<USS Avalon> Biding Time by Lieutenant Anthony Manson

Biding Time

by Lieutenant Anthony Manson

"Captain K?len, please report to the bridge. We?ve picked up two ships." The 
Klingon first officer requested. His voice was held in anticipation. Sounded as 
if he was ready for battle. The ship instantly was placed under yellow alert. 

Captain K?len walked out of her ready room. She quickly tugged at her uniform 
to straightened it. She looked around as the familiar four bridge officers 
filled the room. "What have you got precisely?"

"We?ve picked up what looks to be- according to historical records- an old 
modified Intrepid class. These sort of ships ended in production after the 
destruction of the Cavalier- the last to be built after the disappearance of 
the Avalon. Sensors confirm that it is the Avalon," the Bolian lieutenant 
responded. 

"And the other ship?"

"It?s a UCP ship, ma?am. Sensors say their engines are having trouble. But 
they?re under cloak- or it looks like it. Something is definitely wrong."

"How many people are on the UCP vessel?"

"Sensors say about fifty. This class of ship usually hold a hundred."

A hand reflexively was placed on her chin. "That means the missing crew are on 
the Avalon, dead, or running low on crewmen....Lieutenant, how many people are 
on the Avalon?"

"There?s nearly two hundred aboard. History records indicate it can only hold a 
hundred and forty...fifty for less comfort."

Captain K?len?s mind raced through the possibilities. Logic gave windows of 
speculation, but none of them gave a solution of going about their objective 
undetected. She could come into direct communications with the Avalon, exposing 
the Octavius, and thus terminating the fragile treaty. They could wait, but 
eventually had to make contact with the Avalon. Or they could open fire right 
now on the UCP vessel and risk everything on one rash decision. The fact the 
UCP ship- as the Lieutenant then said it was the Tempest- was under cloak, or 
trying for it, meant that they were clearly taking an overt position upon the 
Avalon. Which meant the Avalon was under hostile acts. 

"We?re nearing their position."

"Drop out of warp. Maintain a distance of five thousand kilometers."

"Captain, are you sure you don?t want to be further from them? We could be 
discovered." The commander inquired.

"No, we need to be as close. The ship is too old, and if the Tempest decides to 
destroy it, I want us to be able to intercept their fire. Ensign Tate, get me a 
detailed scan of the Avalon. I want to know where the crew are and how many of 
the Tempest?s crew are as well- their locations would be helpful."

"Yes ma?am."

Captain K?len stood up and walked towards the helm station and turned to face 
the bridge crew. "If the Tempest makes any sort of strike against the Avalon, 
or already has...I will be violating the treaty by openly helping the Avalon. 
This would mean we lose the peace and instantly bringing us to war with the 
UCP. But my orders are clear, we have to send the ship back into time, or at 
least help it."

K?len knew that the crew aside from her first officer knew nothing about their 
mission or why Starfleet would even attempt to penetrate the borders. But she 
continued, having felt that it was necessary for them to know exactly what they 
would be fighting for, "Starfleet believes that with the Avalon safely back 
into time, our timeline would be changed and the centuries of war would be 
averted. Though the Avalon would have no influence of events a century ahead of 
it?s time, it?s the only hope that just by rewriting history- it will change 
everything. If any of you do not wish to be part of this...attempt, please 
state now. Your objections will be noted, and you would be held in quarters for 
the duration of this mission."

No one rose up to speak, and it was almost heart lifting for her. She was only 
their captain for a year. Her predecessor killed on a mission. Since then she 
tried her best to forge a bond with the crew. The commander came easily, but 
the rest at one point or another kept their distance. With no objections to 
violating the treaty, she simply said. "Get us on silent red alert, all hands 
to battle stations. I want security on standby, get a channel opened with the 
Avalon and hail them on my word. We won?t hail them yet, and if the Tempest 
doesn?t move out by soon, we?re going to have to drop cloak and directly 
position ourselves between the two vessels."

According to what she managed to gather, the Avalon?s chronometric particles 
that became attached with them along the temporal displacement was steadily- 
but very quickly- becoming in synch with this universe. According to her 
estimates, the Avalon had maybe two to three days to get back into their own 
time with chances of their temporal replacement being accurate. Anything 
attempted after that would significantly alter the accuracy. It was a small 
window is which they needed to achieve, and the tension she felt between her 
eyes was not helping. 

K?len then changed her decision, "Ensign, move us directly between them now. 
One quarter impulse."

Ensign Tate nodded then spoke up, "Im detecting at least eight people on the 
bridge. A large number of crew are located on decks ten through fourteen. My 
guess, ma?am, is that the Tempest?s crew have taken the bridge. I?ve also 
gotten a link to the Avalon?s communication?s system."

K?len nodded, "now we wait, hopefully not to long. Maintain continuous scans."



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