MACGREGOR
So, were there any problems while I was gone Commander?
JIROUX
Nothing that was reported to me sir. When was the last time you saw her?
MACGREGOR
About two months ago.
JIROUX
Oh jeeze. Aren't you in for a treat. They finally got the chair you wanted.
MACGREGOR
Figured. That's hard leather to find.
STALAR
What leather sir?
MacGregor smiles.
MACGREGOR
Targ pelt.
STALAR
I fail to see why that level of opulance is necessary on the bridge of a starship sir.
MACGREGOR
Captain's allowed three details left to their specifacations. Little, custom jobs, to make their ship theirs.
JIROUX (while pointing out the window)
Speaking of which.
MacGregor steps forward and looks out the window. What he sees makes him beam. Three huge drydocks connected by one superstructure. A station of labs and boardrooms sitting on top of the JUGGERNAUT YARDS. There is only one ship in the drydock. The other two are out on manuvers.
CUT TO. EXT-SPACE, JUGGERNAUT YARDS: The shuttle moves in towards the only ship in the dock. This ship is an easy 950M long. About 50 decks thick. This ship sports a perfect saucer section and seemlessly connected engineering hull. The many phaser strips are not black, but bronze in colour. Many small workbee shuttles have just finished putting the remaining lettering on the ship's saucer.
"N.C.C-1701-F, U.S.S ENTERPRISE"
CUT TO. INT-SHUTTLE: MacGregor looks at this ship like a kid who jsut had the world handed to him for Christmas. Jiroux is just as proud. Stalar keeps his Vulcan pokerface.
JIROUX
Isn't she gorgeous?
MACGREGOR
She won't make up for years of mourning but I'll be damned if she's going to have a miserable Captain.
CUT TO. EXT-SPACE: The shuttle makes it's way to a shuttlebay on the rear port quarter of the saucer. The shuttlebay doors open. Inside, it's like a hangerbay with dozens of shuttles at the ready.
CUT TO. INT-ENTERPRISE, SHUTTLEBAY: The shuttle prepares for it's landing. It passes though the forcefield with ease. There is a little reception waiting at the landing spot. The shuttle gently lands. Alarms sound as the bay doors close. The shuttle powers down. The main door opens near the shuttle's bow. Commander Fawkes is waiting along with several other crewmen. MacGregor steps towards Fawkes.
FAWKES
Well?
MACGREGOR
Can't wait to see this baby fly.
WOMAN'S VOICE
Neither can I Captain.
MacGregor turns. Standing at the head of the crowd is Admiral Janeway. MacGregor is suprised to see her. MacGregor swallows his displeasure and walks to her.
MACGREGOR
Admiral.
JANEWAY
Captain.
MACGREGOR
I was expecting to see you on Romulus, what's the change for?
JANEWAY
I am to be the Federation's eyes and ears here on ENTERPRISE Captain. Upon, what you and I hope, the discovery of the today's true enemy, I hope to assist you in gaining Romulan support. But, before that happens, I have to perform my duty. Captain Michael MacGregor, I present to you the Federation Starship ENTERPRISE, Juggernaut Class. I only hope you make her live up to both names and liniage.
For the first time in a long time, MacGregor genuinely smiles at Janeway's actions.
MACGREGOR
Thank you Admiral.
P.A VOICE
Message for Admiral Janeway to be taken in the main astrometrics lab.
JANEWAY
I have to run. Get this ship her space legs Captain.
Janeway leaves. MacGregor stands in the shuttlebay not really knowing what to do. He looks around at his staff and his command instincts kick in. He walks and talks.
MACGREGOR Commander Fawkes, ready all defence systems, Commander Stalar, issue final boarding protocals, Commander Jiroux get my ship running. We leave in five hours. I'll be in my ready room.
MacGregor and his team leave the shuttlebay.
CUT TO. INT-ASTROMETRICS LAB, ENTERPRISE: The lab is a three tear room the size of an average tennis court. At the far end of the room is a massive, holographic display of the terran solar system. Consoles, workstations, computer readout and chairs dot this large space. At the opposide sied of the room, a pair of clear doors open. Janeway enters. The doors close and instantly shift from being translucant to opaque. The room is darkened an quiet. She makes her way to a nearby workstation. She types in a code. The screen before her activates. The view is split between Admiral Styles in an office on the station and Admiral Finch.
JANEWAY
Admirals.
STYLES
When is the ENTERPRISE launching.
JANEWAY
5 hours. Why? Bad news on the homefront?
FINCH
As a matter of fact, there is. Three Vulcan ships disappeared along the Andorian boarder about half an hour ago. They sent out a distress call.
