U.S.S. PHOENIX, DRYDOCK 5, McKINLEY STATION, EARTH.
He had visited the Phoenix many times by shuttlecraft and transporter, but had never the time or the opportunity to gaze at the elegant lines and prominent curves that would house him and his crew for the next five years. Sure, he had seen the paper schematics, the visual schematics with deck by deck breakdowns; he had even witnessed the laying of the keel. But, none of those instances had shown him true appreciation than this impromptu close up in the Travel Pod. On auto pilot, the pod silently made its way over the aft shuttle bay, through the twin, gargantuan ‘v’ structures that supported the quantum warp nacelles, and over the separation plane where the saucer met the engineering section. His eyes focused, he examined every angle & curvature. The sleekness of the vessel added to its prominence, and, it was hoped, would push the warp speed envelopes to the limit. Passing over the high impulse engines, Simon could make out the recessed bridge, protected & surrounded by duranium walls. This was a design element he had insisted on, as well as other new technologies such as separate shielding for the bridge & warp core. This would increase the strength of ship shielding in those critical areas to double strength. He could never understand why a bridge was constructed in a place where it was most vulnerable & unprotected. The pod travelled over the saucers front phaser arrays, (taking their design & technological queues from the Sovereign class), and slowly started to curve round to make another pass over the vessel, before returning to its berth at McKinley Station. Looking down at the registry & name of the vessel, this was the moment where he appreciated her the most. Her? It amused him to appoint gender to the ship, but in his mind, curves and slenderness where traits associated with the female body, so it was apt that he thought of the ship as a ‘she.’ As he made his way back through the nacelle structures, he decided to call it a night and head home. He had a briefing in the morning with the Admiralty, & final crew amendments to make before launch. He just hoped that he wouldn’t be on the receiving end from that old blowhard Jellicoe.
ALPHA FLYER, Q’ONOS, THE KLINGON EMPIRE.
The trial was a grand success, yet as the flyer exited the slipstream aperture, officers Dantuma & Markey were incredibly puzzled as to the lack of vessels in orbit of Q’onos. There were weapons platforms aplenty, with multiple stations and drydocks in the distance, but not even a single squadron of the elite guard’s Battlebirds were in sight. Then Lieutenant Markey saw the signature shimmer against the background of stars as countless vessels decloaked and closed on them. The familiar beep of the console indicating an incoming hail pierced the silence of the flyer, as Craig looked at Duco with concern. Duco smiled; “Do you like gagh, Mr. Markey?!”
THE CLOAKED KLINGON BATTLEBIRD VENGEANCE, EARTH ORBIT.
The transporter operator saluted the arrival as he stepped off the transporter pad and hurried to the bridge. As the doors opened, more salutes were received, as his loyal first officer approached to report their current status. “Your Eminence, we go undetected and our cloak is operating at peak efficiency. No one has been alerted to our presence as our cloak is far too advanced for Starfleet to detect. The path to the ‘One’ has come to a halt as Captain Hodgkinson headed back to the station after the tour of his vessel. I detected that he has beamed back to the surface, and presume that he will be gathering rest ready for tomorrow’s launch.” As the warrior who had been stalking the Captain sat in the command chair, it was very much apparent that his presence was almost welcomed with a sense of divinity. His fellow clerics had come so far after the discovery on Boreth, their world of pilgrimage & multiyear study. “Very well, we will wait for the launch, and then we will shadow them until they lead us to the One.” One of the elder clerics who operated the weapons console, was starting to doubt Lord Marax’s quest, and approached him. “My master, i have never doubted you for a moment, and i, as well as the others have followed your teachings. You have never failed us & provided constant enlightenment, even in the darkest of times. But what you are about to do, i have to question. It will plunge us into a holy war with the not just Starfleet, but the entire Federation. Whilst ships, planets, & citizens burn in what has been perceived as The Reckoning, our enemies will no doubt invade and pick up the pieces. With our hands blood stained and worlds at their weakest, how out of one battle will we be able to be victorious at another? What about the possible shame we may not only bring to ourselves, but generations to come? And, when all is said & done, who picks up the pieces? This is not a simple conquest, but has deeper ramifications that no one has foreseen.” Marax smiled, & laughed heartily baring all his fangs, whilst he reduced his uncle to atoms with his disruptor. His pet targ cleaned up the residue as Marax eyed his followers for any kind of possible mutinous behaviour. “Begin!”
