Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me. Neither are the concepts.
Note: The usual stuff.
Special note: This is part of BOOK II (which features the first six "Star Trek" movies)...and then some.
Part 13
Summer, 2274: Presidio, San Francisco, California, Earth (STU).
Lt. Ranma Saotome was in the courtyard of Starfleet Command Headquarters, waiting for his new captain. It's been only six months since recieving a direct commission, thanks to some favors being called. Now the former security chief-turned-yeoman would serve as the assistant to the captain of the newly refurbished "Enterprise". However, his thoughts were not on his career prospects; it was on the memory of an old friend. From Ranma's vantage point,he was looking in the direction of where that old friend would be at now.
"Usagi..."
"Look alive, Lieutenant."
Ranma looked up. And then he quickly rose to his feet.
"Admiral Kirk?"
Admiral James T. Kirk, of Starfleet Operations, smiled.
"Are you ready for your new position? It's not as glamorous as being 'security chief', and all..."
"I am ready to do my duty, SIR!"
"Good. I just have to speak with Admiral Nogura, and we will be on our way."
"I'll be here if you need me."
A short time later, Admiral Kirk and Lt. Saotome beams aboard "Earth Station One", where they are greeted by-
"Scotty, why aren't the Enterprise's transportors ready?"
"Sir, we are working around the clock as best as we can," Commander Montgomery ("Scotty") Scott replies. "The retrofit is going as fast as possible, but-"
"Unfortunately, my meeting with Admiral Nogura has revealed the serious of the matter. Like it or not, she's launches."
Kirk, Scotty and Ranma boards a shuttle pod, and proceeds to go to the orbital "spacedock". Soon, the newly refurbished Enterprise came into view.
"Wow," Ranma said.
"You said it, Yeoman," Kirk said.
"Aye..." said Scotty.
The Enterprise, having completed its historic five-year mission under James Kirk's command, was given a make-over. Now, it was a beautiful, white ship set on the blackness of space.
Soon, the pod docked in the port nearest to the Engineering Room.
"Thank you for the ride," Kirk says.
"You're welcome."
Soon, Scotty went directly to Engineering, while Kirk and Ranma went up to the Main Bridge. Like everywhere else, the place was in a state of chaos.
"Hey, I need that mother board for the weapon control panel-"
"Auxilliary Control Room, I'm getting strange feedback from the secondary systems-!"
"I'm sorry, but Operations are trying to allocate the appropriate number of personnel-"
When Kirk appeared on the bridge, all was silent.
"Admiral Kirk!" said Lt. Commander Hikaru Sulu.
"Admiral, we just got the orders from Starfleet Command," said Lt. Commander Uhura.
"Where's Captain Decker?" Kirk says.
"He's down in Engineering," Security Chief Pavel Chekov. "He doesn't know."
"Then, I'll have to inform him of the change in command."
"Sir, will you need my assistance?"
"No, that's alright. However, you can set up shop for me by conferring with the senior staff."
"Yes, sir!"
After Kirk leaves the bridge...
"Hello, Ranma," Uhura says, as she goes to hug her old beau.
"Um, hi Nyota."
"You know, you never did return my messages."
"I've been kinda busy. Heh."
"Yeah, sure. Here's is the manifest that you need to familiarize yourself with."
Uhura lugged out several thick binders worth of information.
"Um, do you have a data pad or something?"
"There being loaned out. As soon as one is free, you get the information."
"Fine."
And with that, Ranma carries the binders into Kirk's office.
"Um, you know that we will get more data pads shortly," Sulu says.
"I know, but I wanted to teach him a lesson about not returning my calls. I know we both have moved on, but being enamored with Usagi should not mean one has the right to be rude!"
After some rough start, including an unfortunate transporter accident, the Enterprise was on its way. As soon as the ship reached past Jupiter Station, the now CAPTAIN Kirk ordered Sulu to take the ship into warp.
"Sir, I don't recommend we go into warp just yet," the blond Willard Decker says. "It would be like starting an engine cold-"
"Mr. Decker, every delay would mean that the alien menace is one step closer to Earth."
Ranma sighed. Ever since Kirk pulled rank, there has been friction between the two. Thankfully, Dr. Henry ("Bones") McCoy had returned to duty just in time to act as an intermediary between the two officers.
