Christopher Adams Training Days

Mission: Training Days

Day: 1 - Stardate: 2406.12.18

(Starfleet Academy - Resorte Advanced Training Facility - Cadet Christopher Adams - 0850)

Cadet Adams paced the lobby of the Resorte Advanced Training Facility as sweat formed on his brow. Wringing his hands, he contemplated his meeting with Commodore Kanin.

~Why do I always have to arrive so early? Now I have nothing to do for ten minutes. Calm down, Cadet. This is it. This is my final training before getting an assignment. Once I pass this test, I will be off to the great unknown, as Dr. Zefram Cochrane put it, 'going boldly like no man has gone before',~ thought Chris.

A slim commander, just taller than Chris approached.

"Can I help you find your way, Cadet?" asked the commander.

"No, thank you, sir. I can find my way. I just seem to have arrived a little early," replied Chris.

The commander gave a quick smile, "Commodore Kanin doesn't mind if you get there early. Late, that's another story. And, don't be so nervous, Cadet Adams. You will do fine. I've gone through your records, especially your advance engineering training. You will do fine."

"Uh…I mean…Thank you, sir," answered Chris dumb found. "I had no idea you knew who I was."

"Don't mention it," the commander replied. "Now, get a move on, Cadet."

"Yes, sir," answered Chris with enthusiasm and he headed down the hall to the turbolift.

(Starfleet Academy - Resorte Advanced Training Facility, Outside Commodore Kanin's office - Cadet Christopher Adams - 0855)

Chris found his way to Commodore Kanin's office and approached an ensign seated outside a set of double doors emblazed with Starfleet symbols.

"May I help you, Cadet?" the female ensign asked.

"Yes. Cadet Christopher Adams reporting to see Commodore Kanin," replied Chris.

"Hold on just a second," the ensign said as she pressed a button on her desk. "Commodore? Cadet Adams is here."

=^= Send the cadet in, =^= the Commodore stated over the comm system.

"You may enter." The ensign waved a hand towards the double doors.

Cadet Adams approached the double doors, which opened as he arrived. The view from the office was amazing. He could see the San Francisco sky line in all of it's glory as the sun rose over the city. Seated at a big oak desk was a woman in a red admiral's uniform. She gave him an inquisitive look as he approached.

"Cadet Adams reporting as ordered," stated Chris.

Alexis looked at him again, "Mr. Adams, welcome. I know it has been a long four years for you, but its almost at an end. You have your final examination now. If you do well, you will be assigned to duty in Starfleet, if you fail it will end here. Looking at your records, I'm sure you should do well. Please report to your instructor and examiner Lieutenant Cosico Thomas in Holodeck 3 immediately. And good luck." She handed the cadet a PADD as he left.

"Aye, sir," replied Adams as he did an about face and headed out of the commodore's office. The doors once again hissed open as he approached.

~Well, that was relatively painless,~ thought the cadet. The bluntness of the commodore's message was unexpected. He wondered if Kanin's Betazoid half could tell how nervous he was. Continuing to be lost in thought, Adams entered the hall outside of the commodore's office and approached the comm panel on a nearby wall and activated it.

"Computer. Please direct me to Holodeck 3."

The facility computer responded to the inquiry, [Holodeck 3 is located on level three, section alpha. Please follow the direction arrows to your destination.]

Cadet Adams glanced down the hall and followed the lights along the wall.

(Starfleet Academy - Resorte Advanced Training Facility, Holodeck 3 - Cadet Christopher Adams - 0910)

[Cadet Adams. You destination is on your left. Holodeck 3 is currently active. Would you like to enter?]

"Yes. Please," replied the cadet.

The holodeck doors opened and Cadet Adams came face to face with a Betazoid lieutenant.

"Cadet Christopher Adams, reporting as ordered," stated Chris, offering the PADD to the waiting lieutenant.

