"Well," the Ambassador said, smiling at the command staff. "It sounds like it's going to be quiet today." Because the Federation needed access to the Hradoqs shipyards and they controlled the territory around a Vulcan-like world that the Council had their eyes on, no one actually groaned, but it was a near thing. Even Spock's eyebrows furrowed slightly in distress. You just didn't say stuff like that. It tempted fate, and fate had already had it with them and their changed destinies and all.
Fate also had a good sense of timing. No sooner had the command staff suppressed their reactions than the ship was plunged into red alert, and they all had to spring up and run to the bridge.
"Report!" Captain Kirk ordered.
"There's an ion storm forming off our port nacelle!" Lt. Patel informed them.
Hikaru swore under his breath as he slid into the pilot's seat, and he heard Pavel agree vehemently in Russian beside him.
"Lt. Sulu," Kirk began. Hikaru waited, hands poised over the controls.
And waited.
And waited...
He turned around, to see Kirk looking ahead with an expression of confusion on his face. He opened his mouth, his lips moved but no sound came out.
"Captain?" Hikaru asked. Or rather tried to ask. No sound was coming out of his mouth either.
Kirk met his eyes and made an emphatic shooing motion he interpreted as "Get us the hell out of here, Lieutenant."
Just before he turned back to the controls, Hikaru saw Uhura bury her face in her hands.