Prologue: The Directive

He had to watch her come in. As soon as he’d finished reading over the specs of his new ship, the USS Discovery, Captain Oseno Jureth went to operations to watch his beloved first ship, the USS Alsea return home with the guilt of command tugging at his mind the entire time. When Lotus Fleet had asked him to allow the use of the Alsea for a cadet cruise, he hadn’t given it a second thought especially since they didn’t really have to ask him at all. He’d consented immediately knowing the ship would be in good hands under the watchful eye of the cantankerous Tellarite engineer Marksus Sangliar.

Unfortunately, as always seemed to be the case with Lotus Fleet, there had been complications. A spatial anomaly, and not one, but two unexpected space battles. The incidents had left Sangliar and his second Lieutenant Snow injured and a group of green cadets in charge of Oseno’s ship.  So, when he’d heard they were coming in Jureth had made his way into Starbase Lotus operations where Fleet Captain Allen Samji was just beginning the Alsea’s docking procedures. As Jureth entered the room he immediately attracted the attention of the on-duty staff including Lotus Fleet’s commander.

“Captain Oseno,” Samji greeted him with a nod “Shouldn’t you be preparing for your transfer to the Discovery?”

“Not much more I can do until she arrives from Mars Sir.” Jureth replied “and until she does the Alsea is still my ship.”

A look of quiet understanding came across Samji’s face and he nodded again “She’ll be coming through the doors momentarily.”

“Space dock doors open Fleet Captain” the ops officer reported

“Very well, signal Alsea to proceed.”

“Aye Sir.”

The triangular saucer poked its nose into the starbase proper first followed by the compact, sleek lines of Lotus Fleet’s gallant defender. Jureth watched as she slowly maneuvered into space dock. He noted the battle scars on her hull, his keen tactical officer’s eye picking out Romulan disruptor damage and other marks of unknown origin. Jureth had heard they’d encountered a previously unknown species and managed to perhaps scare them off, and at that thought the guilt reared its head again. Had he been aboard perhaps they wouldn’t have had to fight at all.

Now, as the mighty fighter slid into her berth Jureth started to exit ops intending on going aboard immediately to take control of the repairs. Before he could take a step, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to face Lotus Fleet’s stalwart commander.

“Let the engineers have a look at her Captain, by all accounts the damage isn’t near as bad as it appears.”

“I just thought I’d oversee the repairs myself Sir.”

“You should return to your change of command preparations; our crews can handle it Captain Oseno. You will be notified when she is ready for inspection.”

“Sir I...”

“That’s an order Captain.”

“Aye Sir.”

***

72 Hours Later....

Jureth woke at 0500 hours and moved as silently as possible so as not to disturb the inert form of Catherine Steele, who had recently become his fiancé, sleeping next to him. He slipped quietly into the sonic shower and then pulled on a fresh uniform. As he started out of the bedroom her voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Going to the ship already?” came the accusing question

“No,” Jureth replied “I’m actually going to the phaser range.”

“and then?”

“Then I’m going to the ship.”

“Computer, lights.” Cat commanded

The lights came up revealing Cat still covered by the sheets of their bed with an expression that matched the accusatory tone of her voice.

“You just can’t wait, can you?”

“Guilty as charged,” Jureth replied with a smirk “The civilian supervisor told me yesterday they were ready for inspection.”

“Yes, but the civilians won’t be there until 0800 and you know it.”

“So, I’ll be getting a head start. It’s your day off, you should go back to sleep.”

“Fine,” she replied, “but don’t come crying to me when the Fleet Captain reprimands you for not following procedure.”

“I wouldn’t think of it.” Jureth said with a full smile on his face

“Whatever get out of here. You won’t be happy until you’re standing on her bridge again.”

Jureth walked out of the bedroom and as the doors to their quarters opened, he called back to her “I love you.”  

“I know,” came the disembodied reply.

True to his word, Jureth did indeed go to the starbase’s phaser range. For nearly an hour he cycled through various phaser targeting programs with both rifles and small arms. His scores were still as good as they had been in his senior year at the academy when he’d placed second only to Cat herself during their weapons qualifications.

