Christopher Adams Journey to the Paladin

Mission: Journey to the Paladin

Day: 1 - Stardate: 2407.01.06

(Starfleet Cargo Facility, Earth, San Francisco – Outside Launch Bay 31 – Ensign JG Christopher Adams – 0407)

Ensign Christopher Adams footsteps echoed loudly on the tile floor as he slowly walked down the large hallway which connected to all the different launch bays. With duffel bag slung over his shoulder, he glanced back and forth several times to make sure no one was following him. There were very few people walking the hall ways this early in the morning. Every once in a while a service technician would walk past, but they didn't pay much attention to Adams.

The hallway started to curve and finally Adams spied the entrance to launch bay 31. The Commander who had told him several weeks earlier to rendezvous with the Runabout Arkansas had made no further contact. He had received several messages from the Philadelphia and even had a subspace communiqué from Lieutenant Rodriguez, Chief Engineer on the Philadelphia. They were all looking forward to his arrival.

Just a week ago Adams was toasting graduation at the 602 Club with his closest friends from the Academy: Tom Stratton and Fala Taban. He was very close to confiding in them, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. What would they think? Defecting to the other side of the Civil War. He had a lot of respect for both of them, especially Tom. But Commander Lucas said revealing anything about the Paladin could put his friends and family at risk and he just couldn't let that happen.

~Ah, Commander Lucas,~ though Adams. He just couldn't get the commander's visit out of his mind. Was it real? Who could he trust? The only way to feed his hunger for the truth was to see for himself. That's why he packed all his gear as if he wasn't coming back, put on his uniform and headed out into the dark morning hours.

Ensign Adams rounded the corner and came upon a maintenance crew working on a panel outside the entrance to bay 31.

"Excuse me, Ensign," warned the crewman. "This section is off limits. We are upgrading the security systems."

~At 0400 in the morning?~ thought Adams.

"Sorry," responded Adams. "I was told to meet someone here. I must have gotten the wrong directions."

"If you don't mind me asking, who were you meeting?" asked the crewman.

"Someone by the name of Commander Lucas," said Adams.

"Nope," the crewman said with a shake of his head. "Haven't heard of him. We did find this sitting here when we started working." The crewman held out a PADD.

Ensign Adams grabbed the portable computing device and looked at the view screen. Suddenly the screen flashed temporarily blinding the ensign, making him drop the PADD to the floor.

[Identity confirmed,] came a muffled computerized voice.

"Sorry, Ensign," apologized the crewman. "We couldn't take any chances. We have to make sure the passengers we are taking on have been approved. Please enter."

The door to the shuttle bay opened up and Adams walked in still rubbing his eyes. The maintenance crew picked up their tools and followed the ensign through the door. Turning back one of them tapped a code into the door's panel, sealing it shut. They started to remove their jumpsuits revealing Starfleet uniforms underneath.

"Commander Thompson," the crewman who had given him the PADD previously said introducing himself hand out stretched. "Sorry about all the cloak and dagger. It's a necessary evil in times like these. Let's go. We have a pretty small window in order to get past the Starfleet Orbital Defense System."

A single runabout named Arkansas sat in the middle of the shuttle bay. The door was wide open and Ensign Adams along with the crew entered the vessel.

"Lieutenant Braddy, start the pre-flight check and open the doors to the shuttle bay," commanded Thompson. "Ensign Adams, follow me. I'll show you to your bunk and introduce you to the others that are heading to the Paladin."

Adams walked to the aft compartment of the Arkansas. There were two Starfleet officers and a crewman seated at a table talking. They turned when Adams walked into the room.

"Ensign Adams, this is Ensign K'ran," said Thompson pointing to a muscular female Klingon.

"Ensign Graham," continued Thompson pointing to a balding human in his mid-twenties.

"And I'm Crewman Sousa," interrupted a portly short human with a British accent. "Jolly good to meet you."

Adams took his hand. "Nice to meet you too. I guess this is all for real. I've been trying to figure out if this was all going to happen or if Commander Lucas's visit was just a dream."

