U.S.S. Corsair - NX-011979
Nebula II Prototype
“Sic Parvis Magna”
(Greatness From Small Beginnings)
“Aftermath”
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Captain Taverain Ramius sat quietly in his ready room as he worked on completing the massive amounts of reports and paperwork required to document his ship’s latest encounter with the NeoDyne Defense Corporation. The good doctor had finally cleared him for light duty given Ramius’s solemn vow not to over exert himself. There was plenty of paperwork to push which was hardly enjoyable, but didn’t tax the body as much as it did the mind.
Intelligence would no doubt be extremely interested in his reports and data. However he doubted any of the brass would be willing to move against NeoDyne given his findings. Ramius had failed to obtain concrete proof and the information was obtained in the Klingon/Rpmulan neutral zones. Explaining a Starfleet ships presence in the area would be difficult if not impossible once politicians became involved. A strike against the company at the moment just wasn’t possible even given the damage, loss, and hardship suffered by the Corsair and her crew. For now, all anyone could do was quietly watch the corporation with increased scrutiny. If he wanted a smoking gun, Ramius would have to deliver hard evidence leaving no question of the corporation’s sinister activities.
“Captain, incoming message from Starbase 343.”
Ramius tapped his chest. “Acknowledged. I’ll take the call in here.”
The Corsair was only an hour away from Starbase 343 near the Romulan border. Ramius was looking forward to giving his crew some deserved time off in addition to repairing his battered ship. The forward hull would need some extensive repairs after it was nearly crushed by a NeoDyne tractor beam. Ramius’s engineers were estimating it would take at least two weeks to repair the ship’s damage.
Tav was about to activate his terminal when without warning an angry Captain Akina stormed into his ready room slamming his hands down on the captain’s desk.
“What are we doing at Starbase 343? Why are we not en route to Earth?”
Ramius flashed the captain a curious, if not annoyed glance, before raising a finger for him to wait. Activating his terminal the face of a female captain filled his screen.
“Captain Ramius?”
“Yes?”
“I am Captain Veronica Bellatora, Starbase 343. I assume you are still slated to arrive here within the hour?”
Ramius was taken back by the captain’s strong tone but responded diplomatically. “Yes captain, we are scheduled to arrive in roughly an hour. Is there a problem?”
“I understand you are requesting repairs. Your submitted reports do not adequately describe how and where the Corsair was damaged. I would like to know why this information has been omitted. Under regulations I cannot authorize repairs without proper documentation. Starfleet will want to know what circumstances attributed to the damages.”
Captain Akina was unable to wait while Ramius listened to Captain Bellatora. “Ramius, we need to talk immediately. This entire situation is completely unacceptable!”
Ramius turned to chastise Akina only to have captain Bellatora start up again with her lecture. “Well it would appear I have an advocate there in your midst Captain Ramius. I agree that this situation is not acceptable.”
“Would you kindly shut up”, Ramius muttered to Akina as he attempted to deal with the annoying starbase captain.
“Excuse me captain”, Bellatora stated with surprise.
Ramius turned back to his screen with a slight blush. “I apologize captain, I am currently dealing with an unruly officer who is refusing to follow orders. Perhaps you know the type?”
“Indeed captain. You also appear to need a refresher course in regulations as well. Submission of form 112540RX12-5478/R is required before repairs can be implemented. I am afraid I cannot grant you docking clearance until we have received the correct paperwork.”
“Captain, I have submitted all necessary paperwork required. I suggest you take a second look as I believe you will find everything is in order.”
“Ramius, this is a serious issue! We cannot dock at Starbase now! What do you think you are doing”, Akina shouted at Ramius oblivious to his conversation with Bellatora.
“Captain, I am not sure who else is there with you, but they seem to understand regulations better than you. It would do good to listen to what they are saying.”
“So help me if you don’t get out of my hair…”, Ramius again muttered at Akina.
“Captain, insubordination is a serious offense. I refuse to be spoken to in this manner”, Bellatora stated coldly. “Keep this up and I will file a complaint with command regarding your behavior. In my 15 years I have never spoken with a commanding officer who has been so rude, so inconsiderate, and so obstinate in…”
“BE QUIET”, Ramius and Akina both shouted at Captain Bellatora before turning their angry gazes at one another.
Ramius turned back to his screen with an annoyed expression. “Captain Bellatora, if you will check my paperwork you will see it is filed with form 117652T/INT-34, which grants me and my ship immunity from having to file your annoying red tape. This is an intelligence ship and we’re on a classified mission. Now unless you would like me to file a complaint with Fleet Intelligence about how you obstructed and slowed repairs to a ship carrying on vital intelligence operations costing us precious time I will expect full clearance to your docks, a priority approach, and your repair teams ready to receive us once we have secured moorings. Do I make myself clear captain?”
“Captain Ramius this is entirely improper and unusual!”
“Well unless you have proper clearance I suppose you will just have to take my word for it. Go ahead and bark up the tree if you must, but Intelligence will only confirm what I am telling you.”
Bellatora glared at Ramius over the comm. link. “I will need to verify this paperwork with fleet command. Only upon proper verification will I transmit clearance and docking information captain. Bellatora out.”
Ramius’s screen cleared leaving Ramius with another problem to address.
“Finally! I thought she’d never leave. Why are we headed to this starbase?”