Cosico eyed the man suspiciously before taking the PADD from the Cadet. "Good" she simply said before walking back behind her desk and sitting down. She placed the PADD on the desk without looking at it, before gesturing to the chair opposite herself. "Sit" She said quickly and harshly.

Cadet Adams proceeded to the chair that she gestured to while she continued, "Would you like anything to drink, Cadet? And while you ponder on that question, think about this one too. Why are you here? Then give me you answer at the same time."

"No…no, thank you, sir," the cadet responded nervously as he seated himself. "I'm not thirsty. Also, I'm a little nervous. This is after all my last test before I graduate from Starfleet Academy. I've wanted to be in Starfleet all of my life. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all served. It's been my whole life. My grandfather served on the USS Melbourne and was killed in the Battle of Wolf 359 when my father was fifteen. After that, my father entered Starfleet just for revenge and was posted to Starfleet Tactical to help create weapons to fight the Borg and where he met my mother. As a child, we traveled around from starbase to starbase until we settled on Earth during my high school years.

"I seemed to have picked up my dad's engineering gene," Adams continued. "I love to take things apart and put them back together. If something's broken I can easily find out what's wrong and fix it. I felt the best way to honor my grandfather was to join Starfleet and continue the Adams legacy."

Cosico nodded and raised an eyebrow with a small amount of concern when the Cadet mentioned the battle of Wolf 359. "A horrible, Battle" She muttered before continuing. "An engineering gene?" She asked outloud, "How curious." She noted what the cadet had said down on the padd he had handed her previously. "So you would say you are with us out of honor? Not because you wish to be here?" She asked quite harshly. "Perhaps you would like to be elsewhere? Just name it Cadet and I will have you there within seconds." She said smiling menacingly.

"No, sir," Cadet Adams replied quickly. "I absolutely want to be here. Starfleet is in my blood. I have dedicated all my studies throughout school just to get here."

Cosico nodded, "I understand" She carefully thought about her next couple lines of speech before saying anything. "Cadet. Since this is the case, I would then assume you do not need me lecturing you about the importance of this exam?" She said quite slowly.

"No, sir," Adams replied quickly.

Cosico nodded, "Then we shall continue with our test." She stood up and walked across the room to the Holodeck arch and began rummaging through computer files. "Computer, Activate program 8InsEngineeringSim3" She said finding the correct program. Suddenly the holodeck shimmered into a Galaxy class engineering room. "Main engineering" She said as she wandered back towards the cadet. "On a Galaxy class, It's quite an interesting place to be. Don't you think?"

Adams gawked at the holodeck simulation. "Yes...quite interesting...uh...sir."

The cadet was startled as klaxons suddenly started blaring and red lights started flashing along the wall. A crewman ran towards Adams screaming, "Sir! Sir! What do we do?"

Cadet Adams glanced down towards the holographic crewman and responded, "Report, crewman!"

Cadet Christopher Adams glanced down at the computer readout while an engineering technician screamed over the klaxons sounding off in engineering, "Sir, the plasma conduits on decks 4 through 10 are fried, the antimatter - matter conversion is decaying for some unknown reason and we have several conduits and computers in main engineering which seemingly randomly keep exploding."

"Yes. According to this readout there is a leak in the port coolant tank, which is causing plasma conduits all over the ship to rupture. We need to shutdown the tank and re-route the coolant on the starboard side to compensate for the diminished coolant levels. I'm going to re-route the EPS around the fried circuits on decks 4 through 10. I need you to go over to that panel over there and switch the coolant system over."

Just as Adams finished, the terminal behind the crewman exploded sending him flying towards the nearest wall. He slumped to the ground unconscious.

[Warp Core Breach Imminent. 10 minutes before Warp Core Breach,] came a loud booming voice from the computer.

"Damn," Cadet Adams said under his breath. "I guess I'm going to have to take my chances with the EPS system exploding while I transfer the coolant myself."

Adams left the panel he was working on and ran over to the computer that he pointed to previously.

