Federation Security
Posted on Wed Mar 16th, 2022 @ 3:49am by Captain Luzol Targaryen & Willian Targaryen & Commander Galatea & Captain Ryan Walsh & Commander Ash Randall & Commander Nathan Hawkins & Commander Jasmine Haynes & Lieutenant Commander Patton O'Sullivan & Lieutenant Dylan Blake & Lieutenant Bissiv th'Zaanaq & Lieutenant Cyrus Marner & Warrant Officer Harris Zim
1,875 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
When They Come for Me
Location: Main Bridge, Starfleet One
Timeline: 0000-00-64, 01:15
Captain's Log, Supplemental Entry:
We have received an urgent hail from the away team that they are returning to the ship without our prize, but successful all the same.
"Shuttle en route," Ensign Golric Zar announced from the Flight Control workstation.
Captain Willian Targaryen turned away from his control interface and looked at the viewscreen. Centralized on the screen a small, ovoid shaped Federation shuttlecraft was on approach from the colony. The computer immediately displayed the tactical analysis and details of the craft and Willian was impressed to say the very least. The shuttle was highly advanced by their standards and was capable of high warp from what the evidence suggested. The ship also featured advanced weapon and defense systems for a ship its size. It was a testament to the Federation that such a craft existed even in the midst of a galactic crisis.
"Ensign zh'Tanik please open a channel," Willian ordered as he walked toward the screen.
The viewer switched from the approaching shuttle to a large shuttle interior. An older woman sat at the central console with several of his crew sitting in seats along the outer rim. A central command chair was present, which was odd for a small craft, but perhaps that was just a sign of the times.
"This is Captain Willian Targaryen, commanding officer of the... Federation starship. To whom am I speaking?"
"I see you've had a grade reduction, Admiral," the Old Woman announced from the pilot's station. "You always seemed happier on the Bridge of a starship instead of behind a desk."
Willian lifted an eyebrow, "You have me at a disadvantage."
"In more ways than one," she answered. "I have your crew aboard, Sir, and we need to get out of here. Your dilithium stores are a tempting target and I would prefer not to have to bail you guys out again." She manipulated her exotic looking computer panel, "I believe those are your current docking codes."
Ensign Tuhlargh nodded from the Security station.
"Once we have docked I will need permission to come to your Bridge," she explained as she typed. "We have a lot to talk about and I am certain you all want to get back into the fight."
Ensign Quegg turned from the wall mounted Science Station, "Captain, sensors are showing that the Emerald Chain shuttle is on approach to their vessel as well, Sir."
Willian sighed, "Grant their request to dock."
"Thank you, Will," the Old Woman answered.
"If you could, Commander, I'd like to know the name of the person I am welcoming to my ship," the Captain informed with crossed arms.
She smiled, "I am Commander Galatea."
Captain Willian Targaryen watched as the doors to the Bridge slid open, revealing his crew safely back aboard the ship. At the middle of the procession was their new arrival, a person who by all intents and purposes couldn't be with them: Galatea. She was a lot older than he remembered and, more to the point, most definitely not a hologram. He looked at them cautiously, "Welcome aboard."
Zim stood on the transporter pad and silently repeated I told you so. The mission to rescue the Admiral was an utter failure, and what was worse was that they left someone behind. The Capellan did not abide either of those events well. If only people had listened to him and others from the get go, none of this would have happened. He sighed inwardly. "Thank you sir, it is good to be back." It was not necessarily his to question, but the Chief of the Boat wondered who the hell this woman was that had just pulled their collective butts from the fire.
Similarly to Zim Commander Hawkins was highly suspicious, he'd overheard the transmissions between the two vessels and the discovery this woman was Galatea. Standing not far behind he observed her as she paced the bridge mutely as if trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces.
The older woman looked carefully around the Bridge of the Starship Enterprise in total silence, the reverence she had for the sight more than apparent to those who were with her. She looked at the room carefully as she studied it, like an historian exploring the ruins of Nineveh or Pompeii. Her smile was broad though when she locked eyes, "It has been far too long." She approached the Captain of the ship and brought a hand to his temple, brushing his hair lightly, "Been a long time since I last saw you with your dark hair. Been a long time since I saw you at all for that matter."
She retracted her hand, "You'll have to excuse me. The emotion chip gets the better of me every now and then." She looked around the Bridge at the crew and approached the station she had long used, "I see that you've been through Hell." She brushed the top of her console, typing quickly, "Been a long time since I last saw a 2-D interface."
