Starbase 1033
"Starbase 1033 is hailing, sir."
"Put it on screen," said the captain.
"Welcome to Starbase 1033, Captain Natakas. I must say, your ship looks a bit beat up, and why is there a Klingon ship with you?"
"We… had some problems."
"So I see. What happened?"
"We were attacked by a Romulan warbird, and this Klingon ship responded to our distress signal. We contacted Starfleet command. I thought they would have told you. They knew we were coming here."
"Well, you know how people slack off sometimes. Better get your ship repaired and your cargo to our secured storage area." As the Alabama docked with the orbital repair station, the starbase hailed the Klingon warship. "Starfleet would like to thank for the defense of our ship."
"We were glad to be of help," answered the Klingon captain.
"The Alabama is safe now. You're welcome to stay. You may give your crew leave here if you wish."
"A generous offer. I will do that."
A security detail from the station beamed aboard the Alabama to collect the Upsilon Device, and they were met by Captain Natakas.
"In here," he said, showing the team to cargo bay 1. Two of them picked up the rather large box and took it to the transporter room. The third approached Captain Natakas.
"Captain, about this attack," he said. "This is a serious incident."
"No kidding," answered the captain.
"I'm not sure if you realize the implications of this. They attacked you right before you went to warp. How likely is that?"
"You think they knew we were there and what we were doing?"
"In short, yes. I'm not sure how yet, but we'll find out. I'll be sending a team to your ship to conduct an initial investigation. Someone told them our plans. We need to find out who, and if we're dealing with a spy or a traitor."
"I was afraid of something like this. Damn it."
"No need to worry further, Captain. Were any of your crew killed?"
"No, but who knows what would have happened if the Klingons hadn't shown up."
"That's another thing."
"What? The Klingons?"
"Yes," said the security officer. "It was convenient for you that they arrived when they did, wasn't it?"
"Well, yeah, but what's that got to do with anything?"
"Maybe it was convenient for them too."
"You mean they could know about the device too?"
"It's possible."
"Well excuse me, but it seems as if Starfleet security has been slipping."
"Captain, I don't think…"
Natakas cut him off. "My ship was almost destroyed because people knew things they shouldn't have," he said angrily. "It has to stop."
"You wanna help?"
"Whatever you need."
"You know, repairs on the Alabama may take a while. How do you feel about working for Starfleet security for a little bit?"
"Might be fun."
"No, it won't be fun, but you may like it anyway."
The two of them walked to the transporter room and beamed to the surface. The Klingons really never received the Alabama's distress signal either. The transmission was jammed by the warbird. The Klingon ship was ordered to follow the Alabama under cloak and to protect it from any possible threats.
The secured storage area, Starbase 1033
An engineering crew was studying the Upsilon Device inside a secured room. It was a rather large room with many different tools and equipment. It was here that Federation scientists and Starfleet engineers were researching the safe use and application of the Upsilon Device. Starfleet had made some attempts at this technology in the past, but now they were close to perfecting it.
"So Tom," said Bob, one of the engineers, "have you thought about what kind of ship we should use for the test?"
"Somewhat. At first I thought about a shuttlecraft, but then I thought, why not put it right into a starship?"
"You think that's a good idea?"
"Why not? That's what it'll be used on eventually anyway, and the starship's crew can evaluate its functioning and make any adjustments necessary in flight. That way any problems can be caught early."
"Yeah, that's actually a good idea. I like it. We'll have to put some people who know about it on the ship, though."
"Of course. I plan to go, why don't you come too?"
"Okay, we should get another engineer and a couple of the scientists too."
"Right. We should also make it a point to train the ship's crew on using the Device. After all, they'll have to upkeep it when we leave."
"Yeah, that's true. What class of starship?"
"I'm not sure. We'll probably have to have it out with Starfleet Command on that one."
"Yeah, I can see it now. They'll give us an old crappy ship when this project deserves a brand new one."
"I know what you mean," Tom said.
"So how's Azalea been? I've only met her once, but she's nice."
"I haven't seen her in a while. From what she's said in the subspace messages it sounds like she's doing fine. Starfleet seems to like her."
"Really," said Bob, sounding impressed, "that's always good."
"Yeah it is."
In another part of Starbase 1033, Captain Natakas and Scott Young, the security officer, were looking over a history of the Upsilon Device since it was first acquired on a remote planet. As soon as it was found and identified, it was brought to Earth and Starfleet Command was informed of the discovery. A respected scientist was granted permission to study the Device, and he began his studies on a small planet near the Beta Quadrant, but still within Federation space. That was six years ago. During the six years, few people heard from him or knew of his work, and in that time he managed to learn a great deal about the technology and began to devise a method of application in Starfleet vessels. While attending a conference on new space technologies, he was assassinated. Starfleet security was unable to capture the assassin, and work on the Upsilon Device stopped. The investigation into his death revealed the location of the Device, and the Alabama was sent to retrieve it. Starfleet assumed that no one knew about the device, so they did not send an escort with the Alabama. They figured that a group of ships accompanying a science vessel to and from a small remote planet would appear suspicious. After studying the history of the Upsilon Device, Natakas and Young realized that to quickly get to the bottom of this issue, they had to find the assassin, who was probably a Romulan. They decided that the best place to start would be the scene of the crime.
"I would like to know if there are any starships that will be going to Earth either today or tomorrow," Young asked the attendant at the shipping office.
"Let me check," she said. "As a matter of fact, there is an Excelsior-class starship beaming supplies to the orbital repair station right now. Did you want to go to Earth?"
"Yes, Captain Natakas and me."
"Okay, I'll contact the captain of the Bismarck and ask if he'll take you to Earth."
