Ship’s History

“Chief Engineer, Captain Jeff Handshaw reporting, Sir!  Just to let you know, Lt. Klemendat and I are the only ones aboard at this time that I am aware of.  The crew isn’t expected to start arriving until 0800 tomorrow, sir.  Nevertheless, I will look forward to our meeting at 15:30, welcome aboard!”

**Dothan**
Sitting in his command chair Captain Dothan tapped his inner ship communications button.
“Engineering, Handshaw this is Dothan, I appreciate the information, I noted the absence of crewmen as I arrived on the Bridge. Honor to serve with such an astute crew member will be mine, Dothan out.”

**Klemendat**
Klemendat shoved the smaller, unkempt man onto the transporter pad, then tapped the controls. He frowned at the man’s sour odor. A brief sparkle of molecular energy, and the transporter pad was empty. The air smelled cleaner already. He tapped his Comm badge:
“First Officer Klemendat to Captain Dothan–”

**Dothan**
Dothan who in his ready room, had turned on the voice activation feature of the Comm System, said,
“Go ahead Number One.”

**Klemendat**
“I am pleased to report that the disorderly person you spotted on deck five was not actually one of our crewmembers, sir.  He was a civilian construction worker who was supposed to check out last night, but was chemically impaired and unable to navigate the level surface of a corridor to a transporter bay. I have notified Security and transported him back to base. He will not be returning here again, sir.”

**Dothan**
With an agitated but concerned look on his face Dothan replied,
“Very good Commander, make sure you notify Someone in security, if they have reported in yet, and then report back to me at 15:30 that this gentlemen was indeed dealt with”

**Klemendat**
“Yes, sir. I’m looking forward to the meeting tomorrow.”
Like a blister on my foot, he thought. Typical Klingon– all thunder and no enlightening. They would never have made it into space if it hadn’t been for the technology they took from the Romulans. And now StarFleet had actually made one a captain!

**Dothan**
“Have any more, senior staff members reported in?  I understand from viewing the log on the bases Comm system we may be expecting a ships counselor soon.”

**Klemendat**
Klemendat wondered for a moment whether he was supposed to know the name of the new Ships Counselor. Wouldn’t be good to tip off the Captain that he already had more information than he was officially allowed to have.
 ”I’ll let you know as soon as he reports in, sir.”

Having gotten a response from Klemendat, Captain Dothan cut the communications link, then tapped his communicator badge:
“Captain to Engineering, progress report Mr. Handshaw?  I want to be able to get underway at a moments notice when we first receive our orders and we have all necessary ships personnel on board.”

**Handshaw**
“Captain Dothan, I’m proud to report that I finished in engineering last night and all systems are fully configured and tested and we could get underway at anytime.  I am now giving the fighters a good going over to get all the bugs out.  A couple are done, so if any of the fighter teams arrive, you can send them right to me and they can take them out for a ‘proper’ test run. I’d like to congratulate you on securing command of the most powerful ship in the fleet”
(More powerful than you can imagine).

**Klemendat**
Wanting to take a brief moment for a break, Dothan moved the computer panel within his easy vision and ordered:
“Computer, Entertainment File 5557BWM, enable.”
A small grin emerged as Dothan viewed the small rodent like animated creature and the creature with large nose and big ears, engaged in something he had learned Humans called, what was it now, oh yes, SLAPSTICK.

Klemendat walked quickly to a turbolift and ordered it to the Officers’ Quarters Deck. Once inside, he secured the door with a secret command code that most admirals in the Fleet could not override, and then went casually to a small locker hidden behind a grooming mirror.
“Caravaggio”, he said, the mirror slid aside and the locker opened quietly.

He withdrew a cool green bottle, running his fingers along the edge of its label as he checked the vintage. Acceptable, he decided. He popped a bell-shaped corkscrew onto the top of the bottle, gave it a half-twist, and poured himself a glass.
“And now to work,” he said aloud, and a square section of his desk rose up to become a transparent computer viewscreen.
“Computer: Display covert files, code name ‘Medici’. Security authorization Epsilon-5-5. Audio silence, please.”
The screen blinked to life with an index of names, most of them crewmembers of the StarQuest-A. He sat down, took a sip of the fragrant yellow liquid in his glass, and selected a file to study.

**Rakh’bar, personal log**
After 10 days aboard the Melbourne, I’m due to arrive at my first post since graduating from Starfleet Academy. It’s a new class of vessel called the StarQuest. These 10 days have been — what do the humans call it? — heckish? How on Romulus did these people ever make it into space? They’re so damned cheerful! And it’s completely beyond my intellect how such an otherwise inferior species could create such breathtaking music.  I’m convinced that, if it hadn’t been for the Dominion attack several decades ago, the Federation would be ruled from Romulus (or maybe Kronos) right now.  And if we hadn’t intervened on their behalf, the Federation would all be speaking Jem’Hadar right now.  But I digress.  I am anxious to reach this StarQuest and begin my duties as pilot, which the captain tells me will be in the next couple of hours. Strange, but he/she/or it seemed relieved to be getting rid of me. In any case, this will finally give me something to do. All this inactivity doesn’t agree with me, any more than the Federation food.  Well, I will do my best not to complain. Who knows, there may even be someone aboard with an intellect worthy of association, if not actual friendship. There were several such persons at the Academy, though I can never tell anyone back home about it.  Nobody would believe it, and if anybody DID believe it, they would have me arrested as a traitor.  In the meantime, I will continue to remind myself of why I left homeworld in the first place.  Computer, end personal log.

**Klemendat**
Klemendat shrugged off his uniform, folded it neatly and set it in his clothes compartment. He slipped on robe made of Rigellian syntho-silk, the best he can afford on StarFleet’s miserly credit vouchers. He poured himself half a glass of Casa Molinieri red, tasted it, and spat it out in the washbasin.
“Blast it! I told those idiots in the cargo bay they can’t use transporters on a quality vintage like this. What a stupid waste!”
He threw the bottle down a disposal chute, then sat down to open his private computer.  He tapped up a screen showing impending crew changes and additions. By rights, Captain Dothan should have been the first person
advised about the arrival of new personnel, but…there were good reasons, he thought, why this first officer should also be the first informed.
“Let’s see… ah. Interesting. They’re sending us a Romulan.”
He studied the sketchy details, growing increasing annoyed at the lack of information. Name: Rakh’bar, Ensign; Graduated StarFleet Academy with honors; first posting, USS Melbourne as junior deck officer, performance level superior– hmmm, If he was so superior, why are they so willing to get rid of him? Now assigned to flight control, USS StarQuest, arriving by shuttlecraft 0640 hrs, day after tomorrow.
“That’s it-?! Where’s the background, the psyche profile- anything the least bit personal-?? Romulans are the only race in the galaxy capable-sometimes- of matching the Zakdorn intellect, and I have to deal with one on my own ship- armed with this?”
He slammed the screen closed and took a deep breath to steady his anger. I’ll just have to get to know him some other way, he thought.  As a Romulan, he is likely to feel lonely among so many lesser beings. He’s going to need the company of a congenial intellect.  Klemendat went back to his secret storage compartment and pulled out a bottle of Bordeaux, Chateau Remy, vintage 2375. One of the four bottles he carried aboard himself, without transporters.
“I was saving you for a special occasion, my friend. But if we can manage this Romulan as well as I hope we can, then we soon will have something to celebrate.”
He poured himSELF a new glass of the shimmering red liquid, and savored the first sip with his eyes closed, a most gratifying foretaste of real satisfaction.

**Dothan**
Dothan looked extremely annoyed. Sitting in the center chair he glanced at the communications station, the crewmen manning the station realizing he was staring at him, looked up at the Captain and just slightly shook his head.
“Why the bloody hell don’t think give us an assignment?”
The crew had been sitting here with engines primed and ready to go for 3 days now.  Perhaps in the next day or two this new Starship will finally get to fulfill its destiny as the most superior fighting vessel in the fleet.  Dothan slapped the top of his arm rests with his hands and stood erect, then calm once again soothed his Klingon fury and he settled back into the chair.
“Communications, any messages from command?”
The crewmen on duty reported,
“Just one sir, the report of a new pilot being transported here by shuttle craft, a Romulan I believe sir.”  Dothan, slapped the ridges of his forehead…
“Doh” he said curtly.

