NEW HORIZON: Epilogue

"The Republic, the McKenzie and the Spectre are back on their patrol areas, the Phoenix has already departed for the Azimuth Horizon portal and the Wisconsin is on it's way to sector 001 for our regular ferrying of personnel and supplies."

The rear admiral nodded absently.

"Is the decommissionning of the Pittsburg on schedule?"

Samji punched on his PADD to check before answering.

"Yes, Sir; some of her systems will help in recommissionning the Umqua as our sector research vessel. The rest will be recycled for starbase consumption. The Pittsburg had served well and the honor ceremony for her last salute will be held at the end of the week."

"Make sure Captain Speaker-of-Names and his crew are notified. Their years of service aboard her deserve to be recognize along with her; and they deserve to say that last goodbye. I want to make sure that they understand that this is not the end but the beginning of something worthy of their dedication, talent and valor."

"Consider it done, Admiral."

"What about or other old girls?"

" The Lotus is being stationned and maintained here in readiness for any unexpected need and the Steamrunner patrols in the base's vicinity for routine work and surveillance."

" Yes, we certainly don't want another captive starbase incident like we had when we inaugurated this posting nine years ago. Captain Jureth did a great job with the recent Unroth unrest but the Romulans are still too much on edge to be complacent with them again... not to mention the Klingons spoiling for a fight since Operation Horizon..."

Kotari wasn't looking at Samji. Hands at his back, his gaze wandered through the wide transparency of his office at the vast inner expanse of the starbase and the vessels docked in there, his corruscated brow even more furrowed than usual.

"Is the Alsea being prepped up for her new duties?"

"Yes, Admiral; with her multivector mode allowing for joint command between her three warp capable independent hulls, she will be the best command school ship in the fleet, no doubt. Our command officers will have actual space experience under their belt instead of simulations when they will get assigned."

"Captain Kheren's recommendation if I recall."

"Indeed, Sir; I don't know if you are aware of this, but he is the only Starfleet captain since Captain Spock who invented it that never took the Kobayashi Maru test."

The Boslic man turned halfway with a raised eyebrow.

"Really? Now that you mention it, I do recall from his record that he had no evaluation report of performance from it but that he received a commendation about it for...  ah yes... critical thinking?"

"He went to the Academy Commandant himself and apparently convinced him that the test was utterly futile because, since it was a test, it was too easy for him to act all heroic and proper knowing even his failure or sacrifice would in reality cost absolutely nothing but school grades. Fake death never equates real death in the mind or the heart, he concluded in his research dissertation ordered by the Commandant to justify his claim. He had made Starfleet Academy ponder and work hard on the problem since then."

"that was bold coming from a cadet."

"He's Andorian, Sir."

Kotari half-smiled for a second before returning his worried expression to the view of the docked ships.

"Captain Rivers will make an excellent teacher. The Alsea joining the Aurora in our Lotus Fleet Academy, this division will most assuredly offer the very best Starfleet officers ever. And we will need them."

There was a moment of silence before the Fleet Captain resumed his fleet deployement report.

"The Horizon is falling behind schedule for her preparations to move out to the pocket universe."

Kotari's face darkened and a heavy sigh forced it's way through his clenched jaws.

"She was gutted out of a fifth of her crew, all of her senior staff and her captain! Redding is a remarkable officer but he is not a miracle worker! Make sure the flagship has priority in supplies and personnel as she deserves."

"She also lost all her best helmsen with Lieutenant Moore transfered to the Discovery... but we managed to get her this Praxiar woman as her new chief of security and tactical and even a new bartender and diplomatic advisor with acting ensign Shelley Rogers."

"David Rogers' sister? he one that got involved with him with the theft of the Horizon's sister ship, the Diamond Star?"

"The same, Sir; Starfleet Command beleives her... unique experience will be useful with the upcoming mission of the Horizon."

Kotari said nothing for a moment. Samji went on to break the darkening mood in the room.

