Enterprise must find her old friend and her secret experiment before the Romulans in the episode "Pegasus".
Enterprise always wondered what it was like to wear a cloaking device. She'd had one only once before back in her original NCC form and there was something addicting about traveling with no one knowing you were there.
Getting a priority 1 message had Enterprise on alert at once. They were rarely good news. "I need you to meet with Crazy Horse in Sector 1607 immediately. You are authorized to exceed warp speed limitations for the duration of this mission." Admiral Blackwell said. "I understand." Enterprise replied. She didn't, not really, but she knew that Crazy Horse might have some answers that Blackwell did not.
The Excelsior-class was jittery and nervous when she arrived. "Alright, spit it out!" Enterprise sighed. "You remember Pegasus?" Crazy Horse asked. "Yes. Poor thing was conducting top secret experiments for Starfleet Command when she disappeared 12 years ago. I recall my last words to her as Enterprise C were "Be careful". Why?" "She's been found, Enterprise. By the Romulans!" Crazy Horse replied. Enterprise swore. "If those pointy eared bastards dishonor her..." She snarled. "She's trapped deep in an asteroid. Beyond that, I don't know." Crazy Horse said. "Be careful, Enterprise." The flagship nodded. "I know how to deal with Romulans."
Arriving in the Darin system it appeared she would have to do just that. The warbird Tarix de-cloaked in front of her and snarled, preparing for a fight as her weapons locked. Enterprise put her shields up, showing her fangs as her silver eyes narrowed. A snarl sounded from her throat. "What do you want?" She hissed. "I was going to ask you the same thing." Tarix sneered. "Scientific research." Enterprise growled. "Do not impede me." "I too am conducting scientific research. Perhaps we can share our findings?" Tarix smirked. Enterprise hated being outdone by a Romulan but she agreed. The two ships went their separate ways. "Lying bitch!" Enterprise hissed, more determined than ever to find Pegasus before they did.
A planetoid showed some promise but as Enterprise went in for a closer look, the Romulan took notice. To hide her find, Enterprise saturated the asteroid in ionized particles. There was so much of it in the system already, the Romulans wouldn't know the difference. It worked, Tarix moved on allowing Enterprise to return later after she'd completed her ruse. She could only hope she wasn't too late.
Approaching the asteroid again, Enterprise scanned it heavily. "She's in there." She reported. "Now ow do we get to her?" Riker muttered. "There is only one way." Enterprise answered. "Absolutely not! It's too dangerous." Picard growled. "Captain, I know what you do not about this mission and while you don't trust Admiral Prescott, I'm asking you to trust me." Enterprise said. He sighed. "I don't agree with this." He said. "I'll be sure to note that in my log." She replied and headed in.
Enterprise's running lights provided the only light. Her silver hull appeared black and her nacelles glowed a brighter blue. An energy signature appeared ahead and Enterprise's gaze fell on a small ship caught in the asteroid. She appeared to have materialized within the wall. "Oh Pegasus, you fool." Enterprise whispered. Pegasus had given it her best shot, but she could not control the cloaking device. She appeared to be in hibernation. Enterprise's extended shields and atmospheric control woke her. "Ngh, Galaxy?" She asked. "No, it's me." "Enterprise?" She gasped. "Damn, how long was I out?" "12 years." Enterprise replied. "The cloaking device!" Pegasus gasped. "Intact." Enterprise replied. Picard interrupted them. "I'm sorry to stop your reunion but a cloaking device?!" He asked in barely controlled anger. Enterprise winced. "You may want to sit down for this one, captain." She sighed and told him everything.
Unfortunately, Tarix overheard and using their phasers, closed the fissure entrance. "Great, we're trapped." Pegasus snorted. "You've used a cloaking device before." "Yes but that was nearly a century ago." Enterprise replied. "My duty was to protect it. In that I failed." Pegasus rasped. "I can't use the thing. Look at what it did to you." Enterprise whispered. "Nor can I leave you behind. ""You can and you must." Pegasus replied. She nuzzled her. "Look at you. You're more beautiful now than you were 12 years ago. So regal..." She kissed Enterprise who leaned into it. "Don't force me to, please..." The flagship begged. "Return to Sol Sector, and tell Galaxy I was honored to teach her." Pegasus said. Enterprise steadied herself. "Tell me what to do." She rasped.
The device was installed. Enterprise shifted experimentally. "Very nice." She said. "Don't think I'll give it up." "Enterprise." Picard warned. "Yeah, yeah but when have the rules ever applied to me?" Enterprise snorted. "That's more like the Enterprise I know." Pegasus grinned weakly. It pained Enterprise to look at her. Her own life support systems offline, the only way Pegasus was breathing was from Enterprise's shields. As soon as she left, Pegasus would die. "Go now." She ordered. "Peg, please. Come with me." Enterprise begged. "I can carry you." "I accepted my fate a long time ago, Enterprise." Pegasus replied. She handed her a small trinket. "Last I saw Galaxy, she had asked me to get her this. Please see that she gets it." Enterprise dipped her head. "I will." She promised. She touched her head to to Pegasus' as she retracted her shields. "Farewell, Enterprise..." Pegasus went limp against her, her green eyes glassy but bright in death. "Farewell, Pegasus..." Enterprise whispered.
The cloak worked perfectly and Enterprise headed out of the asteroid. She de-cloaked next to Tarix. "Hi, bye." She greeted and vanished again. Reaching Sol Sector, she approached Galaxy. She nipped her sister's port nacelle before appearing behind her. "Hello." She greeted. "Enterprise, what did you do?!" Galaxy cried. "You have a cloaking device?! A working cloaking device?!" She sounded excited. "That's not why I'm here." Enterprise handed her the trinket. "An external harness. Fashionable but useful. Helps stabilize the cloaking device. I promised Pegasus I'd install it for her when she returned. It could've saved her..." Galaxy bowed her head. "She was proud of you." Enterprise murmured. "You may not be able to install it on Pegasus but you can do so on me." "If I do, there is no removing it. The cloaking device stays with you for life." Galaxy warned. "I know." Enterprise grunted. "You rebel." Galaxy grinned. "Just go for it." Enterprise smirked, holding still as Galaxy fitted the harness to her.