Prologue

Captain’s Personal Log: It took a lot of favors and a nice chunk of latinum to a Ferengi shipyard superintendent, but I finally found a ship for Rey. She needs something to keep her occupied on her off hours. Something that is uniquely hers. The Xenius is a Raven class vessel that needs a lot of love, but if anyone can restore the ship to her former glory, it’s my girl.

***

“How did you like the tour?”

Rey rolled over in the bed and held her lover. “Are you talking about the ship or last night?”

Charlotte laughed. “The ship, of course.”

“It’s everything I’ve ever wanted. It’s amazing.”

“Now who’s talking about what?” Fawkes took her fiancée in her arms. She smiled. They kissed. “I’m teasing and I’m glad you like it.” The two settled back into the bed for a few precious minutes; a morning romp that equated to a long goodbye. Complete opposites, the Captain and the cadet was a romance that went against all the regs and logic, but somehow worked.

“I need to get to class,” Rey said, tossing off the covers. The cadet picked up her clothes; a smirk splashed across her face as she raced her lover to the shower. “Oh shit. That’s right. It doesn’t work.”

“Does anything work around here?”

“The warp core, but some of the EPS conduits need repair. That shouldn’t be a problem.” Rey said as she dressed. “The giant hole in the PTC is another thing. How did you get this thing to the base anyway?”

“The tractor beam on the Leda. I got a lecture on personal use of federation property, but it was only a slap on the wrist.” Fawkes wiped the grime off the bathroom mirror as she tied her brown hair into a ponytail then ran her tongue across her teeth. “Blech … does the replicator work?”

“Not in here. I think the one in the mess does.”

“I’ll have to brush my teeth on the Leda then.” Fawkes stepped into her trousers and began to look for the rest of her clothes. “Where is my shirt?”

“I ripped it, remember.”

“Oh, right. Give it to me anyway. I’ll tell everyone I fought a Gorn or something.”

Rey tossed the uniform top across the room. “It’s only ripped on the collar.”

Once dressed, Charlotte pulled Rey into another kiss. “So … I will be gone for a bit, but not to worry. It’s a simple mission, cataloging asteroids, comets, quasars and the like. Nothing exciting.”

“Zzzzzz …”

“Very funny.” Fawkes straightened the hem of her top. The rip was noticeable, but she could change quickly on the Leda. “I may be gone for a while, though.”

Rey stopped in front of the door as it swished open. “Where are you going?” She met Charlotte eye to eye momentarily, but quickly looked away.

“The Velorum Sector. That’s all I know at the moment.” Fawkes brought her fiancée into a hug. “Have fun with the ship. I can’t wait to see it when I get back.” It was Fawkes’ turn to not look Rey in the eye.

“Why do you do this? Every time you go on a long mission, you wait until the last second to tell me.”

“Because I know we’re going to fight about it and I don’t want that to mar our time together.”

Rey thought for a moment, though not about what Charlotte just said. “The Velorum Sector. That’s Romulan territory, right?”

Fawkes nodded. “It is and it contains a variety of fascinating spatial phenomena. We’ll stick close to the safe areas.”

Rey scowled. “Don’t lie to me.”

“Rey. The Leda is heading into the Velorum Sector to study spatial phenomena and Starfleet probably wants someone to keep an eye on things. From a distance. That’s the truth.”

***

PART ONE

Where were you when the Empire Fell?

With the final test graded, Evelyn turned her attention to a problem that had been nagging her all day. A snowglobe, given to her by her mother, looked out of place no matter where she put it in her office.

All her PADDs were arranged according to size and stacked neatly next to her computer. A picture frame with a photo of her mother sat on the edge of the desk. The thin blue lining around the frame balanced well with the blue of the computer and console. Beside the frame was the globe, a depiction of Rockport, Massachusetts, her hometown. She placed it on the shelf next to the African violet. The balance and color schemes were way off. Ev chewed on her nails.

With the globe in hand, Ev checked the time. Her 1700 hour meeting was 33 minutes late. For the time being, Sommers placed the snowglobe in a drawer in her desk. Ev would feel guilty about it, but she had other duties.

“Computer. Please locate Cadet Rey Ford.”

“Cadet Ford is on board the Xenius in Sector Lima-Violet, deck 632, docking bay D24.”

“Thank you.”

Sommers shut down her computer and pushed away from her desk. As she stood, her eye caught the drawer that now housed the snowglobe. Quickly, Ev grabbed the decoration and placed it back on her desk. She didn’t ever expect her mother to drop in unexpectedly, but it made the LT feel better about herself. Something would have to be done with the globe, however.

What if I painted it blue?

***Rey stared at the makeshift patch in the power transfer conduit. Made with a thin piece of tritanium and nanopolymer, it was a temporary fix, but the ship was space worthy. “That’ll have to do for now.”

“Why not replicate a piece of PTC shielding?”

“They won’t let me near the docking replicator after I programmed it to make a shuttle.”

