"Departure I"
ACT FOUR
CUT TO INT. ENGINEERING-SPACE
An old, 23rd century style warp core is getting dismantled while a brand spanking new 24th century warp core is being installed.
“Cut it in half” She says! If I have to hear one more dumbass with a commission tell me to “cut it in half” I’m gonna get a laser saw and…(To the Repair Crew) Alright, try it now!
Somebody hits a button and the new warp core buzzes, and then whirrs, until if finally sputters to a stop.
Try shifting the alignment and rerouting the plasma flow, see if that helps.
The warp core starts to slowly come on line. The engineers step away as the machines spring to life. The core starts to hum and glow.
CU on
CUT TO EXT. SPACEDOCK-SPACE
CU on the nacelles as they power up, view travels down the length of the hull towards the saucer section, windows and exterior lights getting brighter.
CUT TO INT. SICKBAY-SPACE
Bio beds and instruments come to life as full power returns to sickbay.
NERI and her medical staff are still unpacking boxes but stop as the lights and machines start switching on.
NERI
Finally.
She motions to a female Vulcan nurse named SOPRIN.
NERI
Let’s start programming the presets on these defibulators…
Everyone gets back to work.
CUT TO INT. BRIDGE-SPACE
CU of DECKER watching the helm light up.
DECKER
Sir, we have full power.
FROST is completely absorbed a data pad about retirement getaways and Risan vacations. DECKER turns around and waves at him to get his attention.
DECKER
Sir?
FROST (half listening)
Hmm?
DECKER
Chief Rand finally got the ship working.
FROST (distracted)
That’s nice.
DECKER stares at him, confused.
DECKER
Shouldn’t you tell the Commander?
FROST
I’m sure she’s figured it out by now.
Sure enough, the doors to the Ready Room slide open and SARA steps on to the bridge.
SARA
I see, Mr. Rand got us running ahead of schedule. Status check, Mr. Frost?
FROST
All systems stand at optimum.
SARA
Perfect. Request permission to depart from Spacedock and prepare to disembark.
CUT TO EXT. SPACEDOCK-SPACE
Warning lights flash as the Nelson cuts it’s moorings and starts to maneuver out of the station. Full power finally reaches the last exterior light illuminating the name ‘USS Nelson.’ Smaller ships move aside and work bees stand down as the Nelson lumbers out into open space.
The Spacedock doors open, the ship moves into position and slides outside.
CUT TO INT. BRIDGE-SPACE
CU on DECKER
DECKER
We’re away.
MEDIUM SARA as she settles into the Command Chair.
SARA
Warp 2 on my mark.
She takes a breath; she’s always wanted to say this.
SARA
Engage.
CUT TO EXT. SPACEDOCK-SPACE
All four of the Nelson’s nacelles start to power up, the front end of the ship elongates as the warp field wraps the ship.
Bam! The Nelson jumps to warp and speeds away until it’s a tiny dot on the black fabric of space.
FADE TO INT. CONFERENCE ROOM
The stars give way to wide shot of the Nelson’s conference room and the Senior crewmembers of the Nelson: DECKER, NERI, FROST, and RAND on one side of the table. WOLFE, CALLAHAN, and PROVIX on the other.
Everybody’s silent and staring bullets at the other side of the table except for WOLFE, who’s trying to be very mature and diplomatic, and FROST, who just looks bored.
WOLFE (friendly smile)
Well, since this is my first chance to meet all of you, my name is Major Timothy Wolfe and this is Lieutenant Harriet Callahan and Sergeant Belamar Provix-
NERI
You shouldn’t be here.
CALLAHAN loses it; PROVIX bangs his fist on the table.
CALLAHAN
My orders say different.
This is a Starfleet ship! We don’t need military personnel under our feet making our life harder.
WOLFE
I think it would be a good idea if we moved this discussion in a different-
PROVIX
We’re here at Starfleet’s request and your people didn’t seem to have problem when we were saving their ass from the Dominion!
DECKER
That was a war! The war’s over, go back to
CALLAHAN
Suddenly everyone’s talking at once WOLFE loses control of the situation. The whole meeting spirals out of his hands.
The doors slide open, it’s SARA carrying a stack of data padds. PROVIX and CALLAHAN snap to attention and start saluting.
The tension in the room between the groups is palpable and SARA grows concerned.
SARA (to Marines)
At ease. (To Wolfe) Is there a problem?
WOLFE
No sir, we were simply discussing…geography with some of your crew.
SARA
Very well. Please explain to your people about the Saluting.
PROVIX and CALLAHAN look confused, WOLFE leans towards them.
WOLFE
They don’t like it when you salute.
SARA starts passing out data padds and taps a button on the table to open the view screen on the wall, displaying a map of the Tars Tavik Sector.
SARA
Let’s jump right in, shall we? This a simple fugitive retrieval, our subject’s name is Koloth “Oathbreaker” of House Kor, Major Wolfe and his team will be taking point. Before I go into the details will there be any questions?
Everybody is still scowling at each other.
CU on WOLFE.
WOLFE
This is going to be a long trip.
CUT TO INT. SARA’S QUARTERS- SPACE
SARA’S sitting on her small couch with her shoes off and a cup of tea on the end table. A small comm. screen is on the coffee table in front of her.
SARA
You’ve put me in a real spot up here Moira. We’ve barely left port and half the crew thinks I’m the wicked witch.
ADMIRAL KELLY (viewscreen)
You’re the one who wanted life in the field, Sara.
CU on ADMIRAL KELLY on the view screen.
ADMIRAL KELLY (viewscreen)
Welcome to the realities of a field deployment.
SARA sighs and nods, silently agreeing. She takes a sip of tea as ADMIRAL KELLY’S voice continues in the background.
ADMIRAL KELLY
Now that you’re out there, I should probably warn you that Starfleet Intelligence has intercepted a series of very disturbing communiqués from the Tal Shiar to their oversight committee in the Romulan Senate. It’s unusual for Romulan intelligence officers to be so sloppy but the messages seem panicked and rushed. They keep referring to something called “Bone Lord”.
SARA
Is that code? Maybe an operational handle? An alias?
ADMIRAL KELLY
We don’t know. We’re fairly certain that it’s the real reason they’ve mobilized a quarter of their fleet along the new border.
SARA
I thought relations with
ADMIRAL KELLY
They are. There’s something strange going on, the Romulans are focusing their patrols on merchant vessels. They aren’t even noticing Starfleet or Federation ships. It’s like they think they’re own people are going to attack them.
SARA
I can keep an eye out when I get there; we’ll be arriving at Tars Tavik in a few days.
ADMIRAL KELLY
Try to start at Feron Prime when you get there. It’s the only legal settlement in the whole sector. The population should be less…combative.
SARA
Major Wolfe assures me that his team will be ready for anything but I’m taking extra precautions. I’ve asked the USS Surak to stay alert in case we need back up.
ADMIRAL KELLY
Good. I need you to get this job done, Sara. Things have gotten bad in out there since the war and we don’t need some one like Koloth starting problems. Find him, bring him in. Do that and I’ll get you posted on a real ship, with a real crew.
SARA
How hard could it be?
CU on ADMIRAL KELLY. She looks worried, like SARA just jinxed herself.
ADMIRAL KELLY
Famous last words.
SARA (smile)
Don’t jinx me, Moira.
The image on SARA’S Comm. switches to a satellite picture of a massive roating ball of ice labeled Feron Prime.
Continue on to ACT FIVE...