Grey Lady Down

"Admiral on the deck!"

"As you were" Naomi Wildman stepped out of the turbolift and onto the bridge. "I'm not an Admiral just yet, Number One" she growled as she came around the railing and took her seat. In recognition of her many years of dedicated service to Starfleet and the Federation, Naomi had been promoted to the rank of Admiral. On the cruise to Earth, her crew had taken to calling her by the new rank whenever they saw her. Her current First Officer was going to take her place as Captain of the Mezoti while Naomi was going to be on the Board of the Admiralty. As soon as she had got news of her promotion, Naomi started plotting ways to get back a Starship command.

"Captain, we're five hours away from Pluto" said Reed – her First Officer's hair was a touch over the regulation length, but Naomi was inclined to look the other way.

"Ship's status?"

"We've replaced the faulty sensor relay. Defensive and offensive systems are on standby mode, all drive systems register as normal" an Engineering officer said.

'Given the long trip home, things seemed to be going alright…' Naomi thought to herself. The Mezoti was on a long voyage home after trade and goodwill visits to several systems in the Delta Quadrant. They had maintained a maximum transwarp journey home – stopping only to lay a wreath at the site where Mezoti had died. As she sat and watched her crew go about their tasks, Naomi became bored slightly and decided to do something about it. "Bridge to Engineering"

"Engineering"

"Increase transwarp drive to maximum power"

"May I remind the Captain that it is not safe to push the engines past safety limits?"

"Your objection and reminder is noted, Commander. The order stands, Bridge out. Helm, prepare for ludicrous speed"

"Aye, Captain"

#

"She'll be retiring before you get the cake finished" Azan said.

"Sorry, Captain" the crewman said. "I'll work quicker" and she did.

"Just got a signal from the Mezoti" Rebi stuck his head round the doorframe. "Naomi's coming a bit early" and his twin rolled his eyes.

"She'll be wanting to stop off at Jupiter I'd say" and Azan left the kitchen and went with his brother to the Operations room down the corridor. It served as a back up for the main control room in the control tower, and both of them spent time listening to ships coming and going in their off duty hours. Both of them had managed to get to Spacedock a day before Naomi so they could welcome their friend home. In the years since Mezoti's death, both of them had been promoted to Captain and given command of Galaxy class starships before handed the reigns of refitted Defiant class vessels. Rumour had it that either one of them were good candidates for the last of the Voyager class to come off the slips – the Seven of Nine

# # # # #

One Year Later

"Admiral, you're going to be late for that meeting" said a Lieutenant.

"What?" Naomi looked up at the old fashioned clock on the wall.

"I've managed to hold a turbolift for you at the end of the hall" said the other officer as Naomi put on her uniform jacket. She disliked wearing it, and normally did her work without it – putting it on only for important meetings. It was that foible that still had her as a respected officer throughout the service.

"You are a godsend, Tessa" said Naomi. "I'll promote you for this"

"Chance would be a fine thing" said the woman before going back to her work station.

#

"Glad you could make it on time, Admiral Wildman" said one of the waiting officers.

"Sorry, Sir" Naomi slipped into her seat. "I was just finishing the trade details for Cestus III"

"I understand" said the officer. "They can be tricky to do. I believe Admiral Williams has something he wishes to discuss"

"Long range sensors on the Argus Array picked up emergency distress calls from one of our scouting vessels. We've not been able to pick her up using the Pathfinder Project's MIDAS array, and we've not heard from her since" Admiral Williams looked towards Naomi and wondered how to say the next part. "The ship was the USS Alba – Captain Azan commanding"

"Oh no…"

"The fact that we've not heard from the Alba could mean her comm system was damaged. However, the transmissions we picked up indicated that the ship was under attack from at least four hostile vessels" Williams said.

"So what are we going to do about it?" Naomi asked.

"We're putting a Task Force together and sending them out to the last known location of the Alba with orders to investigate and retrieve the ship and crew if possible" Williams said.

"Admiral, request permission to accompany the group" Naomi said at once.

"We want you to lead the task force, Naomi" Williams told her. "The details of the group's makeup is up to you. You've got a week to get the ships you want supplied and under sailing orders"

"Aye, Sir" Naomi replied. "I'll need everything sent to my office as soon as possible" she added.

