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This Corner of Space by CamSPD on DeviantArt
Star Trek: Fortitude
Episode One: “This Corner of Space.”
By Jack Elmlinger
PROLOGUE
2372
The Beta Quadrant, the forgotten corner of the Galaxy, or so people joked.
With all of the recent political excitement in the United Federation of Planets, many worlds had shifted their attention away from the Beta Quadrant. Many species had forgotten that it was home to dozens of important galactic races.
All of the excitement was happening in the Alpha Quadrant. With the discovery of the first-stable wormhole in Bajoran space, tensions were mounting between the galactic powers and nobody cared about the Beta Quadrant anymore. It was tragic for the Starfleet personnel stationed there.
Rear Admiral Edward Blackmore gazed out across the stars before him with a sigh. He didn’t like this view and he preferred it when Starbase 499 rotated so that his office was facing the gorgeous Class-M world below. It reminded him of Earth, but now here, faced with blank space, he was alone with his thoughts.
It was lonely out here. Starbase 499 was one of the most extreme-range Federation outposts that one could ever hope to find. Positioned right on the edge of the Beta Quadrant, overlooking vast unknown chunks of the Galaxy with the impending sense of dread that some day, something horrible would come forth and reveal itself.
Blackmore shuddered at the thought. He wouldn’t trade this assignment for anything else in Starfleet. Not a chance. He was in command of his own starbase, and this far from Earth, he was free to manage his own little collective family. They even had a few old starships for company.
The planet below the starbase, Santrag II, was a beautiful world. The people were Humanoids known to be friendly, warm, and inviting. They had been made members of the Federation quickly, in exchange for the promise of a starbase in orbit of their world. It was a relationship of mutual benefit. Almost like a symbiosis that Blackmore valued highly.
Something broke his thoughts. There was a light in space beyond the bulkhead. It was a light that didn’t belong to any star.
And it was growing.
“Blackmore to Martinez,” the old man growled after tapping his combadge. “Direct your sensors to … coordinates 347 by 114.”
“What am I looking for, Admiral?” a female voice answered from out of nowhere.
“You’ll see it. What is it?”
“I’m not sure. Hold on. I’ll try increasing the sensor resolution.”
Little did he know, at that point in time, that the incoming light was going to change the nature of his assignment forever. Upon hearing what Station Master Erica Martinez had to report, Blackmore’s eyes went wide with fear.
ACT ONE
Captain’s log, stardate 48531.2;
Under orders from Starfleet Command, I am taking my new command for her first deep-space assignment within the Beta Quadrant. I wanted this mission to be under better circumstances, but to all intents and purposes, this will be a rescue mission. I’m told that there is no better test for a new ship and crew, but I can’t help but wish that I have been given something a little easier to do during my first week in command.
The door chimes rang and he paused the log entry for now.
“Enter.”
Stepping into the Captain’s Ready Room, Commander Valerie Archer made an immediate impression on him. She always did, and that was one of the main reasons why she had been made the First Officer of the USS Fortitude. Smiling the warm, charming smile that he always told himself that he would, Captain Ewan Llewellyn motioned for her to take a seat across the desk from him.
“Captain,” she acknowledged with a nod and a slight smile in return as she sat down. “You asked me to report right away?”
“Yes, Commander, but please, call me Ewan.”
That request caught her off-guard. Ewan Llewellyn was a young Starfleet captain and this was his first command. She had expected something a little more laid back from the handsome thirty-something Welshman, but not first name terms on the first day. She decided to play along. After all, he was the Captain.
“Only if you call me Valerie, sir,” was her reply.
“It’s a deal. I wanted to inform you of Starfleet’s orders. I mean, I know that you’ll have read the mission brief, but there’s more than meets the eye to this one.”
“Oh?”
“What do you know?”
“Our orders are to proceed to the Santrag system at maximum warp to render assistance to Starbase 499. We got rushed out of spacedock pretty darn quickly, Ewan, that Fortitude is barely finished. I’ve got engineering teams doing what the assembly teams at Utopia Planitia should have finished.”
Captain Llewellyn leaned back in his chair. It was all true, he had to admit. They were somewhat rushed because Intrepid-class starships were all a premium these days. Loaded with all of the most up-to-date systems, the assembly teams were notoriously protective of them before they let anyone take them out into the final frontier. Fortitude was different and under the most classified orders from Admiral Owen Paris at Starfleet Command, the ship had been launched, three days early.
