Ginny stood patiently on the transporter pad, waiting for the salvage team and Cyron's own engineers to join her Sharkies there.

Beside her was Ryhr, Kala and the rest of the MCT-RRF. Since there was no clear threat onboard Black Sheep, the Marines were only wearing TAVs.

But they were still carrying full ordinance, rifles for the riflemen, a chain gun for Kala, photon launchers for the RRF, and of course all the gear carried by her Heavy Wrench Turning Specialists.

Properly referred to as Federation Marine Combat Engineers, The Wrench Turners were excited at the prospect of finally having something to do.

So far, they were the most under-worked aspect of The Lonely Queen of the North's compliment of Sharkies.

Except for mandatory PT and weapons training, the Wrench Turners mainly spent their days scrubbing plasma coils, realigning magnetic polarity fields, or otherwise wasting their time doing nothing of importance, just as Ginny had done three years ago as an Engineer's Mate.

The lead wrench turner, Lance Corporal Alexei Dugavich, entered the transporter room and lugged a massive case of equipment onto the transporter pad.

The Russian Lance Corporal saluted his Major and said, "Thanks for giving me things to do beside scrub fucking plasma coil all day, Mayor Tatumovia. We go fucking nuts in warp core!"

Ginny never wrapped her mind around Alexei.

For one thing, despite endless lessons, he always mispronounced her last name.

For another, he constantly and repeatedly cursed around everyone, even though protocol for both Fishies and Sharkies said that only officers should curse around officers, and only ratings should curse around other ratings.

"Glad to have you, Lance. What's in the case?" Ginny asked as she returned his salute.

Alexei smiled, "All things you need to make old ship fly again. Dynamic mode converter, Dilithium charger, anti-matter pod, deuterium cleaner, even det-pack and pack of good Russian Cigarette. We smoke, clean old ship, and she fly again like pig in shit!"

The Transporter Operator, a Benzite who needed a chest-mounted apparatus to breathe, spoke up in shock, "You're going to smoke cigarettes around explosives? Isn't that dangerous?!"

Alexei shrugged, "Is only photon demolition pack. Not blow up from cigarette, only electric charge. Just chill, little fish person."

Seconds later, the Starfleet Engineering team entered the transporter room and took their places on the pad, with more than a few Fishies staring hard at Alexei as he held a Russian Cigarette on his lips.

Cyron was the last to arrive, and she was almost tripping over herself trying to straighten out a TAV that was twice as large as her.

"One of your Engy guys said I should wear this thing, but I can't get it straight! Help me, Ginny!" Cyron said, struggling to keep the vest from falling off her body.

Ginny smiled and reached over to help the little Bajoran Chief Engy.

She quickly tightened Cyron's shoulder straps and zipped up the zipper catch correctly.

"You are just too adorable for words sometimes, Cyron," Ginny said sincerely as she returned to the transporter pad.

Cyron quickly ran up beside Kala and whispered, "Hear that? She said I'm adorable! I'm so getting dinner with her!"

Kala, a fellow Bajoran, raised his eyebrow in disgust.

Cyron was the only woman on Tirpitz he hadn't yet tried to get in bed with, for a reason that was completely lost on Ginny.

She figured Bajorans were like farm dogs, never getting along in proximity.

"Would you shut up already? By the fucking Prophets, it's bad enough I have to babysit Fishies, but I don't need to hear your stupid little gossiping either, Caige," he said, angrily.

"Oh whatever, Anjar. You're just jealous she likes me more than you," Cyron said, using his actual first name in a way that completely aggravated Kala.

In Bajoran customs, the family name preceded the given name, so he was technically Anjar Kala, but Bajorans usually let it slide amongst other species, a leftover from the brutal Cardassian Occupation.

Cyron's family name was Caige, but she insisted that everyone call her Cyron, based on it being the cuter name.

Ginny opened her wrist-comm and called the bridge, switching to FMC comm's protocol, "Tirpitz 1-9 to Tirpitz Actual. Ready for dust off on your go," with Actual being the Captain's personal call sign.

"The go is given, 1-9. Bon Voyage!" Scott's voice replied.

Unlike most Fishies, the Old Man had slipped into FMC comm's protocol like a pair of old gloves and even enjoyed being referred to as Actual.


─•~:~•─


USS Enterprise

Excelsior Class Light Cruiser (Refit Variant) NCC-1701-B

Main Engineering


Short seconds later, the team beamed into pitch blackness. Ginny and her Marines reacted on instinct.

Tactical lights on their rifles and weaponry went up instantly, and pools of red light began breaking up the endless black of the so-called Black Sheep's Engineering Bay.

