Free Ride

Posted on Tue 25th Jun, 2024 @ 1:26pm by Izwyx 'Lo
Edited on on Mon 8th Jul, 2024 @ 1:19am

1,640 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Phoenix Gamble
Location: En route to SB109
Timeline: MD1

-Start-

{MV Second Star: NXS-414RF}

A stately cruise ship in it present form, the Second Star had been converted from an Excelsior class starship into a powerful Super-hauler. The fledgling Merchant Fleet was growing fast with the advent of releasing older starship frames to worthy crews who applied. Passing muster was no easy matter, Starfleet handles its image and brand with ferocity. To sail in these ships, you had to have what it took to be Starfleet, but were not actually a member. The “Merchant Reserve Fleet” had already been called into play twice to great effect, once in a massive coordinated effort to locate a missing vessel at large in the Beta Quadrant, and again in assisting with the relocation of several thousand settlers from a failed colony.

Quinton Beck stood at the helm of his proud vessel. Despite his misgivings to Starfleet he had retained the classic layout to the Excelsior bridge. There was one exception, the door to the ready room was stuck open. With the ship needing so many minor attentions and upkeep he had never bothered to put in for a fix. At last count there were eighteen separate technological components from varied craft scavenged across two quadrants. This ship was a hotrod on the surface, a science experiment everywhere else.

And Quinton loved it. They all did.

“Mr. Capek, I think I hear two bells. I believe we are all overdue for dinner.”

The crew were nervous to leave their stations. Within their cargo holds was Vespian gas in a condensed state. Not a terribly effective bomb, but volatile enough to matter when it was inside the shield perimeter. The last seven hours had been spent flying at low warp to prevent the substance from getting too upset at the handling. The only warning was pressure indicants requiring fine adjustments to the containment fields, and the pilot had to match speed with the program for the materials.

“Is that why my stomach won’t shut up?” The resident Master Steward and spiritual warm gooey center of them all quipped. Othor Jaxz was a Betazoid, and best friend to all on the ship. Everyone felt they had a special kinship to the man but that was also his gift. One of many.

The comment earned a few huffy pants of laughter, Othor wanted to punch up the gag to get a bigger rise but was cut off by the second officer, Kas. She interrupted him intentionally knowing the ham loved an audience to perform for. His moniker amongst peers at home was “Penbarer.” He had a gift for chronicle and long winded anecdotes, which Kas did not.

The Andorian turned from her seated position to say to him, “I might have to be treated for hearing loss, get a snack before you pass out.”

Quinton twisted from the helm to observe his friend's banter. The helm was empty, their resident boy wonder Judah was in control of it but his body was in the infirmary. He had run of the ship vicariously through the computer and holoprojectors. Quinton had taken to sitting there to monitor the flight more directly, the tiny captain's chair armrest screen was impossible to read. When it chimed for a course correction his brow furrowed.

“Whoa… Judah? Why?”

There was no reply which immediately made Quinton go to full alert.

“Judah come in?” He looked to Kas, similarly aware of the situation, “Get Akio on the horn, locate Judah.” He tried to make changes on the console, but anything involving propulsion or heading was locked into a setting. “I can’t seem to control from helm-”

Kas didnt hesitate, “All stations, there is a control malfunction, I’m taking us into alert status.”

When ther was no reply from anyone else Kas realized the Bridge was in a lockdown. They all realized it a moment later than she did, but the moment of silence finally descended.

Out of the Conference room to the rear of the bridge a well appointed business woman emerged, her Ferengi headdress hastily placed. She screeched in her normal voice as a rule but when she was worried it took on extra volume that just punched above its weight every time.

“Did we change course? Quinton we have a schedule!”

He winced openly, she knew what her voice did to people's ears, it was purposeful.

“Fala, we got a situation, I’ve lost Judah and Helm control.”

“Captain?” Othor called over their exchange, “You have a Priority one message from Starfleet.”

