Star Trek TNG - A Different Perspective
Starfleet Historical File:
8635-Charlie-8973-Omega.
Subject: The Langaran Plague.
On Stardate 424.08, the USS North-Gate launched a deadly Biological attack against a planet in Romulan space. A genetically modified variation of an Andorian weapon once created too attack the Vulcans if and when a war broke out between the two species. Under the direct orders of Admiral Jonathon Archer, Doctor David McCoy attempted to create an ante-virus to the deadly weapon, the cure failed and the plague was allowed to spread across the Romulan Star Empire. Offering its assistance, the United Federation of Planets worked for decades along with a Romulan Professor named Zelenka . After decades of trail and error, Doctor David McCoy passed away, his work was swiftly taken over by his assistant and son, Doctor Leonard McCoy. Working with a Romulan Doctor named Selana, the two secretly communicated via sub-space in order to work on a cure.
On Stardate 1424.01, under the command of Captain James Tiberius Kirk, the newly upgraded and experimental USS Enterprise NX-300-A was dispatched too the Romulan planet, Langara along with a Romulan escort. Before the USS Enterprise made contact with the Romulan Escort ship, the Romulan vessel was attacked and crippled by an unknown warship. Recovering several crewmembers along with Doctor Selana, the USS Enterprise continued along its course to the infected Planet Langara, then an isolation colony for those infected.
After beaming down too the surface alone, Doctor McCoy made contact with Professor Zelenka, now infected with the deadly plague. Shortly after making contact with the professor, a large explosion tore across the planet surface and destroyed all life forms upon said planet.
Blaming the USS Enterprise and her Captain for the attack, Romulan forces turned the USS Enterprise away from the planet under penalty of arrest of its Captain and the destruction of the ship. Doctor Leonard McCoy was presumed as killed in action.
For two years, a cold war erupted between the Romulan Star Empire and the United Federation of Planets. It was at this point, two years later that Captain James T. Kirk had learned of the truth about the explosion on the planet surface. Doctor Leonard McCoy was abducted by Romulan forces and taken back too Romulus.
Tortured for information and condemned to death on the planet Remus, Doctor McCoy was eventually freed from his Dilitium mine prison and taken back too Romulus in attempt to cure the Praetor of Romulus whom by this time had become infected himself.
Under secret orders from Admiral Christopher Pike, once commanding officer of the USS Enterprise NCC-300-A and with the assistance of a Romulan Defector, Doctor Selana and a one of a kind Cloaking Shield, the Enterprise immediately set sail for Romulus in order to rescue their lost officer.
Once on the surface of Romulus, Kirk and Selana located Doctor McCoy with the assistance of two un-named Romulans. Quickly captured and taken before the Praetor himself, Kirk was ordered to remain on Romulus while McCoy and Selana returned too the Enterprise in order to complete their work and finally cure the Plague. While under the care of the Praetor, Captain Kirk was able negotiate a peace treaty with the Romulans. Once the cure was found, the Enterprise was allowed to leave Romulan space whist under escort, many days later. With the assistance of Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan a lasting peace was forged or so it would appear.
After decades, the plague once again re-appeared however, the Reman people, considered a sub species of Romulan appeared to be unaffected and a breading program was quickly created in order to find the cure. Once the cure was discovered, the Romulan Empire attempted to destroy all trace of the plague by destroying the Romulan-Reman hybrids created by selective breading. Along with the Reman population, the Hybrids destroyed the Romulan civilisation and overtook the Empire itself. Using captured technology, the Reman and Hybrid species quickly created a vast armada of ships.
On 44996.5, under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the USS Enterprise NCC-300-E was ordered to what was once the Neutral Zone at the request of the Romulan leader. Along with Doctor Leonard McCoy, his wife Selana, their daughter T'Lana and United Federation of Planets President, Spock. The truth was finally revealed as three thousand Reman vessels decloaked and declared the presence of the new Empire, the Reman Unity.
Although the large fleet was infact a bluff, consisting of drone ships and skeleton crews, the Reman Unity declared and end to the treaty between it's predecessor, the Romulan Empire and Starfleet and once again, a Cold War had begun.
