Being on the bridge for almost two hours now, Campbell was now pacing around the outskirts slowly becoming impatient at having to wait for confirmation they had found the Risan vessel. Hands behind his back, he found actually moving around kind of good for him. Since his recovery from his encounters with the Orion Syndicate, sitting around and not doing anything had become frustrating for the man who liked to remain busy. Not wanting to grab anyone’s attention, he avoided catching the bridge crew’s eye, except for his first officer. Smirking at Leonov, the science officer returned a similar gesture. Were they starting to warm up to one another? Campbell felt that on some level there was hope. His thoughts were interrupted by his pilot making the welcoming announcement he wanted to hear.

Randall, finally finished with rehab, sat at the helm console. Though he was on medical leave, he kept reviewing the files he had on helm control.

“Drop us out of warp Josh,” Campbell instructed as he moved from standing in front of the helm and back to his chair. “Scott, go to tactical alert and start scanning for any hostile vessels in the vicinity.”

“Dropping out of warp, captain.” He watched the captain while he was standing in front of him, and as he returned to his chair. “We have returned to normal space, captain.”

“Antione, put the Risan vessel on the mainscreen and Number One, commence scans of the vessels so we know what we’re dealing with.” Campbell issued as he took his chair and sat down in it.

There was a gentle hum from Leonov a moment after her scans began. “The ship looks capable of no more than Warp 4, Captain. They’ve sustained damage and I’m detecting major fluctuations in their power grid.” Her tone made it plain the assessment was a work in progress, but it would take some time to uncover the full secrets of such a vessel even from here.

Antione immediately placed the ship on the viewscreen and zoomed in so the Captain could see the damage inflicted and to be able to identify the ship more clearly.

Appearing within a blink on the large screen in the centre of the forward bulkhead of the bridge, the Risan craft appeared. It almost looked like a Vulcan design with two long almost cylindrical shaped sections that were linked together by curved warp nacelles at the end. Various windows dotted either side of the sections. At the forward end of them were two powerful looking deflector dishes. One seemed barely operational as it flickered while the other was completely offline. There was barely enough power running through the ship.

“Open a channel, Antione.” Campbell commanded.

Antione nodded and pressed a few commands “Channel Open and ready for you, Captain”

Campbell cleared his throat, winced a bit as the way he was sitting seemed to have triggered him knocking a bruise or something so he adjusted himself slightly before speaking. “Risan vessel, this is Captain Oliver Campbell of the Earth Commonwealth vessel, Endeavour. We are here responding to your distress call.”

Crackling then filled the bridge speakers before a deep but sensual feminine tone was followed. “Captain Campbell, I am Captain Jarandis of the Risan pleasure cruise ship Furanda. We have a number of casualties, thankfully no fatalities but we are losing power to our primary systems. Are you able to offer assistance?”

Smiling that they arrived in time, Campbell replied to his counterpart. “Absolutely Captain Jarandis. We can dock alongside you and bring aboard medical and engineering teams to assist. Standby.”

“Thank you Captain Campbell, we await your teams.” Jarandis then cut the channel.

Tapping the intercom to his left, Campbell spoke up in it. “Bridge to engineering, Lieutenant Commander Meihui, prepare damage control teams to board the Risan vessel to assist with repairs.

Tapping the intercom to respond, “Aye sir.” Xiang replied as she got up and quickly grabbed a team together that as well as equipment that would assist with repairs aboard the Risan ship.

“Bridge to sickbay, Doctor Wishmore, you and your staff are needed to assist with those who are injured on the Risan vessel.” Campebell instructed his second officer and chief medical officer.

Suppressing a sigh as any hopes Doctor Wishmore had held of some peace were swiftly dashed, there was a mometary pause before his voice returned via the bridge speaker system, “Acknowledged Captain, we’ll be ready.”

“Katya, Scott and Antione you’re with me.” Campbell said as he rose from his seat. “Josh, dock the ship with the Risans and then the bridge is yours. Have Major Caidin meet us in the docking port. Let’s go meet some Risans.”

“Aye sir.” This would be the first time he would be in control of the bridge. He guided the ship towards the Risan vessel, then gently completed the docking maneuver with the Risan ship. “Docking complete, captain.” He tapped the comm button. “Major Caidin, report to the docking port.”

Major Saorise Caidin had already begun moving, having heard the comms with Dr. Wishmore from the biobed, where she had just finished her final scans before returning to full duty. “Acknowledged bridge, which side? Port, starboard, or aft?” She inquired as she made her way to the sickbay exit, her joints and muscles causing her the slightest of discomforts still, even after her injuries had been healed and her implants deactivate once more.

Randall looked at the viewscreen. “Port side, major.”

“A pleasure cruise ship,” Leonov mused as the landing party gathered in the lift. “Odd for someone to pick a fight with it. Odder still to not pick a fight and win.”

Before the door closed, Campbell listened to his first officer’s comment and agreed. “My gut instinct is telling me, whoever is responsible, that this is a symbolic message to the Risan government.” He remarked then sighed. “If it is the Romulans then it’s their way of saying to not get involved in our war.”

The door to the lift then closed.