BANQUET HALL, FEDERATION EMBASSY, Q’ONOS, THE KLINGON EMPIRE.
It was by the sheer grace of whichever god observed goings on that Starfleet shared information with their Klingon allies, or by now the Alpha Flyer and the two officers would have been reduced to particles of space dust. After the lead ship congratulated the crew on success, they immediately informed Ambassador Worf who immediately berated them on disobeying orders, then changing his tone to congratulatory. Until the Phoenix arrived, they had been assigned quarters at the embassy, which were surprisingly plush, considering they expected spartan accommodation. A banquet was called to be held in honour of their brave mission, as well as an opera performed by the famous K’Tinga operatic society. The two officers indulged their hosts, and decided to try the local cuisine. As Lieutenant Markey shovelled another handful of gagh in his mouth, he exercised good Klingon manners by speaking whilst he was eating; “Go ahead Duco, think of it as spaghetti, but alive!” Lieutenant Commander Dantuma although was repulsed inside, he didn’t let it show as it would be a sign of disrespect. Suddenly the attention on him diverted as the opera started, whilst Duco couldn’t believe his ears & eyes as the events of their mission was played out on stage. “Craig, i bet you never thought you’d see the day that you would be immortalised in a Klingon opera!” Munching on a leg of targ, he replied; “Famous at last!” Sat opposite Craig was the imposing Klingon ambassador to Andoria, Shayla of the noble House Of Kumtak. She found the officers incredibly enthusiastic trying local cuisine, even though the human stomach doesn’t agree with it. “Tell me, Lieutenant, she uttered with a deep, resonating voice, how are you finding the traditional dishes such as gagh & targ? Is it the first time you have tried them, or are you eating them out of respect, and not desire?” Craig was ravenous, and was very surprised how tasty targ meat was. It had been a long time since he had eaten pork, and this was very similar in taste. As the opera seemed to get louder, he shouted his response; “It’s my first time, and although i am not too keen on the gagh, the targ meat is delicious. Next i am going to try the Rokeg Pie followed....” He didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence as he choked on some meat that went down the wrong way, as he felt a foot travel up his thigh. Patting him on the back, Duco asked; “Is the dressing a bit spicy, or has the gagh had an effect on your stomach?!” A quick glass of 2291 bloodwine washed down the straggling piece of meat the right way. In fact, Craig mused, that the bloodwine wasn’t as potent as he thought, as he responded to Shayla’s overture with an innuendo filled smile. He was on to his third bottle as attendee’s started to hit the dance floor when the opera ended and the band came on......
06:00, RECEPTION SUITE, ADMIRAL JANEWAY’S OFFICE, ADMIRALTY FLOOR, STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS, SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH.
Simon thanked the gods that it was Janeway doing the debriefing. But he also didn’t envy her task having to have one to one’s with all twenty Captains comprising the Alpha, Beta, Gamma & Delta Quadrant 5 year mission fleets. Luckily, due to the fact that Alpha Fleet would be the first to launch under pomp & circumstance, they were the first to have everything finalised. He wondered if they all felt that like he did; that they were about to become legends & walk in the footsteps of greats such as Matt Decker, Erica Hernandez, & Hikaru Sulu. A living legend sat right next to him, from the 23rd century. None other than Morgan Bateson, who had been assigned the Prometheus Class U.S.S Bozeman-A. The other three Alpha Captains who waited patiently were Charlie Reynolds, Solok, (who was commanding a ship solely of Vulcans), & Mark Jameson II. In fact the latter was the Captain who Simon had heard about, but never met. But, each officer was deserving of such a mission, and he knew from their service records that they had performed way beyond the realm of duty. Reynolds & Solok had citations & medals due to their service during the Dominion War, whilst Bateson had extensive knowledge whilst living during the original 5 year missions. Jameson’s father was the infamous Admiral involved in the Mordan IV scandal, but had also stepped out of his father’s shadow, with his dealings with the Talosians & the Axanarri. Captain Kim, Janeway’s attaché, came out of the office to greet everyone, and then requested that Simon follow him in. Standing up, he addressed his fellow ‘fivers’ and wished them well; “God speed to you all.”
