Story Idea and Concept Copy Written V. A. Storm 8/1/2016
Star Trek: Shadow Wars and accompanying works are fan fiction based on and using elements from Star Trek, which is trademarked by Paramount Pictures and CBS. I do not claim ownership of Star Trek or any associated characters or the universe of Star Trek. The stories of the U.S.S. Spartan and other accompanying Vessels are of my own invention and are not part of the official Star Trek canon; these stories are for entertainment purposes only. I am not in any way profiting financially from the creation or publication of these works. I am grateful to Gene Roddenberry, CBS, and Paramount for the wonderful Star Trek universe in which I can play; without it, these stories would not exist. If you wish to support me as an author, please look in my other works of non-fanfiction.
Star Date 93603.12
Location: Earth Space Dock, Admiralty HQ
Captain Ceyren Alexia Nightshade sat motionless with her hands fold in her lap, fighting with herself not fidget. She was nervous, there wasn’t very many Orion captains in Starfleet. She went through The Academies accelerate course, and scored higher in every class she took. Ceyren was an extremely studious individual, as well as extremely athletic. She yearned to be a Capitan of a Starfleet vessel. She silently hoped that this was her chance. The wars taking place throughout the multiverse, Starfleet was stretched thin. Starfleet Command was promoting straight out of the Academy. Normally however, most people weren’t asked to report to the Fleet Admirals office on Earth Space Dock, for their first ship assignments. The Admiral was currently speaking to Captain Argon of the Enterprise J, an Odyssey Class Vessel, quite a sight to behold and one of the best ships in all of Starfleet.
She only knew who Cpt. Argon was because he had been one of the testers in the No Win Scenario, which was of course one of the final exams any would-be Captains had to take. She had thought he was quite interesting to say the least. He was Devanorion, a rare alien race who lived in a quadrant of space yet explored by Starfleet, who had ended up here quite by accident. That however, wasn’t a story for her to tell. They seemed to be discussing her appointment, and what vessel she would be put in charge of crewing. After what felt like an eternity they finally reached some consensus. Fleet Admiral Adams came to his desk and sat down pulling out a data pad. Cpt. Argon stood next to him, at a lazy parade rest. He smiled down at Ceyren, she knew that her body was pleasing even in the Starfleet standardized uniform, but Argon didn’t smile at her with lecherous eyes, but those of admiration. It was nice, for once to feel attention for her skills, instead of her body.
There had been countless accusation of her sleeping her way to her grades, and though she did sleep around quite a bit in the academy, she didn’t however sleep with any teachers, not that she knew of anyways. As Orion, her sexual appetite was next to infinite, but that didn’t mean she used it to cheat. She thought about it though, she did have a habit of sleeping with other students who were the tops in their fields, and people outside of the academy who could offer her, more access to things that would help her. This however, was to a knowledge advantage, Klingons excelled in combat because they were trained in it. Orion excelled in information gathering, because they were trained in it. She gained knowledge and retained it, it’s no different than reading a book, hers was just more interactive, and pleasing.
Her attention was brought to the front of her brain though as the Admiral spoke.
“So Cpt. Nightshade, we reviewed your history. Before applying to Starfleet it says here you served as a Captain in the Klingon defense force. Flying their Escort Class Bird of Prey. The fact that you didn’t hide this information from us, bodes well for you. I am pretty sure, most of this information was gone over by Starfleet academy upon your entry into the program. However, as we are about to possible give you command of one of our most formidable ships, I want to go over some of this with you. Are you okay with that?”
Ceyren smiled she knew this would happen, eventually. She had been part of the KDF for almost four years. It’s where a lot of her experience came from. She takes a deep breath composing herself for the questions to come.
“Yes, Sir. Go ahead with your line of questioning.”
Admiral Adams picks up his data pad.
“Is it true that you are responsible for the destruction of 126 federation vessels during your time as a Commander of the Red Dragon IV?”
Ceyren chuckled, she had edict memory, so the name of the ships, there classes, and even their weakness were in her mind. She pauses for a moment to best form the answer to her question.
