Cloak and Dagger
Lt. Zander Blakeslee
and
Admiral Jonas Vox
71221.11
Following "A New Adventure"
--=Aboard the Phoenix 7 Weapons Research Facility=--
Lt. Zander Blakeslee
and
Admiral Jonas Vox
71221.11
Following "A New Adventure"
--=Aboard the Phoenix 7 Weapons Research Facility=--
“Damn. I hate to lose you Zander.” Captain Pritchard lamented as he read over the orders on the PADD.
Zander nodded as he stood at the front of the station's commanding officer. “I understand and I have to admit I do feel somewhat sorry about ducking out on you, especially considering the status of the station. But you know as well as I do how rare a family posting is.”
Pritchard held up his hand. “I understand completely. To be honest I am envious. You get the whole package, your career and your family.”
“Computer let the log show that as of 17:00 hours today Lt. Zander Blakeslee was relieved of duty. He will be transferring to the USS Serendipity.” The computer beeped its acknowledgment.
He stood up from his desk and extended his hand. “Good luck to you Lieutenant. Tell Samthia I said hello.”
Zander shook the captain’s hand vigorously. “Thank you sir. I will.”
Pritchard walked from behind his desk to lead Zander to the door. “How soon will you be leaving us?”
Zander walked with the captain. “ASAP. I already packed up most of my belongings. I will be hopping a ride with the Andorian cargo vessel Haydros that is currently docked. They will take me to Starbase 16. From there I get to piggy back on the USS Osiris all the way back to Earth.” He rubbed his eyes. “It will take about two weeks, barring any problems.”
They stopped just short of the doors leading back to the command center. The captain clapped Zander on the back. “Well once again, best of luck to you.”
Zander smiled. “To you too, sir.” He took one step out of the door before stopping and turned back. “Anyone can have it sir.”
Pritchard frowned. “What do you mean?”
“A career and a family. You just have to decide to do it, if it’s important enough to you.” Zander smiled as the doors shut.
Zander nodded as he stood at the front of the station's commanding officer. “I understand and I have to admit I do feel somewhat sorry about ducking out on you, especially considering the status of the station. But you know as well as I do how rare a family posting is.”
Pritchard held up his hand. “I understand completely. To be honest I am envious. You get the whole package, your career and your family.”
“Computer let the log show that as of 17:00 hours today Lt. Zander Blakeslee was relieved of duty. He will be transferring to the USS Serendipity.” The computer beeped its acknowledgment.
He stood up from his desk and extended his hand. “Good luck to you Lieutenant. Tell Samthia I said hello.”
Zander shook the captain’s hand vigorously. “Thank you sir. I will.”
Pritchard walked from behind his desk to lead Zander to the door. “How soon will you be leaving us?”
Zander walked with the captain. “ASAP. I already packed up most of my belongings. I will be hopping a ride with the Andorian cargo vessel Haydros that is currently docked. They will take me to Starbase 16. From there I get to piggy back on the USS Osiris all the way back to Earth.” He rubbed his eyes. “It will take about two weeks, barring any problems.”
They stopped just short of the doors leading back to the command center. The captain clapped Zander on the back. “Well once again, best of luck to you.”
Zander smiled. “To you too, sir.” He took one step out of the door before stopping and turned back. “Anyone can have it sir.”
Pritchard frowned. “What do you mean?”
“A career and a family. You just have to decide to do it, if it’s important enough to you.” Zander smiled as the doors shut.
=^= Chief of Tactical Office =^=
Zander had just finished putting the remaining items from his desk into the crate when Sara Elliott walked into his office.
“What do you think you are doing?” She exclaimed with her hands on her hips. “Do you realize that I am probably going to get stuck running tactical now as well as security?”
Zander grinned. “Well, I would not have it any other way.”
She returned his smile. “It seems like you just got back here and now you are leaving us again.” She leaned against the door jamb. “I am happy for you.”
Zander sat on the edge of his desk. “Thanks. Sam and I have been working towards this for some time now. We discussed having her and the kids come here, but that really was not an option.” He glanced around, not wanting to say what he was thinking, aloud.
Sara nodded her understanding. “Yeah, this is not the best place right now to have a family.”
Zander sighed. “It also was not fair to Sam. She wants to continue her career as well and let’s face facts, there is not a huge call for stellar cartographers here on the station.”
“Best of luck to you.” Sara turned to leave. “I wish I had more time to say bye but…”
Zander laughed. “I know. Duty calls. Take care of yourself, Chief.”