“We got pushed out of those space doors early for a reason, Valerie,” Ewan admitted to her. “What isn’t a part of the regular mission briefing is that Starbase 499 was attacked by an unknown alien entity. We’re talking the edge of known space here, Commander. Beyond Santrag II, we simply don’t know what’s out there. Well, beyond what our sensors can tell us but I don’t have to remind you of their limitations.”
“A rescue mission, then?” Archer’s eyebrows rose as she spoke.
“I want them to be prepared. It won’t make me a popular captain, but I want to run a few battle drills as soon as possible. I don’t know what we’ll be facing out there.”
Ewan’s new First Officer stood from her seat, her red-capped shoulders arching backwards with pride in her duty and anticipation of the unknown. The smile returned, despite the circumstances, and she parted with one of her trademark observations that her Academy sponsor had warned everybody about.
“That’s what we all signed on for, Captain.”
* * * *
Lieutenant Commander Sollik was having a crisis of confidence.
Lying in Sickbay under the watchful eyes of the Vulcan Chief Medical Officer, Doctor T’Verra, and her trusted, but yet untried Nurse, Lynn Boswell, he recoiled in unwarranted fear. His mottled green skin was being repaired by a dermal regenerator, a completely harmless process, and yet for some reason, he was, to say the least, apprehensive. The Vulcan woman appeared to be about fifty Earth years old. Her hair was still jet-black and her skin was only now showing signs of age.
Maybe it’s just Sickbay, he reasoned to himself.
“Your fear is illogical,” was the obvious statement from T’Verra. “Your injury is superficial. I have found your people to be most resistant to such wounds.”
“I’ll be sure to let all Suliban know of your findings, Doctor,” Sollik mumbled sarcastically, wishing that the procedure could be done with. He was desperate to return to Engineering. He had work to do, after all.
“What exactly happened again?” Nurse Boswell, an attractive young woman born and raised in the Martian Colonies, asked him.
“It’s these damned battle drills! How am I supposed to run Engineering as Chief Engineer if every hour, we have to put down our tools and play war games? We got the worst deal when this ship was rushed out of space dock. We’re the ones finishing their jobs!”
“You did not answer the question,” noted the Vulcan doctor.
Sollik rolled his blazing yellow eyes in frustration at the unceasing Vulcan logic. “I wasn’t paying attention while we were recalibrating a plasma manifold. A member of my team was making a mistake and when I turned to tell him, I lost concentration. The next thing I know… well, boom.”
“Boom, indeed. Your wound is healed.”
The Chief Engineer slid away from the biobed and gingerly tried standing. Satisfied with the result, he thought about thanking the Doctor and her nurse, but decided against it. He was far too busy to be nice about anything. He was about to leave Sickbay when the lights dimmed. A klaxon shouted and the Sickbay was bathed in crimson light.
“Now what…? Another drill?!”
“Red Alert! All hands, this is the Captain. We are approaching Starbase 499. To your stations!”
* * * *
“Lifesigns?”
Behind the Captain’s chair on the Bridge, Ensign Jason Armstrong furiously worked at his operations console. Eager to prove his worth on his first mission, the young man was a long way from his father’s farm in Kentucky. The image on the viewscreen had almost sent him into shock. Ahead of them, rotating in orbit above Santrag II was Starbase 499. It had taken a beating. Debris was spinning in all directions, still after almost a day since the initial attack. There were a handful of Santragian vessels trying desperately to lend a hand but they weren’t equipped for a full-scale rescue like this.
“There are approximately one thousand people still aboard, Captain. They’re alive for now. Life-support is holding.”
“Okay, I guess we should be thankful for small blessings,” Valerie Archer nodded, getting to her feet. “Helm, move us in closer. Watch out for that debris.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
At the helm console, Lieutenant Arden Vuro, a Bolian, skillfully steered the Intrepid-class USS Fortitude through the wreckage, bringing the ship alongside Starbase 499 for the ease of transport and the subtlety of location.
“Their communications system is down,” Jason reported. “I can’t get a message across.”
Still seated, Captain Llewellyn nodded, his fingers arched in contemplation. So we’ll have to do things the old fashioned way? No problem.
“Away team to Transporter Room One.”
