HALF SAVAGE – A Stars Ablaze Story
Admiral's Log, Stardate 49532.50:
In the following months since our first contact with Naboo, the Enterprise has been charged with making first contact with over a dozen Republic worlds that have heard of us. First contact was formally made with the Galactic Republic in the wake of the war on Naboo. Plans have been made to establish a Federation embassy on the planet Coruscant, the capital of the Galactic Republic and Starfleet Diplomatic Corps has expressed an interest in opening similar consulates on a dozen worlds affiliated with the Republic, including Naboo. The lists of planets we making contact with a many and almost to the point I feel that the crew should be in dress uniform nearly at all times.
So far, we've made first contact with the planets Alderaan, Mandalore, Chandrila, Corelia, and few more of the Inner Rim planets. We are now making our first trip into the Outer Rim to make contact with the planet Pantora in the Sujimis sector. Traveling with us is none other than the first commanding officer of the Enterprise, Commodore Robert April.
Eng Log
Skyriver Galaxy
USS Enterprise
Admiral's quarters
Kirk closed the log file and leaned back in the chair at his desk. To say he had been busy the last few months had been an understatement. Thanks to working with the droid R2-D2, a permanent wormhole had been created to allow safe travel between the two universes and so far, it has been all everyone has been talking about these days for both sides.
A new universe.
A new galaxy.
On the Milky Way side, it was a chance to explore an entirely new universe. Of course, as the flagship of the Federation fleet, the Enterprise was at the forefront of exploration and making first contact with many of the worlds that had heard about them. It was in no small part thanks to Queen Amidala and Naboo's own relationship with several planets that were the first to request opening a dialogue with the Federation, not the Trade Federation, but the one that had helped save Naboo.
There was a major distinction between the two and a somewhat ironic humor what one thought about it.
Of course, the price of fame comes with unwanted attention as he knew the Trade Federation representatives were launching complaints about him and his 'blatant' interference in settling a mere 'trade dispute' by crippling three of their ships and disabling their entire droid army…
Embarrassingly simple, he might add.
A chime was heard from his door which he answered. "Come."
The door opened to reveal the first commanding officer of the Enterprise himself, Commodore Robert April.
Though now in his eighties, Robert April remained a physically fit man and carried himself with the experience and grace of a commanding officer. During the early 2240s, April oversaw the construction of components for the Enterprise at the San Francisco Navy Yards before taking command of her himself. Kirk had the privilege of meeting Robert before when he along with his wife, Sarah, were being transported to Babel aboard the Enterprise, where April would retire from Starfleet. During his trip, the Aprils, along with his crew would encounter Karla Five and her reverse universe.
That encounter would cause everyone to age backwards, including April and Sarah. Following this incident, exceptional circumstances made Starfleet consider his appeal to have his mandatory retirement rescinded. By 2256, April was one of Starfleet's most decorated captains, ranked among other legends such as Jonathan Archer, Matthew Decker, Philippa Georgiou and Kirk's own predecessor Christopher Pike.
"Am I interrupting?" Robert asked knowingly.
"Of course not, Bob. Come in." Kirk gestured with a smile.
Where Kirk's closest friends call him Jim, Robert allowed those closest to him to call him 'Bob'. A loose formality between captains of the Enterprise, and Kirk remembered when Captain Pike asked to be called 'Chris'.
"I take it you were finishing your log on your newest mission." Robert surmised as he sat down. "You've been very busy these last few months."
"No busier than you and the other ambassadors have been." Kirk replied with a smile. "One day and we're already celebrities in this new galaxy. People are crying out everywhere to look at the new humans and their strange new galaxy."
"Well, someone must truly hate the both of us for this to happen." Robert said with a smile of his own. "I almost wish that Starfleet hadn't reconsidered my mandatory retirement. For the last month, this ship has been couriering ambassadors back and forth between galaxies, meeting with all the new planets that have heard of us. I can't imagine what it's like for you, Jim."
"Well, it's reached the point where I think I have to make it mandatory to wear dress uniforms at all times." Kirk admitted with a tired smile.
"Ah." Robert nodded. "So, you've been made commodore without the promotion. Only you, Jim."
"Oh, believe me, I wondered what I possibly could have done to deserve that." Kirk sighed, leaning back in his chair. "So many planets wanting to know about us, open trade because of one thing we did or another reason altogether."
"Well, it's not like you couldn't have seen this coming." Robert stated, making Kirk look at him. "You and I both know that since the days of Jonathan Archer, the worst things have always happened to ships called Enterprise."
"Oh, I know…But so do the best things." Kirk countered.
"True." Robert nodded. "The only downside is that it barely leaves time for family."
"Speaking of, how is Sarah doing?" Kirk asked. "I know she couldn't make it through the wormhole."
"She is fine, waiting for me to come back, but fine." Robert sighed. "She would have liked to come but she couldn't pass up on studying the new medicines being imported from Naboo."
Doctor Sarah April served as the first chief medical officer aboard the USS Enterprise, under the command of her husband, Captain Robert April, from 2245 to 2250. As Enterprise's CMO, Dr. April was something of a pioneer, designing a number of new procedures and medical instruments, largely out of her own necessity. As of 2270, many of her innovations were still used in starship sickbays. She and her husband were traveling to Babel for the Ambassador-at-Large's retirement party when a ship was flying into the Beta Niobe supernova at warp 36.
