TF01 3,Past Premonitions - Chapter 1 4,by Stuart Mackaness Star Trek: The Vanguard Chronicles ------------------------------------ "Past Premonitions" --------------------- by Stuart Mackaness --------------------- CHAPTER ONE 34 Years Later... Captain's log: Stardate 48179.2 After completing our mapping mission beyond the Epsilon Quinonez sector, the Vanguard has arrived home. As we have been out of direct communication with Starfleet for over five months, our databanks are slowly compiling the new data. Many of the recent events in and out of Starfleet have taken us by surprise including the emergence of the Maquis and the Dominion. I have projected shore leave when we arrive at the New Kelvedon Colony in three days time. Both the crew and their families are tired and need this break. We are time tabled to dock for the remainder of this month as the hull and internal systems are repaired and upgraded. The micro-meteorite damage sustined in the Gellavan system will need the most attention. Chief Gart assures me it will only take a few days. Captain Jonathan Warner sat back and deactivated his log recorder. Being an Excelsior Class starship, the Vanguard didn't have half of the modern conveniences that Starfleet could offer. One of the most recent additions had been the inclusion of families. They had been catered for since the begining of last year, but many of the crew felt reluctant to bring their loved ones aboard. Space was a scarce commodity aboard the ship. The quaters weren't nearly as big as most other ships had. It wasn't too long ago that the bunks were removed from the crew quarters. Counselor Reboxski had come aboard last year as well. Warner couldn't really see the need for a counselor on a ship like the Vanguard. There were still under a hundred civilians on board. Perhaps now they had finished the mapping mission they would find more families coming aboard. He had experienced his own problems, both personal and professional. There had been several times when he felt like confiding in Reboxski about his fears, only to find she was away on a course or attending a conference. She had to be one of the busiest redundant counselors he had ever met. His door bell chimed. "Come in." He said loudly. The doors parted with a hiss to allow his chief medical officer into the room. The greying Bajoran stepped forward and gave a mock salute. Warner tried in vain to supress a smile. Li Levitt was one of the strangest mix of characteristics that Warner had ever known. Usually ultra-stern, he could also make a Borg crack a smile when it suited him. "Good news I trust, doctor?" Warner said. Li produced a padd from his medical robe which fitted over his uniform. He handed it to Warner with a smile. "Captain, I am pleased to report that we have a new crew member." The captain stood up quickly. "Macha?" He asked with surprise. "She was a little premature but Lieutenant Macha Hermandez gave birth to a healthy baby boy a few minutes ago." Levitt replied. "That's great! How's mister Dean taking the news?" "He nearly fell over when I told him. It wasn't due for another three weeks." Li laughed. "Macha was probably desperate to get back to being chief tactical officer, she wasn't going to let a small thing like a baby inconvenience her for nine months." Warner replied candidly. Li laughed at his friends joke. Recent months had left little time for such things. He was still trying to get to grips with the new sickbay. After the previous one had been torched in the hunter incident nearly a year ago he had spent several months while the Vanguard was recovering from the encounter revising the new technology and specialists he would be getting. The new medical bay was nearly twice as long as the previous one, which wasn't hard as the last refit it had been blessed with was in 2360 - nearly eleven years ago. "Speaking of relationships..." He began. Warner's laughing ceased abruptly. "I told you that my relationship between Lasaari and myself was a no-go area for conversation." "What relationship?" Li replied feighning ignorance. "Thank you." Warner said curtly. Li shrugged his shoulders and began to elaborate on Macha's premature birth. *** Commander Lyrinda Halk sat down at her regular table in the galley. She had just found out that Macha had given birth. This would have been happy news to anyone else who heard it. Halk however found no enjoyment in the prospect. Macha had always been there when Halk needed her. In the thick of battle it would be Macha and her who would blast away the opponents. There was nothing which could seperate them when it came to tactical or security matters. But now Macha had given birth it had all sunk in finally. She had been tamed. Her wild streak had been domesticated. She would never be the chief of security again to Halk. Instead she would be a mother. And if you had emotional ties like a child then the risks that Macha would have taken gladly to defend her captain and her ship mates would be lesser. She couldn't throw herself into the thick of things if she had a baby to think of. "Stuff it then!" Came a loud voice from the far side of the galley. Halk turned to see Lieutenant Commander Karma tip a three dimensional chess set over a visiting Vulcan delegate. The foot high second officer used her innate telekinetic power and flew over to where Halk was sitting. She landed by the vase of flowers on the table. Leaning against it in a nonchalent fashion she smoothed her miniature starfleet uniform out. Her standard sized communicator was like a chest