Commander Serala: Let me guess. Thursday.
Serala
(( Bridge, Deck 3 - Primary Hull, USS Chin’toka ))
To say that she was frustrated was an understatement. There were so many things yet to be done on the ship, and they needed to get underway. And Perkins was so…Perkins. He’d been in her way from almost the moment she’d stepped out of the conference room.
Serala: So, you mean we don’t have a full store of supplies, correct?
Perkins: That’s right, Serala. But this ship wasn’t meant to launch yet. We aren’t expecting those supplies until Thursday.
She blew out a frustrated breath and gritted her teeth.
Serala: Fine. We’re not planning an extended launch anyway. If that’s all there is, we will be fine.
T’Ama: Response
She grimaced again and turned to her Operations officer.
Serala: No tractor beam?
T’Ama: Response
Neshala: Captain, we’re getting a transmission. The parade is starting. Admiral Shelby is broadcasting to all the ships.
She nodded at the Orion woman.
Serala: Very good. Place it on viewer.
Shelby: =/\= A quarter millennium after the NX-01 took that first vital step, we gather on Frontier Day to take another; as we demonstrate our newest advancement, “Fleet Formation”. =/\=
Serala spun and looked at T’Ama.
Serala: Please tell me we were able to keep that from being installed.
T’Ama: Response
She breathed a sigh of relief then turned back to Perkins as he began trying to defend himself.
Perkins: It wasn’t supposed to be installed until Thursday, Serala. I swear, you act like we knew you would be launching this ship today.
Shelby: =/\= Our next demonstration is the summation of decades of technological advancements. =/\=
Serala turned to her First Officer, determination clear on her face.
Serala: It’s time, Number One. Prepare the ship for immediate launch.
Sherlock: Response
Serala: Lieutenant T’Ama, open a shipwide channel.
T’Ama: Response
Serala: =/\= All hands, this is the Captain. Prepare for immediate launch. Engineering, I need those engines online now. All stations, Red Alert. =/\=
The lights on the bridge dimmed and red lights illuminated even as alert klaxons began to sound throughout the ship.
Xiron / Is’Kah: =/\= Responses =/\=
Serala: =/\= We don’t have four hours, Lieutenant. Give me impulse power. We shouldn’t be going to warp anytime soon, anyway. Once we’ve launched you can continue working on getting the warp engines online. I’m sending Commander Ilsam down to assist. =/\=
She nodded at Ilsam to go ahead and head down to assist.
Islam: Response, if any.
Xiron / Is’Kah: =/\= Responses =/\=
Serala: =/\= Counselor Brodie to the Bridge. Commander Kel and Lieutenant Doucet, prepare sickbay for potential casualties. =/\=
Brodie / Kel / Doucet: =/\= Responses =/\=
As the Engineering team brought the engines up to full power, the hum throughout the ship intensified to what she had remembered from before. This was normal and she welcomed the sound.
Moving to her seat in the command center, she turned to face the viewscreen briefly before slowly sitting in the chair for the first time ever. She allowed herself one brief moment to savor the experience, taking in the scenes and the activity and committing it all to memory. Nostalgia over, she quickly remembered their mission and began to issue orders.
Serala: Mister McGillian, bring weapon systems online. Arm torpedoes and standby.
McGillian: Response
She turned to face him.
Serala: I am aware this is supposed to be a celebration, Ensign. But trust me, it’s about to go very badly. We don’t know what the Borg and Changelings have planned, but it has something to do with this celebration and I want to be prepared.
McGillian: Response
oO No torpedoes? What in the … ? Oo
She turned to Perkins, irritation beginning to give way to anger.
Serala: Let me guess. Thursday.
Perkins tried to say something, but quickly closed his mouth and shrugged apologetically.
She turned back to the tactical officer.
Serala: Very well, we’ll have to make do with phasers. But let’s see if we can’t beam at least one load of torpedoes off the shipyards before we get too far. We can load them in the bay as we go.
McGillian: Response
Sherlock: Response
She gave the other woman an approving nod, then sat forward.
Serala: Then let’s get out of here. Lieutenant Neshala, clear all moorings and take us out, one-quarter thrusters until clear of the drydock, then ahead full. We don’t have warp yet, but we’re not going to need it anyway.
oO I hope. Oo
Neshala: Aye, Captain. :: tapping some buttons to disconnect the umbilicals from the shipyard :: Clearing moorings. Ahead one-quarter thrusters.
Serala watched as the ship began to creep forward. In any other time, she would have been excited and proud. But this was not the time for that. The existence of the Federation was at stake. Her pride would wait for another day. Once they’d cleared moorings, she ordered the ship to set course for the parade, noting that the ships were already forming up into diamond formations.
And then the unthinkable happened. Some of her crew, younger members, began to change. At first, they simply stopped moving, but then she saw the black lines begin to appear on their faces and their eyes turn as black as Ensign McGillian’s Rodulan ones.
oO This is what they were planning. Oo
Borgified Crewmen (in unison): We are the Borg.
Serala: Security alert! Computer, secure the bridge.
Serala pulled out the hidden phaser in her armrest and immediately rose to her feet.
The crew that had changed suddenly began to advance and Serala opened fire, her phaser set to stun in hopes that they could find a way to save the crew later. At the same time, reports began to flood in from around the ship. More Borg, more attacks. Her first command and she was about to lose it to the damned Borg.
Sherlock: Response
Any: Responses