Several Starfleet officers sat around a long rectangular table in the ship's observation lounge, their attention focused intently on briefing on the viewscreen, which was being presented in a jumpy 'highlight' format. The image focused on a cube shaped gray vessel upon a background of stars, moving seemingly without effort of any kind. Suddenly a large Federation vessel loomed into view, and combat ensued between the two ships.
The image then switched to a shot of the bridge of the Federation vessel from the screen. "Captain, their weapon had no effect on us!" a burly Klingon on the screen reported.
"Sir, I believe the weapon was designed to drain the shields," a man with yellow eyes and pasty white skin responded from his position at the helm console.
The images of the two were then replaced with a text, some diagrams, and a male voice-over giving a report. Another image then appeared, of an African-American woman with a large hat. "You can't talk to them," she was saying with despair. "You can't reason with them."
From there, more stars and more combat appeared. The images then shifted to focus on the bridge again; an individual in a Starfleet Admiral's uniform was snapping his fingers and the aforementioned Federation ship was then hurled a great distance through space. Some text then appeared on the screen that the people in the back of the conference room couldn't read.
"It's a copy of the Captain's Personal Log after the incident with the Q entity who sent them to meet this new race called the Borg," explained Captain Freeman, an African-American man in his forties, to the occupants of the lounge. "It says, in part, 'Perhaps Q gave us what we needed most; a kick in our complacency to prepare us for what lies ahead.' This is why this briefing is required material for all command crews before initial departure; to prepare us in part for the eventual arrival of the Borg within Federation space."
The speaker looked around the room, waiting for someone to comment. In the room sat several individuals, three women and two men, looking on intently. Two of the women were Human, though one in particular stood out with her imposing six foot six inch frame, her long blonde hair tied back out of the way. The other was of average height with short dark hair. The third woman was a Betazoid with short brown hair. The two men, in comparison, were like night and day to each other; one was an Andorian, tall and heavily muscled, the other was a shorter, slimmer Vulcan. "Well, since no one cares to volunteer anything, I'll just ask. Commander Yilaan, you're my first officer, what are your impressions of what we've just seen and heard?"
The Betazoid woman looked up at the captain. "Well sir, I guess I'm not sure I see the point in this briefing, since if the Enterprise couldn't handle the Borg ship by herself, we can't expect to either," Commander Cecilia Yilaan replied. "A simple 'run from the Borg or die' instruction would have been sufficient," she added sardonically.
"No battle is ever hopeless!" retorted the tall blonde tactical officer, Lieutenant Katrina Ivanovna. Her thick Russian accent made the comment sound more harsh than it was intended. "Of course a few dozen extra ships would be helpful in a situation like that," she added, smiling somewhat.
"Exactly!" inserted the Andorian chief engineer, Commander Belan Jevor. "Lieutenant Ivanovna hit it on the head. We should run from one on one encounters, and report the Borg's position back to Starfleet."
"Commander Jevor, you're overlooking something," suggested the Vulcan helmsman, Lieutenant Valen.
Jevor turned to face the Bristol's helmsman. "Well? Don't keep me in suspense, Lieutenant."
"The Borg in the report we just watched could overtake the Enterprise at its best possible speed," Valen replied stoically, his expression unchanging.
"Well, Lieutenant Valen, don't you worry! When the Borg do come, I'll get our ship to run circles around them," Commander Jevor boasted.
"I hope so."
A female voice interrupted over the intercom at that moment. "Captain Freeman, this is Ensign Gates. We're receiving a message from the starbase. They say that the last of the cargo for Cheron Five has been transported aboard and we are now clear to depart."
"Thank you Ensign. Well folks, end of briefing. Let's go do our job," said the captain.
The command crew left the observation lounge and emerged single file onto the bridge. The overall design of the bridge was similar to that of the Enterprise, though slightly smaller. The back of the bridge stood higher than the front; the two were connected via low angle ramps going up either side of the room. The area at the very front contained the helm and navigation stations; the middle held the command chairs. Above and to the back of them were the tactical station and the bridge's science and engineering panels lined the back wall. "Ensign, take us out of the space dock, thrusters only," commanded the captain as he moved to his chair.
"Thrusters aye," Ensign Gates responded.
