A Swing and a Miss.

Posted on Fri Dec 2nd, 2011 @ 4:22pm by Captain Claudia Drake

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: USS Potemkin
Timeline: 2 Days Ago

"Now you listen to me you jumped up string of piss. I want to speak to Erik Wintra." barked Claudia at the computer terminal. She had been waiting to speak to the Federation Intelligence Agency desk officer since she had left Earth. She had left a message for him before she left Oxford, but due to the nature of Iconian Gateway travel she had been out of all communication for 4 days. The middle aged human functionary had taken great pleasure in telling her that Erik was not contactable as he was meeting with the Director of the FIA.

"There is no need to raise your voice or get angry Ms Drake. As I have told you Ms Drake, Mr Wintra is currently unavailable. If you would like to leave a message with me, I will make sure he sees it as soon as he is finished."

Claudia stared at the man in silence, "Let's get one thing quite clear young man, if you think this is me angry or raising my voice you are very much under-estimating the sheer decibels my voice can reach and sorely over-estimating your skills at bureaucratic red-tape inducing rage inducing skill." she looked at him and continued without pausing for breath, "And the correct form of address when in salutation to myself is either Captain, Professor or Mrs Drake." she said an voice several degree below cold.

"You're Professor Drake?"

"I am sorry, I must be forgetting to vocalise my barbs" she said raising an eyebrow slightly, the sarcasm dripping from her words.

"One moment, I will put you through." he said, before the screen blinked out and was replaced with the FIA emblem, only to be replaced again by the familiar face of Erik Wintra.

"Claudia? What is it?! I got your message: I didn't think you'd have communication abilities for at least another hour."

"Firstly, who the fuck is that jumped-up jobs worth?" she said almost launching herself at the screen.

"Gatrijk, he is an expert at public relations." said Erik smirking, "I see you were bowled over by his world famous people-skills."

Claudia laughed with her old friend, and shook her head slightly, "Looks like it finally happened Erik."

Eriks eyes widened almost imperceptibly, "Really?" he said steeping his fingers, "What is it? 33 years, 4 months and what? 4 days?"

Claudia nodded, "I am surprised it took them this long."

"You know better than anyone that 31 are patient, they're always in for the long-game."

Claudia continued to nod, her head gently lifting up and down, suddenly the lighting in her temporary quarters changed and a voice came over the internal communication system, "Yellow Alert. All hands report to stand-by stations. Commander Sanak out."

"That doesn't sound good" said Erik from the computer screen, "Aren't you in neutral Delta Quadrant space?"

"We're supposed to be" said Claudia standing up, "I don't believe in coincidence Erik." she pulled on her uniform jacket from behind chair she had been sat on, "I'll contact you later." she closed the channel and walked from her quarters, her room was on just down the corridor from the bridge on the Nova class USS Potemkin. In less than 30 seconds she was standing on the bridge, it was a hive of activity, although an eerie calm centred around the Vulcan Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Sanak. He was almost motionless seated next to his XO on the equally placed command chairs.

"Good evening Professor Drake" came the Vulcan monotone, "Welcome to the Bridge."

Claudia did not respond but fixed her eyes on the view screen, in the centre of it lay a small Ferengi shuttle, one of it's forward pincer-like projections was torn and a flaming.

"Sensors suggest there are no life-forms on the shuttle. It is registered to a Mister Let with the Ferengi Commerce Authority."

"I wasn't aware the Ferengi were involved in trade this far out." added Claudia, stepping closer to the runner that went around the command area of the bridge.

"We have received a distress signal and are duty-bound to provide assistance." came the expected stoic response.

"You are the CO, Lieutenant Commander, you must do what you think is appropriate." she said with an equally neutral tone.

"Appropriateness is irrelevant Professor, it is our duty according to Starfleet standing orders."

"Quite" came Claudia's response as she moved towards one of the science terminals and began to read over a young Ensigns' shoulder. The young man was motionless under Claudia's gaze, something she was used to, "Perhaps I could be of assistance Lieutenant Commander Sanak..." she said as a matter of fact as she began to work at the terminal with the Ensign.

"There is no need for you..." began Sanak.

"...the ship is giving off low levels of biomimetic energy."

