Got Your Six

Posted on Wed Oct 30th, 2019 @ 11:15pm by Commodore Wilkan Targaryen & Rear Admiral Greg Coulson
Edited on on Thu Jan 2nd, 2020 @ 5:09pm

1,475 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Atlantis
Location: Ready Room, Starfleet One
Timeline: 2429-12-03, 21:00

Admiral William Teagarden sat at his desk in his Ready Room aboard Starfleet One and brought up the communications system. With the Preserver Juggernaut in orbit with them and the situation involving Commander Viol there were many issues in play and he was starting to think that even he was at a loss for how to handle this. He pretended well to have the answers, but he knew that he didn't always have the right answer and sometimes even he needed help.

It was times like this he needed to speak to his wife. As the Commanding Officer of Starfleet her orders were at the same level as the President. If she gave him a directive, he had to follow it. Even though she gave him broad authority he knew that, in the end, her orders would override even his - as well they should. They may not have always gotten along lately, they even flip-flopped their roles recently, but he knew that they always had each other's support. Plus, he'd get to say goodnight to his kids. The last two days had been torture away from them.

Sitting at his desk he opened a secured channel, "Starfleet One to Starfleet Headquarters. Please connect me to Admiral Lynz."

It took only a moment for a young officer, a Ligonian, to appear on the screen, "I'm sorry, Admiral, but Admiral Lynz is not available."

"Where is she?" William asked quickly.

"She is on assignment at the request of the President," the Ensign answered. "I'm under orders not to share her whereabouts."

Teagarden sighed, "I'm her husband."

"And I'm still under orders."

"Fine," he replied as he tapped the disengage key. So much for that idea. He'd have to have a conversation with her about telling him where she was going. He knew that she couldn't always reveal such things, but with what happened with the Klingons there was always a nasty chance that something bad could happen. He needed, he had to be ready.

At least he had another option available though. With Lynz unavailable, unofficially, he would be on his own and could make his own decisions with the same broad authority he thought about moments earlier. In reality, Starfleet One - while operating under its real name - was a member of the 16th Fleet. He had relinquished his command authority which meant that he could always call on the Fleet Commander for help. He would simply love that!

"Starfleet One to New Vulcan Colony," William ordered after reopening the channel.

"This is New Vulcan, Admiral," the precise voice of Commander Kir answered.

"Commander," he smiled as she appeared on his screen. "How are you?"

The Vulcan woman answered nonchalantly, "I am well. How may I assist you?"

"I was looking for Greg. Can I talk to him?"

"He's getting ready to depart aboard the Sulaco," the Vulcan woman answered as she typed on a panel off the screen. "Let me see if he's available. Nice to speak with you," she placed him on hold.

William wished that were true. If anything seeing him may've been hard on the Vulcan Commander more than even she would admit. When Starfleet One was at New Vulcan recently they had dealings with Kir in her role as Constable. Together they helped to overcome a terrorist attack designed to derail the opening of the Colony and an attempt on President' Gruzy's life. It probably was an old wound to even talk to him.

The channel came back on and the image of Rear Admiral Greg Coulson appeared. His near permanent smirk appeared the moment he saw William on the other end, "Well I'll be damned."

"Not yet," Teagarden answered. "How's your new job?"

"Good. The old guy who had it made it look a lot harder than it actually is," Coulson replied. "How's life as a taxi driver?"

"Actually I'm on a mission without the President and I could use your advice," the Admiral answered as he typed on his desktop. "I have two dilemmas and you were the first person I thought to call."

He laughed, "More likely Lynz wasn't available."

"That too," Teagarden answered. "So, can you help me?"

"There's little help for you, but I'll see what I can do. What's up?" Coulson asked from across the stars.

"We've encountered two space oddities and I need some guidance on how to proceed forward. First, we've encountered a replica of the Earth on the outskirts of explored space. We have reason to believe that the citizens of this world are, in reality, Human, and have been brought here by the Preservers." Teagarden outlined to the Admiral.

Coulson sat there a moment before answering, carefully studying the situation, "That wouldn't be the first time that the Preservers did that. Are they warp capable?"

"Yes and we've exposed ourselves to them," William answered.

"I won't tell HR," Greg quipped. "Alright, so they're warp capable, you've made contact, and I'm taking it that something went wrong?"

William nodded, "You could say that. One of the Atlanteans we encountered is being executed for what happened aboard her warp ship. We've protested it, but they are adamant and ordered us to leave their world."

"Well that's an easy one," Coulson answered and clarified. "You leave."

"Not that simple," William interrupted. "We've encountered a Preserver vessel in orbit."

That piqued Admiral Coulson's interest, "You what?"

"You heard me. I have an away team over there right now," Teagarden informed as he sat back in his chair. "So far we have no indications that there is a crew aboard."

"That doesn't mean that they aren't in stasis," the Rear Admiral pointed out. "They could confuse your sensors. You have to find out. If we can recover a Preserver ship and bring it to R&D for study it would be an incomparable scientific discovery. We need that ship."

William smiled, "But we've been ordered away."

"You and I are both aware of Starfleet Special Orders. That ship is a priority and you will recover it no matter what means are needed. Am I clear?" Coulson said in as forceful a tone as he could muster.

"Crystal. So, for my other challenge. I would like to rescue the Atlantean that is to be executed."

Coulson rolled his eyes, "Why?"

"This is a new race and she is an archaeological treasure herself being a Human who was raised away from Earth on an exact replica," William argued. "They're going to kill her, Greg."

"When did you get sentimental?"

This time William smirked, "Sometimes I have to be unpredictable. It would violate the Prime Directive for us to bring her aboard. We'd be interfering in the development of the species."

There was a pause, "Does she have knowledge of the Preservers or potentially have knowledge of their actions with this world?"

"I suppose she could," William replied.

"Permission granted."

This time William was the one that smirked, "That was easier than I expected."

"Sometimes I have to be unpredictable," Coulson answered from across the stars. "I have to get back to my adventure with the Aries. Is that all?"

The CO of Starfleet One nodded, "Can I change the name back?"

"That's the President's call," Greg answered, "and well above my paygrade. So ask him."

"I'll wait," Teagarden answered. "Good luck on your mission."

"And you. Keep me up to date. Coulson out."

As the channel went dark, William leaned back in his chair and looked at the logo for a moment. He needed to get as much information as he could about the Presevers. "Galatea."

There was no response to his query.

Teagarden sighed. She must have still been mad at him for some misbegotten reason. "Galatea, are you there?"

There was still no response to his request. William shook his head at the thought, realizing that the damned AI was getting too big for her britches again. He leaned in to the workstation and started typing on the screen, "Computer, establish M-X tie in."

There were a series of beeps and whirrs from the main computer. Surprisingly, especially to William, the voice that answered wasn't the one that he expected. The classic voice of the computer answered him, "Unable to comply. M-X tie in is unavailable."

That was impossible unless the ship's entire computer system failed, "Explain."

"Artificial Intelligence Monitoring System software is offline."

His heart sank, "Computer, has the LCARS backup engaged?"

"Affirmative."

That was a deadly sign. The main computer was dependent upon the AIMS system for operations and LCARS was only a supplement aboard Starfleet One. If the AIMS system couldn't be restored soon it was entirely possible that the entire ship's computer network would destabilize and that critical systems would fail. If they didn't solve this soon then Starfleet One would fall from the sky like a shooting star.

"Damn!"

 

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