Pytheas 1x07 - Broken Bridges

[BrotherBenny]

Thanks guys, I wasn't sure how that would come off, whether it would be rushed or not. I'm glad it worked.

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Chapter Eighteen

USS Gibraltar
New Xindus
Stardate 55657.0 (August 28, 2378)

Captain Astar emerged from the turbolift just in time to see the Xindi fleet enter the system with the Skagaran ships a moment behind them. The combined fleet arrayed themselves around the planet, completely surrounding the Cha'lav cruiser.

'Open a channel to Lord Ashal.'

'Channel open, Captain,' Gonzales replied.

'Lord Ashal, your single cruiser is no match for the Xindi and Skagaran fleet. You have lost ships in both the Kursican sector and here in the Delphic Expanse, and I expect that the rogue Andorian currently leading the remainder of the Cha'lav fleet in the Delta Quadrant will shortly face yet another defeat. I would suggest retreat, in order to recover from your inflicted losses. My report to Starfleet Command and to our allies will be to destroy any Cha'lav vessel sighted anywhere in our territories. You have been warned. End transmission.'

Commander Epstein clapped his hands and the rest of the bridge crew followed suit. 'Congratulations, Captain. The look on his face was priceless.'

'Do you think he'll listen?' Gonzales asked as the viewscreen showed the cruiser vanish into a spatial rift.

'He's probably gone to warn zh'Malashan,' Parker said. 'Captain, since our mission in the Expanse is over, can we get back home? The Pytheas should be ready by now and we have some crew members to replace, and a killer to catch.'

'By all means,' Astar replied. 'Lieutenant Weston, set a course for Star Station Echo. It's time we dropped the Gibraltar back to her home base.'

'Aye sir, course laid in.'

'Take us home, full impulse until we leave the system and then warp six.'

As the Constitution-class starship left orbit and went to full impulse, the Xindi starships entered orbit, all but one. Gonzales watched as it rushed ahead of them and jumped to warp while still in the system.

'Sir, where was that ship going?'

'I have no idea, Commander, but it's none of our business.'

'Aye sir, we're receiving an incoming message from Andor. Lieutenant Talen is asking for us to pick him up on the way home.'

Astar smiled. 'Tell him we're still a ways out yet and we might be delayed, suggest he continue his extended leave.'

'Yes sir, sending now.'

'Captain, might I have a word with you in private?' Logan asked.

'Commander Epstein, you have the bridge,' Astar answered and beckoned her fellow captain into her ready room at the rear of the bridge.

'I'd like you to put Lieutenant Commander Gonzales on report.'

'On what grounds?'

'Insubordination, reckless behaviour, conduct unbecoming, you name it.'

'All of which are court-martial offences, and you have more seniority than I have, why don't you put her on report?' Astar asked in return.

Logan sighed. 'I'm an observer on this mission, Captain. I have no standing to put her on report.'

Astar leaned back. 'Why don't you explain that to me?'

'As soon as we got back to Earth and I was debriefed by Admiral Ranar, I was court-martialled for losing the starbase, much as any Captain is for losing a ship. It was deemed by the board that I didn't do enough to protect the starbase and the Kursican sector and I was found guilty of not protecting the people under my command. I've been officially stripped of rank, Captain. I'm not even a member of Starfleet anymore. Admiral Janeway asked that the sentence not be carried out until after this mission.'

'So what will you do when we get home?'

'I'll go back to my apartment, find my family and try and start afresh. I have plenty of time on my hands.'

Astar nodded. 'Submit your report and I'll make a determination as to whether Gonzales goes on report. Tell me what you think of Epstein.'

Surprised by the sudden change in direction, it took Logan a moment to catch up. 'I think he's a competent officer and quite frankly he should be in the regular fleet rather than the Border Service.'

'They need good officers as much as we do, Captain. Perhaps more so considering the areas of space they patrol.'

Logan nodded. 'If you'll excuse me, Captain. I'd like to make a start on finding my family.'

Astar smiled and waved her hand. No sooner had Logan left than the chime sounded. 'Come.'

'Captain,' Epstein entered. 'Could I speak with you on an urgent matter?'

'Go on.'

'I've been thinking about whether I want to stay in the Border Service, and I was hoping you could give me some advice.'

'Such as?'

'It is worth me transferring to the regular service, or should I take up the post of first officer on the Banshee when she's repaired?'

'What do you want to do?'

'I want to command my own ship some day, but I don't know whether I would be best served by doing so in the Border Service or the regular fleet.'

'You're an executive officer now, Isaac. One step away from commanding a ship of your own. There's no guarantee that you'd be afforded a lateral move into the regular fleet. It depends what spots are open, and while we need a lot of good officers, the Border Service needs them too. What's going to happen if all the officers in the Border Service decide to go into the regular fleet?'

Epstein saw where the conversation was heading. 'The Border Service would be nothing more than a collection of mothballed ships and the Federation's borders will become completely lawless.'

'I wasn't going to put it quite like that, but that is one possible outcome, extreme as it may be. The question you have to ask yourself is whether you want the billet on the Banshee?'

Epstein looked down for a long moment. 'Thank you, Captain. You've given me a lot to think about.'

'Not a problem. If it helps any, I've put a commendation in your file for your service to the Xindi and a recommendation that your suitability for the executive officer's billet on the Banshee is very high.'

'Thank you, Captain. That means a lot to me.'

 

[BrotherBenny]

Epilogue

USS Gibraltar
Star Station Echo
Stardate 55694.6 (September 11, 2378)

Captain Leza Astar looked up from her desk as the door chimed, and she granted entry, knowing it could be only one person. Admiral Morgan Bateson stepped into the ready room and planted himself in the chair opposite her before she could get up. He waved his hand to prevent her doing so and got straight to the point.