Ginny wasn't carrying a rifle of her own – that's what Kala was for – and instead, relied on her wrist-comm to light up the area around her.

After making a brief scan, she issued orders next via hand signal.

Three-metre spread, elevation and lower check

Call targets before engagement

Ryhr moved behind her, towards the Engineer's office, while Kala moved in front of her towards the warp core, and their assigned fire teams followed close behind each. Cyron tried to follow behind her fellow Bajoran, but Ginny's hand grasping her rescue strap on her new TAV stopped the little Bajoran.

"Wait," she whispered to Cyron, "We have to clear the deck first, keep you adorable little Fishies safe."

The red on Cyron's cheeks matched the increasing pools of red spread out by the RRF and the four-man squad of Wrench Turners, who despite their skills with wrenches, needed to be equally as skilled with rifles.

The red lights revealed a mostly intact ship, but there were definite signs that Black Sheep had been in one place for an exceedingly long time.

For one thing, there were layers of dust nearly an inch thick on the various terminals and monitors around Main Engineering. Dust was usually eliminated by a starship's life support and air purification systems. The fact that there was such a large amount of dust around suggested that the most important system of Enterprise-B was nearly on the verge of failure.

After checking every possible room and angle that could be engaged, Kala was the first to speak out of the group of twenty, "2-7, Clear!"

Ryhr spoke next from the Engineer's Office, "2-1, Clear!"

Ginny released Cyron and called back, "All Clear. Okay Cyron, now you can go," closing her wrist-comm and turning to the remainder of her group, "Fire Teams, standard perimeter, con two carry, weapons safe. Wrenchies, do what you guys do."

"Yes Major" came the synchronized reply from all fifteen Marines. The Five Starfleet Sharkie Engineers with the group simply stared in confusion for a few moments but then set about their tasks in the engineering bay.

The Excelsior class Engineering Bay was roughly the same size as the Sovereign class Tirpitz, but the layout was much more compact. On the newer Tirpitz, the warp core sat in the centre of the room, while the various control stations and terminals circled in the open air. Excelsiors on the other hand were the first to adapt the so-called "billiards table" layout, with auxiliary control located on the so-named table, while warp power functions were controlled from a side alcove partially shielded from the warp core with a transparent aluminum window.

Cyron ran over to the warp power console and rubbed her hands along the terminals in excitement, "Oh this is so, so cool! I can't believe the Skipper let me handle a salvage job like this!"

Amused, Ginny walked over and held up her wrist-comm to provide light, "Have a thing for old ships, do you?"

Cyron started hitting buttons and flipping switches at a speed Ginny couldn't believe, "Not just old ships, old computers! This was my favourite series, Late 23rd Century Pre-LCARS. It was like, halfway between those bulky ass duotronic circuits on Constitution-class ships and LCARS stuff like we have now."

Once again not respecting personal space, Cyron grabbed Ginny's hand and rotated her wrist-comm to provide light to a specific screen, "You had nice little screens like these, but you still used tactile inputs like these buttons. It's, like, the best feeling, pushing a button that pushes back and seeing your screen light up. LCARS is all glass, and it doesn't push back. Not as much fun"

Ginny found herself in endless amusement of Cyron's endless optimism as she looked over at Lance Corporal Alexei, "What about you Lance? Buttons or LCARS?"

The Russian lance lit up his moustached face with a cigarette lighter, took a heavy drag, and in turn began hitting various switches, "Da Mayor. I like buttons too, makes lots of flying things when you blow up."

Ginny turned her head back towards Cyron, "So, can we turn on some lights so you can stop holding my arm up?"

A mischievous grin crept across Cyron's face, "Didn't you used to be an Engy before you turned into a Sharkie? You tell me."

Ginny groaned, "Engy's mate, and I specifically quit the fleet because of it. I just shoot things now."

Cyron kept grinning as she pulled further on Ginny's arm and pointed at a console in front of her, "Well, then it's time to learn some new tricks, Sharkie! Push this button once, this button twice, turn this dial to 2 o'clock and move these two sliders halfway over."

Ginny did as she was told, and moments after a new status board appeared on the screen above the console.

Cyron pointed at it and asked, "Okay, what's that and what's it say?"

Ginny stared at it for a long moment, but gave up and replied, "Honestly? I forgot."

Cyron pouted, "Are you even trying Ginny? Come on, that's the aux EPS power storage status! But fine, I'll help you. See these two circles? If the aux batteries were completely empty, they'd be grey all the way over. But the little sliver of red means we have about 15% power remaining. So, what do you think that means?"

"We can turn on the lights?" Ginny asked flatly.

