Chapter Five.
'Hiding in plain sight? Nice touch, Commander. Do you see those three ships on an intercept course?'
"Actually Admiral? I do, they're nothing to worry about and neither are you actually, you're too far away to get to us in time. Can you make it to our position, before we reach the dry-dock?"
'Order the fleet to Intercept the Mercury, full impulse. You're out of time Hailey, I though you where supposed to be good. This is the last desperate act, of a desperate little girl'
"I don't care if it's the first act, of Henry the Fifth… you're still going to loose this one, Graham"
'You are addressing a superior Officer, Commander!'
"No sir, not Superior? Just higher in rank. Catch me if you can Graham. Mercury out. Jonny? Run!"
Perhaps antagonising the Admiral, wasn't my best idea to date? But, a diversion was needed so that the Rider, could make it's undetected approach and complete the assigned destruction of the dry-dock and vessel inside of its web. Limping the ship as we pushed to maximum impulse, allowed for those vessels in pursuit, to gain on us, we made it look as if we where trying to make a final desperate run towards the dry-dock. If it had been a real scenario, and we where an actual aggressor? We wouldn't have even gotten close to the dry-dock because of the hundreds of thousands of torpedoes and phaser arrays scattered around the starbase at all angles, which would have resulted in our destruction the moment we had shown up on their sensors, to say nothing about those dozens of starships in pursuit of the Mercury.
As much as I wanted to step to the Tactical station and take over myself? I had to trust my crew in their duties, especially when the first vessel had us at the limits of their phaser arch and opened fire with the modified phaser array directly into our aft section. The damage was projected to be light, but? Our continuing and evolving plan was to simply play along, I didn't even have to give the command to Jonny at the helm as he knew exactly what I wanted to happen, as we had discussed that eventuality the day before. He slowed the ship slightly, just enough for the Steamrunner's weapons to become more effective and would-be more powerful against our failing shields. Within moments, three more ships had joined in by firing their own modified weapons directly into our aft flank. As would have happened if their weapons systems where at full power and began to destroy the rear of the ship? Our systems began to shut down rapidly, everything but for essentials such as gravity and life-support, obviously. As a fifth and sixth ship joined in on the barrage of would-be devastating weapons fire against the tiny and failing ship, the computers across the ship and the fleet, recorded our destruction, exactly as planned with our impulse and warp engines, and even shields shutting down instantly.
It was a huge sigh of relief for everyone across the ship, with the lighting switched from Red Alert, to standard lighting. That's when Admiral Graham Alderman, hailed the Mercury, obviously to gloat.
"Hailey, the Admiral is hailing"
"On screen, and patch it through across the entire ship. I want everyone to hear this…"
"I already done. Go ahead Admiral"
'I thought you where supposed to be good, Hailey? You've lost. Our sensors have recorded your destruction. This game, is over!'
"Mercury understands, and congratulates the fine men and women of the fleet. However, lost? I don't think so. You see Admiral, prior to our recorded destruction, before the Steamrunner even let off a single shot? I had launched one of our support ships, and armed to the teeth with several live quantum torpedoes. By now? They will be in position and ready to complete the destruction of the Dry-Dock and drone ship. You should be able to see that ship, on your sensors, but? They are already beyond your weapons range. Although we have sacrificed our Queen? Our Pawn, is still in play. In short? We win, Admiral…"
'You WHAT?' The Admiral cried out, in shock before a science officer on the Orlando, confirmed what I had said.
'Um, Admiral? I have the shuttle on sensors. She's in position and firing four, quantum torpedoes…'
"Think like a Pirate, act like a Pirate Admiral Alderman. Har-Har!"
It was a beautiful sight to behold, as the Captain's yacht, the Rider, destroyed the obsolete vessel inside of the dry-dock with just four Quantum torpedoes set at maximum yield. The resulting explosion, tore apart the web-like dry dock and singled the completion of the war game scenario with a Victory for the USS Mercury and her half-sized crew. I could hear the cheers from the crew, echoing throughout the ship as the bridge crew stood from their stations to cheer and applaud each other on the completion of the assignment. At first, the Admiral attempted to claim that we had violated our standing orders, at least until Admiral Pollox hailed the fleet, from the USS Enterprise's bridge with Captain Picard and Commander Riker at his side.