“Your Reports aren’t accurate. I scored 132 confirm Kills against the Federation, and disabled 36 others, which after becoming a member of Starfleet academy, was able to confirm that another 16 of those had to be scarped do the damage I inflected upon them. Which brings the score up to 148. I also destroy 216 Orion Syndicate vessels, 250 Nausicaans Pirate Vessels, 300 Klingon separatist ships, as well as a few Borgs and Undine. As per the KDF mandate, I was tasked with these mission, no differently than a Starfleet officer might be issued orders to destroy KDF ships. If I am not mistaken Cpt. Argon has a confirm kill score of 556 KDF Vessels, and yourself before being promoted to this position 756. I haven’t dug very deep into your records on kills in other fleets, as that would be a bit harder without direct access to your record.
I believe my answer gives one picture, aside for the loss of life incurred. That I follow my orders well, and with precision. That I can be depended on when needed, and that in a combat situation I am a valued asset.”
Admiral Adam’s couldn’t help but smiles, she was a firecracker this one. Something he wasn’t sure he needed behind as much fire power as he was about to give her. However, they needed higher ranking officers in the fleet with experience, there was far too many cadets that were greener then Ceryens skin.
“Thank you for answering my question. What I guess I really need to know, is why you left the KDF, and how do I know you won’t take our ship to them and hand it over.”
“Simple Answers. The first answer to your question is, I am Engineer and a Scientist, and though my combat record states that I am at least a good tactician, that is not my chosen field of study. Klingons are great warriors, and do have some room for those fields, but they are studying things already developed, and created by other fleets out there. Playing catch up as it were. I don’t want to play catchup; I want to be on the leading edge. Starfleet is where you need to be to do that, or Romulan High command. Personally I am not a fan of the Romulan Structure or the infighting they are currently engaged in.
To answer you second question, I will answer it with as much honesty as Orionly possible. There is no way for you to know. I can’t give you a promise or an oath that will mean anything to you, as we have never served together, or even fought each other. I could easily be a spy, or a thief and just going to run off with whatever you give me. However, if I was, I wouldn’t choose to answer this question the way I am. I would have sworn some oath that I could easily break. Or tried to convince you with other means that I am indeed a honorable individual deserving of only the best.
However, I am here for one thing. The advancement of science and Engineering. The gaining of knowledge through the best means possible, with the highest honorable intent. I could care less if you give me a Maranda Class Frigate with technology from the 23 century. As long as it afforded me the opportunity to advance my studies and help the universe as a whole. I would accept it and move on.”
Adams listened intently to her response, it wasn’t exactly what he was looking for, that however, meant that she was an even better candidate they what she was hoping for.
“Well you will be happy to know that I am not giving you a Maranda. As a matter of a fact, you are going to be a wing commander. You are going to be given the commission of the U. S. S Spartan, a Jupiter Class Science Command carrier. Which will be in charge of wing of five other vessels, which will be given the primary mission of exploration, but will be a reserve force to assist in conflict that might arise through the sector.”
Ceyren was taken by surprise here, the best should could have hoped for was a Galaxy class or something along those lines, but a cutting edge science vessel, a carrier, and also a wing command. It was more than she could hope for, so much so she couldn’t hide the shit eating grin on her face. Trying to control her emotions she spoke.
“Thank Admiral. You will not regret this.”
Adams laughed out loud. It was a happy joyful laugh, one tempered by age. You could tell her wasn’t used to doing it much anymore, it he enjoyed it.
“You might, end up regretting it. You are lucky, to have this given to you. But your ship is unmanned, and your wing is still under construction. It will be your job to put together you wing. That in of itself will be a massive undertaking. You have six months to accomplish this task. You are dismissed, Captain.”
Ceyren blinked a few times before standing up and saluting before she turned to leave she asked a question.
“Sir, Permission to speak?”
“Granted.”
“Do I have the freedom to pull people out of the academy early for this?”
The fleet admiral took a moment to consider.
“Yes, but only one year early, not sooner. I can’t afford anyone who isn’t in advance classes. Go talk to fleet requisitions they have some information already compiled for you.”
“Yes sir, and thank you again.”
Ceyren turned and walked out heading to fleet requisitions.
Adams spoke to Argon after she was gone.
“What do you think?”
“I think you just either doomed us all, or you might have just saved us from an early demise. We will have to see. I know that my wing will be detailed to a similar circuit as hers. Is this for me to watch her, or to assist her.”