**Chief Engineer Captain Jeff Handshaw’s Personal Log**
After 3 straight days of tune-ups, upgrades and programming, the fighters are ready.  I hear we are getting a Romulan pilot. Hope he gets here soon, Commander Dothan is quite anxious to get under way.  He keeps calling up Engineering asking them to “Rev up the engines”.  I’m glad I’ve been working here on the “flight deck”, it gives the rest of the Engineering crew something to do.  I understand he’s also been having the garbage shot into space, to be used as target practice.  Imagine, taking out a wad of paper with a quazi-photonic torpedo (one of the many different torpedo types the ship is stocked with), or paper clips with multi-phasic phasers (one of many different type of energy weapons mounted on the ship)!  Sounds like fun to me, but I’ll bet he still hasn’t managed to use all the different weapon variations available!  Of course, I’d win that bet, since the weapon systems are also adaptive, and therefore have unlimited possibilities.  The new Chief Pilot should certainly be impressed by the capabilities of these babies, and so should the CO.  Taking a cue from the Borg, these ships adapt to its pilot, and to the enemy.  As a pilot gets used to the controls, they get even more sensitive allowing a master pilot unlimited control at his fingertips. And during a fire fight, the defensive (and offensive) systems automagically adapt to the tactics and  weapons being used against it, adjusting shielding and deflection systems and modulation and “instinctively” avoiding shots (like the StarQuest itself will).  Even if the pilot is unconscious, these ships will be hard to hit. I wonder if the new Chief Pilot will be content with commanding the fighters from the bridge, or from the command chair of one of the fighters?  The 5-man crew of each of these fighters has to be quite versatile.  The only position that has only one function is the pilot, who controls most everything on the ship, all at the same time!  The commander simply coordinates the actions on the fighter, unless he is the Chief Pilot, then he coordinates the actions of the whole fighter squadron.  The commander must be ready to take over for the pilot on a moment’s notice.  The 3 tactical officers provide 3 levels of tactical information for the fighter, info on the ship, info on the squadron and strategic info outside the fight zone (potential reinforcements, friend and foe, and celestial anomalies that may be of strategic interest).  The appropriate tactical officer must be ready to step in for the commander at a moment’s notice.  If the commander is the Chief Pilot, then the squadron tactical officer would step in, otherwise the ship’s tactical officer would be the next in line.  The strategic tactical officer also acts as the ship’s engineer, and must be ready to go down (to the lower deck) to engineering to fix or reroute something.  In this case the remaining tactical officer (the one not next in line for the command chair), would have to handle 2 tactical positions.  Gee, I’m boring mySELF now, I better take a break!  As far as I’m concerned, I can’t wait until we get underway…I just can’t wait to see the looks (smiles) on the commanders and pilots faces when then find out what this “StarQuest” class ship and it’s fighters are capable of.  A Romulan should be a perfect Chief Pilot, logic to keep a cool head during the most complex fire fight, and some dark emotion to take the fighters to their limit.  And with a Klingon at the helm, we won’t be taking any s[edited for content by ship’s computer]t from anyone.  With this ship, we can go where no one has yet dared to go.
***** end of personal log

**Rakh’bar**
Rakh’bar was not pleased, even for a Romulan. The captain of the Melbourne had received an urgent message, which had turned him off course. As a result, the only way to reach the StarQuest-A anywhere near on time was by shuttle. This was the kind of thing about the Federation that disturbed him. No priorities, no focus. Now he had to explain to the captain (a Klingon!) and first officer (a Zakdorn) why he was late. He didn’t remember much about Zakdorns, except that they had keen intellects, so perhaps he could be reasoned with. But a Klingon??  The shuttle carrying Rakh’bar approached StarQuest at several percentages past the recommended maximum speed for such vessels. Coming out of warp, the Romulan was impressed by the sight — not an easy thing to do. It looked deadly. Rakh’bar smiled. To pilot this vessel would be worth putting up with a Klingon captain.  Steering the shuttlecraft Newton into the shuttle bay, he wondered how the peace-loving Feds had justified the creation of a ship, which from the specs could only be meant to wage war. Perhaps they weren’t so dumb after all. And perhaps a Klingon was
the perfect choice for such a vessel. Rakh’bar picked up the bag which contained the few items he deemed worth bringing on a mission, and stepped outside into the hangar bay. He walked quickly towards the man who had to be the first officer. Klemendat saw the young Romulan approaching, and tried to put a friendly look on his face.

**Klemendat**
“Welcome aboard the StarQuest, Ensign Rakh’bar. I am Lt. Vorun Klemendat, First Officer. I hope you had a safe trip. Your shuttlecraft is almost twelve hours overdue. I hope you’re ready to take your post at the Conn right away. We’re ready to launch now.”

**Rakh’bar**
Rakh’bar was SURE he smelled liquor on the first officer’s breath. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad, he thought, as he patted the precious bottles of Romulan Ale in his bag. He was so surprised at this that he almost missed what was said to him.

**Klemendat**
Klemendat signaled to a crewman.
“Take the Ensign’s bags to his quarters- Deck 12, section A-24. Secure the exit when you leave.”
They headed for the turbolift. Klemendat struggled not to show his annoyance at Rakh’bar’s rude silence. Were it not for that third glass of Bordeaux, he knew that this level of SELF-control would have been impossible, much less his friendly act. They stepped into the turbolift.
“Main bridge,” said Klemendat. The look on Rakh’bar’s face prompted a subconscious reaction in Klemendat. On impulse, he reached into his uniform jacket for a tab of Capellan mint, and popped it in his mouth.

**Dothan**
Dothan looked extremely annoyed. Sitting in the center chair he glanced at the communications station,  the crewmen manning the station realizing he was staring at him, looked up at the Captain and just slightly  shook his head.  “Why the bloody hell don’t think give us an assignment?”  The crew had been sitting here with engines primed and ready to go for 3 days now.  Perhaps in the next day or two this new Starship will finally get to fulfill its destiny as the most superior fighting vessel in the fleet. Dothan slapped the top of his arm rests with his hands and stood erect, then calm once again soothed his Klingon fury and he settled back into the chair.

**Klemendat**
Klemendat entered the Bridge just ahead of Ensign Rakh’bar, then stepped aside to point out the flight control station. “The Federation’s latest technology is in your capable hands, Ensign.”

**Juan Johnson-Intro**
OFFICIAL STARFLEET PROFILE:
NAME: Juan “John” Johnson
RACE: Synthetic Humanoid
HOMEWORLD: Eden’s Gate
AGE: 25 (standard Earth years)
HEIGHT: 6′7″ WEIGHT: 389 lbs.
STARFLEET BACKGROUND: Juan Johnson joined the Eden’s Gate branch of Starfleet Academy and graduated with honors.  Desiring a path toward command, the Ensign has taken all positions that utilize commanding skills. Finally a month ago he was transferred from the USS Hercules to the newly commissioned USS StarQuest-A.
PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Juan Johnson was born and raised on the Synthetic Humanoid homeworld Eden’s Gate.  Since his “birth” he has been trained to eventually command a starship.  At the appropriate age he joined the Academy.  But before that his interests were always in the arts.  His talents and hobbies are: singing, swimming, design, illustration, writing, dancing, powerball, perizzi squares, dabbo, and the ancient Earth game of soccer.
FORMAL SYNTHETIC HUMANOID SPECS:
HEAD: standard human eyes with micro-zoom, dermal sensory optic cores (same as Geordi’s optic implants only with a “normal” feature), auditory enhancers allows for sub-audible and even hypersonic sound recognition, variable voice relay allows for near perfect mimicry.
MUSCLES: enhanced nano-hydraulic filaments enabling human strength x20.
LIGAMENTS/JOINTS: enhanced cartilage-utilizing flexible nano-hydraulic sponge.
BONES: Standard human skeleton utilizing enhanced micro-metallic bone/structure  implantation.
LUNGS: No conventional lungs, bio-gel does not need to be oxygenated.  “Air” is only used in conjunction with the auditory output device for natural sounding vocal attributes.
BRAIN: Nuerotronic
NOTE: All other features are genetically random, they are chosen by the DNA extracts used in the synthetic humanoid growth process the same as any other humanoid.
**End Juan Johnson-Intro**
Ensign Johnson checked over the various displays that swept before him. It was his first time using a non-standard LCARS system he had been trained, but working Ops for new class ship…especially one as advanced as the StarQuest-A was more a pleasure then work. So many experimental systems. Juan ran his hand from the top of the right side control panel down and the entire board changed to Engine status information. He and Chief Engineer Handshaw had worked most of the morning trying to get as much out of the engines as possible. Running his hand upward again the panel reverted to “standard” mode which showed all various ships “operations”.
A Priority Channel signal beeped at Communications.
“Captain,” said the crewman,
“Confirmation of official orders has arrived, sir.  Your eyes-only. I’ll transfer it to your PADD.”

**Dothan**
Captain Dothan made an ugly face even for a Klingon, He could not remember where he put the thing…. Oh yes this new invention Mr. Handshaw had brought him, “Your own personal PADD finder sir” Dothan reached into his pocket and brought out a little device.  He pressed the button on top that was now flashing.  A slight buzzing was heard off in the distance.  “Oh yes crewmen, he said with assurance, I will take it in my Ready Room.”  He strode
confidently in that direction entered the room sat down at his desk and quickly switched on his PADD device.  After scanning the information for a brief moment, Dothan quickly stood and reentered the bridge.  He could tell everyone was eagerly awaiting their orders

**Klemendat**
Klemendat snapped to attention.
“Yes, sir. I would be honored to take the ship out.”
At last, thought Klemendat, The Chair is mine, even if only for a few minutes. He slipped into the Captain’s chair with a quiet sigh of pleasure. Lt. Klemendat leaned forward, eager to get started. This was the launch of the  StarQuest-A, her first mission. Not that he was particularly sentimental about the event. It was just the routine exit of another ship from spacedock. So why did Captain Dothan have to stand behind him, grinning like some smug Klingon cat? Why doesn’t he just take a rest during such a routine, unchallenging procedure, thought Klemendat, Go have a mug of Raktajino or something? This is MY first mission, my chance to show what a superior Zakdorn can do, given the chance. Even if it is only to guide the ship out. If only the rest of the crew didn’t have those foolish looks on their faces. Do they ALL have to be hanging around the bridge for the occasion?
“Mr. Handshaw: engine status–”

**Handshaw**
“Sir, engines fully operational, and at your command, sir!”
“Johnson and I are closely monitoring all the new systems keeping an eye out for any ‘bugs’ or ‘Gremlins’, I don’t expect anything that we can’t handle”

**Klemendat**
“Good. I want the thrusters at no less than 99.8% efficiency before we drop out of warp.”

**Handshaw**
“Sir, thrusters are also fully operational, currently capable of 120% of their standard specs, sir!”, Handshaw warned

**Klemendat**
“Ensign Rakh’bar- Release docking clamps and set thrusters at one-quarter impulse. Forward 0-0 till we clear spacedock, then increase slowly to half impulse till we pass the solar system’s outer markers.  Do you have the course and speed ready to engage once we reach open space?”