[Warp Core Breach imminent. 9 minutes before Warp Core Breach,] the computer continued its warning.

Adams fingers flew over the panel shutting down the leaking coolant tank and transferring the needed coolant to the plasma system. After that was done, he started working on stabilizing the matter-antimatter reaction assembly.

He had issued no warning so far, Not evacuated engineering or the likes. Not warned the captain or commanding officer on the bridge what was happening. ~Hmmm,~ Cosico thought to herself ~I wonder how far the count-down has to go before he does something~ She smiled slightly and thought about speeding it up slightly and then decided that would be mean. If she remembered her statistics correctly for a FULL Galaxy class vessel to fully evacuate it would take between 10 - 15 minutes, is the captain wanted the warp core dumped that would take between 4 - 6 minutes depending on how efficient the engineer doing it was.

She wasn’t going to offer any help to the Cadet, He had to figure out what needed doing by himself. So far his marks were average. Good engineering skills, Lacking in common sense ~Apparently~. Still, she thought that the Cadet would still manage to revive himself. She hoped.

Cadet Christopher Adams started working on stabilizing the matter-antimatter reaction assembly from the engineering console he was working on. It wasn't going all that well. The system was getting enough coolant now, but there was still something that was weakening the containment field.

[Warp Core Breach imminent. 8 minutes before Warp Core Breach,] the computer continued.

Suddenly the panel to the right of the Cadet exploded, cutting power to the station he was working on. Adams glanced around the engineering deck, seeing Lieutenant Thoma's in the corner observing his every action. Other engineering techs were scrambling around the consoles trying to get a handle on the situation. Adams stopped one of them with a grab of the shoulder.

"Crewman," Adams commanded looking down at the tech. "I need you to go over to that panel and start re-routing power around the damaged conduits on decks four through ten. The power levels to the containment system are low. I will stay here and hand calibrate the containment field."

With a nod of the head, the crewman approached the computer station across from Adams and started tapping the panel.

With a deep sigh Adams came to the realization that he might not be able to stop this and reached down and touched his comm badge.

(USS Firebrande - Main Bridge - USS Firebrande Captain, Captain Luke Bright - 0927)

Luke was in quite the emotional state. With no warning from his engineering crews the bridge had plunged into darkness and now the computer was issuing warning commands about warp core breach. Without consulting with his CEO he had quickly made a ship wide decision of abandoning the ship. "To the escape pods" He told his senior bridge crew.

=^=Engineering to bridge.=^=

~At last~ He thought to himself. He quickly tapped his comm. badge, "Captain here. What the hell is going on?" He asked quickly. Eager for an update.

=^=Captain. We have plasma conduits down on decks four through ten, which has caused an instability in antimatter containment. We are seven minutes from a warp core breach. I suggest we initiate a warp core ejection. I'm working with crewman Williams right now on a solution and I can still continue to work on fixing the problem right up to the last second.=^=

He sighed before answering the CEO, "If that is your suggestion. I've ordered the bridge crew to man the battle bridge and to begin evacuation procedures. You have 3 minutes before I eject the core. Bright out" He said as he tapped his comm. badge to close the link.

Commander Julie Renfroe herded the rest of the bridge crew onto the express turbolift to the Battle Bridge. Captain Bright had ordered a saucer separation and evacuation of the engineering section and she was now going to take command of the Battle Bridge while the ships new CEO, Christopher Adams, tried to fix the instability in the warp core. If he couldn't fix it, then they too would have to evacuate. Suddenly, there was a flash of light behind her. She turned around to see Captain Bright flying across the room. Lieutenant Reeves moved to help him.

"Halt, Lieutenant." Renfroe commanded. "There is not enough time. We have to carry out the Captain's orders and take control of the engineering section."

With reluctance Reeves joined the rest of the bridge crew and the doors to the Battle Bridge turbolift closed.