As soon as he was done, however, Jureth walked the mostly empty passages of Starbase Lotus with only one destination in mind, the Alsea. As he walked Jureth enjoyed the quiet of early morning on the starbase. No civilian shops were open yet, and only a few Starfleet personnel moved about consisting mostly of maintenance crews and security patrols. It was as peaceful as a major starbase could possibly get. From the range he took the turbolift to the docking area and made his way to berth seven where she sat. Docking lines and umbilicals secured her in her berth and provided shore power so that her warp core could be worked on. A boarding tube connected to her main airlock for easy movement of maintenance crews and was guarded around the clock by two security officers with phaser rifles at the ready who vetted and inspected anyone wishing to board. At this hour, now 0630, there was little to no activity in the docking area. First shift Starfleet and civilian crews wouldn’t arrive for more than an hour and with the Alsea being listed as ready for inspection almost no work was going on over night.

Jureth approached the security checkpoint and the security officers came to attention before challenging him.

“Halt and stay where you are Sir.” The young human on Jureth’s left said. As he leveled his phaser rifle at the Bajoran the other officer produced a tricorder from his belt and scanned Jureth down to the cellular level from head to toe.

“State your name for the log Sir.” Said the man who’d ordered him to stop

“Oseno Jureth, Captain.”

“Identity confirmed,” the man with the tricorder said with a nod “welcome aboard Sir. Lieutenant T’lana is waiting for you.”

Jureth nodded “Thank you crewman, fine work. Have a good day.”

“You too Sir.”

Jureth proceeded through the boarding tube and as he stepped through the other side, he came face to face with Lieutenant T’Lana. In all their adventures since they met serving under Captain Siduri what seemed like a lifetime ago, the Vulcan woman had become as stalwart a subordinate and friend as any Jureth had ever had.  He’d specifically asked her to meet him because he knew that she didn’t require as much sleep and wouldn’t mind the early start to the day. She had also overseen security during the repair cycle and so was aware of most of the work that had gone on.

“Welcome back Captain,” T’Lana greeted Jureth as he stepped onto the ship.

“Thank you T’Lana, good to see you again.”

“It is agreeable to see you as well Sir, and I believe there are congratulations in order for you and Lieutenant Steele?”

Jureth nodded with a smile “Yes, we’ll be married next year.”

“It is a momentous occasion to find one’s life mate for both Humans and Bajorans is it not?”

“It is. Quite momentous, but there will be time for that later. Now we have an inspection to conduct, so shall we Lieutenant?”

“As you wish Sir.”

For an hour T’Lana led Jureth through the Alsea’s various spaces pointing out the particulars of the repair work. Main engineering had required safety rail replacements, turbolift one had required shaft repairs, the main deflector dish had several isolinear chips and conduits replaced and had been recalibrated completely….Jureth was interested in all of these things, as they were all part of the beating heart of the Alsea, but what he really wanted was to stand on her bridge and give the command to power her up. Finally, as they stood in the ship’s lounge after T’Lana had recited the upgrades to the ship’s food replicators, she asked the question Jureth had been waiting for.

“We can proceed to the bridge if you are ready Sir.”

“Let’s not waste another minute T’Lana.”

“Bridge” T’Lana ordered as the doors to the turbolift closed. As the lift began moving, she turned to Jureth “Will you and Lieutenant Steele hold your union ceremony on the starbase?” she asked

“We’ve talked about it and a ceremony on either Earth or Bajor just isn’t practical. I’m actually considering asking Captain Kheren to officiate it.”

“If I understand both species correctly it is customary to have family members in attendance.” T’Lana stated “Will they not be…. disappointed?”

Jureth nodded “Maybe, but I think we will ultimately have small celebrations with both families…eventually.”

Before the conversation could continue further the turbolift slowed to a flawless stop and the doors opened revealing the bridge of the Alsea. Jureth stepped out first and looked around just as he had when he’d first come aboard her as the security chief. The bridge consoles were all dark as the ship was in idle status, but the ship’s computer was active Jureth knew and now it was time to bring her to life again.

“Computer, recognize Oseno Jureth, Captain, authorization Bravo-Juliet-Six-One.”

“Authorization confirmed.”

“Power up all bridge consoles.”