Mira quirked an eyebrow, but left the subject of the shuttle alone. “I could replicate one for you. The shielding, not a shuttle.”

“I don’t want to get you into trouble either.” Rey said and made another adjustment to the patch.

“You’re saying you don’t trust me?”

Rey grumbled under her breath. It wasn’t a no.

“Are you certain your patch will hold?” asked Mira. “Also, the PTC warning light is on.”

“Eh, that light’s always on and I did the same thing on my old ship when one of the EPS conduits failed. It should hold.”

“Should?”

Rey rolled her eyes as she moved to the warp core console. “It will hold until I can get a new PTC. Luckily, an old friend of mine has one we can swipe.”

“Swipe?”

“I mean borrow.”

Mira looked at the patch, still uncertain of its viability. “Borrow implies we will use the PTC for a certain allotted time before it is returned.”

Ford peered at her friend from around the core. “Steal off a derelict ship. Okay?”

Mira nodded. “Understood.”

“And I thought I was literal.” Rey initiated the warp core sequence and stood back to watch the tower light up. “This will take some time to charge up.”

“I may be Romulan, but –”

“But you’re pretending to be a Vulcan for your mum. I know you told me like a dozen times.”

A scowl touched Mira’s face as she retorted. “And I will say it again until you realize it is not a pretense.”

“Did you just scowl?”

“No.”

Mira looked away.

Rey laughed.

“I like you Mira. You’re the only friend I have because nobody likes me and nobody trusts you. And I can give you shit and you’re okay with it because of logic.” She laughed to herself as she watched the core.

Mira tested the tritanium with her finger again. “I still have doubts, but you are the engineer. I will trust you.”

Rey smiled from around the core again. “Thanks. Just a few more minutes and we can test it out. Just don’t stand too close.”

“If the PTC fails, proximity will not matter,” said Mira. “The PTC warning light is still on, by the way.”

Again, Rey rolled her eyes. “I told you. It’s always on.” She slowly began to mix the matter and antimatter when her combadge chimed.

“Cadet Ford? This is Lt. Sommers. I believe we had a meeting.”

“Shit.” Rey tapped her combadge. “Yeah, sorry. I just got busy with the ship. Shit … sorry, I didn’t mean to swear.”

“Rey, we need to talk. May I come aboard?”

Sommers waited on the dock for a response, taking note of the Xenius. In its present condition, from the exterior, the vessel was in dire need of restoration. The name and registration number were faded. The hull, more of a dark, dingy brown than the normal light gray, bore several scorch marks from a previous battle. In all, the vessel looked like it belonged in a scrap yard, not a space dock.

“Uhhh … just a sec,” replied the Cadet. She was still initiating the core. “I’m in engineering, deck two. Can’t really stop what I’m doing right now. Come on.”

Lt. Sommers made her way through the docking port. She was peeved that Rey missed her appointment, but gratified the girl had found an outlet. Once on the XeniusEvelyn noted the state of the interior. More scorch marks littered the hallways. Conduits from dead corridor lights stuck out. As she walked toward the turbolift, Sommers noted the carpet had been removed in the hall. The LT entered the lift and the lights flickered. She wondered if she should use the jefferies tube to get around.

“A few more minutes,” said Rey as the warp core began to shine. “Then we can pump the plasma to the nassels and see what happens.”

Mira stepped away from the PTC to watch the core shimmer to life, but said nothing.

“You moved out of the way. Good.”

“No. I … I wanted to watch you work. That is all.”

“You may make a Vulcan yet,” said Rey, a smile in her voice. “You’re not a very good liar.”

Mira remained silent.

The door to engineering swished open. Lt. Sommers stood in the doorway uncertain if she wanted to proceed. Tools were strewn on the floor across from the warp core. A piece of the bulkhead looked to be caved in. Lights flickered on several consoles. “You’re not going anywhere are you?” she asked, a cautious shake in her voce.

“No. I’m just testing out a patch I made in the power transfer conduit.”

Ev stopped in her tracks. “Testing?”

“It’ll hold,” said Rey. The matter/antimatter mixture was at 95%.

“The odds are good,” added Mira. “I am Ensign Mira. Cadet Ford asked me for assistance in refitting her ship.”

“Her ship?” asked Sommers.

“Yeah. My ship.” Rey smiled, but kept her eye on the matter/antimatter mixture. It was at 97%. “Char — my fiancée got it for me. Something to keep me occupied on off hours. Sorry I missed the meeting, and almost there.”

“That’s not the point you need to — why is the PTC warning light on?”

“98%!” shouted Rey.

“There was a large hole in the PTC,” began Mira. “Cadet Ford is testing a makeshift patch of tritanium and nanopolymer. It has an 87% chance of success.”

“99%!” Rey’s face was covered in the glow of the warp core as it began to come online. She beamed when the matter and antimatter came together. “100%. Now I just have to inject the plasma into the PTC and –”

“I’m sorry, Rey.” Sommers interjected and began to power down the core.

