Act Two: "Modifications"
Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat in the empty crew lounge, staring outside at the stars. In his old, commanding hands was a warm cup of Earl Grey Tea. He sipped it at it and continued his long, thoughtful vigil.
The sound of a pair of doors opening caught his attention. The light sound of footsteps muted on the carpet was heard next. Jean-Luc didn't seem to acknowledge it; and if he did, it was by taking another sip of tea.
"Coffee, Black," spoke a commanding, stern female voice.
The whir of the replicator was heard next, followed by two hands taking a mug from its materialization point.
Jean-Luc knew now was the time to show her that he knew it was Admiral Janeway that entered. He stood up and spotted the middle-aged woman across the room.
"Admiral, I - "
"Please," she said graciously, "sit. There's no need to stand for me. Though I am above you in rank, I consider us equals. In fact, if I maybe so bold, I consider you far above me."
Jean-Luc grinned, a bit taken aback. "Oh? It's not every day I hear that. Please, have a seat."
Janeway smiled broadly and sat next to him, her hand still firm around her mug. "Thank you. But, yes, I do think very highly of you."
"Coming from someone who survived some of things you have in the Delta Quadrant, I will take that as a compliment."
"Well, from someone who was survived some things you have in the Alpha Quadrant, I accept that compliment," she laughed.
Jean-Luc smiled and took a sip of the hot tea. "So, are you enjoying your time home?"
Her grin faded, but she still maintained an air of lightness around her. "Yes, actually, though I do miss Voyager at times. I was so used to sitting in that big chair."
Jean-Luc nodded. "I can understand that."
"Is that the reason you never gave up your command?"
He seemed totally thrown-off by that question, but returned it with a state of grace. "I suppose. Why is it you ask?"
"Curiosity. You've accomplished many things in your career. Starfleet would be very lucky to have you behind a desk."
"A desk job . . ." he mused. "A desk job never really appealed to me, to be honest."
"I see." She paused, taking one last drink from her coffee before standing. "Well, Captain, if you excuse me, I must be going. Tomorrow is a big day. 0800 is check-in for my specialists. I have to be prepped for that. I'll see you then."
"Until then," Jean-Luc replied as he watched her exit the room. He sighed and took another sip of his slowly-cooling tea. 0800 was not something he was looking forward to . . .
***
Commander William T. Riker frowned as he looked over the PADD in his hands. He stood in Cargo Bay One, with Admiral Janeway's staff standing right before him, all lined up. On the PADD, the designation of each of the staff members was stated. Along with this was a list of all the modifications that would be made to the Enterprise over the next twenty- four hours before this mystery project would begin. And he wasn't really up to all this.
Suddenly, the twin doors opened up and in stepped President Decker, Captain Picard, and Admiral Janeway.
"ATTENTION ON DECK!" shouted Riker. He heard the shuffle of feet behind him, marking that Data, LaForge, Crusher, Troi and a dozen other officers responded to his announcement. Before him, the 'specialist' stood straight.
"At ease," said Decker. Janeway and Picard stopped parallel to their crew/staff. Decker, on the other hand, walked the space between the two.
"Well," Decker said at last, "it seems we are all step-up on the staff part. Therefore, I shall leave the acquainting up to the Captain and Admiral Janeway. Admiral?"
"Thank you, Mr. President," Janeway replied. She walked over to her staff. "This is Lieutenant Commander Thomas Eugene Paris. He will be the navigational officer until the project is over."
She continued down the line-up towards a half-human, half-Klingon. "Commander B'Elanna Torres. She will be heading up the Engineering modifications, as well as the Engineering parts of this project."
"Commander Tuvok here," continued Janeway as she reached a Vulcan, "will be handling security."
Janeway walked to the next person. She was a young woman with golden blond hair and blue eyes and . . . Borg implants.
Captain Picard held back a flinch as she introduced Seven of Nine. Seeing a Borg of any sort had this reaction to him, but he attempted to hold back such reservations. Attempted to.
Finally, Janeway introduced a middle-aged, bald man that could be none other than the old EMH from Voyager.
