Awaiting the Hellcat

Captain Taybar walked from the temporary quarters where she had been staying and headed towards the hanger area of Starfleet Command. She was dressed in civilian clothes and all she had was a small holdall that contained her uniform and a couple changes of clothes. Everything else had already been transferred from the Leviathan to the Hellcat. She had been woken at 06:00 hours in the morning with a message that the Hellcat would be leaving in three hours, a day ahead of schedule.

It was hard to believe that only a year ago, she had made the same journey. That time she had just been promoted to Captain and put in command of the USS Leviathan-A. Now she was heading out to the Gamma quadrant to take command of the USS Taurus.

She had spent the remainder of the previous day after talking to Admiral Devore familiarising herself with the Taurus and the current situation and intelligence. Her previous host’s experience of the Gamma quadrant and the Dominion was certainly going to be of value to her now. She’d eventually fallen asleep about one in the morning and so the early call had not been welcome. But she was glad to be out back in space and not tied to answering question after question about what happened six months ago.

She finally arrived at the dry-dock facility and entered the large building after passing through the security check. Inside she noticed several shuttles, from transport pods to a Danube class runabout. The facility was Starfleet Command’s high security hanger. Although most of the vessels were standard, many had been adapted. Then she saw the largest vessel in the hanger, stood away from the rest of the vessels. Briskly walking towards the USS Hellcat she admired both its size and construction. Suddenly from behind her, she heard the voice of a male call out to her.

"Excuse me Ma’am." The young man said. "Could you tell me where I might find Captain Taybar and the USS Hellcat."

The young man was about six-foot tall and of slim build. He was wearing a gold uniform and carrying a large Starfleet issue duffel bag and dragging a small trunk on an anti-grav trolley.

"What are you doing in a secure area Ensign ?" Captain Taybar ordered. "And who are you ?"

"Ma’am." The Ensign replied, a little taken aback by the woman’s firm reply. "I’m Ensign Janos Ellison and I’m suppose to be boarding a vessel called the USS Hellcat. From what I’ve been told, the shuttle is supposed to be heading into the Gamma quadrant to rendezvous with the USS Taurus.

"Where are your orders ?" Aki enquired.

Without thinking Janos put down his duffel bag and started to rummage around inside. Eventually he took out a Padd and rose back to his full height. He was about to hand it to Aki when he suddenly thought of something.

"May I ask you who you are and what you’re doing here ?" Janos asked.

"Ensign, you’ve just found Captain Taybar and the vessel over there is the Hellcat." Aki replied. "Now could I see your orders ?"

"Sorry Captain." Janos apologised. "I didn’t realise."

"Ensign, since I’m out of uniform you can call me Aki." Aki replied. "But when I’m in uniform, it’s Captain OK."

"Understood." Janos replied, handing the Padd to Aki.

Captain Taybar switched on the Padd and scanned the orders.

"So you’re joining the USS Taurus as a security officer." Aki remarked. "I hope you’re more observant when you’re onboard ship. You were about to hand me your orders without question, not to mention that I am in civilian clothing in a high security area."

"I will Captain." Janos replied.

"I guess we should get onboard." Aki suggested.

They both headed for the Hellcat and stepped inside. Stepping inside she looked around the corridors. It had been a few weeks since she had been onboard the ship and even now she still marvelled at how compact it was.

"You’d better stow your gear in the cargo bay, which is down towards the back." Aki suggested to Janos, pointing down the corridor. Then I’d suggest you come up to the command deck, we should be setting off in a few minutes.

Aki then headed forward and after stowing her small holdall in the Captain’s cabin, she headed up to the command deck. The door was already open and she silently stepped inside. The deck was busy as the crew prepared the Hellcat to leave and Aki coughed politely.

"Captain on deck." Lieutenant Commander Barker announced as he looked back from the Command chair to the source of the noise. "Welcome aboard."

"Mister Barker." Aki replied. "I’ve just met a young Ensign outside, I believe he is coming along for the ride."