“What are you doing?” Ford shouted.

“At the very least, saving your career. I’ll replicate your PTC shielding if you need it. We’ll install it properly.”

The cadet stood away from the core, her hands balled into fists, her nostrils flared. “Just because you’re so damned OCD –”

“That will be all, Cadet!” Sommers shouted.

Mira’s combadge chimed. She took the call elsewhere while the other two bickered.

“It would have worked.” Rey countered.

“That’s not the point. It’s protocol. We follow strict guidelines for a purpose.” The LT looked over the console to ensure everything had been shut down. “The PTC warning light is on. Did you know that?”

“Yes. It’s always on.” Rey marched to the console and tapped the light. It flickered twice but still shined. “Happy now?”

Evelyn’s attention was called to the light on the console. “That shouldn’t — how do you stand it?”

Ford threw up her arms. “I’m just a mess, I guess,”

“Ex-excuse me,” Mira interrupted. “That was a friend from Vashti. The news just came down. The Romulan Star Empire has reached its final collapse. It’s gone.” Mira stood rigid, one hand balled into a fist tapping her hip. Logically, the fall of the empire was irrelevant. What required attention was the mass relief effort that lay ahead. Yet, part of her Romulan blood boiled. “Such a waste,” she whispered.

“Mira, I’m so sorry.” Sommers approached the Romulan, but kept her distance. Her combadge chimed a second later. She moved to the side to answer.

Rey gave her friend a nod. “Yeah. That sucks. Did you still have family there?”

“I did,” Mira said blankly. “But that is irrelevant. What matters is the relief effort. Millions are at risk. I wonder if Starfleet will do anything this time around.”

“They will,” announced LT Sommers. “I just spoke to Commander Stoddard, an old friend. The base is on full alert. All available ships are to go to the Velorum Sector and offer any assistance we can.”

“The Velorum Sector?” asked Rey.

“Yes, why?” Sommers acknowledged.

“Then that’s where I’m going,” Rey spat. “Get me that fucking shield now.”

Captain’s Log: It’s been three weeks since the Leda entered the Velorum Sector. So far we’ve cataloged three new comets, a quasar and discovered microbial life similar to prokaryotes on an L class planet. It may be the beginning stages of animal life. We will continue to explore this sector for more spatial phenomena.

Captain Fawkes stared at the words on her computer, her official report to Starfleet. As a scientist, she enjoyed the challenge of new discoveries. She wished that was the Leda’s only goal in the sector.

Charlotte sipped at her tea, Darjeeling. Her favorite. She liked the delicate flavor. It helped her relax and concentrate. The door chimed.

“Enter.”

A Klingon entered the ready room. His expression was stoic, unreadable. He wore a baldric, a sash worn over the left shoulder, which noted his station in the great Klingon houses.

“Captain. We’ve intercepted an automated distress call from a Reman vessel. Starfleet regulations require that we investigate.”

Charlotte nodded.

“Thank you Commander Mas. I’ll be on the bridge directly.”

Tadan Mas did not move once Fawkes issued the order nor did her fidget, but his stance was one of unease.

“Is there something else?” Char asked.

“An automated signal is unusual.”

“You are correct, Commander, unless their systems are out or they are incapacitated in some other way.” Fawkes tapped on her console. “As you said, it’s regulations.”

“Sir, may I also point out that this could be a trap. With the recent upheaval in this sector, a Romulan warbird could have just as easily sent the distress message.”

“Correct again and it’s ma’am,” said Fawkes as she glanced up from her computer.

“My apologies, ma’am. I keep forgetting. Sir is regulation.”

“Well, some regulations we must obey. Others can get bent,” she said and flashed the Klingon a half smirk.

“Get … bent?” Mas asked, confused at the expression.

“It means fuck off.”

“Get … bent …” Mas repeated, a bemused smile on his lips.

Fawkes moved to the bridge. “Lt. Sun-sin set a course for the Reman ship’s location, warp factor eight. Lt. Commander Ayi, set the ship’s status to yellow alert.”

Both the helmsman and the security officer acknowledged their orders. Fawkes sat back and tapped her middle finger on her thigh. Mas noticed the tell, but said nothing.

***

Personal Log, LtJg Evelyn Sommers: Starbase Bravo has been on full alert for the past three solar days. Classes have been canceled as cadets make their way to various assignments. All available ships have been called to the Velorum Sector including the Xenius, which has been loaded with supplies, and I have the unenviable task of assuming command.  

“What?”

Rey stood in front of the warp core, her face partially washed in the glow. The replicated shielding on the power transfer conduit held perfectly, but the ship was still a junker. Her junker, until now. Ford scowled.

“But it’s my ship.”

Evelyn stiffened. The lcars console flickered on and off and the PTC warning was still on. She looked away from the flashing lights to focus on her task, one of the many tools she had gained during counseling sessions with Dr. Weld.