"Jim, don't push it," Dr. McCOy whispered. "Your people know their jobs."
"And I know mine."
Kirk then turns on the intercom.
"Mr. Scott, prepare to go warp."
"Captain, I cannae guarantee smooth sailing," Scotty responded like-wise.
"Noted. Mr. Sulu, engage the warp drive."
Ranma held on to what might be a bumpy ride.
"Warp 0.1...warp 0.3...warp 0.5-"
"All hands on deck," Decker says. "Prepare for warp space intersection."
Kirk looks at Decker with a frown.
"Warp 0.7...warp 0.9...WARP 1!"
Going into warp felt like being flung by a sling shot, which is why it was important that the inertial damping fields were in place.
"Mr. Decker, I-"
The red alert sounds.
"Sir, we just slipped into a worm hole!" Sulu says.
"Here we go again," Ranma said, as he shook his head.
After escaping from the wormhole, by launching a photon torpedo, and then detonating it on the surface of an asteroid, that slipped through, it was determined that the warp field generators were not fully calibrated with the new engines.
"Mr. Decker, I need to speak with you in private."
The Deltan navigator, Lt. Ilyia, looked at her former beau with worry. She had hoped that Decker would be in charge of his won ship. Now, that may not happen.
Speaking of the Deltan, it must be noted that when Ranma met Lt. Ilyia hours earlier, he was a bit worried about her. After all, Deltans, who were naturallyhairless, were known to take sexuality like fish take to water.
"Lieutenant...Saotome, right?" Ilyia asked coyly.
"Um, yes?" Ranma said nervously.
"I have heard that you are both man and woman. Have you used both forms in your sexual encouters?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"I was merely curious. And do not worry, for I have taken the vow of celibacy as part of my oath to Starfleet."
"Whew," Ranma said with a relief.
"But I can always...'improvise'," Ilyia said with a wink.
"Ulp!"
And now...
Ranma thought about the situation for a moment. They needed someone who is an experienced scientist and/or engineer with YEARS of space travel experience-
Wait! Ranma thought. Of course!"
"Commander, can you patch me a secured line on Vulcan? I need to make an important request."
"You mean-?"
Ranma nodded his head.
A short time later...
"Vulcan shuttle, this is the Enterprise. You are cleared for docking."
"Thank you, Enterprise," said the Vulcan pilot. "Honored ones, we will be docking shortly. Thank you for enjoying our hospitality."
"You're welcome," said Usagi Tsukino, as she returned her attention to her electronic note pad. It saddened her that she had to leave her daughter T'Sara behind, but when Starfleet reactivated her and Spock's commission, it would have been difficult to say no, especially when Earth was endangered.
"Spock, do you know if T'Sara will be alright without us?"
"Usagi, I am busy deducing the problem that Captain Kirk is having with the warp drive."
"Well, excuse me for wanting us to be concerned for our daughter's welfare."
"Your emotional outburst is not warranted."
"Spock, I love you, but must you act so cold? Can't you be a least concerned with T'Sara?"
Spock, knowing that Usagi was serious, turned his full attention to her.
"Very well. Our daughter is a product of good breeding," the Vulcan said. "I am sure that she will be in capable hands."
"I really wish you didn't talk that way. You and I know that you care for her."
"'Caring' is an emotion. I have thought that you would understand that."
"Well then. I guess I'll do the caring for the BOTH of us too. Hummph!"
The shuttle docked without a hitch. When the doors opened, a familiar sight greeted them.
"Welcome aboard the Enterprise!" said Security Chief Chekov.
And standing next to him was Ranma Saotome. Ranma simply nodded his recognition.
"I have been monitoring your situation, and I believe that I can be of help."
"We appreciate…that…Mr. Spock," Chekov stammered, as Spock simply walks away.
"I'm sorry for Spock-kun's behavior, Pavel," Usagi said, as she carried her traveling bag out of the shuttle. "He was on his quest to achieve total logic before we had gotten the summons."
"It's alright Usagi. I'm just surprised to see you two here, since both of you went to live on Vulcan. Anyway, Yeoman Saotome here will see to it that you get settled in. I have to get back on the bridge. Duty calls, you know."
