Prologue

STARDATE 5712.1

The USS Wolverine, a DERF class tender, cruised along at warp speed. Derf class tenders had smaller hulls than the standard Starfleet saucers, and it had no secondary hull. Tenders rather had a large section immediately under the saucer where most of the engineering, support and shuttle bay was. It's two warp engines stuck above the whole structure in close proximity with each other. This type of nacelle Starfleet used was coming to a 40 year ending. A new type of warp engine coming online promised more power, greater efficiency, and greater reliability, and the first ship to use the new type is the Enterprise, now in drydock.

Captain Joshua Jacobs turned from the viewing port where one could look at the nacelle and see the lightshow on the dome in front. It was mesmerizing, but duties required him elsewhere. He stepped into the nearest turbolift and twisting the handle said "Bridge." The turbolift started humming as it proceeded to the bridge. These moments of quiet in the turbolift are good for moments of "intense relaxation." He smirked at the thought of that family saying. He had an interesting ancestry, that was for sure.

The turbolift doors opened and he looked out on the bridge. Lt. Johnson, who was sitting in the center seat, turned "Captain on the bridge." And stood to hand over the captain's chair.

"As you were Lt. Johnson, status?"

"We are currently four days from Starbase 12. All cargo and buoys are still secured and safe."

Joshua looked around the old-style bridge. Everything appeared to be normal. "Very well, I'll be in engineering if you need me."

ENGINEERING

USS WOLVERINE

Jacobs looked over the buoy that Simmons was working on. "Have you determined what went wrong?"

"Yes, it appears that a burst of radiation literally burned out the memory of the core. It should be able to be replaced then back in service in no time. I think we could have even have done it if Starfleet gave us some time." Simmons stood up from the hatch.

Jacobs walked back to the table and grabbed his coffee. "Good, are you going to miss this old tub?"

Simmons walked over to the table and grabbed his coffee "A little, but I'm looking forward to XO on the Christopher Pike. The other officers are grateful for the good word you put in for them. They all landed good spots. What about you?"

"Captain of a tender for four years doesn't rate that much. I might have done better being an XO on a larger vessel." Jacobs sipped his coffee.

Simmons chuckled "You don't think that, otherwise you never would have taken this post. Truth is, you've done a great job training kids right out of the academy. Everyone wants to get posted to a cruiser, namely the Enterprise, but those slots are highly competed for. Tending may not be a glamorous job, but you've been a good Captain and I believe Starfleet does recognize that."

"Well, I get what I get. Even if I go to be an XO for a while. What about the decommissioning party?"

"It's all done. You'll be in for a surprise."

BRIDGE

USS WOLVERINE

STARBASE 12 SPACEDOCK

Captain Joshua Jacobs looked around the bridge of the USS Wolverine for the last time. The ship was shut down and he was now alone on the bridge. Strange, the feeling of attachment to an inanimate object that he had. It was a sad time to have to decommission his first command. He walked over to the Helm and pressed a button, and the viewscreen shut down. It was time to get to the decommissioning ceremony down in the shuttlebay.

Stepping off the turbolift, Jacobs walked the short distance to the shuttlebay doors. Stepping through them, he met up with the decommissioning party. Admiral Kirk looked at him, "She was a good ship. You are a good Captain."

Josh nodded, and they walked to the platform for the ceremony. Once they got up to the platform the Federation's anthem started playing. All turned to the flag and rendered honors. The ceremony started with the ship's chaplain giving the invocation.

Josh was thinking about the family that formed around the ship. Admiral Kirk started talking about the Wolverine's accomplishments. Josh was thinking that a tender's accomplishments are rather mundane, too bad the ship's best accomplishment has been labeled 'top secret' by Starfleet. Kirk started talking about the crew and the high marks that they accomplished. No argument there, he had a wonderful crew. Kirk finished and turned to him "Captain."

Jacobs walked up and took out his orders. Events like this ceremony still warrant old-fashioned paper. Unfolding it at the podium, Jacobs read the Orders, "Captain Jacobs, you are hereby ordered to proceed with the decommissioning of USS Wolverine."

Folding them back he turned to Simmons "Mr. Simmons, as Executive Officer, make preparations to decommission USS Wolverine."