'Well Hailey, I knew that I had chosen the right person for the job. Congratulations to yourself and your crew. This scenario, is complete. You may restart your engines and return to SB-47 for debriefing'
"Thank you Sir. Mercury, confirms orders"
'Commander Dodge? Congratulations on a job, very well done'
"Thank you Captain Picard, Sir. Shall we say, half an hour? We need to pick up the Rider and congratulate her crew"
'We have them on our sensors, they appear to be fine. As we are closer, would you like us to offer them a ride?'
"With respect Captain? I'd like to do it myself. Thirty minutes sir. Mercury, Out!"
It was a long, very long debriefing during which Admiral Alderman had continued to protest the outcome of the scenario, by claiming that our use of what he had suspected to be some form of illegal cloaking device had rendered the test null and void. It was Commander Data, whom had stepped in on our side with his analysis of our tactic, which was to be honest? Exactly what we had done, modified several holo-emitters to camouflage the ship from sensors and also by stating, that had we in fact been a rogue vessel of any kind, a cloaking device would have been utilised to travel past the entire fleet to complete their deadly assignment, even using civilian ships to travel past the fleet. To be honest, I was more than relieved that Enterprise was not in the war game, with Commander Data and that crew on the hunt for the Mercury? We wouldn't have gotten as far as we had before being seen. After the lengthy, very lengthy debriefing, Admiral Pollox, Captain Picard, Commanders Riker and Data, joined myself and my crew in the Messhall of the USS Mercury to congratulate the entire crew. More so, with remarkable offers for everyone.
"You have all done a fine job, considering that fully half of your once crew? Had left the ship. You have all earned my respect and my admiration. Congratulations to everyone here. As promised? You will each be given high commendations for your service in discovering what is a dangerous hole, in Fleet defences. Each of you will be promoted one rank and granted the right to take any assignment, across the fleet. But more importantly of all? Extended shore-leave"
"Thank you Admiral. On behalf of my crew? I accept the offer. Sir, I have to ask. What about the Mercury?"
"Hailey, you know what this means for yourself, right? At twenty-eight, that makes you the youngest Captain in the history of the service. As such, upon returning to Earth? You will be given command of a new Prometheus class starship after you attend her launch ceremony. You will also be given a crew which will complement your, very Unusual command style" Admiral Pollox, my own Godfather said, with pride in his eyes. "Your father would be proud of you kid. I knew you could do it"
"I understand that Sir? But, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to decline that honour. I would not be in-line for such a promotion, without my current ship and her crew"
"Setting terms now Hailey?" Admiral Pollox replied, with a large smile.
"No Admiral, just respectfully requesting the obvious. Project Mercury, was set up to assess the possibility of this design becoming a probable new line of ships. We haven't proven anything, not the full capabilities of this ship anyway, which we have yet to discover. Your offer, to take any assignment I want? I want this ship, sir. I want to prove what this design is truly capable of doing. I can't speak for my crew on this subject, but I want this ship and nothing else"
There was only three people on the ship, which knew the truth which was about to come out with the Admiral's next sentence, the Admiral, myself and the other concerned with his statement. It was a point of almost pride in the Admiral as he spoke to the shocked crew.
"Well? At least you've taught my Granddaughter to look up, once in a while"
"Your Granddaughter?" My acting first officer called out, as he looked towards Sara with shock.
"It was a challenge sir, she's as stubborn as you are. But, she's worth the challenge"
"Alright, Dodge. I'll have the appropriate paperwork filled out, by the time you reach Earth. But, you do understand that this project, does not come with the rank of Captain?"
"I understand and accept that, Sir. I still have a year, to beat Shaw's record. Who knows, maybe I still will?"
"If anyone can do it, Commander Dodge? I have little doubt that it would be you" Commander Riker replied, with a slight smile.
"A complement, Commander Riker? I'm honoured. There is one thing that I do regret, and that's the fact that Enterprise, was not in the fleet. But, I have little doubt that your crew, the finest assembled in the fleet to date, with exception of my own? Would have found us much sooner"
"Commander Dodge? We had you on our sensors, the moment you exited that gas giant. With or without your transponder activated"
"I have little doubt of that, Captain Picard. Now, how about a tour of the Mercury?"
