Standing in the heart of the command center over the last few hours reminded Tharia of all she missed about sitting in the big chair. Making the big calls and being responsible for those around her, commanding the respect of those she called ‘her’ crew, and affecting change on a grand scale. With the captain currently in sickbay, and the Gorn ship just an additional piece of the crisis puzzle, she’d had to step up her game for the first time since her recovery, let alone since the last time she’d sat in the command chair. Burton’s plan was interesting, and the only real way they could help their unusual foe. She just hoped that they wouldn’t live to regret the decision to help. Gorn were not known for being particularly thankful for interfering in their matters, even one such as this.

“Shuttlecraft moving into position and awaiting orders…”

Diverting her gaze slightly, standing behind the two forward stations, the Andorian listened to the words from the relief helmsman and then folded her arms carefully across her chest. “Inform Commander Burton she can begin when ready.”

At the helm of the type-11 shuttlecraft known as ‘Socrates’, Hypatia’s chief pilot had almost forgotten what it felt like to be at the controls of a craft so nimble. Buran hadn’t been anywhere near the size of her new home, but even the Rhode Island-class ship wasn’t as easy to manoeuvre as the shuttles moving into their carefully chosen spots in front of the Gorn vessel.

“Alright people, listen up,” Burton called into the COMM. “We don’t want to cause any additional strain on the ship, but we also know speed is of the essence here. You know the order of play. Pythagoras and Archimedes will lock on to both nacelles simultaneously, and then Socrates will lock on to the main hull. We’ll pull, steady and slow, until she is clear. We should feel the gravimetric forces lighten when we get far enough away. Any questions?”

“None here Commander,” a voice from Pythagoras answered. A similar voice from Archimedes followed with the same response. Everyone was set.

Looking at her co-pilot, the Bolian called Linn Mora, the human gave her nod of approval. “Okay people, let’s do this,” she called over the comm. Instead of terminating the channel, she kept the line open between the shuttles and Hypatia, knowing full well that the XO would want to hear every detail of the mission as it unfolded. It also meant less would need to be included in her after-action report, which was always a bonus in her eyes.

Looking out of the window to her immediate left, she could see Pythagoras slowly pull ahead before reaching an all-stop.

“Archimedes is in position,” Linn declared, looking to his right and then back to the Commander. “Last chance to back out,” he offered her with a smirk, knowing she would never do such a thing. He wouldn’t, and he was a hard ass.

Maddie glared at the Bolian and then let out a smirk, turning her head to the cockpit window. “Activate tractor beams,” she ordered.

Instantaneously, two tractor beams on either side of the Gorn vessel locked on to the massive nacelle supports, indicating that her companion ships had done as instructed.

“We have a stable lock,” the Pythagoras team reported, swiftly followed by those on the third vessel in the team. So far, so good.

“Lock on tractor beam,” she instructed Linn, who dutifully followed his order. He activated the beam from the Socrates emitter and watched the readout on his display.

“Stable lock,” he confirmed with a nod.

“Excellent,” Maddie sighed.

“Engines in reverse. Starting at one-quarter impulse power…”

All eyes on Hypatia’s bridge were glued to the screen as the mission proceeded, so much so that no one noticed the Captain gingerly approaching the XO, who remained steadfast in her position between the forward stations. He’d been brought up to date by his yeoman, but he still wanted to hear it from his able deputy. “Report Number One,” Kauhn asked, joining the woman gazing at the screen.

“Captain,” Tharia smiled happily, nodding approvingly at his presence. “Commander Burton and her team are in position. Transporter locks are established and they’ve just hit the engines. Hopefully, we’ll see some forward momentum from the Gorn vessel shortly. I’ve got Onsas and Peri on standby if we need some added oomph,” she advised him, all while the shuttlecraft retained her attention.

Giarvar nodded in acknowledgement, then turned to face the giant display at the front of the bridge.

“No forward momentum,” Maddie’s voice drifted over the communications grid, “increase to half impulse.”