**Rakh’bar**
Yes sir,” he replied. “Ready on your command.” Rakh’bar had to remind himself that no insult was intended, nor was anyone implying incompetence on his part by asking whether he was ready. It was just the Federation way to ask questions rather than giving commands. Another reason it would be a relief of sorts to work with a Klingon.

**Klemendat**
“Check your read-outs. Once we’re in open space, make that warp factor eight, instead. I want to see what this vessel can do.”

**Rakh’bar**
“Yes, SIR! Warp eight, on your mark.”

**Klemendat**
He finally noticed the Ship’s Counselor was seated to his right.

**Counselor**
**Background on Counselor Day**
Created by scientists but enhanced by psychologists, Neil Day was to be the prototype of the new holographic ship’s counselor.  So new, in fact, that no one on board (except Engineer Handshaw) is even aware he is even a hologram.  Holographic emission has progressed to where the holo-emitter is now internal.  Counselor Day’s style is not unlike other counselors, with the exception he has the benefit of the countless of psychologists who made psychoanalysis what it is.  While he can not “read minds”, as he is a hologram, he is very intuitive at reading gestures and underlying meaning behind what is being said.  As well, as being a hologram, he can be sent via a  “beam” (a la Voyager episode where the doctor was sent back to the alpha quadrant) to infiltrate ships and worlds to do a little reconnaissance. Aside from that, his mannerisms and disposition is pretty likable…. Be nice to me and I’ll be nice to you.  He’s not the type, though, to get in a put down session with.  He is the UFED current champion beating out the best Vulcan and Romulan entrants.
**End of Bio**
**Counselor**
“I believe the crew ought to see our current flight path and current surroundings on their personal PADDS.  The crew’s morale may get a boost…similar to old time sailors getting a chance to see land for the first time.

**Klemendat**
“Very well, Counselor. If it would amuse the crew to watch this on their view screens, so be it. Crewman Becker: connect main view screen to all departments’ screens.”
If you can read my mind, thought Klemendat, then you’ll know how much it would amuse me to see you jettisoned into space, you witch doctor.
“How do you like the view, Counselor?”

**Rakh’bar**
Rakh’bar raised an eyebrow at this. Looking back, he noticed man seated next to the captain’s chair, then turned back immediately to the view screen. Even after Starfleet Academy, the Romulan was still a little unfamiliar with some of the mundane aspects of life on a Federation ship. To have legal council on board made some sense, but a lawyer as a bridge officer??

**Counselor**
Counselor Day stared at the large viewscreen thinking of Klemendat’s pointless question unaware of any other thoughts the current commander may have been thinking…aside from the sarcastic way the question was asked:
“It’s similar to many minds I have explored…empty.”

**Klemendat**
Klemendat looked back at Captain Dothan:
“Does the ship match your expectations so far?”

**Dothan**
“It’s a fine ship Mr. Klemendat, take her out.” Dothan replied

**Klemendat**
Klemendat studied the smooth exit of the StarQuest as it cleared the last of the docking pylons and sailed into the stars. Soon they passed the rings of Saturn, the only real close-up look they would get at any solar bodies other than Mars Planitia Shipyards. Even at low impulse, he knew, their departure from the system would only take a couple of minutes. On the view screen an iridescent arch of orbiting bodies sparkled in the reflection of the sun, then seemed to spread apart as the blackness of space opened around them. A veil of starlight blinked into view, shifting subtly as they headed outward. Everyone listened closely as the computer announced:
**Computer**
 =/\=Clearing final markers. You are now authorized to engage Warp.=/\=
**Klemendat**
Reluctantly, Klemendat stood up and turned to face the Captain.
“Launch successful, sir. I now return command to you.”

**Rakh’bar**
Rakh’bar had a difficult time keeping from smiling at this. Who was in command? The Klingon, the Zakdorn, or the computer? He was glad his position made his face invisible to the others. And where did the witch doctor fit into all this?

**Dothan**
Dothan smiled proudly at his Number One,
“Very nicely done Mr.Klemendat…I have received our first Mission Orders and it is a very important Mission indeed.”

**Klemendat**
Klemendat pointed towards Communications.
“Open a ship wide channel. The Captain will be making an announcement.”.

**Dothan**
“Attention All hands, Attention all hands, This is Captain Dothan…On instructions from Federation Command we are to proceed to the Romulan held sector of 221.57 to investigate mysterious wreckage in space.”  Dothan continued ” I wanted all sections in top form on this one,  I want hourly drills and checks on propulsion, sensors, and weaponry.”

**Klemendat**
Wreckage-??? thought Klemendat, The fleet’s most advanced starship will begin its career looking at wreckage-??!! There had better be something VERY important in that old pile of garbage- or I’m transferring out of here!!!

**Johnson**
“Interesting…” Ensign Johnson said out loud, he had observed the varying humanoid changes in tone and body language that had occurred between the Commander and his reactions to the Captain.  I’d better file that away for future references… John looked at the Counselor…
“Excuse me, but did the Captain just say wreckage?” John lifted an eyebrow punctuating his question toward the Counselor.

**Counselor**
“Indeed”, he replied

**Johnson**
John tilted his head slightly and nodded inwardly as assimilated the information, his eyes moved from side to side as though reading information only he could see.
“I don’t recall any ships reported as lost in the target sector…at least none recently.”

**Dothan**
Dothan concluded
“This is our first mission, lets make our name ring throughout the galaxies, We are StarQuest, We are the best, Qapla.  Mr. Rahk’bar, heading 221.57, Warp Factor 7“

**Rakh’bar**
“Two-two one mark five seven, yes sir.”
I don’t believe it! He thought. I join the Federation to get away from Romulus, and my first official act is to plot a course straight for Romulan space.

**Dothan**
“Engage”

**Handshaw**
Chief Ship’s Engineer Captain Jeff Handshaw turned to Juan Johnson in Engineering and asked,
“Do you got everything under control here?”

**Johnson**
Ensign Johnson nodded his acknowledgement that he did indeed have everything under control.  His eyes followed as his head turned toward Captain Handshaw,
“Yes, yes I do sir…” His eyes returned to his “slip-screen” LCARS console.

**Handshaw**
Confident in his genetic buddy, Handshaw transports silently to his station on the bridge to examine the ship’s overall “health”.

**Becker**
Chief Becker tapped in instructions to connect all remote view screens to the main view screen. He looked up to see the test pattern which would change to an outside view as needed.
“Is this everything you need, Lt. Klemendat?”

**Klemendat**
“Satisfactory, Mr. Becker.  You may return to your post.”

**Becker**
Making no reply, Chief Becker turned towards the turbolift and left. Klemendat pondered the mysteries before him. Chief Engineer Becker returned to Engineering after connecting the main view screen to all departments’ screens per Klemendat’s request to relieve Johnson to return to his Ops duties on the bridge.

**Johnson**
Ensign Johnson returned to the bridge where he noticed some unusual readings on his Ops panel… Ensign Johnson looked toward Klemendat,
“Sir, all systems are operating at optimal levels.  I am however registering a significant power usage from…The fighter squadron holodecks…” John turned toward Captain Handshaw with an inquiring gaze.

**Handshaw**
Handshaw addresses the Captain:
“Captain, I would like to report that the ship is responding properly.  Also, as acting Fighter Squadron Commander I would like to report that all the fighter crews are currently in the holo-simulators training, they also managed several hours of actual flight/fight time before we launched.  The delay gave them a good chance to work together.”  Handshaw thought to himself  ’fun job they have, in simulators all day’
“They wanted me to ask you, Sir, were those torpedoes you shot at them from space dock armed???”

**Dothan**
Dothan looked at the amusing Engineer and said:
“Well part of the crew was tired and they we were getting hungry and looked at the controls and thought it said ‘Lunch’, instead later we realized it said ‘Launch’, but by that time we had a dozen or so torpedoes flying out of the torpedo tubes.”

**Handshaw**
“It sure gave them something to think about in addition to the simulated enemies they were fighting.  And you got to see how maneuverable my fighters are.  Feel free to come down and join one of the crews in the simulator sometime, I’m sure you will enjoy it.”  Handshaw smiled at the wily Klingon and silently transported to the fighter holo-control where he checked on the progress of the training.  He noted out of 12 hours of fighting, 1 fighter had managed to elude destruction?!?  Considering the simulations are designed to constantly adapt and severely challenge each crew, this seems most unlikely, he’ll have to review the logs later.  He then began commanding the squadron while standing in the middle of a holo projection of the simulated fight.  Since Handshaw designed the interface he was well aware of how it works, he just needed to get to know his people now.
[Note: this opens up the possibility of new crew members, those who man that fighter that managed to elude destruction, or at least that fighter's commander, which also invites a fighter name]

**Johnson**
John smirked inwardly, he knew that as soon as Jeff got to the holo simulation deck he’d notice the single eluding ship that he had programmed to react even more aggressively then the others.  .A small token of Makk-barr’s appreciation, John thought as his downloaded memory logs from an ex-officer of Captain Handshaw’s revealed a man who had taken much ribbing from the Captain and others on the original StarQuest.  Practical jokes…a fascinatingly human pastime. John continued his duties, eager to see where this new ship would take them.