ACT TWO
Starbase 499 was in ruins. There was no illumination, and the bulkheads were ripped open by energy surges, leaving sparking ODN relays exposed. In the darkness, using palm beacons, repair crews graciously accepted the assistance of the Santragian equipment as they worked long and difficult hours to get the systems back up and running. One particular focus of such attention was the Station Master’s Office. It was basically the starbase equivalent of a starship bridge and while the work was dangerous in one corner, thanks to a ruptured conduit, now more than half of the LCARS consoles were working again. In the middle of the chaos, providing a brief few seconds of light, a transporter beam delivered four humanoid figures on the deck.
Captain Ewan Llewellyn surveyed the damage with a grim expression. In his time, he had only seen a few combat situations. His assignments had always seemed to be less deadly and less exciting than most officers. Well, not anymore. Joined by Valerie Archer, Jason Armstrong, and Sollik, they ignited their own palm beacons and started to move through the wreckage strewn across the office.
“Who the hell are you?” a voice called out to them.
Turning, the Fortitude away team came face-to-face with a tall, beautiful Latina woman in a Starfleet uniform.
Ewan stepped forward. “I’m Captain Ewan Llewellyn of the starship Fortitude. We’re here under orders direct from Admiral Owen Paris to render aid after your distress signal.”
“Station Master Erica Martinez,” the woman sighed, giving him a very short, curt handshake before turning away. “As you can see, we’ve got our hands full, so just have your people dive in wherever you can. Captain Llewellyn, there’s somebody who’ll have to speak with you. Follow me, please.”
Before he left the mess of the Station Master’s Office, Ewan leaned over to his away team and whispered a few parting orders. “Sollik, organize repair teams and get the lights working first. Maybe it would help if people could see what they’re doing around here. Valerie, you’re partnered with Station Master Mendoza when she gets back from… wherever we’re going. Ensign Armstrong, you heard the lady. Dive in.”
“Got it, Captain.”
“Good luck!”
* * * *
Rear Admiral Edward Blackmore stood alone. Thankfully, his office was mostly intact, following the assault on the starbase. As the door rang a familiar child behind him, he turned his weathered face only slightly. He was preoccupied with his thoughts again, staring out across the debris field that floated past his window.
“Enter.”
Martinez wasn’t sticking around. “Captain Llewellyn of the Fortitude, sir. I’ll be heading back.”
The door slid shut behind the Station Master’s no-nonsense posture as she literally marched away to tend to the repairs. Left alone with the Rear Admiral, Ewan stepped forward slowly, guessing that it wouldn’t be exactly fitting to stand on ceremony and he was right. Blackmore wasn’t interested in Starfleet procedure. He finally turned away from the window and surveyed the thirty-something captain with the narrow eyes of experience.
“I’ll cut straight to the point, Llewellyn,” he barked. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“You weren’t made aware of our dispatch?” Ewan frowned.
“No! We haven’t directly communicated with Starfleet Command for years. Damn it, that distress call was the closest that we’ve ever come to calling home! We’re too far out for such things. This, son, is the edge of known space… the real Final Frontier. I’ll tell you something else. Your presence isn’t required.”
“Forgive me, Admiral, but it doesn’t look that way to me.”
“One day, you’ll learn, son. One day, you’ll understand, but right now, I suggest you take that fancy starship of yours and leave.”
Ewan walked forward, even further, joining Blackmore at the window. It only took him a second to pick out the right star. He had been a stellar cartographer aboard the USS Hood, several years ago and it was his first true passion. Pointing, he drew Blackmore’s attention. The older man frowned, not understanding where the Englishman was going with this one.
“With all due respect, sir, do you see that star?”
“What about it?”
“That’s the halfway point between here and Earth. This is my first command. I’ve been pushed out of Spacedock early and thrown aboard a brand-new ship that I don’t even understand myself yet. I’ve got an untested crew and I’ve dragged them all this way at breakneck speed to assist you in repairs and repel whatever unknown force caused this mess. I had to sneak past the Romulan Star Empire and skip a corner of Klingon space to get here, endangering ourselves in the process. So again, I stress this with all due respect, I’m not leaving.”
“I could order you.” And it was true. It would be a binding order of dismissal.
“Then you’d have to court-martial me too, Admiral.”
There was a somber silence between both men. It formed a thick atmosphere in the air. Blackmore was sizing Ewan up, and likewise, the captain was analyzing his superior officer. There was only one conclusion to reach, based on that little speech, and it was finally made after a good thirty seconds of silence.
