Endeavour was beautiful.

As she leaned over the pilot's shoulder to get a better look at the pride of Starfleet, Lieutenant Commander Hoshi Sato-Reed felt her breath catch at the sight before her. Captured within Jupiter Station and swarming with activity, Endeavour was brightly illuminated by the drydock's many lamps. The graceful lines and smooth curves of the NC-06 were things of beauty, and Hoshi smiled at the familiar-looking saucer section. Memories of her time aboard Enterprise trickled across her mind's eye, forcing her to push back a lump in her throat. There were so many good times aboard that ship, so many pleasant memories of days long past that it was easy to overlook the bad times.

"Ma'am," the pilot said abruptly, an uncomfortable look on his face. "We'll be landing soon, so I'll need you to strap in."

"Understood, Ensign," Hoshi replied with a friendly smile. "I just wanted a look at her."

As she reclaimed her seat, she took a moment to study her team. There were four of them, all newly graduated from Starfleet Training and ridiculously eager to prove themselves. If the fleet engineers weren't already stretched thin with repairing the battle damage, Hoshi doubted that her team would have ever been given a job like this. As it was, when Sato saw the opportunity to pay Endeavour a visit, she'd volunteered instantly. It would be, she realized sadly, the first time since Malcolm's funeral that she had seen Trip or T'Pol. Phlox, on the other hand, corresponded with her regularly, and always had interesting stories to tell.

"Jupiter Station," the pilot said into his comm system, "this is ST-321. Code clearance blue. We're starting our approach." A crackle of static was the immediate response, followed by an authoritative female voice.

"Our ALS is currently offline," the stern-sounding woman stated. "You have a hands on approach." Another crackle of static filled the commline for a moment. "Permission to land on platform three two seven."

The 'pod banked slowly as the pilot oriented it toward the looming station, which reminded Hoshi of a massive spider. Gleaming brightly, the massive gas giant that was the solar system's largest planet backlit the repair station, making it seem tiny in comparison. The great storm, still red and furious, raged across the surface of Jupiter with an intensity that had not abated in the hundreds of years since humans first looked upon the face of the planet.

Amusement washed over Hoshi as she saw two of her team cling to their restraints with white-knuckled grips. It didn't seem like that long ago since she had been the person worried about flying. Now, all of this seemed so routine that she had slept during most of the four hour transit. She shook her head in silent amazement.

A gentle bump announced the shuttlepod's smooth landing, and Hoshi was already beginning to undo the restraints when the ensign at the pilot's station gave her the all clear. With a nod, she hefted her tool kit and stepped toward the shuttlepod's hatch. Once more, she had to fight back a smile once more when she realized that, against all odds, she'd become a technician.

Jupiter Station was buzzing with activity as she led her team toward the nearest wall computer. The slidewalks were swarming with repair crews, most carrying parts or tools. Alongside the moving walkway was an even wider flat deck occupied by slow-moving forklifts or ground transports, all bearing important loads too heavy to be carried by hand. Overhead, the transparent roof offered a stunning view of the Jovian gas giant that was occasionally blocked by the fast-moving maglev train carrying personnel and parts to distant points on the mammoth station.

"Wow," Crewman Parham muttered, reminding Hoshi that he had never before been off of Earth, even during training. He stood there and gawked for a long moment, jumping slightly when a harried-looking technician accidentally backed into him.

The wall computer responded to Hoshi's query almost instantly, and she downloaded the station layout to her PADD before gesturing toward a nearby slidewalk. Without question, the four crewmen obeyed her unspoken order and stepped onto the moving walkway; she was inexplicably reminded of her to brief time as a teacher.

"Must be their first time on the Station," a grizzled senior chief said softly as he stepped onto the slidewalk behind Hoshi. She gave him an amused nod, before sobering quickly at sight of the duty patch he wore.

"Was Hyperion badly damaged?" she asked, and he responded with a heavy sigh.

"Yes, ma'am." The slidewalk jerked abruptly, causing them to stumble. "We lost most of our command crew to a Romulan drone." He spoke in a no-nonsense manner. "If it hadn't been for Commander Hsiao, I think we'd have all died during Black's Bungle." Hoshi pursed her lips slightly at the expression, but made no further comment. As word had spread throughout Starfleet about the catastrophe at Acheron, the expression had entered the lexicon almost overnight. No one was exactly sure who had started it, and attempts to quell use of "Black's Bungle" to describe the crippling defeat failed miserably. Even the news media had picked it up and began using it in their various reports.

The admiral's subsequent suicide only intensified the scorn that most members of Starfleet now held for the man.

Stepping off the slidewalk, Hoshi started to point in the direction her team needed to go, but sighed and took the lead instead. Like obedient puppies, the four crewmen fell into step behind her, still distracted by the magnificient view of Jupiter. She should have been annoyed at their lack of focus, but couldn't bring herself to do so.

"I don't want them on my damned ship!"