Lieutenant Ivanovna took up position behind the captain at the tactical station, while Commander Jevor sat down at the engineering console. Lieutenant Valen took the empty chair at the helm next to Ensign Gates. The first officer and the ship's chief medical officer, the other Human woman from the briefing, took seats to either side of the captain.
The ship maneuvered out of the space dock without incident. "Lets see if this Condor can fly," said the captain. His crew dutifully avoided groaning aloud at his pun. "Set a course for the Cheron system, warp six. Engage," he ordered. The ship jumped immediately into warp and headed off for Cheron to deliver its load of supplies.
"So what's the story on Cheron Five?" the doctor, who was seated to the captain's left, inquired.
"Quite a tale actually, Doctor Giovanni," Commander Yilaan replied. "Up until twenty years ago, the only class M planet in the system was Cheron Six. However, that planet ceased being habitable after a war by the planet's inhabitants. Their atomic and biological weapons destroyed virtually all life on the planet, ripped apart the atmosphere, and thus made the world uninhabitable."
"Only an idiot fights such a war," mumbled Ivanovna, her accent accentuating her distaste for the situation.
The captain, first officer, and doctor all glanced up at her briefly with semi-amused expressions on their faces. The captain then continued the story. "Here's where we come in to all this: ten years ago, Cheron Five was successfully terraformed, and a small, but growing Federation colony was established there. Lately, some weird strain of toxin has been destroying crops and making people sick. We're carrying a potential antidote that should hopefully take care of the problem."
"Yeah, the toxin!" the doctor blurted out excitedly. "I read an article in an old medical journal; it was really quite fascinating. See the toxin works in such a way as to block photosynthesis from taking place in plants. Humanoids eating this stuff . . . well it's kind of like eating a plate full of spaghetti with a whole pile of red peppers on it."
"I don't understand," Captain Freeman said.
"Well, I don't know about you sir, but red peppers make me really sick," the doctor responded matter-of-factly.
Some small chuckles filtered through the bridge. "Sorry to hear that Doctor," the Captain replied, with no trace of levity in his voice.
"Captain, it is also notable that the Cheron star system is within four light years of space claimed by the Gorn Empire," Commander Yilaan reported.
"The Gorn you say? Now there's a name I haven't heard in quite awhile." The captain paused a moment to think before continuing, "The Federation has had no contact with them in, what, forty years?"
"Forty one years ago last month, the treaty of R'Tan was signed, stipulating that the agreed upon border by the Gorn Empire and the Federation was inviolable, and that both sides would not disturb the other, except in the event of some intergalactic emergency," Lieutenant Valen instructed, his voice quiet and even.
"Good memory Valen," chided Jevor. "Now, can you tell me who won the Dylak tournament five years ago?"
"On which planet?" Valen replied smoothly.
Mirth was then interrupted. "Captain, there's a message coming in from Starfleet Command," reported Ivanovna.
"On screen please, Lieutenant," the captain replied as he leaned forward in his chair, watching the viewscreen intently.
An image of a older woman, a Starfleet Admiral, appeared on the screen. "Captain Freeman, this is Admiral Kily. Are you on course for the Cheron system?"
"Yes we are Admiral," Freeman confirmed.
"We have received word that the U.S.S. Templeton, a Federation trading vessel, is missing. Its last known location was near the Cheron system. Further investigation has revealed that two independent traders have also disappeared recently. These losses have all occurred mysteriously, with no calls for help and no distress signals recorded, and all within the last few weeks. Please proceed at best possible speed to the Cheron system. Once you're there, I want you to do some investigating to see if you can turn up any clues as to the fate of these missing ships," the silver-haired Admiral ordered.
"Very good Admiral," Freeman replied, nodding his head.
"Kily out." The image of the Admiral on the viewscreen was replaced with the image of stars streaming by the ship as it continued to travel at warp speed.
"Ensign Gates, how much longer to the Cheron system?" the captain inquired.
"At present speed, twelve days sir," she replied.
"Ensign, punch it up to warp nine," Freeman ordered. "Commander Jevor, how long can we sustain that speed?"
"We can keep it up for twenty-four hours with no real chance of damage to our engines. After such a time, I recommend slowing to warp seven for a like amount of time," the chief engineer replied.
"Very well, we'll continue on course, varying warp speed as needed."
"Aye Captain," Jevor said.
"What is our adjusted ETA to the Cheron system, Ensign?" queried the first officer.
"Six days Commander Yilaan," Gates replied.
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