Hunt nodded and said “I agree with your plan. Getting the leadership of the colony back is our top priority. I also agree that we should plan with the other ships and go for a joint strike. Having the extra ships would greatly increase the chances of a stealth mission succeeding, the Red Star and the Delta Orion could distract the ships in orbit while we go into orbit under cloak and beam up the leadership. It might also be a good idea to beam up some of the Vulcans and have them checked out by medical, see if there is any reason why they started doing this. I don't see why the Vulcans would have suddenly decided to do something like this.”
Yasushi nodded and said “Yeah it doesn't make much sense, but it happened. We are going to have to find out why, but the important thing right now is coming up with a plan, and to do that we're going to have to contact the other ships. Computer open a secured and encrypted channel to the CSS Red Star and the USS Delta Orion.” Yasushi said.
The Red Star was the first to respond, James Solomon was siting in the Captain's chair “Greetings Achillies. It's good to hear from you. We are en route, but it's still going to be another hour and a half. Why are you contacting us so soon?” Yasushi started “Sir, did you monitor the same transmission that we just did?”
Mr. Solomon shifted in his seat and said “Yes we did. Does this change our plans any?” Yasushi answered the question “It does somewhat, but nothing too particularly ground breaking. We can discuss that when we meet up.”
“Understood Captain” James said.
The Bridge of the Delta Orion's bridge popped up on the screen “Captain Kozue Ishikawa here. What can we do for you Admiral?”
Captain Yaushi replied “Captain did you receive the same transmission as both the Red Star and the Achillies did?”
Captain Ishikawa replied “Yes, do you have any extra information on the transmission? Was the information in the transmission true?”
Captain Yasushi nodded and said “For the moment we are assuming so. We know that the attack on the colony isn't false, so we are speculating that the attack itself was staged to draw the few remaining loyal forces away from the core Federation planets so that V'Ros could carry out his plan.”
Both Mr. Solomon and Captain Ishikawa nodded in agreement. There was a computer beep then the ensign from the bridge came over the comm “Admiral Hunt and Captain Yasushi, we have an incoming transmission from the USS Horton.” Yasushi's face lit up.
Hunt nodded “Ensign you can pipe it in here, and allow the other Captain's to see the transmission.” “Understood sir.” the ensign replied then the Bridge of the Horton showed up on the screen along side the other two transmissions.
Ensign Cathryn Bennett was sitting in the command chair “Cathryn! What are you doing?!” Yasushi asked
“Hmph! Well it's good to see you too!” She said.
Yasushi smiled and said “Yes, it is good to see you, I was just very surprised to see you. How did you get off Sparta?” She smiled and said “Well we were running some tests on some of the new impulse refits and the new thrusters when me receive a coded transmission from Sparta saying that they were being attacked by Vulcans, and stay out at space. We landed on a large asteroid 4 lightyears in front of your current position. When we heard the transmission from Earth we launched from the asteroid and headed to the edge of the field. We noticed that the Achillies was close by, and
Commander Uditar was able to intercept and decode your transmission, so we decided to hail you. We would like to join you in your attack on the colony. We have come up with a few ideas that we think would help, but for the moment we only have 11 crew members on board...The remaining senior staff and extra engineering personnel from Sparta.”
Yaushi nodded and said “Well if I transfer back over that should be more than enough.” Yasushi looked at Admiral Hunt and asked “If it's okay with you?”
Hunt nodded. “Follow us to the rendezvous point, after that I'll transfer back over and hear your ideas while we wait for the Delta Orion and the Red Star.” Yasushi ordered.
“Understood sir. We can't wait to have you back!” She replied and smiled. She closed the channel and the other two transmissions re-took focus.
Mr. Solomon asked “Captain do you have any particular connection with that young woman?”
Yasushi laughed and said “Of course captain! She's my wife!”
Captain Ishikawa started laughing and Mr. Solomon smiled and started snickering and said
“Well then I guess that explains it. What did you mean by 'transferring back over' if you don't mind me asking?” Yasushi smiled and said “The Horton is my ship. I took command of her almost three years ago. A little over two years ago Admiral Hunt asked me to be his XO on a mission to the Gamma quadrant. I accepted and left the Horton in space dock. I transferred back over to the Horton shortly before the USS Wrath of Achillies disappearance into the temporal rift. After that I went on a 2 year exploration mission in the far reaches in the beta quadrant. After the Achillies reappeared I came back.”
Mr. Solomon nodded and said “Well then that's understandable. I'm glad that you have such a great relation with your crew.”
Yasushi smiled and said “And what about you Mr. Solomon? How were you able to get such a ship?”
Mr. Solomon laughed and said “All you have to do is know your way around a negotiation table...when gold pressed latinum is on the table.”
Mr. Solomon tapped some buttons on the arm of his chair and then said “Captain you seem to have a pretty good record concerning negotiation during your two year mission you encountered 3 new peoples in the beta quadrant, and negotiated a trade negotiation between the Federation and one of the newly encountered people, in fact one of my companies has been running the cargo. I think that you understand the process and power of negotiation.”
Captain Yasushi nodded in agreement. “Well until we meet, which I look forward to Captain” he smiled and continued “Good day Admiral” He nodded and then closed the channel.
Captain Ishikawa then chimed in “Quite inquisitive isn't he. I also look forward to meeting you Captain, as the Admiral knows I have known him for quite a long time and I always look forward to meeting any friend of the Admiral's. Until we meet!” Captain Ishikawa smiled, nodded, and then closed the channel.
Admiral Hunt got up and looked at Yasushi “You know you have a flare for negotiations. It's something that I haven't quite gotten the hang of yet. You know me from the Prometheus Achillies... I was always a little short, and I guess I still am...What I'm trying to say is that I'm glad to have you here, especially now.”