"Thanks."
"Starbase 1033 is hailing, sir."
"Put it on screen," said the captain.
"Welcome to Starbase 1033, Captain Natakas. I must say, your ship looks a bit beat up, and why is there a Klingon ship with you?"
"We… had some problems."
"So I see. What happened?"
"We were attacked by a Romulan warbird, and this Klingon ship responded to our distress signal. We contacted Starfleet command. I thought they would have told you. They knew we were coming here."
"Well, you know how people slack off sometimes. Better get your ship repaired and your cargo to our secured storage area." As the Alabama docked with the orbital repair station, the starbase hailed the Klingon warship. "Starfleet would like to thank for the defense of our ship."
"We were glad to be of help," answered the Klingon captain.
"The Alabama is safe now. You're welcome to stay. You may give your crew leave here if you wish."
"A generous offer. I will do that."
A security detail from the station beamed aboard the Alabama to collect the Upsilon Device, and they were met by Captain Natakas.
"In here," he said, showing the team to cargo bay 1. Two of them picked up the rather large box and took it to the transporter room. The third approached Captain Natakas.
"Captain, about this attack," he said. "This is a serious incident."
"No kidding," answered the captain.
"I'm not sure if you realize the implications of this. They attacked you right before you went to warp. How likely is that?"
"You think they knew we were there and what we were doing?"
"In short, yes. I'm not sure how yet, but we'll find out. I'll be sending a team to your ship to conduct an initial investigation. Someone told them our plans. We need to find out who, and if we're dealing with a spy or a traitor."
"I was afraid of something like this. Damn it."
"No need to worry further, Captain. Were any of your crew killed?"
"No, but who knows what would have happened if the Klingons hadn't shown up."
"That's another thing."
"What? The Klingons?"
"Yes," said the security officer. "It was convenient for you that they arrived when they did, wasn't it?"
"Well, yeah, but what's that got to do with anything?"
"Maybe it was convenient for them too."
"You mean they could know about the device too?"
"It's possible."
"Well excuse me, but it seems as if Starfleet security has been slipping."
"Captain, I don't think…"
Natakas cut him off. "My ship was almost destroyed because people knew things they shouldn't have," he said angrily. "It has to stop."
"You wanna help?"
"Whatever you need."
"You know, repairs on the Alabama may take a while. How do you feel about working for Starfleet security for a little bit?"
"Might be fun."
"No, it won't be fun, but you may like it anyway."
The two of them walked to the transporter room and beamed to the surface. The Klingons really never received the Alabama's distress signal either. The transmission was jammed by the warbird. The Klingon ship was ordered to follow the Alabama under cloak and to protect it from any possible threats.
The secured storage area, Starbase 1033
An engineering crew was studying the Upsilon Device inside a secured room. It was a rather large room with many different tools and equipment. It was here that Federation scientists and Starfleet engineers were researching the safe use and application of the Upsilon Device. Starfleet had made some attempts at this technology in the past, but now they were close to perfecting it.
"So Tom," said Bob, one of the engineers, "have you thought about what kind of ship we should use for the test?"
"Somewhat. At first I thought about a shuttlecraft, but then I thought, why not put it right into a starship?"
"You think that's a good idea?"
"Why not? That's what it'll be used on eventually anyway, and the starship's crew can evaluate its functioning and make any adjustments necessary in flight. That way any problems can be caught early."
"Yeah, that's actually a good idea. I like it. We'll have to put some people who know about it on the ship, though."
"Of course. I plan to go, why don't you come too?"
"Okay, we should get another engineer and a couple of the scientists too."
"Right. We should also make it a point to train the ship's crew on using the Device. After all, they'll have to upkeep it when we leave."
"Yeah, that's true. What class of starship?"
"I'm not sure. We'll probably have to have it out with Starfleet Command on that one."
"Yeah, I can see it now. They'll give us an old crappy ship when this project deserves a brand new one."
"I know what you mean," Tom said.
"So how's Azalea been? I've only met her once, but she's nice."
"I haven't seen her in a while. From what she's said in the subspace messages it sounds like she's doing fine. Starfleet seems to like her."
"Really," said Bob, sounding impressed, "that's always good."
"Yeah it is."
In another part of Starbase 1033, Captain Natakas and Scott Young, the security officer, were looking over a history of the Upsilon Device since it was first acquired on a remote planet. As soon as it was found and identified, it was brought to Earth and Starfleet Command was informed of the discovery. A respected scientist was granted permission to study the Device, and he began his studies on a small planet near the Beta Quadrant, but still within Federation space. That was six years ago. During the six years, few people heard from him or knew of his work, and in that time he managed to learn a great deal about the technology and began to devise a method of application in Starfleet vessels. While attending a conference on new space technologies, he was assassinated. Starfleet security was unable to capture the assassin, and work on the Upsilon Device stopped. The investigation into his death revealed the location of the Device, and the Alabama was sent to retrieve it. Starfleet assumed that no one knew about the device, so they did not send an escort with the Alabama. They figured that a group of ships accompanying a science vessel to and from a small remote planet would appear suspicious. After studying the history of the Upsilon Device, Natakas and Young realized that to quickly get to the bottom of this issue, they had to find the assassin, who was probably a Romulan. They decided that the best place to start would be the scene of the crime.
"I would like to know if there are any starships that will be going to Earth either today or tomorrow," Young asked the attendant at the shipping office.
"Let me check," she said. "As a matter of fact, there is an Excelsior-class starship beaming supplies to the orbital repair station right now. Did you want to go to Earth?"
"Yes, Captain Natakas and me."
"Okay, I'll contact the captain of the Bismarck and ask if he'll take you to Earth."
"Thanks."