“I understand your concerns, Cadet Ford, but there are bigger issues at play. The Romulan Star Empire has collapsed and the Velorum Sector is in the midst of a major humanitarian crisis.”

“But it’s my ship.”

“That’s not the point, Rey,” Sommers exclaimed with a sigh. “Whether or not the ship is yours is irrelevant. Starfleet has commandeered the Xenius for this assignment.” Ev stepped close to the engineer, the flashing console be damned. “I understand that you are worried about your fiancée. I would be too, but Captain Fawkes is an exemplary commander and knows her duty. You need to trust her and understand your duty.”

The Cadet scoffed, but could prepare no rebuttal. Somers was right. The Xenius was Rey’s property, but her stubbornness had little to do with ownership of a Raven class ship. She was far more worried over her fiancée. The Cadet momentarily stared at the illuminations within the warp core. Matter and antimatter, opposing energies, mixed to traverse the vast distance of space. Rey empathized with the core. She, more than most, understood her own duality and knew it as a strength.

Ford threw up her hands. “Okay … okay, but when we rendezvous with the Leda, please let me contact Charlotte first.”

The door to engineering swished open.

“All supplies have been loaded, Lieutenant. Once we run our final diagnostic, we can get underway.”

“Thank you, Ensign. I’ll be on the bridge momentarily.”

The Romulan gave her commander a stiff nod and returned to her duties. Evelyn started for the door, but she had more bad news for Ford.

“We won’t rendezvous with the Leda. Our orders are to deliver these supplies to the Pasteur.”

Rey bolted toward the LT. Ev flinched, but stood her ground.

“I hate you!”

“I’m not here for you to like or dislike. Just do your damned jog, Cadet!”

Sommers regretted her words the second they slipped from her tongue, but there was no time to argue. The LT spun around and marched out the door. Rey balled her fists and punched the wall. Her mark left a small indentation.

***

When the USS Leda dropped out of warp, the ship’s sensors immediately detected the troubled Reman scout vessel. Still at yellow alert, Fawkes ordered the ship to stop just within range.

“Scan the ship for any damage or malfunction.”

“No signs of outer damage, but their shields are up.”

“Raise our shields now! Go to red alert.”

The interior of the bridge dimmed as the familiar red lights blared throughout the ship.

“Raising shields,” acknowledged Mas.

“Hail them. Tell them we are answering their distress call and are prepared to lend any assistance necessary, but I want a word with their Commander.”

“Aye, ma’am.” acknowledged the communications officer.

With Mas on her right side and her Security Officer Ayi on her left, Fawkes waited for a reply. None came.

Fawkes sat on the edge of her seat, studying the Reman vessel. She wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but something was off.

The communication’s officer swiveled around in his seat. “Captain, I’m getting a message from their bridge. Their Commander wishes to speak to you in private.”

“Send it to my ready room. Hold at red alert. Mas, you have the con.”

***

Evelyn was used to a creaky bulkhead on ship upon takeoff. During her tour on board the Valkyrie, each time the ship entered the atmosphere, the vessel would vibrate to the returning pressure. The Xenius was another matter. Even in the vacuum of space, the ship rattled. Loudly, in some areas. She never knew if a loud bang from below was misaligned equipment, Rey blowing off steam or the bulkhead being sheared off. For Lieutenant Junior Grade Sommers, the experience was unnerving. Standing off to the side of Ensign Mira, Sommers held on to the control console, her knuckles white and shaky.

“The ship may rattle at times, but Cadet Ford is an exceptional engineer and mechanic,” stated the Romulan.

“I’m — I’m fine, Ensign. Steady as she goes.”

“Aye Lieutenant.”

Once the ship departed the Mellstoxx system, the Xenius would face its ultimate test, warp speed.

“Lay in a heading for the Pasteur’s coordinates and head out at warp four.”

“Yes sir.”

Mira tapped in the coordinates, but the system refused to respond. Feeling it was a fault in the ship’s computer systems, the ensign tried again. Perplexed, Mira immediately ran a diagnostic on the Xenius’ main heading systems.

“Rey may have rerouted a few routines. Let me give her a call and –”

“It’s not a problem with the system, sir. The navigation and helm do not respond.” Mira ran her fingers over the console, the root cause of the problem. “Navigation and helm have been rerouted through engineering.”

“Rey …” grumbled the LT. “See what you can do to override systems. Bring us to a full stop if you have to, but get control back ASAP.”

“Understood. I will attempt to override the main computer.”

Sommers bolted for the turbolift. For a moment she hesitated and wondered if she was safe within the lift. The LT knew Rey as a student. The girl was rough around the edges and sometimes reckless, but she was typically more pragmatic than most other students. Most of all, Sommers didn’t want to believe Ford would put others in danger.

“Engineering”

The lift shook, but began to move to its destination with no hindrance. Ev stopped out cautiously. A hand hovered over her phaser.

“Rey? Please tell me there’s been a malfunction.”

