“Have I done the world good, or have I added a menace?”  Commander Nathan Allen mused gently to himself as the viewscreen on the bridge showed the rearward-facing view of the USS Sacramento as the ovoid bulk of the main Subspace transceiver hub began to slowly emerge from Shuttlebay-1, guided by a flurry of tiny yellow Worker Bees and attendant Shuttlecraft, as they tentatively teased its bulk safely from the bay.

“I’m sorry Captain?” Ensign J’hvohuk rumbled with an enquiring look, as the young Klingon-hybrid Officer busied himself about his board, readying the ‘Sac’s immensely – powerful main tractor – beam emitters to acquire the massive satellite array in its sure grasp. The California – class Utility Cruiser may have had some light-years on her clock – but it the role of Galactic Tow – Truck, the aging vessel had no compeer.

“Those are some of the final words of the noted 20th Century Terran Inventor Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi.” Lt Sorvak intoned knowingly, as the cadaverous Vulcan’s bald – pate remained fixed on the readouts of the operations main – console.

“Just so, Mr. Sorvak.” Nate Allen nodded. Sometimes he wondered who had the most immediate capacity for data – recall, the veteran Operations Chief or the Ship’s Computer.

“Marconi was speaking to the principal of the University of St Andrews, upon being made rector and was reflecting on whether the positive societal changes introduced by his invention of radio transmission was enough to balance out the wrongs it had enabled Ensign – specifically in the context of what was called the First World War…or “Great War” as it was euphemistically known.” Sorvak explained to the Tactical Officer, with a dry note of judgement stressed on this last fact.

J’hvohuk nodded and possibly missed that stressor. To a young Klingon, all War was great – in that it presented the opportunity to earn the Warrior glory in honorable battle. Sorvak shook his head and returned to his diligence.

With the launch of the first (and most essential) element of the Subspace relay that would soon join the Primarion – system to that of the Federation and their associated member worlds – the event was akin to a birthing in some ways.

Will this do good? – Nate could not help thinking, at the transceiver cleared the circumference of the main saucer and slowly continued aft.

Whilst the Gerontocracy delegation were not allowed on the bridge (nor the opposing Cessationist delegates either –  the B’Queth would not have tolerated such an egregious breach of protocol as being in the same room as their vassals – quietly at any rate) and watched from the comfort of the ship’s lounge – the mood on the bridge was still charged with the knowledge that what they were doing today was of some small historical import for the Primarion.

The Commander may have harbored misgivings about the biased – hierarchical relation between the B’Queth and Va’Saal peoples, but if he did – Nate kept those thoughts to his private moments. He was the Commanding Officer of this starship, and his mission was clear. He pushed melancholy thoughts of morality aside and ordered.

“Okay people – heads in the game, eyes on the ball.” The Commander straightened in the command – seat. “Tactical – status on the Tractor?”

“Beam – attenuation is optimized to the payload profile. UPS foldback dampners are primed and in the green.” J’hvohuk confirmed as confidently as if he were locking on to a hostile Romulan Warbird, “Targeting Sensors verify acquisition pattern Gamma Nine-Eight. Target is locked and Tractor – beam is ready to engage on your command Captain.”

“Very good Ensign – stand by for my mark.” Commander Allen nodded in satisfaction.

“Aye Captain.”

“Ops – Report.” The CO prompted.

“The array will achieve periapsis in 11.3 Seconds Captain.” Lieutenant Sorvak confirmed, “Steering – party standing by for the order to disengage and let the Tractor beam acquire the body for final apoapsis to general orbit.”

“Tell the XO and her flight to stand by for separation and return to Shuttlebay-2 on my command.” Nate nodded confidently and keyed open a channel to Lieutenant Ryu in Engineering. Such was Nate’s confidence in his Ops – Chief’s competency, that he sought no confirmation from the Vulcan. Experience had taught him that none was needed.

“Bridge – Engineering.” The Commander hailed.

“Engineering – Go ahead Captain.” Came the voice of Jai-Hui over the comm.

“Chief – confirm power status of the array?” Nate enquired as, on – screen, the mass of the Subspace Array was shown to be hoving to a stop – relative to the USS Sacramento. Behind and far below – the perfect swirling vermillion and lavender – hued orb of Primar – Majoris #7 lay like a vast, pearlescent jewel rotating in the night.

“We are reading all systems as nominal Captain.” The Chief Engineer confirmed. “Onboard UPS/PSU transfer systems at standby – ready for activation when the Subspace Net is completed.”

“Acknowledged Engineering, Bridge out.” Nate closed the channel and turned to his Communication Officer.

“Comms – Sitrep on Telemetry.” Nathan nodded as the slim Samantha Hyland swiveled at her station to address her CO and report.

“We have handshake with the array Captain.” Sam held a finger up to the earpiece that fed her a steady tone of information, in addition to the displays of relative wavelength undulating across her MSD. “Some electromagnetic bleed from the planet’s Mesosphere, but within tolerable ranges – adjusting pattern buffers on the array to compensate.”

Sam smiled smoothly. “Subspace – amplifiers responding to the differential-pulse test-package broadcast from our secondary deflector. She’s ready to sing when the show begins Sir.”

Commander Allen smiled and nodded. Despite his earlier misgivings, his new Comms Chief was assuredly proving her capability now and Nate was well – satisfied.

“Mr Sorvak. Tell the steering-party to disengage and RTB.” Nate ordered and noted the Smallcraft disengage the smaller web of tractor – beams and manipulators that had been used to help the satellite clear the ship.

“Disengaging Captain.” Sorvak demurred, “Lt Commander Vodrova reports her team is clear and en-route for retrieval.”

Commander Nathan Allen sat a little straighter and wondered (not for the last time) whether linking the Primarion to the Federation, through the unity of the Subspace array was a step that would prove to be for the betterment of that race as a whole or was premature and would threaten to widen the gulf between the B’Queth and the Va’Saal. Again, he shook such pontification away.

Heavy hangs the crown – Nate thought and turned back to J’hvohuk.

“Tactical – engage the Tractor Beam on my Mark.”

“Aye Sir – standing by.” J’hvohuk sat ready.

Nate Allen addressed his crew with some thought to posterity.

“Well people, let’s make a little history shall we?” Nate smiled, despite his misgivings and threw his finger.

“Tactical – Mark!”