As Ranma escorted to Usagi to her and Spock's quarters, silence took hold of the two. Then, as they went down the turbo lift, Ranma suddenly called for the elevator to stop.
"Computer, full stop," Ranma said. "Usagi, why did you leave Earth without telling me? We were supposed to be friends at least."
Usagi turned away from her best friend before answering.
"Ranma, I wanted my daughter to have a family. And, I didn't want to deal with the possibility that I may have wanted more from you, nor did I want your friendship with Spock to end over me."
"Look, I understand, but you should have said good-bye first. I would have understood."
"After the incident on Rigel 7? You said you love me, and then back away because you felt guilty that you would be betraying your love for your fiancée back on YOUR Earth."
A moment of silence occurs.
"Computer, resume elevator. Usagi, Akane was the first girl to have extended a hand of friendship to me after ten years on the road with my father. We went through a lot together, and would have gotten married. If it hadn't been for that bastard Kuno, I might have. She's the first person I have truly loved, but she's gone now, and I can't do a damn thing about it.
"But I do love you in ways that I can't fathom. Maybe it's physical, or because you are the only friend that I know who comes from the same place that I have. I don't know. What I do know is that we should have discussed the situation so that we know where we stand. I just wished that you would have trusted me."
Usagi looked at her friend's eyes before grasping his hand.
"I'm sorry for not trusting you. Maybe we can start over?"
"I'd like that. Friends?"
Usagi smiled. "Friends."
In Engineering, an important assignment is under way.
"Usagi are the final calculations in?" asked Spock, as he continued to make his calculations.
Usagi, seeing only a virtual reality, simply nodded.
"Captain, we are ready to begin testing," said Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott. Since coming aboard, the Enterprise was on a course to intercept a space probe that had destroyed a Federation space station. Unfortunately, because the new engines had not been tested, the ship has had problem with achieving a stable warp field. With Usagi's assistance, Spock has made an effort at recalibrating the instruments. Usagi's job was to make the adjustments manually.
First, she plunged herself directly into warp core engines and into computer control panels. With the information being feed directly into her mind, via a mental link with the computer control panel, Usagi can serve as a secondary back-up system. Captain Kirk didn't like Usagi risking her safety like that, but her records in the area of cyber-interfacing at the Vulcan Science Academy was encouraging. Thus, Usagi found herself making adjustments on panels made of light.
"Thank you, Mr. Scott," said Captain Kirk. "Mr. Sulu, prepare to go to warp."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
"Lt. Iliya, plot the appropriate course."
"Course laid in, Capain," said the female Deltan. While all Deltans were hairless humanoids, their females were quite attractive. Commander William Decker, who was replaced by Kirk as captain of the Enterprise for this mission, was a former lover of Iliya, when Decker was stationed on the navigator's home planet.
"All stations report ready, Captain," said Lt. Commander Uhura.
"All systems show green, Kaptin," said Chekov.
"Good. Mr. Sulu, engage."
"Warp 0.1."
Wrrrrrrr-
"Warp 0.2"
-rrrrrrrrr-
"Warp 0.3"
"I'm compensating for some strange anomalies, Mr. Spock," said Usagi, as she touched her "screen".
"Is there a need to discontinue the test, lass?" asked Scotty.
"There is no need for that," said Spock. "Ms. Tsukino can handle herself."
"Warp 0.7."
-rrrrrrrrr-
"Warp 0.8…0.9…WARP 1!"
-rrrrrrrr- WOOSH! BOOM!
"Congratulations, gentlemen," said Captain Kirk.
"Thanks, Captain," said Scotty. "We'll try to increase the warp speeds shortly."
"Glad to hear that. Kirk out."
Later…
"…And with the system modifications, we should be able to withstand any attack by this space probe," said Usagi, as she handed her information over to Kirk. Kirk and McCoy wanted to speak to his old friends before they engage the space probe. While the conversation with Spock proved fruitless, the one with Usagi wasn't.
"This is good. So, how have you been?"
"I've been okay. I received my advanced degrees in Astrophysics, Engineering Mechanics and Medical Science. I would have gotten one Clinical Psychology on Betazed, but, of course, Starfleet called."
"So, how are things between you and Spock?" asked McCoy.