“Sorry, LT. Just go back to the bridge and I promise no one will get hurt.”

Evelyn heard the voice from behind her. She instinctively went for her phaser, but suddenly felt a sharp jab in her kidney. The LT quickly pivoted to find Rey holding out her own phaser.

“I’m sorry, Sommers. I really am and I don’t want to hurt anyone, least of all you, but I’ve got to get to Charlotte.”

Rey’s bottom lip trembled, but otherwise, she was a rock. The phaser was set to stun.

For the moment, Sommers felt numb. She expected some anxiety on such an old ship and maybe a call to arms from a possible enemy. Mutiny, on the hand, was way down her list. Not since the destruction of the Valkyrie had she faced such a dire situation. Ev, her hands by her side, picked at her nails and moved forward.  

“Rey, put the phaser down and release control of the ship. Go back to your duties and I’ll forget about this. Please.”

“No!” Ford shouted. “I have to get to the Doc.” The Cadet moved forward. She began to tremble. “I like you, Sommers. I mean, you’ve got a stick up your ass and all, but you’re a good person. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“And I don’t want to hurt you either.” Evelyn took a step closer. “Rey, Captain Fawkes is an exemplary officer and the Leda is a Luna class ship. Even if she were to find trouble, what could we do to help?”

“I don’t know! I just know I need to be there … if only to –”

The turbolift opened again. Mira stepped out, phaser in hand. Rey turned for an instant. Evelyn kicked the phaser out of her hand. Rey scrambled at the weapon. Mira fired. Rey spasmed for a moment and fell to the ground.

“My apologies for my late arrival, Lieutenant.”

“It’s fine, Mira.” Ev picked up the phaser and knelt next to Rey. “Go see what you can do about restoring control.”

“Acknowledged.”

Ev turned Rey over. She was unconscious, but very much alive. “Dammit, Rey.” She shook her head, knowing the girl just tossed away her career and possibly more. Sommers drug Rey across the floor to prop her up against the bulkhead. “I hesitate to say this, but we’ll need to confine her to quarters. We may need restraints.”

“Lieutenant, there is a problem.”

Ev shot up. “What is it, Ensign?”

“Cadet Ford has rigged the subspace sensors in such a way that if we were to alter course, we would initiate a systems failure cascade. Such an event would certainly  disable the ship and possibly destroy it.”

“So, we’re stuck at this heading?”

“Until I can find a solution, yes. We are.”

Sommers knelt by Ford. The girl would be out for another couple of hours. “We have a decision to make, Ensign Mira. Either we continue on this heading or we force her to fix the navigation, something I do not relish in the least.”

“Nor do I, but if Rey will not change the course voluntarily, I see no logical alternative.”

Mira worked on navigation, but Ford’s engineering skills, while impeccable, were rarely regulation. “This will take some time, Lieutenant.”

***

Fawkes sat at her computer, awaiting a response from the Reman commander. Instead, the visage of a female Romulan appeared. Charlotte was taken aback. This was supposed to be a rendezvous.

“Captain Fawkes. Permit me to introduce myself. I am Commander Di’thea. You must forgive the deception, but I needed to make your acquaintance.”

“Where is the Reman Commander? Why do you want to talk to me, specifically?”

The Romulan snapped her fingers. A Reman, somewhat worse for wear was brought to the screen, but quickly whisked off again. “He’ll live, provided we can make an agreement.”

“And what’s that?”

“Your unconditional surrender. Lower your shields and beam abroad. We have much to talk about.”

Fawkes clenched her jaw. This was not how it was supposed to go down. Her coms charmed. It was Mas.

“Captain, three Romulan warbirds have decloaked, aft, port and starboard.”

“Acknowledged, Commander Mas.” She returned to her opponent on the computer screen. “I won’t lower the shields. Not on any condition.”

Di’thea was displeased at first and remained silent for several seconds.

“A shuttle then. You. Alone.”Fawkes comed Mas. “Commander. Prepare a shuttle for launch.

Captain’s Log: The distress signal from the Reman ship turned out to be a trap. The Leda is currently surrounded by three Romulan Warbirds and a captured Reman vessel. Commander Di’thea, the apparent leader of the small fleet, has advised me to surrender the ship. As that is impossible, I’ve agreed to meet with her on board the captured Reman ship. Commander Mas has been vocal in his opposition to the plan.

“The distress signal was sent?”

“Aye, Captain.” The Klingon slowed his stride to match the Captain’s pace. “Unfortunately, our comms were jammed after the signal was sent.”

“So, we have no idea if anyone is coming,” Fawkes stated. She turned the corner in the corridor, headed for the shuttlebay. “Tighten security. I don’t want people at each other’s throats, but the Romulans set this trap for a reason. They may have targeted us.”

Mas turned an eye to his commander. “We were expected?”

“We were. Starfleet orders. We were to rendezvous with the Reman vessel and issue any humanitarian aid necessary.”

Angered, Mas took in a deep breath. He exhaled slowly as the two reached their destination. “Why was I not informed, Captain?”