Cyron patted her head, "Good job Sharkie! Push that button over there!"

Ginny hit a single white button, and moments later the overhead lights came on in the engineering bay. The patrolling Riflemen deactivated their tac-lights, including Kala who jumped on the chance for sarcasm at his OC's expense, "Nice job Major, I can see that your officer's training at Sandhurst really pays for itself!"

Ginny glared at Kala, but before she could chastise her Staff Sargent, she found herself pulled over to a second console by Cyron, "Okay, lesson number two. Push the two white buttons twice each, push the red button once, and flip the toggle switch down. Then tell me what pops up on the screen to your left"

She did so, and looked at the indicated screen, "I kind of remember this one. Matter injectors for the warp core, right?"

Cyron squeezed her cheeks, "Oh your so close! I'll give you full credit for the effort."

She released Ginny's cheeks and continued, "It's the anti-matter injectors, actually. What does the status screen say?"

Ginny rubbed one cheek as she examined the status screen, "Well, alright. If they were full, it would be a green bar, and the text would say 'Ready for Injection' but it's only-" trailing off while Cyron filled in the blanks

"This is...weird actually. It's blue." Cyron commented.

"Why is that weird?" Ginny asked in confusion.

Cyron sat down on a chair before she continued, "So if the injector were offline or empty, that screen would be red. But it's blue. Blue means it's on standby, which only happens when someone puts the warp core into controlled shutdown"

"Well, she's been out here for a hundred years. Wouldn't it make sense to shut down the warp core at some point?" Ginny asked, completely lost in the explanation.

Cyron shook her head, "Not really. Look," she said, pointing to another screen to the right of both women, "That's the primary deuterium tank. It's almost full still. Warp cores have two functions on every ship. They generate the shell needed for warp drive, and they control main power for the rest of the ship. We know already that the aux batteries are almost empty, right?"

"Right…" Ginny added, not sure if she was following completely

"Aux batteries kick in when warp power goes offline, or if the core goes into controlled shutdown. So that means that someone, either Black Sheep's version of me or someone else with the codes, deliberately powered down the warp core when there was no reason to and left enough anti-matter and deuterium in the tanks to start her up again at some point" Cyron finished, hitting several more buttons.

"Yeah, that is kinda weird. Do you know why?" Ginny asked again.

Cyron shook her head again, "I dunno. Gimmie a few minutes to check some other stuff out. Pay attention and you might learn something"

Ginny couldn't help but smile, and offered a salute to Cyron, "Yes Ma'am!"

"Hey, boss Cyron, what you want us doing?" Alexei asked.

Cyron looked at the Russian Lance Corporal and put her chin on one hand, "Do you guys know how to check the Dilithium composite chambers? Do that. Then take one of your dynamic mode converters, hook it up to the starboard aux battery and see if you can get it up to 100% for me, kay?"

"Da! You want cigarette, boss?" Alexei asked, holding up his pack.

Cyron shook her head and continued pushing buttons, with Ginny trying hard to remember which buttons were being pushed. Kala interrupted her studies, "Orders for the rest of us, Major?"

Before Ginny could speak, Cyron beat her to it, "Anjar, open the port deuterium tank, stick your head in, and don't come out until you get to the Celestial Temple, kay?"

Kala stiffened, "Caige, I'll stick your damn head in there first if you-"

Ginny cut him off, "And I'll bust your nose again before either of you gets there. Sarge, take a team and do a sweep of the rest of this deck, call in if you spot anything"

Kala nodded and walked briskly away to the Engineering doors. Cyron again grabbed Ginny's hand and rubbed her cheek on it, "Nicest. Sharkie. Ever"

Ginny sighed. Cyron really was too adorable for words.


The transporters dropped Yue, Dean, and fifteen SO's into the middle of the Black Sheep's Bridge.

Yue looked around at the well-lit control centre and smiled, "Well, at least Cyron got some lights on for us. Okay Gents, pick a chair and get started."

The Security Officers nodded and went each to the nearest open console on the bridge. Unlike the Marines down in Engineering, they were only carrying MK.8 Hand Phasers and no other protective gear besides their uniforms. Dean had availed himself of a Phaser-Compression rifle, which he slung over his shoulder as he sat down at the weapons console to the fore and right of the Centre Seat.

"Old and slow as she might be, I'll say this. Black Sheep was built for actual people. I've been putting requests in for a chair on Tirpitz for three years now. Do you have any idea how sore my back gets after my watch, XO? When I have to stand up to man a weapons console?" Dean asked.