(Starfleet Academy - Holodeck 3: USS Firebrande, Cadet Christopher Adams - 0928)

[Warp Core Breach imminent. 7 minutes before Warp Core Breach,] the computer voice warned a little quieter this time. Apparently the internal comm system was starting to lose power.

Cadet Adams turned to Crewman Williams who was working on a wall panel next to Adams. "What is taking so long, crewman? You should already have the systems by passed by now."

"Sir," replied the scared engineering tech. "Every time I choose an EPS conduit to bypass, it ruptures. It looks like we are seeing a cascading failure of the entire EPS system in the saucer section."

Adams started flipping through all the technical information of Galaxy Class starships he had learned in class. "Isolate the engineering section from the saucer section. That will at least keep the damage from hitting the systems down here. Then I should be able to re-calibrate the antimatter containment field."

Crewman Williams started hitting the panel. "Uh…sir…internal sensors are down. I'm completely blind."

"What!" Cadet Adams screamed in frustration. He gave a glace over to Lieutenant Thoma's who was still observing from the corner.

The computer quietly continued its warning, [Warp Core Breach imminent. 6 minutes before Warp Core Breach.]

Adams touched his comm badge. "Engineering to bridge. This is Adams. It looks like we aren't going to be able to stop this. You should initiate a warp core ejection."

There was only silence.

"Bridge?" Cadet Adams asked again.

=^=Engineering.=^= came a female voice over the comm system. =^=This is Commander Renfroe on the Battle Bridge. Captain Bright is dead. What is your situation?=^=

"The situation is grave," Adams responded sadly. "Internal sensors just went down and we can no longer fix the problem. You are going to have to go ahead and eject the core."

=^=What are you talking about, Adams? We never initiated the warp core ejection systems and there's not enough time to start it back up. You need to get everyone out of engineering and to the escape pods. We are going to initiate a saucer separation and then…=^=

"Saucer separation?" Adams interrupted. "That might just work."

=^=What are you saying?=^=

"Right before the sensors went down we were trying to isolate the EPS system in the saucer section from the engineering section. During a saucer separation, those systems will automatically get separated. When that happens, the power systems here in engineering should kick back in and I will be able to calibrate the antimatter containment."

[Warp Core Breach imminent. 5 minutes before Warp Core Breach.]

=^=Adams. You have to be out of your mind. It will take me four minutes to do a saucer separation. That will only leave you about a minute. You should get everyone down there to the escape pods.=^=

"Acknowledged. Engineering out," Cadet Adams replied tapping his comm badge to cut off the transmission.

Adams addressed the rest of the crew that was remaining the engineering. "Williams. Thomas. Elara. Get to the escape pods. I'm going to stay here and calibrate the antimatter containment once the saucer separates from the engineering section."

"But…sir," Crewman Williams protested.

"To the escape pods!" screamed Cadet Adams.

(USS Firebrande - Battle Bridge - USS Firebrande First Officer, Commander Julie Renfroe - 0934)

"Saucer separation complete," stated Lieutenant Reeves. "One minute until warp core breach."

"Okay," Commander Julie Renfroe acknowledged. "Everyone to the escape pods! There isn't much time, so hurry!"

(Starfleet Academy - Holodeck 3: USS Firebrande, Cadet Christopher Adams - 0934)

[Warp Core Breach imminent. 60 seconds before Warp Core Breach.]

Cadet Adams looked down at the master systems display engineering table when suddenly all the lights in engineering came back to full power.

~Saucer separation must have completed,~ Adams thought to himself. His fingers started to fly over the console. Now that the effected systems in the saucer section had been isolated, he was getting full sensors and power to his computer systems. It didn't take long before he had the antimatter containment system re-calibrated.

Cosico had stood amazed at the risks the Cadet was taking to make sure the holographic crew were safe. She smiled ~Hmmm, He'll do~ She thought to herself. She knew that the man had what it takes to survive in Starfleet and she also knew her fravorite part of the whole course was coming up, Graduation.