Fawkes stopped as the bay doors opened. She respected the klingon and stared him straight in the eyes. “Starfleet knew the Romulan Empire would fall. They wanted to be ahead of the fallout for once. It was not my choice to keep you in the dark, but I’m glad I did.”

“Ma’am?”

“Deception is not your strong suit, but honor is, and that is what I need from you as the ship’s commander. Listen to the crew. Allow yourself to learn from them, but fight like a Klingon.”

Mas stood in the doorway, conflicted by his Captain’s mistrust, but honored by her words.

“Thank you for your honesty, Captain. If I may, please allow me to reply in kind.”

“By all means.”

Both watched as the shuttle was turned on the pad.

“It is my duty to inform you that the Captain is being an idiot. At the very least allow security to accompany you.”

“Out of the question. I’ve given Di’thea my word and I will honor it.” Fawkes smiled simply as the shuttle was readied for her departure. “As I said, I’m counting on you to see the Leda through any rough weather, Commander. Take good care of her.”Mas clutched his d’k tahg. Fawkes spun toward her first officer, ready for another tête-à-tête. Instead, Mas presented her with the weapon. She gently pushed it away.

“Thank you, but no. Any weapon I take will be confiscated as soon as I’m aboard that Reman vessel. I won’t allow you to lose such a valued artifact.”

The Klingon held the dagger in his hands. He was furious with his friend, but respected the nature of her sacrifice. With vigar, he placed the d’k tahg back into his sheath then stood straight and strong.

“Kapla!”

“Kapla to you as well, Commander.”

****

The Xenius continued to rattle and shake at its maximum cruising speed of warp six. Even Cadet Ford, who had violated numerous Starfleet regulations, knew not to push the Raven class vessel to the maximum for any sustained period. For that much, Lt. Sommers was grateful.

At the helm while Ensign Mira attempted to repair the damage done by Ford, the Lieutenant attempted to focus her attention on the problems at hand. Unfortunately, the view screen blinked out every few minutes which forced the LT to enact repairs. At warp, a viewscreen was not a priority and the Xenius did have a course heading, though an undesired one. For the time being it was more of a nuisance and a distraction for the young Lieutenant.

The screen went dark. Ev sighed and rerouted the systems again. The warp effect appeared as the screen became active again. Sommers sighed in relief. She commed the Ensing down in engineering.  

“Progress on our course correction, Ensign?”

“None,” replied Mira. “Each time I feel I have made progress I’m greeted with another stumbling block. For instance, if we were to drop out of warp before we reached our destination, the EPS is rigged to stop distribution of power to a variety of components, including shields.”

“Life support?”

“Negative. Life support seems to be one of the few systems unaffected by Rey’s tampering.”

The screen went out again. Sommers kicked the base of the helm console out of frustration. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“The screen again, Lieutenant?” asked the Romulan.

“Yes, Mira. I’m sorry. I must have left the comm on. It won’t happen again.”

“Have you contacted the Pasteur about our inevitable delay in the delivery of their supplies?”

“Shit.”

“I take that as a no.”

“I’m sorry. So much has gone wrong and I’m just not cut out for this and — shit.”

“The screen?”

“Hold on.”

Sommers rerouted power to the screen again. Soon, she would run out of options and the ship would be blind. Even so, Mira was right. Within the hour, the Xenius would officially be late with their rendezvous with the Pasteur.

****

Confined to quarters. Rey paced back and forth between her bed and the small round dining table nestled in the corner. Each time, she passed through the doorway. Her hand caressed the scarred molding. Once, the cadet allowed her fingers to trace the fractured molding. She felt every peak and valley in the wound of the wood until it smoothed out. Was it a phaser blast that missed? Had someone ducked behind the doorway just in time? She didn’t know the ship’s history.

Main systems and primary functionality were given priority when Ford began her personal refit of the Xenius. Decor was down the list for the Raven class vessel’s refit. The cadet had contemplated allowing some scars to remain. Rey liked the idea her ship had been through a rough life. She could relate.

Within the carpet was a small blood stain. A large section melted into the fibers like watercolors. The rest of the stain was sharp edged where the blood pooled and clotted over time. Another war wound Rey thought to leave in, though earlier Charlotte objected. For the first time since she first set eyes on the ship, Ford knelt down by the blood stain to contemplate as to whom it might belong. It was a dark reddish brown which meant there was a high probability the blood was human. As there was no spray or splatter pattern, Rey could only guess the blood seeped from a deep wound. With only one puddle, she wondered if the victim used a hypospray to heal their affliction. Ford shrugged and stood. She went to lay down.

The bed was fitted with fine sheets, probably silk or some synthetic version. Charlotte procured them. The bed itself was sturdy enough, but like so much of the ship, was latticed with nicks and scratches. She turned over and allowed her fingers to run over a deep, etched dent. Like the mar on the door, the scratch on the bed was comforting.