Over the next two years, the Reman Unity turned on one of the largest threats too their existence, the Klingon Empire and quickly overtook the unprepared Klingon Defence Force. With the remainder of the Klingon Fleet orbiting Earth and other Federation worlds and alliance had been forged between the remainder of the Klingon Empire and Starfleet.
After the death of her father, six months ago. Doctor T'Lana joined the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-300-E under the command of Jean-Luc Picard as an expert on the Langaran Plague and its effects.
File End…
Chapter One:
Captain's Log Stardate 45995.3.
After a six month tour of Federation worlds in the Gamma Quadrant, the USS Enterprise has been ordered back to Starbase Deep Space Nine for reasons as of yet unclear.
Twenty years ago, the new Spacedock class Deep Space Nine went operational after almost a decade of setbacks. However most surprising was the discovery of an artificial wormhole twenty years ago by the then Lieutenant Benjamin L. Sisko. Since then, Starfleet has been sending vessels through the wormhole to explore the new quadrant of the galaxy, a quadrant from which we have just returned from. On a personal note, I am looking forward to seeing an old friend once again.
Exiting the wormhole, the large Sovereign class Starship made her way towards the huge mushroom shaped Spacedock nearby. Almost dominating the viewscreen of the Federation Flagship, Deep Space Nine as it was unofficially known was almost identical too the large Spacedock facility orbiting Earth. Named after a small K-Class outpost orbiting the Bajoran planet, which had now presented too the Bajoran People as a gift from the Federation and used by the Bajoran Government as a seat of power. The large Spacedock had finally been completed less then a decade ago after setbacks and arguments with the Bajoran government over its size and location. Because of the delicate balance of the Bajoran ecosystem, the large facility had to be placed away from the homeworld for fear that it would interfere with the planets delicate balance. Now under the command of Commodore Benjamin L. Sisko, the station has become Starfleet's most important facility within the sector. Considered by the Bajoran people to be the gateway to the Celestial Temple of the Prophets, Deep Space Nine, our simply Bajoran Spacedock, as the Federation called it was a formidable weapons platform and command post for the entire sector and beyond.
Although it was always a place of constant argument between Starfleet and the Bajoran Government, mostly due to the placement of a commanding officer, Starfleet had agreed to place Benjamin Sisko as the Commanding officer to appease the Bajoran people who considered him to be a religious icon due to his discovery of the wormhole or Celestial Temple, as the Bajorans called it. Promoted to the seldom used rank of Commodore, Sisko's primary duty for the Federation was to command the large facility along with his first officer, Commander Kira Nerys, a stoic and stern Bajoran officer whom joined Starfleet as a child and raised on the former Deep Space Nine Station, originally opposed to a Starfleet presence in her home system, she eventually found her way as an excellent officer and powerful ally to her commanding officer against those who still fight against the Federation as an invading force. Permanently stationed at Deep Space Nine was a formidable fighting force of eight Defiant Class Starships, originally designed as Deep Space Escorts, the small, fast and powerful vessels have proven themselves as a formidable force during the two year conflict with a once hostile species from the Gamma Quadrant. Known as simply, The Dominion. The powerful and ancient Empire resented Starfleet's presence in their space and saw them as a hostile race until a peace treaty was officially signed which allowed the Federation and its allies passage through the wormhole for exploration purposes and the establishment of several research colonies
As the Enterprise approached the large Spacedock, the space doors opened, dwarfing the Enterprise many times, the Federation flagship slipped inside with ease and finally reached its designated docking port. Passing the small fleet of Defiant Class ships, the Enterprise' thrusters fired as the large ship made contact with the extending docking arm and finally came too a rest in the safety and comfort of the large Spacedock facility.
"With have docked Captain" Called out the Helm officer.
"Excellent. Please inform the Commodore that I will meet him in…"
"The Commodore is already hailing Captain. He requests your presence ASAP"
"Sisko doesn't waist any time does he Captain"
"Quiet right number one. Why don't we see what he wants, Mister Data, you have the bridge"
"Aye sir" Data replied with his ever polite tone.
