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Star Trek Adventurer	By : Tcr Category: +S through Z > Star Trek: Online Views: 2690 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Star Trek is owned and copyrighted by Paramount Pictures and CBS. For full disclaimer, see Chapter 1.

Chapter List
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Chapter 5: The Moon Is a Window To Heaven
“Tell me again why we can’t just transport up?” M’Akl asked across from Taka.
“It’s an Academy graduation ritual that all graduates arrive to Spacedock and their respective starships aboard a shuttle. It has been this way since Jonathan Archer,” Straala answered from beside M’Akl.
“Now on approach to Spacedock,” the Ensign piloting the shuttle reported to the five people new officers sitting in the back. The man whistled. “Would you look at that?”
Taka pulled herself from the seat and moved into the cockpit. She glanced out the window, seeing what the man had whistled at.
A sleek design emerged from Spacedock. Its form was elegant and warp dynamic, the saucer blending into the secondary hull. Its leading edge was sculpted into a curved arrowhead and bright dashes of light glinted from the countless windows. The one thing that stood out to Taka was the deflector dish glowing a teal rather than the usual cerulean blue.
“That’s the Palatine,” the man stated. “Quite a beauty, eh? Rumour has it she’s assigned to be one of the explorers in the Delta Quadrant.”
“Quite a ways from home,” Taka nodded. “Why’s her deflector like that? That’s not standard on a Vesta-class.”
The man shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like that.” He returned his attention to his console. “Spacedock, this is Academy shuttle Pike requesting vectors.”
A sultry voice came through the communications channel, ”Shuttlecraft Pike, you are ordered to course zero-zero-one-mark-three, reduce speed to maneuvering thrusters. Hello again, Ensign Valens.”
Taka smirked before turning back to the rest of her squad. The smirk turned into a grin; the Palatine was a sister ship to the Adventurer, an older sister, but still the same in all aspects. Staring at the other vessel was easily like staring at the Adventurer and, while she hadn’t been fully assigned to her, Taka thought of the ship as her home.
“Hey, Chief Engineer,” Netu Erra called out. Though Erra tried to hide it, Taka could tell the Bajoran woman was sarcastically using M’Akl’s title.
“Yes, Netu?”
“What’s the specs for the Vesta-class?”
“Standard cruising speed is warp seven; maximum cruise is warp nine-point-nine for twelve hours; and, in extreme emergencies, we can use her quantum slipstream capabilities,” M’Akl replied.
“Dimensions, First Officer?” Netu asked, looking at Taka.
She glared back at the Bajoran. Anyone else, it would have been bantering or even refresher courses, but this was something that Erra had long held over Taka’s head. It wasn’t an attack - no, Erra was smarter than that; it was her attempts to make them all look bad.
“First Officer?” Straala asked and raised an eyebrow. “I admit, I find it fascinating that Captain Korolevna would choose you as her executive officer, Takala. She is aware of your record, is she not?”
“Yes, Straala, she’s aware,” Taka sighed. Her glare never left Erra, wishing it would vapourize her into a blackened form right then and there. It didn’t. Taka mentally cursed her.
“And she still made you XO?” M’Akl asked. Her tone betrayed her surprise.
“We’re on final approach, Cadets. Grab your gear,” Ensign Valens called from the front.
“Apparently,” Taka answered M’Akl as she grabbed the duffel bag from the seat beside her. “She and I had a long discussion about it.”
“Impressive,” Straala said.
Her antennae twitched. Anger flooded them and she could feel them fold down into her white hair. She hadn’t wanted them to find out like this; once the final announcements were made by Captain Korolevna, there would be no issues. But now, with Netu having decided to bring it up, she almost felt as though they were viewing her in a different light.
No, forget almost, Taka thought to herself. She glanced at Tanis, then over to M’Akl and Straala, both of whom were grabbing their own bags. They do view me in different lights. I am their superior now, I can’t be the same friend they knew before. I hold their lives in my hand now.
It seemed to take forever for Valens to announce they were clear to depart the shuttle. Taka waited, each of them disembarking quickly, eagerly wanting to get started on their voyage amidst the stars. Not that she could blame any of them; she wanted to herself.
“Cadets, this way!” a man called out, drawing the attention of the five women from the shuttle. “Admiral Banacek and Captain Korolevna want to address you right now.”
“Yes, sir,” Erra said quickly.
Taka shook her head. She briefly wondered if Erra wanted to wash her face off, there was still some brown on her crinkled nose. But she bit her tongue. Last thing she wanted was to cause trouble so close to the Midshipman Cruise and one of the Vesta-class starships coveted by many - including herself.
They followed the man to an open area of the Spacedock concourse, where Captain Korolevna stood with a man. The Cadets snapped to attention as they saw the Admiral’s pips on the man’s collar. He chuckled and waved them to ‘at ease’ before stepping in front of Captain Korolevna and inspecting the five.