The computer beeped an affirmative and Jureth looked on as the bridge filled with the gentle hum of power returning and one by one by the bridge consoles of the spear of Lotus Fleet came to life their readouts displaying system diagnostic routines and status reports. Jureth stepped over to the tactical console, his first home aboard the Alsea, and as he did so something suddenly changed. Every console on the bridge went dark again for an instant and then a symbol that Jureth recognized but never in a million years thought he would see appeared. It was the symbol of Omega, a letter in the ancient Greek alphabet from Earth and Jureth began to get a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he knew what he had to do.

“Captain, what is happening?” T’Lana asked no reaction to the event present in her voice

“not now T’Lana” Jureth replied tritely as he tapped his combage

“Captain Oseno to airlock security.”

“Crewman Gerard here Sir.”

“Crewman, as of this moment the Alsea is off limits. No one on and no one off except by my explicit order do you understand me?”

“but Sir, first shift will be here in-”

“No one on and no one off Crewman and you are not to leave your post until I say so..do you understand me.?” Jureth replied his voice firm and measured

“Yes Sir” came the clearly confused reply.

“Good. Oseno out.”

Jureth could feel the eyes of T’Lana on him as he ended the call, but he didn’t have time to talk to her yet. Ever the security officer the Bajoran immediately began to secure his ship.

“Computer, initiate security alert. Disable transporters and lock shuttle bays under my authorization. Deactivate all turbolifts and erect level ten security forcefields around Jeffries tube accesses to the bridge.”

“Alert initiated. Security fields active.”

“Captain,” T’Lana started “If there is a security threat to the ship-“

“Not now.” Jureth replied sharply in a tone that the Vulcan had never heard from him. She was troubled, but her commanding officer either would not, or could not explain his actions.

“Computer,” Jureth directed “isolate and lock all command functions to the bridge under my authorization.”

“Command functions transferred, and locked to Oseno Jureth, Commanding Officer.”

“Computer, raise shields.”

“Captain,” T’Lana said her voice never wavering “Raising our shields in spacedock is highly irregular. I must insist you tell me what is happening.”

Jureth sighed “Lieutentant…I’m not telling you because I can’t, but I am about to give you an order and I need you to follow it without question.”

“Sir, if the order is within regulation I will comply.”

“I need you to remain on the bridge. You are not to reply to any inquiry from the starbase including from Fleet Captain Samji. I need you to trust me T’Lana.”

The Vulcan considered the order for a moment. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she also had come to trust the Bajoran implicitly having watched him manage one crisis after another and because of that she felt he deserved the benefit of the doubt now.

“Very well Sir.”

“I will be in my ready room.”

Jureth walked quickly to the ready room and as the doors closed behind him, he spoke again to the ship’s computer.

“Computer seal the doors to this room. No one enters without my authorization.”

“Room sealed.”

Jureth sat behind the desk and the terminal opened from its surface with the Omega symbol prominently displayed on it.

“Computer, access secure data file Omega One.”

“Voice print confirmed, state clearance code.”

“Oseno two two zero one red. Clearance level ten.”

“Confirmed. Sensors detected the Omega phenomenon during encounter with alien vessel on Stardate 88681.07. Implement the Omega Directive immediately, all other priorities are rescinded.”

“Computer, display sensor data.”

The computer immediately complied displaying the position of the Alsea and a giant ovoid shaped craft with the location of the Omega molecule detection pinpointed. Jureth began to examine the sensor data carefully pouring over the contents of the recorded encounter

***

In the Starbase Lotus operations center fresh duty officers were arriving including Fleet Captain Allen Samji complete with a mug full of steaming Raktajino signaling the beginning of the first shift. In the commotion normally associated with such a changeover it took nearly ten minutes before the change of condition aboard the Alsea was noticed. It came in the form of an alert tone on the main operations console manned by a Bolian, Lieutenant Eradin.

“Fleet Captain, there’s a problem with the Alsea Sir.”

“What is it Lieutenant?”

“She’s initiated a security alert.”

Samji walked over to the console and Eradin pulled up the station log indicating the Alsea had gone to alert status just as the shift change was taking place. Samji looked at it a minute and smiled.

“Captain Oseno must be aboard…I’m sure he’s just running a drill.”

Just then another tone started and Eradin pulled up the alert “I-I don’t think so Sir.”

“Why not Lieutenant?”  

“She’s just raised her shields Sir.”

A look of concern now came across Samji’s face “What? Are you certain Lieutenant?”