“You too.” She called out over her shoulder.
“What do you think you are doing?” She exclaimed with her hands on her hips. “Do you realize that I am probably going to get stuck running tactical now as well as security?”
Zander grinned. “Well, I would not have it any other way.”
She returned his smile. “It seems like you just got back here and now you are leaving us again.” She leaned against the door jamb. “I am happy for you.”
Zander sat on the edge of his desk. “Thanks. Sam and I have been working towards this for some time now. We discussed having her and the kids come here, but that really was not an option.” He glanced around, not wanting to say what he was thinking, aloud.
Sara nodded her understanding. “Yeah, this is not the best place right now to have a family.”
Zander sighed. “It also was not fair to Sam. She wants to continue her career as well and let’s face facts, there is not a huge call for stellar cartographers here on the station.”
“Best of luck to you.” Sara turned to leave. “I wish I had more time to say bye but…”
Zander laughed. “I know. Duty calls. Take care of yourself, Chief.”
“You too.” She called out over her shoulder.
=^= Later =^=
Zander had just enough time to make the rounds saying goodbye to the friends he had made on the station. He sincerely hoped that they would meet again but the universe was a big place, and he new little to nothing about his new post.
His bags were transferred to the Haydros and after saying his goodbyes to the transporter chief also, he was beamed over to begin the next chapter of his new life.
His bags were transferred to the Haydros and after saying his goodbyes to the transporter chief also, he was beamed over to begin the next chapter of his new life.
=^= About Two Weeks Later =^=
Zander sat outside of a nondescript office on the fourth floor of Starfleet Command Headquarters building, waiting for his turn to meet with the man in charge of administrating assignments for the USS Serendipity.
Zander had read over the materials that were given to him, but a majority of the information was still listed as classified. That was what this meeting was about. Final clarification of his orders.
"Lieutenant Blakeslee, if you'll come this way, the Admiral will see you now."
"Thank you, Ensign." Zander followed the young woman into a darkened room. She called for the lights and when they came on, Zander realized that it was just an empty office.
"If you'll just wait here, please, Sir." She smiled pleasantly, and then closed the door.
"But there isn't anyone-" Zander objected, but she had already gone.
A moment later, he heard what sounded like the latching sound of doors locking, and just as he started wondering if something was really wrong here, a tall, bald, and bearded man transported into the room and clasped his hands behind his back.
His uniform was similar to the usual Starfleet Admiral's uniform, with the exception that the whole thing was black, decorated only by a red stripe across the collar and shoulders, and the bars and pips that one would expect him to have given his station.
"Lt. Blakeslee," the man began, extending his hand. His voice was low in volume and gravelly. "I apologize for my tardiness. If you'll just come with me."
"I. . .don't understand, Sir." Zander was growing more and more nervous by the second. Pardon me sir, but what is the meaning of bringing me to an empty office?"
"In a moment, everything will become clear to you, I assure you," the man promised. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jonas Vox, and I'm pleased to welcome you to the crew of The Alchemy Project."
"Wait a minute, this isn't right." Zander was confused. "My orders were to meet Admiral Bryce and have my orders confirmed before boarding the Serendipity. I've never heard of The Alchemy Project."
"Admiral Bryce works for me," Vox explained, "And Serendipity is exactly where we're going. Computer, two to beam up, authorization Vox theta forty-two."
“Sir, I don’t mean to berate you with too many questions, but my wife and children…”
“Are not here yet, I understand. But I have been assured that they are safely on their way.” Vox completed Zander’s sentence.
Then the transporter beam grabbed them both and beamed them heavenward, to the Serendipity. The bright light of the transporter faded and Zander found himself standing in a fairly typical starship transporter room.
Vox waved his thanks to the man at the controls, and he gestured for Zander to go ahead of him out into the hall.
"I know what you're thinking, Lieutenant."
"Sir?"
"That this ship seems too. . .standard, for want of a better word, for all this cloak and dagger nonsense. Am I correct?"
Zander bit his lip in restraint.
"It's OK. You can say what you're thinking."
"What I'm thinking Sir, is that Sera seems to be very much a, well, normal Intrepid class ship. Granted, the crew compliment is a little bit smaller than I would expect for a ship of its size but I suppose, with the low priority of our mission profile, that's to be expected. We just don't need a whole crew to go survey nebulas and such."