Leaving the bridge, the Captain and First Officer of the Enterprise made their way towards the airlock leading to the interior of the large Spacedock facility. As the airlock pressure equalised between the Station and the Starship, the large doors slide open effortlessly as Picard and Riker where faced with the smiling face of a former officer from the Enterprise and now Chief of Operations on the Station, Master Chief Petty Officer, Miles Edward O'Brian.
"Chief" Picard smiled. "How the devil are you?"
"Fine Captain. Commander, always a pleasure sir"
Shaking the hands of both men before him, O'Brian stepped backwards slightly as he motioned for the two officers to follow him. As they followed, Picard looked around the inner airlock as several engineering crews went about their business.
"Having trouble?" Riker smiled.
"No sir, simply an upgrade. The Commodore is awaiting you in observation lounge three"
"What is this about Chief?"
"I'm sorry Captain, I've been sworn to secrecy… trust me sirs, you're going to like this a lot"
Walking through the large facility towards the observation lounge on the opposite side would take hours due to the enormous station itself. However, set up around the station at key positions where small interlinked transporter platforms designed specifically for a facility of this size. Stepping into the nearest transporter, O'Brian activated the devise as he spoke freely with his former commanding officer.
"… And Keiko is doing fine sir. She's accepted yet another trip to Bajor, she'll be gone at least two months"
"Living the bachelor lifestyle now O'Brian?" Riker laughed.
"No sir. She has spies all over the place…" He laughed.
After exiting the transporter platform on the opposite side of the vast facility, Picard and Riker followed their former officer into a large room where Commodore Sisko was awaiting them with a slight smile on his face.
"Commodore, a pleasure as always" Picard smiled.
"Captain, Commander. Now the ranks are over… Sorry to pull you off your tours, but this is important" Sisko smiled.
"Of course, how are you Ben?" Replied Picard.
"Fine, Jennifer sends her regards as always. A year ago, the Bajoran Government approached with an interesting idea, I pulled a few strings at their request…"
"Are you intentionally being cryptic Commodore?" Sighed Riker.
"Commander, I know my rank is purely ceremonial… before my promotion, I was a Commander, like yourself. Please drop the rank crap" Sisko sighed slightly.
"Of course, sorry… Ben"
"Anyway, as I was saying. After the gift of the old Station… Bajor wanted to do something for the Federation it owes so much… Chief, if you don't mind?"
"Of course sir" O'Brian smiled.
Almost eager in his duty, O'Brian walked to a control station near the large windows which wrapped around one side of the observation lounge, pressing the controls in a certain sequence, the curtains covering the windows pulled back slowly as Riker and Picard walked towards the window with a large smile on their faces as they looked into the large repair bay before them.
A single Starship of old design lay before them. Smiling almost from ear too ear, Picard nodded slightly to himself as Riker's jaw dropped by what he saw as O'Brian replied with a bounce in his voice.
"How about them apples Captain?"
"Amazing…" Picard whispered.
"She was pulled out of mothballs in secret and rebuilt to exact specifications… right down to the colour of the carpet, she's a perfect replica"
Reading the name and registration number on the hull before him, a slight shiver ran down Picard's spine as he spoke with awe at what was before him.
"USS Enterprise NCC-300-A (M-R)"
"I wish I could say the one and only. She was originally the USS Everest, decommissioned decades ago… Want too take a look aboard?"
"Try and stop me. What does the (M-R) stand for?" Picard grinned.
"Museum Replica" O'Brian smiled.
Almost feeling like a raw cadet again, Picard stood in awe of the vessel before him. A perfect replica of a legendary vessel lost almost a century ago during a pivotal battle, it had always pained Starfleet that the original vessel could not take its place in the Starfleet museum along side her lineage vessels. Although a replica, it was as close as Starfleet could get to the original ship lost decades ago, Starfleet Command had yet to authorise a replica of the vessel to be constructed.