As she rose again, Ford felt her chain shift around her neck. She plucked it out from under her shirt. On the chain was the engagement ring Fawkes had given her a few months back. The diamond and sapphire bauble glimmered in the light. Its shine was in stark contrast to the rest of the ship and prompted Ford to examine the glittering gems.

An oval diamond was the center stone. Each facet cast a reflection, some smooth as air. Others were hazy or near white from the light. Two sapphires, both diamond shaped, which Rey found ironic, cast a deep blue hue she had only seen over the deepest oceans. There were no flaws on the ring, which, as much as it meant to Ford, made it feel like a fantasy. Life was messy and wonderful, like her ship, like her love for Charlotte.

****

Captain’s log: To buy time for reinforcements to arrive, I’ve agreed to rendezvous with Commander Di’thea, currently aboard a captured Reman vessel. The Commander has asked for the Leda’s unconditional surrender, however this meeting gives me confidence that all is not lost. We must have something she wants besides a dead crew and a dead hull. Once on board the Reman ship, I hope a diplomatic solution can be found.

As the shuttlecraft moved closer to the Reman vessel she was flanked by two Romulan fighters, though they presented no immediate threat. Instead they were the shuttle’s escorts. Captain Fawkes followed all provided instructions to the letter and docked safely with the enemy ship.

Stepping out of the shuttle and into the Reman shuttlebay, Fawkes was immediately surrounded by four Romulan security guards; their weapons drawn. Without direction, she offered compliance and raised both hands. “No weapons,” she said plainly. The Romulans scanned her anyway.

“I find no signs of weapons.”

The Sublieutenant nodded, then approached Fawkes. “You will follow us to meet with Commander Di’thea. Any deviation from our path and you will be executed. Any hostile actions or attempts at escape and you will be executed. Any disrespect to any officer of rank and you will be executed. Do you understand?”

Fawkes nodded once.

“Do you understand?” repeated the Sublieutenant.

“I understand.”

Captain Fawkes was escorted, not to Di’thea, but to a small interrogation room where she was questioned by Sub-Commander Tocuth. All his questions were nonspecific, a precursor to Fawkes’ interrogation by the Commander. Charlotte responded only with her name, rank and service number.

“And finally, please tell me the crew compliment of the Leda. She’s a Luna class, correct? Our estimates are between 250 and 300.”

Fawkes, her arms folder over her chest, sighed heavily. “Charlotte Irene Rose Fawkes, Captain. Service number …”

The Sub-Commander waved her off. “Thank you for your … cooperation. You will be escorted to the Commander shortly.”

****

Lt. Sommers stood in front of the door to Rey’s quarters. Before her was the most difficult decision of her career. She chimed the door once. There was no response. Sommers unlocked the door. Her hand hovered over her phaser as she entered.

“Rey?”

The cadet lay on the bed, a ring in her hand. She was chewing on a strand of her hair.

Sommers, hand still over her phaser, stepped further into the quarters. She picked at her nails. “Rey. You have to turn the ship around. The Pasteur is expecting our supplies.”

“No.”

“That was an order, Cadet. Not a request.”

“I don’t care.”

“Rey … I haven’t reported this yet, but I will unless you release control.” Sommers’ tone was hard edged, deliberate. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Attempted mutiny, striking a superior officer, interference with a humanitarian crisis. You’re facing a court martial and possible life in a penal colony.”

“I told you I don’t care!” Rey shouted.

“Captain Fawkes will care.”

Ford jumped up, stuffed the ring back under her shirt and glared at Evelyn. The LT stood her ground, hands behind her back.

“She lied to me. Charlotte has never lied to me unless it’s for some Starfleet bullshit.”

“To protect you, Rey,” Sommers countered as she moved closer to Ford. “If you don’t release this ship, I will report this incident. You will be court martialed. You will go to prison, possibly for the rest of your life.”

“I know, Ev, but you don’t understand. Before her, my life was shit.” Rey hung her head and chewed on a lock of hair. “You’re a good person and I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” Evelyn wanted to reach out and hug the poor girl, but she had a duty to perform. “You’re confined to quarters. When we reach the Leda, I’ll turn you over to Captain Fawkes. She’ll escort you back to Stabase Four.”

Ford nodded as she moved back toward her bed. It was a cruel irony that her fiancée would be forced to hand her over to the authorities.

The doors swished open. Evelyn stood still, sure of her duty, but unsure of her feelings. Then Mira broke in.

“Lt. Sommers. I’ve picked up a distress message from the USS Leda.”

“Pipe it down here.”

Rey ran to the comm panel in her room.

“Commander Mas of the USS Leda. We are surrounded by Romulans. Request –”

“It cuts off there, Lieutenant.”

“Meet me on the bridge, Mira.” Ev shot a look at Rey who was coming along. “This doesn’t let you off the hook, Rey.”

The cadet clung to the ring under her shirt.

“I know. Let’s get move.”

