2.
2259 - Archer Class - U.S.S. Sunnydale – NCC-626 – Docked at the Citadel – Location: Classified
Captain Buffy Summers sat in the command chair of her cramped bridge with a look of boredom on her face. Her grandmother warned her that as she got older boredom would become an issue and she was absolutely spot on. She was only two hundred seventy-eight and couldn't fathom how Pelia managed to stay sane after living for who knows how long. She had resorted to playing with the rank striping on the sleeve of her gold uniform as a way to pass the time while the new weapon systems were installed.
Not for the first time she wished for a larger ship, but hers was purpose built to be small. It looked unassuming, but had weapons to rival a Constitution and speed to match. Due to so much space being taken up for the engines and weapons she only had a crew of fifteen and the ship had no recreational facilities, just small cramped quarters. Still the ship wasn't meant for long term missions. It just needed to get there kill the bad guy and get home. She and her crew all lived aboard the station ready to be called at a moment's notice.
Being lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the bridge doors open and her sister walk up behind her. "You know," Dawn said startling Buffy to awareness, "You don't actually need to sit here all day while they do the work."
Buffy looked had her sister in her light blue medical uniform. After a few decades Dawn had grown bored with being a watcher and decided to try her hand as a doctor. She was a damn good one too Buffy noted to herself, but still the same little sister. "What else is there to do? You know I get antsy when my ship is being pulled apart, and since Pelia is off teaching at the academy, I don't have anyone I trust on task."
Dawn grabbed her sister's arm and tried to tug her out of the chair, "I'm hungry let's go get lunch at least." With a groan more akin to a teenager than a Starfleet captain Buffy allowed her sister to pull her out of the chair and towards the small turbolift. It was a short trip. Including the bridge the ship only had three decks of crew space.
Once the door opened they stepped out and made their way to the docking arm to exit onto the station. "What are you thinking," Dawn asked her sister. Buffy furrowed her brows before commenting, "That it would be nice to have a bigger ship and a longer run that just a week or two. Really see and do some things." Dawn rolled her eyes in annoyance, "I meant for lunch, but thanks for the insight into your soul."
"Oh," Buffy said in a sheepish voice, "I need greasy and cheesy, so pizza?" Dawn harumphed, "Why do I ask the one with a sped up metabolism? You'll eat a whole pie, and I'll be the one in the gym working it off." Buffy offered her most innocent smile which caused another groan from Dawn, "We'll see you smile when I'm treating your heart attack."
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701
"Captain's Log, Stardate 1057.6. The Enterprise is performing routine maintenance of the Gamma Relay Cluster which feeds subspace data from all spatial telescopes in this sector. It went offline a little more than a week ago and we're been replacing the burnt-out power units. However, the ship has been facing bigger problems. There have been a rash of accidents over the last couple weeks that have left three crew members injured and as of today one dead. La'an has been investigating the possibility of foul play, but we haven't managed to find evidence of a perpetrator."
Captain Pike stared across his desk at his first officer and chief of security. "So, does anyone want to tell me what's going on aboard my ship?" he asked, "I'm not really a fan of losing crew members to random accidents or attacks."
La'an Noonien-Singh scrolled through her PADD, "There's nothing to indicate an attack and every victim has been found near some malfunction site. That's what bothers me; four crew members all found in similar situations with near identical injuries to their necks. Someone is doing this Captain." Pike nodded in agreement, "Number One, anything to add?"
Una Chin-Riley shook her head, "Nothing on sensors, and the areas in question were not under surveillance at the time due to malfunctions. It was either a very serious coincidence or this was planned."
"Bridge to Captain Pike," came a voice over the intercom. Pike hit a button on his desk, "Pike here, go ahead Cadet Uhura." There was a sound as the cadet took a breath, "Captain there is an admiral calling for you. Clearance level ten." Pike deflated a bit, "Patch it through down here."
"Sir," La'an asked, "What's clearance level ten?"
Pike grimaced a bit, "Captain's eyes only, so Number One, La'an if you'll excuse me." Una made to stand as she nodded, "Of course Captain, We'll be on the bridge." With that his officers left the room and he turned to the screen just as the face of an admiral he was not familiar with appeared.
She looked to be middle aged about fifty or sixty and had a few silver strands in her red hair. She had a stern but not unkind face with eyes that seemed weary as if she had seen too much in her years. "Captain Pike," she said with a slightly unsure voice, "I understand you have a situation onboard." Pike eyes the woman with suspicion, "You have me at a disadvantage admiral..." he left it hanging hoping she would fill in the blank. "Just Admiral is fine. This is strictly a professional call." She responded.