"Ensign Ellison." Chu replied. "We received his transfer orders a couple of hours ago. If he’s aboard then I guess we can get going. By the way can I introduce Lieutenant James Wright, he’s also travelling to the Taurus."

"Captain." James replied, rising from the science station where he had been sitting. "I believe we will be working together."

"I’m sorry Lieutenant, I’ve not been informed of your transfer to the Taurus." Aki replied.

"That’s no surprise Captain." James said. "I only received my orders a few hours ago. I’m officially coming onboard as your new Intelligence officer, but I’m actually a diplomat by training. I’ve spent the last five years services as a Starfleet Ambassador on the USS Pioneer and before that the USS Castillion."

"A diplomat !" Aki exclaimed. "Why would Starfleet send a diplomat to the Taurus."

"I have no idea, but I’m very familiar with Dominion politics, I studied them after I left the Academy." James replied. "Either way, I hope that I will live up to your expectations."

"I’m sure you will Lieutenant." Aki suggested, taking the command chair. "What’s our ETA with the Taurus ?"

"We’ve just received a message from the Taurus and they’ve run into a little trouble. That’s the reason for the immediate launch, they want to put a more experienced Captain onboard before it leaves again. They’re making what repairs are needed, but it could be a few days before the ship is ready once more." Chu replied. "Which is good for us. They’re currently in orbit above Bopak III in the Gamma quadrant, that’s only three days travel for us, we should arrive long before the ships fully repaired."

Ensign Ellison arrived on the Command deck and looked around at the compact Bridge.

"Ensign Ellison." Aki said, noticing the young officer’s arrival. "I’d like you to meet my old science officer from the Leviathan, Lieutenant Commander Chu Barker."

"Pleasure to meet you sir." Janos replied. "Where should I sit ?"

"Take over the tactical station up front." Chu suggested. "By the way that’s Lieutenant Shale beside you at the helm and you may have bumped into Ensign Tania Vasquez on your trip through the ship. The officer sat at the science station is Lieutenant Wright, he’s joining you and the Captain on the Taurus."

Janos nodded at Lieutenant Wright before moving forward and sitting down to the right of the helm station, whilst Chu took the seat on the opposite side of Rick Shale. Chu checked the operations station one last time and then announced. "Captain, we’re ready to leave." Chu reported.

"Take us out Mister Shale." Aki replied.

Minutes later, they were beyond the planet Earth and heading out of the solar system.

"Welcome back." Ensign Vasquez said as she came onto the Bridge and took the tactical station.

"Ensign Vasquez, We’d like you to meet Ensign Ellison, he’s joining the Taurus with me as a security officer, which means you’ve got something in common."

"So you’re a security officer too." Tania asked. "What was you previous assignment ?"

"I’ve spent the last year teaching at the academy." Janos replied. "Before that I was on the USS Saturn until I was injured."

"Captain, the slipstream drive is online, we’re ready to enter the stream." Chu reported.

"Stream !" Janos exclaimed.

"Ensign, prepare for the ride of your life." Aki suggested. "Mister Shale, set course of DS9 and enter the stream when ready."

"Slipstream velocity in, five, four, three, two, one…." Ensign Shale announced.

Ahead of the Hellcat a slipstream vortex started to open and the small vessel stretched out and was then pulled into the vortex, propelled at extreme warp speed towards Deep Space nine and the Bajorian wormhole.

"ETA to DS9 ?" Aki requested.

"Twenty three hours Captain." Chu replied. "Then once we’re through the wormhole, it should be another two days to Bopak III and the Taurus."

"Carry on." Aki stated. "How are you feeling Ensign ?"

Janos was silent for quite a while before he gave the Captain an answer.

"Wow." He stated. "We must be travelling at close to warp ten."

"Warp nine point nine, nine, three to be exact." Chu answered. "We’re hoping to get the new Leviathan-B up to nine point nine, nine, nine. One day when the quantum slipstream drive is perfected and reliable, we should be able to travel from one end of the galaxy to the other in a couple of days. Just think of the possibilities for exploration, not to mention the ability to re-establish contact with the races the USS Voyager made contact with over ten years ago."