“Yes Sir. The Alsea’s shields are up.”

Samji tapped his combadge “Samji to berth seven security, what is going on down there?”

“Crewman Gerard here Sir, I got a call from Captain Oseno a little bit ago with orders that the ship was off limits and the alarms started…and now the shields”

“I know about the shields Crewman,” Samji said sternly, “Did Captain Oseno say why the ship was off limits?”

“No Sir, just that I wasn’t to leave my post until he ordered me to.”

“Stay there Crewman, I’ll be in touch, Samji out.”

Samji looked out the observation window at the Alsea, still motionless, in her berth and stroked his chin.

“What the hell are you doing Oseno?” he said under his breath

Was the Bajoran really running a drill? He certainly had a reputation for testing security forces, but this seemed too extreme for that. Had Oseno gone rogue and hijacked the Alsea? Was he under duress? With the shields up there was no way to get a security team aboard to find out. The Lotus Fleet commander tapped his combadge:

“Samji to Oseno, are you alright Captain?”

Only silence answered the question and the entire watch crew could feel the urgency of the situation was beginning to escalate.

“Lieutenant Eradin, get me the Alsea’s prefix code.”

“Aye Sir, pulling it up now.”

“Access the Alsea’s computer.”

Eradin entered the code and the computer beeped defiantly refusing to comply. He tried again, and then a third time before admitting defeat.

“I can’t get in Sir.”

“What do you mean you can’t get in? That code should immediately grant us access.”

“I can’t get in Sir. The Alsea’s computer is completely locked down. And now she’s initiated an ecrypted transmission.”

“Initiate security alert protocol Lieutenant.”

“Aye Sir.”

Alarm klaxons rang out all over Starbase Lotus, security teams ran through her corridors as they moved to protect the base’s vital areas, and the other docked ships began their own lockdown procedures. In operations Allen Samji tapped his combadge again refusing to believe that one of his best officers had jumped ship.

“Samji to Oseno, Captain I need you to answer me. Is the Alsea secure?”

***

Aboard the Alsea Jureth was still following the Omega protocol and had indeed initiated the transmission operations had detected.

“Computer, initiate subspace call to Starfleet Command, Earth, Admiral Nova’s eyes only on an encrypted channel.”

While he waited for the call to go through and as the plea from Lotus Fleet’s commander came through his combadge Jureth finished going through the sensor data and confirmed in every way he’d been trained that the Omega detection was in fact valid.

“Computer why wasn’t this information presented upon detection?”

“No officer of captain rank or above was present aboard USS Alsea at that time.”

At that moment the face of Starfleet’s Chief of Naval Operations known to all by the nickname Nova appeared on the screen. The human’s face was weathered from both age and experience and anyone who looked at his service record knew that each gray hair or wrinkle had a story that went with it. His expression was grim as he greeted Jureth.

“Captain Oseno, I’d like to say it is good to hear from you, but I have a feeling this is not a social call.”

Jureth was pleased that Admiral Nova even remembered him. He’d only met the man on two occasions, but Jureth supposed that a Bajoran didn’t just shoot through Starfleet’s ranks in one of its most elite divisions without Command taking notice.

“No Sir, it is not. Admiral the Alsea’s computer has initiated the Omega Directive.”

“When?”

“15 minutes ago, but the molecule was detected several days ago Sir.”

“Why didn’t the computer initiate the Directive immediately?”

“The Alsea was on a cadet cruise Sir. Neither I nor any other Lotus Fleet captain was aboard.”

“I see..we must act immediately Captain. The molecule must be hunted down and destroyed. You are to discuss this with no one, not even Samji, I will contact him myself shortly. Stand by for further orders Captain Oseno. Nova out.”

The monitor went blank and Jureth sat back in his chair for a moment before tapping his combadge.

“Oseno to Samji…yes Sir the ship is secure, and I will end the alert shortly.”

“You have a lot of explaining to do Captain, what the hell are you doing?”

“I can’t tell you that Sir, but you should be hearing from Starfleet shortly. Oseno out.”

 Jureth cut the channel and rested his forehead on his hands sighing heavily. This was something that every Starfleet captain received training for, but none really believed they’d ever have to actually do. If the Omega molecule was real then the Hromi Cluster, maybe even the entire Federation, was in a whole new level of danger.