"Oh, no it's real, Ensign," insured Thompson. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go up front and continue pre-flight. Ensign, your bunk is in the port section. You will be rooming with Crewman Sousa."

"Here, let me help you with that," Sousa offered hands outstretched.

Adams handed over his duffle bag and followed crewman Sousa to their quarters.

(Runabout Arkansas – Cockpit – Commander Thompson – 0422)

Lieutenant Braddy and Ensign Barlow ran diagnostics on all the key systems in preparation for their flight. The roof to Launch Bay 31 started to fold back.

"All systems are ready," stated Braddy. "Commander, we are ready for take off."

"Excellent," responded Thompson. "Open a channel to Cargo Facility Flight Control."

"Open," said Barlow.

"This is Commander Thompson of the Runabout Arkansas requesting clearance for cargo run to the Martian Colonies. Flight plan has been transmitted."

=^=Flight Control to Arkansas, =^= responded a voice over the comm system. =^=You are cleared to launch. Early morning run, eh, Bill? =^=

"Yea. Couldn't be helped. We have some medical equipment to get to the Martian Colonies. It has to be there by 0900 in order to make it to a cargo ship which is heading to the front lines."

=^=Understood. Good luck. Flight Control out. =^=

"That was easy," said Ensign Barlow from the back of the cockpit.

Commander Thompson swiveled around in his chair and glanced at the young ensign. "It's not over yet. We still have to get out of orbit."

Lieutenant Braddy hit several switches on the flight panel and the runabout lifted up into the air and cleared the launch bay doors. It hovered there for a second and then started to climb up into the air. The lights from San Francisco could be seen in the distance.

"Set a course for Mars. Full impulse," commanded Thompson.

"Aye," responded Brady. "We are being haled."

=^=Arkansas. This is Earth Orbital Defense. Please submit your flight plan and access code. =^=

Ensign Barlow transmitted the information to the person hailing them.

=^=Please stand by, =^= responded the voice over the comm system.

~That's odd,~ thought Thompson. ~Usually they just let us on through.~

A couple of minutes passed and the commander started to get even more nervous.

"What's taking so long?" asked Braddy.

Commander Thompson tapped on the control panel, opening up a channel to Earth Orbital Defense. "Arkansas to Earth Orbital Defense. Is there a problem? What is taking so long?"

=^=Please stand by, =^= reiterated the person on the other side of the comm line.

"This is not good," confirmed Thompson. "Barlow, get ready to open a channel to Admiral Green and alert him to the problem. Braddy, get ready to power up the shield and make a run towards Saturn. We might be able to do some misdirection and get clear of the system. Don't initiate anything until my signal. We don't want to alert them to what we are planning."

=^=Earth Orbital Defense to Arkansas. You have clearance. Sorry for the delay. EOD out. =^=

All three of the officers breathed a sigh of relief in unison.

"That was close," said Ensign Barlow after a moment of silence.

"When we've cleared lunar orbit head towards Mars at warp one," commanded Thompson. "After a couple of minutes, change course and head to Starbase Geneva. Maximum warp."

~That was too close,~ thought Thompson glancing out of the window and seeing the stars begin to stretch as the runabout entered warp.

Day: 2 - Stardate: 2407.01.07

(Runabout Arkansas – Cockpit – Commander William Thompson – 0913)

"Runabout Arkansas. Commander's Log. Stardate 2407.01.07. It's been smooth sailing ever since we left the Sol system en route to Starbase Geneva to drop off the latest graduates and enlisted personnel for the USS Paladin. I'm still a little suspicious about the interaction with Earth Orbital Defense, but nothing has gone wrong. We are about half way to our destination and I will feel much better once we are within the space guarded by the 52nd Fleet."

A beep started sounded from the long range sensors.

"Commander," said Lieutenant Braddy. "Long range sensors have picked up a Federation starship on an intercept course."

"Great," responded Commander Thompson sarcastically. "Time to intercept?"

