“Cross-currents”

Act 1

Knapp stood from his desk as Price entered his office.  “Welcome aboard, Commander Price.  It’s good to have you back.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“The next thing I have to say is that you’re out of uniform…, Captain.”  At his subordinate’s look of surprise, Knapp explained.  “The orders came through this morning, but I wanted to give them to you in person.  You’re being promoted to captain, and you have a new assignment.”  He stepped forward and pinned the fourth pip on Price’s collar.  “Come with me.”
Price followed Knapp from his office to a control room that overlooked Docking Bay 12.  “Take a look, John.  Beautiful, isn’t she?”  The object of his gaze was the massive Galaxy III Class starship filling the bay.  “USS Orion NCC-75762…  She’s direct out of Utopia Planitia and fresh from her shakedown cruise.   And tomorrow morning, you’re going to become her first captain.  She’s already got a full crew complement on board, with the exception of a Chief Medical Officer.  I left that position empty because I understand that your wife is a medical officer here awaiting a starship assignment.  It’s hers if she wants it.”
“I’ll ask her tonight.”
“Why not now…?”  Knapp tapped his commbadge.  “Knapp to Dr. Price… report to Bay 12 Control.”
“I’m on my way.”

Melissa Price closed the comm. channel in confusion.  She was a bit curious as to why the admiral wanted to see her in one of the docking bay control rooms.  She had spoken to her husband when the Avenger arrived a half hour previously.  A summons was a summons, however, so she checked out with the senior physician and left the infirmary.   When she reached the control room, she found Knapp in conversation with none other than her husband, who, to her surprise and pleasure, now sported captain’s pips.
“Ah, Doctor Price,” said the admiral, “as I was discussing with your husband, his new ship is still without a Chief Medical Officer.   I’m offering you the position as a courtesy both to you and the captain.  Do you want the job?”
“Does a Tellarite like mud baths?  Of course I want the job.”
“I expected nothing less.  Come on; let’s take a look at your new ship.  I’ll introduce you to the rest of the senior staff as we run across them.”  

The first stop they made was Main Engineering.  Knapp explained that with the Excelsior, Starfleet had determined that a standard Galaxy Class warp core was simply not powerful enough to sustain the additional weapons systems as well as the third nacelle.  Therefor, the Galaxy III Class was equipped with a Sovereign Class  warp core instead.
From out of nowhere, a cheeful voice with an Irish tilt said, “I thought it was startin' to smell a little funny down here.”  The voice came a thickset, sandy-haired man who was emerging from the nearby Jeffries tube access wearing the filthiest pair of coveralls Price had ever seen.
“Ham Hamilton!” exclaimed Price with a grin, shaking the man's equally filthy hand.  “You mean I've got to rely on you to keep my ship going?”
“You got it, Johnnie-boy!”
“Commander Hamilton was on the team that built the Orion, so when it needed a Chief Engineer, he was the first volunteer.”
“Now Johnnie,” said Hamilton, making a futile effort to wipe his hands off on his coveralls and nodding toward Melissa, “Who might this young filly be?”
“This young 'filly', Ham, happens to be my wife, and the new CMO, Dr. Melissa Price.”
“Sean Patrick Hamilton at your service, ma'am,” he said, making an elaborate bow.  “A great pleasure to make your acquaintance.  I do hope you'll forgive my forward behavior when it comes time for my next physical.”
“Well,” said Melissa, smiling, “Aren't you the charmer?”
“They don't call me 'Ham' for nothin'.”  He paused to look at a PADD a young officer had just handed him.
“Here are those readouts you wanted, Ham.”
“Thank you, Wes.  Aye, these look promising...  Oh, John, allow me to introduce your helmsman, Wesley Crusher.  Wes, our new captain and CMO, John Price and his wife, Melissa.”
“Welcome aboard, Captain, Doctor.”
“Thank you, Mr. Crusher.  How does she fly, by the way?”
“Like a dream, sir.  She turns on a dime, cruises at Warp 7.5, and tops out at Warp 9.96.”
“Wes is a damn fine engineer too, sir.  He helped me fix a lot of the bugs that popped up during our shakedown.”
“If Ham says your a damn fine engineer, that makes you a prime candidate for Assistant Chief Engineer in my book, Mr. Crusher.  What do you say?”
“Sir, if you can find a better pilot, I'm your first volunteer.  Until then...”
“Mr. Crusher, you've got yourself a deal.”       
Knapp broke in.  “Captain, I've been called away to a meeting.  Mr. Crusher, would you mind continuing the captain's tour?”
“Not at all, Admiral.”  Crusher gestured toward the turbolifts.  “Captain, Doctor, if you'll follow me...”
“Lead on, Mr. Crusher.”