**Handshaw**
I didn’t take long for Handshaw to realize that this fighter group would be easy to work with, and that they were already working well together as a group, which is a key to the effectiveness of the squad.  One thing that puzzled him though was this one little ship that the squad couldn’t destroy no matter what they did.  Luckily the ship didn’t seem too aggressive so it didn’t “threaten” the squad, but it was sure frustrating, so he left holo-control to track down this little anomaly…this sort of thing drives him crazy until he finds the cause.  Confused by how something like that could have occurred in HIS program, Handshaw actually WALKED to Engineering where Chief Becker noticed him…

**Becker**
Becker was checking read-outs on a display screen and noticed out of the corner of his eye, some movement. Who is entering engineering, now? he thought. How odd for Handshaw to actually walk somewhere, when he usually transports. Something must be wrong.
“What’s wrong? You look confused.”

**Handshaw**
“That’s just it…I don’t know?!?”  as he headed straight for the ship’s main computer console where he WOULD find the answer.

(USS StarQuest-A, Main Bridge-  Day 1, 2355 hrs )
**Klemendat**
Klemendat paced the nearly-empty bridge, checking status monitors at ops and long range sensor readings at the science station; peering over the shoulders of the communications officer and flight controller, the only other crewmembers besides himself unlucky enough to be working the late watch. He knew nothing about the junior grade ensign at communications, other than the obvious fact of his oriental human ancestry, or about the young Bolian woman at the Conn Neither was important enough to rate on his personal scale of “fear” or “favor”; that is, neither of them could pose any interference to his plans, thereby bearing watch under the “fear” category, nor could they exert any helpful influence, thus deserving special attention under the heading of “favor”. They were just warm bodies at a job, not even worthy of remembering their individual names. The only event to look forward to within the next six hours was the arrival of their new Diplomatic Advisor, a first contact specialist. Her shuttle from the USS Hornet was due for rendezvous with the  StarQuest at 0130, and for some reason, the Captain had left orders to be awakened at 0100 so that he could welcome her aboard. Maybe our Captain has a soft spot in his tough Klingon heart, thought Klemendat. That could be useful to know. Klemendat sat down in the captain’s chair to review their data, such as it was, on the mysterious wreckage they had been dispatched to examine: hull segments and miscellaneous debris, composition indicating likely StarFleet construction, approximately fifty years of age; no immediate confirmation of destruction cause; location currently 840,000 kilometers from perimeter of old Romulan neutral zone, figuring in the element of drift, the vessel- or object- they would been well inside the neutral zone at time of destruction; missions data for that time period and sector- classified; search objectives- classified. That sector of space was lightly traveled these days, and StarFleet had apparently seen no reason for intelligence gathering in that area for decades. Not since the collapse of the Romulan Star Empire and the subsequent peace accords the Federation had signed with the new government…What did they call themselves? Oh, yes- The Romulan Star Alliance.  As if there could ever be any real difference. There were habitable planets inside the neutral zone, he recalled, even in the days of the Empire. Anybody or anything might be hiding out there now. How would they know? Why didn’t they care? How like StarFleet to send their most advanced warship chasing after ghosts, he thought. And why does everything have to be classified? What are they afraid of?
**Computer**
=/\= Landing Bay One to Bridge; =/\=
**Klemendat**
“This is Klemendat. Go ahead, L.B. One.”
**Computer**
=/\= Shuttlecraft Hornet/07 is approaching, sir. Permission to enter? =/\=
**Klemendat**
“Granted. ETA?”
**Computer**
=/\= Eight minutes. Pilot and one passenger aboard. =/\=
**Klemendat**
“Thank you, L.B. One. Bridge out.” Klemendat tapped a Comm channel to the Captain’s quarters: “Bridge to Captain Dothan–”

**Dothan**
“Please call Rakh’bar to the bridge”

**Klemendat**
“Aye, sir. I’ll call Ensign Rakh’bar to the bridge.” He tapped open a Comm channel to the Flight Controller: “Klemendat toEnsign Rakh’bar: Report to the Bridge.”
This is good, thought Klemendat, A Special Diplomatic Advisor hurried onboard just before we start rummaging through some very mysterious debris. If we need a diplomat so urgently, StarFleet must be expecting us to meet someone. Now if I could just find out why they gave us a forensic pathologist as well…Maybe they’re expecting someone to die.

(USS StarQuest-A, Landing Bay One- Day 2, 0003 hrs)
Finally, thought Klemendat, a chance to learn some hard data about their mysterious orders. He hurried into the landing bay welcome area to find Captain Dothan already waiting for the shuttlecraft door to open. The door swung open, and a young Bajoran woman, an attractive brunette, stepped out.
**Klemendat**
“Welcome to the USS StarQuest, Madame Ambassador. I am Lt. Vorun Klemendat, First Officer.”

**Dothan**
“Get her bags, Klem”

**Klemendat**
“Yes, sir.” Klemendat walked back to the shuttlecraft and picked up the ambassador’s cargo: four heavy travel trunks, a personal transport container, and two bulging satchels. Klemendat ordered a crewman to bring him an antigrav trolley and follow the three of them to the Ambassador’s quarters. He was not pleased to be fetching luggage like a yeoman. By the time he caught up with the Captain and his new SDA, the two of them were ready to enter a turbolift.

**Dothan**
“Take her to her quarters and don’t forget about that meeting at 0800

**Klemendat**
“Yes, sir. The crewman and I will go ahead and take the Ambassador’s gear to her quarters. And I will be sure to have all senior officers on the Bridge by 0800.”
As soon as the turbolift doors closed, Klemendat ordered the crewman to finish hauling the luggage to its destination, then stormed away to find another turbolift to the Bridge.

 (USS StarQuest-A, Main Bridge- Day 2, 0802 hrs)
**Klemendat**
Well, here are, thought Klemendat: all gathered together on the Bridge, just like the good Captain ordered. We look like a bunch of cadets waiting for a review. He felt the silent thrumming of the engines they dropped from warp to impulse speed. The main viewscreen showed only a sprinkling of stars, and a distant nebula that used to mark the outermost boundary of the old neutral zone. The debris they’d come to examine would soon be within visual range.
Ensign Johnson put the debris on the viewscreen.
“Debris on main viewer sir.”

**Handshaw**
On the bridge, Handshaw noticed something unusual on his sensors and quickly pulled it up in Engineering and at Ops…He opened a comm-link to engineering…
“Chief, I need you to keep an eye on this and try to figure out what it is.  I suspect it may be a cloaked ship!”

**Becker**
“I see what you mean, I will try to get a better reading on it and get back to you.”

**Johnson**
Johnson motioned his hand across the top of his console and the slip-screen changed to show sensor readings. “That’s Strange…”
 **Klemendat**
“What’s wrong Johnson?”

**Johnson**
“Well, it’s just that the debris is…”

**Dothan**
“That’s enough, Johnson…

 **Johnson**
All eyes flew to the Captain who was accompanied by the Ambassador.  Both stood on the upper arch of the bridge.  Johnson snapped to attention and stopped talking,
“Aye sir.” Why had the Captain stopped me from reporting the strange scanner readings!?  Johnson thought to himself.

**Handshaw**
“Captain, sensors are picking up…something, I have pulled up the readings at Ops and have the Chief analyzing it in Engineering.
I would recommend caution, I suspect it could be a cloaked ship!  I need to check some other readings”.
With that Handshaw silently transports to…somewhere…

**Dothan**
speaking to nothingness he comments “You do that then, Mr. Handshaw”

(USS StarQuest-A, Landing Bay One- Day 2, 0805 hrs)
**Johnson**
Ensign Johnson looked over his sensors, still disturbed by how quickly he had been cut off by the Captain, John buried himself in his work.  Without warning everything went blurry.  The bridge swayed and then it was all right again.  John shook his head and looked at Rakh’bar who was look at John strangely.
 **Rakh’bar**
 <<Rakh’bar>>
**Johnson**
“No, I’m fine thank you…internal diagnosis reveals no unusual anomalies…” John shook it off and returned to his console.  Why am I having these…tremors, the first time was just after I arrived on the StarQuest, then later after I arrived in Engineering to meet with Captain Handshaw…then again when Captain Handshaw…it couldn’t have anything to do with Jeff’s strange secretive time travelling powers that I read of in Makk-barr’s logs…
“Aargghh!”  John collapsed to the deck and began to seize violently.  His head was a mix of jolts and myriad images.  Some familiar, some more unfamiliar…other entirely alien.  But he continued to see them… John found himself standing in…Engineering…but not the StarQuest’s…no…wait…it is the StarQuest’s…the previous one! 

**Johnson**
John watched as a coolant leak billowed out wafts of smoke.  The entire engineering staff was already evacuated, all except…Lieutenant Makk-barr!  He rushed through the smoke.  His baldric was tattered…John remembered this! He had learned this from Makk-barr’s logs…in a moment Captain Handshaw would…

 **Handshaw**
“Makk, get out-a-there, NOW, I got a transporter lock on you…!!!”

 **Johnson**
Makk-barr rolled his eyes upward, “Captain! Give me just one more moment, if I can manage to lock down the core’s antimatter manifold covers I can stop this! Just keep those goddamn romies from hitting us please!”