He had visited the Phoenix many times by shuttlecraft and transporter, but had never the time or the opportunity to gaze at the elegant lines and prominent curves that would house him and his crew for the next five years. Sure, he had seen the paper schematics, the visual schematics with deck by deck breakdowns; he had even witnessed the laying of the keel. But, none of those instances had shown him true appreciation than this impromptu close up in the Travel Pod. On auto pilot, the pod silently made its way over the aft shuttle bay, through the twin, gargantuan ‘v’ structures that supported the quantum warp nacelles, and over the separation plane where the saucer met the engineering section. His eyes focused, he examined every angle & curvature. The sleekness of the vessel added to its prominence, and, it was hoped, would push the warp speed envelopes to the limit. Passing over the high impulse engines, Simon could make out the recessed bridge, protected & surrounded by duranium walls. This was a design element he had insisted on, as well as other new technologies such as separate shielding for the bridge & warp core. This would increase the strength of ship shielding in those critical areas to double strength. He could never understand why a bridge was constructed in a place where it was most vulnerable & unprotected. The pod travelled over the saucers front phaser arrays, (taking their design & technological queues from the Sovereign class), and slowly started to curve round to make another pass over the vessel, before returning to its berth at McKinley Station. Looking down at the registry & name of the vessel, this was the moment where he appreciated her the most. Her? It amused him to appoint gender to the ship, but in his mind, curves and slenderness where traits associated with the female body, so it was apt that he thought of the ship as a ‘she.’ As he made his way back through the nacelle structures, he decided to call it a night and head home. He had a briefing in the morning with the Admiralty, & final crew amendments to make before launch. He just hoped that he wouldn’t be on the receiving end from that old blowhard Jellicoe.
ALPHA FLYER, Q’ONOS, THE KLINGON EMPIRE.
The trial was a grand success, yet as the flyer exited the slipstream aperture, officers Dantuma & Markey were incredibly puzzled as to the lack of vessels in orbit of Q’onos. There were weapons platforms aplenty, with multiple stations and drydocks in the distance, but not even a single squadron of the elite guard’s Battlebirds were in sight. Then Lieutenant Markey saw the signature shimmer against the background of stars as countless vessels decloaked and closed on them. The familiar beep of the console indicating an incoming hail pierced the silence of the flyer, as Craig looked at Duco with concern. Duco smiled; “Do you like gagh, Mr. Markey?!”
THE CLOAKED KLINGON BATTLEBIRD VENGEANCE, EARTH ORBIT.
The transporter operator saluted the arrival as he stepped off the transporter pad and hurried to the bridge. As the doors opened, more salutes were received, as his loyal first officer approached to report their current status. “Your Eminence, we go undetected and our cloak is operating at peak efficiency. No one has been alerted to our presence as our cloak is far too advanced for Starfleet to detect. The path to the ‘One’ has come to a halt as Captain Hodgkinson headed back to the station after the tour of his vessel. I detected that he has beamed back to the surface, and presume that he will be gathering rest ready for tomorrow’s launch.” As the warrior who had been stalking the Captain sat in the command chair, it was very much apparent that his presence was almost welcomed with a sense of divinity. His fellow clerics had come so far after the discovery on Boreth, their world of pilgrimage & multiyear study. “Very well, we will wait for the launch, and then we will shadow them until they lead us to the One.” One of the elder clerics who operated the weapons console, was starting to doubt Lord Marax’s quest, and approached him. “My master, i have never doubted you for a moment, and i, as well as the others have followed your teachings. You have never failed us & provided constant enlightenment, even in the darkest of times. But what you are about to do, i have to question. It will plunge us into a holy war with the not just Starfleet, but the entire Federation. Whilst ships, planets, & citizens burn in what has been perceived as The Reckoning, our enemies will no doubt invade and pick up the pieces. With our hands blood stained and worlds at their weakest, how out of one battle will we be able to be victorious at another? What about the possible shame we may not only bring to ourselves, but generations to come? And, when all is said & done, who picks up the pieces? This is not a simple conquest, but has deeper ramifications that no one has foreseen.” Marax smiled, & laughed heartily baring all his fangs, whilst he reduced his uncle to atoms with his disruptor. His pet targ cleaned up the residue as Marax eyed his followers for any kind of possible mutinous behaviour. “Begin!”
