Star Trek: Enterprise.
Here We Stand.
Chapter 1:
A New Arrival
David Clarke found himself standing in a brilliant white room that stretched on eternally in every direction. He knew precisely where he was even with the vast stretch of open white space; he knew exactly what was going on.
"Q?" he called out; he didn't shout so much as raise his voice he knew even that was unnecessary as he was probably just invisible so he could jump out at him and try to make him jump.
"your Majesty" he appeared in a flash bowing lowly, he dressed in a uniform reminiscent to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph von Hapsburg bald head, and walrus moustache included.
"Nice to see you Q," he said, smiling "how're you doing."
"I am well" he smiled "but I have a job for you."
"Another one."
"well, I left the prime you to deal with the Vorlons and the Shadows" David raised an eyebrow.
"did you just clone me?"
"yes," he said plainly as if he was talking about something as benign as the weather.
"ok," David took a breath "why did you clone me."
"Well, I was playing around with Jean Luc, and an idea struck me."
"did it hurt?" the omnipotent being paused for a second before bursting into a laugh that seemed very genuine.
"your quick, I hope that you keep that smile in the Imperium."
"Nope," he raised his hands "oh Find me in the alps, I am out, no way in hell am I heading to that death dimension, not for all the universe, God himself could come down and ask, and I'd tell him to jog on."
"ok, I was just joking calm down."
"hell no." David began to walk away into the vast space. "that isn't funny man, no one in their right mind would want to go there." Q appeared in front of him again
"ok, it was just a joke besides I need you for something more fun." David stopped mid-step.
"Ok, what do you need."
"those temporal idiots are messing with the timeline too much, so I'm locking them all out. I need you to get humanity back on track, and maybe more, they've delayed the launching of the NX-01 so I have delayed the Klingon Mission as long as I can without causing severe damage to the timeline, I have done all I can to mitigate the damage." He said covering both of them in white light changing their clothes to United Space Probe Agency uniforms. "I'm going to be sending you in to clean up the mess."
"ok, any specifics?"
"yes, I'm sending you in six months before what would have been the start of the mission," he said handing David a pad, "your job is to get the NX-01 fighting fit and ready to go in that timeline." David scrolled through the pad.
"they were messing with the supply chain?"
"yes, and the engineering crews, they have also been meddling win the quality control and the chemical makeup of the metals and materials in the hull." Said Q "they tried to make it appear as real as possible as if the engineering corps of the Star Fleet was at fault to hide their involvement."
"to what end?"
"Archer, even being as big a naive idiot that he was, made some good impressions on the Klingons. impressions that were favourable enough that it allowed them to build a favourable impression of humanity that they trusted the federation enough to reach out after the Praxis incident."
"so, by delaying the NX."
"there setting up the Klingon Federation war that would lead into a future bleaker than the Yesterday's Enterprise timeline." He said gravely "this would lead to total dominion victory over the Alpha quadrant and a total Borg victory around two centuries later."
"so, the Klingons are responsible?"
"no, it's the Romulans," he said, "they are working with elements of the Cardassian Obsidian Order." He said, looking David in the eye. "they are acting through a distorted and short-sighted lens, believing that without the federation, they would fill the vacuum."
"I see, what am I allowed to keep technology-wise."
"All of it, you're going to need it to keep the NX functioning."
"you want me to be crew?"
"I want you to make sure that everything goes smoothly."
"Alright, I'll do it."
"Excellent." He smiled, snapping his fingers. He felt a sharp stabbing pain in his head before it quickly went away along with the bright flash that indicated Q had told the laws of reality to do the other one.
The light blinded David for a moment combining with the pain it took a few minutes before his eyes cleared. He found himself standing looking at the San Francisco skylight from Star Fleet Head Quarters.
The sun was cresting tip of the hills behind the famous red bridge of San Francisco bay. Chasing the stars from the sky as dawn arose. The pain of Q's flash ebbed away quickly as his mind adjusted to the new memories of his host, and he merged. Then he looked up and saw something that was magnificent. He was truly here; being able to take in the authentic feel of being here was a dream come true. Just the warmth and the light seeing cadets and officers walking around and it not being locked behind a screen out of reach was electrifying in a way that was hard to describe.
The man he had fused with was a Lieutenant Commander in Star Fleet. He had was a contemporary of Malcolm Reed being in the same graduating class and both serving with Star Fleet Intelligence. He was tall around six feet six and built thick strong. He was in the standard fleet blue uniform with red operations stripes on his shoulders with three pips two entirely silver and the last an empty squire.
He had his graduation ring on his right hand and a metallic swagger stick that he carried tucked tightly under his right arm, he would have fun doing something with the inanimate object later.
"LCDR Smith?" The voice stammered out behind him, in this life his name was Horatio Endeavour Smith, and he had a reputation that proceeded him. A reputation for being the hardest hard-arse in the fleet and not one to cross, mainly because he was initially in MACO command and transferred over to fleet security. He turned to face the person that called to him.