Yasushi got up and said “You know that I wouldn't have come back if I didn't think that there was a need. I don't know how often you think about it, but I am actually older than you are. Even though you have the rank of Fleet Admiral there are still things that you need to learn.”
Yasushi smiled and grabbed Hunt around the shoulder “But don't worry! They will come with time, I wasn't always this good! You know I almost completely screwed up my first first contact.”
Yasushi pulled Hunt towards the door. “But you learn quickly. You know you need to do more exploration, honestly I think that would give some of the experience that you seem to be missing.”
Hunt smiled and said “Don't worry Yasushi I know that I'm not exactly the perfect image of a Starfleet Captain, but I'm not a Captain, I'm an Admiral. I'm not supposed to be out exploring the galaxy, making contact with new life. I am fine just the way I am for the job that I'm supposed to do.”
Yasushi smiled and let go of Hunt and said “Just remember what I told you. You need to start settling down, after this mission.”
Yasushi walked back out onto the bridge and Hunt followed closely behind. “Helm, how long until we reach the rendezvous point?”
Yasushi asked Lieutenant Jacobs turned her chair around from the helm station and said “About 4 minutes sir. Do you have any ETA on the arrival of the other ships?” Yasushi answered
“Yes actually, about an hour and a half.” She smiled and said “That's good. Hopefully all of this will be over soon.” she spun her chair back towards the helm station “I agree with you Lieutenant, I hope that it will all be over soon as well.”
Yasushi looked at the Admiral and said “I'll be on my way then. If you don't mind...talk to Meadow about everything that's going on. If I remember correctly she has a sister on the Phoenix Colony, and I think that it would mean a lot to her if...you went and reassured her about everything that's going on.”
Hunt shook his head and said “Yasushi my friend I think that would be something closer to your department, you know better than anyone how I feel about how a commander should look to his crew”
Yasushi placed his right hand on Hunt's left shoulder and said “That's why it would make all the difference to her if you did it” Yasushi smiled and said as he walked for the turbolift “Trust me. Do that, and I'll be back before ya' know it!”
He got in the turbolift and left. “God, we're on the eve of battle and he wants me to go and hand hold with the Doctor, god he's got some nerve.” Hunt muddles to himself.
He begins thinking about the situation 'Maybe I should...I'm sure she will have a much harder time dealing with something like this than anyone else in the crew...'
“Sir? Is something wrong?” Lieutenant Jacobs asks Hunt looking up at him the the helm station. “No lieutenant, everything's fine. You have the bridge, I'll be in sickbay.” Hunt say and walks off the bridge and onto the turbolift.
“Computer what is the location of the Chief Medical Officer?” Hunt asks the computer
“Dr. Meadow Coren is in sickbay.” the computer replies.
“Take me there.” he says and the lift begins moving.
Yasushi walks into the transporter room and says to the transporter chief “Chief, one to be over to the USS Horton.” and walks up onto the transporter pad “Energize.”
The transporter chief nodes and activates the transporter.
Hunt walks off the Turbolift on deck 7 and walks down the corridor until he reaches sickbay. He stands outside the door for a moment and takes a deep breath. He exhales as he walks through the door. He looks around but sees no one “Doct- I mean Meadow! Are you here?” suddenly he hears a sniffle from the direction of the CMOs office.
He walks that way and peers inside. The Doctor is sitting in the corner hugging her knees with her face berried in her arms. He walks in and says “The good captain wanted me to come down and check up on you. He saw what happened. Why did you run from the bridge?”
Meadow lifted her face out of her arms and said “I'm worried about my sister! Orchid! She's on the colony!” She started sobbing again.
Hunt sat down next to her and said “I'm probably not the one that should be down here with you...Yasushi is far more talented than I in these matters, but I honestly don't think-” Meadow leaped onto Hunt and wrapped her arms around him and started crying on his shoulder.
Hunt wasn't completely sure what to do, but he took his right hand and started rubbing her back. “You don't have to say...anything, just be here...” She whispered very softly in his ear before she started crying again.
Yasushi materialized on the Horton's transporter pad and quickly walked off “Ah, Commander Uditar! It's been such a short while, but it seems like ages!” He hugged the commander
“It's good to see you too sir.” He said and laughed. “So how are the new upgrades?”
Yasushi asked as they both walked out of the transporter room. “Well the upgraded impulse reactors give the ship a whole new level of response at sub-light speeds. Jason thinks that with the new thrusters we could go up against a Sovereign Class starship and not suffer any system damage, and only a few shield hits!” He answered and they both laughed as the walked onto the turbolift
“Bridge.” Yasushi ordered and the lift began moving. “Jason was thinking that when we got the last upgrade two years ago. I'm sure he's itching to put it to the test as well...” Yasushi's voice got serious, and his face tightened up
“Let's hope we don't have to...” The lift stopped and they both walked out. Cathryn jumped out of the captain's chair and ran towards Yasushi. She dive tackled him and started kissing him while they were on the ground. They went at it for about 20 seconds when she got off of him and kicked him in the side.
“Ow! What was that for!” Yasushi said while he was half laughing. “Next time you leave, try and convince the Admiral to wait a few hours.” She said and laughed.
Yasushi got up off the floor and said “I tried but he said that it was too urgent, and we couldn't wait for you to get on board.”
She crossed her arms and said “Yeah...mmm hmmm.” then smiled and hugged
Yasushi “I missed you!” she said “I missed you too.”
He said an hugged her and kissed the top of her head. He pushed her back and said “But we have work to do now. I cam over here to bring back fresh and new ideas, so...show me what ya got!”
Posted by Special Request
Captain Yasushi Yamamoto
Commanding Officer
USS Horton
Completing the biggest Fleet Mission in the History of the Phoenix Fleet
