USS HORIZON: escorting the freighter

On the bridge of the Horizon, Chief Engineer Solius rose from the command chair as his captain stepped onto the bridge.

"We are ready to escort the Champlain to Eden III, Captain. No sign of Klingons or any other ship in the vicinity. The Polaris is also signaling readiness to proceed with her mission."

"How long before we can rejoin them?"

Aguk Snow was the one to answer the ship's commanding officer's query.

"Although her engines are back to full efficiency, the Champlain has a maximum speed of warp 8.  This means reaching the colony in seventeen point one hours if nothing interferes with our flight. Back to the coordinates of the anomaly at warp 9 will then take twenty-four hours if we do not rejoin with the stardrive and use transwarp instead. At transwarp 3, we would get back to them in fifty-three point four minutes."

The Andorian listened to his chief helmsman while signing a department readiness report handed to him by yeoman Blackbird and then looked at the Inuit shaking his head.

"Leaving the colony defenseless when we know that potential enemies are in the sector is not an option, Lieutenant. What is the emergency speed of the freighter?"

"Warp 9, Captain; she would be able to maintain it barely long enough to reach the colony in twelve hours."

"Assuming no serious breakdown, the colony would be able to help her refit her engines during the time the supplies would be delivered," added Cheonghi from the ops station.

Kheren thought for a moment, looking on the viewer at the saucer-shaped transport with her two warp nacelles jutting under and aft of it between which started the train of enormous containers magnetically aligned behind her. There was no sign of her previous battle damage nor of the invidium leak that had stranded her in space.

"Captain Swift assured me her ship was ready and eager to complete her mission. Let us see how well she deserves her name. Lieutenant Lyrya; signal the Champlain that we are about to engage and escort them to the colony, warp 9."

"Aye, Captain; transmitting," the Aenar answered with her blind eyes straight ahead as her fingers danced on the communication panel of the command medical chair.

"You fear another attack, Sir?" his other wife, Tyvya, asked from the tactical station.

"Here or at the colony," he admitted. "And the interference from the Azimuth Horizon here makes us deaf and blind for a good part of the way to whatever may happen over there... and them regarding us. It will be the same with the Polaris as she will near the other spatial anomaly. She is a tough little ship and Redding is a most apt commander, especially if Klingons are involved... and having Aron'son with him will certainly give them an edge... but I would be surprised if there were only three Birds of Prey involved. Not to mention that this unknown phenomena disturbing the very fabric of our universe might be beyond even the excellence of his ship and crew. The sooner we get back to them, the better."

"Captain Swift replies ready to proceed as ordered, Captain," Lyrya then confirmed.

Aguk Snow turned back to his console and activated a few controls.

"Course plotted and laid in, Sir."

Kheren sat in his chair, eyes to the screen.

"Patch me to the Polaris."

"Channel open, Sir."

"Polaris, this is the Horizon. We are heading back to Eden at maximum warp. We will rendez-vous back to you at the anomaly in thirty-six hours. Do you copy, Polaris?"

"Redding here captain, ship and crew are reporting at the ready sir. Acknowledging thirty six hours, we'll see you then Horizon, Polaris out."

Once her escort ship had confirmed her own readiness to depart, the chief counselor of the Horizon switched channels to bring them in communication with the transport vessel.

"Champlain, this is the Horizon. We will now get underway."

"Acknowledged, Horizon," came back the clear voice and soft features of Captain Swift on the viewer, showing her on her scarred but fully functional bridge. "Glad to have you watching over us."

Behind her, the turbolift doors were guarded by a MACO officer of the flagship. A full complement had been beamed aboard to supply added security during the trip to the colony. This time, any boarding action would be met with sharp response.

"Stay in standard escort formation, Captain," Kheren added. "I remind you from our briefing that we have deployed a squadron of class X probes to create a guarding peremeter of scouts and, like us, will also be in constant contact with you. Go to red alert and maintain course and speed towards the colony the moment they notify a problem or if you loose contact. Remember; whatever we do or happens to us, you will not deviate from our planned flight plan. As discussed, a log buoy has been sent to our stardrive guarding the Eden star system; she will be expecting you and establish contact with you as soon as we escape the anomaly's interference."

"Understood," the woman said before her image faded out, leaving that of her ship silhouetted before the swirling colors of the Azimuth Horizon anomaly. Her warp nacelles flared up.

"Mister Snow; warpspeed."

Looking almost as a gigantic twin of the Ptolemy class freighter, the saucer section jumped with it through the blinding flash of warp velocity towards the closest star.