" We did manage however to get the very best MACO commander in Starfleet; Lieutenant Somers is competent enough to even double up as the flagship' Strategic Ops Officer, despite her lack of experience."

"Knowing Redding as i do, he will shape her up in no time.  Who is to be his exec?"

"We have no qualified officer available for that position at the moment, Sir... except... her Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Nasaro-Myth."

Kotari looked back at the Hindu man.

"The Deltan? He has command experience?"

"He commanded an away team during his tour of duty on the Spectre, a shuttle to help the Artemis escape the Azimuth Horizon anomaly and then the Artemis bridge module helpling Captain Jureth settle conflict and rescue the interfering Undines during Operation Horizon. He was also part of the commando team of Redding when they tackled the Klingons on the rogue planet of the pocket universe."

The admiral nodded.

"Well, Redding could have been stuck alone. Guess this will be a good thing to have a doctor compensate for the man's rather... old style of command."

"As in... cowboy diplomacy, Sir?"

They exchanged a small grin before Samji returned to his report.

"The Hoshea and the Discovery are prepping up for their assignment on schedule. We only have a junior officer to serve as chief engineer of the Hoshea, Lieutenant Sean Andrews but he has worked for years under Commander Rogers so he is ready to make the big step."

"Hope he got the technical experience, not the compulsions of Mister Rogers," growled the Boslic admiral. "Who else again has been added to Speaker's senior staff?"

"Lieutenant Commander Jonathan X Livingstone will serve as her chief of science."

"Ah yes, the X'Ell; we better not miss the mark with this one, Allen; our whole relationship with his people depends on him."

Samji nodded then glanced again at his PADD.

"The Discovery is even ahead now with most of her senior officers already on board and on duty under the supervision of her exec, Commander Schaell Scyshylyss... yes, the Saurian, Admiral; certainly the best balance to a Bajoran captain."

Again, Kotari briefly smiled.

"Captain Jureth has always been a dynamic officer. Having such a remarkable tactical officer commanding an explorer ship will certainly send a message; to our friends, that we are once again explorers... and to our foes, that now we are ready for anything."

"Anything, Sir?"

There was an uneasy silence between them before Kotari growled.

"What can be so damn sensitive that Starfleet Command wouldn't even tell me?"

"Sir... even Starfleet Command is being shackled by the Federation Council no less, from the office of the president himself... and..."

Kotari swung around angry, interrupting his starbase commander abruptly.

"I know who's responsible for it, damn it! Kheren is my most decorated officer, my third most experienced and my flagship commander and they take him and his best people from me without so much as an explanation! And Commander Rogers; how does he of all people got involved in this? And Aron'Son the Jem'Hadar, our most reliable security and tactical officer... and an acting commission to Nathan Cross? A bartender? What is going on here?"

Samji hared his heavy sigh and somber eyes.

" I agree, Sir; this whole set up is damn peculiar; thirteen class XI shuttles sent to us to transfer them all the stars know where, on a preprogrammed encrypted course launched at irregular intervals and different trajectories at maximum  warp to avoid all space traffic and confuse detection... We're even under strict orders, all bases and stations in the sector, not to monitor their flight. And if they are intercepted, all available ships are to drop any and all orders and assignments and sent to clear the way for them. I don,t know, Amiral, but this smells like... like..."

Kotari took a few seconds himself before voicing their fear.

"Like Section 31."

"But... Sir, Section 31 is no more; we even had one of our finest officers pay dearly to make sure this aberration, this cancer, would be excised from us."

"And to all prupose and intent, so it has been," Kotari said with conviction. Sorripto is finally back at his old rank and again chief engineer, now on the Discovery. He did not sacrifice himself, his reputation and his career in vain! If need be, we will make sure of that!"

Silence again froze them both before the Boslic man spoke again in a far away tone, again looking at his fleet parked within his starbase.

"It does stink like Section 31... but in truth, we both can guess who is really behind it all."

Samji nodded to his back, he too looking far away.

"Only time will tell, Admiral."

"Yes... in time."