Picard introduced his crew, of course, being Crusher, LaForge, Data, Riker, and Troi.
Decker nodded approvingly. "Excellent. These are your orders, Captain. First and foremost, this Cargo Bay is to be off-limits to all. There are ten excellently trained guards that will be here on the Enterprise, posted at these doors at all times. Twenty Engineers and Scientists will be here as well. Sadly, top security means no communications unless authorized by Admiral Janeway herself. The communications blackout will begin in twenty- hours. Each member of this crew is allowed to send one final communiqué.
"Secondly, there are to be some modifications made to the Enterprise. Most especially here in Cargo Bay One. Other modifications to be made are in Engineering, Transporter Room Two, Sickbay, and to the Deflector Array. Details are available from the Captain, the Admiral, or Commander Riker; along with other special concerns. In less than Twenty-Four hours from now, this ship will be modified and heading to the Mana Nebula. Any questions?"
Data was about to raise his hand, but he felt a slight kick from Geordi and neverminded it.
"None? Excellent. Dismissed."
***
The next twenty-four hours were stressful for all.
Dr. Crusher was stressing as a result of the new holographic buffers that were being placed in sickbay to support the Doctor.
Lieutenant Commander LaForge was unhappy with the way B'Elanna Torres kept getting in his way and made herself at home without even greeting him
Commander Riker felt like Tuvok kept stepping on his toes.
Consular Troi, on top of all this, seemed to have a continual headache.
And Jean-Luc Picard? He just didn't like this.
But they all made it through and were all ready to go by 0800 the next day.
"Good luck, Admiral. Captain," Decker said to them over the communications from the Brown. "Godspeed. Decker out."
Jean-Luc took his seat, with Janeway in Troi's seat and Riker in his usual one. "Admiral? Would you care to give the word?" he asked, attempting at diplomacy.
"It's your ship, Captain. By all means . . ."
Jean-Luc sighed and turned to Paris, who sat at the navigational controls next to Data. It was quite a strange sight.
"Mr. Paris: lay in a course for the Mana Nebula. Warp Seven."
"Course laid in, Captain."
"Engage."
Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat in the empty crew lounge, staring outside at the stars. In his old, commanding hands was a warm cup of Earl Grey Tea. He sipped it at it and continued his long, thoughtful vigil.
The sound of a pair of doors opening caught his attention. The light sound of footsteps muted on the carpet was heard next. Jean-Luc didn't seem to acknowledge it; and if he did, it was by taking another sip of tea.
"Coffee, Black," spoke a commanding, stern female voice.
The whir of the replicator was heard next, followed by two hands taking a mug from its materialization point.
Jean-Luc knew now was the time to show her that he knew it was Admiral Janeway that entered. He stood up and spotted the middle-aged woman across the room.
"Admiral, I - "
"Please," she said graciously, "sit. There's no need to stand for me. Though I am above you in rank, I consider us equals. In fact, if I maybe so bold, I consider you far above me."
Jean-Luc grinned, a bit taken aback. "Oh? It's not every day I hear that. Please, have a seat."
Janeway smiled broadly and sat next to him, her hand still firm around her mug. "Thank you. But, yes, I do think very highly of you."
"Coming from someone who survived some of things you have in the Delta Quadrant, I will take that as a compliment."
"Well, from someone who was survived some things you have in the Alpha Quadrant, I accept that compliment," she laughed.
Jean-Luc smiled and took a sip of the hot tea. "So, are you enjoying your time home?"
Her grin faded, but she still maintained an air of lightness around her. "Yes, actually, though I do miss Voyager at times. I was so used to sitting in that big chair."
Jean-Luc nodded. "I can understand that."
"Is that the reason you never gave up your command?"
He seemed totally thrown-off by that question, but returned it with a state of grace. "I suppose. Why is it you ask?"
"Curiosity. You've accomplished many things in your career. Starfleet would be very lucky to have you behind a desk."
"A desk job . . ." he mused. "A desk job never really appealed to me, to be honest."
"I see." She paused, taking one last drink from her coffee before standing. "Well, Captain, if you excuse me, I must be going. Tomorrow is a big day. 0800 is check-in for my specialists. I have to be prepped for that. I'll see you then."
