Molotok
Despite understanding Trip's explanation for his banishment from Buran Malcolm did the logical thing the next day and ignored the advice. Fighting his way through the crowded corridors of his ship he began to understand though, why Trip wasn't so keen on letting him see the fracas. Just about any panel that could be opened was actually open with either a human or Vulcan head stuck in it, surrounded by cables, pipes and engineering tools. It didn't really look as if his ship was meant to be flying again, let alone in one week.
Ducking away from a fountain of sparks caused by some welding work above him, he continued his way towards engineering, where he hoped to find either T'Len or Trip to get an idea why his ship was looking like a prototype still weeks from being finished. Inwardly he hoped it would be T'Len as Trip would probably not take well to his uninvited presence, but it was his ship and he wouldn't be kept in the dark. Never operate on second-hand information. This old adage was one of the many things that he had learned from his time in the Section.
Well, that certainly isn't Trip, Malcolm thought with relief, when he saw a very shapely derriere sticking out from one of the open access panels. Like many Vulcan females T'Len wore tight fitting catsuits with a thermal lining instead of the standard issue blue flight suits. He wondered if Vulcans were actually aware of how little these things left to the imagination of a species that didn't curb their thoughts and emotions.
"I will be with you momentarily, Captain," T'Len announced calmly, when she had noticed his arrival.
"No hurry, Lieutenant-Commander," Malcolm said and waited until T'Len crawled out of the tight space with cat-like grace.
"I take it your presence here is against Captain Tucker's wishes?" she asked drily.
"Am I that predictable?"
"You are human," she explained dead-pan, but the chirp of Malcolm's communicator ended their conversation before it had really begun.
=/\=
T'Pol raised her eyebrow a little when a slightly out-of-breath Malcolm joined her in Rear Admiral Zhukov's ready room on Salem One. The station's commanding officer sat on his desk, juggling an impressive amount of PADDs full of repair reports, material requisitions, crew reports and whatever else comes up on a station that basically is a small town in deep space.
"Unless you want to incur the wrath of Commander Tucker for ignoring his request not to visit your ship, you should dust off your uniform before you let yourself be seen by him, Captain," she advised Malcolm calmly.
"Sorry," he muttered sheepishly before he noticed Admiral Gardner's face on a nearby view screen. "Admiral."
"Now that we're all here," Gardner said without answering her greeting. "There is a change in plans. Captain Reed, repairs on your ship will be finished under observation of your chief engineer T'Len. Captain T'Pol you get ready to depart as soon as possible. You will rendezvous with Endurance at Rigel X and leg it back home on the double. I'm pulling both you and Lorian off the front lines."
"May I ask why?" T'Pol inquired.
"I was coming to that Captain."
=/\=
According to the ship's logs this was the first congregation of the whole crew in cargo bay one since late in the Expanse mission and Terval found himself almost overwhelmed by the sheer volume of noise caused by 81 humans engaged in excited idle chatter. His keen hearing could make out that general hypothesis was that Enterprise was being 'pulled back' and whatever that meant, it obviously didn't meet with approval of the crew.
The Captain appeared behind the elevated guard rail and was obviously about to address the crew. Immediately the deafening noise died down and one could have heard 'a pin drop' as the human saying went.
"Starfleet Command has decided to recall Enterprise and Endurance to put them on a special mission," he heard his krei explain. Momentarily the idle chatter returned as humans obviously felt a need to immediately discuss any new information they were confronted with, but a stern look of krei Charles, who stood beside her quickly restored order.
"As a result of the recent battle at Betazed the Coalition Council has decided that we need a dedicated class of warship that can counter the Romulan warbirds. We have been assigned the task to build that warship. The project will be headed by Commander Tucker."
"If the chief builds it, the Rommies are toast!" he heard one ensign in engineering uniform shout and loud cheers could be heard.
"Does anyone have questions?" T'Pol asked and nodded into Terval's direction once he had indicated his desire to speak.
"Captain, does it not appear tactically unsound to remove two of Starfleets most advanced ships from the fight?"
