Star Trek: Ascension - Chapter 4

Chapter Four

As the Enterprise E sails effortless through the glittered expanse, Captain Picard emerges from a turbo lift. He finds the long intersecting corridor bustling as it curves into the various sections of the deck. Some crewmembers nod politely as he passes while others are so engrossed with their errands or conversations that they take no notice of the captain’s presence. With a somber stride he watches them pass, consumed in their dedication. He contemplates all the new faces and suddenly his years commanding the Enterprise in both her incarnations cascade upon him like a deck of cards shuffled into order in his mind. His reminiscing highlights various adventures over the long years, but even the best memories are tainted with pain and loss. The pangs of all those who have come and gone trespass like thieves. Images of his first stroll through the corridors as captain of the Enterprise D distract and he is struck by how the current perspective of memories against the experiences recorded in one’s mind reveal such stark contrasts in perception. His experiences on the Stargazer had given him a sense of being forged by fire and equipped for whatever lay ahead making the ascension to commanding of the flagship seemed appropriate and natural. But now, he looks back and muses over how utterly unprepared he was for bonds of camaraderie and friendship that would change him and his understanding of service. ‘Such arrogance’ he muses with a subtle grin.

“Captain,” a familiar voice calls, pulling him from his ruminations.

Behind him, Chief Engineer Sonya Gomez, appears from a connecting corridor stepping up her stride to catch up with him.

It was Geordi who had personally selected Lt. Gomez to be his successor when he was promoted to second in command of the Enterprise. Having served under Captain Picard on the Enterprise D gave her recommendation a great deal of credibility, despite her initial introduction to the captain. Picard authorized the personnel acquisition request with little reflection on that meeting, but soon found the logistics of her transfer daunting.

After serving on the Enterprise D, she promoted to lieutenant aboard the U.S.S. Thunderchild, where she served until the Borg attack on Ivor Prime. Her initial encounter with the Borg with the Enterprise crew had laid the foundation for her heroism and guile, which proved decisive in the starship and crew narrowly escaping assimilation. Although the defense fleet was destroyed, including the Thunderchild, her actions earned her a medal of valor and promotion to lieutenant commander. Battle-weary, but undaunted, she took a position with the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yard to pursue a career in her specialty, applied antimatter engineering, in the development of the next class of starship. The offer to serve aboard the Enterprise E interrupted her tenure at the shipyard and, however reluctant to leave her work, she couldn’t say ‘no’ to being hand selected for Chief Engineer of the Enterprise. Despite her record and Captain Picard’s influence, it still took three months of negotiations with Utopia Planitia to get her aboard his ship.

“The shielding in the cargo hold is finished, but I was hoping to get the dampening field software online before we take delivery,” she leads after catching up with the captain.

Picard returns to his stroll with Gomez in tow. “What's the issue?”

“I'd like to tap into the main computer so the program will automatically activate with the alert systems. It's kind of out of the box so I need your authorization to do it.”

“Astute thinking, chief,” the captain replies with a gentle smile, “authorization granted.”

“Thank you, sir,” Gomez says, her eyes lighting up. “If you'll excuse me, I'll get to it.”

Sonya departs feeling like the student who aced the test and Picard continues quietly until he comes to the threshold of the chief medical officer’s office.

The doors open before him without interrupting his stride and while expecting to find Beverly at her desk, it is Dr. Ogowa sitting in the CMO's office staring at a monitor.

“Captain,” she beams with her bright smile, “I suppose you’re looking for Doctor Crusher. She’s with a patient. Would you like me to get her for you?”

Picard looks to the treatment center where Crusher is tending to the arm of a young -a very young- ensign in a Parises Squares uniform.

“No. Thank you, doctor.”

He was hoping to find Beverly free now that Alyssa Ogowa has graduated medical school and is a doctor in her own right. But he realizes that as long as Dr. Crusher is chief medical officer, her priorities will be dictated by her drive to care for her crew. The captain turns with a nod to Doctor Ogowa and walks back into the corridor, surprised to find himself feeling disappointment. He shakes it off and continues to the turbo lift.

The doors open to reveal Lt. Commander Levelle who greets him with a professional nod. Picard smiles politely as he steps into the lift.