“Ha, ha… I like you, Llewellyn. You’re my kind of people. Ballsy… You remind me of a younger me.”
“Thank you, sir. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“The truth is, we don’t know who attacked us or why. We only have two starships assigned to this starbase and they’re old, useless. An Oberth and a Miranda, and whoever attacked us were good… fast and deadly. If you’re going to stick around, why not make your assignment here permanent? We could always use an Intrepid.”
Ewan was taken aback by the sudden offer. It was as if Admiral Blackmore had known him for years like they were old friends. He had some fast thinking to do.
“Right now, why don’t we focus on getting 499 back together?,” he finally suggested, sidestepping the difficult decision until later. “Then we’ll talk about future orders. If, of course, that’s okay, sir?”
“Drop the sir, Llewellyn. My friends call me Boxer.”
“Ewan.”
“Welcome to the edge of the Galaxy, Ewan. You’re going to love it.”
* * * *
The repairs went well.
The crew of the Fortitude effortlessly merged with the teams aboard Starbase 499. Within twenty-four hours, basic systems were all back together, up and running as if nothing had ever happened before. The clean-up would take longer.
As she returned to the Station Master’s Office, Erica Martinez had to smile. The new arrivals to the Santrag system certainly knew how to fit in. It probably had helped that they were a new crew. Those who had been in space aboard a starship for a long time together tended to create a family atmosphere that was tough to integrate.
Not these guys, she knew. These guys are ready to embrace whatever is thrown at them.
Rear Admiral Blackmore was right all along. They were his type of people. And that, of course, made them the type of people welcome in orbit of Santrag II.
Rumor had it that Captain Llewellyn was sticking around, formalizing his assignment to Starbase 499. Exploring the great unknown beyond. Part of Erica wished to go with them but she was too attached to her starbase. Still, maybe one or two trips out aboard that gorgeous Intrepid-class…
Her thoughts were broken by an alert.
One of the Ensigns working beside her tapped a newly-repaired LCARS panel and turned to her with fear spread across his face.
“Ma’am,” he reported, “they’re back!”
This Corner of Space by CamSPD on DeviantArt
Star Trek: Fortitude
Episode One: “This Corner of Space.”
By Jack Elmlinger
PROLOGUE
2372
The Beta Quadrant, the forgotten corner of the Galaxy, or so people joked.
With all of the recent political excitement in the United Federation of Planets, many worlds had shifted their attention away from the Beta Quadrant. Many species had forgotten that it was home to dozens of important galactic races.
All of the excitement was happening in the Alpha Quadrant. With the discovery of the first-stable wormhole in Bajoran space, tensions were mounting between the galactic powers and nobody cared about the Beta Quadrant anymore. It was tragic for the Starfleet personnel stationed there.
Rear Admiral Edward Blackmore gazed out across the stars before him with a sigh. He didn’t like this view and he preferred it when Starbase 499 rotated so that his office was facing the gorgeous Class-M world below. It reminded him of Earth, but now here, faced with blank space, he was alone with his thoughts.
It was lonely out here. Starbase 499 was one of the most extreme-range Federation outposts that one could ever hope to find. Positioned right on the edge of the Beta Quadrant, overlooking vast unknown chunks of the Galaxy with the impending sense of dread that some day, something horrible would come forth and reveal itself.
Blackmore shuddered at the thought. He wouldn’t trade this assignment for anything else in Starfleet. Not a chance. He was in command of his own starbase, and this far from Earth, he was free to manage his own little collective family. They even had a few old starships for company.
The planet below the starbase, Santrag II, was a beautiful world. The people were Humanoids known to be friendly, warm, and inviting. They had been made members of the Federation quickly, in exchange for the promise of a starbase in orbit of their world. It was a relationship of mutual benefit. Almost like a symbiosis that Blackmore valued highly.
Something broke his thoughts. There was a light in space beyond the bulkhead. It was a light that didn’t belong to any star.
And it was growing.
“Blackmore to Martinez,” the old man growled after tapping his combadge. “Direct your sensors to … coordinates 347 by 114.”
“What am I looking for, Admiral?” a female voice answered from out of nowhere.
“You’ll see it. What is it?”
“I’m not sure. Hold on. I’ll try increasing the sensor resolution.”