Given that she was the ranking officer on deck, Yue exercised her right to sit in the Captain's chair. She wasn't as pleased with the seating arrangements. The chair was entirely too large, the aquamarine-coloured fabric didn't breathe as well as Tirpitz's red leather, and the chair consoles were at a poor angle, forcing the 5'2, 108lb Commander to lean forward to input functions.

"You can take this one back and set it up if you want. I'm not a fan" Yue replied, as she sat fully cross-legged and hit the panel on her left.

Dean turned and looked back at his XO, "Assuming The Old man lets me. If you don't mind me saying so, that chair suits you, Yue. Even if that particular chair is a little big. You ever think about a command of your own?"

Yue smiled back. Although she had known Scott Hathaway from her time in the Academy, she had only met Dean Bowers a month before both officers were posted to the Lonely Queen of The North for her five-year exploration mission. Scott however had served with Dean for nearly his entire career and spoke highly of him at all times.

He was a pleasant enough gentleman, for the most part, and his family ranch produced what was by far the finest sushi on Earth, "Actually, truth be told, I was thinking about challenging my Captain's Comp after our mission. Ginny inspired me. If someone like her can end up with her own command, why can't I? What about you, Dean? Captain Bowers has a nice ring to it."

He shook his bald head, "Naw, I'm fine with being a gunner. Hell, I only took LC because of the up-or-out rule that CNC brought in. Besides, I'd never get enough leave being a Skipper, and that means I'd have to manage a team of Sharkies of my own, and I have enough headaches with this one."

"I gotta ask Dean, why are you always butting heads with Ginny? She's a nice girl. You should try talking to her once in a while," said Yue.

Dean took an effort to push down his still unrevealed sessions of "blowing off steam" before he answered, "I don't have any problems with Major Tatum herself. I have a problem with the organization she works for. Did you know that something like 90% of their equipment comes from a company called Black Star Emergency Contract Services, based on Elysium? Mercenary Thugs through and through, and their senior leadership team right up to General Marcus Castle all have criminal records as long as my arm"

"Even criminals should get a second chance, Dean. Or are you one of those types that don't believe in rehabilitation?" Yue challenged.

"As a matter of fact, I am, but that's a semantic point. You can't join Starfleet with a criminal record, short of a Presidential pardon. And like I said over our first dinner, there's nothing any of those Marines can do that any of my boys can't do, even if we don't have all their little toys. Being in space is something that should be earned, not granted as an apology after you make mistakes in life. I worked pretty damned hard to get where I am now. Major Tatum got tossed on her ass out of the midshipman program, and somehow ends up at the same level of prestige as I am? It's not fair, and it's not sending a good message to kids who want to serve in space." Dean said, still looking at the weapons console.

"Side comment, that's the third time I've heard you talking about her ass. You sure it's not a jealousy thing?" Yue said slyly.

"No comment, Commander." Dean replied dryly.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did, she does have a really nice ass," Yue said, continuing her sly tone.

She did, but Dean refused to reveal his secret, "Professional regulations and codes of conduct forbid me from making any comment on the aesthetics of my female colleague's buttocks, Commander Tanaka, Ma'am. I respectfully request that we return to our previous topic of discussion, in the interest of professionalism."

"Request granted, LC. Although, I should point out that the FMC isn't going anywhere for the time being. Their biggest supporter just got elected President, and according to Ginny, McClair and Castle are old school buddies. Not to mention the whole thing with the Romulans yesterday, and of course our little adventures with Star," said Yue.

"I didn't vote for McClair either. Of course, if people above my bald head decide to keep people like Major Tatum around, then I'll just have to deal with it. I wasn't aware I had to be happy about it though." Dean replied.

"Good God, Captain Hathaway was right. Buy her dinner and get it out of your system already Dean!" Yue said, exasperated.

"A side comment of my own, your sure you aren't the one that wants to buy her dinner?" Dean asked, turning around again.

Yue pouted in response, "She doesn't like girls. We still go for spa days, but that's as close as I'll ever get. She's all yours Dean, you lucky bastard."

So much for that three-way on Cetlus Minor, I had planned with an Orion Slave Girl, Dean thought to himself in disappointment.

"Sorry to hear that, Commander. Can I offer you a five-ounce new yorker from my dad's ranch as compensation for your broken heart?" Dean asked, hoping to divert Yue from a subject growing increasingly uncomfortable.

"First off, I'm still your superior, Lieutenant-Commander. And besides, I don't like boys. How's Black Sheep's weapons array?" Yue asked, still pouting.

"Full mag of mark five photons. Phasers are all showing green. Shield generator's got full power and full coverage on all emitters. Whatever happened to her, she wasn't in a fight." Dean said, looking over his console.

"Hmm. I can't get into the CO's files. What about you?" Yue asked, hitting the panel in frustration.