“These are your top picks for your senior staff, Terry?” Banacek asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“Of course, Paul,” Korolevna replied. She stepped down beside the Admiral as he continued inspecting the five of them.
“Cadet Takala zh’An,” Banacek said as he came to her.
“Admiral.”
Banacek looked back at Korolevna. “And Midshipman zh’An is your…?”
“Executive officer, Paul.”
“You’re sure you want her to do that?”
“Why not?” Korolevna asked in response. “She’s proven herself academically.”
“Aside from the Io Incident,” Banacek stated.
“With respect, sir,” Taka said, drawing Banacek’s attention, “I have worked to put that behind me and I accepted responsibility for it.”
“Removal of your third year course credits, for which you made up over the course of the summer and winter break months, yes, I’m aware of your record, Midshipman,” Banacek stated.
“Permission to speak freely, Admiral?” Netu asked from down the line of Cadets.
“Granted, Midshipman…”
“Netu, sir. Netu Erra.” She paused for a moment before saying, “I was part of the incident, sir. I made my objections to Cadet zh’An being placed in the XO position clear to Captain Korolevna after her Kobayashi Maru scenario. I believe I made a mistake.”
Taka’s antennae curved sharply in surprise. She had never expected to hear those words come from Erra. If anything, it would have been the opposite. She expected Erra to cut her down, to expedite her removal from the position with all due haste with her words. Her left antenna quivered; she knew there was something else going on there, but she didn’t know what it could be.
“The solidarity you stand with your shipmates is applaudable,” Banacek stated, stepping towards Erra. “Shows good signs of teamwork.” He paused. “And that is something we need for the mission you are all about to embark on. I’ll let Captain Korolevna explain further.” He looked at her, nodding. “Meet me in my office after, I have some things I wish to discuss with you before we leave.”
“Thank you, sir.” Korolevna stepped in front of the Cadets. “You are all members of Red Squad, which means you are all the best Starfleet has to offer. For that reason and that reason alone, you have been chosen to embark on one of the greatest missions of exploration Starfleet could ever offer any officer. The men and women of your squad have been split across four starships, including the Adventurer and will be part of a five ship fleet tasked with two objectives.
“First, we are to return to the Delta Quadrant with our sister ship Palatine, the Aeneid, Deimos, and Admiral Banacek’s command ship, the USS Epimetheus.” Taka’s antennae and interest piqued; the Epimetheus was a Prometheus-class starship designed specifically for combat and the Aeneid was an Odyssey-class, a newly launched starship, used to supplement the engineering and tactical elements of the fleet. They were expecting combat out there. Korolevna continued, “Second, we are to explore the quadrant for as far out as we can go from the Dyson Sphere, make contact with new species and reestablish contact with those Voyager encountered on her first trip through.
“This is a major undertaking, but one that, as Red Squad members, I have the utmost faith in your ability to do and to do while upholding the very pillars of Starfleet.”
“We’re Red Squad!” Netu chimed.
“We can do anything!” the other four cried out.
Korolevna grinned and beamed with pride at her chosen team. “Dismissed. Enjoy yourself at Club 47 and I’ll see you on the Adventurer at 0900 hours, ready for departure.”
The five snapped to attention. In unison, they said, “Yes, sir!”
Taka stepped away from the group for a moment and to the open viewport into the docking area. Excelsiors, Galaxys, Akiras, even an antique Ambassador-class vessel were sitting there, waiting for their crews. There wasn’t a Vesta-class ship lurking within. Taka felt disappointed. She’d wanted to see the Adventurer before they went to board her.
Tanis took her hand, leading her away from the rest of the group. Only Straala raised an inquisitive eyebrow, though she said nothing as the other two moved off. Taka simply followed Tanis towards the Sector 0-0-1 Administrative Offices wing and a large set of windows that displayed Earth’s moon prominently.
“Look,” Tanis said. She rested her head on Taka’s shoulder.
Against the lighted areas of the moon and the gray surface, a large dot appeared and moved across it. It took a second before Taka realized that it was a Vesta-class starship’s profile. Her antennae eased to the side of her head, almost resting on top of her white hair, and she sighed.
Gently, she moved Tanis in front of her and stared at Tanis. Her lover's face was silhouetted by moon, a glowing halo around her angelic face. Blue eyes seemed illuminated more by the glow and Taka brushed a bang of golden hair from Tanis’ face.
Silence surrounded them in the noisy area. Busy people wandered by, talking and giving orders, but neither cared. They were too deep in each other's eyes and soul. Tanis’ blue eyes swallowed Taka and comforted her.
“The moon really is a window to Heaven,” Taka said.
“Let’s get that drink, before it all goes to your head.” Tanis held her lover close to her as they walked back towards Club 47.
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Star Trek Adventurer