Little did he know, at that point in time, that the incoming light was going to change the nature of his assignment forever. Upon hearing what Station Master Erica Martinez had to report, Blackmore’s eyes went wide with fear.
ACT ONE
Captain’s log, stardate 48531.2;
Under orders from Starfleet Command, I am taking my new command for her first deep-space assignment within the Beta Quadrant. I wanted this mission to be under better circumstances, but to all intents and purposes, this will be a rescue mission. I’m told that there is no better test for a new ship and crew, but I can’t help but wish that I have been given something a little easier to do during my first week in command.
The door chimes rang and he paused the log entry for now.
“Enter.”
Stepping into the Captain’s Ready Room, Commander Valerie Archer made an immediate impression on him. She always did, and that was one of the main reasons why she had been made the First Officer of the USS Fortitude. Smiling the warm, charming smile that he always told himself that he would, Captain Ewan Llewellyn motioned for her to take a seat across the desk from him.
“Captain,” she acknowledged with a nod and a slight smile in return as she sat down. “You asked me to report right away?”
“Yes, Commander, but please, call me Ewan.”
That request caught her off-guard. Ewan Llewellyn was a young Starfleet captain and this was his first command. She had expected something a little more laid back from the handsome thirty-something Welshman, but not first name terms on the first day. She decided to play along. After all, he was the Captain.
“Only if you call me Valerie, sir,” was her reply.
“It’s a deal. I wanted to inform you of Starfleet’s orders. I mean, I know that you’ll have read the mission brief, but there’s more than meets the eye to this one.”
“Oh?”
“What do you know?”
“Our orders are to proceed to the Santrag system at maximum warp to render assistance to Starbase 499. We got rushed out of spacedock pretty darn quickly, Ewan, that Fortitude is barely finished. I’ve got engineering teams doing what the assembly teams at Utopia Planitia should have finished.”
Captain Llewellyn leaned back in his chair. It was all true, he had to admit. They were somewhat rushed because Intrepid-class starships were all a premium these days. Loaded with all of the most up-to-date systems, the assembly teams were notoriously protective of them before they let anyone take them out into the final frontier. Fortitude was different and under the most classified orders from Admiral Owen Paris at Starfleet Command, the ship had been launched, three days early.
“We got pushed out of those space doors early for a reason, Valerie,” Ewan admitted to her. “What isn’t a part of the regular mission briefing is that Starbase 499 was attacked by an unknown alien entity. We’re talking the edge of known space here, Commander. Beyond Santrag II, we simply don’t know what’s out there. Well, beyond what our sensors can tell us but I don’t have to remind you of their limitations.”
“A rescue mission, then?” Archer’s eyebrows rose as she spoke.
“I want them to be prepared. It won’t make me a popular captain, but I want to run a few battle drills as soon as possible. I don’t know what we’ll be facing out there.”
Ewan’s new First Officer stood from her seat, her red-capped shoulders arching backwards with pride in her duty and anticipation of the unknown. The smile returned, despite the circumstances, and she parted with one of her trademark observations that her Academy sponsor had warned everybody about.
“That’s what we all signed on for, Captain.”
* * * *
Lieutenant Commander Sollik was having a crisis of confidence.
Lying in Sickbay under the watchful eyes of the Vulcan Chief Medical Officer, Doctor T’Verra, and her trusted, but yet untried Nurse, Lynn Boswell, he recoiled in unwarranted fear. His mottled green skin was being repaired by a dermal regenerator, a completely harmless process, and yet for some reason, he was, to say the least, apprehensive. The Vulcan woman appeared to be about fifty Earth years old. Her hair was still jet-black and her skin was only now showing signs of age.
Maybe it’s just Sickbay, he reasoned to himself.
“Your fear is illogical,” was the obvious statement from T’Verra. “Your injury is superficial. I have found your people to be most resistant to such wounds.”
“I’ll be sure to let all Suliban know of your findings, Doctor,” Sollik mumbled sarcastically, wishing that the procedure could be done with. He was desperate to return to Engineering. He had work to do, after all.
“What exactly happened again?” Nurse Boswell, an attractive young woman born and raised in the Martian Colonies, asked him.
“It’s these damned battle drills! How am I supposed to run Engineering as Chief Engineer if every hour, we have to put down our tools and play war games? We got the worst deal when this ship was rushed out of space dock. We’re the ones finishing their jobs!”