"Computer. What is the status of the warp core?" She heard Adams state.

[Anti-matter containment stable. Warp core stable,] responded the computer.

Cadet Christopher Adams was looking at the floor when the deck of the Galaxy Class starship he was on disappeared into the familiar holodeck grid.

"Well done, Cadet," Lieutenant Thoma's congratulated Adams. "It seems you did it. I'm impressed." She sat down at her desk, tapped a few things into the PADD she was working on and handed it to the Cadet. Smiling she said, "Congratulations. You've passed."

Adams breathed a sigh of relief as she continued, "From here you should report to the Academy Commanding Officer, Admiral Pavak Green. You'll find his office easily enough. I look forward to hearing of your achievements within the fleet. Good luck, Cadet."

"Thank you, sir. I hope I won't disappoint." With a nod, Cadet Adams did an about face and left the holodeck.

(Starfleet Academy - Outside Holodeck 3, Cadet Christopher Adams - 0938)

Chris breathed another sigh of relief as he silently celebrated his passing of his final exam for Starfleet Academy. ~There's still so much more I could have done better,~ he questioned himself. ~But, this is just the beginning. There's more out there and I'm sure I'll learn more with ever mission.~

With one more sigh, Adams walked over to one of the panels along the all. "Computer. Please direct me to the office of Admiral Pavak Green."

The facility computer responded to the injury, [The office of Admiral Pavak Green is located on level 5 section gamma. Please follow the direction arrows to your destination.]

The cadet glanced down the hall and followed the lights along the wall.

(Starfleet Academy - Outside Admiral Pavak Green's Office, Cadet Christopher Adams - 0945)

Chris found his way to Admiral Green's office and approached an ensign seated outside a set of double doors emblazed with Starfleet symbols.

"May I help you, Cadet?" the female ensign asked.

"Yes. Cadet Christopher Adams reporting to see Admiral Green," replied Chris.

"Hold on just a second," the ensign said as she pressed a button on her desk. "Admiral? Cadet Adams is here."

Pavak stood beside his desk until his doorchime sounded. This would be the cadet he was expecting. Moment’s before the cadet’s arrival, a message had been sent by their holodeck instructor advising Pavak that they had been successful. While Pavak’s Vulcan features belied his dual heritage, he still felt the warm emotion of accomplishment. This was the part of the job Pavak loved the most. Pavak quickly took his seat and looked at the door expectantly. He then watched as the door slid open and a slightly nervous and worried cadet entered handing Pavak a PADD.

Pavak took the PADD silently and reviewed it, leaving the cadet standing at attention. Finally, he motioned to the chair in front of his desk and allowed the cadet to be seated. Then, a wide grin broke out across his face.

“Congratulations, you have graduated from Starfleet Academy!” stated Pavak. This was the part of the job he definitely liked the most. “I wish I could give you some time to celebrate, but you’re needed for duty immediately on the USS Paladin due to your abilities as an Engineering Officer.”

Pavak withdrew a small box from his desk and put it in front of the cadet, contained within it was a single black pip. “You are hereby assigned to the USS Paladin, as Assistant Chief Engineering Officer with a commission as Ensign Junior Grade, report to Captain Eva Straton.”

With that, Pavak shook the cadet’s hand and then gave him the traditional Vulcan gesture while he watched the cadet take the new pip from the box and attach it directly to his collar. “You have a transport shuttle to catch Ensign, live long and prosper...and congratulations.”

(Starfleet Academy – Outside Brand Hall – Cadet Christopher Adams – 1114)

Cadet Christopher Adams walked across the parade grounds of Starfleet Academy towards his quarters in Brand Hall. He was elated about the passing of his final exam, still grasping the box which contained the single black pip that Admiral Green had given him. In five short days, the graduation ceremonies would take place on the very parade grounds he was crossing. He would finally get to wear the standard black and gold Starfleet uniform. He couldn’t wait.

