since she last saw Hiccup, her friend. "Sorry, I am still trying to adjust to all these new personalities fighting for control." She looked at him and she saw a cheeky grin spread out over his face and his warm laugh fill main engineering as her old self returned, if only for a moment.

"You haven't changed a bit Emily," he grinned. "How are things coming along down here?"

"Alri-…" the console began beeping again.

"Not again! I'm sorry Hiccup, I swore I had these working a moment ago," she turned to find the problem.

Hiccup chuckled to himself, leaving her to do what they loved, fixing things.

Hiccup stepped out of the turbo-lift to be greeted by his new first officer Merida DunBroch, A Klingon-Human hybrid with the common cranial ridges but with fierce red hair.

"Are we all ready to depart captain?" she asked stiffly, still adjusting to her new position.

"Yes, all we need is clearance from the control centre to depart," Hiccup informed her before contacting the station asking to depart.

"Permission granted, we will see you I a couple years Penzance," said a voice from the Ops Centre at the station.

"Helms, set a course for the centre of the galaxy, warp 13," Hiccup told the young helmsman.

"Yes sir," he replied.