Jeffrey Pike sat in his big lazy-boy chair underneath the big window in his quarters. The lights were dimmed, so the brilliant streaks of starlight outside the window were all the more prominent. The Commodore's head was back and his eyes were closed; it was difficult to tell whether he was awake or asleep.
But who could sleep at a time like this - Pike was awake. The Knight was speeding toward Earth, and there was little for Pike to do until the rendezvous with Lee Carter's fighter group. So he was taking advantage of the brief lull to rest, catch up on battle reports, and to think.
The Kelvan Battle Planet was less than three days from Earth, and the Knight was only a few hours ahead of them. Not much time to prepare for the end of the world, thought Pike humorlessly. He rose from his chair and faced the big window. Lost in thought he stood gazing at the endless night just beyond the transparent aluminum.
Humanity has faced the treat of extinction many times in the past, but we've always managed to survive. Humans won the Human-Romulan War and the Man-Kzin Wars. The Klingons were stopped at Organia. The Q were appeased more than once by the Enterprise-D. The Borg, the Dominion, Species 8472, all were defeated in turn. Somehow, we'll find a way to stop the Kelvans! thought Pike with determination.
The door chime sounded just then, interrupting his musing. "Enter," he called without turning from the window or taking his eyes from the smeared starscape.
The door to his cabin opened behind him. Yeoman Piper stepped through the door, but hesitated when she saw the cabin was dark. She squinted into the gloom and called timidly, "Commodore?"
Pike sighed and turned toward the door. "Computer, lights. Right here, Yeoman."
Piper relaxed when the lights came on. She walked further into the Commodore's quarters. "I have more reports from Starfleet, Commodore. They've been tracking the Kelvans." She held out a set of PADDs and Pike stepped over to her and took them.
"Thank you, Yeoman." Pike glanced at the PADDs. They were reports on the progress of the Battle Planet. His frown grew deeper the more he read. The news was not good. He threw the PADDs down on the coffee table and turned back to the window.
After a moment, a small voice said from behind him, "Commodore? Are you all right?"
In his anger, Pike had forgotten all about his faithful Yeoman. He turned around again and looked at her. She's so young, he thought. It's not fair. Pike's expression softened. Aloud, instead of answering her question, he asked her, "Do you have any family on Earth, Yeoman?"
"Yes sir. In Northern California. Near Shasta," she replied, a bit confused by the Commodore's strange mood.
"I see," said Pike. To Piper, his eyes seemed to have a faraway look. Then they focused back on her and he said, "It'll be a few more hours before the action really starts here. Why don't you take what's left of your shift and go and get some rest, Jamie."
"Yes sir. Thank you, Commodore," said Piper, wondering what was in those PADDs that had put the Commodore in such an odd mood. Must have been pretty bad, she concluded. She turned and left Pike's cabin and headed for her own. She trusted the Commodore's judgment, and intended to take his advice, although she doubted she would be able to fall asleep.
After Piper left, Pike remained standing, looking at the closed door. The PADDs Piper had delivered contained lists of destroyed systems the Kelvans had annihilated on their way to Earth. Pike already knew about Cardassia and Bajor. New to the list were Tau Alpha C, the Sheliak, the Miradorn, the Argus Array, Starbase 123, Farpoint Station on Deneb IV, the Binars and the Pakleds. The Kelvan Battle Planet wasn't straying from its path to Earth, but there were plenty of inhabited systems along the way.
I have to save the Earth, for Piper and all our young people, our future. Pike turned back to his window and the starfield beyond.
He looked out the window into the night. "Computer, lights off."