Dean hit several more buttons, but also achieved no success, "Same thing here. I'm locked out of any exec functions. Anyone else got an access line?"

None of the other Starfleet crew were able to make any successful inquiries into the main computer.

Yue rose from the centre seat and tried a different approach, "Computer, Recognize Tanaka, Yue. Commander, Starfleet Authorization Alpha 2-7-3"

"Code Validated. Commander Yue Tanaka recognized" the computer of Enterprise-B replied. The voice was not the friendly, female voice that was now common in Starfleet, but an older – and harsher sounding – male voice.

"Override all executive lockouts and restore full functionality to the bridge. Transfer all command protocols to the bridge." Yue ordered.

"Unable to comply." replied the male computer voice.

Dean looked at his console again and added, "Still nothing XO."

"Computer, repeat the previous command," Yue said aloud.

"Unable to comply." came the reply again.

"You mind telling me why Mr. Enterprise?" Yue asked.

Ordinarily, command lockouts were explained, but Black Sheep was proving to be stubborn.

"Omega Protocol is in effect. All executive functions are restricted to Captain rank officers or above. Current access level is not authorized for access to executive functions." the computer replied.

On the main view screen, an image appeared in front of Yue. A blue Ω with the words Omega Protocol below the symbol in the same blue colour.

"What the hell is 'Omega Protocol'?" Dean asked.

"I have no idea actually" Yue replied, "But it did say you need a Captain's access. Do we have comms up yet?"

Dean looked at his console again, "Yes Ma'am, audio only"

"Open a channel to Tirpitz" Yue ordered, taking her uncomfortable seat again.

Moments later, Hathaway's voice replaced the unfriendly computer of Black Sheep, "How's it coming XO?"

"Not bad. The ship is pretty intact, dusty but otherwise fine. Cyron thinks she can get the warp core going again. I'll have a better answer for you in a few minutes. The bridge is intact, and our Tac Officer tells me we've got a full complement of weapons and shields. But I'm afraid that's where the good news ends, Cap" Yue said.

"You know I hate hearing bad news, XO. What's the problem?" asked Scott.

"We can't access any exec-level functions, just normal operating systems. Everything's locked out by something called Omega Protocol. I tried the usual override code, but the computer won't take it unless you have a Captain's access level. Do you know what that's all about?" Yue asked.

"Say again XO. Did you say Omega? Like the Greek Alphabet?" Scott asked with a more serious tone.

"Exactly that, Sir. In fact, I'm staring at a blue Omega symbol on the screen right now, hence not having visual contact. I'm an A-7 Comp Expert and I've never seen this before." Yue said.

"I'm beaming over in a few minutes. Have Major Tatum meet me in the transporter room, and we'll join you in the Captain's Ready Room shortly. Has anyone else come across this symbol yet?" Scott asked, worrying Yue.

Captains were forbidden by regulations from participating in away missions, even something like a simple salvage operation except for extreme circumstances. The fact that Scott was coming over anyway made Yue more scared than she would admit openly.

"Just us on the bridge, sir. What's going on?" Yue asked.

"Commander Tanaka, under no circumstances are you to discuss what you've seen on the screen in front of you with anyone else. I'll bring you up to speed when I arrive. I also need your people to stop trying to get into any exec-level access programs right away. Focus on basic functionality and work with what you have for now. Is that understood?" asked Scott.

"Aye, sir," Yue replied, uncertainly.

"I'm on my way now. Hathaway out."

Yue patted Dean on his shoulder, "This is why I like having Ginny around, for weird shit like this. Take over here, I'll be in the ready room."

Dean nodded and took over the centre seat as Yue left for the ready room. Unlike her, he did know what Omega Protocol was. And now he had to perform some "extra" work for his boss back on Earth.

"Boys, I gotta find a head somewhere, I'll be back in a bit," he ordered to the rest of his officers before he in turn left the bridge. Once safely out of earshot of anyone, he reached into his pocket and opened a small QC transmitter. After entering a 1980-bit hex encryption key, he recorded a short message,

"Black calling Gold. We've got a new problem with Black Sheep. Someone left Omega turned on, and my Captain's about to override it. Requesting backup and extraction. Please advise asap." he said quietly before closing the device.

It would be several hours until Gold got back to him. Earlier this morning in Tirpitz's wardroom, he watched on the holo display as Plan E was carried out – successfully until Repulse blew the ass end of Irix off, anyway – and knew that his boss was likely busier than hell at the moment.

More than likely, Dean, or as his code name read, Black, would have to handle the problem himself. He set his hand phaser to kill, and then returned to the bridge to keep up appearances.