BANQUET HALL, FEDERATION EMBASSY, Q’ONOS, THE KLINGON EMPIRE.
It was by the sheer grace of whichever god observed goings on that Starfleet shared information with their Klingon allies, or by now the Alpha Flyer and the two officers would have been reduced to particles of space dust. After the lead ship congratulated the crew on success, they immediately informed Ambassador Worf who immediately berated them on disobeying orders, then changing his tone to congratulatory. Until the Phoenix arrived, they had been assigned quarters at the embassy, which were surprisingly plush, considering they expected spartan accommodation. A banquet was called to be held in honour of their brave mission, as well as an opera performed by the famous K’Tinga operatic society. The two officers indulged their hosts, and decided to try the local cuisine. As Lieutenant Markey shovelled another handful of gagh in his mouth, he exercised good Klingon manners by speaking whilst he was eating; “Go ahead Duco, think of it as spaghetti, but alive!” Lieutenant Commander Dantuma although was repulsed inside, he didn’t let it show as it would be a sign of disrespect. Suddenly the attention on him diverted as the opera started, whilst Duco couldn’t believe his ears & eyes as the events of their mission was played out on stage. “Craig, i bet you never thought you’d see the day that you would be immortalised in a Klingon opera!” Munching on a leg of targ, he replied; “Famous at last!” Sat opposite Craig was the imposing Klingon ambassador to Andoria, Shayla of the noble House Of Kumtak. She found the officers incredibly enthusiastic trying local cuisine, even though the human stomach doesn’t agree with it. “Tell me, Lieutenant, she uttered with a deep, resonating voice, how are you finding the traditional dishes such as gagh & targ? Is it the first time you have tried them, or are you eating them out of respect, and not desire?” Craig was ravenous, and was very surprised how tasty targ meat was. It had been a long time since he had eaten pork, and this was very similar in taste. As the opera seemed to get louder, he shouted his response; “It’s my first time, and although i am not too keen on the gagh, the targ meat is delicious. Next i am going to try the Rokeg Pie followed....” He didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence as he choked on some meat that went down the wrong way, as he felt a foot travel up his thigh. Patting him on the back, Duco asked; “Is the dressing a bit spicy, or has the gagh had an effect on your stomach?!” A quick glass of 2291 bloodwine washed down the straggling piece of meat the right way. In fact, Craig mused, that the bloodwine wasn’t as potent as he thought, as he responded to Shayla’s overture with an innuendo filled smile. He was on to his third bottle as attendee’s started to hit the dance floor when the opera ended and the band came on......
06:00, RECEPTION SUITE, ADMIRAL JANEWAY’S OFFICE, ADMIRALTY FLOOR, STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS, SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH.
Simon thanked the gods that it was Janeway doing the debriefing. But he also didn’t envy her task having to have one to one’s with all twenty Captains comprising the Alpha, Beta, Gamma & Delta Quadrant 5 year mission fleets. Luckily, due to the fact that Alpha Fleet would be the first to launch under pomp & circumstance, they were the first to have everything finalised. He wondered if they all felt that like he did; that they were about to become legends & walk in the footsteps of greats such as Matt Decker, Erica Hernandez, & Hikaru Sulu. A living legend sat right next to him, from the 23rd century. None other than Morgan Bateson, who had been assigned the Prometheus Class U.S.S Bozeman-A. The other three Alpha Captains who waited patiently were Charlie Reynolds, Solok, (who was commanding a ship solely of Vulcans), & Mark Jameson II. In fact the latter was the Captain who Simon had heard about, but never met. But, each officer was deserving of such a mission, and he knew from their service records that they had performed way beyond the realm of duty. Reynolds & Solok had citations & medals due to their service during the Dominion War, whilst Bateson had extensive knowledge whilst living during the original 5 year missions. Jameson’s father was the infamous Admiral involved in the Mordan IV scandal, but had also stepped out of his father’s shadow, with his dealings with the Talosians & the Axanarri. Captain Kim, Janeway’s attaché, came out of the office to greet everyone, and then requested that Simon follow him in. Standing up, he addressed his fellow ‘fivers’ and wished them well; “God speed to you all.”