 **Handshaw**
“I’ll do my best, you do yours, you got 45 seconds!!!

 **Johnson**
John mouthed the computer’s response to Makk-barr’s input instructions…the core was going to breach and there was nothing that Makk-barr could do.  Then it stopped…just as suddenly as it had begun. This was NOT right! This was not how it had happened in Makk-barr’s logs!”

**Handshaw**
“Great job, Makk, you got it?”

**Johnson**
I don’t know sir! It just…it just stopped…” a flash of light found the engine room restored to it’s prior non-emergency status.  All officers were at their posts, Makk-barr was at his post and a lone figure stood in front of the warp core…John recognized the figure…it was Q!
 ”Please don’t all of you bother to thank me at once…my debt is repaid, that damned synthetic human had better appreciate this!” Q’s eyes met Johns…he winked and with a flash of light John opened his eyes into…  …Sickbay? John blinked up at Deks who lifted an annoyed eyebrow. 

 **Handshaw**
The comlink activated and Captain Handshaw’s voice came over.
“What happened to you, John, are you ok???”

 **Johnson**
John sat up…shook his head, as his eyes moved from side to side, he nodded inwardly. “All systems seem to be operating within established parameters…SELF diagnosis finds no problems either…I would however like to see you as soon as possible…Captain.”

 **Handshaw**
“Later, that IS a cloaked ship out there, gotta go!!!”
Handshaw quickly transports back to the bridge.
“Captain, that IS a cloaked ship out there, and it’s armed to the teeth!!!”
“It’s weapons are currently not charged, though.”
“But it’s trying to scan us…unsuccessfully.”
“I’ve alerted the fighters…”
“Shields, sir?”

 **Dothan**
Distracted by something…

 **Johnson**
John nodded, “Yes I’m able to return to my post…” John excused himself and returned to the bridge…what had that been about…what had caused my tremors? John was determined to get to the bottom of this…one way or another he would find out what it meant…and who better to help him than a time jockey…

 (USS StarQuest-A, Captain’s Ready Room- Day 2, 1528 hrs)
**Klemendat**
Lt. Klemendat hurried across the Bridge towards the Ready Room, anxiously hoping that Captain Dothan was not already waiting for him there. The young Bolian deck officer from his overnight crew followed close behind.
“You-!” he said to her, “Take the Conn. Ensign Rakh’bar, will you join us please?

They entered the Ready Room to find most of the StarQuest senior staff seated at the conference table,  except for Captain Dothan and his new Diplomatic Advisor. To the left of the Captain’s empty chair sat Counselor Day, then Chief Engineer Becker and Ops Officer Juan Johnson. Ship’s Engineer Handshaw stood waiting behind the chair to the Captain’s right. Klemendat claimed the seat opposite the Captain’s, and offered the seat to his right to Ensign Rakh’bar, with one more open between him and Handshaw. On the table lay a charred section of a starship’s hull, several darkened slabs from a central computer core, and two heat-warped personal Comm badges. …Klemendat checked a chronometer, and wondered why his usually punctual Captain was suddenly pushing the window on actual tardiness – when he noticed Dothan’s blustery arrival, alongside and contrasted with the gently sensual beauty of Diplomatic Advisor Daka Jinoe. The gentlemen of the senior staff rose as one to greet her.

**Handshaw**
Handshaw simply, shyly acknowledged her presence saying
“Welcome aboard”

**Day**
Counselor Day smiled. He was enjoying all of the events that were going on.  All the militaristic hoopla and protocol. He wondered who’d be the first to request his services. Day knew he was under some suspicion, based on the general dislike of “counselors” throughout StarFleet personnel…always wondering if the counselors weren’t operating under some type of special agenda, but Day was bound to make a name for himself. When his holographic status comes about, he’ll have a lot of questions to answer and hopes his prior achievements aboard the ship will allay any misunderstood purpose of why he was really there.

**Becker**
  Becker thought, I will be glad when this meeting is over so I can get back to my digging deeper into why I got such odd readings on parts of
  the salvage that are not consistent with the weapons of that time. Well, at least now that the Captain is here, we can get started.

**Rakh’bar**
“Jolan Tru,” put in Rakh’bar, with the Romulan equivalent of an ingratiating smile.

**Johnson**
Ensign Johnson nodded his recognition,
“A pleasure, I’ve hear many good things regarding your accomplishments.”

**Klemendat**
“…No more than I, Madame Ambassador. You are very welcome indeed,”

**Dothan**
Although seemingly silent, Dothan seemed to communicate something to Klemendat.

**Klemendat**
“Yes sir,” said Klemendat, pointing to the hull pieces,
“Ensign Rakh’bar: I wonder if you can confirm that these fragments bear the marks of a Romulan style disruptor attack?”

**Rakh’bar**
“Sir, surely you don’t believe that I could have anything to do with this?”

**Klemendat**
“No, no- not you personally, of course. I merely seek to draw upon your personal experiences to help our understanding.” Klemendat looked towards Johnson
“Have you been able to learn anything from the memory cells?”

**Johnson**
Ensign Johnson seemed notably disturbed, “With all due respect, I possess the late Lieutenant Makk`barr’s personal and Engineering logs…” shuffling uneasily from one side to another he cleared his throat, “But, uh, yes sir, even though I possess the logs, all information regarding the final mission of the StarQuest were deemed classified…therefore without security clearance from Commander Starfleet I am unable to disclose the Lieutenant’s logs pertaining to that final mission…regrettably… however, if your question is regarding the authenticity of this wreckage and combadges…there is nothing to isolate them as genuine could just as easily phaser some combadges and replicated hull matter and say it was part of the  StarQuest. Again, however, the residual energy signatures were consistent with those one could find on a galaxy class starship.” John’s eyes quickly met Jeff’s who was
scrutinizing the “wreckage” skeptically…

 **Handshaw**
 Handshaw quickly added, “That would be an accurate analysis, Mr. Johnson, perhaps the wreckage of yet another Galaxy Class Starship, I believe the loss of the U.S.S. Andromeda was never accounted for.  I would like to remind us that the U.S.S. StarQuest was lost almost 80 years ago near, err.  I can say no more, and I strongly suggest that we drop this theory”

**Klemendat**
Then nodding towards Counselor Day, he asked: “Did that information help you determine whose commbadges these were?”

**Day**
“Damn it, Klemendat!  I’m Counselor not a insignia expert!…well, actually, one of my clientele was a oompa loompa and he wore one of those combadges…although I can’t be certain it was his. He kept insisting it was edible.”

**Klemendat**
“Are we sure they were both crewmembers of the original USS StarQuest, Mr. Becker?”

**Handshaw**
Handshaw threw a disapproving look at Klemendat, and motioned Becker to “be careful with his answer”.  Why was Klemendat continuing to pursue this, is he trying to trick ‘classified’ information out of my previous crew?

**Becker**
“Yes, I am certain they were. The materials are consistent with materials used for commbadges of that time and the preliminary examination of the transceiver elements that are specifically imprinted individually for one ship only, being of a non-volatile, unerasable design they used. As long as some part of the commbadge circuits are intact.”

**Handshaw**
 Handshaw thought, ‘What a sly fox’, Becker realizes that Klemendat is trying to bait him into revealing why it couldn’t be from the StarQuest and in doing so reveal classified information, instead he gave him a perfectly confusing (and completely false) answer.

**Klemendat**
“What is our readiness to deal with a similar assault, Mr. Handshaw?”

**Handshaw**
“This ship is many generations more powerful than the Galaxy Class ships of old.  The ship is currently adapting it’s defense systems and weapons based on what our scans are finding.  The overall power signature detected, whether a single ship or a group of ships, is not a true threat to the ship, unless we are completely caught off-guard…”

**Klemendat**
“Captain Dothan, I would recommend that we- ” Klemendat’s words were cut off by the bleating of the ship’s red alert klaxon. Then a nervous voice from the Bridge:

 =/\= Captain-!! We’re under attack-!! Three of them–three old Romulan Warbirds-!! =/\=

 **Becker**
  Becker started going towards the door to get back to Engineering as fast as possible to make certain the ship kept operating at maximum power.

**Handshaw**
At the sound of the red alert, Handshaw immediately transported directly into the holo-control just as the as the fighters launched.

**FIRST ATTACK**
(USS StarQuest-A, Main Bridge- Day 2 1540 hrs)

**Klemendat**
Klemendat hurried to Tactical while the other senior officers did the same. He was nearly knocked off his feet as the ship’s inertial dampers rolled from the thumping impact of a disruptor beam assault.
“Johnson- main viewscreen up full!”

**Johnson **
“Aye Sir, viewscreen activated…”  The 3D image of the three warbirds materialized onto the new style holo-display.

Three old-style warbirds were headed straight at them, mark 0-0. As he watched, Klemendat saw two of them split to starboard and port while the third curved upwards to come at  them with an overhead assault. He noted with little surprise that the Captain had raised the control arm of his command chair, obviously preferring that the StarQuest’s first taste of  blood should be drawn by his own hand. How like a Klingon, he thought!

**Dothan**
Although seemingly silent, Dothan seemed to communicate something to Klemendat.

“Aye, sir. Firing controls switched to your command console. Phasers locked in.”

**Dothan**
Dothan continued to command in silence, with a quirky smile and a little drool spilling out his mouth.

**Klemendat**
…tapped his commbadge: “Mr. Handshaw- How many fighters do you have on reconnaissance?”

**Handshaw**
“All 12 fighters have been launched and I await your command to engage the enemy.  I would like to add that a single fighter could easily handle all 3 ships”

**Klemendat**
“Good. Keep the squadrons ready to move on the Captain’s command. Klemendat out–”

**Handshaw**
Handshaw daydreams a bit about how fun it would be to pilot one of the fighters weaving though the defenseless center of a warbird while carving his initials on it’s inner hull, before leaving a small variety of delayed torpedoes behind to “entertain” its crew”

The Bridge rumbled once more from a Romulan hit and for a second, the lights flickered.

