Chapter 2 - Settings In Order
Hank Evans and Kadan Loftus strolled down a crowded street in the heart of Sylvanus where restaurants of nearly every kind of cuisine in the Federation lined each side of the wide path.
Hank frowned. "I really don't think that's fair."
"McGuire thought the same about the way he was treated," the lovely Loftus replied.
"Okay, maybe Jack went a little too far with McGuire, but I'm absolutely certain there is a spy aboard the Chamberlain."
"What would be the point, Hank? Just to send secret messages?"
"There's more to it than that."
Loftus smiled and held onto Hank's arm. "I think someone spent too much time working for Starfleet Intelligence during the war."
Hank turned to her and grinned. "Well, somebody has to be paranoid so everyone else can live in ignorance."
Hank's face hardened as he looked behind Loftus toward a restaurant window. "I can't believe it."
Loftus turned to face the direction of Hank's gaze and saw Duncan Zachary sitting inside an eatery with a beautiful dark haired woman wearing a Starfleet uniform.
"Don't start with comments about females," she said to Hank.
"I just can't believe any woman would actually want to spend time with that…"
"Hank…" Loftus started.
"Spending time with you is not something I look forward to anymore, Duncan. Can we please get this over with?" asked the woman across the table from the Science Officer of the Chamberlain.
Zachary smiled. "I'm surprised at the level of your antagonism, Kori. We've been divorced nearly two years now. I'd have thought whatever emotional impact I had was long gone."
Commander Korrina Armenta, a worn looking woman in her late forties, glared at the man she used to call her husband. She had given so much to their marriage, but it never seemed to matter. Things never got better. And now he wanted something from her.
Zachary stretched his arm across the table toward his former wife and offered her a PADD which she cautiously took after several seconds.
"What's this? More demands from your lawyers?" she asked.
Korrina read through the text displayed on the small device and laughed. "What the hell is this?"
"I think it's fairly clear," Zachary replied as he sipped a dark liquid from his glass.
His ex-wife set the PADD down on the table and stared at him. "What are you doing?"
"As it says, I'm turning over everything I own to you effective immediately."
Korrina glanced at the device. "Including your parents' home on Earth?"
"Yes," Zachary replied as he lowered his glass down on the table.
"During the divorce you fought me over every book, every piece of paper, and even the plants. I find it hard to believe you're giving me all your personal possessions."
Zachary half smiled. "I've changed, Kori."
She took a breath and frowned. "You've never changed in the almost twenty years I've known you--- except for the worse."
He leaned forward. "Now, do you really think that's fair?"
"Yes."
A wide smile came to his face. "I've got a new direction in my life. This assignment has changed my whole outlook. The Chamberlain is a great ship and I'm making new friends."
Korrina shook her head. "You don't make friends, Duncan. You only have acquaintances."
"Well, then assume I've lost my mind."
She touched the PADD and allowed the text to scroll on its display. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked back at Zachary. "The pictures of Cindy?"
He looked down at the table. "I've made copies for myself."
"I don't know what to say."
"I want you to have them, so just say thank you and accept my explanation."
Her features softened. "Thank you, Duncan."
Korrina stood to her feet. "I wish… " she started, but caught herself.
Zachary shook his head. "Its too late for all of that, Kori."
She nodded. "I want you to know I never blamed you for Cindy's…"
He closed his eyes.
Korrina continued, "It wasn't your fault, Duncan. It wasn't anyone's fault."
He looked up at her with a new coldness in his tired eyes. "No, it was someone's fault-- the Danorans."
She forced the memory away before it consumed her and turned to him. "Take care of yourself, Duncan."
"I will," he replied as she walked away towards the entrance to the restaurant.
Zachary picked his glass up and took a small drink from it. His voice became deep and dark, "I'll take care of everything."
***
Jack McCall sat silently while Fergus Simmons looked at a display on his desk. The gray-haired Admiral took his time reviewing the information on the screen.
"This is about what I expected," Simmons stated.
Jack knew better than to say anything just yet. He would let the admiral make the first move.
Simmons switched the display off. "You probably know I've never thought very highly of the Oceana class, Captain. Your Chief Engineer's report does nothing to change that point of view."
"The Chamberlain's current condition is more the result of an energy surge from another vessel than it is from a design flaw, Admiral," Jack replied with as much conviction as he could muster.