“You did not answer the question,” noted the Vulcan doctor.
Sollik rolled his blazing yellow eyes in frustration at the unceasing Vulcan logic. “I wasn’t paying attention while we were recalibrating a plasma manifold. A member of my team was making a mistake and when I turned to tell him, I lost concentration. The next thing I know… well, boom.”
“Boom, indeed. Your wound is healed.”
The Chief Engineer slid away from the biobed and gingerly tried standing. Satisfied with the result, he thought about thanking the Doctor and her nurse, but decided against it. He was far too busy to be nice about anything. He was about to leave Sickbay when the lights dimmed. A klaxon shouted and the Sickbay was bathed in crimson light.
“Now what…? Another drill?!”
“Red Alert! All hands, this is the Captain. We are approaching Starbase 499. To your stations!”
* * * *
“Lifesigns?”
Behind the Captain’s chair on the Bridge, Ensign Jason Armstrong furiously worked at his operations console. Eager to prove his worth on his first mission, the young man was a long way from his father’s farm in Kentucky. The image on the viewscreen had almost sent him into shock. Ahead of them, rotating in orbit above Santrag II was Starbase 499. It had taken a beating. Debris was spinning in all directions, still after almost a day since the initial attack. There were a handful of Santragian vessels trying desperately to lend a hand but they weren’t equipped for a full-scale rescue like this.
“There are approximately one thousand people still aboard, Captain. They’re alive for now. Life-support is holding.”
“Okay, I guess we should be thankful for small blessings,” Valerie Archer nodded, getting to her feet. “Helm, move us in closer. Watch out for that debris.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
At the helm console, Lieutenant Arden Vuro, a Bolian, skillfully steered the Intrepid-class USS Fortitude through the wreckage, bringing the ship alongside Starbase 499 for the ease of transport and the subtlety of location.
“Their communications system is down,” Jason reported. “I can’t get a message across.”
Still seated, Captain Llewellyn nodded, his fingers arched in contemplation. So we’ll have to do things the old fashioned way? No problem.
“Away team to Transporter Room One.”
ACT TWO
Starbase 499 was in ruins. There was no illumination, and the bulkheads were ripped open by energy surges, leaving sparking ODN relays exposed. In the darkness, using palm beacons, repair crews graciously accepted the assistance of the Santragian equipment as they worked long and difficult hours to get the systems back up and running. One particular focus of such attention was the Station Master’s Office. It was basically the starbase equivalent of a starship bridge and while the work was dangerous in one corner, thanks to a ruptured conduit, now more than half of the LCARS consoles were working again. In the middle of the chaos, providing a brief few seconds of light, a transporter beam delivered four humanoid figures on the deck.
Captain Ewan Llewellyn surveyed the damage with a grim expression. In his time, he had only seen a few combat situations. His assignments had always seemed to be less deadly and less exciting than most officers. Well, not anymore. Joined by Valerie Archer, Jason Armstrong, and Sollik, they ignited their own palm beacons and started to move through the wreckage strewn across the office.
“Who the hell are you?” a voice called out to them.
Turning, the Fortitude away team came face-to-face with a tall, beautiful Latina woman in a Starfleet uniform.
Ewan stepped forward. “I’m Captain Ewan Llewellyn of the starship Fortitude. We’re here under orders direct from Admiral Owen Paris to render aid after your distress signal.”
“Station Master Erica Martinez,” the woman sighed, giving him a very short, curt handshake before turning away. “As you can see, we’ve got our hands full, so just have your people dive in wherever you can. Captain Llewellyn, there’s somebody who’ll have to speak with you. Follow me, please.”
Before he left the mess of the Station Master’s Office, Ewan leaned over to his away team and whispered a few parting orders. “Sollik, organize repair teams and get the lights working first. Maybe it would help if people could see what they’re doing around here. Valerie, you’re partnered with Station Master Mendoza when she gets back from… wherever we’re going. Ensign Armstrong, you heard the lady. Dive in.”
“Got it, Captain.”
“Good luck!”
* * * *
Rear Admiral Edward Blackmore stood alone. Thankfully, his office was mostly intact, following the assault on the starbase. As the door rang a familiar child behind him, he turned his weathered face only slightly. He was preoccupied with his thoughts again, staring out across the debris field that floated past his window.
