34

Just Following Orders

The next day, inside the captain's ready room, Jonathan is fuming at Commander Telsia Murphy's audacious request.

"Absolutely not!" blurts out Kirk.

"I need him for the mission, sir," bluntly replies Murphy.

"He's my chief engineer!" barks back Kirk, then gesturing open arms pointing up. "He makes the ship work!"

Telsia hands the captain of the Enterprise a PADD.

"What's this?"

"Orders, sir."

Jonathan snatches the PADD out of Telsia's hand; in a way unbecoming of an officer and instead that of a petulant child.

"You've got to be kiddin' me," mutters Kirk and then begins to read the orders out aloud.

"STARFLEET COMMAND – PRIORITY ONE ORDER, Trans-Quadrant Special Mission: Alpha-Gamma-Epsilon-Three," stopping to look up at Murphy in disbelief. "By order of Starfleet Command, Commander Telsia Murphy is hereby authorized to deploy, command, exercise and utilize any and all assets within the Federation of United Planets in support of the completion of the assigned special mission. Signed, Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard."

According to these orders Jean-Luc Picard now holds the rank of Fleet Admiral, the highest rank outside of Starfleet command. Genevieve relieves Jonathan of the PADD and quietly reads the orders for herself.

"Any and all –, Captain, Commander," emphasis Murphy.

Jonathan shakes his head while trying to reconcile the orders before him.

"I never even heard of a Trans-Quadrant special mission order," he exclaims, and then asks: "What is the mission?"

"It is classified," replies Murphy. "Sir."

"My chief engineer, my crew, my ship!" snaps Kirk.

"Yes, sir, I am well aware," replies Murphy with calm but stern demeanor. "However, these are – my orders, this is – my mission, and – its classified, sir!"

Genevieve subtly smiles, impressed with the directness of Telsia's response.

Telsia hands another PADD to Jonathan.

"What's this?" asks Kirk.

"My team, sir," replies Murphy.

Jonathan takes the PADD and reads the details reluctantly.

"Starfleet Command, SEC.31, Priority One Order: 102-738-Alpha. Ensign Alexandria Munro is hereby reinstated…" Kirk pauses to process the word, and then glances over at Munro. "…to the rank of Lieutenant Commander and hereby transferred to SEC.31, SOS-Alpha for immediate duty."

Jonathan shakes his head in bewilderment and then finishes the remain text on the PADD. "Signed, SEC. 31 - SOS-Alpha, Commander Telsia Murphy."

Alexandria looks over at Telsia with surprise; Telsia replies with a coy wink.

"S.O.S.-Alpha?" asks Kirk. "Can I ask you to elaborate?"

"Special Operations Squadron, Alpha, sir," replies Murphy.

Jonathan scoffs as he shakes his head. "This just gets better and better."

Genevieve reads the orders on the PADD carefully. She had her suspicions about Alexandria. Starfleet command's reinstatement of Munro made a lot of sense. Alexandria's confidence, demeanor and experience in no way implied a rank of ensign. The question is why was she an ensign?

"So, you were a Lieutenant Commander?" asks Picard.

"Yes," directly replies Munro.

"Why were you demoted?"

"It's classified," interrupts Murphy. "Suffice to say, Commander, unwarranted,"

Jonathan comes to his feet.

"That's it!" yells Kirk, slamming his hand down his on the desk. "How do I know this is even legitimate?"

"Any – concerns you may have, sir, can be brought directly to the Admiral's attention," replies Murphy.

"Excuse me?" remarks Kirk, with a confusion in his face.

Telsia unveils yet another PADD from the ether.

"Where are you hiding all these?" yelps Kirk.

Jonathan takes the PADD and reads it, but before he can start reading the text Telsia makes a statement.

"The Enterprise-A has been ordered to rendezvous with the Enterprise-E; the commander and you are to receive you're a special mission briefing from Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard."

=/\=

Enterprise-E explodes out of warp. At 3.2 million metric tons and 700 feet in length it passes over the Enterprise-A, completely eclipsing her.

"Impressive," states Worf.

"Glad you approve," remarks Kirk, looking over his shoulder.

"They're hailing us, sir," says Riker.

"On screen," says Kirk.

"This is Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E," says Admiral Picard appearing on the main viewscreen.

Saren interrupts before Jonathan can respond.

"Captain, U.S.S. Enterprise, registration: NCC-1701-E, Class: Sovereign; armaments: 16 phaser arrays, 10 torpedo bay launchers, one quantum torpedo launcher…" states Spock.

"Are you scanning the Enterprise-E?" Kirk interrupts Saren's verbal readout, while lurching down and speaking in a low, clandestine voice.

"Picard to Enterprise-A, are sensors indicate that you are scanning this vessel," states Admiral Picard. "Why?"

Jonathan shoots Saren an annoyed look and then returns his attention back to the main viewer.

"Ah… yes Admiral Picard. My science officer thought that your deflector array was misaligned and interfering with our communications channel."

Genevieve rolls her eyes in disgust at the whimsical excuse Jonathan just gave.

"That is, Fleet Admiral, acting Captain Kirk," sternly corrects the Admiral. "You can be assured that all systems aboard this ship are fully operational."

Jonathan swallows hard realizing his mistake.

"Off course they are… Fleet Admiral. It must be on our end…" gesturing wildly into the air.

"I am unconcerned with nominal issues aboard your ship, captain," intones Admiral Picard. "Dispense with the pleasantries and beam aboard immediately. Picard out."

The viewer goes dark.

"Understood… sir," trails of Kirk.

Jonathan shoot another look at Saren.

"Captain," says Saren.

"Don't you 'Captain,' me, Saren!"

Saren simply turns back to her station.

"Fantastic," quips Kirk.

Jonathan turns to Genevieve: "Well?"

"No," firmly states Picard.

"You're going to have to see him eventually," states Kirk. "That is a massive ship and this galaxy isn't big enough for you to avoid him forever."

Jonathan looks past Genevieve. "Marina, you're coming with us."

Genevieve looks over to Marina who nods a subtle acknowledgement.

"Yes, captain," she replies.

Kirk, Picard and Riker enter TurboLift 2.

"Alright," nervously sighs Kirk. "Time to meet to meet a legend."

A/N: After rewriting this chapter several times, I came to the end and wrote the last line. After that, I contemplating the idea of Jonathan Kirk meeting the legendary Admiral Picard. That line became pivotal in shaping this entire chapter.

Picard was a legendary captain. What would it have been like to meet a future Picard that became a Fleet Admiral? Just the notion of meeting Admiral Picard in Legacy gives me goosebumps. At this very moment, even I don't know what happens next! We will find out together in the next chapter.

Another shout out to iShipStarShip for all positive comments and reviews. I have to say, you have an amazing sense of humour and damn you can write :)

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