**Dothan**
“Johnson- what’s our power status?”

**Johnson**
“Automated response systems are adjusting our tragectory to compensate.  The warbirds should have little effect on us beyondwarming our outer blade of armor. Ship’s functions, specifically ‘counter-effect’ shielding, are operating at above optimal levels. The flickering lights were due to Stellar Chartography coming on-line.  Automated rededication system has already rerouted necessary energy to compensate.” Johnson slid his hand on the side of the slip-screen and the console changed to a ship layout.  There was NO damage to any significant systems or areas…this ship is a beast! John thought to himself.  He slid his hand in the opposite direction and the console returned to “standard” mode.

Klemendat was surprised that the flying antiques they faced could put up such a fight.  He wondered for a moment how their young Romulan at the conn felt about firing on his own people.

**Rakh’bar**
In point of fact, Rakh’bar had no qualms about fighting against these ships. If they were foolish enough to engage in an attack in which they were so clearly outmatched, they deserved every bit of what they got. Where was the guile in this? Where the strategy?  Clearly, these were a bunch of amateurs. Their deaths served no logical purpose.

More important was the way the universe seemed to be conspiring against him. Rakh’bar sighed. Several years spent with those children at Starfleet Academy, to get away from his past, and the first command he gets is to fly back home again. Years spent getting away from the conspiracies and counterplots of Romulus, and his first assignment is on a ship full of people who make the Tal Shiar and the Obsidian Order put together look like girl scouts. Particularly that first officer… Rakh’bar wondered what was really going on in Klemendat’s head behind those innocent-looking eyes.

**Dothan**
Still silent, Dothan’s eyes bulged, as his frenzied fingers homed in on several new weapon launch controls, and activated them all.

Klemendat watched the brilliant explosion fill half the main viewscreen, then more bursts of violent color flamed across the other half. Time to wake Dr. Loris from his afternoon nap, he thought.  I wonder which unlucky crewmen I can stick with that job…Then he noticed Counselor Day speaking with the new Diplomatic Advisor. His normal sense of paranoia went into overdrive, fearing to think what secrets they might be discussing.

** Day**
So, Jinoe, what do you say we play a little joke on Klemendat?  He seems a little too paranoid right now.  He needs to relax.  See how he’s observing us…let’s give him something to really be concerned about.

**Jinoe**
Jinoe sensing Day’s jovial mood, leaned next to him and whispered something in his ear…..seeing him nod his head…they waited for the right moment when the first officer’s head was turned, when all concentration was focused on the  battle on the view screen and exclaimed:
“WAAAAASSSSSSSUUUUUUP!!!”

Another rumble– Then, as quickly as it had begun, the battle seemed to be over…

**Johnson**
“Automated response systems are returning to normal…ship’s functions standing down from red-alert status.”
Johnson looked over his shoulder and flashed a smirk Klemendat’s way,
“Those warbirds were a joke of some sort…they did nothing to damage any vital systems…” returning to his console John continued his duties…flawlessly…with artifical…synthetic precision…

(USS StarQuest-A, Main Bridge- Day 2 1555 hrs)

**Handshaw**
With the battle (what “battle”?) over and the fighter’s snuggled back in their bays, Handshaw silently returns to his console on the bridge.

**Johnson**
Ensign Johnson looked puzzled…he changed modes to view the entire spectrum of scanned data available and assimilated it quickly. Then he glanced around and saw that everyone was deep in sensors and discussions with the captain over the events that had just taken place…rolling his eyes he pressed a button at the top left corner of his console and an additional panel extended out to the left.  Johnson sent the information to the new panel.  While he looked over more information himself…Since no crewman were available at that precise moment he made a judgment call…

“Computer, activate StarQuest Artificial Intelligence unit ‘SELF’, authorization Johnson, Delta-six-echo-bravo…”

John watched as a woman in an engineering uniform with purple hair and hazel eyes materialized beside him.

**Handshaw**
Handshaw glanced over and smirked at the sight of the beautiful naked holographic assistant that magically appeared on the bridge behind him. Handshaw wasn’t surprised, though, since he had assisted Johnson in the development of John’s visio-morphic computer interface that appears different to each crew member or simply as a “random” yeoman in standard uniform to those who have not yet set their personal preferences.

**SELF**
“Greetings…I am SELF, USS StarQuest, NCC-71804-A artificial intelligence interactive SELF-reliant assistant…how may I be of service?”

**Johnson**
John smiled at the pretty holographic interface…
“Well, I’m detecting residual trace elements of an unknown particle type from the space surrounding some wreckage we’re investigating…review them and extrapolate possible reasons why that could be…We’re all busy at present.”

**SELF**
SELF smiled as she nodded.
“Consider it done Ensign Johnson.”
SELF quickly began to interface with the extended Ops panel as Johnson maneuvered his way through his own readings…it wasn’t long before John suddenly realized that the bridge had grown silent…he looked up toward the (now) deactivated main holo-viewscreen then around toward the command positions.  The entire bridge crew was open jawed…

**Johnson**
“Yes? Did I do something wrong?”

**Dothan**
Dothan feeling all eyes on him, said “No Mr. Johnson, you did nothing wrong as far as finding new ways to successfully analyze data.  But in the future lets try to put more clothing on our holographic personnel…especially if they are to be on the bridge.  Possibly leave this version in your quarters or use this version on the holodeck as Ship’s Entertainment Life Form.

**Johnson**
“I’m sorry sir it’s just that every bridge crewman seemed busy at the time..

**Dothan**
Dothan replied
“One is never too busy for an important member of MY crew Mister, Make it So!!”

**Klemendat**
Klemendat cringed at the Captain’s relatively mild rebuke of the young Ops officer, but secretly wished it were he who was doing the yelling.
“Captain, this might be a good time for me to assemble an away team and board the damaged warbird. There are no apparent life signs, but Dr. Loris is setting up the EMH as a formality anyway, as well as his autopsy program to study the casualties. I’ll be taking Ensigns Rakh’bar and Johnson with me.” Without waiting for Captain Dothan to respond, Klemendat returned to tactical and reset the displays to automatic. “Johnson–” he said, “and Rakh’bar–Transporter One, five minutes. Bring sidearms, set for heavy stun.” With that, Klemendat hurried off the bridge.

**Johnson**
Johnson turned in his seat…SELF stopped working and turned with him. He gestured toward her to continue…she did. “I’m sorry sir…when I was asked for this position it was in part due to the fact that one of my fields of expertise has always been holographic engineering.  I created a holo program designed to utilize the already present artificial intelligence of the ship’s omniscience class central computer that would intern (when needed) create various holographic crewman designed to fill in, in various capacities.  Starfleet felt that since I invented the program, it should be tested on the StarQuest to see how reliable the system is…” John was nervous…he had obviously forgotten himself in the moment, desiring to work as efficiently and quickly as possible.

**Johnson**
John rolled his eyes at the Conn. Officer.
“I’m sorry sir it’s just that every bridge crewman seemed busy at the time…”

**Dothan**
“A little warning next time Johnson?”

**Johnson**
John smiled and turned back to his post.
“Thank you sir…I’ll be sure and ask next time…”  John turned back toward the Captain and (agape) First Officer.
“If you’re interested in knowing what other capacities SELF can fill in at, please ask.”

**Johnson**
Ensign Johnson looked at SELF…she blinked casually then returned to her readouts.  She was wearing a standard issue civilian engineering uniform.  Johnson raised a single eyebrow and looked back at the captain.
“Sir, your stoic silence during the battle notwithstanding…are you all right? The holographic representation of the ship is clothed quite fully…” John looked at Counselor Day…
“Pardon me sir, but perhaps the Captain should be checked for any outside influences…”
John stood up and walked over to the Captain and rested his hand on the Captain’s shoulder…he spoke slowly…
“Don’t worry captain we’ll find out what’s wrong…we’ll find out what’s influencing you.”
This was dire…what force was causing the Captain to act so strangely…first Klemendat tried to get classified information from Captain Handshaw and I, next The Counselor and the Ambassador act in a manner more becoming raw first year cadets than seasoned bridgecrew…then during the battle, the Captain is silent while his men do the acting…a Klingon allowing a battle to occur without his intervention…it was appalling…he should be ashamed of himself…now he’s seeing things…this mission has already proven to be more then it began to be…what the hell was going on…I would need to find out… John was concerned…very concerned…

**Handshaw**
Handshaw, noting Johnson’s confusion, waved him over.
“John, I didn’t tell you, but while we were waiting in Spacedock, the Captain “discovered” SELF, and set his “personal” preferences, so he doesn’t see the default yeoman in uniform.  I don’t think he realizes that SELF appears differently to everyone.  Here, I’ve accessed Dothan’s personal settings, here’s what HE thinks EVERYONE sees…” John looked over Jeff’s shoulder to see a small holograph of a green Orion Slave girl wearing some strategically placed torn rags.
“Maybe you should ’splain’ it to him in his Ready-room?”