"The positions of Enterprise and Endurance in the First Fleet will be filled with two Kumari class cruisers," his krei answered. "Additionally there is a shortage of ships at SOLCOM. Starfleet wants to have our two ships as an emergency response force near Earth should the Romulans manage to break through the front lines. At the time planetary defense is provided by Tellarite forces and Starfleet wants at least two ships with wartime experience as part of that force."
"Most logical," Terval conceded.
"Everybody return to his position, we are departing within the hour," T'Pol commanded and Terval brought up the rear as the humans left the cargo bay to carry out their captain's orders.
=/\=
It was late evening and Trip ha been preparing for bed. But now he sat in his quarters, looking at the faces of Admirals Gardner and Jeffries on the view screen. Much to his surprise Gardner laughed when he spotted the beer mug on Trip's desk.
"No need, Commander," Gardner said with a smirk when Trip tried to remove it discreetly from viewer range. "Who do you think approved the installation of that little brewery of yours a few months ago. And we know we practically called you in the middle of the night. As long as you don't inebriate yourself we're fine with that and I doubt your Captain would let you get away with getting plastered."
"That she wouldn't, no," Trip answered with a grin.
"Have you taken a look at the plans we've sent you?" Admiral Jeffries asked.
"I was just doing so when you called and so far everything looks fine. For once the ship's hull doesn't look like it was designed by a blind man. With that shape we could build up a massive warp bubble and easily crack Warp 7. Too bad the Warp 7 project is still in its early stages."
"That's why we're calling. The Council session ended only now, so there is some information missing from the documents we sent earlier. We've come to the agreement that the new ship will be a coalition ship. That means, once the prototype has been tested, all four races will build and use it."
Trip heard the confused discussion between Gardner and Jeffries when he had removed himself from viewer range. Returning to the desk he put the refilled mug in front of himself.
"Now we're talking Gentlemen. Please, tell me everything about it," he quipped.
Gardner and Jeffries started laughing.
=/\=
Enterprise and Endurance were docked to each other and lazily orbited Rigel X as both ships waited for a Vulcan troop transporter, which was scheduled to arrive in 10 hours time. The Tar'Hana was to deliver a 60 man engineering detachment for the new project.
"You appear quite enthusiastic about this project," Lorian remarked once he had taken a seat in Trip and T'Pol's quarters.
"You have no idea, son," Trip enthused. "That thing is a game changer. Human nacelle design, Vulcan engine, Andorian phaser and torpedo technology, Tellarite alloys for the hull. Everybody contributes what they're best at."
"It does sound like a good prospect," Lorian agreed. "But even then we are probably still only matching the warbirds and be reminded that we first have to build it."
"All true," Trip conceded. "But look at what we have now. The only ships able to match them are Vulcan Surak class cruisers and there are only eight of those. So far we've gone up with sticks against spiked clubs, but this thing is a hammer of war."
"Maybe we should name them accordingly," Lorian remarked dryly cocking his eyebrow. "Aren't you selling ourselves short? We've won two of the recent battles even though at great cost."
"We've won them because they still had their ridiculous cloaking devices in the ships," Trip disagreed. "Do you really think they'll leave them in any longer and make the same mistake a third time? Maybe in a few reconnaissance ships, but for the fighting force, they'd be stark raving mad not to take them out."
"Probably not. Let's hope this new ship is as good as you make it sound."
"Trust me on that," Trip said enthusiastically.
"Have you thought about the consequences?" Lorian asked. "This ship will be your brainchild. If you would be in charge of Starfleet, who would you appoint Captain of the Prototype?"
"I'm not going to like this, am I?"
"Even though I'm only half-Vulcan, I sometimes suffer a moment of logic," Lorian explained dead-pan. "You will most likely be promoted to Captain. You are overdue anyway. The logical choice for captaincy of the prototype is the man who designed and built it."
"I've talked my way out of commanding Enterprise," Trip offered.
