"Captain's Log, Stardate 8141.5, supplemental. Upon arriving at the Regula One laboratory we discovered all of the personnel, bar Doctors Carol and David Marcus have been murdered by Khan. The only men still alive on the station were Captain Terrell and Commander Chekov of the USS Reliant. After beaming down to the Regula Planetoid we located both of the missing doctors and the Genesis device. With the device found, Terrell and Chekov revealed they were still being manipulated, resulting in the death of Captain Terrell and the incapacitation of Commander Chekov. Using standard communications regulations we appear to have gained a small advantage over Khan. I hope it proves enough to defeat him."
"Captain on the Bridge." Lieutenant Sulu announced as Captain Jack Overland, Science Officer Hamish Haddock, and Lieutenant Saavik stepped out of the turbolift onto the Bridge of the USS Enterprise.
"Battle Stations." the snow-haired Captain ordered as he approached his chair in the centre of the Bridge, while the auburn-haired Science Officer approached his station, and the Lieutenant took the Navigation station beside Sulu at the Helm. On the viewscreen, a deck plan of the Enterprise flashed in red as a claxon sounded, signifying the ship preparing for battle. "Tactical?"
The view on the screen was replaced by a graphic showing the relative position of the U.S.S. Reliant from the U.S.S. Enterprise, and the Regula planetoid. Overland let out a disapproving hum as the speed calculations appeared on the screen.
"She can still outrun us, and outgun us." Hamish reported calmly. "There is the Mutara Nebula, at 153 mark 4."
"Mr. Scott, can we make it inside?"
"The energiser's bypassed like a Christmas tree, so don't give me too many bumps." the Caledonian advised, from near the back of the Bridge.
"I can't make any promises." the Captain responded, his blue eyes narrowing slightly at the screen. "Report to position." at the Captain's order, the Chief Engineer headed for the turbolift and disappeared from sight.
"Trouble with the nebula sir, is all that static discharge and gas clouds our Tactical display. Visual won't function and shields will be useless." Saavik reported.
"Then we'll be pretty much even." the green-eyed Science Officer responded, one side of his mouth lifting into a slight smile.
The refitted Constitution-Class starship began to make its way towards the nebula, after several minutes that stretched onwards a chime sounded on Hamish's console.
"Reliant has spotted us and is now matching course to intercept."
Overland turned towards the Science Officer. "How long until we reach the cover of the nebula?"
The green-eyed Science Officer studied his instruments closely. "We should be entering it in just over two minutes, Captain." Hamish responded. "Khan is closing in."
"Photon torpedo off of our starboard." a crewman manning the Weapons and Defense station reported, and a moment later the ship shuddered as the torpedo passed by.
"That was close." Saavik breathed.
"A warning shot." Overland mused. "I get the feeling he doesn't want us going in there."
"One minute to the edge of the nebula." Hamish reported as he continued to monitor the Reliant's course and speed. He frowned as the numbers began to drop back. "They're slowing off, Captain."
"Uhura, raise the Reliant."
"Aye, sir." the Communications Officer patched the Enterprise's communications array with the Reliant's. "You're on, Captain."
"This is Captain Overland. We tried it your way, do you fancy another game?" after a moment with no reply, Jack added an extra bit of goading: "Khan? I gotta tell you I'm not seeing that superior intellect you like to brag about."
"Full impulse power." Khan's elegant voice spoke from the Bridge speakers.
"No, sir!" one of Khan's acolytes protested. "You have Genesis, you can have whatever you-"
"FULL POWER! Damn you!"
Khan bellowed, and the line of communication was severed.
"He's predictably arrogant." Overland replied smugly, as the U.S.S. Reliant began to pick up speed once again.
"Now entering the Mutara Nebula." Hamish reported. On the screen, a whirling, billowing mass of purple and blue clouds, broken by flares of white light, closed in on the ship. The maelstrom looked like a vast, stellar thunderstorm.
The Bridge shook as it darkened substantially, the main deck lighting had gone offline, as had half of the diagnostic displays.
"Emergency lighting." Jack requested, and the Science Officer activated a panel on his station, illuminating the Bridge once more.
In front of them, the viewscreen continued to flash with static and flare with the bursts of light within the nebula. A beeping sounded from the Tactical console as the static-shrouded image of the Reliant flickered into view.
"Target sir!"
"Phaser lock inoperative, sir." Sulu reported.
Overland nodded "Give it your best shot."
A jolt shook through the ship as Sulu fired the Phasers, sending the burning red shots wide of the Reliant's port, starting level with the Warp Nacelle and moving upwards towards the rollbar across the rear of the ship's saucer section.
