Chapter 2
The two engineers scoured over the decimated bridge of the Challenger. Their white radiation suits and helmets gleamed in the red-lit darkness of the bridge, providing needed heat and oxygen due to ruptures in the ship. They were the first to set foot on it since the ship was towed back to Starbase 29, and there were getting some final sensor scans before preliminary repair work began.
Ensign Hans Ebert, the smaller of the two, slowly turned around as he fiddled with his tricorder, the oversized fingers of his radsuit gauntlets making the delicate operation more difficult. "Almost done, sir. It's amazing how much punishment this little ship took."
The larger man, Lt. Commander Jono Maron, laughed over the comm link, his voice bouncing at odd angles in the thin air. "Little? A hundred years ago, this ship would have been a huge exploration vessel!" He looked around the bridge and sighed. "Trust me, Hans, this ship looks a lot worse than it is."
Ebert looked up. "But surely it would be easier to simply build a new ship? The repairs on the hull alone will take weeks!"
Maron walked towards Ebert, waving his tricorder around to emphasize his point. "Not at all. It takes years to build a starship, but only months to rebuild one. Besides, I once served on a cruiser like this one a few years back, the U.S.S. Britainnia. I was the first Bajoran officer on a Starfleet exploration vessel. She got into a scrap, too, but luck held out, and we managed to get her back home. And that's what we're going to do for this one, too..."
Just at that moment, the communicator in Maron's helmet chirped. Maron tilted his head back to talk to the ceiling, activating the comm. "Maron here."
"Lt. Maron, this is Starbase. You have a urgent Priority One message."
"Priority One, huh? Patch it through."
Maron waited as the familiar Starfleet logo appeared in front of him on his helmet visor, and was given the traditional security warning. He muttered his security code under his breath. The screen flashed, and went blank. Soon the words "Transmission will be conducted in realtime text" appeared.
"Text?" muttered Maron. Realtime text transmissions were only used in case of enemy interference... certainly not in a ship docked at a Starbase. The screen filled with red letters. LT. MARON, PLEASE VERIFY YOUR SECURITY CLEARANCE."
"What the hell? Why do you need my SECLAR?"
PLEASE VERIFY YOUR SECURITY CLEARANCE.
Maron sighed. "By the Prophets! SECLAR Four. Lt. Commander Maron Jono. Starbase 29 Technical Chief. Access code Gamma Gamma Seven Two."
THANK YOU. YOUR SECLAR IS INSUFFICIENT FOR YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR MISSION.
"What mission? We're only finishing a repair survey!"
The text scrolled on uninterupted. ANY FURTHER PROGRESS ON THIS MISSION WILL BE CONSIDERED A VIOLATION OF FEDERATION SECURITY. NEW ORDERS FOLLOW: YOUR SURVEY WILL FIND THAT THE CHALLENGER IS UNSALVAGEABLE, AND YOU WILL HAND IN YOUR REPORT TO ADMIRAL TOLVAK. YOU WILL TELL NO ONE OF THIS TRANSMISSION, AND ALL COPIES ARE BEING ERASED. SIGNIFY YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
"Unsalvageable? It's barely..."
SIGNIFY YOUR UNDERSTANDING.
"I got it, I got it."
TRANSMISSION TERMINATED.
Maron's visor cleared as he swore and punched his padded gauntlet against the burned-out Ops control.
"What's wrong sir?"
Maron sighed. "Pack it in, Hans. Starfleet has just scuttled the Challenger."
* * * * *
Commander Takashi sighed as she straightened her dress uniform top for the thousandth time. She sat ramrod straight in the chair, staring at the 18th century grandfather clock that the Admiral had in his office. The clock ticked harshly, each one a resounding thud in her ears. The plush blue and white carpeting sunk almost two inches under Takashi's feet. The harsh black desk looked like it would cut anyone who touched it, and the chairs were high-backed and straight, probably designed to be as uncomfortable as possible. Takashi glanced again at the clock. 6:13 PM, or 1813 hours. The Admiral was almost a quarter of an hour late, but still Takashi waited. Admiral Tolvak was in charge of the debriefing, and would notify her on the status of the crew and the Challenger.