Upon the Enterprise's entry through the supernova, she was also the first to notice the strange time-reversing properties of the reverse universe; her Capellan flower, which only moments before had been dying, had bloomed anew. When she, Robert, and the crew of the Enterprise found themselves growing biologically younger, she looked after the 'children' while Robert took command of the ship once more. After returning to their universe again, she expressed a desire to live her life over again, but Robert talked her out of it, saying that such a chance was an opportunity for those whose lives were unfulfilled. He didn't believe they could possibly improve on what they had already been to each other, to which she agreed.
"Right, the bacta and kolto samples that were given to us in our trade with Naboo." Kirk recalled. "Has Sarah made any progress in that area?"
"Some." Robert conceded.
"But not much?"
"Not as much as she would like." Robert stated. "In her mind, creating a synthesized version of both medicines would be a boon for Starfleet."
From what Kirk had read, Bacta was an organic chemical substance that consisted of gelatinous, translucent red alazhi and kavam bacterial particles that were mixed within a colorless, viscous fluid known as ambori. When a patient was exposed to bacta, the bacterial particles within sought out wounds and promoted rapid tissue regeneration while preventing the emergence of scar tissue. Kolto, on the other hand, was a liquid known for its healing abilities. It was found in the water of the oceanic planet Manaan, with a significant concentration near the Hrakert Rift along with other underwater chasms. It was considered a valuable commodity, but its significance was lost over time, being replaced in favor of Bacta.
"The fact is most civilizations rely on this Bacta for medical use to the point that almost no other forms of medical technology exists." Robert stated.
"Bones mentioned that to me some time ago. He didn't really consider sitting in a tube full of a strange liquid to be medicinally ethical." Kirk mentioned with a small smile. "So, we have to believe that outside of Bacta and Kolto no other form medical science exists."
"Well, they are ahead of us in cybernetics, given their ability to create prosthetics that can look and feel real with synthetic skin." Robert pointed out. "They don't seem to bother trying to clone organic parts for replacing any lost limbs, suggesting they aren't experienced in genetic engineering as what we have seen. What they used for any burns or radiation treatment is somewhat crude but effective. It's hard to believe that for a galactic civilization spanning an entire galaxy and is older than the Federation to not be as advanced as us in almost all fields outsides of FTL. I mean, they still use electrical currents as a power distribution system instead of Electro-Plasma."
"Spock had a theory for that. He believes that since hyperdrive allowed the space faring races of this galaxy to instantly explore every part of their galaxy aside from the Unknown Regions, there has been no need to explore." Kirk stated. "It does feel like there has been a form of stagnation that has lasted for a thousand years."
"So, they have an FTL superior to even transwarp and they had no reason to advance?" Robert raised an eyebrow. "Given all the wars I've read in their ancient history I can't imagine if any advancements were made and lost in those times. You took on three warships at Naboo."
"Well, apparently they were warships modified from cargo haulers and they functioned more as carrier than actual warships." Kirk admitted with a shrug. "And we didn't really outgun them as much as we overloaded their computer system."
"Still, that's something we could never pull off with the Klingons or the Romulans." Robert pointed out. "I imagine the reason we've so busy is because of not only the fact we're from a new galaxy, but how powerful we must seem. Speaking of, you have read up on this new system we're approaching. The Pantora system?"
Kirk nodded. "Yes. The civilization is located actually on a moon instead of the main planet."
"Really?" Robert raised an eyebrow. "That's little new."
"The moon orbits an ice planet called Orto Plutonia." Kirk answered.
"Sounds close enough that it might be considered the Pluto of this universe." Robert smiled. "I can only imagine what someone from twenty first century Earth would have to say about that."
The time period Robert was referring to was around the time when humanity decided to classify Pluto as a dwarf or minor planet instead of an actual planet which led to a great deal of criticism and arguments. Following the foundation of the United Federation of Planets, Pluto was reclassified as a C-class planet given its atmosphere.
"The population is humanoid, but their skin is colored blue, and they seem to have a greater resistance to cold temperatures than humans." Kirk continued. "Their government is democratic, and they are a proud, independent race with feudal traditions so we're not sure if they are considering forming relations with us. Given what we've learned from the Queen of Naboo, who actually has established good relations with the Pantorans, their government is an assembly led by a Speaker who balances the power of the chief executive officer, the Chairman."
"How did they reach out to us?" Robert asked.
"Queen Amidala was contacted by a Pantoran senator who seemingly was asked by the assembly to make contact with us." Kirk answered. "Ambassador Sarek had to be called back home to meet with the Legarans for the first time."
"And so, they asked me to fill in for him." Robert surmised with a small smile. "Well, far be it for me to not try and measure up to Sarek of Vulcan."
Kirk smiled back. "Trust me, it's not that easy. Why do I think I was insistent on having a Vulcan as my science officer before Spock rejoined Starfleet?"
"Good point." Robert admitted and they both shared a small chuckle.