"Not as good as I hope it would be. We're platonic these days, but I'm not about to give up."
"Sorry to hear that. Of course, there's always that Ranma fella…"
"Sorry, but that's not one door I won't be opening."
"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad to have you two back."
Hours later, the Enterprise streaked into the outer layer of the alien "cloud". No one was under any delusions that what comes next will get any easier.
"We're being scanned," commented Ranma, as he took over Chekov's control panel. Since entering the probe's cloud cover, they were being bombarded by a spread of energy attacks that caused damage to ship and crew. While Usagi may have upgraded the shields, it was only a matter of time before even her modifications would not have been enough. Thankfully, Spock was able to identify the signals: they were in Morse code. Thinking quickly, Spock returned a reply in the same format, which led to the probe's attacks being ceased.
With Chekov on the injured list, Ranma took over as Security Chief. But now, there is a new problem: the probe's scans.
"Attempting to block the scanning."
"Belay that, Mr. Saotome," replied Kirk. "Suggestions, Mr. Spock?"
"I recommend a 'wait-and-see' approach before doing anything."
"As acting security chief, sir, I advise against it."
"I concur," interjected Decker. "We are not sure if these scans would create more problems. Furthermore, these risks may not be warranted."
"Warranted? Our job is to prevent this probe from entering Earth space. I understand, but we have to chance this."
"INTRUDER ALERT!" the computer stated. Sure enough, a column of energy materialized.
"Remain at your stations!" said Kirk. "Spock?"
"Yes, it is a 'scout'. Fascinating. It is made out of pure energy."
Slowly, the scout made its way to the science station. Then suddenly, tendrils of energy whipped at the station's control panel.
"It's attempting to access the computer's library files!" yelled Decker.
Spock, taking the initiative, smashed the control panel with his mighty strength, rendering it inoperative. Suddenly, the scout began attacking Spock.
"Spock!" yelled Usagi. Throughout this time, Usagi, from her operations station, was waiting for a time to act. Seeing her beloved being attack caused her to run to his defense. Ranma, seeing this, attempted to act as well.
"Usagi, watch-!" Ranma yelled, before being electrocuted into submission.
Now, Usagi was being electrocuted. She attempted to phase out of the way, but there was a strong lock on her being. Damn me for being an amateur! Usagi manage to think.
Ilyia, who had come to like Usagi from the short time she has been aboard, instinctively reached out to grab the operations specialist. Now, both were being bombarded. Then, the intensity increased before…before…
They both disappeared.
Decker slowly walked to where the two Starfleet stood. He then turned to Kirk.
"'Not warranted', huh?" Decker said the Kirk, before going to check on Spock and Ranma.
"We have to do something, sir!" yelled Ranma. Since realizing what had happened to his friend, he was itching to do…something. Anything. He would be damned if Usagi's death would not be avenged. "You agree, Spock?"
"It would be unwise to take actions needless-"
"Don't you give a damn? She chose to be with YOU, and you acting like this is no big deal!?"
"Saotome, that is enough," said Kirk evenly. "I know of your feelings for Tsukino, but now is not the time to overreact."
Ranma wanted to say something, but bit his tongue. He'll bide his time…for now.
"Decker, resume green status. Spock, man your station. Ranma, take over for Tsukino. We're going-"
"INTRUDER ALERT!"
"Deck 5, section 'A', room 20," said Chekov, who had since returned to his duties. "It's-"
"Lt. Ilyia's quarters!" said Decker
"Uhura, quietly inform that section to clear out," said Kirk. "Chekov, assemble a security detail. Ranma, you're with me. And Decker? You have the bridge."
Once Kirk, Ranma and a security detail made their way to Ilyia's quarters, Ranma cautiously led the way in. He was prepared to do whatever it took to insure that no one else would be harmed. However, waiting for them was a female in the sonic showers. Sonic showers have long since replaced conventional ones because the sonic kind used no water to clean the occupant. Speaking of which, the occupant of Ilyia's stall tuned around, and spoke.
"We are Ulyia. We are of V'ger," the woman spoke in a mechanical manner. While the face was of the lost Enterprise Ilyia, the hair was all Usagi.
"Ilyia?" asked Kirk.
"Usagi??" asked Ranma.
Tbc.