“Engineering reports warp core activation process is underway. Cores 1, 2, 3, and 4 are in the green.” Gracie Lothan sat at the engineering station, monitoring the startup sequence for the Excelsior-class starship. Jeremy Agats sat in the center chair, looking comfortable in the position of command. Aside from a cadet at the helm and tactical, the rest of the crew was working in engineering. The design of the bridge was nearly identical to the Excelsior of Captain Sulu’s days. Lothan couldn’t help but smile at the tactile buttons on the console. It had been a steep learning curve for all of them adapting to the old systems. A message popped up on her console. She reported, “Sickbay has secured Captain Pike, and he is stable.”
Agats gave a nod, his face placid in the face of what they were about to attempt. He admitted to Lothan his fear, nervousness, and outright terror. She told him he wasn’t alone. They were all fearful of what was coming next. If V’ger was supposed to come back, they would have to either face it or run, hoping to find a way home. The holo-films of the historical event that had nearly destroyed Earth in their universe still gave her chills. Her screen updated again. “All moorings are clear. We are free to navigate with impulse engines.”
Jeremy Agats leaned forward in the chair, his eyes wide open. There would never be an experience like this again, and he selfishly wanted to hang onto it for as long as he could. The threat of V’ger and their Borg companions shook him loose. “Pull us forward, one quarter impulse power.” The ship hummed in response to the helm controls, and they could feel the ship move for the first time in years. He couldn’t help but smile at the sensation. The dock doors ahead rumbled open, lights flashing as the Enterprise-B moved closer to breaking into open space. “Steady as she goes, helm.” The doors creaked open, exposing the dark space ahead. He felt his heart pounding as they got closer. He’d never done this outside of the simulator.
The helmsman breathed a sigh of relief as the ship cleared the dock. “Clear. Thank goodness.”
Agats chuckled. “Good work, Jason. Take us to full impulse. Lothan-”
“Ahead of you. Sensors are online and active. Short range confirms what we knew. Long range coming up now.” She had slid over to the science station, shifting the sensors into a rotating search pattern. Gracie’s brow furrowed. “They found a way to cut through the muck!” A few clicks and the results were on the main viewscreen. “We had problems using the base sensors and even the station sensors. Whatever they did to the sensor systems, it cleared the view.” Several dots alarmed as the sensors reached out. Lothan shifted over to the tactical station. “Two contacts, unknown registry, unknown class. They are moving at warp nine on an intercept course for us.” Her hands hesitantly worked the unfamiliar controls, trying to focus the tactical threat screens on the two incoming targets. “Computer doesn’t recognize them. Working to manually identify.”
Jeremy shifted in the chair, feeling the weight of command suddenly upon his shoulders. “Yellow alert! Shields up. Can we hail them?” The low and sour klaxon rang throughout the mostly empty ship as the light yellow overheads faded up.
Lothan rolled over to the communications station, struggling to figure out the process. It took her five agonizing minutes. She turned toward Agats. “Hailing frequencies are not responding. She tapped her badge, “Lothan to Connie–I need you on the bridge!” Gracie pushed herself back to the science station. “They have hints of Starfleet or Federation, but the computer doesn’t have enough data to diagnose yet. They’re about five hours out.”
Agats rested his elbows on his knees, contemplative. “What if we move to intercept them? Close the distance.” The turbolift door flew open, and Connie Talboa moved to the communications station as Lothan pointed toward it.
Gracie winced. Whoever it was, they couldn’t run from them forever. They also did not know how to get home or even know anyone in this universe who could help them. “I don’t know what else to do,” she sighed. “We need information. I’m not detecting any V’ger signals or Borg readings…and there is a lot of data in the computer on them. They’re not the enemy, at least the ones we’re afraid of running into.”
Jeremy grimaced. “Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. Plot an intercept course, warp factor nine.” He took a deep breath. “Engage.”