Several days at warp speeds, towards Earth. It was the first time that the crew had the chance to relax, beyond the obvious duty-shifts. Everyone was in high spirits with their new ranks, as even those of the none-commissioned status had received a field commission and elevated in rank to fill those empty spots across the ship's crew manifest. Jonny, was officially recognised by the fleet as the Chief Helm and First Officer of the USS Mercury, with the new rank of Lieutenant Commander, he had even beaten my record by six months to become the youngest first officer in the fleet at the age of twenty-three. A fact that he was more than proud of and would remind me, at every opportunity. Sara, officially took the rank of Lieutenant Commander also and Chief Medical Officer. Our genius engineer and designer of the holographic camouflage also took the Chief Engineer position, with the rank of also Lieutenant Commander. I could not have been more proud of my ship and formal crew, as each now officer had chosen their assignment, the USS Mercury under my command.
Now, the fun part? Was returning to Starfleet Command, with the entire crew at my side as word had spread about our little victory. The best part about it was seeing the one whom was supposed to my first officer of the Mercury, as we all stepped into command. He was more than stunned to see everyone, even those whom had once been enlisted personnel? Wearing new commissioned ranks. As we all walked past him, that arrogant and smug, I won't say the word, I felt a need to have a little dig at him and three of the would be crew, as we all walked past them.
"Don't I know you guys, from somewhere?"
"Hey, Dodge?" Called out the one time, Chief Engineer as we all stopped and turned towards him.
It was a humbling moment, as the elderly man stood from his seat and began to applaud the entire crew, an applause which echoed around the main lobby of Starfleet Command, everyone from Admirals in the area, down through the ranks to Ensign and Cadet, even the Civilians in the lobby applauded the Mercury crew with cheers and applause. After a meeting with the Fleet Admiral, as per our orders, where we had formally accepted our new assignments and ranks. There was just one thing left to do for the crew on my behalf, a party at my late father's land, in Montana the day after, as the crew had returned to their own homes and families, which I had also invited to the large gathering.
Like my mother, I was born on Lunar Colony, in the city of Neo Angeles. However, my late father? Was born on his family land in Montana, a land once purchased in the earlier years of the twenty-first century. A cattle ranch, actually. I never told anyone about that land, not even Sara, even though I had spent half of my childhood on that land and the other half, at my home in Neo Angeles.
A once crew of forty attending the party with their families and close personal friends, the gathering was over two hundred men, women and children. It was the first time since the Academy that I had actually felt as if my career was worth it. Even though my reputation as the so-called 'Ice Queen of Long Beach', had quickly changed as I was no known as 'The Destroyer, of Forty-Seven', a reputation which had also fallen upon the crew of the USS Mercury.
"Hailey, I am so proud of you. When Alex told me that you had been selected? I knew you'd do it"
"Thanks Mom. I just wish that Dad was here to see it"
"Oh, your Dad was with you, every moment. And I know that he is as proud of you as I am"
"Thank you Mom"
"Alex also told me, that you turned down Promotion to Captain, to stay on the Mercury. Why?"
"For them Mom, look at them. Look at the crew? I know that they hated me at first, I can't blame them. But, just look at them. They've all changed me, because of them? I'm a better person and a I think that I'm a better officer. I couldn't just leave them and see them split up, not after what we all did together. I do still want to make Captain, one day? But not like that. Together, all of us has shown a dangerous hole in the defences of the fleet. It's up to us, this crew? To help close it. I couldn't have done anything without those people, it was their ideas which had worked, along with your training Mom"
"I understand. So, where are you heading next. Can you say?"
"We're all on leave for the next two weeks, while the engineers try to figure out what we did to the Mercury and to complete her transformation from a science ship, to an escort. Now, word on the grapevine is that we're going to be assigned to the Long Beach, for a spell while we get to know the new design and test her fully. I know Jack, no doubt he'll have us running around the sector on boarder patrols before we're cut loose. After that? Who knows"
"Mind if I check in on you, once in a while? We never got much time to talk, during the war"
"I could think of nothing I would like more, Mom. Your calls, have always been welcome"
"Perfect. Now come on, Commander Dodge? This is your party. Let's go and have some fun with your crew"
"Of course, Lieutenant Commander Dodge"
It was something that I could never get used to, the fact that I had outranked my own mother. But, being a Tactical Instructor at the Academy after retiring from active Starship duty many years ago when my father fell ill, her remaining service to the fleet had become exemplary as an Instructor. Hell, she even taught many of my own crew whom before they had arrived, didn't even know that I was her only child, her daughter. That was a huge surprise to many, I don't know why they didn't put it together though, beyond our shared names? I even look like her, even though she is taller than I am.