"I doubt other starships would still be suffering from the effects of an energy surge after more than a month," Simmons stated.
Jack took a breath and nodded. "Perhaps not, but the ship has only been out of the shipyard three months. Every new class has its initial problems."
Simmons shook his head. "The Oceana still hasn't gotten above warp eight and the Tethys had its shakedown cruise postponed for the second time just three days ago. And it is rather doubtful the Hyperion will meet its completion date."
Jack hadn't heard about problems with the Hyperion. The Oceana class Starships were the largest and most powerful Starfleet had ever constructed, yet none of them had performed as promised. Not even Jack's ship, the Chamberlain.
The admiral leaned back in his chair. "Face reality, Captain. The Oceana class is a failure. A failure born of the political desire to wield power for power's sake. A desire even the Federation had to succumb to eventually."
Jack looked out the window in Simmons' office and watched the shuttles coming and going in the sky over Sylvanus. His own doubts about the Chamberlain had grown the past few weeks. Coming back to Federation territory unable to achieve a velocity greater than warp nine had affected morale through his entire crew. Some had begun to openly speak of their "next assignment" and their interest to transfer before they were forced to by circumstances beyond their control.
Simmons watched Jack and a slight smile crept across the admiral's face.
"Of course, until the Federation Council decides to mothball the Oceana class we in Starfleet must treat the vessels as an asset to be used. Assuming your Chief Engineer can get the Chamberlain's systems in working order in the next two weeks, you will take your ship back to Kel-j'na transporting me and my staff so that I can begin my tenure as Commander-In-Chief of Starfleet Operations in the Region."
Jack turned back to his superior officer and nodded. Four weeks ferrying Simmons to Kel-j'na had not been on his list of fun things to do. No doubt the admiral would make Jack's life a living hell for a month practically taking command of his ship. The thought of looking for another assignment sounded better with each passing moment to Jack McCall.
"Along with myself and my staff there will be another passenger accompanying us to Kel-j'na. The Federation President has requested we grant transit to a Mr. Corsica, a historian who spent the last year with the President, who now plans to interview me during the trip to Kel-j'na. You are to see to it he has the best accommodations available and has access to all areas of the ship."
Jack shook his head. "Admiral, am I to understand that I am to 'baby-sit' this Corsica while he is aboard?"
Simmons smiled. "You are rather perceptive today aren't you, McCall?"
Jack didn't care if the admiral disliked his attitude. He was a starship captain, not a cruise ship director. "Admiral, wouldn't a diplomatic vessel be better suited…"
Simmons interrupted before Jack could finish. "Yes it would, but the President himself felt the Chamberlain would be the appropriate starship to deliver me to Kel-j'na and be the best setting for Mr. Corsica's interviews."
Jack sat looking at the Admiral, knowing this cruise to Kel-j'na might be the last for the Chamberlain and he was almost glad. He thought perhaps it was time to choose another path for his life. He knew where he wanted that path to lead. It had to be possible, he thought. But what would she say? Could he really give up the life he had fought so hard to attain?
Fergus Simmons touched a control on his desk. "I have gone over the reports of your executive officer and he seems to think that the administrative tasks of a ship the size of the Chamberlain with a crew of three thousand to be far too large for himself, you, and your other senior officers.
"I have spoken at length with Captain Donato of the Oceana and he agrees. So, Starfleet Command has ordered that both you and Donato be given your own staffs to deal with the administration of your ships, freeing you to deal with the more traditional duties of a starship captain."
Jack grinned. "Does that mean I am being promoted to admiral?"
Simmons smiled. "No. Though the question of assigning admirals to command Oceana class ships was discussed, it was finally decided that you would be left in command at your current rank and assigned a staff of twenty."
The door to Simmons' office opened and an alluring dark haired woman in her early thirties entered wearing a Starfleet uniform. Simmons rose to his feet.
"Captain McCall, Commander Celeste Purcell, your new Chief Staff Officer," Simmons said as Purcell extended her hand toward the now standing Jack.
"My pleasure, Captain. I look forward to working with you, sir," the commander said with a smile.
Jack, while happy at the thought of having an end to the constant flood of personnel and status reports, was troubled by the idea that his Chief Staff Officer was someone hand-picked by Simmons.