"You can't run away forever," Lorian said. "As the man heading the project to build the ship, you'll have to take command of the building facility. You cannot do that as a Commander. And Starfleet won't have two Captains stationed on the same ship, which means you and mother will both end up commanding a ship – but not the same one."
"You're probably right," Trip sighed. "I hope Starfleet keeps us at least in the same fleet. I knew the day would come anyway. With our bond more or less mature now, not even the Vulcans can keep claiming that we need to be on the same ship. After all, others don't have that luxury either."
"Indeed."
=/\=
"Report!" Malcolm barked as he ran onto the battle bridge of Buran.
"Commodore Archer has ordered the fleet to Galorndon Core," Tholos reported and vacated the big chair. "It appears that a Romulan squadron has invaded the system."
"We are being hailed for fleet-wide announcement," Sonos announced calmly and put it on the screen after a nod from his Captain.
"To all fleet," Archer, whose face filled the view screen, announced. "Four hours ago forces of the Romulan Star Empire have invaded the Galorndon system and destroyed the xenoecological science colony on Galorndon Core using fission weapons. All 130.000 inhabitants were killed instantly. The reconnaissance ship UES Sokrates, who sent us this information was lost with all hands."
"They are going to pay for this," Malcolm muttered and the determined faces around convinced him that most of his bridge crew thought the same.
"Thirty minutes ago, United Earth Government declared war on the Romulan Star Empire," Archer continued. "Vulcan, Andorian and Tellarite governments have also declared the state of war as per article 5 of the Coalition Charter. We are at war. Godspeed everybody."
"Lieutenant Tholos, have you familiarized yourself with the war time measures developed by Captain T'Pol and Commander Tucker?" Malcolm asked. "If so, give me the short version."
"All personnel working in outer hull regions are to wear EV suits with extended oxygen supply at all times," Tholos started to recite without even looking at his display. Obviously the seasoned warrior had done his homework. "All enlisted personnel and junior officers will bunk in two- or four man quarters. The quarters near the armory are to be vacated and turned into torpedo storage. My second in command, Ensign Matura will be assigned Chief Weapons Officer."
"Good," Malcolm answered with an appreciative nod. "Have Matura implement these measures on the double. We'll be at Galorndon core in less than 12 hours. I want us to be ready to go in no more than eight hours."
"Aye, sir."
=/\=
"Great, our job has just become a little more urgent," Trip sighed after hearing Archer's announcement. Since until their arrival in Earth orbit both ships were still assigned to First Fleet, they had gotten the same transmission as Buran, but with a slight subspace delay. He felt the rage build up inside him.
"It was inevitable," T'Pol said calmly and refrained from putting a soothing hand on his shoulder. As much as she wanted to do that; They were on the bridge and such a display would be unseemly in full view of their bridge crew.
"Permission to leave the bridge?" Trip requested with a fierce scowl.
"For what purpose?" T'Pol asked, even though she had a fairly clear idea what his reasons were.
"I just got an inspiration to get this ship built sooner rather than later," Trip said and pointed angrily at the view screen, which hand already gone black. "We can start the final planning here. No need to wait until we're back home."
"Granted," T'Pol acknowledged. "It would be prudent to include the Vulcan engineers in your planning from the start."
"That's what I had in mind," Trip said and briskly walked off the bridge.
=/\=
"All measures have been implemented, Captain," Tholos relayed the incoming report from Ensign Matura. "They are currently running final diagnostics on the phase cannons."
"Excellent, Lieutenant," Malcolm answered and sat back in his chair. He reckoned that pacing around would make the bridge crew even more nervous than they already were. The tension was palpable the nearer they came to the Galorndon system. Long range scans had shown a veritable belt of debris around Galorndon core that could not be from the destroyed Sokrates alone. Something terrible had happened and if the reports about the use of fission weapons were true, it wasn't too difficult to work it out. These devilish things had been banned on Earth since the end of World War III for a reason.
"Reed to Doctor Phlox," Malcolm intoned calmly while pressing the com button on his captain's chair.