The Vulcan distress call begins to play. Janeway's reaction is that of fear.
CUT TO. INT-CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM, ENTERPRISE: The room is a spacious, but sparce place. MacGregor hasn't had time to decorate yet. The room is about the size of an Intrepid Class ship's ready room without the height. The place has similar decor as a Sovereign class ship, with warm browns, reds and chrome strips along the walls. The room is mostly side lit with the exception of a few lamps on the ceiling to be pointed at various things on walls and a few other stationary lights. Also, a single desk lamp. There are two computer consoles on the desk and one larger display on the wall opposide to the desk. The captain has a magnificant view out the window behind his chair. Top to bottom bay window with Charon as the view. MacGregor is seated at his desk looking at the only bit of decor he has unpacked. A golden framed picture of his wife and daughter. His fallen wife looks very much like Commander Trouse. In fact, they were sisters. The few differences were that MacGregor's wife kept her hair reletively short and feathered. The picture has her in a longish leather coat, almost hand made. His former daughter has many features in common with her mother. Though, only eight in the picture she has a wisdom about her, a maturity that only comes from long hard lessons. Lesson well learned for they were both Maquis, killed in the Dominion War. MacGregor stares at the picture as though he's seeking advice.
MACGREGOR So Leona, Sophie, she's going to be on my ship for a while, do I play nice?
The picture just smiles up at him.
MACGREGOR
I'll be nice.
P.A SYSTEM
Command crew to briefing, command crew to briefing.
MacGregor kisses the picture then puts it right under the light on his desk. He then gets up and leaves.
CUT TO. INT-ENTERPRISE BRIEFING ROOM: The room is the largest of the ENTERPRISE liniage. Nearly circular in shape the room sports a 9 foot high ceiling with a nearly complete cyclorama of the starfield outside. It is built on to the back of the bridge structure so the swept back warp engines are clearly seen. Paintings of all the other ENTERPRISEs, including Archer's NX-01, are posted along the back wall, the only wall with no windows. This level is also four steps up from the main level. The main level has a circular briefing table with a large holo emmiter in the middle. There are ten chairs spread around the table. Also, there are two computer displays on either end of the room.
Seated at the table are Commander Fawkes, Commander Trouse and Commander Stalar. Entering from the second level via a pair of large doors are Commander Jiroux and Captain MacGregor. All eyes are on MacGregor.
MACGREGOR Don't look at me, this wan't my idea.
Now, everyone is seated. Not long after everyone is comfortable, Janeway enters. She walks down to the main level. Now, all eyes are on her. She arrives at the one seat open between MacGregor and Stalar. She looks at the crew.
JANEWAY We need to leave within the hour.
There are hushed reactions in the room until MacGregor speaks up.
MACGREGOR
Uh, Admiral, if we leave now then we'll be putting the finishing touches on her mid flight.
JANEWAY
Then that's what we'll have to do.
MACGREGOR
As Captain of this ship, I need a reason to put the whip to my crew.
JANEWAY
Then I'll give you one hell of a fine reason Captain. There's been another attack.
Janeway activates a little console at her place in the table.
JANEWAY
This distress call was made by the Vulcan tactical vessel T'Yarra.
She activates the recording.
LOYA (distorted)
This is a general distress call from the Vulcan ship T'YARRA. We've encountered a massive subspace disturbance that seems to affect our emotional control. Not unlike Trellium D in effects, but... YHAAAA!
She ends the playback.
JANEWAY
This happened on the Vulcan/Andorian boarder.
FAWKES
Don't the Andorians share their boarder with the Romulans?
JANEWAY
Indeed they do. We leave before the hour's out dismissed.
The crew leaves but MacGregor stays in his seat. Janeway turns to him.
JANEWAY
Something I can help you with Captain?
MACGREGOR
I thought we were trying to shift blame away from the Romulans but it seems to me that you are in fact prepetuating the opposite.
JANEWAY I am prepatuating the opposite for the sake of your crew. They've never enountered Species 8472. They can't grasp them.
MacGregor stands and looks Janeway right in the eyes.
MACGREGOR
Don't talk down to MY crew again, Admiral. Sooner or later we'll have to fill them in on the bitter deatils. I'll get this ship out, count on that. But you may want to reconsider your condicending attitude towards my crew, Admiral.
JANEWAY
Captain, I am glad you're protecting your crew, but the next time you show me disrespect I will have you out of that uniform so fast it'll make time stop. Get this ship out of this dock, be her father.
MACGREGOR
Yes mam.
They both leave.