Operation: Tsavo

Posted on Sat Nov 5th, 2022 @ 5:21am by Captain Devin Hadenbeer

1,407 words; about a 7 minute read

EARTH

Admiral Kathryn Janeway grimaced as the transmission to Lionheart was cut off, and with a rueful sigh she turned her attention back to the large tactical plot on the wall. The Klingon task force, hastily assembled, had nevertheless shown great tactical acumen on such short notice and had prepared an excellent enveloping pattern.

Which came utterly to naught as Lionheart winked out of existence. Someone let out a frustrated groan and Janeway could not help but feel the same. After a moment she said, "Contact the Klingon flagship and-"

"Admiral," the young communications officer gently interrupted, "The Klingon vessel Sh'To'Va is hailing us."

"Main screen," Janeway ordered. A moment later senior captain Vchok appeared on his bridge. Behind him were three individuals: Commander Junix Qetzel, lieutenant Mell'Una...and cadet Dare Hadenbeer. One Klingon's face was bleeding profusely from some serious lacerations but he stood stoically behind the trio.

"Admiral!" Vchok stated with a dark grimace, "A sad day. I have the unpleasant duty to inform you that I failed."

Janeway nodded, "If it is any consolation, Captain, it seems Lionheart's ability to detect cloaked vessels may have been somehow augmented. We appreciate your efforts. How did you come by your charges?"

"Them?" Vchok jerked his head in the direction of the Starfleet trio, "They were in a Federation escape pod. The young human was in possession of a padd; when she refused to give it up my man perhaps was a bit too enthusiastic in his attempts to relieve her of the device. The small one leapt onto his face."

He turned and regarded Mell-Una, then turned back, "Admiral, I don't suppose you would be willing to let us keep her? Such unbridled savagery is most impressive."

"Unfortunately, captain, I am going to need her for an extensive debrief. Please let me speak to the young ensign there."

Vchok nodded and stepped aside, a moment later cadet Hadenbeer stood uncertainly in front of the screen, the padd clutched to her chest.

"Cadet," Janeway stated gently, "Your aunt has fled. It seems wherever she is bound she felt it best not to take you with her."

"...Oh," Dare Hadenbeer replied quietly, "Why did she flee?"

"It is something I cannot discuss over an open channel. What is on the padd?"

"It was in the pod, Admiral. It only unlocks with my bio signature," Dare paused and added, "It is a message from Devin for me. Apparently she recorded it in case something like this came up."

"I am going to have to see it," Janeway said, "I am sorry, cadet," Janeway saw something in the young woman's face, a shift from nervousness to something defiant. She said, "Before you say something you regret, Dare, you need to understand our position. Your aunt has taken a Starfleet vessel where we cannot easily follow and we need to know her intentions. The data on that padd might be crucial. I understand your loyalties are conflicted right now, but-"

"All right," Dare said with a sigh. She glanced at someone off screen, holding up the padd. Captain Vchok gave a nod to the person. After a moment Dare released the data on the padd and it transmitted to Earth.

Captain Devin Hadenbeer's image appeared, seated behind her desk in that ridiculous chair of hers in her ready room. She looked...tired. A wan smiled crossed her face.

"Dare," she said, "Likely you will be forced to give this padd to Admiral Janeway or whomever so I will spare you any embarrassingly sentimental content. If you are watching this things have gone terribly wrong and likely you are not on board as I make a run for it. I am sorry I put you through this. You were not meant to be on board; my...friend thought I needed you near and so she impersonated me to get you assigned to Lionheart. She...sometimes does things on impulse. I will admit I did enjoy having you here; you are going to make a fine officer and you will make your parents proud."

A paused, then, "You make me proud, Dare. Whatever happens, cooperate with the authorities completely. Defiance is not going to do either of us any good. You do not know anything of value regarding my...absence but likely they will not believe you. Just be patient and eventually the debrief will be over. Tell my your father and uncle what I did was born of conviction. I realize it is the height of hubris to think I know better than all the Admirals of Starfleet, but..."

Hadenbeer smiled with genuine humor and for a moment years seem to flee from her face, "...maybe I really am just that smart?" Hadenbeer winked, "I will see you soon, Dare. Love, your aunt."

The screen switched back to the Klingon bridge. Vchok barked a laugh and said, "There is an ancient Earth word: chutzpah."

Janeway smiled despite herself, "Indeed. Captain I realize you will require a debrief of your...guests, but if you could see to returning them to us as soon as it is practicable...."

"Let me guess," the Klingon replied, "Whatever means Lionheart employed to elude us is highly classified and these three will have little to no knowledge of how it pulled off that trick?"

"You are correct." Janeway replied with a nod.

"In that case I will not waste any time making their journey any more unpleasant than it already will be. I will rendezvous with your nearest Federation vessel and hand them off to your people. Please send me coordinates as soon as possible, Admiral. Vchok out!"

Katherine closed her eyes and let out a low sigh. Lionheart in the wind, no way of knowing where they were, no means to pursue, no idea if or when Hadenbeer was bound to return. She could not imagine the day getting any worse.

Someone cleared their throat behind her. Janeway opened her eyes and turned.

She had met Vice Admiral Alynna Necheyev only once before at some ambassadorial dinner function. Her hair was a touch grayer and her face more lined from years of stress, but her eyes were cold and clear.

"Admiral," Janeway said, "Do what-"

"I am here about Lionheart," Necheyev replied, "I have been keeping tabs on the situation."

"...Have you now."

Necheyev nodded, "I have a solution to our mutual problem, Kathryn."

"Our problem, Admiral?" Janeway echoed quietly, unconsciously repulsed by the assumed familiarity. Just what was going on here?

"Yes. Captain Hadenbeer cannot simply go running about at will with her rogue artificial intelligence. The safety of her crew is at stake. I intend to have someone go after her."

Necheyev stepped forward to the comm station and reached and reached past the officer on duty to press several buttons on their console. The main screen came alive to show the bridge of a Federation starship: a Sovereign class. Janeway recognized the man in the captain's seat immediately. It was the man Hadenbeer had knocked unconscious, whom she had stolen Lionheart from in mutiny years ago.

"Captain Adenaur," Necheyev said, "How long before you can initiate Operation: Tsavo?"

Adenaur stood, "Admirals. My engineers are bringing the drive up and online. We will head at maximum warp to the site where Lionheart transitioned. It will take at least thirty six hours."

"Do better, Captain," Necheyev replied, "I want you to intercept the Klingon vessel Sh'To'Va and retrieve on of the three Starfleet personnel on board her: cadet Hadenbeer. She might prove...useful."

"You had another dimensional drive constructed," Janeway noted as Necheyev cut the connection, "And you put it in the hands of the one person who would not hesitate to fire on Hadenbeer."

Necheyev nodded, "And Royal Sovereign can chase down and out-shoot a Chariot class. Janeway's crew will not agree to fire on another Federation vessel, while Adenaur's people will be convinced they have to disable Lionheart to save her personnel. Hadenbeer's senior staff-the ones who aren't her friends-will be inclined to surrender to Adenaur. So Hadenbeer either proves our worst fears true by resisting, or she does the moral thing and surrenders. On top of that once she realizes her niece is on board Royal Sovereign she will not dare," Necheyev smirked at the play on words, "to fire on the other ship."

Necheyev's smile was as cold as the heart of a dead star, "I think they call that...win win..."

 

RSS Feed