"You better get going now, Naomi" Williams said. Naomi nodded and raced for the door.

#

"Tessa, get me the Pathfinder project" Naomi told her aide as she entered the office.

"Yes, Ma'am" Tessa opened the channel as Naomi entered her office and sat down at the desk with the door still open. "Pathfinder on the line, Ma'am"

"Commander Deckand, I want a priority real time link to the USS Seven of Nine, and I want it now" Naomi said to the person on her screen.

"I'm afraid that we're running a real time link to Deep Space Nine" the man said.

"You have new orders, Mister. I want that link in under two minutes, or you're facing the brig" Naomi's face was going red. She was normally quite mild mannered, and didn't usually lose her temper like that – but it was known that nothing could stop her after she gone off on one.

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am" the man gulped and hurried to do as he was ordered.

"Tessa, get me the last known position of all the Voyager class ships apart from Seven of Nine" Naomi shouted to her aide.

"Getting them now, Admiral" Tessa Albright was all business at that moment.

"Link established, Admiral Wildman" Deckand said to Naomi. The screen switched to the Starfleet insignia before changing to the bridge of the Seven of Nine.

"Admiral Wildman" the first officer said. "A pleasant surprise to see you"

"I want to speak to Captain Rebi"

"He's asleep, Ma'am"

"Then wake him"

"Aye, Aye" the screen changed to the insignia again before flickering to show a slightly sleepy Rebi.

"Naomi? What are you doing ringing me at this time of the night?"

"Rebi, something terrible has happened" Naomi said. "The Argus array picked up distress calls from the Alba. She was under heavy attack from four unknown vessels, and we've not heard from her since" and she watched as Rebi's face went a deathly shade of white.

"Not Azan…" Rebi whispered.

"He could have defeated them but lost his comm systems, but you know he'd find a way to get a message to us" Naomi said. "Starfleet is sending out a Task Force to investigate what happened and try to recover the ship and crew if possible"

"I want to come" Rebi said almost as soon as his friend stopped speaking.

"You're the first person I've spoken to" Naomi assured him. "You've new orders to get back to Earth as soon as possible" she added.

"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast" Rebi said, then after a few minutes talking to his old friend he left the screen.

"Admiral, I've got that information" Tessa said.

"Thanks, Tess" Naomi looked at the information that blinked onto her display screens. "Say, you want a trip on a Starship?"

#

"Helm, all stop. Bring the ship about to 313 mark 225" Rebi said as he stepped onto the bridge.

"Aye, Captain" his young helm officer said as he brought the ship to a halt – changing the orientation as he did so.

"What's up, Captain?" asked Rebi's first officer.

"I'll tell you later" he replied. "Bridge to Engineering"

"Engineering"

"Standby to go to immediate transwarp drive"

"I'll have to get the Chief's permission for that, Captain"

"I'll handle the Chief Engineer" Rebi told the duty officer. "Standby for maximum power"

"Aye, Sir. Engineering, out"

"Helm, set a course for Earth – maximum Transwarp" Rebi said. "Yellow Alert! Shields to maximum" and the activity on the ship became a touch more hurried at the increased alert status.

"Course plotted and laid into navigational computers" the helm officer said.

"Engage" and the ship jumped to Transwarp speeds. "Number One, I want a complete report on this ship's operational status and torpedo supplies. Get crews working on that scientific equipment we're carrying for that mapping mission. I want it packed up into the crates before we get back to Earth." Rebi issued orders as he came up with thoughts. "Have another crew work on making torpedo storage racks. I want a level three diagnostic of all primary systems, and a level four of the entire backup system"

"Aye, Sir" the first officer had never seen Rebi be so concerned about something.

"Coming up on full Transwarp power, Captain" helm reported.

"Steady as she goes, Helm. Keep to maximum power on the drive. Maintain course and speed" Rebi said. "I'll be in the ready room, and I do not wish to be disturbed. You have the Bridge, number one"

#

"What the hell happened?" Naomi was not surprised by Rebi's first question.

"We still don't know" she said. "If Azan was able to defeat them, then he either lost his comm array or he has gone radio silent. If he has done that, then he must have a good reason"

"When do we get going?" Rebi asked.