Lieutenant Braddy typed the calculations into his control panel and then looked up at the commander, "Three hours."

~How the hell did they find us in the middle of deep space?~ thought Thompson. ~They must be tracking us some how.~

"Ensign Barlow," said Thompson looking at his first officer. "Go to the weapons locker and get us phasers. I think we need to confront our passengers. We have a spy on board."

(Runabout Arkansas - Aft Compartment - Petty Officer Third Class Gordon Sousa - 0918)

Petty Officer Gordon Sousa was in a chipper mood this morning, but then again he was in a chipper mood almost every morning. He rose early rousting his bunk-mate Ensign Adams out of bed for some breakfast. He filled the young officer's ear with nearly his entire family's history while they scarfed down their eggs, bacon, and corned beef hash. After awhile the other passengers of the Runabout Arkansas, Ensign K'ran and Graham, awoke and came out into the common area. Adams and K'ran went off to read about their new ship while Sousa pestered Graham until he agreed to play a game of 3D chess with him.

"What I don't understand is why we all have to go to our new starship," questioned Sousa. "Wouldn't it save time and effort to just have the ships come to us?"

Ensign Graham game him a weird look as he made his move on the chess board. "You're joking, right? You do remember that there's a civil war going on? If the Paladin came anywhere near the Sol system, Doenitz would have it surrounded by a dozen starships before it got anywhere near Earth."

"Oh yea," Sousa admitted with a chuckle and sliding his bishop over to take one of Graham's knights. "Sometimes it's hard to remember we are in the middle of a war. I can't believe that Doenitz thinks he can just swoop in and take over. Who does he think he is?"

Quite irritated at Sousa's nonchalant style of playing chess, Graham studied the board. "I try to stay out of politics. I just do what I'm told. As long as you are following orders, you aren't doing anything wrong." Graham moved another piece on the board.

"That's quite a narrow way of looking at things," Sousa countered with another move. "Check."

The door to the common room opened and Commander Thompson entered, phaser in hand, flanked by his two crew members also caring phasers.

"Attention everyone," stated Commander Thompson to the room. "It appears we have a spy on board. One of you has alerted one of Doenitz's starships to our presence. I apologize for having to take such extreme measures, but I have little time."

"Bloody hell?" shouted Sousa. "You think you can just burst in here put a phaser to our heads and get us to confess?"

"Calm down," responded Thompson. "Nothing quite so dramatic. We're just going to scan all of your belongings for a transmitter. The starship must somehow be tracking us. Braddy, start scanning."

"Hold your ground, Braddy" said Ensign Barlow phaser pointed at the back of Commander Thompson's head. "Drop your weapons."

Commander Thompson and Lieutenant Braddy let their phasers drop to the ground. Ensign Graham walked over and picked them up and walked over to join Ensign Barlow. "You were supposed to disable the long range sensors."

"I didn't get the chance," replied Barlow.

"Let me guess. Just following orders?" asked Sousa looking directly at Graham.

"Something like that. No fast moves," said Graham to the group. "We just have to wait around for another couple of hours until the USS Roosevelt gets here. You all are under arrest for treason against the Federation."

"Treason?" laughed Thompson. "Are you joking? If anyone should be charged with a crime, it's Doenitz. He initiated a coup and seized control of the Federation."

"He's saving the Federation," corrected Graham with a hard stare directly into the commander's eyes. "Don't you see? The Federation has become weak. We were not unlike the Romans sitting around getting fat and lazy just waiting for the Huns to come down and slaughter us. Don't worry. History will record that Doenitz brought about a new era of peace once the terrorist actions of LoDona are finally silenced. Now everyone back up into the quarters over there," Ensign Graham ordered with a wave of his phaser.

Thompson, Braddy, Adams, K'ran, and Sousa crowded into the small quarters in the rear of the runabout. Graham looked Thompson in the face, "Don’t worry. You will only have to spend a few hours in here." He hit a few buttons on the door panel and it swung shut trapping the five of them in the tiny room.

Credits

• (posted by Jason)