Suddenly the anxiety and confusion was washed away in a flood of rage. In an instant he knew the score. Starfleet had promised them the Second Star had no remote program overrides. Judah lived in their computer core and had confirmed he didnt see any either. With the sudden lockout and Judah’s disappearance it meant Starfleet had yanked the invisible leash.

“Put it on, the bastards.” He yelled at Othor more harshly than he intended, but his old friend knew where the rage was directed and simply did as he was told. The image of a Starfleet logo, with hidden second delta unseen by all on the bridge greeted them. Text appeared,

For Quinton Beck Only.

Feeling as though he might crush his own teeth from gritting them, Quinton knew he had to regain his composure. Starfleet had lied, all of them had been fools to think this ship was theirs.

”No, play it here. I dont keep others secrets.”

Othor got a negative reply, Kas cocked her head as well noting the response on her console as well.

She was bemused to say the least, “It wont play if we are in the same room as you, biometric lockout.”

With controlled fury causing delicacy in his motions, he stood and stalked to the ready room, still feeling a mild thrill at the stuck door trying to budge. Small as it was, the morale boost of a mild chuckle got him into a different headspace. He felt like himself again, and a wily countenance descended.

The personal display on his desk showed the play icon, and he pressed it, while also increasing the volume for all to hear.

“Captain Beck, within our agreement for the lease on this vessel an emergency mandate was placed for assistance to any place Starfleet deems your presence necessary to save lives. This article has hereby been invoked.”

Fala stood in the open door, “There was no agreement for remote piloting or loss of control at any point!”

Quinton made a shushing gesture, continuing to listen.

…”We have assets on board your vessel who have enacted our orders to commandeer your vessel. There is no danger to the Second Star or its crew. You will need to eject your cargo, and follow our mission guidelines to the letter. We will compensate you for your losses.”

Fala screeched again, it bounced nine times hitting his ear with a variety of pain before fading into a tinny ring. “There is no compensation for a loss of reputation! This was a job we took at break-even to get in the door Quinton we cant let them do this!”

Quinton shook his head, still listening. Kas had also taken to silently considering the message.

“...This service will save the lives of people who have saved countless lives themselves. Mission protocol will follow. We apologize for the losses you may endure, but they are not in vain. Our assets will remove their control mechanisms at completion of your mission. Please accept our apologies for this course of action, but it is extremely necessary.”

When the message had concluded Quinton finally looked to Fala who was practically foaming at the mouth in rage.

“They’ve shut us out of everything but Life Support and disabled our central computer. That means a device on the core itself for sure. Find it. Don’t disable it. Track who comes to get it when this is all over. Try to find the other one. My best guess, central line circuits connecting bridge to battle bridge. But really anywhere along the spinal cord. I want to know who they are. They can have my ship today, hell it's already taken. So we wait and we learn.”

Fala closed her mouth, her replies truncated into understanding.

“We still have the Icarus under our control, we have shuttles… we can finish the job.” The way she said it wasn’t a request.

Quinton went out to the bridge with her blessing, “Well there is one ship they dont have control over, our good old reliable Icarus. Get the shuttles synced for the containment field, TinkerBell has the stronger impulse for the hauling, have TigerLily push power to the containment field.”

Kas looked shocked, “Captain?! We mean to have our auxiliary craft complete the journey?”

Quinton held his hands up, “I know, we will haul the cargo slowly. It’s exposed to space so we will double our efforts to shield it, and keep it calm. Slow and steady, easy as she goes and so forth. We will come back to you when we can restore our helm control. Have Chief Callahan lead the brigade. According to this protocol we will lose any measure of control in ninety minutes or so and go totally dark. So we get one hour to prep, and launch. Questions?”

There were none, his people were moving on the ball, true professionals who understood the game. They were going to complete the haul despite this heavy handed action. Starfleet had given them the rights to this truly Excelsior vessel when Quinton and the crew of the Icarus had found it abandoned and derelict. He had to trust this was somehow in the service of saving lives… but he couldn’t help but wonder whose?

-TBC-

 

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