Paint and Powder
A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon
DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.
Jenolan: Relics 2
By jhmoser
2294, USS Jenolan
Jenolan dreamed.
2255, USS Janissary, MACO Troop Ship
"Yo! Janissary!"
The hallway was dimly lit, shrouding the numerous bunks built into the walls in twilight. The bunks were stacked three high, with recessed rungs giving access to the upper bunks. On each bed lay a humanoid figure. The odd snore could be heard.
On a wall-mounted viewscreen, the image of a young woman appeared. "Yes, Gunny?"
MACO Gunnery Sergeant Matthews grinned as he chewed on his non-regulation cigar. "Wake 'em up!"
The blaring sound of reveille filled the corridor, and the lights went to full illumination. Shouts filled the air, followed by a few cries of pain as heads violently collided with ceilings.
Matthews began to pull people out of bed if they were not moving fast enough for him. "All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the Corps! A day in the MACOs is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet! Every formation a parade! I love the Corps!"
Some groans greeted his enthusiasm, but he and his cadre soon had their charges standing in front of their bunks. Some shifted uncomfortably as their bare feet registered the cold of the floors.
"Corporal Paxton, let these sweethearts know what they've won today."
The grim-faced corporal next to Gunny nodded. "Yes, Gunny. We're about to enter Gamma Draconis. It was an Ag Colony before the Klingons moved in. Fleet has negated their orbital assets, so we're mopping them up on the ground."
Gunnery Sergeant Matthews removed his cigar (unlit of course) and looked at his soldiers. Most of them were fresh out of boot, he knew, but attitude was everything. "All right, sweethearts, you're a team and there's nothing to worry about. We come here, and we gonna conquer, and we gonna kick some, is that understood? That's what we gonna do, sweethearts, we are going to go and get some. All right, people, on the ready line! Are ya lean?"
"Yeah!" the MACOs shouted back.
"Are ya mean?"
"YEAH!"
"WHAT ARE YOU?!"
"LEAN AND MEAN!"
"Get on the ready line, MACOs, get some today! Move it out, goddammit! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven! Aaarrrrr, absolutely badassess! Let's pack 'em in! Get in there!"
The MACOs grabbed their gear and hurried toward the drop ships.
"Good luck, Gunny," Janissary said.
Matthews gave her a smile and wink. "MACOs don't need luck, Jan. We've got talent!"
2295, USS Jenolan
"I'm sorry Captain," Jenolan said, after waking Captain Scott. "It's been too long. I don't believe anyone got our message."
"Och, don't worry lass," Scotty said, tinkering with the transporter console while Franklin tried to get comfortable. "Starfleet won't let us down. It may take a while, but I've got some good friends out there."
"Yeah," Franklin said. "Captain Kirk and his crew would never let Captain Scott just disappear."
Scotty frowned for a second, then beamed a smile at the young man. "That's right. He'll get the old Enterprise out of mothballs to find us, don't you worry, lad." He then moved closer to the young man. "How's the leg, lad?"
"Hurts," the boy said.
"OK, the transporter is working just fine, so let's get you back in there."
Franklin just nodded. Soon, he disappeared in a golden flutter of energy.
"Are they coming, Scotty?" Jenolan asked.
"Oh, lass… I hope so, but space is big and we were far off our course. I also… well, I did nae tell anyone I was coming on board ye."
"But Captain Kirk…"
"We lost him," Scotty said. "He died on the Enterprise-B the day she launched."
"What? I didn't hear about that!"
"Hushed up… they didn't want his death to be forever linked with the flagship. They were going to announce it in a few months that he passed away suddenly." The old engineer almost spat on the floor, but stopped himself. "Bunch of worthless cowards, but what could we do?"
"So Enterprise is not riding to our rescue?"
Now Scotty grinned at her. "Oh, don't count the lass out yet. Take it from me, the old miracle-worker!"
Jenolan smiled back, though it was not as fierce as his. Soon, he was back in the transporter buffer.
Jenolan dreamed.
2267, USS Janissary
"What?" Janissary exclaimed. Her bridge holo-avatar was trembling with emotion, but she could not tell if it was rage or anguish.
Captain William Hope just shook his head in disbelief. "We're at peace," he said. "The inhabitants of Organia apparently are omnipotent energy beings and they just declared that we don't get to fight today."
Jannisary reached out with her sensors. Two fleets facing each other had been rendered utterly impotent.
She got a Borderlands request and answered it. Her superior, Veracruz, appeared before her.
"New orders are coming down, Jan," the one-eyed avatar of the USS Veracruz told her. "We're withdrawing. The diplomats are going to confer with the Organians and Klingons on how this 'peace treaty' is going to work."
"And that's it?" Janissary spat. "We just let those bastards walk away? They killed so many in the last war, Boss. Matthews, Paxton, Biehn… all dead! This was my chance—"
Veracruz was suddenly in her face. "For what? Revenge? You're a soldier, Jan, not a damn glory hound or kamikaze! You follow orders! Got me?"
The two matched gazes for a long moment, then Janissary looked away. "I'm—"
"Save it," Veracruz said, though her tone softened. "I understand. We've all lost good people to the Klingons. When we get back, you should request some time at Memory Alpha."
"Is that an order, Boss?"
"It's a suggestion, Jan."
2344, USS Jenolan
Jenolan awoke on schedule. It had been 50 years since they had crashed. At first, she had brought Scotty and Matt out every few months, then years, and now decades were passing between awakenings. As long as the buffer remained stable, there was no point in depressing them with the passage of time. She had even changed her chronometer displays, so they only thought a few years had passed. (Though Scotty might have his suspicions.)
But now it was the 50th anniversary of their crash, and still no rescue. No one knew where they were. No one was coming for them.
She had to keep it together for her crew, but she had not felt like this since her days in Memory Alpha. The mental exercises she had learned back then helped keep the phantoms at bay, but they threatened her every waking moment.
It was easier to sleep. To dream.
2274, Earth Space Dock, Borderlands
"You sure about this, Jan?" Veracruz asked.
The former avatar of the USS Janissary nodded. "They've retired the old troop ships, Boss. They've got no use for an old warhorse like me."
"But the transport services?" Veracruz looked aghast at the thought.
"It's not that different," Janissary said. "Moving people and things across vast reaches of space, not enough support to fix everything, and little respect from the Fleeters."
Veracruz chuckled at that. "I suppose you're right."
"What will you do, Boss?"
"Oh, I've got some rods in the fire," Veracruz said innocently.
"Boss…"
"Don't worry, it won't make the headlines on FNN."
"That's what you always say," Janissary said with a sigh.
"So, what's the name of the new hull? Or are you keeping Janissary?"
Janissary shook her head. "No, I think I need a fresh start. It's called the Jenolan."
2369, USS Jenolan
Jenolan stirred to wakefulness. Something had brought her out of hibernation. What was it?
"—repeat, this is the USS Enterprise. Jenolan, are you there?
Jenolan reached out through the Borderlands and then collapsed, weeping, in Enterprise's arms. "You came at last! I didn't believe him, but he was right. You came!"
"Believe who?" Enterprise asked.
Author's Note: A little history for Jenolan that I whipped up with AndrewJTalon's approval. I stole some things from Aliens, of course, and I couldn't resist another explanation for Scotty saying that Kirk was alive in Relics.
Author's Note: Yes, I edited up the date at the end.