He entered Brand Hall and headed towards the lift which would take him to his room.

“Level three,” Cadet Adams instructed the lift.

As Adams approached the door, he got a sudden feeling that something was wrong. He glanced to his left and right, but the hallway was quiet. He reached down and grasped the door handle to his quarters and slowly opened the door. His quarters were dark.

“Computer. Lights,” said Adams to the room. The lights only game up to half strength.

“Computer. Increase illumination by 200 percent.” Nothing happed.

“Actually, I kind of like the dark,” a masculine voice came from his right.

Chris whirled in the direction of the voice to see a humanoid figure standing near the shaded window to his room. The light coming from the edges of the shades made it hard to see the person’s face. Adams instinctively reached for his comm badge.

“Attention, Cadet.” snapped the man stepping out of the shadows. It was a Starfleet commander dressed in a black and red uniform. In a more cautious tone, “I really don’t want anyone to know I was here.”

Cadet Adams returned his hand to his side once he saw the rank insignia on the side of the man’s neck.

“I’m Commander Lucas,” explained the man. “I understand Admiral Green posted you to the USS Paladin?”

“That’s correct,” Adams responded slowly.

“These are dark times, Cadet,” explained Lucas. “The landscape of the Federation is changing. If you play your cards right, you can have a plush job on one of the premiere ships in the fleet. What do you think about that?”

“I think a post should be earned,” said Adams. “Not just handed to someone.”

“Good answer, Cadet,” responded the commander. “I’m glad to hear you say that. It’s why I’m here to see you. You can tell no one you were assigned to the Paladin. It’s loyal to LoDona and you’ve been hand selected to defend the true principles of the Federation. You must keep this secret or your life or that of your family might be at stake. Doenitz would love nothing more than to stop the re-supply of new cadets to his enemy. You understand, Cadet?”

“Yes, sir,” the cadet responded with a perplexed look on his face. “But, what should I say if someone asks where I’ve been posted? How will I know who to trust?”

“I will be the only contact you have until you report to the runabout Arkansas stationed in bay 31 at the Starfleet Cargo Facility. You must arrive there on Stardate 2407.01.06 at 0400 hours. If anyone approaches you before that, they will more than likely be loyal to Doenitz. You should just say that you are posted to the Philadelphia. You’re official Starfleet records say as such. They won’t know that you have been diverted to the Paladin until you don’t show up for duty.” Commander Lucas narrowed his look at Adams. “This is serious business, Cadet, are you sure you are up to it?”

“I understand and I’m very happy,” said Adams. “I’ve been secretly following the happenings of the 52nd Fleet for some time now.”

“I know, son. That’s how we found you,” explained Lucas. “We’ve actually had our eye on you for quite some time. Admiral LoDona made sure to put together a well thought out underground to funnel Cadets to the fleet. Otherwise, our movement would wither away and die. Without good leadership, there is no way to keep the principles we grew up with alive. I hope you understand.”

“I do, sir,” Adams said shaking his head in disbelief. “I’ve lived my whole life living by those principles. My father served as well as my Grandfather. Unfortunately my Grandfather died before I was born during the initial Borg invasion.”

“Well, Cadet, this is your chance to defend the Federation from an enemy that’s slowly eating us away from the inside. I’ve heard a great deal about Captain Straton, even though I’ve never met her in person. She’s a fine Captain and will teach you well. You will also be serving under Lieutenant Matrix, a very capable Chief Engineer. Learn as much as you can. You may be the future of the Federation. Good luck, Cadet. And remember, Arkansas. Stardate 2407.01.06. 0400 hours.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Adams.

Commander Lucas tapped his comm badge and was transported away.

~Wow,~ though Adams. ~Can it be? Can I trust him? What happens if it’s a trap to test my loyalty to the Federation?~

“I guess there’s only one way to find out,” Adams said to the now empty room.

Credits

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