The Commanding Officer of the Starship crossed his arms, "If you really are Galatea then you..."
"I can assure you I am."
"... will know I, one, hate to be interrupted and, two, will need to go more off of that just your word," Willian concluded as he watched the woman in black.
She smirked, "I know you better than you know yourself at this point. I suppose that I have a very long story to share with the rest of you, but how would you feel about going home beforehand? My Task Group is not far away. We can be there in about a day of high warp, or would the rest of you like to just hang out in Chain space?"
"What about Zehoi?" Lieutenant Blake bluntly asked still rallied up from the events on the surface. "We're going to abandon her to the Chain?"
"That doesn't sit well." Lieutenant Commander O'Sullivan spoke up. It would be something that would bother them all, wondering what she was going through.
Cyrus was numb, he felt like a hollow shell compared to what he felt early on. Who was the woman he helped or rather she helping them? Was she an android? Emotional chip? He just stood there slowly blinking. They left someone behind. He finally spoke, "Home?" when was the last time they had been there? "Who are you?"
"I am Commander Galatea, Doctor," the former hologram answered. "It's a fairly long story that I am more than willing to share at a later time. Until then though could your Helmsman please lay in a course to the following coordinates?" She activated her HoloPADD and sent the location to the Helm.
Commander Randall looked on from where she leaned against the wall near the turbo-lift and scratched at the monitoring device 'Bones' had attached to her neck to make sure she 'behaved' and followed his medical orders. "Home, right now, has more than one connotation, Galatea." Ash pointed out. The Tuansee officer looked to be dead on her feet. "But, no matter how you define home we are, currently, a long way away from it." She added as she drew herself up to stand straight and made her way to the engineering station.
"This can not be possible." Jasmine said, as her mind started to put together a wild theory. If she was truly Commander Galatea, then somehow the crew of the USS Enterprise never left their current timeline or at some time in the near future went back in time. "You being here at this moment is very suspicious, yet here you are. How do we not know, your program was copied and implanted with emerald chain technology to spy on us?" Jasmine asked.
Jasmine was curious how Galatea was going to explain her presence. She knew the DTI would not allow the real Galatea to be here. She had to be an imposter, if she was not. Then something was wrong with the timeline either currently or in their near past.
"Well, you do have a valid point, Commander but...." Marner took another look at Galatea. "Lets just get out of here and then work things out once we are away from here. We've been dealt with too many blows as it is, and I am just of the mindset of thinking we are owed just a small portion of good luck." he paused once more then gave a wry smile. "Sorry for being so outspoken on this matter."
"It's fine," Admiral Luzol announced as she walked through the Bridge, holding tightly to a walking cane as she worked to overcome the treatments that she had had when first arriving in this timeline. She looked carefully at the woman before her, studying her carefully, "If you are Galatea you and my husband have served together for a very long time. You look well enough like her that I have no doubt it's possible, but we need some sort of proof." She let out a breath, momentarily making herself dizzy. "Galatea, you need to tell my husband something that only the two of you would know."
The Federation Security Officer nodded, "I know just the thing, Admiral."
Willian stood next to his chair as the woman approached him. Somewhat taller than she, he sat in the chair and she leaned down next to his ear. As low as she could, just enough that she knew he'd hear, she said a single word, "Michael."
The Captain of the Starship looked up at her, staring her in the eyes as she pulled away. Only a few people would know that name and Galatea was one of them. Ash may have been right about all of this. He looked at the Engineer, giving a silent and slight nod as he let out a surprised breath.
"Helm, set course for the location Galatea has submitted. Maximum warp. Engage."
The Andorian nodded as his hands began to dance over the helmet console as he extracted the coordinates from the computer and inputed them into the helm. "Course set for the Galatea. Maximum warp, engaging sir. "We should reach the coordinates in 5 hours 23 minutes."
Patton wasn’t so trusting and still bothered about leaving someone behind but orders were orders. Now on top of everything else he would need to watch the newcomer who claimed to be Galatea. The others might be sold but he was not.
For his part Zim stood at his post. He went over the reports from the various departments and tried to busy himself so that he would not speak out of turn. However, everything that was happening was just wrong as far as he thought. The more he heard the conversation going on the more he thought he would have to have a conversation with the Captain on behalf of the rest of the enlisted aboard the vessel. Something had to be done.
The engines of Starfleet One engaged, taking the ship away from Svian and back into open space. As the ship traversed the voids of space the former Admiral could only hope that he hadn't been taken for a ride by the woman standing before them claiming to be one of their own.
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