By Coral
Disclaimer: Paramount owns all.
Ach, die gute alte Tage, als es einfach war… (Quote from our German assembly). Set just before the end of Caretaker, and probably totally inaccurate 'cos I haven't seen that episode since…. Last week!
I staggered back to my chair as I realised what I'd done, for once not caring one bit about my command mask; no one was looking at me anyway. Like me, their eyes were riveted to the screen, transfixed by the destruction before them of their only way home. The silence and tension on the bridge was stifling. We received a hail from the Kazon, which I took in stupefied silence.
As the transmission finished, I felt everyone looking at me. Chakotay's half-klingon engineer - B'Elanna, wasn't it? - looked like she could have killed me on the spot with nothing but her bare hands.
"Mister Chakotay, please join me in my ready room."
Much to my relief, he followed me without question and the doors shut behind us, banishing the tension I was feeling to the bridge. Standing politely in front of my desk while I sat behind, Chakotay asked, "What do you want, Captain?"
Indicating for him to sit, I discussed our situation with him. I felt strangely detached from the proceedings, as if I were only dreaming all this and I would wake up at home on Earth at any moment. Within 10 minutes time, I had a new first officer and a crew of outlaws on my ship.
Dismissing Chakotay, I remained in my ready room for a few minutes longer in an attempt to gather my thoughts. My eyes drifted slowly onto the picture of Mark and I prayed that he would understand why I had done what I had.
Finally I stepped out onto the bridge. The tension on the bridge was rapidly evaporating, and crewmembers were doing their jobs, albeit a little dazedly.
Deciding not to interrupt them just now I looked around the bridge, wondering what I'd got myself into. I had an ex-convict at my helm, a completely green Ensign as my Ops chief, no medical staff except a hologram with a personality problem, no chief of Engineering, a first officer about whom I knew nothing and a crew of former terrorists and outlaws.
I'd never been so uncertain about a mission before in my life. I knew I was certain about only one thing: This was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
END