Chapter 7
The mood had tensed slightly as the Captain walked from his ready-room back onto the bridge. The silence could have been cut with a knife as he took the command chair in the centre of the bridge. His eyes began to wander throughout the bridge, noticing the area was unusually occupied; even his Chief Engineer and Doctor were situated there.
Although no-one spoke, the crew all knew what Lennon was waiting on. Then suddenly a panel beeped from behind him, Lennon, Sara and Vall stood up awaiting confirmation of what they expected. Lieutenant Jura swiftly jumped into action at the ops station.
"Captain, Admiral Nechayev is hailing."
"Put it her on the main viewer," Suddenly the image of the admiral appeared in front of her, she had been waiting for the Spartan to depart before giving it her best wishes. All bridge officers stood to attention.
"That ship suits you Captain," she said.
"Thank you Admiral, I hope I'll serve her well,"
"I don't have to tell you the importance of this mission to the Federation Captain, don't fail us, and bring the ship back in one piece." He laughed slightly at the suggestion, wondering if she thought he wouldn't bring it back in one piece. She continued, "Good luck Captain, I expect your completed report in two weeks. For all our sakes, I wish you luck, you are now clear to depart."
The view screen returned to the main picture of the inside of the spacestation. Lennon looked around at his crew, all smiling, and all anticipating what is going to happen next.
"All hands, prepare to disembark, all stations report ready" he again looked around at his bridge crew and one by one came the cry of "Ready sir,"
"Ensign, lay in a course to leave the station."
"Already done sir," Atkar quickly replied.
"Engage at one-quarter impulse,"
Atkar swiftly turned around to see if he had heard correctly. "Sir, Starfleet regulations state that thrusters only should be used in disembarking from a spacestation."
Atkar proved he knew the rules, but apparently his lack of service experience showed. Commander Sara took a step forward and deliberately coughed out loud. With Lennon still smiling, Atkar turned back to his station and carried out the Captains orders, "Aye sir." Lennon and Sara could only hope his piloting would be better, otherwise the whole crew would be in for a rough ride.
The viewscreen showed the opening in the spacestation rapidly approaching, and soon swallowing up the entire ship, and before them simply appeared the endless vastness of space, without any boundaries and without any regulations.
"To boldly go where no man has gone before," he said out loud for the bridge to hear. A short silence followed before Kestra Vall pointed the error of his ways.
"Woman," she merely said. Lennon turned to her looking puzzled, "You should have said where no-one has gone before." After a pause the Captain realised his error.
"Of course Kestra, of course."
At that the Spartan warped out of the solar system and into infinity.
The mood had tensed slightly as the Captain walked from his ready-room back onto the bridge. The silence could have been cut with a knife as he took the command chair in the centre of the bridge. His eyes began to wander throughout the bridge, noticing the area was unusually occupied; even his Chief Engineer and Doctor were situated there.
Although no-one spoke, the crew all knew what Lennon was waiting on. Then suddenly a panel beeped from behind him, Lennon, Sara and Vall stood up awaiting confirmation of what they expected. Lieutenant Jura swiftly jumped into action at the ops station.
"Captain, Admiral Nechayev is hailing."
"Put it her on the main viewer," Suddenly the image of the admiral appeared in front of her, she had been waiting for the Spartan to depart before giving it her best wishes. All bridge officers stood to attention.
"That ship suits you Captain," she said.
"Thank you Admiral, I hope I'll serve her well,"
"I don't have to tell you the importance of this mission to the Federation Captain, don't fail us, and bring the ship back in one piece." He laughed slightly at the suggestion, wondering if she thought he wouldn't bring it back in one piece. She continued, "Good luck Captain, I expect your completed report in two weeks. For all our sakes, I wish you luck, you are now clear to depart."
The view screen returned to the main picture of the inside of the spacestation. Lennon looked around at his crew, all smiling, and all anticipating what is going to happen next.
"All hands, prepare to disembark, all stations report ready" he again looked around at his bridge crew and one by one came the cry of "Ready sir,"
"Ensign, lay in a course to leave the station."
"Already done sir," Atkar quickly replied.
"Engage at one-quarter impulse,"
Atkar swiftly turned around to see if he had heard correctly. "Sir, Starfleet regulations state that thrusters only should be used in disembarking from a spacestation."
Atkar proved he knew the rules, but apparently his lack of service experience showed. Commander Sara took a step forward and deliberately coughed out loud. With Lennon still smiling, Atkar turned back to his station and carried out the Captains orders, "Aye sir." Lennon and Sara could only hope his piloting would be better, otherwise the whole crew would be in for a rough ride.
The viewscreen showed the opening in the spacestation rapidly approaching, and soon swallowing up the entire ship, and before them simply appeared the endless vastness of space, without any boundaries and without any regulations.
"To boldly go where no man has gone before," he said out loud for the bridge to hear. A short silence followed before Kestra Vall pointed the error of his ways.
"Woman," she merely said. Lennon turned to her looking puzzled, "You should have said where no-one has gone before." After a pause the Captain realised his error.
"Of course Kestra, of course."
At that the Spartan warped out of the solar system and into infinity.