Zander was led on through the starship corridor, *Talk about your anti-climax,* He thought to himself. *All that build up. . .all the mystery. . . for this? Someone must be having fun with me.*
He did take note that the colors used on the ship were very pleasing to the eye. Shades of vibrant blues that faded into deep navy in the carpet underfoot. Everything was new, and bright, and shiny. He took a moment to set aside his doubts, and really analyzed his surroundings. Everything seemed to be very precisely organized and laid out, right down to the recessed lighting in the ceiling that made the space feel very open, and much less cramped than Intrepid class corridors usually appeared.
"Or, the reason that there is a smaller crew compliment is because the work that you'll be doing here is so important, that there is a need to make it look. . ."Vox smiled, a gleam in his eye, "low priority."
The two stepped into the lift, and Vox spoke up quickly again. "Deck Ten, Fore."
"Oh, good. I get to see the Tactical lab already?" Zander commented, knowing that was the usual location of the lab on standard Intrepid class vessels.
"Not quite."
The doors parted, and Vox stepped out. They traversed another corridor, and went through not one, not two, but three more sets of secured doors and bulkheads. Zander was getting quite tired of this runaround, and then, just as he was about to ask again what it was that was so special about this ship, he saw it.
He saw her.
He crossed the entrance to the bay in a trance, and moved toward the first computer station he saw. Looking around him, the bay appeared as something of an interplanetary scrap yard- components strewn everywhere, waiting for something to belong to.
Waiting for that ship, the one displayed so clearly on the screen before his eyes.
"This," Vox announced, tapping the panel to bring up a more in-depth schematic, "is the USS Alchemy. Registry number NX-53099."
Zander whistled. “Wow.”
He frowned as the pieces started to fall into place. “So this whole deal, including the Sera, is about her?” He reached around the Admiral to adjust the image, so he could get a better look along the ventricle length. “She’s a new class.” Questions began to pile up one on top of another in his mind, faster than he could articulate them.
“Indeed. She is the original of her species.”
"Is she nearby? Probably still under heavy guard. Unless, she's not even built yet. Is she going to be assembled here?" Zander placed his hands on his hips. “She looks like she’s related to the Defiant class.”
"Related to Defiant in only the most shallow of ways, outside appearance." Vox elaborated. "We had to put the prototype components into something as a first-run test. This was the best option available to us at the time of construction. I'm sure that future ships in the class will continue to evolve and take on an appearance all their own."
Zander reigned in his wonder at the new ship and turned back towards the admiral with a smile on his face. “When do we take it for a ride?”
"That is exactly the reaction I hoped that I would get out of you when I was reading your record, Mr. Blakeslee. But I'm afraid that there is work to be done before you can go on that joyride." Vox brought up another image of the ship now, this one, troubling.
It was the latest damage report listing; the one that Alchemy's Chief Engineer, Lt. Commander Lair Kellyn, had sent back to HQ and reflected the beating that Alchemy had taken on what was only her second mission.
"Ouch," Zander winced. "Wait, does that say that the ship already crashed once before all this happened to it?" He frowned. "What is it, an Edsel?"
"What Alchemy is, is the culmination of decades of work, specifically new warp theory. Theory researched again and again over the past ten years, especially and then put into application. This ship was designed by the man who will be her XO. His wife, the engineer who has worked at his side on the project for more than eight years, is the one who has been holding Alchemy together with chewing gum and dental floss so the ship could complete her mission."
"What was that mission, Admiral? Target at a skeet shoot?"
Vox switched the computer screen off, and leveled his gaze directly at Zander. His voice was strictly business now.
"Saving the woman who would be her captain."
“Not a good way to start things off. I am assuming that the captain is all right?”
Vox frowned. “She is. . .recovering.”
Zander rubbed his chin. “OK. Good news then. Well, I am assuming that since I was chosen for this posting because of my record, that my wife was also chosen for her record as well?”
“Yes.” Vox responded. “You see, if you're going to be experimenting with faster than standard warp technology, you had better have your best cartographer mapping things out for you, so that you don't accidentally fly right through a star, or come out of warp too close to a supernova. That would end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?" He smiled at Zander again. "Lucky for us, you two came as a package deal.”
"Faster than- you mean-" Zander stammered, and lowered his voice, though he was in the one place in the galaxy where it wasn't necessary to do so. Everyone aboard the Sera already knew what was going on, except him. "Transwarp?"
The Admiral lowered his eyes in affirmation. "We only want the best for this project," he said simply. "You and Lt. Wej-Blakeslee fit our criteria. Perfectly."