Adams laughed a bit more subdued this time.
“A Little bit of both to be honest.”
Star Date 93606.65
Location: Earth Space Dock, Admiralty HQ (Captain Ceryens quarters)
Captain Nightshade sat at her desk with her head cradles in her hands. When she was a captain in the Klingon Defense Force she never had a crew complement that was larger than 600 and that was on a battle cruiser. What she was now in charge of finding crew for was massively larger. She turned to her personal log, to rant a little bit.
“Personal Log Star Date 93606.65 Captain Ceyren Nightshade Captain of the U.S.S Spartan NCC-2361-01 A. I find myself in a special type of hell. Yes you heard me, Hell! I was so excited when I got this position that I didn’t really consider the massive undertaking that was taking on. I am responsible for not only crewing my own Jupiter Class Star Ship. Which by the way has a standard running crew complement of 30,000. Yes, you heard me, 30,000! And there is still room to spare.
But Also the Flight Wing that I am in charge of, which I have been calling Phalanx, keeping with the name of my ship, which consist of 6 ships. These ships are as follows. The U.S.S. Spearhead, a Yorktown Class Science4 Vessel, Crew Complement 2,500. The U.S.S. Joyeuse, a Presidio class tactical Cruiser, crew complement 1,000. The U.S.S. Quick Silver, a Mercury Class Tactical Escort, Crew Complement, 250. The U.S.S. Temerarious, A Galaxy Class Retrofit, 3,500. The U.S.S. Genasys, A NX Engineering Cruiser, 15,550. Of course our last ship is the U.S.S. Leonidas, a Retrofit Defiant Class, which needs about 50 crew. Now, if that was all I needed, that would in of itself be a challenge, but I also have to find Rating 6 Fighter Piolets for my complement of 3,600 Experimental Mustang Class Interceptors. So doing the math, I need 56,450 crew. That isn’t taking into account that three of the other ships have a complement of fighters themselves. So all in all I have just rounded it up to needing 65,000 Crew.
And of course because I because I am a perfectionist, and control freak, so I want to hand pick most of these people myself. Shit, just fucking, Shit. End personal Log.”
Ceyren stood up leaving her pile of data pads on her desk, she quickly walked out of her quarters and headed towards the recreation deck of the Starbase. It didn’t take her long to get there, she need a break from staring at all those words while she thought some things through, how she was going to conquer this challenge. There was another Orion girl down here who worked as a bar tender. The two of them had struck a bit of a friendship.
“Good Afternoon Captain Nightshade, what can I get for you?”
“Hey Ammonia, today I need a Glass of Firebrandy please. It’s been a rough twenty four hours.”
Ammonia chuckled, knowing full well the plight of new captains can be quite good for her business. After they exchanged funds and Ceyren took a sip of the fiery beverage Ammonia had to ask.
“So what is the problem that you are trying to solve?”
Ceyren shook her head, and took another sip, the strong beverage burning as it went down her throat making her gasp a little. She looked up her deep violet colored eyes meeting the bright Emerald eyes of Ammonia’s.
“I have to crew 65,000 officers.”
“Is that all?”
They both laughed at that, a small silence followed. Ammonia decided to chime in when Ceyren didn’t say another thing, but just kept nursing her brandy.
“Well, I know you well enough now, to know you are a bit of a perfectionist. So what I suggest is find you perfect First officer, and also a perfect personal Assistant. Once you get those two you can use them to act as a filter for you, to help you narrow down the list’s faster. I would than suggest focusing on heads of departments so that they could help as well. I know you are going to want to hand pick everyone, but you don’t have enough time to separate the chaff individually. Also, I know it’s not standard Federation operation, but maybe looking outside Starfleet might help as well.”
Ceyren looked at Ammonia with new eyes, and smiled.
“You want a job?”
Ammonia wasn’t expecting that, but it actually appealed to her, she was starting to get bored working on earth space dock. She thought about it for a few moments before giving her answer.
“Come back to me once you a have a bit more of your crew picked out and ask me again. I might just say yes.”
Ceyren nodded finishing her Firebrandy.
Shadow Wars - A Star Trek Fan Story 