"In three days" Naomi replied. "The task force is going to be made up of the entire Voyager class fleet, so its taking a fair while to get them all back here. If you don't mind, I'll be commanding the group from the Seven of Nine"

"It would be my honour, Naomi" Rebi said. "I'll have a special compartment made ready for the Nova Bomb" he added.

"You can't tell anybody what it is for, Rebi – you know that" Naomi warned him.

"I'll tell my crew it is to hold any radioactive debris we might encounter" Rebi assured his friend.

"You've got a day and a half before the last ships returns here. Why don't you go and visit your wife and family?" Naomi suggested.

"I'd rather oversee the resup of my ship" Rebi said. "I want to get under weigh as soon as possible"

"I thought you'd say that" Naomi handed him a sheet of paper.

"Whats this?"

"Formal orders to visit your wife and child. I trust I'll see you tomorrow evening for the memorial service?" and Rebi nodded.

"I wouldn't miss it for all the tea in china" he smiled and left Naomi's office for a transporter pad.

#

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming here at such short notice. Two days ago, the Argus Array picked up a distress call from the USS Alba"

"That's Captain Azan's ship, isn't it?" asked Ary Boender – sitting at the end of the long table.

"Quite so" Naomi smiled. She pressed a button on the small pad and the hidden speakers began to play Azan's static laced voice.

"MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY This is the USS Alba to Starfleet Command. We are under attack by unknown vessels which refuse to respond to hails. We have taken heavy damage fro at least four ships. We are attempting to disable and evade. Starfleet Command, this is the USS Alba under atta-" Azan was cut off by Naomi.

"The message ended at that point" she said. "We know that they were under attack by at least four ships, and perhaps even more than that. It is possible that whoever attacked the Alba took prisoners or captured the ship as well as the crew. Whatever the reason, we're going to travel to the position indicated to be the course of the distress call with orders to retrieve any and all surviving members of the crew, and to recover any parts of the ship possible" Naomi looked at the assembled officers before her.

"Then, with respect" Boender said, "What the hell are we doing waiting here?"

"Your ships are being stocked with additional torpedoes – taking the place of the probes you would normally carry" Naomi said. "Final loading should be completed in an hour. One last thing... I am in charge of the Task Force aboard the Seven of Nine. If anything should happen which leaves me unable to continue, Captain Boender will be in operational command. I think that is everything – your ships, please" Naomi waited until the officers had stood up before speaking. "Captain Rebi. Captain Boender. You will remain" and the pair hung back whilst the others left.

"Something the matter?" asked Boender.

"The line taken by Command is that the Alba was lost with all hands. As you can imagine, it is a theory that I do not subscribe to in any measure. That ship was fitted out under my personal supervision when he took command of it, and the weapons are more then the norm for a refitted Defiant class vessel" Naomi said. "Azan would have defeated them without a shadow of a doubt" she added.

"Perhaps he did but the ship had to be abandoned" suggested Boender.

"Maybe, or maybe the ship was too damage to make the trip at Transwarp" Rebi said. "Azan would have found the nearest habitable unpopulated world and gone into orbit. If there was a lot of damage to the structure, then he would have made the best repairs possible and then landed on the surface to carry out further repairs and await rescue"

"Land a Defiant class?" Boender frowned. "That's never been done before"

"True" Naomi said, "But there is the ability to do so in the specs, and Azan would know that as he refitted his own vessel before he launched. Once we get to the location of the distress call, we'll come to normal space and start scanning for debris and any beacons. Your job, Ary, will be to monitor for all kinds of abnormal transmissions. Morse, reversed voice, polytone or even digital data transmission packet – you find Azan"

"I will find him" Boender assured Naomi.

"You better get back to your ship" Naomi told him. "We'll be leaving within the hour" and Boender nodded before leaving the briefing room.

"Don't you think you are pushing?" asked Rebi.

"Oh…" Naomi mock glared at her friend. "Don't you start! I was going to the Voyager Memorial . You want to come with me?" she asked.

"I have my ship to prepare, and duty to perform"

"Stuff duty" Naomi told him firmly.

# # # # #

"ATTENTION ON DECK!" the Chief Petty Officer called. "Commander, Task Force 8901, arriving!" Naomi stepped through the airlock and onto the Seven of Nine.