The familiar voice caused her to slow her pace and glance in the direction from which it originated. A smile crossed her face at the image of an irate Trip Tucker arguing with a commander wearing a Jupiter Station duty patch on her uniform. At Tucker's side, Lieutenant Commander Hess was glaring at the station commander, an odd glove on the engineer's right hand.

"Captain," the frazzled-looking commander replied, temper making her words harsh, "Starfleet regulations require that my people to install these new regulators on your ship."

"They don't work on Endeavour," Hess interjected. "Not with the new warp core."

"That's not my problem," the commander retorted sharply. "I have my orders, and I will follow them. Take it up with Starfleet Command if you don't like it."

"Fine," Trip said, his expression dangerously calm. "You go ahead and install those regulators." He gave the commander a nod of dismissal, before turning to Hess. "Yank 'em as soon as the repair crews are done putting them in. Maybe they'll make good spare parts for the ones that actually work."

"I see some things haven't changed," Hoshi said with a smile, her voice attracting Tucker's attention immediately. He smiled broadly and took three rapid steps toward her, engulfing her in a most undignified hug.

"Hoshi!" he exclaimed loudly before returning her to her feet. "What the hell are you doing on the Station?"

"Nice to see you too, sir," she retorted. "We're here to install the latest upgrades to the UT on Endeavour." With a sweep of her hand, she included the four wide-eyed crewmen. Too late, she remembered Trip's growing reputation as a miracle captain. According to the gossip she'd heard at STC during her last visit there, it was common knowledge that Endeavour was the one assignment that every officer or enlisted crewman wanted. At least, as long as Trip Tucker and his Vulcan first mate were in command.

Hoshi smiled inwardly at that choice of words.

"Well, come on," Tucker said, gesturing at a nearby airlock; he took the toolbox from her in a gentlemanly gesture that seemed instinctive. "I'll even throw in a free tour of my ship!"

"I'll get these kids started," Hess stated the moment they stepped through the airlock. "Good seeing you again, Hoshi," she smiled before heading off in the direction of the computer core, the four crewmen at her heels.

"How's T'Pol?" Hoshi asked once the five were out of earshot, and Trip gave her a sidelong look.

"Frustrated," he smiled as they continued down the corridor. "The repair crews don't want to follow a Vulcan schedule." He grew more serious. "How's Junior?"

"Trying to walk," she replied. The turbolift doors slid open, and they entered as she continued. "You won't believe how big he's getting!" Reaching into her jacket pocket, she started to extract a photo of her son. "I've got a picture..." Suddenly, she hesitated as she remembered how badly he took the loss of his own daughter.

Before he could respond, a klaxon began sounding. Hoshi hadn't heard that sound in a very long time, and it caused her to jump in slight surprise. Trip, however, reacted instantly.

"Command override," he snapped. "Tucker alpha seven echo. D deck." The lift lurched as it changed directions abruptly, and Hoshi gave him a confused look. He should be going to the bridge, not D deck. Engineering was on D deck. On the top of that, however, she suddenly remembered that, despite any outer similarities, Endeavour's configuration was different from Enterprise.

With a hiss, the door opened, and Trip darted out of the turbolift. Hoshi hesitated for the briefest of seconds before following him. To her surprise, he seemed intent on heading toward where engineering used to be. They rounded a corner, and Hoshi blinked in mild astonishment at the pair of armed security troopers standing in front of an otherwise nondescript door. At Tucker's sharp nod, one of them hit the door annunciator; the door slid open, and she followed him in,

Just beyond the door's threshold, she paused in abject amazement at the presence of the various command stations that she recognized from the bridge of Enterprise. Commander T'Pol was rising from the captain's chair as they entered, and quirked an eyebrow at Hoshi's presence, but displayed no other reaction. On the main viewscreen, an image of Admiral Archer stared out at the command staff.

"Sensors have detected a Romulan power signature near Neptune," Archer said without preamble. His words caused Hoshi's breath to catch, and she swallowed. "I've ordered all ships in the system to go to high alert, Trip," the admiral continued grimly, "but I want Endeavour to take the lead."

"Aye, sir." Tucker glanced in T'Pol's direction, nodding slightly at something that she had clearly brought to his attention through that wondrous bond of theirs. "Sir, my senior communications officer is at Starfleet Medical."

"I'm here," Hoshi volunteered without thinking. She hesitated when several sets of eyes glanced in her direction, but she plunged forward anyway. If a Romulan ship was in system, she would do whatever it took to protect her son. "I've got all the security clearances," she started to defend her presence, but the admiral waved it off.

"Considered yourself temporarily assigned to Endeavour, Hoshi," Archer stated with a forced smile. "I'll contact Maddie personally," he continued. Off her nod, he turned his eyes back to Trip. "Good hunting," the admiral wished before the screen blanked out.

"Release all moorings," Trip said without hesitation. "All stations prepare for immediate departure." He pointed out the location of the communications station, and Hoshi gave him a thankful nod. "T'Pol, find us a target."

Seconds later, Endeavour was underway.