A broken ship with a broken captain, what can bring hope in the darkest hour?
The sea of blackness stretching out behind the windows seemed to go on forever but was just a canvas for the myriad of dots that filled its vastness. The illumination was soft in the quarters of, now Captain, Umi Sonoda. It was utilitarian, uncluttered and devoid almost any personal touches, say two. A framed picture, hanging by the work desk, of Sonoda and Captain Rubeus Camisa, now deceased, in front of the USS Helicon when it was still being constructed. The red of Mars below had changed little since man had put down its first prints on the prior inaccessible planet. The second decoration was a smallish frame on the nightstand. In it, three young girls smiled, having their arms around each other's shoulders. Sonoda and Kosaka wore the grey and red uniform of the Starfleet cadets and Minami the white robes of the diplomatic corps.
Captain Sonoda sat on the bed; her legs pulled to her chest. The pale blue pyjamas were not Starfleet issue, but to Sonoda that didn't matter. They had been a gift. A good one. A special one. Her hair let loose, she fingered a small personal holoprojector, the visual occasionally springing to life. She had forgotten for how long she'd held it. The image was of a group of three girls in their early teens, smiles and laughter apparent. She sighed. Thinking of the happier times was a luxury she didn't have anymore, people depended on her, both the dead and living.
"Computer, how long before I am on duty?"
"Your duty shift begins in 41 minutes."
Going through the motions of getting ready for duty as she had for the past days, from replicating a cup of tea to changing clothes, she picked up her uniform top. It felt unnaturally heavy. She ran her fingers across the collar, feeling the individual pips. When she came to the fourth, she stopped, her finger tracing its outline.
The door-chime interrupted her thoughts.
"Come."
The doors opened, and Lieutenant Hoshizora stormed in, still in her training fatigues.
"Hoshizora, you're out of... "
"The away team, Captain!" the energetic Chief Engineer proclaimed.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Umi was in no mood for games.
"The team… with Lieutenant Kosaka. We have to go!" she held forth a PADD and pressed a control.
"This is Honoka Kosaka, we're under fire and request assistance. Our craft crashed and we have no way to leave. We need you, Umi-chan."
"Honoka…" Umi let out a breath.
"It's the whole team, Koizumi, Minami. There is a whole message. This was at the end, then the transmission got interrupted. It's Romulans, ma'am. Disruptors. We have to go! "
Umi stood still, feeling her world slowly come back into focus, giving her a purpose again, a goal.
She tucked her uniform, stretching herself.
"Thank you… Rin. Let's get ourselves together and save our friends." Umi said, determination reverberating in her voice.