"Permission to come aboard, Sir?" she asked Rebi.

"Permission granted, Admiral" he replied. "Welcome aboard the Seven of Nine"

"It's a pleasure to be back" Naomi replied. She had been on the ship twice before now – once to give both twins a tour of the ship, and again when Rebi took the ship out on a shakedown cruise after launching.

"Would you care to observe the departure from the bridge, Admiral?" asked Rebi.

"Thank you, Captain" Naomi replied. "I believe I shall do just that"

"Very good, Ma'am" Rebi turned to his crew. "Crew! Crew… dismiss!"

#

The turbolift doors opened and revealed an organised chaos that was a Bridge during launch. Rebi was sat in the centre seat and giving orders in a practice ease, and the Bridge crew responded quickly and efficiently to the commands. The Science Officer was the first person to spot Naomi and her aide standing in the turbolift.

"Admiral on the Bridge!"

"As you where" Naomi nodded.

"Welcome to the bridge, Admiral" Rebi swung in his chair to look at Naomi with a smile on his face. If it hadn't have been for one small detail change, she would have thought she'd stepped onto the Mezoti's Bridge. The singular change was in that his chair was more in the style of the Constitution and Constellation classes. It gave the impression that the Captain was second only to God – God being above the Captain due only to seniority.

"Sir, ship's supplies are all aboard, and the airlocks closed and sealed" Rebi's first officer reported.

"Very good" Rebi said. "All hands, rig…" he paused, thought of something and then stood up from his chair. "Admiral, I'd consider it an honour if you took the ship out" Naomi took all of a microsecond to think about it before moving into the command area.

"Thank you, Captain Rebi" she said. Once settled into the chair and glancing around the Bridge, the Admiral felt the old thrill of starship command once more. "All hands rig for departure" she ordered.

"All decks and divisions report readiness" said the first officer.

"Operations, unseal the airlocks. Release docking clamps. Helm, standby on impulse drive" Naomi felt a little comfortable as she fell into the old routine.

"Airlocks unsealed" the Operations officer reported. "Docking clamps released"

"Impulse drive online" the Vulcan at the Helm replied.

"Clear all moorings. Signal the Quartermaster that we ready to depart" Naomi noted how good Rebi's crew were.

"All moorings cleared. Quartermaster signals we are cleared for departure"

"Aft thrusters…"

"Thank you, Helm" Naomi could just see the look of panic on Rebi's face as it dawn what she was going to do. "Ahead one half impulse power"

"Aye, Admiral" the Vulcan didn't find the order off at all. The mighty ship slipped her moorings and left the dock for the waiting stars. "We have cleared drydock" the woman said after a moment.

"Commander" Naomi turned to look at the First Officer, "Send the following signal to the rest of the fleet. Message begins: 'All ships form Pattern Epsilon on Flagship' that's it"

"Message sent…" the officer said. "All ships acknowledge"

"Helm, set course for co-ordinates 4289 by 5261 mark 080 – full Transwarp"

"Course plotted and laid in"

"All ships are in formation"

"Engage" and all the ships jumped to Transwarp and started on the journey to the Delta Quadrant. "Captain Rebi, the Bridge is yours" Naomi stood and turned the conn back to her friend.

"Thank you, Admiral" he slid into his seat and issued a few orders. Naomi remained a few more minutes before going below to her cabin to unpack her gear and relax after the hectic last couple of days she had been through.

#

"Captain, we've found enough fresh water to last us for an extensive period of time" the battered Science Officer said.

"Good" Azan wiped the brow of his head which dripped with blood once more. "See what you can find in regards to edible plants and stuff like that. If you see anyone from Medical, send them my way" he added. He sat in the shelter that had been set up near to where the Alba had been landed, and looked up at his battered starship. Huge, gaping tears could be clearly seen in her once glistening hull, and Azan hoped that the message he had sent out had got through to Starfleet and a rescue ship would come for him and his crew. The fate of the Alba was not looking good, but her main spaceframes were all in one piece, so all was not totally lost in that regard. The only thing that truly worried him was the fact that any rescuers wouldn't know about the ships that attacked them. By the time they had been identified, it was too late to send another message.

He just hoped they didn't come back to finish them all of first…