Finally, the trio reached the bridge.  “Here's where you'll find the rest of the senior officers, sir.”  The young man pointed out the officers as he gave Price their names.  “First Officer Thelev...”  The stately Andorian nodded his geeting.  “Couselor Vaela Madurona...”  The Betazoid smiled and shook hands.  “Secuity Chief Taryn Kal...”  The solid-looking Bajoran also nodded.  “Science Officer Robert McKay...”
“Doctor McKay, Lieutenant,” said the dark-haired man crisply as he looked up from his PADD.
“Yes, sir.  Finally, there's Mr. Sovok, Chief of Operations.”
“Live long and prosper, Captain.”  
Just then, Lt. Taryn's console chirped.  “Captain, incoming transmission from Admiral Knapp.”
“On screen.”  Knapp appeared on the main viewscreen.  He looked tense.
“Captain Price, I'm afraid you'll have to cut short your tour and forego the traditional ceremony.  You're to proceed to the Risha system and rendezvous with the Romulan warbird Vengeance.  Her commander, T'Lera, will fill you in on your mission once you arrive.  Good luck and godspeed.  Knapp out.”
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, you heard the admiral,” said Price, taking the center seat.  “Let's get this show on the road.”  He tapped a control on the arm of the chair.  “Bridge to Engineering, make preps to get the ship underway.”
“Hamilton here, Captain.  She's ready to go whenever you are.”
“Excellent, Ham.  Mr. Taryn, hail the dockmaster and request permission to depart.”
“Aye, sir...  Dockmaster reports we are clear to depart.”
“Mr. Crusher, clear all moorings.”
“Moorings are clear, sir.”
“Reverse thrust.  Back us out nice and slow.  Report when we're clear to manuver.  Mr. Sovok, give me a view from the control room.”
	The viewscreen shifted to show the massive starship easing backward through the docking lattice.    A spacesuited figure waved as the vessel's bridge passed beneath him.
	“Forward view, Commander.”  The screen reverted to its normal view.
	“Sir,” said Wesley, “We are free and clear to manuver.”
	“Best course and speed to the Risha system, Mr Crusher.”
	“Course laid in, sir.”
	“Engage.”
	The ship surged forward and disappeared into the subspace cuurent.

Risha system, the briar patch
	
	Space seemed to twist as the Orion exited the current.  The vessel banked gracefully and headed toward the nearby planets.
	“Captain,” said Taryn, “ship decloaking to starboard.  It's the Vengeance...  They're hailing us.”
	“Open a channel.”  A slim, attractive Romulan woman with long black hair appeared on the screen.  “Commander T'Lera, this is Captain Price of the Orion.  I was given the impression by Admiral Knapp that we have a mission of some importance.”
	“Greetings, Captain,” said T'Lera.  “The impression you were given was correct.  A scoutship has discovered the location where Lt. Andrew Barrett is being held.  Perhaps we should meet in person to discuss our strategy.”
	“Indeed.  Shall we hold the briefing aboard the Orion or the Vengeance”
	“It would be best held aboard your ship, Captain.  Our vessels are not exactly set up for large briefings.”
	“Very well, we're standing by to receive you and any other officers you deem necessary.”
	“I'll have my communications officer transmit the data to your vessel.  My officers and I will be ready to beam over in ten minutes.”   
	“Understood.  Price out.”  He tapped his commbadge.  “Senior officers, report to the conference lounge in ten minutes.”  He rose from the command chair.  “Thelev, Taryn, you're with me.  Mr. Crusher, you have the bridge.”