The decommissioning ceremony went on rather mundanely and somberly, as they usually do. Finally, when the ship's commissioning pennant was hoisted down from the ceiling, it was presented to Captain Jacobs.

Captain Jacobs took the pennant, waited for the others to step down the plank, then he was the last off the ship. He was fighting back his tears as people came up to congratulate his successful command. Kirk turned toward him "Josh, you did a good job with Wolverine. I really don't know what you are going through, Enterprise is still flying at this time."

Jacobs nodded, lost in thought. "Admiral, you're invited to our party, talk to Simmons, he knows all the details."

Kirk smirked at that "I wouldn't miss it for anything, Commander. I'm going to have to call you by your rank now."

"Yes sir, these things happen."

The party was in full blow when former Captain Joshua Jacobs showed up. As soon as he stepped in the room, everyone cheered. Lots of kidding around and backslapping and yelling over the loud music. Simmons saw him "Josh, over here. I got your root beer waiting!"

Josh smiled and wandered over, mixing with his former crew. "Troy, you still smell like grease. Starfleet should declare you toxic waste!" Simmons was simply the best XO he could hope to have, as well as a great engineer.

"Yeah, well, you know we don't have fighters anymore, so I don't know what is going to happen to an old fighter jock, who probably didn't know how to fly anyway." The two friends chinked mugs.

Ben Grimm, weapons officer, joined in his Brooklyn accent "You know that Starfleet says fighters aren't useful anymore. I think they are going to retire your 40 year old hide."

Josh smiled "At least I can shoot straight. What are you going to do?"

"I hear that Starbase 6 is installing crossbows and need some help" They laughed.

Admiral Kirk wandered in and joined the crowd. "Can it get louder in here?"

The three officers stood "What will you have Admiral?" Josh asked.

"As you were, tonight's your night. Enterprise parties never got this rowdy!"

Grimm chimed in "Well, most of us were together for the entire 4 years. And there was only a hundred of us in close quarters. You get to know people during that time!"

Simmons looked over to Kirk "I heard you, McCoy, and Scott knew how to have a good time"

Kirk nodded "Yes, we did. I managed to keep them together. Josh, of all my pupils, you were the best."

"Thank you, sir. I had good instruction. I also had a good crew with me, best in the fleet." The officers cheered once again for that.

Kirk thought a minute "You've done a good job with the cadets we've sent; they've gotten high marks going to the rest of the fleet. Your officers have a good reputation and stayed with you, each having a chance to re-up with you at least once. That too is a good mark of leadership. You've done them all well."

"I'll try sir, wherever Starfleet sends me. Your office keeps delaying my inquiries. What are you going to have me do?"

Kirk smirked "We've held back long enough. Commander Simmons, I think it is time."

"Aye Aye sir." Simmons stood up and let loose a shrill whistle. "Attention on deck. Make preparations!"

Suddenly the crowd stopped moving, turned, and quickly set up a makeshift podium on one side of the hall. Ben Grimm and Troy Simmons grabbed Josh and pulled him to the "podium." Josh was wondering what was going on, thinking that they were going to make him give one of those going-away speeches.

Kirk stood across from Jacobs, the crew of the former Wolverine fell quiet. "I have orders here for Commander Joshua Jacobs as well as amended orders for XO Troy Simmons, formerly of the Wolverine. We'll do this next week in my office officially, but now's the time to do this."

Joshua was trying to figure this out. Ok, he's been had, some practical joke is about to come down. A couple of his ensigns wheeled in a covered board or something next to Kirk. Troy did a double take; this wasn't part of the surprise.

Kirk grabbed a corner of the cover and said "Official Language aside, Josh, I'm promoting you to the rank of Captain, and appointing you as Commanding Officer of the USS Wisconsin! Troy, you are being promoted to full commander and assigned as CO of the Destroyer Christopher Pike." With that he pulled off the cover and revealed a painting of an Enterprise Class ship and a new destroyer with over-under warp nacelles. "Laying of the keel of both ships is scheduled next week at Earth. Be prepared for the two hardest years of your life building these ships!" The crowd erupted and Joshua and Troy couldn't believe it.