With a bounce in his step, Picard followed Sisko and O'Brian out of the observation lounge of the Spacedock towards the large vessel secretly hidden and rebuilt by a vital ally of Starfleet. Stepping onto the deck of the ship for the first time, Picard and Riker where in awe at the perfection of the design of such an old ship. The first thing that greeted them was a large display of the original command crew of the Enterprise, a holographic representation of Captain Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, Uhura and Mister Scott greeted them with smiling faces and in the prime of their lives as it was when the ship was first launched under the Command of James Kirk.
"Very… Impressive Ben" Picard smiled.
"They have everything the way it should be, even down to the colour of the carpet" O'Brian smiled.
"Perhaps a brief tour gentlemen?" Sisko said proudly.
"Of course. How could you build such a replica without anyone knowing about it?"
"President Spock had a slight hand in it's creation. He's been here many times to check on the progress" Replied Sisko.
"How could he do that without anyone knowing?" Riker said still in awe of his surroundings.
"He is the President… Sir"
Touring the replica of one of Starfleet's most famous starships, the final stop was the bridge. Although a fully operational Starships, their was still a lot of work to do before the vessel was ready for display at the Starfleet museum along side her lineage vessels. Stepping onto the bridge, Picard looked around in awe at the large command centre before him, his jaw had almost began to hurt from dropping so many times as he was guided around the vessel by Sisko and O'Brian. Slowly, Picard walked towards the command seat in the centre of the bridge. With a deep smile, he sat down in the seat slowly as the pale cream leather creaked under his weight he smiled slightly as he pulled the two command consoles towards him, linking them in the centre before him.
"Why don't I have one of these? Look into that Number One" He smiled.
"Aye sir"
"As you can see, she will be warp ready in six hours"
"Warp ready?" Replied Picard.
"Did you think she was to be towed back too Earth?"
"Of course, thank you Chief…"
"That's where Enterprise comes in. We thought it would be more of a ceremony of your Enterprise escorts this Replica back too Earth"
"It would be an honour" Picard said proudly.
"Although her Engine Nacelles are period correct, her warp engine… well the interior are standard equipment for a vessel of this size. Last field tests rated her at Warp seven, but we can squeeze more out her"
"Very impressive. The journey back home is a long one, I assume she has weapons and shields?" Riker said as he examined the Helm.
"Shields yes, weapons no. Thinking of taking her into combat Riker? She is a museum you know"
"Hardly Commodore, Sorry… Ben. I plan for all contingencies… even combat. Once our enemies learn this ship is in space, they'll come for her… in great numbers"
"I hadn't thought of that" Sisko sighed deeply.
"Sirs, I suppose we could tear out a Cloak from on of the Defiant Class, the Illustrious was badly damaged during an Ion Storm last week, she needs a lot of care and attention, I doubt we'd miss her cloak"
"With the Commodore's permission? Make it so Chief" Picard agreed.
"O'Brian, how long before she can be ready to launch?"
"Gimme… Eight hours Commodore. If you can spare me sir, I'd like to stay onboard for the voyage home?"
"Of course. She has no crew though…" Sisko smiled. "Captain?"
"I'd love to… but I don't Will would let me take her out"
"You Damn right…" Riker laughed. "… I think I can get a few volunteers to crew her"
"Well Commander Riker, meet your next challenge. Have this ship ready to launch in Eight Hours… Assemble your crew" Picard smiled.
"Thank you Captain"
"Some of the Construction Staff will remain onboard for the voyage, she still has a few systems that need work. Got anyone in mind for a command staff?"
"Ohh yes, I can think of a few"
Smiling at his next command, Riker looked around the bridge as Picard stepped away from the command seat and held out his arm for his First Officer to take a seat, almost running, Riker slipped into the pale leather seat with ease and almost laughed too himself as he assumed what had become known as Captain Kirk's famous pose.
"Looks good on you sir" O'Brian smiled.
"It feels good…"
"I expect you back once this beauty returns home Captain Riker" Picard laughed.
"No promises"
"Well, now that is all in order… You're out of Uniform Captain Riker, as are you Chief!"