Pike furrowed his brow in disapproval. The admiral didn't seem to notice or care, "Your situation mirrors reports of attacks we've received from other ships both Starfleet and civilian. We're sending a special team to investigate."
"Now hold on there Admiral, my staff is perfectly capable of investigating and Lieutenant Noonien-Singh will not appreciate an unknown squad running around the ship." He watched as the admiral's demeanor softened a bit and her lip curled up into a smirk on one side, "I understand Captain. The team will consist of two officers. Officially they will be there for… efficiency evaluations, but do not disclose the true purpose of their visit without permission. That's an order Captain."
The admiral vanished from the screen and his PADD lit up, loaded with names of his inevitable visitors.
The Citadel Location- Classified
Buffy and Dawn sat relaxed in their chairs after their meal. Dawn looked at her older sister and pointed at the empty tray, "I told you that you would eat the entire pie. To think you had resigned yourself to just sitting in that chair all day." Buffy release a breath, "You were right, lunch was a good idea." The sisters chuckled as a chime sounded indicating a communication. "Now hear this, Captain Summers, Doctor Summers; report to operations immediately." Buffy rolled her eyes, "At least they waited for us to finish eating this time."
A few minutes later the sisters stepped out of the turbolift onto the bustling Operations deck of the Citadel. Dawn reached out and grabbed an Andorian ensign that was rushing by, "We were summoned?" She watched the antennae on his head twist and turn as he changed his focus to her, "Yes Doctor, in the admiral's office." Dawn released the young Andorian and the pair made their way to the office that sat next to Buffy's rarely used office door. The doors immediately parted with their customary swoosh as they stepped into the empty office. Buffy felt a tear sting her eye as she looked at the pictures that adorned the wall. The friends… no family they had lost over the years; Giles, Xander, Faith, Tara, and many others all the way to their most recent. Kayla Detmer was one of the best pilots Buffy had ever seen and she had been a friend during her brief time with them. She left them to get a chance to pilot the Shenzhou although she returned briefly after the war with the Klingons for medical treatment. It was a sad day throughout when everyone learned that she had been killed in the incident that destroyed the U.S.S. Discovery.
Another door opened and a familiar form walked into the room. Admiral Willow Rosenberg was as old as Buffy, but since it was magic that slowed her aging she appeared to be thirty or forty years older than the Summers sisters. "Hey Will, what's the sitch?" Buffy asked slipping into their old friendly banter. Willow's eyes lit up at seeing the sisters. After so long together they were family in every sense of the word, "Hey Buff, Dawnie. We have a problem with a ship." Buffy sighed. She hated being sent to ships. She much preferred to be sent to planets where she could beam down, find the threat, get her slay on, and beam out. Ships meant pretending, cover stories, following rules, capturing instead of slaying, and worst of all paperwork."
"Send Spike," she said hoping to get out of it. Willow shrugged, "He's on Risa." Buffy knew that of course. Since Spike learned that the Risen sun didn't burn vampires he was there as often as possible. "Fiiine," Buffy said with a pout. Where are we going?" Willow handed them both a PADD and Dawn sputtered, "The Enterprise?" Willow nodded. Looks like they picked up a stow away of the vampy kind."
Three hours later Buffy found herself back in her chair as the rest of the command crew filtered in. Buffy looked at her first officer Jason Hernandez, "Let's hope those new phasers don't misfire." He simply nodded as he took his station next to the help, "I hope not. We haven't tested them yet. Her Andorian helmsman Lieutenant Ivitta Zh'Rhitrith was next to follow, "Everyone is onboard Captain. We're ready to go." Buffy nodded and hit the comm control on her chair, "All hands this is the captain. We've received reports of a vampire using the U.S.S. Enterprise as a feeding ground. This should hopefully be a quick and easy extraction, but we're dealing with a high profile vessel. Discretion is key here."
She closed the channel. "Take us out."
The blue skinned woman's hands flew across her console. "Moorings retracted, docking clamps released. We're free to go." Buffy nodded at the efficiency of her crew which was easy since it was so small. "Bridge to Engineering. Commander Criia are the engines ready?" The comm crackled a bit before a purring voice came across the bridge, "Aye Captain. Ready for warp at you command."
"Thank you," Buffy said as she closed the channel. "Helm set course Gamma 837 mark 035; maximum warp."
"Aye Captain."
Buffy settled into her command chair, "Put the petal to the metal."
With that the ship moved forward until the stars were streaking past as her tiny ship broke the warp barrier.
A/N: I'm thinking about a series of short stories maybe 3 to 5 chapters each. possibly intersecting with different shows. Like always Only the original Characters belong to me.