"Phlox here," came the reply and Malcolm had to overcome a moment of confusion. It would take some time of getting used to the fact that a call for Doctor Phlox was answered by a female voice – that of one of his wives.
"Doctor, I want you to prepare everything you need to deal with radiation victims. Request whatever it takes from the quartermaster or Engineering. You have full authority."
"As you wish Captain," she replied and although he couldn't see her, her voice told him everything he needed to know. The sheer distaste emanating from the com speaker was hard to miss. Apparently humanity wasn't the only race that had less than desirable experience with these diabolical devices.
=/\=
They all stared at the view screen. A big hole scarred the outer hull of Jupiter Station's gigantic ring shaped structure. A salvage vessel was busy collecting bits of debris and the retching from Commodore Martino's direction reminded Lorian that the 'debris' were actually human bodies blown out when the bomb had caused the hull breach and subsequent explosive decompression. The emergency force fields, constructed after a design by Malcolm Reed had prevented a bigger disaster, but for 32 technicians all help came too late and an entire section was decompressed.
"Someone has bombed the station right under our noses," Admiral Gardner growled. "This is unacceptable. I want answers and I want them yesterday."
"We will launch an investigation, immediately," Admiral Roger Black answered.
Lorian had to force himself not to snort in disdain. This was the same Admiral, who had been lobbying for strict non-fraternization rules and was later divorced by his wife due to being caught in an extra-marital affair. Infidelity was the ultimate offense in Vulcan society and even if he was just half-Vulcan, the very thought was revolting.
"Well if you could tear yourself away from that mud-slinging match with your ex-wife, that would be a great idea," Gardner spat sarcastically. "You are in charge of Starfleet security. How the hell could that happen? Just two weeks ago you told us you've sidelined Harris and his shady bunch, because we don't need them anymore. Well, this does look like we need them quite a lot!"
Lorian's glance fell back on the battered station, following the direction of Gardner's angrily pointing finger. It was time to speak up.
"Gentlemen, I ask forgiveness for interrupting, but I believe there is only one option to correct this situation."
He felt all glances directed to him. Obviously, they were all willing to listen.
"Endurance needs to return to the 1st Fleet, while Captain Reed and Buran should take our place here. With all due respect to Admiral Black, but it is obvious that his personnel is out of their depths with the task at hand. As trying as accepting their methods might be, antagonizing Section 31 was a monumental mistake. There is one man, who can provide adequate security for the Molotok project – Captain Malcolm Reed."
"We can't take Reed off the front lines. It's the most advanced ship we have," Black protested. "No other ship has a vortex generator."
"Which is exactly why Captain Reed should return," Lorian disagreed, determined to pick apart Black's flawed logic. "If we were needed to reinforce the 1st fleet, it would take us days if not weeks to reach them. But with the vortex generator, Buran can reach every point in the quadrant in a matter of hours, so they can be stationed with SOLCOM without compromising their ability to reinforce the front lines if needed."
"Great idea," Gardner said and raised an appreciate thumb in Lorian's direction. "Captain, as soon as Buran is back, you'll head out to rendezvous with Archer's fleet. News from Galorndon aren't encouraging, so we'll fill your ship to the gills with supplies."
"I still maintain that this is a mistake," Black insisted.
"And I maintain that you better keep quite now," Nathan Samuels, United Earth Gov's representative in the briefing interrupted. "You will be lucky if you keep your job after this, Admiral. You're not only embroiled in legal trouble due to your own infidelity, which is unbecoming to a flag officer, your department quite obviously didn't do its job, too and 32 people paid for that with their lives. Among them 5 Vulcans."
Although he seemed ready to hit back, Black actually remained quiet and Lorian agreed with the Minister's opinion that it was likely to be the better course of action in the current situation the Admiral found himself in.
"It's decided then," Gardner decreed. "Captain T'Pol, will you or soon-to-be Captain Tucker have any problem leaving security in Captain Reed's hands?"
"On the contrary. We trust nobody more than Captain Reed to provide adequate security," she answered for herself and her absent mate, who by all Lorian knew was currently busy inspecting the damage to the station.