“Enter.”
Martinez wasn’t sticking around. “Captain Llewellyn of the Fortitude, sir. I’ll be heading back.”
The door slid shut behind the Station Master’s no-nonsense posture as she literally marched away to tend to the repairs. Left alone with the Rear Admiral, Ewan stepped forward slowly, guessing that it wouldn’t be exactly fitting to stand on ceremony and he was right. Blackmore wasn’t interested in Starfleet procedure. He finally turned away from the window and surveyed the thirty-something captain with the narrow eyes of experience.
“I’ll cut straight to the point, Llewellyn,” he barked. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“You weren’t made aware of our dispatch?” Ewan frowned.
“No! We haven’t directly communicated with Starfleet Command for years. Damn it, that distress call was the closest that we’ve ever come to calling home! We’re too far out for such things. This, son, is the edge of known space… the real Final Frontier. I’ll tell you something else. Your presence isn’t required.”
“Forgive me, Admiral, but it doesn’t look that way to me.”
“One day, you’ll learn, son. One day, you’ll understand, but right now, I suggest you take that fancy starship of yours and leave.”
Ewan walked forward, even further, joining Blackmore at the window. It only took him a second to pick out the right star. He had been a stellar cartographer aboard the USS Hood, several years ago and it was his first true passion. Pointing, he drew Blackmore’s attention. The older man frowned, not understanding where the Englishman was going with this one.
“With all due respect, sir, do you see that star?”
“What about it?”
“That’s the halfway point between here and Earth. This is my first command. I’ve been pushed out of Spacedock early and thrown aboard a brand-new ship that I don’t even understand myself yet. I’ve got an untested crew and I’ve dragged them all this way at breakneck speed to assist you in repairs and repel whatever unknown force caused this mess. I had to sneak past the Romulan Star Empire and skip a corner of Klingon space to get here, endangering ourselves in the process. So again, I stress this with all due respect, I’m not leaving.”
“I could order you.” And it was true. It would be a binding order of dismissal.
“Then you’d have to court-martial me too, Admiral.”
There was a somber silence between both men. It formed a thick atmosphere in the air. Blackmore was sizing Ewan up, and likewise, the captain was analyzing his superior officer. There was only one conclusion to reach, based on that little speech, and it was finally made after a good thirty seconds of silence.
“Ha, ha… I like you, Llewellyn. You’re my kind of people. Ballsy… You remind me of a younger me.”
“Thank you, sir. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“The truth is, we don’t know who attacked us or why. We only have two starships assigned to this starbase and they’re old, useless. An Oberth and a Miranda, and whoever attacked us were good… fast and deadly. If you’re going to stick around, why not make your assignment here permanent? We could always use an Intrepid.”
Ewan was taken aback by the sudden offer. It was as if Admiral Blackmore had known him for years like they were old friends. He had some fast thinking to do.
“Right now, why don’t we focus on getting 499 back together?,” he finally suggested, sidestepping the difficult decision until later. “Then we’ll talk about future orders. If, of course, that’s okay, sir?”
“Drop the sir, Llewellyn. My friends call me Boxer.”
“Ewan.”
“Welcome to the edge of the Galaxy, Ewan. You’re going to love it.”
* * * *
The repairs went well.
The crew of the Fortitude effortlessly merged with the teams aboard Starbase 499. Within twenty-four hours, basic systems were all back together, up and running as if nothing had ever happened before. The clean-up would take longer.
As she returned to the Station Master’s Office, Erica Martinez had to smile. The new arrivals to the Santrag system certainly knew how to fit in. It probably had helped that they were a new crew. Those who had been in space aboard a starship for a long time together tended to create a family atmosphere that was tough to integrate.
Not these guys, she knew. These guys are ready to embrace whatever is thrown at them.
Rear Admiral Blackmore was right all along. They were his type of people. And that, of course, made them the type of people welcome in orbit of Santrag II.
Rumor had it that Captain Llewellyn was sticking around, formalizing his assignment to Starbase 499. Exploring the great unknown beyond. Part of Erica wished to go with them but she was too attached to her starbase. Still, maybe one or two trips out aboard that gorgeous Intrepid-class…
Her thoughts were broken by an alert.
One of the Ensigns working beside her tapped a newly-repaired LCARS panel and turned to her with fear spread across his face.
“Ma’am,” he reported, “they’re back!”
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