My ship, she thought. With Captain Hagen pronounced DOA when they arrived at the Starbase, she was in command now. At first the grief threatened to wash over her again, but she forced her attention to her internal crew roster of the Challenger and considered promoting Bradley for his action during the crisis. Maybe I'll make him my First Officer.
At precisely 1815 Admiral Tolvak strode into the room. He was a fair-skinned Vulcan, nearly 2 meters tall. He dropped a PADD on the desk, took his chair, and with no formality, began to speak.
"Commander Takashi, I have reviewed the logs of the conflict, and have found that you and Captain Hagen acted in accordance with Federation law, despite a certain... melodrama... during the negotiations. Therefore, you and your crew are without blame, and will return to duty."
Takashi breathed, for what seemed the first time in days. "Thank you, sir. I..."
"Furthermore, because of the untimely demise of Captain Hagen, you would have been promoted to Captain of the Challenger..."
"Would have?"
"... but his own reports and my recommendation have carried their own weight. As of 1800 today, you are now promoted to the rank of Captain."
Takashi was stunned. "I'm honored, but..."
"Captain, may I finish? Our survey teams found that the Challenger is unsalvageable, and no new frigate commands are opening up. The crew will be re-assigned."
"Then why was I made Captain?"
"Your promotion has a string attached. You will be assigned onto a prototype ship called the USS Doyle. You will be assigned to a partial command staff which has already been assembled, and you will be transferred from Starfleet."
"Transferred?"
"Yes, Captain. You are now transferred from Exploration into Intelligence. Although I am not your immediate superior, you will continue to receive orders from me for the time being."
"I see."
"You may now ask questions."
"How badly was the Challenger damaged?"
"The complete analysis is on the file in front of you, but there were severe hull breaches, and the warp core was fused. There was nothing to be done."
"And my crew?"
"As I said, most will be re-assigned. You may retain a few recommendations for transfer, as long as I approve them."
"I'll have those on your desk..."
"... in one hour, Captain. The Missouri leaves tomorrow for the Utopia Planitia shipyards, where the Doyle is moored. Dismissed."
Takashi stood up, her head spinning. Her entire life had changed in five minutes, and now she had an hour to decide the lives of others. She saluted, grabbed the PADD from the Admiral's desk, and left.
* * * * *
"You called for me, Commander?"
Lt. Bradley stood outside of Takashi's temporary quarters, at attention. Takashi sighed and motioned to Bradley.
"Three things, Bradley. One, at ease. Two, it's Captain now, not Commander. And three, call me Sara for the moment. I need some advice."
Bradley stepped inside the spartan room and sat down. "Well one, of course, my feet were killing me anyway. Two, congratulations, but three, why me? And please don't say because I'm Betazoid, because I hate that."
Takashi laughed. "No, Lorano. I just wanted to talk to someone who knows me a little, that's all."
Bradley laughed. "I hardly know you, Comm... Sara, but I'll try. What's wrong?"
Takashi handed the PADD over to Bradley. "The Challenger is scuttled, and the crew reassigned. I've been transferred to SFI, but I can take a few people with me to my new command."
"SFI? No offense, but you're a Starfleet captain, not a spy."
"I thought so too, but not only do I have a history of command experience, but my family's been involved in a number of intelligence operations in the past, with the Cardassians and the Borg. Plus, I spent some time training with the Marines, so I know a little of everything."
"Okay, but no one else on the Challenger knows anything similar."
"I agree, but I'm getting a partial command staff. I need a Security officer and an Engineering officer."
"Hm. Who'd you have in mind?"
"Well, I wanted Zimmerman, but he's been rejected. In fact, all my choices for Engineering have been rejected."
"Well, what about Security?"
"You have some Security training, don't you?"
"Of course, I was Security chief on the..." Bradley paused. "You want ME as Security?"
"Why not?"
"Well... I mean... I got used to Science..."
"Come on, Lorano. It's a guaranteed promotion, it's a field you're familiar with, and I could use a friend on a new ship."
"A friend, or a Betazoid?" Bradley looked hard at her.
Takashi smiled. "Both."
Bradley stared at her for a few moments, and smiled. "Alright. I'm in. When do we leave?"
"Now. We travel to the shipyards, where our new ship awaits."
"What's her name?"
Takashi stopped and looked at Bradley, the excitement glistening in her eyes. "USS Doyle."
End of Chapter 2