shield to her. She had to thump it with her tiny hands whenever she wanted to use it. "What's the problem Karma?" Halk asked, vainly trying to surpress a smile at the Farenoids' notoriously short temper and general bad attitude. "He was cheating." She replied. Halk looked across at Karma's ex-opponent. "That's Seruk, the head of the Vulcan negotiation team we have on board. They need to do some research on the sector from the New Kelvedon library. After shore leave we will take them to Krotos IV where they need to continue the next stage in the Kreel peace treaty. " "I don't care if he's Kahless the unforgettable, he still cheated." Karma snapped. "But he's a Vulcan. Why would he cheat?" Halk said flatly. "Because it's the only way he can beat me." Karma said haugtily. Halk paused for a moment. "A Vulcan beats you at three dimensional chess so you decide he was cheating?" Karma nodded. "That's right. He should be banned from the game. I certainly won't be playing him again." "You threw the board at him. It broke on the floor. I don't think he's going to play again with you." Halk replied carefully weighing up whether she should go over and apologise. The decision was taken out of her hands however as Seruk crossed over to her table and addressed Karma in a cool and colected fashion. "I do not believe I have ever been insulted like that before in all my 242 years of life. I therefore declare the game void and will now retire to my quarters." With that he turned around and stiffly walked out. "I don't think he's very happy." Halk said after an awkward pause. "Yeah, especially after he discovers part of the board and a pawn lodged in his pocket." Karma grinned. "What are you going to do about it?" Halk demanded. An evil look crossed the Farenoid's face. "If I reprogramme the replicator to produce only a liquid polymer and if fix his room temperature at minus three with a command code then-" "Karma!" Halk shouted amazed. "Just kidding Commander." Karma replied quickly. Halk stared at her. She wasn't so sure. Her communicator chirped. "Warner to Commander Halk." "Halk here." She replied. "I want to see you in my quarters immediately." He replied. "On my way sir, Halk out." Lyrinda cut the channal with those words. "I'll apologise to Syrup." Karma said reluctantly. Halk shot her a look. "It's Seruk!" "Syrup, Seruk, its the same difference. Besides, I want a re-match!" Karma said eagerly. Halk stood up and made to leave. As she looked across the room, a crewman was sweeping up the damaged chess board. "You'll need to replicate a new board." She noted. "And some new pieces." "Except a pawn. He's got one in his pocket." Karma reminded her. "I sugest you don't rely on it." Halk countered. With that she left the galley and entered a turbolift. *** The Professor looked out of the small port hole in his sparse quarters. He felt tired. He felt more tired than he had in a long time. When he arrived at the New Kelvedon colony, he had decided to live out the rest of his long life there. Unfortunately a dispute between the Klingon Empire and the Federation needed his attention so he had left his final resting place and journeyed to Q'onos. Now that the problem was solved he could go home. He looked around at his room. It was apparently a small storage room which had been outfitted with a slab of metal for a bed and an open chest for a wardrobe. He didn't mind, he was used to their way of living and found a unique simplicity to their whole way of life. What did disturb him was the actual type of ship he was on board. It reminded him of the last Klingon transport which he had seen making it's way to New Kelvedon. But that was nearly thirty years ago and he didn't like to think about those times. A bulky box burst into life in the corner of the room. It was the internal communication system and suffered from almost unbelievable static problems. The Klingonese phrases and snatches of sentences which the Proffesser could translate informed him that they were aproaching the Spanik system. He pulled his thread-bare robes together and made his way to the bridge. The chunky doors rolled back to reveal a humid and cramped chamber. It contained five Klingons, each studying his own terminal with varying degrees of disinterest. The Professor ambled towards the tallest and strongest looking of the group - obviously the leader. "When do we make planet-fall?" The Professor demanded in Federation Standard, forcing his aquaintance to reciprocate. The Klingon looked him up and down for a second and then shoved a padd into his chest. "Read it yourself, I'm too busy to nursemaid you!" He barked. The Professor took this in his stride. "It must be such an honour to your family to have one of it's members captaining a freighter. Fending of the threats of discommendation must take up most of the day as it is without giving orders on this flea trap!"   The captain grabbed him by his lapels and hoisted him a foot off the deck. The Professor turned to address the crew. "See how your captain shows his worth by bullying an old man." The captain held him aloft for a moment and then dropped him back onto his feet. Cursing to himself he hissed "You'll get what's coming to you, weakling human!" With that he turned away and begam harassing the helmsman. That last comment troubled the Professor. If the captain was going to strike him down for the insults, then he should have done it at the time infront of the crew. To wait untill the Professor was alone with his guard down was not honourable. Had he read him wrong?