**Johnson**

OOC: Jeff and I while working on the ship’s technical manual had toyed with the idea of the ship being able to create (in extreme emergencies) a holo-skeleton crew.  I tinkered with the idea further and thought that sometimes someone more familiar with the ship’s functions and information might be better suited to help various people at various times and who better then the ship it-SELF.  Since the ship has an automated artificial intelligence program…we figured that unlike the ship’s of the past that many times needed to be dedicated to one system or another…our ship has what we call an “Omniscience” Class Central Computer…this type of computer allows for multiple usages that would have earlier caused the ship too much confusion…Now Stellar Cartography can use the main deflector array for long range scans, while Botany can also use the same array for planetary
surveys…etc…etc… AND since my brain operates on the same principle as the ship’s AI computer how difficult would it be to house itself or a particular system into a holo-crewman capable of helping in a moments notice…whew that’s a long explanation.

**Dothan**
Dothan replied:
“Perhaps I should seek medical assistance but I am needed on the bridge.  Captain to Medical Officer Loris”

**Loris**
“What do you want, bonehead!”

**Dothan**
“I understand you have not used your medical knowledge outside the confines of your laboratory doctor, but your presence is requested on the Bridge.  Please bring any portable diagnostic equipment you have available.

**Loris**
“Whatever you say, bonehead!”

**Dothan**
Dothan turned to his flight control officer, “Mr. Rakh’bar  are you aware of any clandestine techniques currently used by the Romulans for mind manipulation and/or control.”

**Rakh’bar**
I’m not, but bear in mind that I’ve been away from Romulus for several years now, so anything is possible.

**Dothan**
To his First Officer Dothan stated
“Mr Klemendat  if the situation gets too severe and you find that I am acting not in the best interests of the ship you have only to tap me 3 times on the shoulder and I will relinquish command temporarily and report to sickbay.  Dothan continued  “ Since we still do not have a permanent chief medical officer, Please inform Mr Handshaw we need an EMHP online ASAP.   yaj’a’?

**SELF**
“Ensign Johnson, your suspicions have been confirmed…”

**Johnson**
John moved next to SELF and looked over the readouts…sighing he activated their main holo-screen.
“Captain, Commander, I think that you’d better see this…”
The main view screen flickered to the remainder of the Warbird wreckage.  A distortion small enough to be an escape pod was seen.  Johnson worked quickly.
“Compensating for old-style Romulan cloaking technology…we’ve got a visual.”
Johnson looked up and the distortion field on the holo-screen changed show a Romulan escape pod.

**Handshaw**
“It’s a simple Romulan escape pod, with a single occupant, no booby-traps, disengaging it’s cloaking device…”

**Johnson**
Johnson retorted in step…
“I agree sir, the pod is indeed a Romulan escape pod…but the lifesigns within…are humanoid… the individual inside according to our sensors is one-quarter klingon…”

**Dothan**
“Mr Klemendat, is that Pod rigged for deep sleep…if so we may have a brother-in-arms to welcome to the StarQuestA. Mr Handshaw, ONE; can we tracker that pod  or is the wreckage to fragile for a tracker beam…if so…then perhaps get a transporter loc on it and beam it into hanger deck No 3. TWO;  Send a Security Detachment down there prior and have phaser rifles set on stun. just in case our new guest wants to play rough.”

**Johnson**
Johnson nodded,
“Aye sir…activating tractor beam. Security teams dispatched to cargo bay three.”

**Klemendat**
“Go investigate, Mr. Johnson”

**Johnson**
Johnson relinquished his post to an Operations officer who quickly filled it.
“Aye sir, on my way…”
Johnson stopped at the top of the ramp beside the turbo lift.  Turning toward SELF, Johnson smiled.
“Computer, disengage SELF proto-type.”
SELF disappeared and Johnson continued to the shuttle bay.  Once there, Captain Handshaw, Ensign Garrett (Acting Security Chief), Dr. Loris,
Counselor Day, and First Officer Klemendat all waited.  Ensign Johnson kneeled beside the escape pod.
**Handshaw**
At this point, Handshaw noticed that Johnson seemed to be in some sort of trance

***************Johnson’s Trance*****************
“Radiation levels are tolerable…Ensign Garrett…open the pod.”
Ensign Garrett pressed a series of buttons on the pod and a whoosh of air rushed into the cargo bay as the pod depressurized. The pod hatch opened revealing a humanoid with slight Klingon ridges in Romulan clothing.  Johnson gasped…
“Oh my! It’s Lieutenant Makk`barr!”

**Handshaw**
“Makk’barr??”, he thought to himself, He was on the StarQuest when it was destroyed?!?

**Klemendat**
Without awaiting a response from Klemendat, Johnson now find himself in his quarters…

Chief Operations Manager’s Personal Log      Stardate: 210801.57

It’s been three hours since we picked up the the first escape pod containing a UFED officer, Commander Klemendat seems to know who she is, and the doctor is doing his best to revive her without causing any more trauma.

Captain Handshaw has been contemplative…no…more (like) calculating.  He doesn’t seem to believe that the second pod that Self found could really have contained Lieutenant Makk`barr. I couldn’t have believed it possible that we would meet (he and I).  I feel a kinship with him.  Not just because we are made of the same cells, but more specifically because there are so many unanswered questions. I meant what I said in the conference room.  I am unauthorized to disclose the contents of Makk`barr’s logs pertaining to the StarQuest’s final mission.  But in truth, even if I could (which I can’t), they wouldn’t be of much help to begin with.  The only thing that Makk`barr indicates is that the StarQuest was going to investigate a…
[CLASSIFIED INFORMATION BY AUTHORIZATION OF STARFLEET/UFED COMMAND]
…so how is it possible that he is still alive…I must find out the truth.   I must know if Makk`barr is for real.  Things have tensed up on the ship of late. It seems that people are talking…they say that the Captain may not be suffering from any outside influence.  That his lack of participation in the ship’s functions may be due to a lack of will.  Or even a substance abuse of some sort.  I don’t believe that he would do such a thing.  But we need him.  Klemendat is
making wild orders.  His flamboyance is staggering. Aside from the usualy check in, he’s grown comfortable in the Captain’s chair…and for some reason I don’t like that…not one bit. Well, never let it be said that I wasn’t  bservant.  I recently discovered something startling…part of my many tasks that I was performing on the bridge when I requested the help of the ship’s new Self-aware Emotional Life Form (SELF) or holo-assistant as I have nicknamed her, I discovered a very small power source eminating from the Counseler himself.  It’s so small that you have to be running multi-phasic scans in variable and invariable areas of randomly predesignated locations to discover it.  Since I was trying to find an invisible escape pod no bigger than seven meters long, I happened to get some refraction from the Romulan’s cloaking device.  it caused the sensors to scan the StarQuest (like an echo scan) and I detected it.  I’ll need to investigate further. Well my first CO warned me that I made logs that were too indepth, I guessshe was right.  Johnson out.
************End of Johnson’s Trance*******************

**Handshaw**
Shaking Johnson…”Johnson, Johnson, snap out of it!!!” Johnson comes out of his trance
“Where have you been, you’ve been staring at pod for almost a minute, are you going to open it or what???”

**Johnson**
“Uh…yes, yes sir, I’m sorry…” Ensign Johnson kneeled down and pressed a series of buttons on the pod.

As the fog inside the pod clears,  Klemendat gasps…

**Klemendat**
Dothan noticing that most of  his Command staff  were not on the bridge was puzzled. 
“We seem to have many junior grades here”  Dothan mentioned to a crewman on duty at Ops.   Wondering where everyone was he started with Klemandat.
“Computer Locate First Officer Klemendat”
***Working, First Officer Klemendat is in Hanger Deck One****
“Where is Engineer Handshaw?”
***Working,  Engineer Handshaw is in Hanger Deck One***
“Well,  Dothan replied “Since everyone is in Hanger  Deck One, I think I will see if Jinoe wants to join us”.  Dothan smiled at this, since it would give him an excellent opportunity to spend  even the slightest bit of time with the love he still cared deeply for.
“Computer locate Daka Jinoe”
**Working, Daka Jinoe is in Video Disc Room 11***  Dothan climbed to the turbolift, Ordered the lift to the appropriate level and made a slight detour to the nearest replicator, ordered a box of chocolate truffles and then..waiting at the VDR door breathed in a deep breath and pushed the chime button.

**Handshaw**
With the mystery of the pod somewhat resolved, Handshaw faded back to his post on the bridge. Realizing the Captain gone, Handshaw asked the “kid” at Ops,
“Where’s the Captain?”
“Sorry sir, I don’t know” hiding the fact that he overheard Dothan inquiring about Jinoe
“Who did he leave in charge?”
“No one, sir”
“Well I guess that leaves me no choice but to take the Conn.”  Handshaw stated unhappily but dutifully.  Handshaw hesitantly took his place in the Captain’s chair and opened up the displays and linked them into his station.
“Ensign, what’s our status?”
“We are stationary outside the outermost boundary of the old neutral zone”
Then Handshaw cracked a mischievous smile, and ordered as seriously as possible.
“Prepare for saucer-sep!!!”

Ensign Johnson knelt down and pressed a series of buttons on the pod.
As the fog inside the pod clears,  Klemendat gasps…
“A woman-!! Human–and pregnant!! Computer–activate EMH.”

Moments later, the standard Doctor Zimmerman hologram, mark 9.8, appeared.
“Please state the nature of the medical emergency.”  They can change the face, thought Klemendat, why can’t they change the script in more than 50 years? Klemendat pointed to the unconscious woman in the pod. “Doctor- you have two patients for the price of one.”