The moment I saw Sara stepping towards me, with two people, one I had instantly recognised? I knew that she had broken her promise to me, as she introduced her boyfriend to me and then her own brother, whom I had met several times in the past.
"Commander Dodge, it's an absolute pleasure to meet you Sir. I've heard, a lot about you and I must say? I wish that I had an XO like you on my last assignment"
"Please, don't call me sir nor by my rank. If Sara has told you anything about me, it's that I hate ranks and titles. Call me Hailey. Now, what was your last assignment?"
"Junior Tactical Officer, on the Steamrunner. I was the one, that actually shot you down"
"Nice shooting, Simon. Those shots, where impressive from that range"
"Hailey, you remember my twin brother Sam" Sara called out, instantly with a large smile.
"Of course, You're hard to forget. How are you doing Sam?"
"Fine, this is your place?"
"One of them…" My mother called out, with a large smile as I instantly turned, red and shy as I shook his hand.
"It's actually my late father's land which we share with his side of the family. Now listen up everyone, this is supposed to be a party! Where is the music?" I yelled instantly, to avoid looking like I was blushing and failing badly. "Patel, sorry… the newly appointed, Lieutenant Patel. Didn't you once say that you could play the guitar and sing? Well, now's your chance to prove it. There is a guitar in the house, be careful, it's an antique and my Father's. Break it and I'll break your neck. To hell with the paperwork!"
Only the crew and those who knew me, knew that I had a dark sense of humour as many gasped, before I smiled widely and winked which set everyone at ease instantly with laughter. As the evening turned into the night, it was a great party and I must admit, I had lots of fun with the crew and getting to know their families and friends. Mostly? I got reacquainted with Sara's twin brother, Sam to the point where as the party came to a close, I had spent several hours just sat and talking with him. I knew that Sara wouldn't stop until I had fun, and I did have fun actually. I spent as much of those two weeks of leave as I could getting to know Sam, between visits to the USS Mercury in orbit of course. We'd even come to an agreement, Sam and I whom was a Starfleet Officer, unlike his twin sister, he wasn't a Doctor but a Junior Engineer. It took some pull with Command, but I had Sara's Boyfriend Simon Taylor assigned to the Mercury at the second seat in Tactical, so they could be together and even had Sam assigned to the USS Mercury, as a Junior Engineer. Mainly because? I liked him, a lot.
We've now been out in space, on assignment for two months under the watchful eye of my former Captain, from the USS Long Beach. Officially, I do not hold the rank of Captain, but I am officially permitted to wear the rank insignia of three gold pips and one black, to denote my status. A rank pin that I wear with pride, every day. With the new crew members finally getting to know how not I, but we, meaning my first and original crew of the Mercury, run this ship? Everything is proceeding as we had planned. I have a meeting with my former Captain in three hours to assess the ship and her crew. During these two months, the relationship between Sara and Simon has blossomed into an engagement. As for myself, well? Let's just say that Sam and I have begun seeing each other and have spent several nights together in my own quarters. I am even thinking of asking him to move in with me, because I have fallen for him completely.
This ship, this crew? Has changed me. I am no longer 'The Ice Queen of Long Beach', I am not 'The Destroyer, of Forty-Seven'? I am Commander Hailey Jennifer Dodge. The Commanding Officer of the first, Refit Nova Class, an escort Starship, a ship designed to get into a dangerous situation and survive. My only hopes, and the hopes of this crew? Is that Starfleet makes more of this remarkable, tiny little starship type.
Commander Hailey J. Dodge.
Commanding Officer.
USS Mercury, NX-72379.
Mid-Range, Escort Class Vessel.
Experimental Starship.
Signing Off.