Destiny U.S.S. Destiny – Ready Room
—-Three days later—-
"Commander, what's your assessment of our current readiness?" Since he became her first officer three days ago, Garrett and Sisko had developed a routine. She always asked him about readiness right after she said to him, 'Good morning. How are you today?' Before the battle with the Romulans, the mood on her ship had always been friendly and relaxed. She considered her command style to be fair but firm. Crew morale had been high, with a strong family bond established among the crew. She was light-years from that now. The man sitting in front of her firmly reminded her how much had been lost. In her first meeting with Sisko, she made him a promise to help him regain his humanity. Now she realized she had an entire ship to make and keep that promise.
"Everything is proceeding as planned. The last of the crew transfers have been completed as of this morning. Repair work is slightly behind schedule due to the incorporation of additional upgrades being installed when possible. The crews are unfamiliar with the Mark 1 Ambassador class, so their work has been somewhat slowed, but we are still combat-ready for now. We'll lose shields tomorrow due to upgrade work. Phaser upgrade work will take longer: two days," Sisko reported.
Garrett nodded. "I understand. While I appreciate your focus on our defensive systems, I would also like you to pay close attention to our non-defensive systems as well. We are the closest thing to a science vessel in this fleet, so the admiral will call us to fill that role. Diplomacy and science will continue to be the primary strengths of this ship and the things that best represent us. I know that we must be able to defend ourselves, and I have come to understand the need to 'carry a big stick.' It's important not to allow that to define who we are and what we stand for. Do you understand me, Commander?"
"Yes, Ma'am. This adjustment is proving to be more challenging than I had anticipated. I've always excelled in besting any challenge put in front of me. This challenge, however, will require even more strength to overcome. Though I'll need more time than expected, I'll overcome it."
"It's not a problem, Commander. We can help each other and need to help each other going forward. We learn from our experiences, but we must not allow them to define who we are and what we stand for."
Sisko sat quietly for a few moments, deep in thought. "I agree, Captain. Is there anything else?"
"Not right now. However, I would like to develop a plan to ensure strong crew morale once we have completed the repairs and upgrades. We've all lost a great deal in coming here. We must be strong and support each other, or we won't survive. Dismissed."
Sisko stood up and walked out of the room. Garrett stood up and walked over to the window. She hadn't told Sisko everything that she was thinking about, but there would be time for that later. Now, her crew and ship needed her.
U.S.S. Enterprise
Day 8 Post Arrival – Conference Room
The senior officers and science staff from all three ships were in the conference room. The science and Operations departments from all three ships had been busy collecting and analyzing data from multiple probes launched into neighboring systems while monitoring the space where the anomaly had once been.
Sisko and Riker stood near one of the large conference room windows. Sisko asked Riker questions about the craft of being a first officer on a starship. The two had never been close, though Sisko had been stationed on the Enterprise for over a year, but they now had something in common and had developed a stronger working relationship. Riker had also invited Commander Libbon Gam, XO from the Phoenix, to their discussion.
Picard walked into the room and called the meeting to order. "Everyone, please be seated. Commander LaForge, what is the current status of the Destiny?"
"Repairs and upgrades have been completed. It now has the capabilities of what I would call a Mark 1.5 of the Ambassador class. We can't upgrade the warp core without a drydock, which restricts the amount of available power. We'll reduce the overall combat efficiency by installing more powerful defensive systems. We would greatly improve first strike capability at the expense of overall survivability."
Picard nodded. "Understood. Extend my gratitude to your teams, Commander."
"Yes, Sir."
"Mr. Data, your report."
"Yes, Sir. I have a consolidated report from all three ships. We have extensively analyzed this star system, attempting to find any remaining evidence of the anomaly. All scans were negative. Sensor logs captured during our journey here could not provide useful information on recreating the anomaly. Based on the available evidence, no known method would allow us to return to our universe."
There was a bit of a murmur from the assembled group. Picard maintained his usual, serious look on his face. However, he noticed how disappointed everyone looked. Picard understood because he felt the same way. But he wasn't ready to give up, not by a long shot.
"Please continue, Mr. Data."
"Yes, Sir. We have confirmed that this system is uninhabited and does not seem to be claimed by any indigenous race or government. We have not detected any patrols or any traffic within five light-years. Probes sent into what we consider Klingon space detected no evidence of any Klingon settlements or battleships. Instead, a race called the Narn populates the area. The Romulan Empire is also missing, though we did detect evidence of a race called the Markab. In both cases, our scans are incomplete due to the limited number of probes and the limited elapsed time."
"What about Federation space, Data?" asked Riker.
"There is another Earth in this universe that is the leader of a government called the Earth Alliance. As with the other governments, we have minimal information. For example, we do not know how many star systems they control, their fleet strength, or government composition."
"Commander Data, were you able to detect any uninhabited class M planets?" Garrett asked.
"Nothing in range, Ma'am. However, our probes have only arrived in eight systems. We have a tiny sample size. We would need to visit each system to perform more thorough surveys."
Maxwell looked at Garrett. "Captain, are you thinking about establishing a colony?"
"We can't live on our ships forever, Captain. We'll need to establish a base eventually, and I think it would make sense sooner rather than later," Garrett said.
"I agree, Captain. However, now isn't that time," Picard added. "We need significantly more information before deciding to establish a colony. We can't afford to put ourselves in such a vulnerable position at this time, given we have no idea what systems have already been claimed, nor do we understand the current political climate. The best course of action is to explore presumed uninhabited systems to collect additional information. I propose that we begin with Federation worlds that we believe are uninhabited."
Garrett responded. "Admiral, what happens if we find these worlds inhabited? Will we initiate first contact? What if they haven't achieved warp capability yet?"
"This will be an exploration expedition only. We desperately need information, and we'll learn what we can without engaging with the local population for as long as possible. I intend to avoid any confrontations whenever possible. However, if we are threatened, we will defend ourselves. Are there any questions?" Picard asked in a stern voice.
Picard heard a chorus of 'no Sirs' before he continued. "Very well. We will get underway within the hour. Mr. Data, do you have a recommendation on the first system?"
"Yes, Sir. I suggest the Archanis system. It meets the criteria that you specified, based on current information."
"Very well. Captains Maxwell and Garrett, please inform me when you are ready to get underway. Dismissed."