(USS StarQuest-A, Main Bridge- Day 4, 1447 hrs)
At that point all the “kids” on the bridge turned towards Handshaw with a stunned look on their face.
Just as Handshaw was about to rescind his joke order, he thought, oh, what the hell, we’re dead in space
and I need to try out the system anyway, we need a good ‘fire drill’ …
“Execute automated saucer-sep”
A sigh of relief spread through the bridge
“You didn’t think I was going to do a manual saucer-sep, did you?”
The young Ops officer responded “Executing automated saucer-sep”

The EMH knelt down and looked closely. “Any time now, it would appear. Let’s beam her directly to SickBay.” The woman and the EMH shimmered away in the light of a transporter glow.

“This should shake up the command crew a bit, especially considering they are all still in the stardrive section”
The klaxons sounded and the ship quickly separated into 2 powerful warships. The saucer section of this ship contains it’s own warp core and a single warp nacelle, and a powerful arsenal of weapons (including the fighters).  The stardrive section contains 2 warp cores and is much more powerful and maneuverable (and some fighters in it’s shuttle bay)
“Sound the alert for WARGAMES!!!”, Handshaw orders
“Let’s see how fast the command crew gets to the bridge of the stardrive section”, Handshaw continues

Just then Klemendat heard the automated announcement:

=/\=Emergency saucer separation in eight minutes. All personnel must evacuate to the saucer section now. Repeat–emergency saucer separation–=/\=

**Johnson**
Johnson was on his way to the bridge when he heard the sound of the blaring alarms.  Quickly he pressed a panel.
“Computer! What’s going on?”
The computer responded mechanically, “Captain Handshaw is currently running a wargames simulation. The saucer section is in the process of separating.”
Johnson rolled his eyes, “Leave it to Jeff!” without a second thought he darted in the direction of the battle bridge.

Klemendat was frantic: “Bridge-!! This is Klemendat!! What are you doing, Captain? What is going on??!!”

**Handshaw**
“War Games!!!  New ship, new crew, we need training, and the best training is SURPRISE training!!!”

“Abort separation at once!! At once I say!! Or I’ll have you charged with mutiny, Mr. Handshaw!!”

**Handshaw**
“Mutiny my azz, Klemendat, when Dothan left the bridge without reassigning command, I automatically took command, and I felt that this was the perfect opportunity for War Games, are you up to it!?!  By the way, saucer separation has already occured, Ensign Green hit the wrong announcement.  Ensign Green, alerts EA, SC, and W please…, Handshaw out!”

=/\=Abort evacuation=/\= =/\=Saucer separation complete=/\= =/\=Battle Stations, Battle Stations, executing War Games protocols, communications between Stardrive and Saucer section now disabled=/\=

**Handshaw**
“(Fake) shields up, swing us around to face the stardrive section and fire a volly of whiffle balls at it’s bridge”
“Whiffle balls, sir?”  says the tactical officer
“Yes, set the repledo bay to replicate whiffle balls, then shoot them out the repledo tube.”
“Whiffle balls away, sir…they are on a direct heading for the portholes of the bridge of the stardrive section…” tactical replies

Klemendat raced to the nearest turbolift. “To the Bridge, immediately.Computer: please state whereabouts of Captain Dothan.”

=/\=Captain Dothan is in Video Disc Room 11.=/\=

While the lift rushed upwards to the Bridge, Klemendat tapped his commbadge frantically:
“Captain Dothan! Captain Dothan! Respond, Captain Dothan!”

=/\=Captain Dothan is temporarily unavailable at his request.=/\=

“Temporarily–what!!?? Has everyone here gone mad??”

The lift doors opened, but Klemendat did not see the Bridge of the USS StarQuest. He saw the sparkling fountains and manicured gardens of the Italian villa where he grew up on Earth.  He heard the soft music of chimes in
the distance and smelled the fragrance of fresh grapes. “Oh no,” he moaned, and covered his eyes. The doors behind him whuffed to a close and disappeared. He looked again. He was still in the Italian garden.

The EMH ran standard diagnostic scanners over the pregnant woman. She wore the tattered uniform of a StarFleet science officer, but no commbadge or rank insignia. Except for their slightly malnourished conditions, both mother and baby-to-be were healthy, and free of trauma.

“Note to Medical Logs,” said the EMH, “Patient Jane Doe and fetus are recovering normally from their prolonged state of suspended animation and should regain full consciousness at any moment. DNA samples and retinal scan results are conclusive as to the identity of our patient and will be sent to StarFleet Medical HQ for further analysis. The Captain will need to how and why a pregnant human female has arrived from an antique Romulan warbird…”

Just then, the woman stirred and opened her eyes. She looked up at the EMH, obviously puzzled:

 (USS StarQuest-A, Battle Bridge (Stardrive section) – Day 4, 1500 hrs)
 **Johnson**
 The doors to the battle bridge opened quickly.  Johnson assessed the situation, “No one here yet” he  thought to himself.
 ”Computer, Operations Manager, Juan Johnson currently only command staff officer present for wargames simulation.”  The computer responded one again,
“Designate: Johnson, Juan Ensign, Operations Manager is currently  in command.”
 Johnson swung around and waisted no time.  he done more than his fair share of wargames simulations  at the Academy on Eden’s Gate.
 ”Status!” Johnson spat. The ensign at the forward tactical position in front of him turned his head toward Juan.
 ”Saucer has completed separation and Captain Handshaw has issued the attack order.  We have  in-coming!”
 ”Show it to me!” the holo-screen shimmered to life showing a few hundred minute white specs moving  toward the ship. “Can we raise our (fake) shields in time!?”

(USS StarQuest-A, Main Bridge- Day 4, 1503 hrs)
**Ensign Cal** (as in Tactical)
“Whiffle ball impact in 10 seconds”

**Handshaw**
“That should get their attention”, as he keys in a new command code on his console
“Did the fighters launch?”

**Ensign Cal** (as in Tactical)
“Yes sir, they launched as soon as the alert sounded, they are currently holding positions in formation 6 above and 6 below the saucer”

**Handshaw**
“Good, now let’s confuse the matter a bit more…”
“Ensign Konn, engage the holographic cloak”
**Ensign Konn**  (as in Conn)
“Cool, Sir, on-line!”

 (USS StarQuest-A, Battle Bridge (Stardrive section) – Day 4, 1504 hrs)
 ”Too late, impact in four, three, two, one!” John closed his eyes and braced himself for the computer to  shake the ship violently but instead all he heard was a hollow thumping sound from the nearby portholes.

 ”…the hell?” Johnson walked to the porthole and watched as the “whiffle balls” hit the window. He snickered to himself then turning he sat down in the command chair once again.
 ”Conn bring us about and prepare to engage the saucer section. Target their warp core but take us in for a suicide run, maximum impulse, oh, and raise our shields!”

(USS StarQuest-A, Main Bridge- Day 4, 1506 hrs)
**Ensign Cal**
“They’ve raised shields, sir, and are on a collision course”

**Handshaw**
“Project the ship at station keeping, accend,  Z +5, and ahead 1% impulse”

**Ensign Cal**
“Projection holding position, we are cloaked and accending, the Stardrive section is continuing on a collision course with our projection”

 (USS StarQuest-A, Battle Bridge (Stardrive section) – Day 4, 1507 hrs)
 The junior ops officer was an attractive red head with freckles, and green eyes. She skeptically glanced  toward Ensign Johnson who caught her eye and he winked at her and sat back.  A long calculating gaze
 about him. Johnson walked to the conn and knelt beside the officer.
 ”Mister Chavez, I would like you to wait until we’re within five hundred kilometers, and then flip us under  her, understand?”
 ”Aye sir, but that will put quite a strain on the inertial dampers.”
 ”That’s okay mister, I trust that Captain Handshaw has built us a fine ship.” John turned toward tactical.
 ”Mister Conley when we reach five hundred and ten kilometers engage the phased-cloaking device.” All  eyes were on Johnson who sat down in the command chair. He realized that they couldn’t anticipate
 what he was planning. So he gave in.
 ”When we’re within range we’re going to flip and come up from underneath her.  Once there we’ll  effectively take out her warp core and latteral fighter launch controls.  That will stop them from moving and fighting beyond anything directly in line of sight.” John pressed a button on the command chair.
 ”Fighter team Beta, suit up and be ready for launch in five minutes, I repeat five minutes!”
 Now all John had to do was wait the three and half minutes necessary to reach five hundred kilometers…damn time moved slowly…

(USS StarQuest-A, Main Bridge- Day 4, 1508 hrs)
**Handshaw**
“Pivot the saucer section 180 degrees and as she passes under us, lower us down behind her and
follow them a bit, let’s see what they do”

END OF VIRTUAL GAME DUE TO ILL HEALTH OF CAPTAINS LOVED ONE, OUR DEAR JANE. 

At this point a powerful firestorm commenced between the two ships, and although the weapons yields were minimal the overall “disturbance” in the region opened a wormhole which the saucer section fell into…
Unfortunately the diameter of the wormhole was smaller than the diameter of the saucer section causing considerable damage to the outer edge of the ship…
The wormhole sent the ship back to the time before the Federation was formed, back during the time of the 1st warp 5 ship under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer…
As we struggled to repair the damage, we did what we could to stay undetected, yet we noticed some strange time incursions that we tried to “clean up”…
After much temporal study and damage repair we managed to use the explosion of the Xindi probe to help us get back to our time (while the Enterprise NX was sent into the past)…
Finally reunited with our crew (and our battle section), we have now been underway to be recommissioned back into Starfleet…