In the brief moments of clarity on the viewscreen, the Bridge crew watched as Reliant fired a photon torpedo in response, the weapon darting off with little risk of hitting the Enterprise, its guidance system afflicted by the conditions of the nebula.
"Hold current course." the Captain instructed.
The Bridge fell into an apprehensive silence as the crew waited, the only sounds a collection of navigational and status beeps. On the screen, the silhouette of the Reliant flickered into view against a flaring part of the nebula. The crew sprang into action at the sight of the rogue ship. "Evasive starboard!" Overland shouted.
The Reliant fired her Phasers as the Enterprise banked starboard, striking the drive section in line with the torpedo launcher and docking port.
"Fire!" The Enterprise responded in kind, striking the Reliant's Bridge, causing substantial structural damage.
Granted a brief reprieve, the Captain leant forward in the command chair and hailed Engineering: "Damage report, Mr. Scott."
"Captain, I've got to take the mains off the line…" Scotty's voice spilled from the speakers on the Bridge, sounding exhausted. "It's ra…diation…"
"Mr. Scott? Scotty? Come in!" Overland called out anxiously.
"The port-side torpedo launcher has sustained heavy damage and casualties, the launcher is currently inoperative." Hamish relayed, summarizing the incoming reports.
The doors to the port-side turbolift slid open, the whoosh they made drawing Overland's attention. Bracing himself against the side of the car before stepping out onto the Bridge, Commander Pavel Chekov moved to address the ivory-haired Captain directly:
"Could you… use another hand, Captain?"
The younger man in the command chair nodded with an amiable smile. "Please man the Weapons console, Mr. Chekov."
The Russian looked relieved, and made his way to the console positioned at the captain's 9 'o' clock.
"Hamish, status report."
"I'm detecting a sporadic energy reading to our port-side aft. It could be an impulse turn."
The captain worried the forefinger of his right hand as he measured the information. "He's too stubborn to break off, especially now. He's going to try again, if he can."
"He's intelligent, but inexperienced in starship combat." the Science Officer assessed. "He's thinking too much in two-dimensional space, rather than three-dimensional."
"Full stop Mr. Sulu."
"Full stop, sir." Sulu reported as his hand danced across the console.
"Reduce our Z axis by eleven thousand metres, and ready photon torpedoes."
The wait began again, reminding the Captain of the ancient submarine battles beneath the oceans back on Earth.
"I've detected those energy readings again, forty-five degrees to port."
"Plot to intercept." the Captain stated and the crew acted out his orders. In front of them, the viewscreen cleared again, long enough to see the underside of the Reliant swing into view.
At the Weapons and Defense station, a ping sounded and Chekov popped open a panel, grasping a joystick hidden within.
"Torpedoes ready, sir." he reported.
"Stay focused." the Captain pressed as the viewscreen flared into static again. Occasionally the form of the other starship would materialize, but only briefly.
The shot cleared up for long enough, and the Captain took his chance: "Fire!"
Chekov pressed the button on the top of the control joystick, activating the starboard torpedo launcher. It shot off, but glanced past the Reliant's launcher, located at the mid-section of the ship's rollbar.
"Fire!" he ordered again, and the next torpedo smashed into the side of the Reliant's saucer section, venting several rooms and corridors into space. "Fire!"
A third torpedo glanced past the Reliant's port warp nacelle, had it hit it would have caused considerable damage to the ship.
Reliant began to employ a defensive maneuver, twisting away to prevent any further volleys of torpedoes from hitting it.
The position of the other ship was lost as the static burst onto the screen again, blocking their view.
"Damn!" the Captain swore, smacking one of the arm panels of his chair. "Can we get a fix on their position?"
Hamish shook his head. "Negative, the energy readings and inconsistent; too weak to track."
More ominous minutes ticked by as the crew keenly kept their eyes to the view screen.
"C'mon Khan, where are you?" the Captain voiced his frustration. "Hamish, prepare to…"
The remainder of the Captain's order was lost as the deck suddenly rocked beneath them. A second impact sent sparks flying and debris scattering across the Bridge as the Weapons and Defence console exploded. A crewman rushed to Chekov's aid as the Captain steadied himself.
"Damage report!"
"Warp drive is still inoperative, that last shot knocked out Phasers and photon torpedoes…" the Science Officer reported gravely. "We're defenceless."
Captain Overland swallowed, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"Mr. Sulu, is impulse still functional?"
The helmsman nodded. "Aye sir, standing by for orders."
The Captain glanced back to his Science Officer; a small trickle of blood marred his forehead. At the Jack's unspoken question, he slowly shook his head. The blue-eyed man let out a breath and turned back to face Uhura.
"Hail Reliant. Tell them… tell them we surrender."