He was a young man, his accent placed him from Canada, and his demeanour was one of pure nervous energy.
"yes?" he said the thick Welsh accent calmly making him seem as though he was furious, the twitching of his moustache didn't alleviate this fear, this made the young man even more nervous.
"Admiral Forrest is ready for you now." he turned with a grace that belied his large frame and faced the young officer.
"Sir," he said, looking the younger officer in the eye who looked confused before he backtracked.
"Sir, Admiral Forrest is ready for you now, sir."
"thank you, ensign," the younger officer turned to the door and walked through the doors Horatio followed behind him into the building. The corridors had very few people walking around though he did spot the occasional Vulcan being escorted around the building and wondered how many of them are Romulans.
The doors to the Admirals office opened with a hydraulic hiss, he nodded to the junior officer and made his way inside. The Admirals office overlooked the bay and had a view that in the past, people paid tens of millions of dollars to have.
He sat behind a mahogany desk with Ambassador Soval sitting across from him. He was wearing his duty uniform the black two-piece version of standard Star Fleet uniform in black with silver and maroon shoulder piping and six pips three on each shoulder, the silver contrasting heavily on the black. He had a plain white shirt, and black tie visible as his jacket isn't fastened to the top.
"Admiral Forest." He said getting the man's attention "LCDR Smith reporting as ordered sir" he was standing at ridged attention something that he had never had to do in either of his lives.
"LCDR." He acknowledged "this is Ambassador Soval of the Vulcan High Command." The man had a thoroughly tamed main of silver-grey hair that had s few light brown streaks. His face was imperiously sharp with high cheekbones and chin. Draped in the Vulcan equivalent of formal silk robes that were vaguely reminiscent of Japanese ceremonial robes hybridised with a western suit.
"Ambassador" he nodded to the Vulcan who inclined his head gently.
"I understand sir that you made a special request for me."
"I have." He said, indicating to the seat by the Ambassador. "take a seat." He ordered, waiting patiently for Horatio to sit, but not long enough for his bum to meet the cushion of the seat entirely. "I take it you have heard about the issues we've run into on the NX project."
"Indeed, I have sir."
"did you receive the brief." the Admiral folded his hands together Infront of him interlocking his fingers.
"I have sir." Horatio nodded stiffly
"what do you think?" the curiosity in his voice was evident and the emotion while not offensive to the Ambassador, Horatio could tell that the Vulcan was uncomfortable. It wasn't a feeling he could put his finger on, but he felt that it was almost like there was a shift in him.
"what did you think?"
"I have seen similar instances many times before, sir," Horatio said reassuringly, the relief in the Admiral was palpable.
"you have LCDR Smith."
"Aye Sir!" he said his powerful voice making the Vulcan's sensitive ears twitch, "they have a nasty case of the Bone Idols sir and need a firm boot preferably up their posteriors sir." The Admiral had to stamp down on a smile quickly by letting out a quick cough and turned away.
"LCDR Smith that's enough," he said before turning to the Ambassador apologetically "I apologise Ambassador," said Ambassador nodded his head and lifted his hand.
"that is perfectly alright Admiral." He said his voice was very controlled as if he was at every word considering just what he was going to say. "We have been discussing the continued operation of the NX program and whether or not it should continue given the issues that are arising. it may be beyond your current capabilities to properly execute." He said quickly, and without any malice, Horatio considered for a moment that this was probably the decision the high command and not his own.
"Given the circumstances, I can understand sir." He answered, "but I think I can fix the issues here without the need to close the program down."
"you believe that you can help?"
"I do, I believe that I can get the NX-01 ready for launch within a year possibly seven months depending on the severity of the issues here." He said, turning from the Vulcan to his commanding officer. "That is if I can start immediately, sir."
"How would you start." Asked the Admiral "give me your plan and how you're going to execute it."
"With your permission sir, I would firstly like a Squad of security officers and scientists well versed in metallurgy to accompany me to the works that are making the metals for the hull and begin immediate action to put it right." He said placing the swagger stick onto the Admiral's desk. "Next, I will take a full review and accounting of the quality control both the individual members and the equipment used to scan it. Lastly, I would also like a squad of MACO's to take over security both within and without of the works."
"all doable so far." Acknowledged Admiral Forest, he didn't notice, but Soval also nodded along in taciturn approval of the plan. "but what about the issues at the Dock."
"once we have the issues planet side fixed, we can then fix the issues at the docks of which I believe would be the easiest to solve."
"Easiest to Solve?" inquired the Admiral "In what way?"
"a top-down restructuring, I believe would be unnecessary." He said as he mimed a line in the air with his hand. "I have identified what I believe is the issue."
"and that is?"
"what would have been termed the Middle management if this was a purely civilian dock." He pulled out the pad and handed it to the Admiral. Horatio had a full list of officers to replace that he prepared re-joining the man nothing if not an academic note taker. The Admiral swept up the pad and began to go through the list.
