Home Base is Safe

Posted on Mon 24th Feb, 2025 @ 3:16pm by Captain Izwyx 'Lo & Captain Gordon Francis & Commander Geraldine "Geri" Severide

1,384 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Phoenix Gamble
Location: Dock 13
Timeline: current

-Start-

The Star Cradle Ticonderoga had undergone a metamorphosis in the last hour. The mushroom cap portion had sufferd greatly but done its job admirablty. The interior components were undamaged from their madcap transit across former Romulan space. To gain speed they had run a trim reduced profile, shed the excess weight. In its full glory, the Star Cradle was a third of the size of Starbase 109, and could house ninety thousand people if truly set up for long term operations. The cavernous interiors of the Stardock, coupled with extended jetty allowed fifty docking ports for smaller vessels, and an interior berth able to hold any ship of the line. Though incapable of any speed, in its Mobile Station form it could make thruster adjustments, and attain low warp thus the moniker.

From the bridge still reeking of smoke, Izwyx'lo announced finally, “Sepp… I can finish the dots and crosses, go see your wife before she pounds me into the mud.” Izzy was looking for the confirmation on jetties, they had possibly been damaged from H’tek and even though systems showed operational, it was necessary to over see it.

Her Tellarite second officer snorted, “As if that is a bad thing. By your leave Captain I thank you.”

She waved him off seeing her board turn green over the next minute. Machinations from under her feet announced the complex organism was unfurling itself inside as ordered.

Out the window she saw the majestic Starbase 109, fewer docks over all but quadruple the capabilities. Between the two of them there was a sufficient capacity to refit the Thunderchild to present specs, an overdue necessity. The damages wrought by the pirate attack had seen them in flames, with poor Thunderchild scoured and beaten. However, with all that happened, their starship Thunderchild had come alive somehow in the wash. Wonder was part of the workday alongside terror, somehow the Akira class had acquired prescient intelligence.

“All hands, we are in Status Blue, Status Blue. Operations to commence at first bell, Relief crews at eight, Blue Status to be maintained until further notice. You all are amazing, what an adventure you can share with your family and friends. We are now in Station modular configuration so adjust accordingly folks. We have arrived at what will be a short stop along out path, perhaps a month, if we get a job maybe more. So nobody look to getting married, unless you really really love her. Shore Leave schedules posted on COM, and I will talk to you all later. Izzy’s out.”

She stood as a mild smattering of applause followed her lackluster exodus. She made a mental note to work on her speeches.

“Captain, incoming request for you… Captain Francis of Starbase 109 is requesting contact at first convenience.”

Her comms officer sent it to the ready room, she followed it and snapped it on the view screen.

A Klingon appeared on the comms, “I am Entaaro Nasz, greetings Captain. Please stand by one moment.”

His face faded to the Starfleet Delta as Captain Francis was summoned.

In his ready room, Captain Francis keyed in the encryption code and within two seconds the two Captains were connected.

"This is Captain Gordon Francis, commanding Federation Starbase 109," he said in a cordial but cautioned tone. "To whom am I speaking, please?"

She liked the look he gave off, avuncular and wizened. She imagined having late night coffees and discussing books. She only said to him though, "Greetings, I am Captain Izwyx'Lo of Federation MSC Ticonderoga. We spoke on the scrambled line yesterday, thank you for receiving all of us. It's good to know the crew of Thunderchild arrived safely, our losses have been surprisingly minimal largely thanks to your base. We will need to ask more of you as well in the months to come I'm afraid."

Francis gave a curt nod. "Nice to talk again," he said. "We are happy to be of assistance, of course. I'd like to know what kind of help you'll be asking for in the months to come? Nothing that brings trouble to Starbase 109, I hope."

Izzy almost chuckled, “We were made for trouble sir. Our present state of affairs will require overhaul. With Thunderchild in its perilous state as well, I wanted to propose we stay on site, refit Thunderchild, your base, ourselves all in one project. As a stationary operation our pylons expand, allowing us to work as a shipyard and refueling repair station. It’ll take us months on our damage alone, but Thunderchild isn't so bad off. When’s the last time you lifted the hood here at 109?”

Francis gave a nod, replying, "I think we can arrange that. Can you shine my shoes and harvest the corn too?"

Izzy stifled a grin, "I draw a hard line at Corn sir. It's in my file. We have just bout achieved Star Cradle status, I'll have my people start transferring over. Medical will see a busy day today for sure. Have you read the action report on Thunderchilds new... operator system?"

"I have not looked it over yet, Captain," Francis said. "But you have me intrigued."

Izzy smiled deeply, "Well sir, not only do we have a first contact... but we also have a new Computer based intelligence occupying the Thunderchild sir. She's taken a liking to a name of "Alidade," as well as a pronoun and persona generally feminine. She seems to have replaced the computer entirely but can access the database backup server, and we ummm...."

The next part was crazy but she just needed to report what happened, so it was best kept simple.

"Alidade was pivotal to our success over H'tek. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for her fast learning. She's come a long way in the last two days, and we... well it made sense to trust she was intelligent a truly unique being. We gave her a field commission of cadet as she passed the Starfleet officer exam, took the oath, I swore her in, she took all the courses, all of them actually, in fourteen seconds. I'd like to direct you to the action reports which will read like a holonovel. We've got heroes a plenty who are gonna need citations of valor, Pike medals, and shore leave rotations for about fifteen thousand people, busy days ahead sir."

"I see," said Francis. "Forgive me if I seem skeptical of any and all AI. I come from Intel and we get a bit nervous over such things. They don't always go the Asimov route."

Fouran almost jumped from his seat but Izzy caught it and waggled her finger, "Nah uhh, I got it, I got it."

To Francis she assumed a more sober expression, "Not Artificial Intelligence sir. A Non-corporeal life form, bonded to our computer core. When we replaced the bio-neurals she began emitting brain waves, exhibits original thought not mimicry... She taught herself in seconds and added instinctive basis to what she learned... Starfleet may consider this a first contact."

Francis' eyebrows went up. "Well that would be something indeed," he said. "We'll need some specialists to look at... her? You said 'she' taught herself. How is there already a gender?"

“A question for the ages Captain, I defer to whatever the experts determine when they get to determining. However I need to strongly suggest when you meet her to understand she is a living being not an AI. I dont know what would happen if we upset her, this is all very new, but she is bonded to the Thunderchild in a very real way.”

The Station extensions flared, and despite the staggering damage, the internal components were protected and deployed. Izzy’s board changed to a gentle strobing blue, the signal of a completed transition. Ten thousand kilometers away, a second smaller Starbase appeared. Within the long tendrils of its delicate shipyard, the Thunderchild was in full repair.

“And it looks like we are now in Star Cradle formation. I hereby cede operational command to Starbase 109 and change designation to the Ticonderoga Star Cradle.”

Captain Francis gave her a genuine smile. There were loose ends in all of this, but he was glad to have this particular incident wrapped up nicely. "Operational command received," he said. "Welcome to Starbase 109!"

END

 

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