'Epstein is a good fit for the second chair?'

'He's a good fit for the first chair,' Astar replied as she put down the padd she was reading. 'He's a steady man with a good head and a good heart. He knows more than enough to take on the big chair and given the right situation he'll do fine.'

Bateson nodded. 'I thought so as well, but he'll be taking the exec's position on the Banshee for now. We'll see what happens in a few years. Onto the less palatable subjects now. The Banshee and several other ships will be going to the Kursican sector in about two to three weeks, with the Pytheas as escort. I have already assigned someone to take command of Star Station Kilo, as Starbase 535 has been redesignated. We had to almost completely gut the thing, but at least it's up to Starfleet specs now.'

'The Cha'lav did a number on it, and the ejection of the fusion core did not help matters at all,' Astar agreed.

'As you know, Captain Logan has already had his court-martial and he was found negligent. He elected to resign his commission rather than face dismissal, and Starfleet Command allowed him to do so. I have two guards posted outside waiting to take you into custody, Captain, for your own court-martial, which will be held on Earth in one week. The Pytheas will continue to be prepared for its mission to the Delta Quadrant and your new first officer will be taking the helm while your fate is decided.'

'Do I know him?' Astar interrupted.

Bateson scowled. 'I don't know who it is yet, nor do I know his or her gender, or species, and I will thank you not to interrupt me, Captain.'

'Apologies, Admiral.'

'Accepted. Once you get to Earth, Lieutenant Commander Gonzales will take temporary command until your new exec arrives. The Sawyer will be taking you all to Earth and it leaves in almost two hours, I expect you'll be ready by then?'

Astar nodded and touched her thumb print to the padd beside her. 'I have just finished my last report. I'm packed and ready to go.'

Bateson sighed. 'I tried to get them to hold the court-martial here, but apparently you have made a couple of enemies at Headquarters over the last six months and they want to see you hanged. Be careful.'

'Thank you, sir. I appreciate what you've done for me.'

'I'd like to ask you one question if I may, why couldn't you have kept the Rock in one piece for me? This ship has had so many patch-ups and refits it's a wonder it hasn't fallen apart.'

'Engineers are a marvel.'

'Some of them at any rate,' Bateson replied, thinking of one who wasn't quite so good. 'I hope you manage to beat this, Captain. We need more people like you out there, especially at this time.'

'Yes sir,' Astar replied, not sure what else to say.

'I'll let you get yourself sorted. The guards outside will escort you to the Sawyer and you'll be confined to quarters for the six-day trip to Earth. Your belongings have already been transferred aboard.'

'Sir, what class of ship is the Sawyer? I've never heard of the ship before.'

Bateson grinned. 'Asimov-class, a new class of scout ship designed to be fast and manoeuvrable. The Border Service has commissioned a few from Starfleet Command for reconnaissance and search-and-rescue. but they are also perfect for transporting a small group of people quickly over long distances.'

Astar was then left alone with her thoughts and decided not to put off the inevitable any longer. The guards escorted her to the small but spacious quarters aboard the starship, and it wasn't long before the ship left Star Station Echo behind and jumped to warp, heading for Earth and her very unpleasant court-martial. She had been reading a book when the door chimed.

'Come.'

The door opened and Gonzales, Xeris, Weston, Malling and Parker entered. They all took seats and looked at each other before they glanced at Astar.

'What?' the captain asked.

'We've all been called to stand as witnesses against you,' Parker said. 'Admiral Ranar has recused himself from the situation but you're still facing a harsh trio.'

'Who?'

'Admirals Sitak, Coburn and Janeway.'

'Let me guess, Sitak's the chair?'

Xeris nodded. 'She'll be a hard sell.'

'I have the truth on my side,' Astar replied. 'And I know I can trust you not to make me look too bad. Where's Arlon?'

The others looked at each other again. 'He declined to see you, sir. Said it was unethical.'

Astar sighed. She knew the young Bolian too well to accept his comment at face value. He thought that she was going to be found guilty and did not want to give her negative vibes since it went against his personal moral code and the Hippocratic Oath he had taken to do no harm. It was something he had always taken far too seriously, but she was unable to do anything about it since she could not leave her quarters.

'I don't suppose one of you would be willing to try and convince him to see me?'

'We have all tried,' Xeris said. 'He is a coward.'

'That's unfair, Commander,' Astar countered. 'He has his beliefs and we should respect that.'

'It is my belief that he is a coward,' the Romulan muttered.

Gonzales shot him a look but he did not back down. 'I'll talk to him again,' the Betazoid promised.

'Thank you. If you don't mind, I'd like to get some rest. I'm not really up to visitors today.'

End



The Pytheas will return in...Trials at Home​

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I'm still writing Trials at Home and I won't be posting any of it until it's finished, which will be a while since I'm also working on my original spec novel.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Looking forward to the next book!

I was glad to see Gonzales possibly about to face consequences for what she's done. As for Astar, given what happened to Logan, I'd say she's potentially in for it. I hope her zhian'tara will be soon, too, for the sake of her health!

 

[BrotherBenny]

She had her zhian'tara at the beginning of this one. I just chose not to go into it.

Glad you enjoyed the story.

 

[CeJay]

If Logan is made to resign, somebody at Command is out for blood. Not a good sign for Astar's fate.

She had a court martial coming for some time now, I'm curious to see if all her actions can be justified. And more importantly, if the court marital will show leniency. As much as I may not agree with some of her actions, Starfleet can't afford losing a captain of her calibre.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

She had her zhian'tara at the beginning of this one. I just chose not to go into it.

Glad you enjoyed the story.

Man...I forgot. It's been a long time since I read the beginning!