The hazy image of Khan Noonian Singh appeared on the viewscreen, a smug smile on his face.
"It was a valiant fight, Overland, but we have seen who has the superior intellect."
"I will transport across shortly, all I ask is you spare my crew."
Khan appeared to consider the request, and eventually responded. "Captain, Captain, Captain… we have discussed this proposal before, and then you tricked me. There is an old saying about being tricked twice, and I feel this time that it would be more fitting for the Captain to go down with his ship."
Jack bristled, angered at Khan's decision not to spare his crew.
Khan glanced to one of his acolytes off-screen.
"Prepare to fire in five… four… three… two… one…"
The remains of the Defence console alerted the Bridge crew of the approach of a photon torpedo, and they braced themselves for impact.
It was in that moment that the world around Captain Overland slowed to a stop, the image of Khan's laughing face frozen on the viewscreen, while the Bridge crew, bar one, were stopped in-mid motion.
Overland settled back into his chair, and unclasped the front of his tunic. To his right, the Science Officer leant against his console and let out a deep breath.
"Damn it. I think we were close this time."
Jack looked towards his companion. "I think if we'd just been a bit luckier with those last few torpedoes, we could've stranded him."
The Science Officer nodded. "We can give it another try in three days." he then rose from his chair. "Computer, what time is it?"
"The time is seventeen-hundred hours and forty-three minutes." the clinical, female voice reported.
Jack rose from the Captain's chair. "We'd better get going; your Dad's gonna want you back for dinner soon."
Hamish nodded in agreement and the two of them began to approach the ruined Weapons and Defence console on the port-side of the Bridge. "Computer, arch."
At the auburn-haired teenager's command, the holodeck arch materialized and as they drew near to it, the doors opened with a mechanical whunnn-tush. At the apex of the exit, Hamish and Jack turned back toward the battle-scarred Bridge, the crew of the Enterprise locked in stasis. "Computer, reset program to time code fifteen minutes, ten seconds."
Before their eyes, the Bridge crew of the Enterprise began to move in reverse as the preceding battle was undone. When the simulation reached the moment in time Hamish had requested, the motion drew to a stop, leaving the virtual personnel once again frozen in a moment.
"Computer, save program." at the freckled teenager's newest command, the Bridge crew shimmered and disappeared, a moment before the Bridge itself flickered and vanished, replaced by a large black rectangular room, the only detail being a grid of intersecting yellow lines.
A quick stop by Sickbay had seen to the cut on Hamish's forehead. With the injury tended to, the two teenagers walked the remainder of the distance to Jack's quarters.
The green-eyed man shrugged out of the thick, burgundy Starfleet tunic he'd been wearing, relishing as the cool air of the ships corridors met the skin of his shoulders and arms, left exposed by the black vest he'd worn beneath the vintage uniform.
They'd spent the better part of a week trying to complete the holo-mission based on the encounter between James T. Kirk and Khan Noonien Singh, the mission which had led to the temporary death of Captain Spock, and the creation of the now long-destroyed Genesis Planet 85 years before.
"I've got to tell you, I'm gonna be glad when we can finally put that mission to bed. I'm really looking forward to giving the Bounty a try."
"You're not interested in the holo-mission where Kirk returns to the Genesis Planet?" Hamish enquired as they walked back to the blue-eyed teenager's quarters. The other youth made a dismissive noise.
Jack made a somewhat dismissive motion. "Eh, there's hardly any battle between Kirk and Kruge, it's mostly running around and stealing the Enterprise… and then setting it to self-destruct. It's not the best mission in the collection"
Hamish chuckled. "Fine, fine."
"Great job, by the way." Jack added, the remark genuine.
"No problem, though I'm just doing what I think Captain Spock would've done."
A short turbolift journey brought them to the door of the Overland quarters, and they had to part briefly.
"See you tomorrow." Jack remarked casually, flashing Hamish a smile.
The other teenager nodded with a smile of his own. "Give your Dad my regards when he comes in from his duty shift."
"I will, say 'Hi' to yours for me."
"Sure." The green-eyed young man smirked, and he then gave Jack a quick peck on the lips. A moment later and Jack repeated the gesture. The shorter teenager gave him a final wave as Hamish walked away, remaining at his doorway until his boyfriend had stepped out of sight.
Jack smirked to himself and shook his head wistfully as he stepped into his family's quarters, the life he had onboard the USS Burgess wasn't bad at all: he got to re-enact famous historical missions from Starfleet's past on the holodeck, and he got to do that with his best friend and the person he'd fallen head-over-heels for. He was now even in good standing with his significant other's father, after a slightly rocky start, and boy did it serve you well to stay on the good side of the Captain when you were in a relationship with his son.