****

The Romulan Commander’s office was homeier than Charlotte expected. There were no flowers or ruffles, but a grand painting of Romulus hung behind the desk. A bookshelf with volumes of history and art lined a corner nook. A photo of a Romulan family sat on the desk. Beside it sat a closed folio. Fawkes was no less guarded and gave the two guards at the door a tiled glance. She had no illusions that her life was likely forfeit.

The door swished open.

“Leave us,” ordered the Commander.

Both guards, though puzzled, acknowledged the order and left.

“I am Commander Di’thea. You are Captain Fawkes?”

“I am.”

Charlotte began to rise, but Di’thea shook her head. “Please, remain seated.” She opened the folio and handed it to Fawkes along with a pen. “I like the feel of writing.”

“As do I,” Fawkes said and took the folio. “A formal surrender?” Char eyed the Commander, a faded smile on her lips. “You know I can’t sign this.”

“Then your ship will be destroyed and you will be executed, after a thorough mind probe.”

“You could, but for whom?” Fawkes asked. “Your Empire is gone. We both know it.”

Di’thea jumped from her chair, fury in her eyes. Her palms pounded on the desk. “The Empire lives! You know nothing.”

“No, Di’thea. It’s gone. That’s why we’re here. To help you.”

“To help us?” Di’thea laughed. “The way you helped us when Romulus was dying? Help us? After you betrayed millions of Romulans and left them to die?”

Fawkes stood from the sofa, tempted to look away in shame, but she stood her ground. “A grave mistake that will stain the Federation forever, but not mine and I’m here to clean up that fucking mess. Now, kill me or tell me what the hell you want.”

“You have a fire that I admire. Fine. I want a member of your crew. Her name is Mira.”

Charlotte eyed the photo on the Commander’s desk. The child in the photo looked familiar. “I’m sorry. I don’t know a Mira. Even if I did, no one in my crew is expendable.”

“Don’t lie to me. We know she was assigned to you months ago. Please hand her over or I swear …”

“She’s not on board. You should know that. I’m sure you scanned our ship.”

The Commander slowly sunk into her chair; a look of defeat spread upon her features. “We did. I was hoping –” Di’thea shook her head. She smiled sadly. “You may record a message for your crew and any loved ones before your execution.”

Charlotte slowly nodded. “Thank you.”

“The guards will escort you back to –”

“Commander!” Sub-Commander Tocuth’s voice blared over the coms. “Another ship is coming into range.”

“Another starship?” demanded Di’thea.

“Unsure. It’s a smaller craft … a raven class vessel, if our information is correct. It’s hailing us now.”

“Let me hear it.”

Evelyn’s voice came through the comms.

“… is Lt. Sommers, commander of the USS Xenius. We’ve come to render aid to anyone in need within the Velorum sector. May I ask why the Leda seemed to be surrounded?”

Fawkes said nothing when the identity of the ship was revealed. She stood ready, watching the commander’s every move. If she could just catch her off guard.

The Commander tapped the comm panel. “Blow them out of the sky.”

Another voice came over the comms. It was Mira.

“You’ll kill me too, mother.”

“Belay that order!” screamed the Di’thea.

The Reman vessel shook. Fawkes moved in. She grabbed the Commander’s disruptor.

“Beam the Romulan up!” Di’thea ordered.

“The ship’s shields are up. We could disable the ship, but –”

“But what?” The Romulan Commander glared at Fawkes. The Captain put her back to the wall beside the door, the disruptor still aimed at Di’thea.

“But the ship is old. You’re just as likely to destroy it as you are to disable it.”

The Reman ship took another hit. The ship careened starboard. Fawkes slipped. Di’thea fell. The disruptor hit the floor. Both women fought for the weapon, but the Romulan was the stronger. As she rose, the Commander held the weapon on Fawkes.

“Commander!” shouted Tocuth from the comms. “The Xenius. It’s on a collision course. The Federation starship has also begun to the fire on the warbirds.”

The Commander stared at Fawkes. “They’re bluffing.”

Charlotte shook her head.

“What madman would do this?”

“My fiancée.”

Mira’s voice, calm and calculating, came over communications.

“Two minutes and 15 seconds until the Xenius reaches the point of no return.”

“Which will it be, Commander?” asked Fawkes. “Your victory or your daughter?”

Di’thea closed her eyes and tossed the disruptor to the floor. “Stand down. All ships. Stand down.”

Charlotte tapped her combadge. “Mas. Stand down.” She picked up the disruptor and handed it to the Commander. “Beam me out of here.”

****

Captain’s personal log: The Leda is on course to rendezvous with the Pasteur. They will get their supplies a day late. Ensign Mira and her mother have challenging times ahead. Commander Mas performed his duty admirably and kept the ship together. Lt. Sommers should be commended for putting up with Rey. Seriously, I plan to put her and Mira in for commendations. As for Rey, I’m not sure what, if anything, I can do. Once we delivered the supplies, I asked the helm to take us home, slowly.