“Well I can say we are thankful for the opportunity.” Zander honestly replied. “What are my specific responsibilities? What department will I be assigned to, myself?”
"You're going to be Sera's Chief Tactical Officer. And with all the people who will be trying to get a hold of Alchemy's technology in the days ahead?" He shook his head. "You're going to have to be damned good at your job, Lieutenant."
“Well, sir, I do not think I would be standing here in front of you if I wasn’t, now would I.”
“That is a correct statement.” Vox picked up a PADD. “Why don’t you get settled in, and we can pick this up tomorrow. We still have a few days before your wife and children arrive. You’ll meet the rest of the senior staff in the AM. With the exception of Captain Zanh, who will be joining us a little later.”
“I look forward to it sir.”
Zander had read over the materials that were given to him, but a majority of the information was still listed as classified. That was what this meeting was about. Final clarification of his orders.
"Lieutenant Blakeslee, if you'll come this way, the Admiral will see you now."
"Thank you, Ensign." Zander followed the young woman into a darkened room. She called for the lights and when they came on, Zander realized that it was just an empty office.
"If you'll just wait here, please, Sir." She smiled pleasantly, and then closed the door.
"But there isn't anyone-" Zander objected, but she had already gone.
A moment later, he heard what sounded like the latching sound of doors locking, and just as he started wondering if something was really wrong here, a tall, bald, and bearded man transported into the room and clasped his hands behind his back.
His uniform was similar to the usual Starfleet Admiral's uniform, with the exception that the whole thing was black, decorated only by a red stripe across the collar and shoulders, and the bars and pips that one would expect him to have given his station.
"Lt. Blakeslee," the man began, extending his hand. His voice was low in volume and gravelly. "I apologize for my tardiness. If you'll just come with me."
"I. . .don't understand, Sir." Zander was growing more and more nervous by the second. Pardon me sir, but what is the meaning of bringing me to an empty office?"
"In a moment, everything will become clear to you, I assure you," the man promised. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jonas Vox, and I'm pleased to welcome you to the crew of The Alchemy Project."
"Wait a minute, this isn't right." Zander was confused. "My orders were to meet Admiral Bryce and have my orders confirmed before boarding the Serendipity. I've never heard of The Alchemy Project."
"Admiral Bryce works for me," Vox explained, "And Serendipity is exactly where we're going. Computer, two to beam up, authorization Vox theta forty-two."
“Sir, I don’t mean to berate you with too many questions, but my wife and children…”
“Are not here yet, I understand. But I have been assured that they are safely on their way.” Vox completed Zander’s sentence.
Then the transporter beam grabbed them both and beamed them heavenward, to the Serendipity. The bright light of the transporter faded and Zander found himself standing in a fairly typical starship transporter room.
Vox waved his thanks to the man at the controls, and he gestured for Zander to go ahead of him out into the hall.
"I know what you're thinking, Lieutenant."
"Sir?"
"That this ship seems too. . .standard, for want of a better word, for all this cloak and dagger nonsense. Am I correct?"
Zander bit his lip in restraint.
"It's OK. You can say what you're thinking."
"What I'm thinking Sir, is that Sera seems to be very much a, well, normal Intrepid class ship. Granted, the crew compliment is a little bit smaller than I would expect for a ship of its size but I suppose, with the low priority of our mission profile, that's to be expected. We just don't need a whole crew to go survey nebulas and such."
Zander was led on through the starship corridor, *Talk about your anti-climax,* He thought to himself. *All that build up. . .all the mystery. . . for this? Someone must be having fun with me.*
He did take note that the colors used on the ship were very pleasing to the eye. Shades of vibrant blues that faded into deep navy in the carpet underfoot. Everything was new, and bright, and shiny. He took a moment to set aside his doubts, and really analyzed his surroundings. Everything seemed to be very precisely organized and laid out, right down to the recessed lighting in the ceiling that made the space feel very open, and much less cramped than Intrepid class corridors usually appeared.
"Or, the reason that there is a smaller crew compliment is because the work that you'll be doing here is so important, that there is a need to make it look. . ."Vox smiled, a gleam in his eye, "low priority."
The two stepped into the lift, and Vox spoke up quickly again. "Deck Ten, Fore."
"Oh, good. I get to see the Tactical lab already?" Zander commented, knowing that was the usual location of the lab on standard Intrepid class vessels.
"Not quite."