"Excellent," Gardner replied. "Captain Lorian, prepare your ship. Make every space available to take on supplies. Store them in the mess hall if needed. By the way, what did you call the project? Molotok?"
"Aye, Sir. It is the Russian word for hammer. It was an idea of Commander Tucker."
"Sounds like we have a name," Gardner said with a tired smile. "Everybody is dismissed except Captain T'Pol."
=/\=
"Port cannon down," Tholos reported and gripped his console hard to avoid being thrown on the floor. Buran was rocked hard as Romulan disruptor hits continued to grind the life out of their shields.
"Concentrate fire on Alpha," Malcolm Reed ordered angrily as two medics continued to dab at wounds on his left hand and right temple with desinfectant. Small hisses were the only signs of pain his dignity allowed him. He would not allow the medics to cart him off to sickbay, which was for the severe cases, like Sonos. The Vulcan, who had barely healed from the last time the coms console had exploded in his face, found himself in Fezzal's domain again after another power surge.
The only consolation for Malcolm was, that it wasn't Hoshi, who had manned the console. Although much improved, she was still in the hospital section of Salem One. Ensign Suron, a young Vulcan and 3IC of the communication department was now operating the smoking remains of the communications console. Malcolm made a mental note to ask Trip for a redesign of the bloody thing at the next possible opportunity.
"I've got their impulse engines disabled!" Tholos exclaimed in triumph. "They're down to thrusters."
"Continue," Malcolm ordered and sighed. "Trip was right. They've taken out the cloaking device and now those bastards are bloody hard to crack."
"Sir, they are spooling up their warp engines," Suron reported with a slightly un-Vulcan touch of urgency in his voice.
"But that would take them...," Malcom answered and stopped mid-sentence. "Bloody Hell! Ensign all fleet NOW!"
"Open," Suron reported.
"All fleet, emergency warp, get out of the bloody system!" Malcolm yelled into the open com channel.
Almost 70 remaining ships sped away into whatever direction their bow was pointing at the time and it was a minor miracle that no collisions were had.
=/\=
Gardner was just about to start his talk with an expectantly looking Captain T'Pol, when the frantic voice of his attendant interrupted him.
"Admiral, I have a transmission from first fleet!"
"Patch it through," Gardner said and routed the display from his monitor to the big screen on the wall.
"Admiral," came the court greeting of a pale looking captain Archer and years of working with the man told Gardner that this face could only mean that the Galorndon campaign had not gone well.
"Jon, you look like hell, I suppose you have bad news? What's the butchers bill?"
"Nine," Archer sighed. "Two D'Kyr, a Kumari, 4 destroyers and two frigates lost with all hands. All in all 1.540 killed, 212 wounded, 32 critical. They've all been transported to the Marconi.
"What's the status?" Gardner asked, trying not to show his shock.
"We are trying to reassemble. Everybody warped out of the system on whatever course they were at the time. The Romulans crashed their lead ship into the planet at warp speed. Galorndon core is lost and we are scattered over 6 square light years."
"Why the hell did they do that?" Gardner asked in shock.
"Same as Corridan," Archer answered grimly. "To destroy the dilithium deposits. If this goes on, we'll have to push our ships soon."
"Scorched Earth policy," Gardner growled.
"Literally," Archer replied, equally grim. "The whole planet's on fire and will be for some time. "
"Assemble your fleet, Jon and regroup at Salem One. Send Reed and Buran back to Earth as soon as their ship is in a condition to do so."
"Any reason for that?"
"We have a bit of a situation here. Lorian and Endurance will take the place of Buran. We need Reed to sort out security at Jupiter Station. Keep that to yourself though. The last thing we need are problems with the moral in the fleet."
"Are Trip and T'Pol ok?" Archer asked with a serious look.
"They are," Gardner assured him. "We thought we had Terra Prime done in for good, but as it appears, some remaining followers have regrouped as a organization called 'Humanity First'. They bombed the station and left a note on our doorstep."
"Send the the briefing data for Malcolm Reed and I have him on his way. His ship came out of it quite well."