Slowly, but surely, forward momentum began to register on the display across the bridge. Minute amounts at first, so minute it looked as if the four vessels on the screen were not moving at all, until Tharia let out a sigh of relief. The Gorn vessel was moving at last. And in the right direction too.

But then a sudden jolt, far more noticeable on the shuttles than the heavy cruiser they were tugging, caused Giarvar to grip T’Mia’s headrest.

“Commander Burton,” Matheus called from the science station, “we’re detecting that the gravimetric pull is increasing. If this is going to work, you’re going to have to crank it up and fast,” the Betazoid advised.

“Acknowledged Hypatia,” the ever-calm pilot declared, “shuttles increase to full impulse.”

Watching as the impulse engines on the shuttles began to glow fiercely yet the Gorn ship remained stationary, the Captain’s brow furrowed. “We’re sending Onsas and Peri to you Commander. Standby,” he called, patting the assistant Ops Chief on the shoulder, signalling his desire for the Vulcan to carry out his orders.

“Wait…” Tharia took an excited step forward. At last, the green vessel ahead of them moved freely, pulled forward by the shuttles around them. Burton’s plan had worked, causing a ripple of applause to break out across the bridge, and startling their new Captain.

This crew never ceased to amaze him. Just when he thought he had them all figured out, something would occur and cause him to reassess his understanding of the team now under his command. In this case, the unconditional support they showed each other was a delight to see and caused a genuine flutter in his chest. Or maybe it was the painkillers coursing through his body? He’d never tell anyone the truth.

“T’Mia,” Tharia whispered, “you can tell Peri and Onsas they are no longer needed.”

“Excellent work team,” the Trill captain called over the comm, “now drag them to a safe distance and get back here.” As he gave his orders, Commander T’Kir and Lieutenant Ruas entered the bridge from the forward turbo lift and approached the command duo at the heart of the command center.

“Repairs to sensors are complete Captain,” the Vulcan engineer informed them, “but my team are still working on long-range communications and warp engines. I can give you warp five at most,” he concluded his report, while Ruas relieved his Vulcan compatriot at Ops.

“Good work Chief,” Giarvar nodded, then turned towards the science station. “Find out where the hell we are so we can plot a way forward.”

Matheus looked at the young Ensign who looked like the proverbial deer in headlights and then nudged her, gesturing with his head to get the youngster back on track. Stuttering, she quickly turned away and turned her attention to the science station.

Leaning towards his XO, the Captain had a quizzical look on his face. “Who is that young woman at science and why does she look like I killed her pet?” he asked, causing the Andorian to glance at him and laugh.

“Skye Peters,” Tharia smiled along with her hushed tone. “She’s the one who clued us into the fact that we travelled through an Underspace tunnel and not just any ordinary wormhole…”

As the two officers talked, Lieutenant Ruas grew agitated just inches away and caused them to stop. “Gorn vessel has several systems back online,” she told in her thick Italian accent, “she is powering up weapons.”

Her words were like the flicker of a match before it lit the mother of all bonfires. “Red alert!” Giarvar barked, spinning on his heels (perhaps a bit too hastily, causing him to wince), and heading to his command chair. “Hail them,” he instructed as he sat, the XO joining him on the command level.

“They have received our hail,” Ruas told, “but they are not responding.”

“I’m recalling our ships,” Tharia called out to anyone who was listening, just as Onsas and his Bajoran companion entered the command center, returning to their stations and quickly getting up to speed.

“Open a channel,” Giarvar instructed, inching forward in his seat, hands grasped on the armrests, waiting for the go-ahead from his ops chief. When it came, he spoke with a clear, firm tone of warning.

“Gorn vessel, this is Captain Giarvar Kauhn of the Hypatia. Our sensors show you have powered up your weapons and we would urge you to reconsider any action you may be preparing to take.” He looked across at the XO, who urged him to continue. “Starfleet will look dimly upon any action taken against a ship and crew who went out of their way to save the lives of everyone on your ship.”

Still, the communications array stayed silent on the Gorn’s end, the ship slowly closing in on the Starfleet science vessel.