Ramius sighed and leaned back in his chair grabbing a nearby baseball from his desk which he liked to throw and catch typically aiding him in thinking. Tossing the ball upwards and catching it, Ramius seemed little concerned with Akina’s problems. “Captain, the Corsair is damaged. We’re constrained to warp 2 given our injuries and need to repair the hull among other areas and systems. Heading for Earth would take weeks in our condition assuming we could make the journey without incurring other problems. I for one have no desire to become stranded in deep space.”
“This isn’t about the damage Ramius! It is about NeoDyne! Have you submitted your reports? Surely fleet command must acknowledge the threat and move to take action. They have to be stopped!”
Ramius tossed the ball. “I agree with you Akina, but what would you have them do? Mobilize a fleet and storm NeoDyne’s headquarters? Shall they bombard the corporate office and reduce it rubble?”
“They can take the evidence we have amassed and use it to put an end to Merikai and his wretched organization!”
“What evidence Zane”, Ramius sternly replied in rebuke. “We were unable to capture Dr. Ballentine or anything from the station before it exploded save for a few NeoDyne employees who appear to be nothing more than maintenance personnel with little knowledge of NeoDyne’s actual activities outside of hearsay and rumor. The scientists either escaped with Ballentine or were executed at his hands.”
“What about our sensor records? What of those marines who gave their lives down on the planet’s surface? Tricorder readings, communication logs with Merikai! It should be enough!”
“Akina, you of all people should realize none of it is admissible. We obtained the sensor records illegally in territory we are forbidden to enter by treaty. Our logs, communications, and sensor records are by that fact alone now classified and unusable in any public venue. If the politicians were to catch wind of our activities there would be hell to pay and Starfleet Intelligence would take a severe public relations hit for our less than legal investigations.
However, I am convinced fleet intelligence will take a hard look at our findings. We may not be able to attack NeoDyne directly with our findings, but we can use them to build a case against them. I am confident what we have uncovered with turn more than a few heads of the top brass. If NeoDyne is in the spotlight and under quiet fleet scrutiny it means that they cannot act as freely or as quickly as before. That gives us an advantage in time.”
Ramius grabbed a padd on his desk and tossed it at Akina just as his ball fell from the air which he expertly caught almost without looking.
“Data from some of the NeoDyne computers the marines were able to extract. It may hold some vital clues for us to follow once the Corsair is repaired. We still need to analyze it. Perhaps you should busy yourself with that task while we undergo repairs. You are the expert on NeoDyne after all.”
Akina filed through the padd’s data before sliding it under his arm. “It will take some time to sort through this. It appears highly fragmented.”
“Fragments are all we have Zane. NeoDyne and Merikai in particular have some grand plan which we only have a glimpse of right now. There are still many pieces missing from the puzzle that we must obtain before we can mount a successful attack be that in a court room, on the floor of the Federation council, or in combat against the corporation’s defenses – or perhaps all three. We need more information.
In any event, Merikai now knows we are hunting him. It will make him more cautious and will also no doubt complicate our investigation, however if he is crippled by fear and paranoia then whatever sinister plans the President has will be delayed which gives us more time to discover his intentions and stop them.”
“I want to take this aboard the station”, Akina said waving the padd. “The computers there may be able to crunch the data more successfully especially with the Corsair under repair.”
“Fine”, Ramius answered catching the ball again with only a glance. “Just ensure it stays private. I don’t want our recent mission specifics leaking out.”
“What about the crew? Do you honestly believe they’ll keep quiet?”
“I’ve given orders to the department heads on that matter. Anyone who talks about our mission is going to be personally shoved into an airlock by yours truly for discussing sensitive intelligence matters. And that’s after I tattoo the sole of my boot onto their butt. I believe the warning should keep the damage to a minimum.”
“You certainly have a way with people Captain. I’m sure your friend there on the station is just dying to meet you.”
“Well she should. Who can say no to these dashing good looks?”
Akina planted his face into his hand and sighed. Ramius was incorrigible. “I’m going to go analyze this. Try not to offend the locals too much. She doesn’t exactly seem like the type you want to be upsetting with the Corsair in need of repairs.”
Ramius tossed his baseball and grabbed it with a smile. “She looks like she’s been behind a desk too long. She could use a little excitement.”
“Excitement? Ramius are you insane? Is that your problem? You have three broken ribs not to mention nearly just got yourself killed and you’re looking for more excitement?” Akina stared at the captain in amazement.
“Well life wouldn’t be any fun with out it captain. I don’t do dull and boring.”
Zane gripped the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache. “I’m leaving before I really do get a headache trying to figure you out.” Turning he left the ready room and Ramius who was still tossing that antique sporting good at his desk.
Ramius tapped his desk. “Commander, let me know when we reach Starbase. Ramius out.”
Setting the ball down, Ramius stood and moved to his window. The stars drifted by as he leaned against the wall. Somewhere out there was a madman who had to be stopped. He had managed to survive his first encounter, but only through trickery. Merikai wouldn’t allow such a thing again.
Ramius attempted to think ahead to their next encounter, but such a thing was pointless. Only time and destiny could know where and when that would occur. For now his priority was to repair the Corsair. Once that was complete he could again resume the hunt. The sensor probe he had quietly left behind would most likely relay interesting information on Merikai’s activities after the Corsair had left the area. Perhaps it would provide a clue to the President’s whereabouts or at the very least a few breadcrumbs for the Corsair to follow.
[ End ]
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Captain Taverain Ramius
Commanding Officer, USS Corsair
Captain Zane Akina
Intelligence Operative, USS Corsair
Captain Bellatora
Annoying Officer Type Person
