A Captain's Origins (Part 1)
Posted on Tue Feb 25th, 2025 @ 11:32pm by Captain James Phoenix
Edited on on Wed Mar 26th, 2025 @ 9:28pm
944 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
In The Beginning
Location: USS Horizon
Timeline: 2396
ON:
[Bridge]
The Horizon rocked violently as Romulan disruptors struck the Century class ship. On the bridge everything was in disarray. Consoles and bulkheads were either smoking or on fire, and there was debris everywhere. The shields had gone down twice, but Lieutenant Danny Reynolds, the Chief of Security, fought to keep them online so they wouldn't go down a third time.
"Shields down to fifteen percent, again..." he called out across the chaos, clearly annoyed.
Commander Phoenix stood next to the Lieutenant at the auxiliary tactical station with his hands planted on the station. "Keep them steady Mister Reynolds" the XO reassured.
Jennifer Dalton stood in the center of the bridge, barking orders as the hits kept on coming. "Number One, fire five photon torpedoes. Target their weapons. One for each warbird. Reynolds, supplement with a phaser volley."
"Aye" the XO and Tactical officer said simultaneously just before five photons emitted out of the Horizon's forward torpedo tubes, all while the phasers emitted from their respective arrays.
"Direct hit for the phasers!" James called out.
"Three out of the five torebedos were a-" Danny got interrupted. "Incoming plasma torpedoes at full spread!"
The Captain turned to Lieutenant Hayes, who was sitting at the helm. "Take evasive act-" Dalton was cut off.
The volley of torpedoes were a direct hit. The ship shook so violet that everyone was thrown from their positions. Reynolds was shoved head first into his console, while James was flung into a bulkhead.
That's when the Tal Shiar materialized in.
"Computer, intruder alert" Phoenix groaned. He pulled himself up began firing at the Romulan agents on a near full stun downing two of them. They shot him down with a graze. He'd be fine.
Reynolds had also gotten up and unleashed fire on the enemies but was unable to fire before he was shot directly in the chest with a distruptor. The Romulans fired on the remaining officers. How did they have this much power?
Then, they stopped firing. They moved in straight for Captain Dalton, who had been knocked out by the initial blast. They picked her up and materialized away in seconds.
James picked himself up. "Hayes pursuit course!"
The Lieutenant struggled to her console. "I can't Commander, we're dead in the water."
"Dammit" he cursed before turning towards the operations station. "Ensign, track them."
The Ensign tapped furiously. "Only their warp emissions sir. I can't track where they went. Their emissions are too faint."
James sighed. "Must be Tal Shiar then" he sighed in relief that the ship was still in one piece. Reynolds picked himself up before falling down unconscious. "Medical team to the bridge!" The XO bellowed.
[Ready Room]
James sat in the ready room. He'd just got off of a call with Admiral Carson with clear orders to return to Federation space. He wanted to pursue, but there was no way to do so without the Captain's whereabouts.
He stood up painfully and pressed a button.
"Acting Captain's log supplemental. Captain Dalton has been abducted by the Tal Shiar with no trace. I ordered our science officer to take samples of their warp emissions, but I doubt anything we find we won't already know, but then again this is the Tal Shiar we're talking about."
He moved around the desk carefully before setting himself down in one of the 'visitor' chairs. "Danny Reynolds is out of commission for the time being. He's alive but barely. Turns out all they wanted was Captain Dalton, so they only came to the bridge however we have 150 confirmed casualties, and a significant number more uncounted for.
Engineering reports that we should have warp within the hour. Our orders from the Admiral are to report to Starbase 355 and wait further orders. I don't like doing nothing, but with our orders and the state of the Horizon, that's all we can do."
James sighed before tapping a button to end the log. He could finally sigh for a small relief. Though, there was still a good few days before he could fully get a rest. The was still a lot to be done.
He then heard the door chime. "Enter" he called out.
Just then, Lieutenant Hayes entered with a PADD. "I have the casualty reports you asked for Commander."
James stood up and accepted the report. "Thank you Lieutenant. How are you holding up" he asked the conn officer and acting XO while he was in command.
"I'm hanging in there sir" she reported honestly. "Just worried for the Captain."
"So am I" he said sadly. "But I don't think she'd want us to give up hope. She wouldn't want us to give in to the fear of not finding her. And to be clear, someone will find her" James said.
The young Lieutenant nodded in agreement. "I agree sir" she said before falling silent.
After a few moments she spoke again. "Anything else Commander?"
James nodded. "Once we have warp, I'd like for you to set a course to Starbase 355, Admiral Carter's orders."
"Aye sir" she said. The Lieutenant knew that the XO didn't want to give up, but there wasn't anything they could do besides follow the Admiral's orders. Seeing as there was nothing more to be said, she entered the bridge and began setting a course as ordered, so it'd be ready for when the Horizon was ready for warp.
James moved over to the window and sighed, before looking out into the vast vacuum of space. "Where are you Captain?" he asked quietly.
OFF:
to be continued...
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