“Our weapons are probably no match for yours and you would more than likely defeat us,” the Captain confessed, perhaps somewhat unwise, but the truth was almost always the best policy, “but we’d put up one hell of a fight, and we’d take a great many of you with us. So please, choose a different path. Today should be about our joint survival, not about death and despair.”

Silence across the bridge marked the tension levels among his crew; even computer workstations had gone silent, as if waiting for the inevitable.

“Captain!” Peri called from tactical a moment or two later. “They are powering down their weapons.”

“Your assssissstancccce isssss noted,” a reptilian sounding voice echoed over the comm at last, “but no longer needed. Sssstay out of our way, Sssstarfleet.”

An audible chirp signalled the closing of the communications channel, and drew many a sigh of relief around the crew on the bridge.

“Shuttlecraft are safely aboard,” Ruas declared from the CONN.

“Nice work Captain,” Tharia leant forward and gave him a congratulatory pat on the arm.

“Who knew I was such a diplomat?” the Captain shrugged, sharing a laugh with his right-hand.

“Forgive me Captain,” Onsas interrupted, taking a step towards them from the science station. “While I appreciate your diplomatic skills, and I am sure they played some part, I think our location may have helped to change their mind.” With that, the brutish Xelliat gestured to the main viewer, causing the attention of the command team to drift forwards.

“We’ve managed to ascertain our position, and I can safely say we’ve been lucky.” Soon, Skye and Matheus joined the science chief at the rail behind the vacant chair to the captain’s left.

“We’re approximately two lightyears from the Ultima Thule system in the Alpha Quadrant,” Skye revealed with a smile.

“The Alpha Quadrant?!” Tharia looked almost disheartened at the big reveal. “All that just to be in the same quadrant where we started out? I thought we might at least get to explore some uncharted sectors of space, but now you’re telling me we’re in Forty-Seven’s backyard?”

Onsas was impressed, but not surprised, by the XO’s knowledge of the quadrant. “Indeed you are right, Commander. We’re just over sixty lightyears from Deep Space Forty-Seven. And while that might seem some distance…”

“It’s a lot further from home for the Gorn,” Giarvar chimed in, drawing a nod from the science chief.

“And they’re going to have to play nice and negotiate safe passage through some pretty spicy territory if they destroy us,” the hulking man told smugly.

“Well Number One, in the spirit of forgiveness and thanks for the fact they chose not to blow us to smithereens, why don’t we share our sensor logs with them,” the Captain suggested as he turned to his subordinate, “and let them know we’ll be more than happy to guide them through Federation space.”

“A wise and diplomatic decision Captain,” Tharia nodded in agreement, smiling along with his plan.

“But let’s also remind them they are free to go it alone should they so wish. I’d hate to render any more assistance they no longer require,” Kauhn added, with more than a hint of ironic sarcasm lacing his every word.

“Absolutely sir,” Onsas gave a curt, single nod, then returned to science with his team.

Whilst they could smirk and share a moment of relief about the situation, there was one thing that played on the Captain’s mind.

We’ve been lucky.

A situation that could have quite easily ended up with us stranded thousands of lightyears from home in a Voyager-type scenario has thankfully turned out to be a short, sixty-lightyear jaunt to Deep Space Forty-Seven and safety. That fact, and the presence of the starships Perseus, Republic and Sagan, has no doubt saved us from a violent confrontation with the Gorn heavy cruiser just several hundred kilometres from our port bow. Their commander has agreed to our offer of safe passage and we have set a course for safety.

Repairs continue apace, and I am thankful that the crew has sustained nothing more than minor injuries. Whilst the dull ache remains, my own injuries are healing well and I remain under occasional observation by the medical team. 

On the topic of the crew, it is noted in this log that I have added a letter of commendation to Commander Burton’s service record. Her quick thinking in a high-pressure situation saved the lives of every Gorn on that vessel. For that, she should be recognised.

As soon as long-range communications have been re-established, I’ll inform Starfleet of our situation. Until then, the crew have their orders and Commander sh’Elas remains in command. I intend to take some personal time and get some much-needed, and doctor-mandated, rest…

…all whilst I thank my lucky stars that my first mission in command did not end in disaster.

Computer, end log.