"Mister Let is licensed to transport bio-mimetic gel by the FCA" said the young Human XO, a Lieutenant who Claudia recognised, but could not give a name to.

"Lieutenant you will lead the away team." said the CO, "Once you have secured the vessel, then bring it into the shuttle-bay."

The young woman stood up, "Aye sir", she left the bridge flanked by several other officers. The Ensign Claudia had been standing by got up and left, Claudia sat down in her place at the terminal.

"Lieutenant Commander Sanak, I would suggest you increase our status to Red Alert."

"The vessel is unmanned and poses no substantial threat. Lieutenant Shannon will secure the vessel, Yellow Alert is sufficient for now." said the Vulcan who turned to face Claudia, "Although I shall keep your suggestion under advisement."

Claudia bit her tongue and continued to man the sensors, she could see the away-team begin to search the small ship, the majority of it was taken up by the cargo-hold...suddenly she realised.

"RED ALERT!" she shouted in a commanding tone, the lights on the bridge changed and a Klaxon began to sound, the Vulcan CO turned and looked at her.

"Professor Drake...what is the meaning of this?"

Claudia ignored the Vulcan's question, "Transport out your team, move the Potemkin away. The biomimetic readings are not in the cargo-hold, they are emanating from the housing of the ships warp-core."

The Vulcan remained silent for a moment, as if digesting the information, "What would be the purpose of that?"

"It's a trap!" she roared, and moved towards the CO, who almost appeared stunned into catatonia.

"The chances of them engaging a Federation Starship in this area of space are 1,367,871 to 1, and what would the destruction of the Potemkin achieve?"

Claudia looked at him in almost shocked silence, "Lieutenant Commander Sanak. You are the Commanding Officer of this vessel and I damned well expect you to act like it. Logic alone is not enough for the illogical world of command. Now you give the order to beam your people back and move the Potemkin away or I bloody well will!" her voice was cold and commanding, it reverberated around the bridge. Usually she would never question a CO on their own ship, especially in front of the crew, but when the lives of the away team and the crew were in peril she had no other choice.

The Vulcan nodded and pressed a button on the arm of his chair, "Sanak to Shannon, prepare to beam out." he then pressed another, "Transporter room 1, beam the away team back." a few moments later a voice responded,

"I have them sir."

Claudia looked at the science station read-outs, "There is an energy build-up..."

"Helm back us away full thrusters, once clear set course for Starbase 900, warp 7."

"Ayr sir!"

On the view screen Claudia could see that the Potemkin was pulling away from the Ferengi shuttle. As the ship cleared the area the shuttle exploded with a ferocity that shocked even Claudia. The area screen changed then to the familiar star stream of a ship at high warp.

The doors of the bridge opened to reveal the XO and the away team, "Captain...thank you. We couldn't get a signal out to you. There must have been a communications blocker." she said the Vulcan

Claudia raised an eyebrow and looked at the Vulcan CO. His face remained impassive, "Gratitudes must be expressed to Professor Drake, it is she who realised it was a trap."

The woman turned to Claudia, "Thank you Professor."

Claudia nodded, "You are welcome Lieutenant." she said with a motherly smile, "Lieutenant Commander Sanak, a word in private if I may?"

The Vulcan nodded, and led the way into his ready room. Once inside Claudia spoke, "Lieutenant Commander, I wish to apologise for my manner on the Bridge."The Vulcan did not speak in response, "I spoke out of turn, and questioned your authority on your ship. Please forgive me."

"Professor Drake, if you had not acted as you did, we would not be having this conversation, and I would have lost the Potemkin 2 months into my tenure."

"That may be the case, but I apologise for my manner." said Claudia with a slight bow of her head, "I need to reach Starbase 900 ahead of schedule. If we increase our speed to emergency warp, how long until we reach 900?"

"2 days" said the stoic Vulcan.

"Then Lieutenant Commander, may I suggest you give the order?"

The Vulcan nodded and spoke into his communicator, once the order was confirm Claudia made her way out of the Ready Room.

"Professor Drake...thank you."

Claudia did not respond and continued on her way out of the room. A few minutes later she was back in her quarters and activating a communications channel to earth via the signal relays. She went through several functionaries before she was returned to Erik.

"I assume everything went okay?"

"A swing and a miss for 31" she said with a smile as she began to retell the recent events.