"we're getting closer to our goal Admiral"

"indeed we are lets keep up the good work people who knows we may get out of this alive yet"

well they had many set backs one of which happened six months after the one year mark

"Admiral you know the species that stranded us here?"

"yes what about them?"

"well they managed to find our exact location and are now attacking with more than just three ships and what's more is that they have cloaking abilities"

"well this is a load of trouble after all we can't maneuver so our fighting ability is cut down to practically nil, all hands prepare for battle repeat all hands prepare for battle"

well they do prepare for fighting which was a good thing because the enemies decided to board the ship and that meant that they were going to use their skills in a practical way or at least they hoped they could since they had yet to actually fight an enemy with their bows and arrows that could fight back and in engineering well that would turn out to be the fiercest battle on board the ship.

"they don't get any where's near the engine is that clear?"

"yes sir"

"OK then attack"

"hey John watch the left side you idiot we can't afford to lose anyone you know and watch your back as well"

"hey Sara duck"

"yo uglies say hello to my little friend"

"would you please watch where you shoot you're likely to damage the engine again"

"hey chief we could use a little more than the bows and arrows right now"

"hey guys we're gonna be in trouble if they keep this up because they might hit the engine and you all know what that means"

"protect the engine with your lives men we can't lose all the work that we've done so far"

"hey creeps get away from those computers"

"Admiral we could use some help up here"

"just a minute they tried to take the bridge and the last one is being a bit stubborn about being captured"

"yo chief looks like we got more coming in from the corridors what are we gonna do to fortify them?"

"just do what you can guys that's all I ask of you right now"

"hey guys they just decided to swarm in think you can give me a hand?"

"watch the back side Mark or you're gonna get yourself killed"

"hey chief think you can do a double team?"

"oh boys look at the tough girl, OK now guys"

"hey guys looks like the reinforcements are a bit bogged down"

"keep it up guys we can do it"

and so that keeps up for several more minutes until the enemy finally decides to call a full retreat and once that's done the chief does a quick overview on everyone and finds that they're all tired and somewhat dirty but alive and the engine and all their work was OK as well. Six months later they made it to the two year mark but something else was happening as well the crew was finally able to go on their way again on the five year anniversary of being sent to the Delta Quadrant they had their engines back up and ready for action to get them back home

"so your engines are fully repaired admiral?"

"yes Lt. Barcaley thanks to you"

"we hope to see you in a couple of years"

"same Jewel out"

well soon after they left some trouble came up while testing some modifications to the engine five crew members were badly hurt and three were thought dead though that wasn't actually the case what had happened was that while they were not testing any kind of cloaking abilities due to the fact that they had seen a lot of it recently and the fact that their ship had been infected with chronitons the three "dead" crewman were actually just Phased

"doctor are the death certificates ready?"

"yes though I don't like these things"

"I know doctor unfortunately that's what happened"

"what should I put on their death certificates for cause of death?"

"tell the truth they died due to testing modifications on the engine and as they were the closest ones were immediately incinerated, how are the others?"

"they'll be fine in a few days I suppose but the chief is taking their loss really hard and who could blame him he's the last one to see them alive"

"yea well I'll be back to check on them later"

"yes sir"

meanwhile the three officers were far from dead instead they were phased and they were not happy about their talking not being heard at the moment

"hey guys I have one heck of a headache"

"I know but I was trying to figure out what happened in engineering to make them shut down the engine but I was ignored"

"what's going on why can't they hear us?"

"hey guys remember the story the Admiral told us the one with the chief engineer and an ensign that happened shortly before she was transferred to the ship?"

"you mean we're phased?"

"it's possible"

"great so how are we going to get that across?"

"um that's where I'm stuck"

"hey what about chroniton fields?"

"that'll work once we find out when the service is"

and so the three officers check on the ship and see about any arrangements and finally find out that the service was being held in the dining hall which was the only place what would fit everyone

"if only I knew what was happening I would have saved them"

"it's not your fault chief"

"feels like it is"

"well it isn't is that clear"

"yes sir"

well the officers go and make chroniton fields and the admiral is informed of it

"admiral what are we to do about the fields that have been detected since after the explosion? especially the one in the dining hall"

"what fields?"

"the chroniton fields sir"

"chroniton…set anionic beams to their highest level and flood the ship"

"yes sir"

and so a few minutes later the three officers are visible again

"hey admiral mind if we join?"

"not at all you three, so my story help any?"

"oh yea it helped a lot"

"well I'm glad it did"

"so any food left for us?"

everyone laughed and enjoyed the fact that they hadn't lost the officers after all. well they were in trouble…again the crew was fighting some aliens that had cloaking technology and over a simple misunderstanding of why they were looking for a place that they could land and find some food too