On Our Way

Lieutenant MacLeod was standing at the engineering console at the Bridge going over the ship's warp system, when someone grabbed MacLeod's attention."

Excuse me Lieutenant." Said a shrill voice of a Ferengi. He looked up to see a Ferengi Lieutenant who was short and very quick to speak. "Yes sir what is it you want ?"

"I've spent three weeks replacing the old warp drive with that of this new fangled quantum slipstream drive, so I've given you guidelines for you to follow. However, you still have a Constitution class warp core for back up. It doesn't go over Warp six, but that is still fast enough in case of emergency." The Lieutenant handed MacLeod the PADD thinking he was an Engineer.

"You might want to give this to our Engineering staff. I am in command until Captain Devore takes over, besides that, sir, I'm not an Engineer. I'm the Senior Ops officer." The Jem'Hadar officer announced.

He was the product of the new Dominion order, one of a number of Jem'Hadar clones 'loaned' to Starfleet. He'd been through the academy and spent just over five months in Starfleet, serving on the USS Knight. Now he was in temporary command of Starfleets' most advanced vessel, an Akira class vessel, retro-fitted with a second generation quantum slipstream drive. From what he'd been told at the briefings, the ship was the fastest ever created, the drive itself designed using the knowledge of a race known as the Catations. Starfleet wanted the original Leviathan back for testing. Even though it had only been in space for a year, the techie wanted to know how the ship and it's prototype drive had held up.

The small Ferengi gave a stupid grin and said he was sorry for the mistake. He then left the Bridge and MacLeod went and stood at Ops to check to department status of the ship, he then went and took the Command chair. Chief Shale was at the helm plotting the course to DS9 and remembering his briefing on how to pilot a ship through the stream. "Sir I hope I can do this Slipstream thing ?"

"Don't worry Mr. Shale. You won't have to. We were ordered not to go in to the Slipstream therefore, be ready to engage the warp core." Mac said.

"Bummer ! I would have liked to experience that."

"Don't worry you will sometime."

"Sir, all departments report ready for departure." An Ensign said from the Ops station. Crusher sat down in the XO's seat.

[Attention Leviathan-A. You are clear for departure.] Dry-Dock announced on the comm system.

"Chief unlatch docking clamps." MacLeod said.

"Aye sir. Docking claps released. Starting engines, 1/3 thrusters."

The ship slowly moved out of it's birthing station as Admiral McCaffee watched from the Dry-Dock's observation lounge.

"Sir we have cleared Dry-dock" The chief said.

[Sir, Engineering ready to make the jump to warp speed.] The acting Chief Engineer said from Main Engineering.

"Mr. Shale. Engage Warp engines, Warp 5."

"Aye engines ready."

"Engage."

December 14, 2383 : Bajor System

Back on the ship the small Bridge crew were doing more than their normal jobs. Mac had to keep his eye on the comchannel and keep up to date reports of the ships status. Crusher was manning Ops and Tactical and Shale was piloting and plotting and constantly change course. Other then that the USS Leviathan-A was running smoothly. After being in Warp for nearly five days Shale reported entering the Bajor System. He slowed to full impulse power and waited for his first and worst assignment to show up.

"Deep Space 9. This is Lieutenant JG MacLeod of the USS Leviathan-A requesting permission to dock."

[Welcome to Deep Space 9, Leviathan permission to dock. Upper Pylon Air Lock 4.]

"Thank You, Deep Space 9."

The Leviathan-A docked smoothly through the bow of the ship.

[All hands this is Lieutenant MacLeod. We are allowed to take a couple of days leave. Lock down every console and panel. MacLeod out.]

Little did he know that the new ship would be docked far longer than anyone expected.