"That's good to hear John. The data are on their way. Report back when you have arrived. Gardner out."
If the news had unsettled her, she sure didn't give anything away, Gardner thought to himself after a look at Captain T'Pol. There was something to be said for all this Vulcan control.
"There will be a number of changes coming your way, Captain," he started to explain. Since we would have three Captains on Jupiter station, we've decided to re-introduce the rank of Fleet Captain for your husband to clean up the chain of command. You are his second in command, Reed will be third."
"Who will take over as chief engineer on Enterprise?" T'Pol asked.
"She's still got too few years under the belt, but we'll give the job to Anna Hess. She learned from the best we have and we can't afford to ride the numbers anymore."
"Understood. Admiral."
"Since we are short staffed as it is, you will have civilians working on the station. With that come unique challenges as military laws do not necessarily apply to them. As part of that the San Francisco Police Department will have a presence on the station and will handle the law and order part for the civilian workforce. I'll leave it to Reed to work out the details."
"Do we have any input on the contracting of civilian workers?"
"Limited," Gardner said. "Starfleet Security has the last word on every one of them. The last thing we need are terrorist sleepers on the station. "
"Permission to speak freely, Sir," T'Pol requested.
"Been taking lessons from your better half?" Gardner asked with a lopsided grin. "Rant away Captain."
"I would suggest we wait until Captain Reed had time to assess the problems within Starfleet Security, before any civilian contractors are screened or hired. I would also wish to alert you that Admiral Black's position is not only compromised, he is also acting highly illogical lately."
"Care to elaborate?" the Admiral said.
"Admiral Black is currently involved in a very public legal conflict with his divorced wife. As such activity not only compromises his ability to performed his duties effectively, but also incurs substantial costs, it stands to reason that the Admiral might become vulnerable to attempted bribery. His latest actions are void of logic, too. If I was trying to weaken Starfleet Security, the first I would do was to disband Section 31, which Admiral Black is currently trying to achieve."
"I concur with most of what you say," Gardner acknowledged with a nod. "Although I'm a bit surprised that a Vulcan of all people would defend the Section."
"While the methods of Section 31 are questionable at best, their results and effective work even won the respect of the Vulcan Ministry of Security. As you said, we are not in a situation which allows us to be selective."
"As soon as Reed starts his work here, we'll have him sort this situation out. Black will be suspended until he has sorted out that bloody trial. I'll provisionally take on his responsibilities and will take your concerns into account. Whenever you have something that will help me, feel free to contact me any time."
"As you wish, Admiral."
"Report back here next week at the same time with a report of station repairs."
=/\=
"K section is still sealed," Trip explained after T'Pol had set foot aboard Jupiter station for the first time and had relayed the news from Admiral Gardner. "We'll need at least a week until we can re-pressurize. I hope Malcolm is here by then and I don't want to see you on the station until he has cleaned out this place."
By the way T'Pol took a deep breath, he could tell that a verbal riposte was being prepared, but he preempted her instinctive disagreement.
"Listen, lady," he said sternly. "Unless you forgot, who was appointed head of this station: hint – he looks like me. For the next 20 hours or so, you could try and pull rank on me, but you'd be overruled by Gardner, so spare yourself the hassle. All major interfaces have been re-routed to Enterprise, so you can work from there."
"What about the other station personnel?" she asked.
"I've gotten two old Intrepid class ships as temporary crew quarters - the Bozeman and the Whitehorse. They and Enterprise are docked in sections A and B, the only sections we've cleared and secured so far. The station has been evacuated and will stay evacuated until Malcolm and his people arrive."
"You knew that?"
"Admiral Jeffries called me immediately once Gardner had given the green light. Malcolm is picking up Hoshi at Salem One and we can keep an eye out for a big honkin' vortex. You know how he is, when security isn't water tight, especially if Hoshi or we are threatened."
"Do the perpetrators of this bombing know what awaits them?" T'Pol asked drily.
"Doubt it, but they deserve everything they've got coming their way."