"What is this?"
"a list of names and possible motives that I want Star Fleet Security and Star Fleet Intelligence to look into." He replied "the ones highlighted in red are the most likely to want the program derailed even outright cancelled. The ones in amber being have political motivations a few have personal grudges with Archer Snr and his Engine." He then pointed over the pad to the list again reaching over the top of the device. "Others have issues with Archer Jr getting command and have people that served under them at the dock doing the construction. I would like every one of them investigated fully."
"This is a lot of names." Admiral Forest continued down the list the chirping pad and the speed in which his eyes danced over the information as he processed the list. "I don't want this to be an inquisition or god forbid like the show justice of the Post Atomic Horror."
"I can understand your trepidation Sir, but if it is an issue, we can ask our Vulcan allies for some of their intelligence and security officers as a joint operation."
"you would be comfortable working with Vulcans."
"Aye sir, I would." He said surprising the Admiral somewhat as not many Star Fleet Officers would work with the Vulcans given their lack of emotions could be unsettling for them. "because it's also in their best interest that the NX class makes it launch date."
"How so, in your opinion." The Admiral asked, looking over his shoulder to the Vulcan Ambassador who had raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
"as I understand it, sir, the Andorians are rattling their sabres, to use a human colloquialism, and should it devolve into war then the Vulcans could use a stable ally in this region to potentially reinforce them." The Vulcan nodded his head in understanding as Horatio turned to face him, then back to face the Admiral "Or act as an intermediary for peace that won't hold it over them for political capital like others would the Tellarites."
"Logical." Was the only thing the Vulcan Ambassador said
"would you be able to spare anyone to aid us in this endeavour Ambassador?" Asked the Admiral, the Ambassador stood and walked behind the desk so that he was on the Admirals right-hand side.
"I have two such agents available to me." He answered neutrally, reaching into his robes and pulling a data tablet from his sleeve. "Sub Commander T'Pol and second lieutenant Sonak." He said to the two humans. "both are experienced security officers, and both have an in-depth understanding in many fields of science, including metallurgy so they may be of great help."
"if that's all Sir I would like to get started immediately."
"Very well, Lieutenant Commander, you may begin as you have indicated." The admiral said, getting to his feet and holding out his hand. Horatio stood picking up and couching his swagger stick in a very quick easy motion. He then grasped the Admirals hand firmly and shook it, he then turned to the Ambassador and held out his hand. The Vulcan was used to humanity by this point and shook the offered hand careful not to damage the human as Vulcans strength vastly outclassed humans.
"I will Have Sub Commander T'Pol and second lieutenant Sonak meet you at the "works", as you phrase it, by 14:00."
"Good luck Lieutenant Commander, I'll let Security know you're on your way." Said Admiral Forest nodding slightly to him. "I want an initial report ASAP today." He said before retaking his seat, the Ambassador taking Horatio's seat in front of the Admiral.
"if everything goes smoothly sir, I'll have that report on your desk by 09:00 tomorrow sir." Horatio smiled then turned to leave. The doors whooshing closed behind him. When he was back outside, he took a deep breath steadying himself. The gardens at the Star Fleet Academe were breathtaking, and he was taking a moment to smell the roses literally. He didn't wait around too long he made his way to the Star Fleet Security building. Walking past junior officers and cadets who were jogging around the garden as part of their morning workouts and nodding to a few officers who he recognised from Horatio's memories.
Security HQ was a two-story building created in a more brutalist fashion than Star Fleet Command. It was originally a fallout shelter and had retained much of the reinforcement that such a building needs. It was ugly, and the Emblem of Star Fleet Security the colourful red gold blue and white colours clashed against its pail grey concrete exterior.
While the external style of the Security building was brutalist, the internals is quite elegant and tasteful. Looking more like the inside of an Old English hunting lodge or retreat, the floor was a darkly stained Oakwood and the reception desk was a much darker almost ebony wood desk. The officer behind the desk was completely captivated by the computer as he was tapping in some information.
He waited a moment before he gently coughed into his closed fist, getting the man's attention. He was of Southern American possibly Argentinian given his accent, he was an ensign and was in a very clean and pressed blue uniform with red piping.
"Good morning Sir." He said standing up at attention Horatio could tell that this young man had spent some time going through MACO training. He saluted the ensign with two fingers touching his temple. The young officer sat down his hands clasped waiting.
"Good morning." He replied to the ensign. "Admiral Forest was to let you know I was coming." The young man jumped into action going through the computer for a second before he found what he was looking for.
"yes sir." He said, turning from the computer back to him. "The Chief would like you to meet her immediately," he said, looking up at the officer.
"now?" he asked, looking at his watch up his sleeve, the swagger stick in his hand as he used his right index finger to draw up the cuff of his uniform.
"I'm sorry, sir. she did say immediately."
"wonderful." He sighed. "well, let's go see the Ex-wife."