"Until then," Jean-Luc replied as he watched her exit the room. He sighed and took another sip of his slowly-cooling tea. 0800 was not something he was looking forward to . . .
***
Commander William T. Riker frowned as he looked over the PADD in his hands. He stood in Cargo Bay One, with Admiral Janeway's staff standing right before him, all lined up. On the PADD, the designation of each of the staff members was stated. Along with this was a list of all the modifications that would be made to the Enterprise over the next twenty- four hours before this mystery project would begin. And he wasn't really up to all this.
Suddenly, the twin doors opened up and in stepped President Decker, Captain Picard, and Admiral Janeway.
"ATTENTION ON DECK!" shouted Riker. He heard the shuffle of feet behind him, marking that Data, LaForge, Crusher, Troi and a dozen other officers responded to his announcement. Before him, the 'specialist' stood straight.
"At ease," said Decker. Janeway and Picard stopped parallel to their crew/staff. Decker, on the other hand, walked the space between the two.
"Well," Decker said at last, "it seems we are all step-up on the staff part. Therefore, I shall leave the acquainting up to the Captain and Admiral Janeway. Admiral?"
"Thank you, Mr. President," Janeway replied. She walked over to her staff. "This is Lieutenant Commander Thomas Eugene Paris. He will be the navigational officer until the project is over."
She continued down the line-up towards a half-human, half-Klingon. "Commander B'Elanna Torres. She will be heading up the Engineering modifications, as well as the Engineering parts of this project."
"Commander Tuvok here," continued Janeway as she reached a Vulcan, "will be handling security."
Janeway walked to the next person. She was a young woman with golden blond hair and blue eyes and . . . Borg implants.
Captain Picard held back a flinch as she introduced Seven of Nine. Seeing a Borg of any sort had this reaction to him, but he attempted to hold back such reservations. Attempted to.
Finally, Janeway introduced a middle-aged, bald man that could be none other than the old EMH from Voyager.
Picard introduced his crew, of course, being Crusher, LaForge, Data, Riker, and Troi.
Decker nodded approvingly. "Excellent. These are your orders, Captain. First and foremost, this Cargo Bay is to be off-limits to all. There are ten excellently trained guards that will be here on the Enterprise, posted at these doors at all times. Twenty Engineers and Scientists will be here as well. Sadly, top security means no communications unless authorized by Admiral Janeway herself. The communications blackout will begin in twenty- hours. Each member of this crew is allowed to send one final communiqué.
"Secondly, there are to be some modifications made to the Enterprise. Most especially here in Cargo Bay One. Other modifications to be made are in Engineering, Transporter Room Two, Sickbay, and to the Deflector Array. Details are available from the Captain, the Admiral, or Commander Riker; along with other special concerns. In less than Twenty-Four hours from now, this ship will be modified and heading to the Mana Nebula. Any questions?"
Data was about to raise his hand, but he felt a slight kick from Geordi and neverminded it.
"None? Excellent. Dismissed."
***
The next twenty-four hours were stressful for all.
Dr. Crusher was stressing as a result of the new holographic buffers that were being placed in sickbay to support the Doctor.
Lieutenant Commander LaForge was unhappy with the way B'Elanna Torres kept getting in his way and made herself at home without even greeting him
Commander Riker felt like Tuvok kept stepping on his toes.
Consular Troi, on top of all this, seemed to have a continual headache.
And Jean-Luc Picard? He just didn't like this.
But they all made it through and were all ready to go by 0800 the next day.
"Good luck, Admiral. Captain," Decker said to them over the communications from the Brown. "Godspeed. Decker out."
Jean-Luc took his seat, with Janeway in Troi's seat and Riker in his usual one. "Admiral? Would you care to give the word?" he asked, attempting at diplomacy.
"It's your ship, Captain. By all means . . ."
Jean-Luc sighed and turned to Paris, who sat at the navigational controls next to Data. It was quite a strange sight.
"Mr. Paris: lay in a course for the Mana Nebula. Warp Seven."
"Course laid in, Captain."
"Engage."