“The bridge as well, sir?” Levelle asks.

“Yes, thank you, commander.”

“Resume,” Levelle orders quickly.

Almost as quickly as the turbolift begins to ascend, it stops and opens to a young Vulcan. As Torak enters, his eyes lock with the Levelle’s, as he and Picard make room.

Levelle's professional persona, put on for the captain’s benefit, melts into a gloat directed at Torak. “Still licking your wounds?

The Vulcan looks at Levelle unimpressed, positioning himself between he and the captain with an erect stance. “Resume.”

Torak chances a sideway glance at the captain as if deliberating and then focuses on the turbolift doors dispassionately as they close and the lift continues. “As you, yourself, have observed on many occasions, one cannot guarantee success in the game of poker. Hence the term, gambling.”

Levelle laughs freely.

Picard can't help but smile to himself. How many times had he been privy to the same conversation in a turbolift between Will, Geordi, Data, or any of the other officers who frequented the Tuesday evening tournaments?

“There's always next week,” Levelle consoles playfully.

Torak does not respond, but Captain Picard indulges in a knowing grin and wry wink to the lieutenant commander.

The doors open to the bridge and the three men move out, Levelle relieving an officer at ops and Torak another at tactical.

“We'll reach the rendezvous coordinates in less than an hour, captain,” La Forge reports as he moves from the command chair to his own.

“Very good, number one,” Picard replies, bypassing his post. “Take the con, Geordi, I'll be in my ready room.”

*

A strident Romulan beams onto the grand portico steps of the Romulan Proconsul building beyond the blockade keeping out the public, the protestors, and greater threats. Six of her best security officers materialize with her and they are quickly met with the jeers of the crowds and a capitol police officer who hinders their bid for the entrance.

“I am Commander Donatra of the Empirial Warbird Valdore!” she roars, “I must address the senate!”

“You do not have authorization!” the centurion shouts as he pushes them back using his rifle as a thrusting bar.

Many of the surrounding centurions observe the altercation and close in on the scene while beyond the barricade the throngs churn as they watch.

Desperate to advance, the commander and her officers unleash all their training repel the rushing guards with precise disrupter shots that incapacitate rather than kill. The mass of protestors behind her breaks into a frenzy, pressing the line as Donatra slips through the fray to lunge up the steps. Shielded by four of her training officers, she breaks through the entry and easily disable the guards in the lobby with swift martial combat. Leaving two officers to hold down the lobby, the commander and her remaining two sentries run through the marble halls at full pace to a bank of turbo lifts.

“We’re nearly out of time!” she growls through clenched teeth to her communicator.

The doors close to the sounds of approaching shouts and storm of footfalls.

With a curt nod Commander Donatra and her two officers activate their remote transporters.

*

All the contentious voices of the conference fall silent as Donatra and her flanking officers materialize in the center of the of the great ringed table. Before they can respond, the praetor’s personal guard are firing on them. Delegates dive for the floor. One of Donatra’s officer’s takes a disruptor blast to the chest and crumples to his death. The other returns fire while dodging energy blasts.

“Cease fire!” the commander shrieks. “Cease fire! We are here to warn you!”

Her pleas are in vain, despite the senators echoing her order, the Tal Shiar continue to target them.

“Sedition!” Donatra cries. “Sedition!”

She turns in time to see one of the praetor’s guards level his rifle at her and shoot.

His visage is obscured in a green flash as heat and weight force her to the ground.

The sound of gunfire fades.

Faces surround her. Human and Romulan. They seem to be shouting. A kind old face, riddled with grief and compassion draws close to hers. She recognizes him. It is Senator Tevus.

“Everywhere…” Donatra whispers.

Tevus withdraws with helplessness and frustration welling inside him as he and the rest of the delegates watch one of the most promising young commanders of their time die on the cold floor of the conference chamber. Before anyone of the delegates can process the loss, the chamber doors burst open and Romulan centurions flood in with their rifles bared on them all. In the hall behind them the human ambassadorial personnel are being herded at gunpoint. Outside the streets and squares are besieged in riots as ranks of soldiers mow down civilians. Overhead, a formation of the new Romulan bird of prey menace the sky between the consulate building and the senate house.