The doors parted, and Vox stepped out. They traversed another corridor, and went through not one, not two, but three more sets of secured doors and bulkheads. Zander was getting quite tired of this runaround, and then, just as he was about to ask again what it was that was so special about this ship, he saw it.
He saw her.
He crossed the entrance to the bay in a trance, and moved toward the first computer station he saw. Looking around him, the bay appeared as something of an interplanetary scrap yard- components strewn everywhere, waiting for something to belong to.
Waiting for that ship, the one displayed so clearly on the screen before his eyes.
"This," Vox announced, tapping the panel to bring up a more in-depth schematic, "is the USS Alchemy. Registry number NX-53099."
Zander whistled. “Wow.”
He frowned as the pieces started to fall into place. “So this whole deal, including the Sera, is about her?” He reached around the Admiral to adjust the image, so he could get a better look along the ventricle length. “She’s a new class.” Questions began to pile up one on top of another in his mind, faster than he could articulate them.
“Indeed. She is the original of her species.”
"Is she nearby? Probably still under heavy guard. Unless, she's not even built yet. Is she going to be assembled here?" Zander placed his hands on his hips. “She looks like she’s related to the Defiant class.”
"Related to Defiant in only the most shallow of ways, outside appearance." Vox elaborated. "We had to put the prototype components into something as a first-run test. This was the best option available to us at the time of construction. I'm sure that future ships in the class will continue to evolve and take on an appearance all their own."
Zander reigned in his wonder at the new ship and turned back towards the admiral with a smile on his face. “When do we take it for a ride?”
"That is exactly the reaction I hoped that I would get out of you when I was reading your record, Mr. Blakeslee. But I'm afraid that there is work to be done before you can go on that joyride." Vox brought up another image of the ship now, this one, troubling.
It was the latest damage report listing; the one that Alchemy's Chief Engineer, Lt. Commander Lair Kellyn, had sent back to HQ and reflected the beating that Alchemy had taken on what was only her second mission.
"Ouch," Zander winced. "Wait, does that say that the ship already crashed once before all this happened to it?" He frowned. "What is it, an Edsel?"
"What Alchemy is, is the culmination of decades of work, specifically new warp theory. Theory researched again and again over the past ten years, especially and then put into application. This ship was designed by the man who will be her XO. His wife, the engineer who has worked at his side on the project for more than eight years, is the one who has been holding Alchemy together with chewing gum and dental floss so the ship could complete her mission."
"What was that mission, Admiral? Target at a skeet shoot?"
Vox switched the computer screen off, and leveled his gaze directly at Zander. His voice was strictly business now.
"Saving the woman who would be her captain."
“Not a good way to start things off. I am assuming that the captain is all right?”
Vox frowned. “She is. . .recovering.”
Zander rubbed his chin. “OK. Good news then. Well, I am assuming that since I was chosen for this posting because of my record, that my wife was also chosen for her record as well?”
“Yes.” Vox responded. “You see, if you're going to be experimenting with faster than standard warp technology, you had better have your best cartographer mapping things out for you, so that you don't accidentally fly right through a star, or come out of warp too close to a supernova. That would end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?" He smiled at Zander again. "Lucky for us, you two came as a package deal.”
"Faster than- you mean-" Zander stammered, and lowered his voice, though he was in the one place in the galaxy where it wasn't necessary to do so. Everyone aboard the Sera already knew what was going on, except him. "Transwarp?"
The Admiral lowered his eyes in affirmation. "We only want the best for this project," he said simply. "You and Lt. Wej-Blakeslee fit our criteria. Perfectly."
“Well I can say we are thankful for the opportunity.” Zander honestly replied. “What are my specific responsibilities? What department will I be assigned to, myself?”
"You're going to be Sera's Chief Tactical Officer. And with all the people who will be trying to get a hold of Alchemy's technology in the days ahead?" He shook his head. "You're going to have to be damned good at your job, Lieutenant."
“Well, sir, I do not think I would be standing here in front of you if I wasn’t, now would I.”
“That is a correct statement.” Vox picked up a PADD. “Why don’t you get settled in, and we can pick this up tomorrow. We still have a few days before your wife and children arrive. You’ll meet the rest of the senior staff in the AM. With the exception of Captain Zanh, who will be joining us a little later.”
“I look forward to it sir.”
-----------------------------
Lt. Zander Blakeslee
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Admiral Jonas Vox
Program Administrator
The Alchemy Project
Lt. Zander Blakeslee
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Admiral Jonas Vox
Program Administrator
The Alchemy Project